2008: A Space Owen

'''It's time for Total Drama Action to lift off as the cast competes in space themed challenges. Two cast mates start to feel a strain on their recently made alliance and another still can't shake off his guilt. After a number of calculations, someone believes that there is a traitor among the cast, but he is unable to warn the remaining contestants before ending up eliminated.'''

Plot
The episode opens up with Chris waking up the contestants in the middle of the night. He greets them and tells them that they have all been sent something from the outside world before proceeding to give them their packages. Owen gets a trophy that he won for being a good citizen, which upsets him due to his new role on the show. Courtney gets a photo of when she had to win a team debate all by herself because her partner on the debating team didn't want to work with her, Harold gets nun-chucks, Beth gets a "promise" candy ring from Brady, and Duncan gets his pet tarantula, Scruffy.

Next, Chris tells everyone to meet him at a different location for the next challenge. Once they get there, he tells them that they must spend the rest of the night riding in a space simulation roller coaster. The group goes inside the space ship, and they sleep in zero-gravity until they are woken up by an alarm. The alarm tells them that they need to fix the ship's navigation system, so they decide that they must grab the joystick. To do so, Duncan throws Harold at it. Harold then stops the ship. Meanwhile, as the cast mates compliment Harold's quick work, Owen is floating over by a window, trying to find a way to fulfill his duties as secret mole. He then notices Harold's nun-chucks floating by him and takes them, using them to break one of the spaceship's windows. The uncontrolled decompression starts sucking everything out of the spaceship, including their oxygen. Chris tells them that they have several minutes to fix or plug up the broken window or else they will run out of oxygen, so they use Owen to fill the hole. When they safely depart the spaceship, Chef declares that their idea of filling the hole with two pillows was smart, then pets the two pillows happily. Chris informs him that the "pillows" are actually Owen's butt, and Chef is then seen in the confessional shaking in terror.

The challenge is then over. As Beth and Courtney, the "Girls' Alliance," were the ones to use Owen as the solution, they get to choose the order for the next part of the challenge. Without consulting Beth, Courtney decides that this order will be used: Harold, Owen, Duncan, Beth, and then herself. They then find out that the next challenge is to ride the "Vomit Comet" and Courtney tries to take back her decision, but it is too late.

Harold rides first, but accidentally ends up with Scruffy being inside with him. Harold then asks to leave the ride after only riding a few seconds and loses the challenge. Duncan asks Harold where Scruffy is, whereupon Harold then turns around and Duncan sees Scruffy crushed to death on his back. Heartbroken, Duncan mourns his beloved pet's death, while Courtney comforts him. Owen rides next and ends up leaving early too, but not before farting inside the ride, due to Chef Hatchet's chili. He does not vomit, but Duncan is still disgusted as he enters because of the horrible smell. Duncan ends up being the first one to vomit, and manages to stay in the longest so far (but gets ten seconds off his time for vomiting). Beth goes next, still upset that she is going so late and that the ride has already been soiled. Yet, she refuses to stick with Courtney and not participate at all. Beth manages to stay in longest with thirty-six seconds. Beth exits the ride and kisses Harold, due to the fact that she assumes that Harold has feelings for her, when he does not. Harold is disgusted when she then dumps Brady and tells Harold that she wishes to date him. Meanwhile, Courtney is upset that Beth did not go along with her plan, and ends up forfeiting herself in the challenge. Beth then earns invincibility.

The scene then cuts to Duncan and Harold sitting outside the girls' trailer as Beth and Courtney argue. Inside the trailer, Beth and Courtney argue about Beth's choice in the immunity challenge, which leads them to break up their alliance and each decide to fight alone for the rest of the game. Meanwhile, Harold finds Owen in the film lot. Harold then explains to Owen that he is suspicious of him, as Owen was the only cast mate not accounted for when the window broke on the spaceship. Harold tells Owen that he knows he is a traitor, but Owen denies the accusation and repels him with his excessive farting.

At the Gilded Chris Ceremony, the cast mates are seen voting. It's revealed Harold voted for Owen, Beth voted for Courtney, and Owen and Duncan voted for Harold. Courtney is the only one who will not imply to the camera whom she is voting for, saying that she should have the right of privacy. Courtney and Harold are the bottom two, with Harold being sent home. As he leaves, he pulls down Duncan's pants, which Duncan admits he had coming. Harold then shouts to the other cast mates that Owen is a traitor and that they should watch him like a falcon, as it has better eyesight than a hawk. Beth also mentions that she will "wait for Harold," much to Harold's dismay. Chris then signs off the show and Harold is driven away by the Lame-o-sine.

Quotes
Beth: It's Bra-dy and he's totally real! Courtney: Let me see that! (takes it away; reading) "Awarded to the most trusting, caring, honest student who always puts others before himself." Owen: (teary-eyed) 'scuse me...(runs off crying) Duncan: What's his problem? Courtney: More importantly, why didn't I get one of these?! Harold: Dude, that's one small dog. Duncan: It's not a dog, it's a tarantula. (to Scruffy) Awww. I wuv you, Scruffy. (makes kissy faces at Scruffy) Yes I do! Duncan: Nope. Courtney: Not even remotely. Duncan: No can do, babe. Already gave it to Scruffy. Zero Gs can be tough on the little guy. Harold: Wasn't planning on it. Beth: (to herself, sighing) He so wants me. Chris: Uh, Chef, Those aren't pillows! (Chef is suddenly shocked) Owen: (laughing) Oh-ho-ho! Ooh, the breeze tickles. Stop it, I like it. (laughs, cut to confessional, where Chef is still shocked about touching Owen's butt) Harold: Awesome. I'd hate to be going last in something called a 'Vomit Comet.' Thanks for taking one for the team, Courtney. Courtney: Ah! No, no, no, no, wait, I've changed my mind. I want to go first. Chris: Too late, the order has been set. Beth: (to Courtney) Is this the part where I thank you? Courtney: (comes over and comforts Duncan) There, there. Scruffy's in a better place now. (in confessional) Yeah! Anywhere but here! Now maybe Duncan will focus on someone with slightly less hairy legs: me! Harold: Yes! I knew my mind powers would kick in when I needed them most! Duncan: It's not that, it's my mattress! I still have a stabbing pain in my back. Owen: Who stabbed you in the back? It wasn't me! I'm a good guy! Not some dirty back-stabber! I swear. You guys, you gotta believe me! (short pause) Uh..nothing to see here; carry on! Duncan: OH! (is repulsed by Owen's smell inside the Vomit Comet) Speaking of stinking, what is that smell? (Owen smiles nervously, cuts to Confessional) Owen: Hey, I'm no math whiz, but I'm pretty sure that one small space times chili farts to the power of 10 equals... Do not Enter At All Costs! Duncan: At least the ride snapped my spine back into place. No more pain. Courtney: (holds up fist) Wanna bet? Beth: (in confessional) If I can take the plunge and say yes to Brady, then surely I have the strength of will needed to get inside a smelly space suit and be hurled around like a rag doll for five minutes. They're practically the same thing, right? Beth: I'll do it! Beth: That's just the smell of victory. Harold: Victory smells a lot like vomit. Beth: (kisses Harold, who is repulsed by the kiss) You made your point, Harold. I'm calling it off with Brady and giving us a try! (Harold faints) Harold: Bye, bye, traitor. (votes) Owen: Harold's on to me! I know it! (votes) Beth: The girls' alliance is over! (votes) Courtney: (to camera) Back off. There's a reason this is called "secret voting" people. Harold: Fifth place?! But Owen's the traitor! You've gotta watch that guy like a hawk! (Chef tosses Harold into the Lame-o-sine) No wait! A falcon! Their eyesight is way superior. Beth: Goodbye, Harold. I'll wait for you. Harold: Haven't I suffered enough? Chris: We'll see about that. (The Lame-o-sine drives off and vanishes in a flash of light, leaving behind two fiery trails, and a spinning license plate) And you'll see how our remaining contestants suffer, next time on Total, Drama, Action!
 * Harold: (in confessional) Maybe I filled Duncan's mattress with rocks, and maybe I didn't... but, yeah. (holds up two rocks) I totally did.
 * Courtney: Don't you get enough Science Fiction with that weird boyfriend of yours? What's his fake name, again? Brainy?
 * Owen: What did I get?! (opens box) A citizen of the school year trophy?
 * Courtney: (in confessional) When I was head of the school debating team, my partner walked out on me during the biggest debate of the year because she thought I wasn't being a "team player." So I went on to win it without her. Take that, Britney Reed! This photo serves as a reminder: If you want something done right, you do it yourself!
 * Duncan: Scruffy! Ha!
 * Duncan: (to Scruffy) Scruffy, no! Bad killer spider!
 * Beth: Look, guys! Brady gave me a promise ring! Can you believe it?!
 * Courtney: Duncan? Can I have your pillow? Mine floated off somewhere.
 * Courtney: (in confessional) As if I'm going to play second fiddle to a tarantula. Ugh! I hate that gross hairy creature... (grins) and his pet spider too.
 * Harold: (to Beth) I think you're making a mistake, being exclusive to one guy. Why tie yourself down when you can keep playing the field, like moi?
 * Beth: Harold? Aren't you going to help me down?
 * Chef: That was smart, sealing the breach with those two pillows. (pats Owen's butt)
 * Chris: Remember crew, Courtney and Beth have already picked the order. Harold you're up first.
 * Harold: (in confessional) If I was the last man alive in space, and Beth was the last woman, then maybe we'd have a chance. But here, on Earth? Puh-leez! Think about how disappointed Leshawna and Heather would be. I just can't do that to the ladies.
 * Duncan: Where's my Scruffy?! (sees him dead on Harold's back) No! Scruffy!
 * Duncan: (to Harold) Give me one good reason not to beat you to a pulp. (his back cracks) Aw!
 * Chris: 10.3 seconds. You people stink at this! (Owen crawls out in disgust) Duncan, you're next!
 * Courtney: (to Duncan) That was so disgusting! How could you do that to me?
 * Courtney: (to Beth) If we both refuse to do the challenge, then we'll have strength in numbers at the elimination ceremony. Are you with me Beth?
 * Courtney: The girl alliance sticks together, Chris. We're both refusing to participate.
 * Harold: You totally reek.
 * Harold: (to Duncan) I, too, love a good cat fight, but one with real cats, wearing tiny boxing gloves.
 * Courtney: (in confessional) As usual, I'm better off alone. There's no "team" in "I." From now on, it's the Courtney alliance. And I'm in it to win it.
 * Harold: (in confessional) Math never lies. But, apparently, Owen the traitor does! Hi-ya! (breaks Owen's trophy)
 * Duncan: This'll teach you to mess with my Scruffy! (votes)
 * Duncan: Get on with it, Doris! (Harold runs to Duncan, and pulls his pants down, Chef grabs Harold) I kinda had that coming.
 * Harold: (in the Lame-o-sine) I suppose fifth place is better than sixth place. But it would of been sweet to place in the top four over that traitor Owen! I almost got third place in the school archery competition. Till I put an arrow through the principles Achilles tendon! I still have another two years of detention to look forward to when I get back. I get to hang with all the bad kids! They let me do their homework for them and stuff! You could say that I'm their leader! Man, just wait till they hear I have a sort-of girlfriend! Do I have to tell them it's Beth?

Trivia

 * This episode's title is a reference of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.
 * The opening scene of the episode, with the giant black monolith and Chris and Chef dressed as cave men while the guys act like apes is a reference to the famous "Dawn Of Man" scene from 2001.
 * During the vomit comet ride, the music and the shots in the scene is very similar to the music in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
 * Тhis is the first (and only) merged elimination episode in which Duncan isn't in the bottom two.
 * This is the second episode in a row to feature Owen's name.
 * This is the first (and last) time in Total Drama Action that Harold has ever been in the bottom two. With his elimination, Beth is now the only cast mate thus far to never come in the bottom two at all.
 * The final four are almost the same as they were in the last season, in the sense that three are from one team, while only one is left from the other team.
 * Also, Owen and Duncan make it to the final four once again.
 * This is the first time since The Sand Witch Project that the contestant eliminated was on the Killer Bass.
 * With Harold's elimination, Duncan is the last Gaffer in the season.
 * The cast members all get packages from home in this episode:
 * Owen: A Student-Of-The-Year Trophy.
 * Courtney: A photo of herself winning a debate.
 * Beth: A candy "promise" ring from Brady.
 * Duncan: His pet tarantula, Scruffy.
 * Harold: His nun-chucks.
 * Interestingly, by the end of the episode, four of the presents could no longer be accounted for:
 * Owen threw Harold's Nun-Chuck out the window of the spaceship.
 * Scruffy was killed by Harold.
 * Owen's trophy was broken by Harold's karate chop.
 * Beth finished eating her candy ring, before returning it to Brady.
 * Courtney's debate winning picture is the only present that is left intact throughout the episode.
 * This is the second time that Harold has been hit in the head by his nun-chucks, the first time is in Phobia Factor and the third time is in Walk Like An Egyptian - Part 1.
 * The scene in which the cast mates slowly come out to dramatic music (right before they do the Vomit Comet challenge) is a parody of a famous scene from the movie Armageddon.
 * In the end when Harold goes off the Lame-o-sine, it parodies the movie Back to the Future.
 * The music playing during Harold's ride in the Lame-o-sine also resembles two songs by Huey Lewis and The News written for Back to the Future: The Power of Love and Back in Time.
 * Harold is the second person and first male in Total Drama Action to win a reward challenge then get eliminated in the next episode, the first being Lindsay.
 * Both were consecutive.
 * This is the third time Duncan called Harold by his middle name, Doris.
 * The others are One Flu Over the Cuckoos and Rock n' Rule.
 * It is fairly evident who voted for who during the Gilded Chris Ceremony:
 * Duncan voted off Harold for killing Scruffy.
 * Owen voted off Harold out of fear that Harold found out the truth about Owen's return.
 * Harold voted off Owen because he was suspicious of Owen's behavior.
 * Beth voted off Courtney due to her being annoyed by Courtney's personality.
 * Courtney's vote is not revealed in the episode.
 * Harold pulls two pranks on Duncan: putting rocks in his mattress and pantsing him at the end.
 * Beth develops a crush on Harold in this episode, and breaks up with Brady because of it. However, in The Aftermath: IV when Brady was revealed to actually exist, she got back together with him.
 * Every remaining cast mate used the confessional stall in this episode.
 * This is the first episode of Total Drama Action in which Courtney did not win solo invincibility, making Beth the only other contestant to do so. Reward challenges do not count as there is no "invincibility."
 * The Vomit Comet is a reference to the roller coaster, the vomit comet, on 6teen. However, Vomit Comet is a real term used by NASA for crafts that have weightless environments, whether it be for training astronauts or anything else.
 * After Harold's elimination, Courtney becomes the second Killer Bass (and the first and only female Killer Bass) to make the final four of any season.
 * The candy "promise" ring that Beth receives from Brady resembles a Ring Pop.
 * This the second time Chef had to escort Harold out of the competition.
 * This episode marks the last time in Total Drama Action in which a male contestant is voted off.
 * This is the last time in the series Harold is voted off, as he quits the competition in Total Drama World Tour.
 * A castle set from the episode The Princess Pride is seen in the background of the scene showing the roller coaster.
 * This episode refers back to One Million Bucks, B.C. as Chris introduces the challenge in a loin cloth, and Harold also mentions that he thought they did a cavemen challenge before, to which Chris replied that they were on a budget.
 * This is the first episode in Total Drama Action since Courtney's season debut to not mention her personal digital assistant or her lawyers.
 * Contrary to the title, this episode aired in late 2009. This could mean, however, that the series takes place in the summer of 2008, or it's a reference to when the episode was written, or the producers may have intended the series to air in 2008.

Goofs

 * For the Space Ride, where the cast mates experienced perpetual zero-gravity, it would have actually been, if any, small bursts of zero-gravity followed by forces equal to two times Earth's gravity.
 * When the cast opens their packages from home Beth isn't wearing her night guard, but when she turns around to open her package from Brady, you can see a glimpse of her wearing it.
 * When Chris shows the packages from home, there are six boxes, but only five contestants.
 * As a recurring goof, when Beth sees her gift, she screams however, she claimed that she couldn't scream in The Sand Witch Project.
 * When Duncan, Courtney, Harold and Scruffy escape the spaceship rollercoaster, Duncan's shirt is colored grey instead of black.