The Obsolescent Cryogenic Meltdown - Recap

Wendy meets with Tyler at a pancake house, who wants to show her a rare zombie arcade game. Impressed, she kisses him and then they go through $18 to win the game. They head back to Wendy’s sublet and go to bed, unaware that Ida is watching them via a hidden camera in the Middlewatch. The Middleman is shocked to see it and insists they can’t abuse their surveillance privileges. After he leaves, Ida switches the monitors back on.



Later, Wendy and Tyler come down and kiss and argue over the game, and promise to meet that night for more video game fun. After he’s gone, Wendy admits to Lacey that she has the mutant ability to know what will doom her relationship, but she’s worried that it isn’t kicking in this time. Lacey tells her to get over it.

At Middleman HQ, the Middleman reluctantly explains that he accidentally saw her and Tyler together and they’re both suitably grossed out. He gives her the code to shut down the Middlewatch monitor device and Ida interrupts to tell them that someone melted a jewelry store. They go to investigate and meet with the Russian owner who denies she’s a KGB agent. She describes the perpetrator, a man in a black coat and a melting ray. The Middleman notes that his MO sounds familiar. They go to the Middleman HQ archive room and as they go through the files on old villains, Wendy tries to talk about her relationship. The Middleman tells her to enjoy it while it lasts and doesn’t understand that she has a mutant ability. The Middleman tells her that either she has love or not, and then spots the person they’re looking for: the Candle, not active since 1969.



The Middleman has Ida run a HEYDAR search but she ignores him and opens a door, a door starts to open: a door to the Middleman cryogenic vault. Ida informs them that she was ordered to unfreeze the previous Middleman if the Candle ever returned. The 1969 Middleman emerges. He explains that he voluntarily went into suspended animation so he could deal with the Candle after he faked his death. He figures that the Candle is looking for Balthorium-G fuel for his weapon, and then starts flirting with Wendy. The 1969 Middleman notes that Wendy is allowed to pick her own uniform, and is unimpressed with the current Middleman. The current Middleman recommends that Wendy stay out of the way while they work out their Middleman issues.



Wendy returns home to find Tyler working on supper. Wendy is uncomfortable and Tyler thinks she’s found out that he was the lead guitarist in Casanova Charlie. Wendy is fine with that, and doesn’t want to know how it ends between them.

The 1969 Middleman is relaxing and having a drink, when someone calls about the ad he has posted in the paper. The two Middleman and Wendy wait for the Candle to arrive at the designated rendezvous spot, but the current Middleman becomes uncomfortable when the 1969 Middleman starts discussing step. He steps out and the 1969 Candleman explains about how they can’t have love. As they talk about their relationships and how the 1969 Middleman’s wife left him for a super-villain, the current Middleman spots the Candle and they stuggle. He throws him on the hood but it’s a younger man wearing a wig. Back at interrogation HQ, the boy admits that the Candle was an old guy in the neighborhood who helped out when the boy’s father died. He insists the Candle is definitely dead, but found Jesus and reformed before his death. The boy reveals that his father left him a letter showing him how to build a melting gun and donate it to science. The 1969 Middleman doesn’t believe him and starts grabbing some torture tools. The current Middleman intervenes and insists the 1969 Middleman is obsessed. The 1969 Middleman takes a swing and then draws a gun, and Ida is forced to disarm him.



The current Middleman conducts a (lengthy) retirement ceremony and presents him the ceremonially watch. The 1969 Middleman, angry, is forced to announce his real name, Guy Goddard, and leaves. He goes to see Wendy and Lacey at their apartment and pour himself a drink. Talking to Wendy in private, he insists that the Candle is still alive and the kid can’t account for the stolen jewels. He’s discovered that arms dealer Lord Jeremiah Purcell has recently bought some Balthorium-G, and he wants to sneak into Purcell’s vault and put a tracer on the fuel. He persuades Wendy to help him and they go to Purcell’s card game of Shabumi, but warns that the complicated game can result in decapitation.



Suitably dressed in a slinky outfit, Wendy accompanies Goddard to the game. He wins heavily and then leaves for the restroom while Wendy takes his place. While she continues to win, Goddard breaks into the vault. However, when the game turns violent and one opponent is prepared for execution, Wendy refuses to let him die. Fortunately, the Middleman intervenes and knocks them out with a grenade. He figured Guy would recruit Wendy to help him. They go downstairs to finds that the Candle stole the Balthorium-G and melted Goddard’s hand before he could put the tracer on it. The Candle left but not before boasting that he plans to melt the Moon.



Back at Middleman HQ, Ida equips Guy with a hook hand and the Middleman apologizes for not believing him. They figure that the Candle is heading for Snake Island where he was building the world’s largest melting gun before he disappeared in ’69. When Wendy points out that the Middlejet only holds one, both Middleman note that the defenses are too tight for an air assault, so it’s time to take the Middlesub, despite its asbestos shielding. While they prepare, Wendy calls Tyler to tell him that she won’t be able to get together with him for dinner. Tyler reassures her that he’ll be there for her whenever she gets back, and he’s happy she has a job she enjoys. The Middleman arrives and notes that despite Guy’s statement, Middlemen can love and if Wendy denies it, it’s because of her, not the job.

The trio take the sub in to Snake Island just as a Balthorium-G turbine powers up, shaking the entire island. They split up and the Middleman finds the gun, only to have it open fire. He tries to stop it but it disintegrates his gun and swivels toward him. Guy and Wendy link up and Guy says that the Middleman is dead. When Wendy insists on going to investigate, Guy draws a gun on her.



The Middleman backs away from the disintegration ray while Guy explains that it’s the Candle’s weapon that killed the Middleman. Wendy figures Guy set up the whole thing, melting his own hand, so that he would come out the hero. Guy insists that there can be only one Middleman and he’s the hero, but realizes what he’s become. Wendy disarms him but Guy says there’s still a chance to save the Middleman. They go to the chamber but Guy explains that they can’t shut down the melting ray because there’s no off switch. Guy climbs up to the gun and then short-circuits it with his hook hand, giving up his life.

Back at Middleman HQ, Wendy and the Middleman hold a memorial ceremony in honor of Guy. The Middleman makes sure the official record reflects that Guy died in battle against his nemesis the Candle. Wendy wonders about the fact she’s wearing the same uniform as the Middleman, and he suggests she pick whatever uniform she wants, and she picks her own stylish ensemble.



Back at the sublet, Wendy and Tyler enjoy his gazpacho and discuss mutant powers. She admits she doesn’t have one and they kiss… after pausing for her to remove her Middlewatch and bury it under some pillows. Ida is back at HQ watching them, noting the watch isn’t the only surveillance they have. The Middleman cuts off the signal.

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