Episode Recap of “Assisted Suicide”

October 18, 2010
Adult Swim

In this week’s episode of the Venture Bros, we learn how Rusty’s mind works. At the Cocoon, things get complicated (and drunk) between Dr. Mrs. the Monarch and 21.

It’s a normal afternoon at the Venture Compound with the gang playing touch football, skins against shirts. Shore Leave, wearing a Rusty Venture t-shirt complains that’s stuck with nervous Dean and “Professor Snape” (Dr. Orpheus) on his team. Brock then finds Dr. Venture sitting the Charger with a “goodbye cruel world” note pinned to his speedsuit. Since Brock’s car is now green, the old exhaust fumes trick isn’t working. Rusty sticks a road flare in his mouth. They take him inside where he sits catatonic and tries to strangle himself with Dr. O’s tie. Thinking he’s possessed, everyone prepares for the flood of pea soup vomit.

Meanwhile in Rusty’s mind, the Monarch is in control. How is he doing this? At the Cocoon, the Monarch’s body is on the bed and he’s strapped to some Cerebro mind control device. It’s taking a toll on his body and he flat-lines. Dr. Mrs. the Monarch shocks the Monarch while 21 panics.

Since the exorcism didn’t work, Dr. O tries to break into Rusty’s mind. Thinking Hank and Dean are the things he holds most dear, he starts a ritual that doesn’t work. Instead, they gather a box of newspaper clippings, awards, and other random things that mean more to him then the boys. It does the trick and Dr. O appears inside Rusty’s mind. He’s greeted by a flying Billy representing Eros (love) and a gothic looking Pete as Thanatos. (death)

The Monarch’s stable and unconscious. The moppets knock on the door for inspection time. Dr. Mrs. the Monarch freaks out that the mind device isn’t Guild sanctioned and stalls for time. The moppets open the door to find her in pigtails wearing a cheerleader costume and 21 in assless chaps with a ball gag in his mouth. Both of them are on the bed with the Monarch laying in between. The shocked moppets stutter their way back out the door. Still dressed-up, they talk about murder, henching, and 21’s unfilled dreams while drinking wine.

Back with Dr. O in Rusty’s mind, Billy and Pete argue if quadrillion is a real number. There’s a rumbling noise and Pete mentions it’s the Leviathan. Instead of seeing a monster, a horde of dead Hank and Dean clones run by. At the Compound, Brock and Hatred continue to nitpick each other. Brock has candy and when Hatred asks for some, he receives “a Skittle.”

Dr. O, Billy and Pete find the Id level. On a conveyor belt, just about every hot girl from the show and Lindsey Wagner are displayed. It’s explained that Rusty totally could of had those girls if he just “sealed the deal.” To get to the next level, the Id wants the “flying baby to make love to the black specter.” The Id settles for them to kiss instead. Off screen, Pete and Billy share a passionate kiss that includes nipple groping. At the Ego level they met a Rusty who looks like Geppetto, complete with a broken wooden kid Rusty marionette.

21 and Dr. Mrs. the Monarch continue their talk about 24’s death, the Monarch, and what kind of man he is. 21 puts on the moves, grabs her, and kisses her. The Monarch is still unconscious and hooked up the the mind machine. Will their kiss lead to more in the future? If the Monarch finds out will he kill 21? Personally, I’m hoping nothing more will happen.

Dr. O gathers all the girls from the Id to help fix broken Rusty. They go on the the Super Ego level. Here, Rusty looks like a cross between his father and Brock. In order to help, they must get to the Master Control room, using the “tragic memory ducts.” At Master Control, the Monarch is about to pass out when the army of clones show up looking for affection. They try to hug him and call him daddy. The Monarch then wakes up, sees his wife quickly pulling away from 21 and asks what’s going on. She replies “nothing… anymore.”

At the Compound, Dean accidentally sat on an anthill. Hatred and Brock argue over how to get the ants off. Inside the house Rusty wakes up, walks outside, and takes control of the chaos. He says he’s the one responsible for the boys and tells Dean to take a shower.

After the credits, Rusty tells Hank the story of his 16th birthday. Jonas gave him a pool party with Playboy Bunnies and whores. While “nervous puberty” was flowing through him, the Action Man shot his junk with the Shrink Ray as Colonel Gentleman pulled down his shorts. It’s no wonder Rusty is who he is today.