As promised, the ninja aren’t cutting Snuka in half, they’re just retrieving the content of his memory. That’s just one of the many alternate applications that exists for “laser”s in B-movies, although it’s sometimes also done with electrodes fastened to the head, or a sphaghetti strainer on a microphone boom.
But while the methods of gathering the input vary between B-movies, the method of displaying the output is invariably the same: a TV screen. Displaying recorded memories in that way would, obviously, require a even more giant scientific and technological leap than the recording alone (which is already far-fetched), but the isidious lure of the recycled footage is just far too strong to resist.
The “footage”, in this case, are key fragments from the very first chapter, featuring two key turning points in Snuka’s life: his first encounter with the Professor and his team, and the first time Mopey kicked him in the ‘nads. The first incident was a turning point because it made him a member of the main cast, and the second incident is likely responsible for the inexpicably slow pace at which Snuka seems to have grown up since then. I mean, even the ninja have noticed it, and they’re from the country that gaves us the eternally ten-year old Ash Ketchum.
Speaking of the ninja, at first I thought I could get away with really keeping them completely invisible, but I ultimately felt it was just too confusing in some instances, so I’ve gone for a (cheap) almost-invisible look, aka “activate the cloaking device”. So I’d ask you to switch to British upperclass mode: notice their presence, but then pretend you don’t see them.
More on Thurs…uh, Monday!