Well, it took over 11 episodes since we last had an episode devoted to the queen of chaos, and now it’s finally here. Hexadecimal is once again causing chaos in Mainframe. Not only that, but I honestly believe that this is the episode that begins to set in motion everything that will happen from this point onward. Hex’s return is no filler, and it may just be one of the show’s tour de force episodes. Let’s see why in “Painted Windows”
We open the episode (accompanied by that classic Hexadecimal theme that’s just so haunting), as we see some guards of the Mainframe archives talking about the web. We first heard of the web back in “High Code”, but now we’re slowly starting to learn more about just how dangerous it is, as it has now become so powerful that it is invading other systems. Their conversation is cut short as Hexadecimal teleports in front of them and easily beats them down.
Meanwhile, our heroes are busy as Dot is leading a group of binomes on a jog, and Bob is admiring the his new motorcycle with the female greaser binome we met in the previous episode. But their fun is cut short as suddenly a giant yellow sun is drawn in the sky. Bob learns that Hexadecimal broke into the archives, and hacked into the system’s paint program,which she’s now running in her lair. She also has kidnapped the guards, and turned them into her wicked art gallery.
Hexadecimal states that she feels unappreciated by the critics, and wants to recognition. She continues to spread paint all over Maingrame, which not only creates oozing paint slime, but also waves of paint. But she’s far from done, as she paints over Silicon Tor, turning it into a flower pot. Megabyte is of course none too happy over this, but she simply counters by turning him into a jester, and pastes him outside of the tor like a twisted piece of clip art. She’s far from done.
Phong tells Bob that if the system backup occurs during this mess, it will remain permanent. Bob has to deal with Hex in Lost Angles, while he fixes the command in the archives. But before he can do anything else, his head is turned into an apple, a clear reference to the painting “The Son of Man”. Hexadecimal laughs at her work, claiming that now Phong truly is “the keeper of the core”.
With Phong out, they need to have Dot work in the archives to undo the command. Glitch is rendered useless, as are vid windows, and zip boards, meaning that they need to contact Dot another way. Bob tells Enzo to inform Dot about breaking the link, and only when Bob gives the signal. Bob has mild confidence in his chances with Hex. But his plan involves our old pal Mike the TV, who is showing off her works in a documentary.
Mainframe is now nothing more than twisted artwork, each a reference to real artwork. Enzo and Frisket eventually find Dot, but in the middle of trying to save her, Frisket is suddenly shrunk. They meet up at the archives, which has been trashed, and turned into her own twisted fun house.
In Lost Angles, Bob and Mike notice that Hex has turned everything into a tribute to Bob, even putting Bob masks on the nulls. Even, using a copy command to make cutouts of Bob. This appears to work right into Bob’s plan. Back at the archives, things fare no better, as he falls inside the vid windows. However, this becomes an advantage to Dot, as he can now control the windows in the archives.
Making Hex’s lair continues to be a task, as they are almost attacked by an enlarged Scuzzy that can also split. However, Hexadecimal puts a stop to her pet. Bob tells Hex that they have come to Lost Angles to interview her for the local arts program. Hex is pleased by the possible recognition, and transports them into her lair. Meanwhile, Enzo and Dot find the program, while waiting for his signal.
Mike interviews Hexadecimal, and it all seems to go well, until she learns that Bob’s not really filming her, and she’s being tricked by his cutout. He undoes the link to the program, this removes all of her paintwork on Mainframe. Before Hex can strike, he uses the cut program to remove her mask, and places it in a file. With the mask removed from her face, he body is out of control as energy blasts out of it, and she lets out screams of pain. The masks tell Bob that without the mask attached, she will overload and be destroyed. He manages to restore the mask to her face in time, as she collapses to the floor, huddled in fear and pain.
And so the episode ends with Mainframe restored, and everything is back to normal in Lost Angles.. well, as normal as Lost Angles gets. When asked about what’s going to happen with Hexadecimal, Bob tells Dot and Enzo that he’s left her someone to take care of her. That someone being Mike the TV. At first she’s still and lifeless, but the more horrific programming Mike shows her, the happier she gets.
“Painted Windows” may be my favorite ReBoot episode. And that’s a daunting thing to say with there still being 29 episodes to follow. Everything in this episode is great, the pacing, the humor, the references. There is so many great references from every notable artist and painting. References to works of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dali. Classic art, modern art, surrealism. All wonderfully represented. And it all works so well because of the villain.
Once again, Hexadecimal proves why she is the best villain in the series. Her chaotic nature has twice led to episodes that have been instant classics. But this one most of all has shown just how chaotic, and frightening she is. How she can have a face of chaotic glee with the damage she’s causing. From her frightening mask faces, to that amazing laugh. Shirley Millner delivers above and beyond, helping to create one of the scariest, yet amazing characters in any television show, let alone a kids show.
Speaking of scary, this definitely feels like the scariest episode the series has made. The imagery of Hex without her mask, Enzo being trapped in the vid windows, all the chaos that goes down in Mainframe. It’s some seriously freaky stuff. But it never feels like it goes too far to be traumatizing. Though the mask removal does get close to doing so. And like I said, this episode also leads the show into the rest of the series, as leaving Mike with Hex may not have been one of Bob’s brightest ideas. But that will be in an episode to come.
Of all the episodes in the series, this is the one that holds up the best of the original two seasons. It’s 22 minutes of perfection, befitting of the show’s greatest character. It’s beginning to put the show into a great flow. And the flow of the show continues to get more interesting as the next episode will introduce a new character that will play an important role in the life of one of our heroes.