49. Nova Falling
Speculations about the Chairman and the Novacom sequel saga.
By David Hilder | December 14, 2022
Speculations about the Chairman and the Novacom sequel saga.
By David Hilder | December 14, 2022
It’s official. The Chairman has returned. Album 73: 28 Hours was a milestone in Odyssey history, bringing back a villain who hasn’t appeared in 20 years. And his return wasn’t totally unexpected. Though his plans may have been defeated in the original Novacom saga, he himself alluded to his hope that he would one day set into motion another evil scheme. Was Album 73 it? Did the Chairman wait 20 years just to be defeated in a mere 28 hours? I don’t think so. The Novacom sequel saga, I believe, is just beginning. And this sequel could very well end with the Chairman finally unmasked and undone.
If that’s where we’re headed, what was the point of Album 73? How did it drive the story forward? Although we as listeners didn’t learn a ton about the Chairman, the most important thing to happen in Album 73 was what our characters learned. The Chairman made a mistake going after Jason in Album 73 because it alerted our characters to his existence and put them on his trail. Jason even talked to him on the phone! For such a reclusive figure like the Chairman, that was a little unexpected and, dare I say it, reckless. Now Jason and company have every reason to go on the offensive and take him down. They know his alias. As Jillian says, “He calls himself the Chairman.” Album 73 could be the catalyst that will lead to the Chairman’s eventual defeat.
So, the question now has to be: How should the Chairman meet his demise? How should Novacom Part 2 play out in a way that is meaningful and compelling, has sufficiently high stakes, and ties into the original saga?
Before we consider everything that should be included in the sequel saga, let’s consider how much time the writers actually have to tell this story.
We all want the sequel saga to be long enough. Novacom was 28 episodes after all, plus at least 7 follow-up episodes like The Benefit of the Doubt (Album 39), Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Album 40), and Eugene’s return trilogy in Album 44. Novacom Part 2 doesn’t necessarily need to be that long. But it should be long enough. Long enough to do justice to the build-up of the Chairman’s character in the original series. Long enough to make the 20-year wait for his return worthwhile. If he gets caught in just a couple episodes, I think fans will feel shortchanged.
After the rush of 28 Hours, it would be nice to hit the brakes and enjoy a bit of a breather. This Novacom sequel could follow a slow-burning plot at first, with multiple storylines that finally connect in the end. The original Novacom saga had various ongoing storylines involving Tom and Agnes, Alex and Cal, Whit’s End Connellsville, Connie and Mitch, Aubrey Shepard, Jason in Alaska, and more. These storylines were interspersed with regular AIO episodes like Slumber Party (Album 35), The Triangle (Album 36), Welcoming Wooton (Album 36), and Happy Smilers (Album 37). Now, it would be nice if this Novacom sequel was also interspersed with plenty of non-Novacom episodes. But that may be harder to do this time around.
You’ve probably noticed that Adventures in Odyssey is rapidly approaching its thousandth episode. My theory is that the AIO team has plans for this Novacom sequel saga to finally end in a dramatic climax in episode 999, a nice parallel to the original Novacom saga’s end in Exit, episode 499. Album 73 ended with episode 951, leaving just 48 episodes to go. But remember, half of these will be exclusive to the AIO Club and likely won’t be used to further this sequel saga. That leaves just 24 episodes available, or four 6-episode albums: Album 74 to Album 77.
With limited episodes available, the writers will have to be very strategic about how they plot out this Novacom sequel saga in the coming albums. Here is the scenario I envision: Album 74 would include a follow-up episode to the events of 28 Hours and, ideally, set up at least one additional storyline for the saga, though its connection to the saga may remain unknown for now. Album 75 would have at least 3 saga episodes and set up any remaining storylines. Album 76 is when the story could pick up in earnest, with every episode dedicated to the saga and the Chairman’s plans finally bubbling to the surface. It would be followed by an explosive showdown album in Album 77. Unless something changes, Album 77 will end with episode 999, the perfect place for a saga-ending conclusion.
Now, my wish list for a Novacom sequel is a mile long. There’s no way to include everything we would want in this saga. It would be fun to bring back a Novacom-era kid like Jared DeWhite, for example. We know he works for the CIA now, so it wouldn’t be completely out of the blue. But I wouldn’t count on it. Logically it would make more sense for characters like Robert Mitchell and Monica Stone to be involved. They both have the means and the motive to be on the Chairman’s trail. These two I’m actually more hopeful about. It would be a nice tie-in to the original saga. But again, we have limited time. And Odyssey is already crawling with undercover agents as it is.
Jason and Jillian are obvious picks to be main characters of this sequel saga. The reveal of Jillian as an undercover agent certainly implies that we’ll see her again in that role in the hunt for the Chairman. Though given the fact that she’s been placed on administrative leave, we may have to wait a bit before she’s back on the case. As for Jason, he’s been cooped up in Odyssey for a while now. In Album 73 we got the chance to revisit his action-adventure side, which suits the character well. Since he was playing defense in Album 73, it would be nice to see him playing offense in the next episodes and taking the fight to the Chairman.
But Jason and Jillian could be just one storyline among several. Someone technologically savvy like Renee would be a good fit for a saga that has a touch of the sci-fi. Maybe she notices some anomaly in the Whit’s End computer system related to the Chairman’s schemes and starts investigating the mystery. I think Mr. Whittaker will end up playing a very important role too, and it’ll possibly involve more revelations about his past work for the government. (I’ll talk more about that in a moment.) This saga could also introduce new characters like other sagas before it. The Blackgaard Chronicles introduced us to characters like Richard Maxwell, Philip Glossman, Jason Whittaker, and Tasha Forbes. The original Novacom saga brought us Robert Mitchell, Monica Stone, Arthur Dent, Bennett Charles, and Peter Bourland. The Green Ring Conspiracy introduced Buck Oliver, Penny Wise, Detective Polehaus, Dr. Trask, and Mr. Skint. A Novacom sequel saga should be given the opportunity to introduce its own new characters as well.
One thing that stands out in Album 73 is that it doesn’t feature any kid characters. This was due to lack of time. But as limited as time is, Novacom’s sequel saga needs some kids involved. And I hate to say this, but I think Morrie and Suzu would be a perfect fit here. As I’ve said in a previous editorial, I don’t like how Morrie and Suzu’s storyline has been handled so far. But this could be an opportunity for Morrie’s redemption. He could play an important role by using his technology skills to uncover the Chairman’s plans. But hopefully Morrie will get humbled in the process and realize the error of his ways too. Honestly, taking down Novacom 2.0 is pretty much what Morrie was born for. It’s hard to think of any kid more qualified.
Tributes to both Tom Riley and Eugene Meltsner would be appropriate too, since both were very important to the original saga, though Eugene was behind-the-scenes. Tom never got a real send-off on the show, and we need something to honor actor Walker Edmiston’s legacy. The Novacom sequel saga could be a good place for that. Meltsner family involvement totally depends on how the character of Eugene is dealt with. Now that actor Will Ryan has passed away, the character of Eugene will either be retired (ie. pass away) or continue with a new voice. (I don’t think Eugene is just going to move away, though come to think of it maybe he’ll want to skip town to escape the Chairman a second time.) We don’t know yet what the AIO team has decided. If Eugene dies, that could actually be an important plot point in the Novacom sequel saga. It could be tied into his top-secret research which Novacom was so desperate to get their hands on. If Eugene is still around, he should probably be on the front lines in the latest fight against the Chairman, considering how much he was involved before. And as it will take some time getting used to a new Eugene actor, pairing him alongside Katrina much of the time would be a good solution.
Whichever characters are involved, what this sequel saga really needs is an intense plot which matches the high stakes of the original Novacom saga. Mind reading and mind control as a means to world domination is nothing to sniff at. Album 73 brought back the brain science of Novacom, and it would make sense for the next episodes in the saga to go in a similar direction, though preferably with some twist which takes it to the next level. Personally, I think it’d be interesting to hear some kind of nefarious Artificial Intelligence involved. Perhaps all these experiments in mapping and manipulating the human brain were a precursor to developing a super AI brain. And of course, this would involve the attempted takeover of the world. If the saga goes the AI route it could bring together strands from Mr. Whittaker’s own work on AI (MABEL) and Dr. Blackgaard’s attempt at eternal life through the Imagination Station in Album 33. It could have Mr. Whittaker rethinking and questioning some of his life’s work in the field of AI, which could be very interesting.
Most importantly, however, is how the Chairman’s own story will be handled. In order to justify his return as a character, there are a couple questions that need to be answered in the sequel saga: Why is the Chairman doing what he’s doing? What’s his backstory? What’s his motivation? For so long we’ve had very little information on his character. We need to finally learn exactly who the Chairman is.
My guess is that some unknown connection between the Chairman and Mr. Whittaker will be revealed. After all, Mr. Whittaker worked for the Department of Defense. That’s why he created the top-secret Applesauce program. Meanwhile, we now know that the Chairman works at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the Department of Defense. Coincidence? I think not. I believe Mr. Whittaker and the Chairman have crossed paths before. I think they know each other. Who knows how far back their history goes? It could go all the way back to when they were first recruited by the Pentagon. Whatever happened between them, the Chairman must have come away from that experience with revenge on his mind. That would explain why the Chairman targeted Odyssey and Whit’s End in the first place for his mind control experiment. He has Mr. Whittaker in his crosshairs. That’s why I think Mr. Whittaker may have a large role to play in this sequel saga. If Whit and the Chairman have history, Whit is going to be the key to the Chairman’s defeat. Whit going toe-to-toe with the Chairman in an epic showdown would be a great way to end the saga.
In my previous editorial, I talked about how Album 73 hinted at the Chairman’s future demise. Twice Jason lamented how criminal masterminds tend to go free while their underlings are the ones who get caught. The repeated mention of this injustice implies that the AIO team will revisit the Chairman in the future and ultimately rectify the situation, bringing about the Chairman’s defeat. He’s been running from the law for a long time, but it’s going to catch up with him. Justice will be served at last.
Adventures in Odyssey’s future is bright. I’m so excited for the upcoming albums and I look forward to hearing how the Novacom sequel saga will continue. Album 73 was already something special, but I think we’re in for an even better conclusion to the whole saga in the next two years.
What do you think should be included in the Novacom sequel? Who do you think the Chairman really is? Let me know in the comments below.
If that’s where we’re headed, what was the point of Album 73? How did it drive the story forward? Although we as listeners didn’t learn a ton about the Chairman, the most important thing to happen in Album 73 was what our characters learned. The Chairman made a mistake going after Jason in Album 73 because it alerted our characters to his existence and put them on his trail. Jason even talked to him on the phone! For such a reclusive figure like the Chairman, that was a little unexpected and, dare I say it, reckless. Now Jason and company have every reason to go on the offensive and take him down. They know his alias. As Jillian says, “He calls himself the Chairman.” Album 73 could be the catalyst that will lead to the Chairman’s eventual defeat.
So, the question now has to be: How should the Chairman meet his demise? How should Novacom Part 2 play out in a way that is meaningful and compelling, has sufficiently high stakes, and ties into the original saga?
Before we consider everything that should be included in the sequel saga, let’s consider how much time the writers actually have to tell this story.
We all want the sequel saga to be long enough. Novacom was 28 episodes after all, plus at least 7 follow-up episodes like The Benefit of the Doubt (Album 39), Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Album 40), and Eugene’s return trilogy in Album 44. Novacom Part 2 doesn’t necessarily need to be that long. But it should be long enough. Long enough to do justice to the build-up of the Chairman’s character in the original series. Long enough to make the 20-year wait for his return worthwhile. If he gets caught in just a couple episodes, I think fans will feel shortchanged.
After the rush of 28 Hours, it would be nice to hit the brakes and enjoy a bit of a breather. This Novacom sequel could follow a slow-burning plot at first, with multiple storylines that finally connect in the end. The original Novacom saga had various ongoing storylines involving Tom and Agnes, Alex and Cal, Whit’s End Connellsville, Connie and Mitch, Aubrey Shepard, Jason in Alaska, and more. These storylines were interspersed with regular AIO episodes like Slumber Party (Album 35), The Triangle (Album 36), Welcoming Wooton (Album 36), and Happy Smilers (Album 37). Now, it would be nice if this Novacom sequel was also interspersed with plenty of non-Novacom episodes. But that may be harder to do this time around.
You’ve probably noticed that Adventures in Odyssey is rapidly approaching its thousandth episode. My theory is that the AIO team has plans for this Novacom sequel saga to finally end in a dramatic climax in episode 999, a nice parallel to the original Novacom saga’s end in Exit, episode 499. Album 73 ended with episode 951, leaving just 48 episodes to go. But remember, half of these will be exclusive to the AIO Club and likely won’t be used to further this sequel saga. That leaves just 24 episodes available, or four 6-episode albums: Album 74 to Album 77.
With limited episodes available, the writers will have to be very strategic about how they plot out this Novacom sequel saga in the coming albums. Here is the scenario I envision: Album 74 would include a follow-up episode to the events of 28 Hours and, ideally, set up at least one additional storyline for the saga, though its connection to the saga may remain unknown for now. Album 75 would have at least 3 saga episodes and set up any remaining storylines. Album 76 is when the story could pick up in earnest, with every episode dedicated to the saga and the Chairman’s plans finally bubbling to the surface. It would be followed by an explosive showdown album in Album 77. Unless something changes, Album 77 will end with episode 999, the perfect place for a saga-ending conclusion.
Now, my wish list for a Novacom sequel is a mile long. There’s no way to include everything we would want in this saga. It would be fun to bring back a Novacom-era kid like Jared DeWhite, for example. We know he works for the CIA now, so it wouldn’t be completely out of the blue. But I wouldn’t count on it. Logically it would make more sense for characters like Robert Mitchell and Monica Stone to be involved. They both have the means and the motive to be on the Chairman’s trail. These two I’m actually more hopeful about. It would be a nice tie-in to the original saga. But again, we have limited time. And Odyssey is already crawling with undercover agents as it is.
Jason and Jillian are obvious picks to be main characters of this sequel saga. The reveal of Jillian as an undercover agent certainly implies that we’ll see her again in that role in the hunt for the Chairman. Though given the fact that she’s been placed on administrative leave, we may have to wait a bit before she’s back on the case. As for Jason, he’s been cooped up in Odyssey for a while now. In Album 73 we got the chance to revisit his action-adventure side, which suits the character well. Since he was playing defense in Album 73, it would be nice to see him playing offense in the next episodes and taking the fight to the Chairman.
But Jason and Jillian could be just one storyline among several. Someone technologically savvy like Renee would be a good fit for a saga that has a touch of the sci-fi. Maybe she notices some anomaly in the Whit’s End computer system related to the Chairman’s schemes and starts investigating the mystery. I think Mr. Whittaker will end up playing a very important role too, and it’ll possibly involve more revelations about his past work for the government. (I’ll talk more about that in a moment.) This saga could also introduce new characters like other sagas before it. The Blackgaard Chronicles introduced us to characters like Richard Maxwell, Philip Glossman, Jason Whittaker, and Tasha Forbes. The original Novacom saga brought us Robert Mitchell, Monica Stone, Arthur Dent, Bennett Charles, and Peter Bourland. The Green Ring Conspiracy introduced Buck Oliver, Penny Wise, Detective Polehaus, Dr. Trask, and Mr. Skint. A Novacom sequel saga should be given the opportunity to introduce its own new characters as well.
One thing that stands out in Album 73 is that it doesn’t feature any kid characters. This was due to lack of time. But as limited as time is, Novacom’s sequel saga needs some kids involved. And I hate to say this, but I think Morrie and Suzu would be a perfect fit here. As I’ve said in a previous editorial, I don’t like how Morrie and Suzu’s storyline has been handled so far. But this could be an opportunity for Morrie’s redemption. He could play an important role by using his technology skills to uncover the Chairman’s plans. But hopefully Morrie will get humbled in the process and realize the error of his ways too. Honestly, taking down Novacom 2.0 is pretty much what Morrie was born for. It’s hard to think of any kid more qualified.
Tributes to both Tom Riley and Eugene Meltsner would be appropriate too, since both were very important to the original saga, though Eugene was behind-the-scenes. Tom never got a real send-off on the show, and we need something to honor actor Walker Edmiston’s legacy. The Novacom sequel saga could be a good place for that. Meltsner family involvement totally depends on how the character of Eugene is dealt with. Now that actor Will Ryan has passed away, the character of Eugene will either be retired (ie. pass away) or continue with a new voice. (I don’t think Eugene is just going to move away, though come to think of it maybe he’ll want to skip town to escape the Chairman a second time.) We don’t know yet what the AIO team has decided. If Eugene dies, that could actually be an important plot point in the Novacom sequel saga. It could be tied into his top-secret research which Novacom was so desperate to get their hands on. If Eugene is still around, he should probably be on the front lines in the latest fight against the Chairman, considering how much he was involved before. And as it will take some time getting used to a new Eugene actor, pairing him alongside Katrina much of the time would be a good solution.
Whichever characters are involved, what this sequel saga really needs is an intense plot which matches the high stakes of the original Novacom saga. Mind reading and mind control as a means to world domination is nothing to sniff at. Album 73 brought back the brain science of Novacom, and it would make sense for the next episodes in the saga to go in a similar direction, though preferably with some twist which takes it to the next level. Personally, I think it’d be interesting to hear some kind of nefarious Artificial Intelligence involved. Perhaps all these experiments in mapping and manipulating the human brain were a precursor to developing a super AI brain. And of course, this would involve the attempted takeover of the world. If the saga goes the AI route it could bring together strands from Mr. Whittaker’s own work on AI (MABEL) and Dr. Blackgaard’s attempt at eternal life through the Imagination Station in Album 33. It could have Mr. Whittaker rethinking and questioning some of his life’s work in the field of AI, which could be very interesting.
Most importantly, however, is how the Chairman’s own story will be handled. In order to justify his return as a character, there are a couple questions that need to be answered in the sequel saga: Why is the Chairman doing what he’s doing? What’s his backstory? What’s his motivation? For so long we’ve had very little information on his character. We need to finally learn exactly who the Chairman is.
My guess is that some unknown connection between the Chairman and Mr. Whittaker will be revealed. After all, Mr. Whittaker worked for the Department of Defense. That’s why he created the top-secret Applesauce program. Meanwhile, we now know that the Chairman works at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the Department of Defense. Coincidence? I think not. I believe Mr. Whittaker and the Chairman have crossed paths before. I think they know each other. Who knows how far back their history goes? It could go all the way back to when they were first recruited by the Pentagon. Whatever happened between them, the Chairman must have come away from that experience with revenge on his mind. That would explain why the Chairman targeted Odyssey and Whit’s End in the first place for his mind control experiment. He has Mr. Whittaker in his crosshairs. That’s why I think Mr. Whittaker may have a large role to play in this sequel saga. If Whit and the Chairman have history, Whit is going to be the key to the Chairman’s defeat. Whit going toe-to-toe with the Chairman in an epic showdown would be a great way to end the saga.
In my previous editorial, I talked about how Album 73 hinted at the Chairman’s future demise. Twice Jason lamented how criminal masterminds tend to go free while their underlings are the ones who get caught. The repeated mention of this injustice implies that the AIO team will revisit the Chairman in the future and ultimately rectify the situation, bringing about the Chairman’s defeat. He’s been running from the law for a long time, but it’s going to catch up with him. Justice will be served at last.
Adventures in Odyssey’s future is bright. I’m so excited for the upcoming albums and I look forward to hearing how the Novacom sequel saga will continue. Album 73 was already something special, but I think we’re in for an even better conclusion to the whole saga in the next two years.
What do you think should be included in the Novacom sequel? Who do you think the Chairman really is? Let me know in the comments below.
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