*WARNING* This was by far one of their silliest episodes to date. While it was hilarious, it was a bit hardtop write about. And if it seems a bit all over the place, it is because the episode was all over the place. Full spoilers follow.
The episode starts with Butters walking through the halls of South Park Elementary with a obviously (and poorly) homemade a virtual reality helmet on. Cartman is talking to Butter via the headset and Butters is responding and Cartman is the only voice he can hear. Butters thinks that he is in a game and is extremely excited even though it is all real. Butters is about to take his headset off and then Cartman flips out and reminds Butters that if he takes the headset off while in that world that his neurons would spiral out of control and kill him. And if he dies in the game world, he dies in real life. Out of nowhere, Cartman tells Butters that he has to get Cartman's house and to the starting point before the battery dies or he will be stuck in video game world forever. Butters gets to the Cartman's house and Cartman takes the headset off him and says welcome back and asks him how it was. Butters excitedly says "I touched Wendy's boob!"
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In the school cafeteria the next day, Cartman his laughing hysterically to everyone about how he tricked Butters. No one is impressed and tells Cartman that he should leave him alone. To which Cartman says "Butters is an asshole and needs to be taken down a peg every once in a while". If you don't know the definition of "Ironic", there you have it. Butters comes in the room super excited and just talks to Cartman in code about their night. After Butters leaves, Cartman says "See, he's an asshole, f*** him".
Later that night, Cartman puts Butters back in the "game world" and tricks him into shoveling a driveway for money. After Butters gets the money, Butter goes off and punches his dad in the groined for grounding him and yells out (I'M A BAAAAAD MAN). Cartman tries to real him in, but it's too late. Butters thinks this is "Grand Theft Auto", steals and police car, crashes the car, tries to rob a hooker and gets stabbed. Butters takes the Helmet off and realizes that the blood is real and passes out on the street.
At the hospital, Butters is being treated foe his stab wound. The doctor tells him that his parents are on their way and that his dad said he grounded more than he ever has before. After the doctors leave, Cartman climbs out of the window and tells Butters that since he took the helmet off in the middle of the game that he stuck in the game world forever. Butters doesn't believe him. Cartman tells him that Butters is still in his room and that because he is talking to him that he can manipulate his reality. Cartman tells Butters not to tell anyone about where he's at or he will be killed. Then Cartman presses the nurse call button and Butters' bed and says "Then how do I know the nurse is coming in" and she obviously comes in and Butters sends her away. Cartman promises to get him back to reality, but he needs time.
The next day, Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny are at the bus stop and Kyle asks Cartman if he is happy with what he's done because Butters is traumatized. Cartman replies that he is happy that he got away with it. Cartman's phone goes off with a 911 area code and a Middle eastern man named "Steve" tells him that there was an issue with his headset and that it is fact Cartman that is stuck in a the game and that everyone else is a game. Cartman says "F*** you" to "Steve" and tells Kyle to tell him that this isn't a game. Kyle says "Maybe we are a game". Cartman doesn't believe anyone and thinks this is everyone pranking him. All of a sudden, back at Cartman's house, Cartman's mom is bringing Cartman food and Cartman is drooling and in a coma like state with the virtual reality gear on his head.
Back from break, Butters is being yelled at by his dad for punching him in the junk. After they leave, Cartman comes in and asks Butters if he's f***ing with him because he got a call from Oculus (the gaming company) saying that he is the one in the game world. Butters says he's relieved, but then Cartman tells him that if he's real then that means Butters is really just a game character and that if he gets grounded in the game world then he gets grounded in real life. Butters then calls Kyle to help him, but Kyle says he's too busy (all he's doing is playing ball with Stan) and hangs up. Kenny comes running and bring the Stan and Kyle to Cartman's house saying that he found him all messed up in his chair. Kyle pauses, looks at Cartman and says "F*** you". Stan says that this might be real to which Kyle replies "F*** you if you're in on this" to which Stan replies "In on what? Oh, f*** you if you're in on it".
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We now see "Steve" taking a helpline phone call for Ell Pojo Loco and asks if he helped them all he could, says thanks and hangs up. He then picks up the phone and says "El Pojo Loco help line this is Steve". Kyle says that he is looking for Oculus. Steve says to hold on, puts them on hold and says "Hello, this is Oculus help line, this is Steve". Steve tells him that there is a recall on all of the headsets that it's a *sigh* "Total recall". With a very annoyed face Kyle says "F*** you". Steve tells him that one of them is going to have to put on a Oculus headset and go tell Cartman to get to get to an access point. Kyle decides to do it. Cartman doesn't believe it and asks Kyle why Steve sent him in. Cartman tell Kyle that it Kyle in the game and it's him stuck in the game. That he's been in a virtual space. That they are archrivals and why would he send HIM! So Kyle and Cartman call Best Buy to try and figure out who bought the headset. The Best Buy clerk directs him to customer service. Steve picks up the phone and Kyle and Cartman are freaked out.
Back from break, Butters' parents are yelling at Butters from the kitchen and can't remember why he's grounded. Back in Kenny's room, Stan is talking to Steve from customer service and is trying help Kenny out of his game coma. Kyle and Cartman are still trying to figure it out who's who. Stan asks who called first and Steve tells him that it was Butters. the boys make their way to Butters' house when Steve thinks there is an issue and calls customer service and he gets...Steve. Steve tells Steve that he is in a customer service feedback loop and in India, it's called a "Customer feedback Vindaloop". Steve pauses and says "Aww, F*** you." to which Steve replies not to f*** him because they will end up f***ing each other. And then the two argue about whether or not good customer service was given even though the problem was not solved.
Back at Butters' room, the boys are trying to figure out who used the headset first and Butters' reminds them that he called customer service while they were all using it and somehow he ended up grounded (classic Butters) and that they are in the real world. Cartman then steps up and says that he has accepted that he is a computer program and the fact is that one of them is sitting in a room with a headset on. Butters' dad busts into the room and begins to yell at Butters for having company. Stan is now on the phone with customer service who tells Stan that you can not die or be grounded in virtual reality and the only thing that matters is if whether or not Steve has answered his questions to the best of his ability and provided good customer service. Stan yells that what he says. Steve asks him again and says that all his questions were answered and he is satisfied with his call. At that point, everyone accept Stan disappears and Kyle's voice asks Stan if he remembers everything. Stan says he does and is making his way back to the access point. Butters' dad ungrounds Butters and Butters is excited that the boys figured it out. Stan sits down, takes the helmet off and you see the boys as real life people. Stan says that the game is cool, but the graphics suck.
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Episode Grade: 7/10
