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Archer 1999: "Cubert" is the eighth episode of Season 10, and the one hundred and ninth episode overall.

Plot[]

Synopsis[]

Archer is convinced a mysterious object is causing the crew to act strangely.

Summary[]

The crew of the MV Seamus takes aboard a mysterious, reflective cube which seems to have properties unlike those known to anyone on the crew, including Krieger. When suddenly the crew finds their newfound object missing, members scatter to hunt down their new bounty. For Archer however, the hunt grows more and more confusing with each appearance of characters and clothing that seems out of place yet all too familiar. 

Cast[]

Cultural References[]

  • Q*bert: The name Pam gives the mysterious cube as well as where the title of the episode comes from is most likely inspired by the Q*bert arcade game.
  • Sphere (1998): The shimmering cube is similar to the gold sphere in the movie, which contained an alien intelligence which called itself Jerry. After entering the sphere, Samuel L. Jackson character developed a ravenous appetite—like Carol did after her head was freed from the cube.
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): The strange cube also resembles the monolith discovered at the beginning of 2001 which some interpretations claim is an alien intelligence. A less popular but compelling theory supposes that the monolith symbolizes the movie screen itself. This could symbolize breaking the fourth wall of Archer's dream state as his coma resolves.
  • Alien franchise: Carol had a sudden seizure during the feast, just like in the Alien movie before the Xenomorph broke out from the chest of Kane.
  • Alien film: Archer choked Lana with the rolled up magazine like Ash choked Ripley with a rolled up magazine in the Alien movie.
  • Star Trek franchise
    • "Isn't it crazy that that little scanner can do all those wildly different tests?" –Archer (making allusion to the tricorder, a staple in the Star Trek franchise performing similar seemingly magical functions)
  • J.R.R. Tolkien: "Maybe it's mithril!" Mithril is a fictional metal in Middle-earth.
  • Mattel's Ken doll: Throughout season 10, the Krieger synthetic human is sometimes referred to as "Ken", because Mattel's Barbie and Ken dolls were famously made without genitalia.
  • Mr. Mom: Archer refers to something as a Catch 21, and Lana says "21, 22, whatever it takes." This is a reference to the Michael Keaton/Martin Mull conversation in the movie Mr. Mom, in which Mull's character asks the posturing Keaton character whether he is wiring the new wing in 220, and Keaton, demonstrating his ignorance of electricity, says " 220, 221...whatever it takes."

Running Gags / Callbacks[]

  • Phrasing - Archer ("Is it firm enough to shove in the box?") and Pam when Malory wonders about Krieger's ultra-long 26-digit security code.
  • Ambergris - "Maybe it's ambergris!" Ambergris is the name of E18 in S4 (2014) of Bob's Burgers, the other animated series Jon Benjamin stars in. Ambergris is also a core plot of an episode of the sci-fi TV show, Futurama, which also featured "Space Whales" (which are referenced by Pam).
  • Carol's choking fetish - The "Robots Amok!" magazine seen in this and at least one other episode in season 10 is a callback to Carol's choking fetish. In "Skytanic", Cheryl has choke sex with Cyril aboard the luxury airship Excelsior. In "Skin Game", Barry Dylan, now a cyborg, finds Nikolai Jakov by seducing Cheryl into choke sex.
  • Flashbacks - Archer hallucinates seeing the MV Seamus crew in their prior roles, such as Lana Kane in her classic sweater dress, the rock creature Pam as Pam Poovey and TV's Michael Gray.

Continuity[]

  • Reality (Non-Dream):Archer remains in a coma brought upon by the events of "Deadly Velvet: Part II".
  • Dream / Reality Crossover:
    • (Dream) ... / (Reality) ...

Trivia[]

  • The callbacks to some of the characters 'real' identities may indicate he is coming out of his coma.

Locations[]

First Appearances[]

Quotes[]

(Krieger typing in a 26 digits long security code to enter the room where Archer is assaulting Lana)
Krieger: "Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!"
Malory: "Why the hell is it so long?"
Pam: "Space Phrasing!"
Krieger: "That's just how it comes."
Pam: "Two for it."
Cheryl: "Oh my god, just reset it, doctor Science."
Krieger: "WILL YOU SHUT UP? IF I MESS UP, I HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN!!!"

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Pam: Well, how do you like THESE titties?

Gallery of Images[]

There are 2 screenshots and images from "Cubert" on this Wiki, visit the category page for a complete gallery.


References[]


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