"Descent into Fear" is the nineteenth episode of Monsters at Work. It aired on May 4, 2024, and is the ninth episode of the second season.
Synopsis[]
Tylor and Val start their first days at their new jobs: Tylor as a Scarer at Fear Co. and Val as a Jokester at Monsters, Inc.
Plot[]
Tylor, having severed ties to Monsters Inc. due to the events of the previous episode, excitedly gets ready for his new job at Fear Co., though his family is disappointed in the fact that that means Val will no longer visit them. Val has started her first day as a Jokester at Monsters, Inc., even though support for laugh power has decreased due to the previous day's events.
Tylor gets a hero's welcome at Fear Co. and is introduced to the scare floor and gets a new assistant in Chompy. He racks up a repertoire with his scaring while Val succeeds in her job making kids laugh. As Val starts to miss Tylor, Sunny arrives informing everyone that the cannisters are still showing signs of leaking to the point that even when they are full, they are still programmed to identify as empty. The Monsters, Inc. team start to double down on their joking so that they can get more power, with Mike drinking energy drinks to get through the day.
At Fear Co., Tylor begins to sense a lack of comradery between his coworkers, especially Joy who is committed to stay the top scarer. Lunch starts, but only lasts fifteen minutes. Declan tells him that Rosie was fired because her lunch break went on too long. Confused, Tylor goes to speak with Johnny, only for Chet to turn him away as his schedule his busy. Tylor is forced to go back to the scare floor when his break is already done. When Joy continues to belittle everyone, the other scarers stand up to her and declare that Tylor will knock her off as top scarer. Tylor is reluctant, but decides to show her up anyway.
When Tylor enters the door, he discovers too late that it is Ben's door. Ben apologizes for not laughing at him earlier and tries to interest him in his recorder. Tylor tries to leave, but becomes frustrated and roars at him, scaring him back to his bed. Tylor leaves in a daze over what he has done. As he notices that he beat Joy's record, he goes and sulks.
Johnny approaches Tylor and tells him that he is looking out for his best interests and that he has total faith in his abilities as a scarer. He then reveals that journalists have come and Johnny makes a big announcement that they have built a scream amplifier that will increase energy output. He further adds that not only has Tylor joined Fear Co., but that he would be promoted to Vice President of Scaring. At Monsters, Inc., the team manages to get the gigglewatt power necessary to keep Monstropolis afloat, only for a blackout to occur.
As the town blames Monsters, Inc. for the blackout, Johnny takes Tylor down to the "dungeon" of Fear Co. Johnny reveals that they have been pilfering the laugh canisters from Monsters, Inc., and further reveals the true culprit behind the leaks that helped him, who happens to be none other than his new partner in crime, Randall Boggs, who was once his Roar Omega Roar teammate at MU, and was later banished by Mike and Sulley for trying to revolutionize MI in order for him to work his way up to the top. Tylor gets into shock as Randall declares to his old friend that the mission is accomplished.
Cast[]
- Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski
- John Goodman as James P. Sullivan
- Ben Feldman as Tylor Tuskmon
- Mindy Kaling as Val Little
- Henry Winkler as Fritz
- Lucas Neff as Duncan P. Anderson
- Alanna Ubach as Cutter, Carla Benitez, Mary
- Nathan Fillion as Johnny Worthington III
- Rhys Darby as Roger Rogers
- Stephen Stanton as Needleman and Smitty, George Sanderson, Reporter 2
- Christopher Swindle as Fungus, Thaddeus Bile, McLean, Additional Monsters
- Dee Bradley Baker as Banana Bread, Chompy, Beefy Scarer
- Roxanna Ortega as Celia Mae, Reporter 4
- Bobby Moynihan as Chet Alexander
- John Ratzenberger as Bernard Tuskmon
- Aisha Tyler as Millie Tuskmon
- Ali Wong as Jill
- Joe Lo Truglio as Jack
- Jenifer Lewis as Virginia Tuskmon
- Steve Buscemi as Randall Boggs
- Richard Ayoade as Declan
- Jimmy Tatro as Skyler
- Corey Burton as Slappy
- Aubrey Matalon as Scarlett
- Paula Pell as Sunny Sunshine
- Janelle James as Joy
- Alan Kim as Ben
- Danny Pudi as Evan
- Carlos Alazraqui as Josh Rivera
- Alan Tudyk as Maître d'
- Max Mittelman as Reporter 1, Additional Monsters
- Hiromi Dames as Hazel
- Nohely Quiroz as Gangly Kid, Additional Monsters
- Tessa Rozanski as Hilary, Sweet Kid
- Kimberly D. Brooks as Additional Monsters
- Kevin Deters as DJ Slinky Stinkwell
- Sam Deters as Not Valet Monster
- Bobs Gannaway as Roto
Trivia[]
- Tylor being guilty and regrettable about scaring Ben parallels when Sulley scared Boo (though unintentionally) in the original film, with both children crying and trying to hide from the monsters they thought they trusted.
- Both times, they were pressured into doing so: Waternoose wanted Sulley to impress the trainees with a big roar in the simulator room, while the other Fear Co. employees wanted Tylor to beat Joy's scare record.
- Tylor beating Joy in being the best scarer at Fear Co. is similar to Sulley doing the same thing to Randall in the original film.
- When Tylor leaves for work, Virginia tells Tylor to "knock 'em dead", to which Millie responds with "But not figuratively, 'cause killing has consequences!" This is a reference to Meet the Robinsons, where Mr. Willerstein says a nearly identical line to Lewis before he presents his invention at the science fair.
- Mike is stated to be on a strict diet (or rather, he is forced to go on one by his doctor).
- Speaking of Mike, this is the second episode where his eye is dilated larger than usual due to being hyperactive from drinking 36 1/2 energy drinks, after "Meet Mift".
- This episode features the return of Randall Boggs, who was initially thought to not make an appearance in the series. He had been the one making Monsters, Inc. look bad (and pinning it all on Tylor) under Johnny's orders.
- Not counting Monsters University or any other media, it has been 23 years since he last appeared in the original film.
- Randall's return was so secretive, that the script referred to him as "Edward", named after executive producer Edward Mejia.
- The fourth wall is broken at the end of the end credits by Needleman and Smitty when they discuss Randall's reveal.
- Tylor drives up to Fear Co. in a black version of the yellow six wheeled car from Mike's New Car.
- Credits Line: As mentioned above, Smitty and Needleman talk about Randall’s reveal and Needleman tells him not to spoil anything, only for Smitty to tell Needleman that the episode has ended.
Gallery[]
