The Modifyers
| The Modifyers | |
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| Created by | |
| Written by |
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| Voices of | |
| Composer(s) | Chris Reccardi |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Running time | 12 minutes approx. |
| Production company(s) | Nickelodeon Animation Studios |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nickelodeon |
| Original release | 2007 |
The Modifyers is an animated short created by Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor. It was initially a pilot pitched to television giant Nickelodeon, however, it was rejected by the publisher, despite its positive reviews from critics and audiences, because it had a female protagonist and Nickelodeon didn’t want any more female protagonists since none of their programs that featured them became huge hits compared to shows that had male protagonists. It features Agent Xero and her sidekick Mole attempting to thwart the efforts of Baron Vain and his legion of henchmen, such as Rat. It has since gained a cult following.
Pilot
The scene opens as Rat, one of Baron Vain's henchmen, is attempting to steal the All Seeing Eye from the Museum of Odd Stuff. After succeeding, but setting off the alarms in the process, Rat escapes to the sewers, only to be confronted by Lacey Shadows, another one of Baron Vain's henchmen. After a brief altercation, Lacey gets away with the All Seeing Eye and escapes to her airship in a rocket pod. However, Rat uses a grappling hook to stow away on the bottom of the pod.
After entering a pattern into a line of panels on the floor which activates the lights, Lacey Shadows is revealed to be Agent Xero, a superheroine who uses her powers to foil Baron Vain's plans, and Mole, her sidekick. After they speak with Katz through a communicator in Xero's ring, Mole is ready to return the All Seeing Eye. However, Agent Xero insists that they ask it a question. Due to this insistence and a series of mishaps, Rat is able to get away with the Eye and heads off to Baron Vain's lair.
Agent Xero and Mole pursue Rat, but he manages to get away from them. When he gets to Baron Vain's lair, he accidentally interrupts Baron Vain's playing of his organ, which he does not tolerate and plans to feed Rat to a monster. Meanwhile, Agent Xero and Mole infiltrate Baron Vain's lair as Lacey Shadows, just as Rat is about to show Baron Vain the All Seeing Eye. They manage to get it back, and have Rat end up showing Baron Vain the similarly shaped rock that Xero switched it with. They leave the lair with Rat at Baron Vain's mercy and assume their normal identities to leave with the All Seeing Eye for home. Mole takes it with him, while Xero tries once more to convince him to allow them to ask it a question. Meanwhile, Baron Vain watches with pleasure as Rat is about to be eaten by the monster, when they hear a strange noise. Rat then notices that it is coming from the communicator in Xero's ring, which she had unknowingly left behind.
Characters
- Agent Xero (voiced by Mae Whitman) - a master of disguise, she can switch from many forms and uses Mole as a plethora of accessories or props. Agent Xero takes the job seriously, but has a notion of bending the rules slightly. For example, once they secured the All-Seeing Eye, she wanted to hold onto it to answer a question of her own. She, along with her sidekick, Mole work together with Katz to stop Baron Vain's evil plans.
- Lacey Shadows (voiced by Mae Whitman) - The Baron Vain's favorite henchman, and one of the personalities Xero disguises as. Her first of only two appearances is in the drain, along with Rat, taking away "The All-Seeing Eye."
- Mole (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - Agent Xero's sentient robotic sidekick. He and Xero work together with Katz to try and stop Baron Vain's evil plans. He is able to shapeshift into a variety of handheld objects, such as an umbrella and a backpack.
- Katz (voiced by Paul Rugg) - presumably Agent Xero and Mole's boss, as they report to him whenever they have solved another crime.
- Baron Vain (voiced by Paul Rugg) - the main antagonistic force With a legion of henchmen such as Lacey Shadows and Rat, he tries to execute various evil schemes.
- Rat (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - one of Baron Vain's henchmen. He is an insane, maniacal rat.