End of the Line (video)

End of the Line (video)
Video Info
Released:	December 8th, 2014
Run time:	14:07

The End of the Line Update was accompanied by a video. It shows how RED is attacked by BLU sending a runaway train filled with bombs towards their base.

The video was released by McVee on December 8th on YouTube and featured on the Team Fortress 2 website.

Plot summary

The video opens with an outdoors shot of BLU's base. It is the middle of the winter and the BLU Sniper is shown almost completely frozen in the snow. The BLU Soldier passes by, placing a "#2 Sniper" coffee mug next to Sniper, the smell managing to get Sniper to move a little.

Inside, the BLU team are putting the final touches on their train. Soldier and BLU Engineer go over the plans: the train is to leave the base, pick up speed, and then destroy the RED base at the end of the line. Meanwhile the BLU Heavy and Pyro are decorating two boxcars, with a threatening message for the REDs and a whimsical fantasy scene respectively. Soldier, unimpressed with Pyro's contribution, removes the boxcar from the train, but Pyro puts it back on when the Soldier's back is turned. Finally, the BLU Demoman sets the train on its course, and blows up the controls with a stick of dynamite.

Meanwhile, the RED Sniper and RED Scout are keeping watch at a snowy outpost. As Sniper goes in for a break, the ground starts shaking. They both go out to investigate, and the train blitzes past them.

At the RED base, the RED Heavy and RED Medic are trying to play a game of chess; the Heavy does not quite understand the rules of the game, much to the Medic's chagrin. Outside, RED Spy delivers a top secret folder to the RED Soldier, explaining the BLU team's plan. The "end of the line" detailed in the plan happens to be an explosive barrel storeroom, located right next to a kitten shop, an orphanage, and a kitten orphanage. The RED Soldier calls the rest of his team into action using an explosive Flare Gun.

Elsewhere, RED Sniper and RED Scout are trying to intercept the train, using Sniper's van to race after the train as it goes along a narrow mountain gorge. Scout manages to avoid heavy rocks falling and low signals, and successfully reaches the top of the train, uncoupling the train's last boxcar in the process. The Sniper is less lucky, and ends up stuck in his van, perliously perched at a cliff edge.

Back at RED's base, RED Spy, Medic and Heavy are discussing the news. Heavy tries to calm Medic down, but to no avail. He goes outside, looking at the mountain ranges in the distance.

After exiting a tunnel, RED Scout investigates the cars on the train. The car with Pyro's decoration is filled with rubber ducks, but the Heavy's car contains a large bomb. Scout manages to defuse the bomb, easily unlocking it (the key for the bomb is located under a doormat with "GO AWAY" written on it), and outsmarting the defusal mechanism (two buttons, both of them labelled "YES" underneath a "Disarm bomb?" sign). Scout is relieved and is about to leave the train, but decides to take a closer look at the container he is in. As he flips the light switch, a whole pile of bombs is revealed at the back of the boxcar.

At the RED base, the team is preparing for the train's arrival. The Medic has rejectedly resigned to twirling a pencil inside his office, with even the Spy unable to convince him to leave. Heavy makes his way to the train tracks, outstretching both his hands in an attempt to stop the train. Medic manages to get his Medi Gun just in time, and ÜberCharges the Heavy just as the train arrives. The impact is immense, destroying the railway tracks and derailing the entire train, and the Medic's Ubercharge loses effect on the Heavy. Scout jumps off the train and has to dodge flying debris, pushing Medic down just as a boxcar flies over their heads. The bomb container ends up exploding in the air as it is hit by the duck container. However, the explosive barrel storeroom is unharmed.

The RED team emerge from the wreckage, staring at the ruins of their old base. However, their relief is short lived, as the boxcar that Scout uncoupled earlier rushes down the tracks. The car, revealled to be full of anvils, effortlessly ploughs through the other wrecked cars, and rushes down towards the end of the line, narrowly missing the explosive barrels (and a kitten).

Yet again, the RED team's colletive sigh of relief is interruped by the RED Engineer, who reveals himself to be the BLU Spy and takes Medic hostage at knifepoint. However, the Heavy emerges from the wreckage, and bends the barrel on BLU Spy's Revolver. He then throws the BLU Spy up in the air, and pummels him into the ground, leaving him in an extremely awkward-looking position. Heavy once again stares at the mountain range in the distance, and turns towards his team with a smirk on his face.

At the BLU base, a traincar arrives, filling the main warehouse with smoke and interrupting the BLU Soldier and Engineer. The car is full of charred rubber ducks, covering a BLU bomb. The BLUs barely have time to react before the bomb explodes (although the BLU Pyro survives, distracted by a cat outside).

Over in RED's base Soldier is taking stock of the damages, checking over the residents of the orphanage, the kitten orphanage, and the kitten store. Medic offers Heavy another game of chess. But during the game, Heavy's hesitation at making his first move causes Medic to angrily flip the table.

The video ends with a shot of RED Sniper, still stuck in his van, waking up from his sleep. He sees a flock of pigeons, carrying a BLU Payload bomb, flying away - towards the RED Base...

Notes

• Sniper's pose at 0:18 is a reference to the the pose of the main character at end of the movie "The Shining".
• The #2 Sniper written on the mug the BLU Soldier gives to the frozen BLU Sniper is a reference to the fact that the RED Sniper already got a mug marked with #1 Sniper, and also to the fact that the RED team always beat the BLU team in the Meet the Team videos.
• At 0:46, plans for a "Stealth Pigeon Bomb" are seen on the table. Despite being labeled as "failed", it's still seen in the end of the video.
• At 2:22, when the BLU Soldier lights his cigar, it already has ashes on it.
• Several of the cosmetic items seen in the video were released in the update. However, the coat worn by the BLU Soldier and the RED Pyro's Diving Mask and Rubber Floaties, weren't included in the update.
• The bomb key under the "Go Away" mat is likely a reference to some people leaving their house keys under their "Welcome" mats.
• When the Scout climbs up to the top of the Sniper's van, he breaks one of the side-view mirrors, much to the annoyance of the Sniper. However, it is back in every shot after.
• When the boxcar filled with rubber duckies hits the boxcar with the bombs, a squeak sound from the rubber duckies is heard.

Credits

Directed by

James McVinnie

Animation by

Luke Murray

Models By

Rebecca Pursley

Art by

Leri Greer

Effects by

Daniel Escobedo

Music by

Lars Erik Fjosne

Arslan Qureshi

Mike Hillard

Audio by

Ed Harrison

John Dekker