They have no idea what they're moving in over the road from.
Rani. My family just moved into Bannerman Road.
These kids go missing, that is weird.
-The police just don't have a clue. -Hey!
Welcome to Spellman's Magical Museum of the Circus.
-They're alive! -Run!
-He's sealed the doors. -You are mine to feed on.
Fear me. You are mine!
Don't let him touch you!
-Oh, sweet, sweet fear! -Luke! Give me a hand!
-Why are you coming after me? -You have a ticket. You are mine.
Get away from her! I'm not scared of you!
But you are scared of me, Sarah Jane Smith.
Of all the things you have seen,
of all the things out of the dark you have fought,
it's me that lives in your nightmares.
-The painted face of a clown. -Mum!
- Quick, we're out, come on! -Run!
He's frozen!
The phone's electromagnetic wave
must have interfered with Spellman's energies.
They must have a similar frequency. But it won't last.
Won't someone tell me what's going on?
There's a time and a place for an interview
and being chased by a clown from outer space is not it.
-Rani! -Just get in the car!
Okay, annoying ringtones have their uses,
we've learned that today, but they're still annoying.
-It's mum. What do I tell her? -You're on the way home.
You expect me to just go home like that?
-Mum, you should tell her everything. -No. I told both of you.
Please, Sarah Jane. That phone is doing my head in.
I'm going to offer you a choice, Rani. Cross the road, go back to your parents
and the life you lived before you moved here,
and nothing will have changed. Or you can come with me.
Then tell your mum I'm giving you a little work experience.
-This way. -This place is huge!
You ain't seen nothing yet.
-This is where it gets interesting. -How cool is this!
-This is where you work? -That's right.
What's this?
That's a distress beacon from a Cylethian scoutship. Careful!
You'll have an intergalactic rescue team landing on Bannerman Road.
-I thought you were a journalist. -I am.
Not with alien gizmos in her attic, who doesn't bat an eyelid
at a shape-changing, alien-clown Pied Piper thing?
That's more of a hobby.
Okay, any second now, my alarm will go off
and it's my second day at Park Vale.
A new school with your dad as head teacher, anyone would have nutty dreams.
All right, Rani, this is what we do, Luke, Clyde and me.
When aliens come to Earth, and they do all the time,
if they're friendly and need help, we give it.
If they're looking for trouble, we give 'em that, too.
I wouldn't put it quite like that.
-We have saved the world 1 2 times now. -For real?
-No one's keeping score. -Except Luke.
What's important are the rules.
We look after each other, we respect all life,
whatever planet it's from, and we tell no one what we do.
-Do you understand? No one. -Yes. I understand.
Mr. Smith, I need you!
-What's happening? -Don't worry, it's only Mr. Smith.
Yes, Sarah Jane. How can I help you?
It's a talking computer!
You've got a talking computer in your wall!
Actually, he's a Xylok. A crystalline life form,
just about the smartest in the galaxy.
But computer's close enough. Supercomputer.
Mr. Smith, tell me everything you know
about the Pied Piper and a clown called Odd Bob.
And this has to do with the missing children?
Across America, in the period 1 932 to 1 940,
there were disappearances of children
connected to a traveling clown known as Odd Bob.
-So many! -What about the Pied Piper?
I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced.
This is Rani. She's just visiting. What about the Pied Piper?
A legendary figure who, in 1 284,
rid the German town of Hamelin of rats with a magical tune.
When the town refused to pay him, he enchanted away its children.
Is there any truth in the story?
It's a historical fact that Hamelin lost its children.
-Whoa! You mean it's true? -I want you to scan this, Mr. Smith.
I'm detecting traces of an alien energy.
-Yes! -What sort of energy?
I can find no comparable data for analysis.
So this is something from way off.
Mr. Smith, show me the historical extra-terrestrial records
for Lower Saxony in the 1 3th century.
What's that? In the Weserbergland Mountains?
A meteorite fragment which landed in 1 283.
The year before the Piper arrived. The Piper was in the meteor! Result!
The meteorite had a diameter of 30. 1 2 centimeters.
-An unlikely spacecraft, Rani. -Still, what do we know about it?
The meteorite is on loan for scientific research
from the University of Munich to the UK.
-You mean it's here? -And he came with it.
Perhaps if I could analyze a fragment,
I could provide information on the energy sample.
-Of course. Where is it? -The Pharos Institute.
Are you going to get this meteorite for Mr. Smith?
I'll try. It might provide the key to stopping Spellman.
I have a contact at the Pharos Institute.
-I think they'll help me. -I'd like to help you.
The last thing I wanted was for you to get involved in all this,
in what I do.
Up there, among the stars, there are fantastic civilizations.
Life forms beyond our imagination.
But there are those that are dangerous. That mean us harm.
I stop them, it's what I do. I've done it for so long.
But if I could turn back time,
neither Luke nor Clyde would be involved.
I don't know if I'll always be able to protect them.
You don't need another kid to worry about, right?
-Yes. -But I'm already involved.
Odd Bob is coming after me and every other kid
with one of these tickets.
This is a Vorgatt Defense Field Emitter.
Turn it on, place it in the middle of your room.
It'll throw up a force field that'll stop anything from harming you.
Beyond that, make sure that you're never alone.
-Is that it? -I promise you, I will stop Spellman.
Even if you do, you can't expect me
to live across the road and forget all this.
No. But I expect you to keep it a secret, to never tell anyone.
Not even Mum and Dad?
Do you think they'd believe you?
-No. -Goodnight, Rani.
It's incredible, isn't it? The universe. Aliens and everything.
I mean, it's scary. But it's all real.
-That's amazing. -Yes, Rani. Yes, it is.
-Why do they scare you? -Ooh! Ah! Luke.
Odd Bob, he scared you.
I've never seen that before.
When my Aunt Lavinia was bringing me up,
my room was full of lots of old toys that used to be hers.
One of them was a marionette, a puppet clown.
I never liked it. It always seemed to be watching me.
Then, one night, there was the most tremendous thunderstorm.
-I screamed the house down. -What happened?
Aunt Lavinia told me not to be so silly.
It was a puppet. It was a trick of the light in the storm.
Perhaps it was.
But it was the first time I ever cried out for my parents.
You see, I never really knew them. I was only a baby when they died.
Rise and shine!
-Morning. -Mum!
-Mum, are you all right? -Oh, I don't know.
-Is it one of your migraines coming on? -Oh! I suppose. Oh!
It aches like I walked into a brick wall. It feels like I did, too.
Maybe you've been overdoing it.
Yeah. Yeah, I suppose. There's your tea.
Hurry up, your breakfast is on.
-Miss Smith, so good to see you again. -Professor Rivers.
Do come this way.
Of course, we owe you a great debt of gratitude
over that business with Nathan Goss. If anything had appeared in the media,
it would've been the end of the institute.
I may be a journalist, but there are some things
-it's best the public don't know. -Thank you, Miss Smith.
But your interest in the Weserbergland meteorite,
it's not dangerous, is it?
On the contrary, I hope it can help end something that is.
Oh, thank you.
We think it came from deep, deep space. But the samples we've seen from Mars
offer far more evidence of extra-terrestrial life.
You won't take much, will you? This is highly irregular.
-Normally, I would never allow it... -You'll hardly notice the difference.
I think it's best if I wasn't here.
If you wish.
What are you doing, Miss Smith?
I didn't mean to frighten you.
I'm going to find out what you are, Odd Bob.
We're only scared of what we don't understand.
When I know where you come from, what you are, I'll stop you.
Suppose there isn't anything to be understood?
Suppose I am beyond understanding?
Suppose, as the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed,
your aunt's clown really did come to life?
How could you know about that?
It was a trick of the light.
Then why are you still so scared?
I know what you're doing. You need people to be frightened of you.
That's why you take the children. That's what scares us most,
it's almost impossible to understand.
And today, just for you, Miss Smith, I will chill the blood of a nation.
A thousand families will ache with loss, and millions will shudder,
sleepless with a bone-gnawing fear.
What are you going to do?
Are you finished, Miss Smith?
I can't believe we're at school with that alien still out there.
Welcome to our world.
We're the fearless alien hunters, defenders of Earth,
but everything stops for the school bell.
-Tell me about it. - Was Maria one of you?
-A fearless alien hunter? -Yes.
That's what you meant when you said we couldn't be friends in the same way?
He's here. The balloon. It's Odd Bob. He's here.
What's going on?
It's as if the balloons are taking control of them.
Okay, this does not feel good.
Where are the kids?
He's leading them away, like the Pied Piper. Come on.
MR. SMITH: The meteorite originated in the Jeggorabax Cluster.
-I've never heard of it. -It is a dark nebula
-near the Bezeta-Vordak System. -And energy traces?
There's an energy residue matching the sample I analyzed.
-Go on. -There are stories of entities
in this region created by emotions such as fear.
This energy came here in a meteor that fell near Hamelin,
where people were terrified by a plague of rats.
This fear manifested as the Pied Piper.
And once manifested, the entity required more fear for its survival.
It took the children. To create fear.
And it's been doing the same thing ever since.
Mum, you'd better get down here.
Turn around! You don't know what you're doing!
You're all in danger! Don't you understand?
Come on, stop, come back! Where are you going?
I think they're heading for the Circus Museum.
This must be what he was talking about.
He's going to make the whole school vanish.
Luke, don't follow them into the museum. I'll be there as soon as I can.
Mr. Smith, I have a job for you.
We tried to get them to turn back. They won't.
They're like zombies.
Spellman's controlling them like the mannequins.
What will he do with them? It's the whole school.
They'll just vanish. It isn't the children he's interested in,
it's the fear their disappearance causes.
Spellman is an energy entity that feeds on fear.
Roll up! Roll up! Welcome to Spellman's Magical Museum of the Circus.
-Just step this way! -I don't think so, Mr. Spellman.
I don't think you have any say in the matter, Miss Smith.
Perhaps I should phone a friend.
Connecting now.
Oh! It looks like his line's busy.
It must be Mr. Smith. He's scanned the school records and rung every pupil.
The phone signals are interfering with Spellman's power.
You meddle with me at your cost, Sarah Jane Smith!
I'm not scared of you, or Odd Bob!
You think you have conquered your fear? I will show you fear!
Sounds like a bad loser to me.
Everyone's going back to school.
Luke? Luke!
-He was next to me. -Where's he gone?
-Luke! -No! I'm not having this!
No, Clyde. You stay here. You, too, Rani.
Luke is my son. I'm going after him on my own.
No way. We're coming to help you!
I'm not going to risk losing both of you as well.
Now, stay here!
She's locked us out!
What do we do? She might need us.
We've got to find another way in. Come on.
Spellman, where are you? I've come for my son!
Help! Help!
-Luke! Luke! -Help! Help!
-Luke! -Help!
Spellman, where are you?
Not scared of me, Miss Smith? Oh, I think you are.
If you've hurt my son or done anything to him,
-I will destroy you! -The fear of a mother for her young,
-the strongest fear of all. -You'd better believe it!
-Give us a hand. -You should stay here.
It's going to be dangerous in there.
-Would Maria have stayed out here? -No.
Yes.
Come on, Spellman, no more smoke and mirrors.
If you're looking at getting fat on my fear,
you're looking at a low-cal lunch.
-Tastes like fear to me. -What have you done with Luke?
-He's with the others. -The others?
The boy in the stationery cupboard, the boy playing football.
If you really want me to count them all, I would pull up a chair.
It has been over 700 years, don't you know?
-Where are they? -Somewhere between this world
and another. They are sleeping.
I don't want to harm them. I don't need to.
All of them? They're fine?
Well, after a while, they just fade away.
-Bring them back. Bring them back now! -Oh, I can't do that.
Can you imagine,
a bogeyman that brings children back from Never Never Land?
Who would be scared of me then? Boo!
I would cease to be.
If you don't exist anymore, the harm you've done is reversed.
At least the children you've taken from here will be returned. Luke.
But you cannot destroy me, Miss Smith. No one can destroy fear.
'Tis part of you all. I am part of you all.
-How do you fight fear? What can we do? -I'll tell you what you can do.
Now, if you are so concerned for your son,
I'll take you to join him. I'm sure your disappearance, in time,
will give me much nourishment.
Mr. Spellman, listen to this. Two aerials got married.
-You should've seen the reception! -Clyde!
Another child, another frightened mother.
Yes, you have a ticket, Clyde Langer.
-Keep away from him! -What's a sheep with no legs? A cloud!
Police station toilet stolen!
The cops have nothing to go on!
What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh!
A magician was driving down the road and he turns...into his house!
-What is this? -Come on, folks,
how about a little bit of audience participation?
What's invisible and smells like carrots?
Rabbit farts.
Thank you, thank you.
Where would you find a one-legged dog? Where you left him.
-What's this? She's nicking my material. -Stop this now!
What's wrong? Does the sound of laughter upset you?
-Does it frighten you? -You will fear me!
He's getting weaker!
Two fish in a tank, one says to the other,
"Do you know how to drive this?"
An optician tells a guy he's colorblind.
"Well, that's a bolt out of the green!"
How did Count Dracula escape from Transylvania?
He used a blood vessel!
What's wrong, Mr. Spellman? Not game for a laugh?
People have shuddered with fear in my shadow for over 700 years.
Now they're laughing. Bet that's a real kick in the ego.
Sarah Jane! Your pocket!
I went to the dentist, he said, "Say, 'Ahhh!"
I said, "Why?" He said, "My dog's dead."
Of course. That's it!
You think you can destroy me with pathetic jokes?
Hey, this is classic material.
I won't destroy you. I'll put you back where you belong,
where you don't need anyone's fear to survive.
No!
This is where you belong. The meteor that brought you to Earth.
You were always attached to it,
but you were strong enough to resist its pull.
Not anymore. The nightmare is over!
Thank you! The joker in the pack.
Every alien-busting team should have one.
That was good thinking, Clyde.
-Well, it was Rani's idea. -Yeah, but I told him to be funny.
-Mum! -Oh, Luke!
Luke! Luke, you're all right!
What happened? Where's Spellman?
I imagine you could say he's finally paid the piper.
The children taken in recent weeks are safe and well.
They have no memory of what happened,
but were clearly released when the energy entity
-was returned to the meteor fragment. -And that is going in here.
Halkonite steel.
Nothing can get through it. Not even thoughts.
So what happens now? Do you trust me to keep all this secret?
With a true glimpse of the universe, there are two types of people.
Those who refuse to believe,
that will tell themselves anything to deny the evidence of their eyes,
and those that embrace the universe, and how special life is,
and want it to stay that way by keeping it safe and secret.
-And that's me? -That's all of us.
Rani, where do you think you've been?
I thought you had more sense than to get in this walkout.
-Walkout? -Stupid prank.
Whole school went walkabout, then wanders back later,
claiming not to have known what they'd been doing.
Obviously, some bright spark thought
it'd be a good way to wind up the new headteacher.
Yeah. 'Cause I'm the joker in the pack, aren't I?
We had free periods this afternoon.
We've been at the library researching for a project.
-Clyde, Luke and me. -See?
That's why she wasn't answering her phone.
I was at the library myself and brought them home.
I thought I'd take your advice, sir.
Try applying my brains to something other than being funny.
Oh, by the way, I saw it on the news.
All those kids turned up like nothing ever happened,
very happy-ever-after, but I can't help thinking, weird.
Not weird, Mum. Surprising.
The universe is a surprising place.
Anyway, Haresh is making veggie chili for tea.
You're all welcome to share.
I'd love to, but I need to get on with some work. But Luke...
-Yeah, please. -Come on.
Haresh is always cooking too much food. He's got this thing about Dawn French.
His mother always said I was far too skinny.
Look at me with my new headteacher cooking me tea!
The universe really is a surprising place.
Yes, it really is.
There's no power in the stars.
This Trueman's come from nowhere,
now he's pulling in all these people.
-What if there's another universe? -Where astrology worked.
I've got things to do, such amazing things.
The Ancient Lights will destroy you.