Take That Us

Take That Us is the ninth chapter of The Way Of The Metagamer. This chapter is essentially a crossover with the popular television programme Mystery Science Theater 3000, in which the movie to be snarked is actually the first few chapters of this very comic. The comic's sequel, The Way Of The Metagamer 2: In Name Only, is first introduced in this chapter.

Before the MSTing
Having just left a rather crazy party, the protagonists are pulled through another plot hole, and one which happens to lead to Mystery Science Theater 3000. The comic focuses merely on the characters of MST3K for a while, before the aforementioned plot hole pops up, heralding the arrival of our protagonists. Jane, adversely affected by the fruit punch, passes out almost immediately, while Trope-tan greets Joel.

Invention Exchange
We move on to the Invention Exchange, a regular feature of MST3K. Joel presents the Gizmonic Institute Graphical Automated Hyper-Enhancement of Reality through Teleportation and, uh… Zoom (GIGAHERTZ for short!), a device which can enhance the detail of photographs by going back in time and taking better photographs. Not to be outdone, Dr. Forrester presents the Clayton Forrester Volumetrically Displayed Entertainment and World-Taking Over Device (uh… CFVDEWTOD for short?), a volumetric display-based device essentially equivalent to a holodeck. It also takes over the world, though: it is designed to malfunction and trap the users within now-lethal virtual situations.

The MSTing
Dr. Forrester then presents the movie to be watched! Except it's actually a webcomic! And, specifically, it's The Way Of The Metagamer! Everybody pulls together to watch the comic, and together make many snarky comments.

The performance screeches to an abrupt halt as the comic reaches its very first hiatus, way back on comic #17. The characters head out of the theater, relieved that they won't need to watch the comic any more for several months.

Host Segments
There are occasional breaks in the performance, as is usual for MST3K. During the host segments, skits include:
 * The conversion of all the 'bots to better suit the comic's art style, notably including the bizarre upgrade of the CFVDEWTOD into the Clayton Forrester Volumetrically Displayed Entertainment and World-Taking Over Device Stick Figure Edition, or apparently CFVDEWTODSFE.
 * A recap of the comic's events so far; Joel is forced to stand in for Gary. All the special effects in this recap are produced with a green screen, as in MST3K.
 * Most importantly, the interruption of regular advertisements, all trailers for one thing: The Way Of The Metagamer 2: In Name Only, a sequel to the comic starring none of the original characters, based on a completely different plot, and most absurdly with an intact fourth wall.

After the MSTing
Back outside, Trope-tan begins questioning Bob about preferred works. At the revelation that Bob not only hates Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but actually liked Twilight and Disaster Movie, Trope-tan resolves to punish him with a great degree of violence, but unfortunately opens up a trio of plot holes in the attempt. She calls Jane, in the middle of an awesome space snowball fight, so that the two may attempt to solve the issue.

They choose to resolve the issue through time travel. Trope-tan borrows the GIGAHERTZ, a fully functional time machine, from Joel, and begins configuring it so that the plot holes may be erased from history. Suddenly, a time portal opens, and future!Fred leaps through, striking Trope-tan with a Sneak Attack. From this point, the comic segues directly into the next storyline, Wibbly Wobbly, Timey Wimey.

Trivia

 * Weighing in at 43 pages, this chapter is the longest so far.
 * At one point, Trope-tan makes a reference to "Hamdingers". These are a type of food from MST3K, which nobody likes, and so nobody ever goes near the Hamdingers box, explaining how the medical bay could be hidden there.