Earlier, the stage was prepped for chaos: three brightly colored cannons were positioned on either side for two contestants, hidden from view behind a large curtain. In the middle, Ellen and Sir Topham Hatt stood at a sleek stainless steel stand with a prominent red button perched on top. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as Ellen turned to her guest with a playful grin.
"We're back with Sir Topham Hatt!" Ellen announced, her energy contagious. "Now, let's face it, there's been a lot of messy situations here on the Island of Sodor."
Sir Topham Hatt chuckled knowingly. "Oh, I couldn't agree more. Every day brings a new surprise."
Ellen leaned into the moment, adding, "So, I figured we'd embrace the chaos in the best way possible to end the show—with one of my favorite games. It's called Danger Word!"
The song 'Word Up' by Cameo erupted as the crowd cheered, their excitement growing. Sir Topham Hatt adjusted his coat and glanced curiously toward the mysterious curtain, his composed demeanor masking a hint of curiosity about what Ellen had planned.
After a moment, Ellen's voice rang out again with a playful twinkle in her eye. "Alright, folks, earlier today, we were looking for two brave souls willing to risk getting covered in… well, let's just call it gunk. And surprise, surprise, we found not two people… but two who really love having fun! And guess what? We managed to drag them all the way from the back of the audience!"
The crowd chuckled, the engines whistling with amusement. Thomas, who had been calmly watching from the side, seemed to know exactly what was coming, though no one stood next to him now.
Ellen grinned and gestured toward the curtain. "And of course, you all know these two. They travel everywhere with Thomas and are known for being his most loyal companions. Give it up for Annie and Clarabel!"
The curtain slowly pulled back to reveal the two beloved coaches, who sported oversized goggles and eager expressions, ready for the challenge ahead. The crowd erupted into cheers, and the engines tooted in excitement, eager to see how this unique challenge would unfold.
"I still can't believe they volunteered to play this," Edward remarked softly, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and amusement.
"Wonder which of your coaches will end up the messiest, Thomas," Henry added with a teasing grin.
Thomas chuckled lightly, his eyes fixed on Annie and Clarabel as they adjusted their goggles with determination. "From what I'm hearing," he replied, "it'll be hard to tell."
The engines exchanged knowing looks as the atmosphere bubbled with anticipation, the audience's excitement growing for the hilarity that was surely about to unfold. Annie and Clarabel, meanwhile, seemed both nervous and eager, ready to prove that they could handle whatever the game threw at them—literally!
Ellen turned to Annie and Clarabel, her warm smile making them feel at ease despite the lively crowd. "So, you two," she began, gesturing toward the coaches with a flourish, "for the sake of our viewers watching at home, tell us what you do on this island."
Annie, always the more confident of the two, spoke up first. "Well, Ellen, we're Thomas's faithful coaches. We help him carry passengers all across Sodor, ensuring everyone gets to where they need to be safely and on time."
Clarabel nodded, chiming in. "And I take care of the luggage and the guard at the back. It's a big responsibility, but we enjoy being part of such an important job."
Ellen nodded enthusiastically. "Wow, that's incredible! You're basically the unsung heroes of Sodor's transportation. How does it feel to be such an essential part of the railway?"
Annie smiled proudly. "It's very fulfilling, Ellen. Sodor wouldn't run as smoothly without us!"
Clarabel added with a shy laugh, "Though sometimes it's a little bumpy, especially when Thomas gets too excited!"
The audience chuckled, and Ellen grinned. "Well, it sounds like you two are more than ready to take on this challenge. Let's see if you can handle something a little... messier than passengers and luggage!"
Sir Topham Hatt turned to Annie and Clarabel, raising an eyebrow with a curious smile. "I'm surprised you felt confident in doing this," he remarked, his tone a mix of admiration and amusement.
Annie huffed playfully. "Well, Sir, we've handled all sorts of passengers over the years—grumpy ones, chatty ones, even messy ones. We figured, how much harder could this be?"
Clarabel nodded nervously. "Though I must admit, Sir, this might be a little out of our usual duties."
The audience laughed warmly, and Ellen chimed in with a wink. "Hey, if you can handle a train full of passengers, you can handle a little game show fun. Besides, those goggles look great on you two!"
Annie and Clarabel giggled, their goggles slightly askew but ready for action. "Thank you, Ellen," Annie replied. "We're ready for whatever comes our way—right, Clarabel?"
Clarabel hesitated, then straightened up. "Right! Let's do this!"
The audience erupted into cheers as Ellen turned to the crowd. "Now, that's the spirit!"
Ellen clapped her hands together with excitement as she explained the rules, her energy contagious. "Alright, here's how this works: I'm teamed up with Annie, and Sir Topham Hatt is partnered with Clarabel. We'll take turns giving out one-word clues to help you guess the Winning Word. But—" she pointed dramatically to the red button on the stainless steel stand, "—if anyone says the Danger Word, especially us, I'll be forced to hit this button, and…"
She gestured toward the mysterious cannons hidden by the curtain with a mischievous grin. "Well, let's just say I'm not entirely sure what's inside those cannons, but rumor has it, it's something the engines deal with when things get messy. And trust me, it's not glitter."
The audience roared with laughter while the engines whistled playfully.
Ellen leaned forward slightly, adding suspense. "Now, here's the kicker: if you get the Winning Word, the other team gets blasted by the mystery goo. But if you miss three, it's three strikes, and you lose! So, no time limit—take a breath, think carefully, and really focus. Get it? Got it?"
Annie and Clarabel exchanged glances beneath their goggles, both determined. "Got it!" they said in unison.
Sir Topham Hatt adjusted his hat confidently. "Understood. Clarabel and I are ready."
"Good!" Ellen said, placing her hands on the stand. "Let the chaos—uh, I mean, fun—begin. We're gonna decide who goes first, and I'm thinking of an engine," Ellen said, raising an eyebrow as the audience leaned in.
"Hmm..." Sir Topham Hatt said thoughtfully, his hand resting on his chin. "An engine, you say?"
"Yep," Ellen grinned. "The first person to guess which engine I'm thinking of gets to go first. Ready? Okay, here's your clue—he's fast, and he's blue. Who am I thinking of?"
The engines in the crowd started whispering excitedly, and even Thomas puffed out proudly, a little too eager.
Sir Topham Hatt raised an eyebrow. "I believe it's Thomas, of course."
Ellen smiled widely. "And that's absolutely right! Sir Topham Hatt, your team gets to go first!"
Ellen handed Sir Topham Hatt a small card folded in half, then took one herself, each of them holding the same word. The cards read: Winning Word: Steam, Danger Word: Smoke. These words were displayed graphically on the screen for the audience to see, but not for Annie and Clarabel.
The suspenseful music played as Sir Topham Hatt puffed thoughtfully, his brows furrowed in concentration. He stared at the card, then at Clarabel, trying to come up with the perfect one-word clue to give her.
After a moment of intense thinking, Sir Topham Hatt finally said, "Mmmm... Puff."
The audience leaned in, the atmosphere tense as they waited to see how Clarabel would respond.
She paused in thought, her funnel tilted slightly as she tried to make sense of Sir Topham Hatt's clue. Her wheels squeaked softly as she shifted, clearly deep in concentration. The audience held their breath, the tension rising in the air.
Finally, Clarabel spoke, "Steam?"
"Yes!" Sir Topham Hatt exclaimed with a proud smile as the audience cheered and the sound of a bell ringing five times echoed through the stage.
"Wow! She got it on the first try!" Emily commented, clearly impressed.
"How did you do that?!" Ellen asked Clarabel, her voice full of admiration. "That was incredible!"
Clarabel beamed, feeling proud of her quick thinking. "Well, I've been around steam engines long enough to know what they need... I guess it just came to me!"
"Annie, you know what this means!" Sir Topham Hatt's hand hovered dramatically over the button.
"Oh, god, don't do it! Don't do it!" Ellen playfully shouted, her voice filled with mock concern.
"Aaaaah...!" Annie whimpered playfully, her wheels shifting nervously as the tension built.
The audience erupted in laughter at the playful scene unfolding, the air buzzing with anticipation.
"Annie, close your mouth!" Ellen joked, grinning as the tension built.
Sir Topham Hatt, with a mischievous smile, hit the button. In an instant, the first cannon on Annie's side erupted with a loud whoosh, spraying thick mud all over her.
The audience and engines gasped, followed by a chorus of laughter.
"Yikes..." Gordon remarked, eyes wide as the mud splattered across Annie.
"Oh, poor Annie..." Thomas added with a mix of amusement and pity.
Annie stood frozen in place, completely covered in the gooey mess. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked down at herself. "Well... this is... a lot more than I expected."
Emily chuckled. "Guess she really got into the spirit of things!"
Annie could only smile sheepishly, unable to shake the mud off as it stuck to her. "I should've seen that coming!" she said, laughing through the mess.
"Okay, so Annie loses one, Tony, get rid of these..." Ellen quipped, as Tony walked up to clear the cards before Ellen picked up a new set. Winning Word: Whistle, Danger Word: Horn.
She looked down at her cards, then glanced at Sir Topham Hatt with a playful grin.
"Alright, since you went first, Sir Topham Hatt, it's my turn now."
Ellen studied the card in her hand, thinking carefully, then confidently said, "Sound."
"Chime," Annie guessed.
A moment of silence followed. Nothing happened, signaling it wasn't the Winning Word. Now it was Sir Topham Hatt's turn. He adjusted his posture slightly and glanced at Clarabel before offering his clue with confidence.
"Toot."
Clarabel's eyes lit up as she thought carefully. "Whistle!" she exclaimed confidently.
The bell echoed again, accompanied by cheers and applause from the audience.
"Yes! That's it!" Sir Topham Hatt said triumphantly, giving Clarabel an approving nod.
"Unbelievable!" Ellen exclaimed, looking at Annie with mock frustration. "They're on a roll, Annie!"
"I noticed," Annie replied, glancing warily at the cannons on her side. "Oh no…"
"Well, rules are rules!" Ellen teased as she gestured toward the button. "Sir Topham Hatt, you know what to do."
With a dramatic pause, Sir Topham Hatt's hand hovered over the button. "It's nothing personal, Annie," he said playfully before pressing it.
Another cannon on Annie's side erupted, this time covering her with a thick cloud of coal dust.
The audience and engines erupted into laughter as Annie groaned, now completely dusted in black soot. "I'm never volunteering for this again," she muttered, coughing lightly as she blinked through the coal dust.
"Aw, come on, Annie, you're doing great!" Ellen said with a chuckle, holding up the next set of cards. "Alright, time for round three! Let's see if Annie can pull off a comeback."
Tony took the cards they used before Ellen picked up the next set. This time, the Winning Word was Cargo, and the Danger Word was Freight.
"Alright, Sir Topham Hatt, you go first," Ellen said, gesturing to him.
Sir Topham Hatt stared and pondered on what word he should use. This felt even more difficult than the last two rounds. After a thoughtful pause, he straightened up and confidently said, "Goods."
Clarabel paused, narrowing her eyes in thought. "Hmm... Shipment?" she guessed hesitantly.
Nothing happened—no bell, no siren, no cannon.
Ellen exhaled in relief, then grinned as she took her turn. "Alright, Annie, let's do this!" She studied the card carefully before speaking up. "Delivery."
Annie's face lit up as she pieced the clues together. "Cargo!" she exclaimed.
Suddenly, the bell rang again, and the audience erupted in applause.
"Yes! She got it!" Ellen cheered, clapping her hands as Annie beamed with joy.
"Finally!" Annie said, visibly relieved to avoid another blast from the cannons.
Sir Topham Hatt chuckled warmly. "Well done, Annie. A very clever guess!"
Ellen turned toward Sir Topham Hatt with a playful smirk. "But you know what that means, don't you?" Her hand hovered over the red button.
Sir Topham Hatt sighed dramatically. "Yes, yes. Let's get this over with!"
"Yes, please do…" Clarabel also sighed, knowing what was coming.
"Aaaaaand... boom!" Ellen pressed the button, and with a loud blast, one of the cannons on Clarabel's side erupted, showering her in sticky, colorful paint.
The engines and audience roared with laughter as Clarabel sputtered, trying to make sense of the rainbow mess. "Oh, the indignity!" she exclaimed, although there was a hint of humor in her voice.
Gordon couldn't resist chiming in with a laugh. "Hey, that's MY line!"
Ellen laughed so hard she nearly had to steady herself against the stand. "Well, Clarabel, at least you're the most colorful coach on Sodor now!"
"I'm most grateful…" Clarabel replied sarcastically with a hint of humor as she rolled her eyes.
She turned back to Annie. "Annie, you saved yourself just in time! But don't get too comfortable—there's still more to play!"
Next round featured the Winning Word: Signal, Danger Word: Light.
"Alright, Annie," Ellen said as she pondered her first clue. "Stop."
"Go," Annie immediately responded.
"Light," Sir Topham Hatt said, his voice steady and confident.
But as soon as he spoke, a siren blared, its tone rising and then abruptly stopping. Sir Topham Hatt's face fell as he realized what he had said. "Oh, oh! Ohhh..." he muttered, covering his face in embarrassment.
"Oh no!" James laughed from the sidelines, clearly amused.
"I'm sorry!" Sir Topham Hatt chuckled, still shaking his head.
"Sir, why?!" Clarabel exclaimed between her own laughter.
"Okay, so the winning word was "signal"." Ellen chuckled. "Sir Topham Hatt, you said the Danger Word so that counts. You know what that means!" Not fully realizing Clarabel's mouth was still open, quickly hit the button. A massive cloud of quarry dust shot out from the cannon on Clarabel's side, splattering her face.
Clarabel gasped, the dust covering her entire face as she gagged and sputtered.
"Oh, gosh! I'm so sorry!" Ellen quickly apologized, her voice filled with concern.
"Ellen! She still had her mouth open!" Sir Topham Hatt called out playfully, half-laughing. "You should've waited for Clarabel to close it!"
"I didn't notice!" Ellen giggled, trying to hold back her laughter. "I should've told you to close your mouth, I'm sorry!"
"Clarabel, I'm sorry. That one was my mistake," Sir Topham Hatt said, his tone filled with genuine regret as he looked at Clarabel, still covered in the quarry dust.
Clarabel coughed, trying to clear the dust from her throat. The stage was starting to get a bit foggy with the dust cloud lingering in the air.
"Can you see us?" Ellen asked, her voice filled with a mix of concern and amusement as she looked at Clarabel's dust-covered face.
Clarabel squinted and laughed weakly, her voice muffled by the dust. "I can... just about... see you," she said, giving a playful nod as the audience chuckled.
"Alright, we'll make sure to clean up the mess," Ellen said, trying to suppress her laughter as she picked up the last set of cards.. "This is the last one. If one of you gets this, it's happy hour!"
The Winning Word: Shed, and the Danger Word: Depot were displayed for the audience to see, but not for the coaches.
"Okay, kick it off," Ellen said to Sir Topham Hatt as she waved her hand, her face squinting slightly as the fog in the air thickened. "Whew! It's getting a little hard to see through all this dust!"
Sir Topham Hatt took a moment to breathe in, focusing despite the fog. Finally, he gave his clue with a puff. "Building."
Clarabel paused, trying to think, her face scrunching up as the fog made her decision a bit harder. She glanced at Sir Topham Hatt, then looked back toward Ellen.
"Uh... Yard?" Clarabel guessed cautiously, unsure.
Ellen looked to Sir Topham Hatt, who sighed deeply, shaking his head in amusement. She waved her hand to clear the fog, glancing at the card in her hand. "Storage," she said, giving a small smile.
Annie, who was still trying to think of the right word, paused before making her guess. "Warehouse?"
Sir Topham Hatt pondered for a moment before offering the same clue to Clarabel. "Building."
"Mmm... Shed?" Clarabel guessed hesitantly.
Sir Topham Hatt exclaimed, "Yes!" with a proud smile as the bell sounded again.
The audience cheered loudly along with the engines' toots, and Sir Topham Hatt's hand immediately hovered over the button.
"Yes! I won! I won!" Clarabel cheered.
"Well, Annie, you know what this means!" Sir Topham Hatt said with a teasing grin.
"Oh no, not again!" Annie whimpered.
With a swift press of the button, the final cannon burst, spraying engine oil all over Annie. Dark streaks trickled down her bright orange paint, causing the audience to burst into laughter.
"Ugh! It's everywhere!" Annie groaned dramatically, squinting through the oily mess.
"Don't worry, Annie," Ellen said, barely able to contain her laughter. "We'll have you both cleaned up after this. But for now, congratulations to Sir Topham Hatt and Clarabel for winning!"
The audience applauded, and Sir Topham Hatt tipped his hat with a smile, while Clarabel beamed proudly despite still being speckled with paint and quarry dust from earlier.
"Just for playing, you two coaches are getting a 40-inch TCL TV!" Ellen announced with excitement as one of the staff members rolled out a large box, and the audience erupted into cheers while the engines whistled with joy!
"Oh, wow!" Annie exclaimed in awe.
"Thank you ever so!" Clarabel added, her voice full of gratitude.
As the applause settled, Ellen continued, "Now, I know what you're all thinking—'How in the world are they going to use a TV without any hands or arms?' Well, don't worry! We've got something special in store for you. A brilliant mind from MIT has come all the way to Sodor to give a helping hand... or maybe more than one."
The crowd buzzed with curiosity as Ellen gestured toward the back. "So, whoever had the pride to provide help to Thomas and his loyal coaches, please come on out!"
The audience cheered as Dr. Hugh Herr, a pioneer in bionics and leader of the Biomechatronics Group, walked onto the stage from the left side. He waved to the crowd, smiling widely before sharing a warm hug with Ellen.
Afterwards, he turned to Sir Topham Hatt and shook his hand firmly, exchanging friendly greetings as the audience continued to cheer.
"Dr. Herr, welcome! So, you had the perfect inventions for when Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel want to watch something?" Ellen asked, her voice full of excitement.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Dr. Herr replied with a smile. "I've designed custom bionic arms specifically for Annie and Clarabel. These arms are equipped with advanced technology, so they can control the TV just like anyone else, without needing hands."
The audience gasped in awe as Dr. Herr gestured to the new pairs of robotic arms, which were sleek and modern, built to match the coaches' distinctive designs. Annie and Clarabel looked at their new arms in amazement.
Annie gave a small cheer. "Oh my goodness, look at these!"
Clarabel let out a delighted whistle. "I can't believe it! These look incredible!"
"These arms will allow you to operate the remote, change channels, and even adjust the volume," Dr. Herr explained. "It's all fully functional, making sure you'll never miss a moment of your favorite shows with Thomas."
The audience erupted into applause, and Sir Topham Hatt couldn't help but smile. "Well, this certainly makes watching TV a lot easier!"
"So, how do these work?" Annie asked, her curiosity piqued as the each of the arms attached to the two coaches' buffers.
"Just like any natural arm," Dr. Herr explained with a grin. "You think of what you want it to do, and the system picks up on your thoughts. It's all about your intentions."
Dr. Herr then held out a pen toward Annie. "Here, let's test it out."
Annie focused for a moment, and to her amazement, one of the robotic arms moved effortlessly to grab the pen. It was smooth, controlled, and felt just like her old, natural motions.
"Whoa! That's amazing!" Annie exclaimed, admiring the fluidity of the movement. "I just thought about picking it up, and it did it!"
Clarabel, not to be outdone, followed suit. "Can I try?" she asked, eager to give it a go.
Dr. Herr handed her the pen, and Clarabel concentrated. The left arm moved in tandem with her thoughts, picking up the pen just as smoothly.
"Look at that!" she said in delight. "This is incredible!"
The audience applauded as Ellen turned to Dr. Herr with a smile. "And I also heard that you have a couple more gifts for them?"
"Indeed," the engineer replied, giving a quick whistle.
As if on cue, two of his colleagues appeared from behind the stage, each carrying a box. The audience cheered as they approached. One box contained a sleek, easy hook-up antenna, while the other held a Samsung Blu-ray player.
"Ooh!" Annie exclaimed, her eyes widening with excitement.
"Awesome!" Percy remarked, his voice full of enthusiasm as he looked at the thoughtful gifts.
Dr. Herr smiled, pleased with their reaction. "These should make your TV and movie time even better, now that you have the perfect setup."
"This is so generous, thank you!" Clarabel said, her voice filled with gratitude.
"Dr. Herr, thank you so much to you and your colleagues at MIT," Sir Topham Hatt added, clearly impressed by the innovative assistance they had received.
Ellen smiled warmly, then turned toward Sir Topham Hatt. "And that isn't all," she said with a gleam in her eye. "We have another amazing surprise. It's an honor to announce that BNSF—one of the leaders in transportation—has decided to contribute to the incredible work being done on the Island of Sodor." She paused for a moment, allowing the anticipation to build.
"The team at BNSF has generously provided funding to support the ongoing efforts to improve transportation for engines and coaches alike. In recognition of the hard work, dedication, and teamwork that keep this island running smoothly, BNSF has pledged a donation of $500,000!"
The audience cheered in amazement as the staff began to bring out the giant check, ensuring that the moment was marked with as much grandeur as it deserved. The engines whistled in excitement, and even Annie and Clarabel could hardly contain their joy.
"Fizzling fireboxes!" Emily exclaimed in disbelief. "That's an incredibly large amount!"
Sir Topham Hatt held onto the check with both hands, beaming with gratitude. "Thank you so much! Ellen, it's been an honor having you come to Sodor and host here."
"The feeling is mutual, Sir Topham Hatt," Ellen said, her voice filled with warmth. "And a big thank you to all of Sodor!" she added as the audience cheered, and the engines gave a round of excited toots and whistles.
"I want to thank my incredible guests—Allicia Botti, Bruno Mars, and of course, Sir Topham Hatt! A special thank you to Dr. Herr and his amazing team at MIT, as well as Annie and Clarabel for being such wonderful sports!" she continued, smiling at the two coaches, still covered in mess. "And let's not forget all of the engines who helped make this show on the island possible!"
The audience cheered louder, and even the engines puffed with pride.
"I absolutely loved it here!" Ellen said, her voice filled with joy. "I hope to see everyone back in Los Angeles! To the engines and everyone working here on Sodor, stay useful and kind! And to everyone watching, be kind to one another! See you tommorow, bye!"
With that heartfelt speech, the show's instrumental upbeat theme echoed through the atmosphere. The MIT team, Sir Topham Hatt, Ellen, and Annie and Clarabel chatted happily, sharing laughs about the messy, fun moments of the show.
As the laughter and cheers filled the air, the atmosphere was one of pure joy. Annie and Clarabel, despite the mess they'd endured, were beaming with happiness, their new robotic arms already making tasks a little easier. Ellen stood among them, her heart full, as the bond between Sodor and the wider world had grown stronger than ever. The smiles, the laughter, the playfulness—it was all a perfect reminder that, no matter how different their worlds might seem, kindness, innovation, and camaraderie always had a way of bringing everyone together. It was a moment of magic on the island, one that would be cherished by all who witnessed it.