Stratosphere (episode)

"Stratosphere" is the twenty-ninth episode of Storm Hawks.
==Description==
The space race is on, and Cyclonia has a head start. After discovering Ravess is commanding a battle platform high in the Stratosphere, the Storm Hawks must go higher, faster and farther than ever before to stop her.
==Plot==
The Storm Hawks were caught by surprise in a rain of blasts from an unknown source. Piper manages to track down the source to 20 leagues above their location; a Cyclonian battle platform commanded by Ravess, in the stratosphere where no ships have ever reached. The Storm Hawks immediately takes cover under a cliff overhang and set out a plan to modify the Condor and bring the platform down (with Stork developing a spacesuit, and Finn leading the team in high-G simulation). Unfortunately for Ravess, she was reprimanded by Master Cyclonis for blowing up their cover while the station was yet to be completed.
With the necessary preparations completed, the Storm Hawks launches the Condor out to the stratosphere with success, and approaches the Cyclonian battle station (but not before they enjoy the sights of the barrier cliffs). As they made their way to the bridge, Ravess releases an Exopod. She explains that the battle station was simply a temporary launching pad for the Exopod, which can be deployed further up into the exosphere and has the ability to destroy any terra at her command. After which, she destroys the bridge controls, before making her escape. In response, the Storm Hawks quickly modified Aerrow's skimmer to make it suitable for launch into the exosphere.
Piper draws up a plan for the skimmer to launch right towards the Exopod and destroy the weapon, while the Condor standbys in the lower layers of the atmosphere to catch the skimmer as it returns from the exosphere. She also requests Aerrow to take pictures of the Far Side of Atmos. Soon after, Aerrow and Radarr are launched into the exosphere. However, they barely missed the Exopod, and Piper discovered that she made a miscalculation with the trajectory. Aerrow then comes up with a backup plan to slingshot Radarr off alone to deal with the Exopod while he orbits the planet to reach Radarr once again, while reiterating his confidence in Piper's calculations. As Piper explains her instructions, Aerrow was distracted and awed by the sights of the Far Side of Atmos, before flying into the territory, losing communications with the Condor.
Radarr approaches the Exopod and ponders over how it can be destroyed. Meanwhile, Ravess finds the Condor and activates the Exopod, firing a deadly laser near them, damaging the Condor's crystal array. As Ravess fires the Exopod for a second time, Radarr gives the Exopod a slight push, knocking it off its projection, before firing the laser right into Ravess' carrier. Radarr knocks the Exopod out of orbit, sending it into crash course, while Ravess groans over her failure, before receiving another call from Master Cyclonis.
Back in the Condor, the Storm Hawks attempted to re-establish contact with Aerrow. After a few tries, Aerrow responds, much to their relief. He picks up Radarr at the exosphere, and makes the re-entry into the lower atmosphere, with the Condor catching the incoming skimmer with a net. Aerrow and Radarr reunite with the rest of the team, bringing back obscured pictures of the Far Side (owing to Aerrow's poor photo-taking skills). That night, Aerrow and Piper have a short moment, with the former explaining his experience in the Far Side as indescribable.
==Appearances==
===Characters===
*Aerrow
*Ravess
*Piper
*Finn
*Junko
*Stork
*Radarr
*Master Cyclonis
===Crystals===
*Firebolt Crystal
===Squadrons===
*Storm Hawks
*Talons
==Gallery==
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Stratosphere-plan.jpg|Storm Hawks planning the mission
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stratosphere-aerrowandjunkosad.JPG|Junko and Aerrow after Finn's mistake for keeping them in the spinning pod for too long.
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Stratosphere-finnheadshot.jpg|Finn prepared to launch into the Stratosphere
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Stratosphere-aerrowomg.jpg|Aerrow's launch into the Exosphere isn't as smooth as he thought it would be.
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stratosphere-supportpiper.JPG|The Storm Hawks know they can count on Piper to bring Aerrow back from the Exosphere.
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Stratosphere Suit Models.jpg|Model of the Storm Hawks in protective gear
==References==
Category:Episodes
Stratosphere