The Twin Tapes

**Overview**
Gallery
Transcript

## **Guide**

"**The Twin Tapes**" is the 1st episode of Season 4 of *Infinity Train* and the 31st episode overall. It aired on April 15, 2021.

## Synopsis

Min and Ryan’s lifelong friendship and creative partnership disintegrates.

## Plot

Ryan Akagi and Min-Gi Park are friends since birth. As children they both held a strong interest in music, but while Ryan has been more welcoming to the idea of becoming a rock star, Min-Gi has grown to be more hesitant to the idea. Nevertheless, they make plans so that once they graduate high school, they will tour all of Canada until eventually they get to play in New York City. As their group, Chicken Choice Judy, is about to perform for a high school competition, Ryan informs Min-Gi that he secured his dad's Dodge Street Van so that they can tour. Min-Gi backs out at the last minute and Ryan begins touring to small crowds and gatherings while Min-Gi stays home and begins working at a diner. Both their lives become unfulfilling until Ryan returns to see Min-Gi and demands that he come as he secured a spot in New York City. He steals his keys and they get on a train before getting sucked onto the Infinity Train. Their lives are viewed by a younger Amelia and One-One with the latter explaining the rules of the train to the former. Ryan and Min-Gi are sent away.

## Features

### Characters

* Park Family
	+ Min-Gi Park (debut)
	+ Min's Father (flashback)
	+ Min's Mother (flashback)
* Akagi Family
	+ Ryan Akagi (debut)
	+ Ryan's Father (flashback)
	+ Ryan's Mother, Yui (flashback)
	+ Ryan's Siblings (flashback)
		- Ryan's Sister
		- Ryan's Brother #1
		- Ryan's Brother #2
		- Ryan's Other Sister
* Puppy Academy Band (flashback)
* Horace (flashback)
* Ryan's Ex-Girlfriends (flashback)
	+ Disco Girlfriend
	+ Punk Girlfriend
	+ Earthy Girlfriend
* Amelia Hughes
* One
* Steward
* Porters

### Locations

* Canada (debut)
	+ Dumpty’s Diner (debut)
	+ Min-Gi's Residence (debut)
	+ Powell Lake Secondary School (debut)
	+ Horace's Residence (debut)
	+ Mill Station (debut)
* United States
	+ New York City (debut; mentioned)
* Wasteland
* Infinity Train
	+ Passenger Preparation Car

## Trivia

* The split-screen sequence of Ryan and Min-Gi's lives was an idea by Justin Michael. Owen Dennis claims the concept "terrified" him, and that they had to have a meeting with Sunmin Image Pictures (the animation studio) to determine if it was possible. The sequence in question was storyboarded by Angela Kim.
* When his son was young, Min-Gi's Father is seen reading a Korean book, titled "자녀를 지지하는 부모가 되는 방법" (pronunciation: *ja'nyeo luel jijiha'neun bu'moga doe'neun bangbeop*), which means "The Method of Being A Supportive Parent for Your Children."
* Min-Gi's proposal band name "Nevsky and the Prospekts" is a reference to Nikolai Gogol's short story *Nevsky Prospekt*, which episode writer Justin Michael read when he was in high school.
	+ Michael also mentioned that the themes of *Nevsky Prospekt* fit Min and Ryan's character, a "nice nod to Ryan as the romantic and Min as the realist".
* Ryan and Min-Gi's band name "Chicken Choice Judy" was inspired by a naming game created by Lindsay Katai's college friend and the name for Katai's college Improvisation team.
* All of Ryan's performance outfits shown in the split-screen segment were designed by Megan Phonesavanh. The outfits were inspired by old magazine and album covers of New Wave musicians.
	+ Artists and bands that were inspirations include Duran Duran, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and Rush.
* "The Twin Tapes" is the first premiere episode to not have the word "Car" in its name.

### Continuity

* This episode is set in the 1980s, around the time Amelia boarded the train and shortly before her takeover.
* This episode confirms that prior to Amelia's takeover, One-One was a singular personality known as "One". This had previously only been extra-textual information provided in the Book 1 DVD commentary for "The Chrome Car", although it was hinted at with the existence of Mirror One in said episode and Amelia referring to him as "One" throughout the series.
* The gas station where Ryan's ex-girlfriends breakup with him, "Gas and Dogs", was mentioned in "The Map Car." The Gas and Dogs receipt Jesse kept in his pocket ended up helping the trio solve the Map Car's problem.
* Amelia and One's scene in this episode is connected to the unreleased Book Five, which would have run concurrently to this season.

### Error

* The Dumpty's map of Canada features Nunavut, which would not be its own independent territory until it was officially separated from the Northwest Territories in 1999.

## Videos

Infinity Train Book 4 - Opening Scene - HBO MaxBook 4 Exclusive Clip - Infinity Train - HBOMax

## Gallery

*Click here to view this page's gallery.*

## References

1. ↑ Owen Dennis on the split-screen sequence.
2. ↑ Justin Michael's Nevsky Prospect reference.
3. ↑ The origin of Chicken Choice Judy.
4. ↑ Inspirations for Ryan's early 80s performance outfits.
5. ↑ An unfortunate missed opportunity for a 80s Canada reference. Owen Dennis wants Twitter to un-suspend "Canadian Expert" Ryan Pequin for the sake of shame.

Infinity Train (pilot)

**Book One**
The Grid Car • The Beach Car • The Corgi Car • The Crystal Car • The Cat's Car • The Unfinished Car • The Chrome Car • The Ball Pit Car • The Past Car • The Engine

**Minisodes**
The Green Car • The Tiny Wizard Car • The Kaiju Car • The Tech Support Car • The Snow Car • The Hill Car • The Movie Theater Car • The Cross-Eyed Ducks Car • The Minecart Car • The Wedding Cake Car

**Book Two**
The Black Market Car • The Family Tree Car • The Map Car • The Toad Car • The Parasite Car • The Lucky Cat Car • The Mall Car • The Wasteland • The Tape Car • The Number Car

**Book Three**
The Musical Car • The Jungle Car • The Debutante Ball Car • Le Chat Chalet Car • The Color Clock Car • The Campfire Car • The Canyon of the Golden Winged Snakes Car • The Hey Ho Whoa Car • The Origami Car • The New Apex

**Book Four**
**The Twin Tapes** • The Iceberg Car • The Old West Car • The Pig Baby Car • The Astro Queue Car • The Party Car • The Art Gallery Car • The Mega Maze Car • The Castle Car • The Train to Nowhere