Battle for Dream Island: The Power of Two

This page is mostly about the unofficial spinoff of *Battle for Dream Island: The Power of Two*. For information about the actual series created by Jacknjellify, please click **here**.

## Battle for Dream Island: The Power of Two

* The fake series
* The real series

### Status

Semi-endoseries (exoseries for episode 1)

### Genre

Action (perhaps)
Adventure (TPOT 12, maybe some others)
Clip show (TPOT 24)
Comedy (hardly)
Cooking show (TPOT 3)
Domestic comedy (TPOT 47)
Drama (every other episode)
Fantasy (you really think objects can talk?)
Horror (TPOT 25a)
Inaccurate police procedural (TPOT 25b)
Musical (TPOT 24, debatable)
Reaction show (TPOT 40a)
Real-life object show (TPOT 26)
Reality show (all except TPOT 47)
Romance
Romantic drama (TPOT 30b, 36)
Rejection of romance (TPOT 4)
Sitcom (TPOT 7, after episode 37, *especially* after episode 43)
Sports drama (TPOT 23)
Stop-motion (TPOT 26)
Traditional game show (TPOT 18, 42)
Warped courtroom drama (TPOT 14)

### Country of origin

United States (2021–2022, 2022–2023)
United Kingdom (2022)

### Original channel

YouTube (*The Power of Two*)Pencil 2.O Wikia (*Fake TPOT*)

### Running time

10 January 1973 – 10 January 1990

***Battle for Dream Island: The Power of Two*** (**BFDI:TPOT**) is the fifth season of the web series *Battle for Dream Island*. There are in fact two iterations of this series, which are, in order of fame:

* ***The Power of Two*** (**TPOT**) is the official, canon iteration. It was originally run by Satomi Hinatsu and Kenzie Bryant (also known as Pokey), whose careers in Jacknjellify began in *BFB*, the previous season. As of 2023, the series is running at a comfortable pace, and new episodes are being released regularly.
* ***Fake TPOT*** is the unofficial continuation of the series, currently being worked on at the same time as the canon version. It is also the main focus of this page, as The Other Wiki already has a comprehensive article on the canon series. It is run by Yterbium, whose only involvement with Jacknjellify is being one of their many supporters.

Of the two different versions of the series, *The Power of Two* is the legitimate one, and it will continue to be so in the object show community. Until the release of TPOT 2 in June 2022, the *Fake* episodes were considered headcanon by their creator.

## Overview and development

The making of *The Power of Two* is probably one of the most contentious moments in the history of BFDI. With controversy seemingly erupting every week in the OSC, that is saying something.

Nevertheless, all the drama surrounding the split did not last long. Almost every complaint under the BFB 16 video dates from the end of March or a few months later. It became clear that there was still another show going on, namely *The All-New BFB*. But eventually, *TPOT* came out just about on time, on 10 January 2021.

On 28 December 1972 and 10 February 1973, I had made a few speculative posts about the future of *TPOT*, using the knowledge that I gained from reading some of the comments on The Other Wiki. In the last post, I predicted that the second episode of *TPOT*—the actual one—would be released on 21 May.

Interestingly, I had seen a number of well-written *TPOT*-based spin-offs in the form of fanfics ranging from the light-hearted to the emotionally heavy (lookin' at you, OrlandoButler). With wild predictions running through my head, I had to get in on the fun. And what better way than to write my own *TPOT* season?

Well, it wasn't a season at first. "Fake TPOT 2" was more like a pilot episode that I expected would fail. But the only reason for that was that I was working on another project—the RLBFB yearbook, if you can't recall—which meant I had very little time to write. That was finished around 2 July, and after that I was free to do whatever I wanted. The thing is, I didn't really want to leave this wiki for a second time, so I decided to devote my days to continuing this series, for which only one episode had been written.

TPOT 3 came out on 28 June, quickly followed by 4, 5, 6 and so on. And the rest is history.

## Episode structure

With minor variations throughout the series, this is the usual structure of a *Fake TPOT* episode.

### Cold opens, pre-credits scenes, pre-Cake at Stake scenes

Cold opens might seem like a free-for-all, as they can take place at any time and any place. They can be outside (*e.g.*, TPOT 1), in a hotel room (TPOT 6), inside the EXIT (TPOT 7), in a makeshift city (TPOT 9) or at night, several months before the rest of the episode (TPOT 13). However, there are two caveats: The first is that any point that is made at the beginning of an episode must be relevant to the rest of it. The second is that the intro must be triggered by Two saying the word "two" or something phonetically similar.

Note that this was the original plan for the structure of the series before it was gradually reformed in the late 1970s. In 1977, anyone can now do the intro by saying "two" at a strategic point... In 1981, the intro starts with the person who says the word "two" first. After 1984, no one has to say "two" to get the intro to play, and that is how it stays until the series ends.

### Cake at Stake

The Cake at Stake ceremony (which, like in *Inanimate Insanity 2*, is meant to be watched by all the contestants) is always preceded by a Cake at Stake theme, which frequently reflects the most popular music style of the time.

* Act I (1973–1974): No consistent Cake at Stake theme
* Act II (1975–1976): R&B singer-songwriter
* Act III (1977–1978): Disco
* Act IV (1979–1981): Post-disco
* Act V (1981–1983): New wave
* Acts VI and VII (1984–1987): Synth-pop
* Act VIII (1988–1990): Nothing new (the Cake at Stake theme from late BFDI plays instead)

At the ceremony itself, two things can happen: someone enters the show (either from a rejoin or a début) or someone is eliminated. With the exception of a few very early episodes, the number of votes are not announced; they are simply replaced with a placeholder action with the word *number*. In addition, contestants declared safe (*i.e.*, not eliminated) are often given "cakes", which are usually items that can help them in the episode's particular contest. Only in a few episodes are they literally cakes, and in even fewer episodes are they actually used during the contest.

Right after a contestant is eliminated, they can fall down a platform into the hotel (as in TPOT 1), their teammates can bid farewell to them before they are sent inside (TPOT 4–7), they can be flung onto the top of the building (TPOT 8), they can be sent into the crowd of spectators (TPOT 9) or they can be moved by Two to the Filing Cabinet, either by having them float there (TPOT 10–19) or by sending them through the roof via a portal (TPOT 20–28) or zaptation (TPOT 29–38).

In later episodes taking place away from Two's hotel (since TPOT 39), the eliminated contestant is usually asked to return to their flat to spend the rest of the season.

### Post-Cake at Stake scenes, pre-contest scenes

Filler. Sometimes scenes of this type can be as long as necessary or just a few words long, depending on how much the plot needs to be advanced.

### Contests (and contest preps)

Contest scenes are depicted in the same way as BFB. As in the prior season, attention should be paid to all teams, or at least what each team does for the contest should be known to the audience. Full detail is not necessary, especially in episodes where brevity is a priority.

### Post-contest scenes

Filler. Sometimes scenes of this type can be as long as necessary or just a few words long, depending on how much the plot needs to be advanced.

### Credits scenes (including the voting screen)

The voting screen is the special part of the episode that is necessary for viewers to see. It always goes like this: Two stands in front of a blank white screen with the contestants' pictures, their names and the letter one has to type in to vote for them. Two gives the standard instructions (*Vote in the comments using the letter and square brackets for who you don't want to be eliminated! Vote for who you want to stay! The person with the fewest votes will leave the show!*), which should remain unchanged since episode 1 and are only modified a little if it involves a double elimination, a début or a rejoining.

During this scene, the credits play at the bottom of the screen (unless it is the end of an act). Until 1980 and after 1984, the music that plays during this is that unknown happy electronic song from the end of TPOT 1. From 1981 to 1983, the song played during during the credits is an "80s TV show theme song" version of the intro, which would be slightly adjusted as the intro to *Fake TPOT* from 1984 onwards.

### Post-credits scenes, EXIT scenes

Sometimes the post-credits scenes are much more light-hearted than the episodes themselves. They usually take place at night, as in BFDI. Depending on which of the two scenes is more dramatic or cliffhanger-like, the "TPOT area at night" scene may be the first thing seen by the viewers after the credits.

If that is the case, then the EXIT scene, which takes place more and more in the distant past as the series progresses, will be the last part of the episode. Unlike the rest of the episode, whose breaks between episodes often last months (and this is something hinted at in the series, as in TPOT 9), the EXIT scene in one episode can even take place directly after the EXIT scene in the previous episode. The EXITers were seen in a majority of the episodes, whether inside the EXIT (until TPOT 33) or on a journey away from Four (TPOT 33–35a). Since their arrival on the TPOT set in TPOT 35b, the EXITers now congregate among the eliminated and other extras.

At the end of an act, the full credits run here for all episodes in the act rather than in the designated credits scene.

## Episodes

*Further information: Fake TPOT: Episode summaries*
In my last speculation post, I found that the average number of episodes *TPOT* would end up with (given the net change in the number of contestants since season 1) was about **52**. In retrospect, I think this is a rather silly number; when I did the calculations again, I came up with **48**, which is one standard deviation less than the average.

So that remains the number of episodes I predict there will be of *TPOT*.

As 48 is a very large number for a series with a smaller cast than BFB, it was decided early on to divide the series into eight "acts" of six episodes each, in which certain character arcs could be developed. The gaps between the acts weren't so much used as hiatuses (since the still-large gaps between episodes allowed the writers more creative freedom), but the differences between the acts would be so striking in the long run that TPOT 1 and TPOT 48 could be seen as completely different shows.

Of the 48 episodes, most are single-elimination, but there are also double-elimination, rejoin, début and "nothing happened" episodes, all culminating with a four-part finale.

### *The Power of Two*

Only episodes considered canon in the universe of *Fake TPOT* are shown here. It should be noted that a year after the series started, several episodes of *Real TPOT* were released one after the other.

## Characters

*Main article: List of Fake TPOT characters*
## Reception

*The Power of Two* was apparently trending on Twitter on the day of its release. For many members of the object show community, the wait between March 2020 and January 2021 took up such a large part of their lives that they'd naturally be eager for the fifth series of the most popular object show in existence.

Even after its release on 10 January, TPOT has lost none of its popularity. The YouTube videos continue to rack up their millions of views, even months and years after voting has ended.

The popularity of *Fake TPOT* could not be any more different. Even with the entire series almost finished, it is impossible to say how successful it is or is not. That doesn't mean it is unpopular, as there is at least one person on the planet who is aware of its existence.

*Further information regarding* TPOT *in other countries: Fake TPOT: International*
## Other media

### Cultural references

*Main page: List of cultural references in Fake TPOT*
*Fake TPOT* has had a number of pop culture references over the years. There are many such references that may go over the heads of viewers who aren't the target age (compared with the rest of the OSC, the author is nought more than a pensioner). To be fair to everyone, I have included several pages detailing all cultural references not related to BFDI.

### Other other media

Starting in 1972, if we are to go by the in-universe calendar, plushies of two characters from the series have been created: Pen (a contestant) and Firey Jr. (an EXITer), followed by Rocky, Coiny and Marker. When the show really took off in early 1982, a whole line of TPOT action figures was released, which were shamelessly plugged in the latest episode, "Who Says Younger = Better?".

## Certification

In the United States and Canada, *TPOT* is rated **TV-PG** or **TV-14**, depending on who is doing the rating. While the level of violence and profanity is consistent with the rest of BFDI (*i.e.*, murder without swearing), there is a bit of an adult edge to this season (especially *Fake TPOT*, and especially in the later episodes). Non-asexuality is implied in many characters and such actions are sometimes implied by subtle or not-so-subtle innuendo. In the object show community, this is tantamount to *TPOT* being rated MA or X or whatever they call it these days, but it's fine as long as the reader is mature enough to understand the context.

In the United Kingdom and Brazil, *TPOT* is rated **12**, while in Denmark, it gets a **yellow logo**. This makes sense, as the people in these countries are not as prudish as the Americanswho make up the bulk of the OSC.

Based on what is described on the Let's Write Sherlock! blog, I would personally give *The Power of Two* a **General Audiences** rating and *Fake TPOT* **Teen and Up**. On Fanfiction.net, they would be rated **K+** and **T**, respectively.

## Notes

1. ↑ A guide to abbreviations: ***Battle for Dream Island: The Power of Two*** and ***TPOT*** will be used when referring to the series (in general). ***The Power of Two*** is the canon series, while ***Fake TPOT*** is, quite obviously, fake. When spoken by the characters, the show is known as either *The Power of Two* or *TPOT*, but when written out the title will always show the series' canonicity.
2. ↑ I didn't know it was just called *The Power of Two*, no extra punctuation needed. That's why on episode review posts like this there are two exclamation marks after the title.
3. ↑ A joking title for this show is *won'T let Pen win the whOle Thing*.
4. ↑ I had a blog post here on the subject of Cary's then-latest video, in which he talked about how annoying it is when people complain about how long it takes for an episode to come out. (I deleted it because it was obviously written on a whim, and I cringed the hell out the second time my eyes hit those words.) In that post I sympathized with him and also advised the impatient people to write their own fake episodes if they were not satisfied with the long wait.
5. ↑ In hind-hindsight, that's not such a strange number after all. At the time, episode *segments* were counted separately (BFB-style: 13 and 14), whereas now I would enter them as parts of the same episode (BFDIA-style: episode 5).
6. ↑ I'm happy with this number because of its significance. While BFDI and BFB ended with an episode number that is a multiple of five, TPOT (which I know will try and be different in every way even without the fake series) will end in **4** (2×2) and **8** (2×2×2).
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Number of syllables uttered in this episode.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Number of contestants remaining at the end of the episode.
9. ↑ This episode was released on the same day I thought the real episode 2 would be released.
10. ↑ Not to say that allosexual people are inherently dirtier than aces are (that would be stereotyping and an oversimplification), but I've always assumed that the BFDI characters are all asexual... It's the *romance* part of the relationships that would be homo-, a-, bi-, pan-, hetero- *etc.*, and that's good enough for a show that mostly kids watch.

****Fake TPOT**** [V]