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"Sonic Guy?" "Investigation at Torontowood Studios" is a title is based upon conjecture. |
| Spoiler warning! This article contains plot/ending details. |
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"This is a guest comic, so it's non-canon."
Elements of this article may be declared to be non-canon and not a part of the series' official timeline. |
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The Investigation at Torontowood Studios was an investigation carried out by Ramona Flowers to find Scott Pilgrim and bring him home.
History[]
Background[]
Scott and Ramona's divorce badly affected them both: whilst Scott was sent into an extreme depression (ten times worse than when he broke up with Envy) and moved back in with Wallace Wells, Ramona was left heartbroken, as she still loved him. One day, Wallace would (jokingly) suggest that, to cope with his heartbreak, Scott should build a time machine, go back in time, and prevent himself from falling in love with Ramona. While this was being planned, Ramona would hear about this from Wallace, so she came up with a back-up plan.
Sometime in the future, Young Neil wrote a memoir, Scott and Ramona and Me: My Precious BIG Life as Scott Pilgrim's Best Pal. Ramona came up with an idea to adapt it into a movie. She edited it a lot, moving scenes around and combined some of the characters, and within due time, she had a screenplay. Ramona went back in time and planted it onto Young Neil's computer. Neil found the screenplay and would eventually pitch it to a studio. Said studio would sign onboard and attach Edgar Wrong as director, giving Neil screenwriting credit. Ramona's plan was that, after Old Scott convinces Scott to break up with Ramona, Scott would one day be at the local cineplex where he would see a preview for the movie, thus convincing him to be with Ramona.
Investigation[]
Investigation of Lucas Lee[]
Ramona skated over to the Torontowood movie studio, where she entered Studio Lot 25. Ramona soon found Young Neil, who invited her to sit down with him and watch them shoot a scene. Ramona quickly notices that the set the crew has built looks exactly like the Rockit. Young Neil explains that Edgar Wrong prefers sets as opposed to shooting on-location, as it is more "authentic". Neil isn't consulted in these decisions as he is only the screenwriter. Ramona soon doubts that Neil actually wrote a Lucas Lee movie. Off-set, a man orders the cast for the scene to be brought in: one of the actors is Envy Adams, who is dressed exactly like Ramona. Neil explains that she is playing the role of Ramona Flowers, and shooting of the scene of Sex Bob-omb's performance at the Rockit begins, but after speaking her dialogue, the actress playing Knives Chau is confused by the fact that both Knives and Ramona are dating Scott but don't know it. The stops shooting, to allow for Edgar to explain that Scott is a flawed character. Ramona learns that the movie is set in an alternate universe where Scott won his fight against Matthew Patel. She asks where she can find Lucas Lee. As soon as she says this, she asks who Lucas is playing in the movie.
Using a golfcart, Neil takes Ramona to Lucas' trailer. She knocks on the trailer's door, telling him she is here. He opens the door, and it is revealed that he has been cast as Scott Pilgrim himself. They both acknowledge that it has been a while and she tells him they need to talk about Scott Pilgrim. He tells he is Scott Pilgrim, but she tells him she is talking about the Scott Pilgrim his character is based on. He tells her he did not know the movie was a biopic, and she quickly learns that not only does he not know what the movie is even about, but he hasn't even read the script yet. He tells her he cannot talk right now as he is needed onset to shoot his first scene; he needs to give his fans what they want and crank up his charm to eleven. Immediately after, Ramona meets the actor playing Wallace. He attempts to ask her out, and when she asks if he is trying to hit on her, he says "maybe I am and maybe I am!". Disgusted, she leaves.
Ramona returns to the studio lot, where Wallace arrives. He has heard about her ongoing investigation and asks if she has made any progress. She has made minimal progress and when she asks, he tells her that the actor playing him is a notorious heterosexual, so he wants to see how does as Wallace Wells. The scene starts shooting. Lucas Lee, sweating, wakes up, telling "Wallace" that he has had another dream about Ramona: "Wallace" dismisses this and tells him that he cares about it even less than when he first told him about it. Edgar Wrong cuts, and demands another take. Straight Wallace asks for any notes and if his performance was gay enough: Wallace suggests he build a time machine so he can go back in time and never audition for the role in the first place. Edgar is angry, asking who dared to share their opinions onset. Wallace reveals himself and when Edgar asks who he is, he tells him he is the real Wallace Wells. hearing him say this, Edgar is impressed with his delivery and immediately recasts the role, giving it to the real Wallace Wells, whilst Straight Wallace is escorted offset. Edgar orders a break and sends Wallace to get some hair and makeup. Before leaving, Wallace asks Young Neil how he knew what they said in bed that morning, and cryptically replies "the creative process is a mystery", and Ramona congratulates for skipping all the major in the way of becoming an actor. He tells that if Lucas Lee could do it, he could do it too. He also mentions that Lucas is having an onset affair and asks who the lucky lady might be.
Ramona arrives at Lucas' trailer, demanding that she be allowed to enter. He lies, telling her he is reading the script, but she sees through it and is allowed to enter. As soon as she enters, it is revealed he actually is reading the script. He asks her if she knew there was a Lucas Lee character in the movie, whom Scott will later trick into grinding to death. He tells her he would never fall for that, asking which idiot wrote this script. Ramona explains that the movie is actually about Scott Pilgrim, who meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, and learns that he has to defeat her seven evil exes in order for them to keep dating. After he does so, they live "happily ever after". She tells that while Young Neil is not particularly known for being smart, he does have a vivid imagination. Lucas calls the ending unrealistic as the Ramona he knew would soon find another boy she loves. She tells him that was a long time ago and she is here to figure out who kidnapped Scott and faked his death and why they did it. He realizes she is here to question him, so he asks her if he would kidnap "some Canadian loser" and fake his death. She angrily reminds him that he willingly made the decision to join the League of Evil Exes and she needs to find out how evil he really is. But he juts tells that the League is not really evil: that part is just branding. She tells him she knows of his reputation as a "quintessential Hollywood bad boy". He retorts back, telling she is looking for a boy who cheated on a high-schooler with her. He would never do anything like as it would be a career-ending scandal. As soon as he says this, she tells him to look at the TV: he plays it and a news report comes up, telling that Lucas is dating the actress playing the seventeen year old high-schooler, Knives Chau. She admonishes him for this, so he tells her that the actress is 31 in real life.
Paparazzi ninjas, rushing to get photos of the scandal, suddenly mob the trailer. Some of them manage to break into the trailer, but Lucas manages to take them out. He tells Ramona to hide whilst he covers for her. She gives him his board and leaves. The head Paparazzi tells him he is surrounded. Lucas creates an explosion, allowing him to get out and fight them off. Lucas begins to skate through the studio, whilst the paparazzi give chase. They soon begin to attack, as Lucas begins to quickly shatter them into coins. Lucas skates into one of the studio lots, with the paparazzi following him in. As he makes his way around the props, he takes out more paparazzi, until they shoot up towards him, blasting out of the lot's roof and into the sky. Lucas skates across the roofs of the studio lots, while the paparazzi continue their pursuit. Eventually, they piled up, allowing Lucas to whack them into more cash, just as back-up paparazzi arrive. Lucas spins towards them like a missile, hitting the ground and gaining more cash as they are defeated. The remaining paparazzi line up and fly towards him like a battering ram, but Lucas counters this move by hitting them with his skateboard. The impact sends Lucas crashing into a nearby studio lot and destroys the remaining paparazzi, earning Lucas a total amount of $999.99 in cash.
Ramona offers Lucas her help, but he rejects, asking why she would help him. She tells him that she always has: when they were dating once, Lucas hurt his elbow attempting a grind and it was Ramona who applied a plaster to the wound. One day, Lucas was at his locker, until he saw Ramona pass him by, with Todd Ingram at her side, and in an emotional fit, he destroyed his board. He tells her she broke his heart and when that happened he made the decision to act. but he wouldn't be an actor: he would be the best skater, highest paid actor and the biggest star. he reflects on how that day made him who he was today and decides that since it was Ramona who caused this decision, she should get some thanks. Ramona accepts this but she tells him they are out of time. He decides to accept her help.
Lucas hides in her Subspace Suitcase, and after escaping the paparazzi, he tells her that his agent has dumped him as a client and as such, his acting career is over. She tells him it will blow over eventually, but he tells her back that the studio is already testing other actors for the role of Scott Pilgrim and he will go back to being a nobody. Ramona tells him that although he was always a nobody, she still made out with him. He accepts this and emerges from the suitcase. When he asks if she still thinks he was the one who kidnapped Scott, she tells him he is not the kidnapping type of guy or the type of guy who can create portals. He tells he didn't as he was attending the premiere of Teen Sorcerer 4 in Los Angeles, where he got blitzed and, as a result, he puked on Winifred Hailey (the photos can be found online). He tells Ramona that someone else took her "stupid boyfriend". She tells him that Scott isn't her boyfriend and whoever did take him kept that train from leaving the station. She bids Lucas farewell and crosses him off the list as he leaves. Just as she starts to leave, Todd Ingram arrives through a vegan portal, explaining that he has come to audition for the role of Scott Pilgrim.
Investigation of Todd Ingram[]
The Interviewer, who was interviewing as part of a documentary being made to chronicle the production of the movie, interviewed Todd Ingram and Envy Adams. She confesses that neither have acted before, but since they're famous, it's pretty much the same thing. Todd tells him they are rock stars, and thus, they can do whatever they please. Young Neil is interviewed next, telling the Interviewer how people keep asking him of the movie will live up to his vision and Edgar Wrong tells the Interviewer that he finds the script to be a tribute to the great city of Toronto, and he wants to honour it as best he can, even going so far to consider it as being a major character in the movie. Ramona Flowers is interviewed next. She has landed a job as a stunt double for Envy Adams. Since Envy is playing Ramona in the movie, the Interviewer is confused, saying she's the stunt double for Ramona Flowers and she has the same name as the character; Ramona thinks for a second then cutely nods her head and smiles. Ramona confesses that she has always been a physical person, but she never thought to do stunt work, and she is actually pretty good at it. Whilst Ramona is being hoisted into the air by a wire, as part of a stunt, Envy asks her to go to her hotel room and give her dog some medication. Whilst walking through the studio with her, the Interviewer asked if she thought it could be a potential path forward for her, but she says no, telling him she took the job after security learned she was not working on the movie set and she had to find a way to get close to Todd so she can find out if he faked Scott Pilgrim's death and kidnapped him.
Edgar Wrong decides that they should work on "blocking" while their diva gaffer does his thing. He asks Todd if he knows what "blocking" is. Ramona skates onset. Envy tells her they will not be doing any stunts today, so she can go. Ramona tries to protest, but Envy rudely tells her to leave. Young Neil discusses the scene with the Interviewer, saying the reason that the set is so darkly lit is to represent the darkness within Scott's soul, only to be told it is only dark because of the sunglasses he is wearing. Wallace is interviewed next, the Interviewer highlighting how far he has come from sideline heckling to co-lead in a major Canadian blockbuster. He is asked to speak on the issue and he simply tells him, that he would rather get paid to be himself instead of being himself for free.
The first take of Scene 43 begins shooting. Edgar asks Todd to gently put his hand on Envy's back, but as soon as he does, he pulls her into a kiss. Edgar orders them to cut. Take two starts filming. Edgar reminds to give her just a gentle touch. Instead, Todd spins Envy around, makes her fall into his arms and pulls her in for another kiss. As a devastated Edgar watches as they proceed to make out, Young Neil explains to the Interviewer how a movie set is like chemistry, in the fact that both have a lot of chemistry. He asks the interviewer what happens when you mix a bunch of volatile chemicals; he responds with "an explosion". Neil, shocked, asks why they are mixing chemicals on a set in the first place. Takes 18-43 shoot, but unfortunately, Todd and Envy make out in every single take, making Edgar furious. Envy confesses to the Interviewer how she and Todd have been together since they were eleven years old, each day more magical than the one before. Todd responds that vegans like himself are unusually loyal to their romantic partners and they never waver. Wallace goes to see the depressed Edgar, suggesting they change the scene in favor of the "dumb version". Edgar immediately likes this idea and agrees to it.
Take 44 commences. Much to Envy's fury, Todd and Wallace are told to look into each others eyes, very deeply. The scene's romantic tension reaches an explosive climax when they are told to "kiss like your lives depend on it!". They do, causing sparks to fly. Edgar immediately likes this take, ordering it to be cut and printed, whilst congratulating Todd and Wallace. Young Neil, however, has no memory of ever writing this part. Ramona walks up to Todd, but she is stopped in her tracks by Knives Chau (the real one) and Stephen Stills. They give her a CD, a song, that they have written for Envy Adams to sing in the movie. Throughout production, Todd and Wallace keep "running lines" in Todd's trailer. Envy tells the Interviewer how Todd is her best friend with benefits. She calls it a lifelong thing and that they have experimented with other people (her with Scott Pilgrim and him with Ramona Flowers) but in the end, they always come back to each other. Ramona is asked to speak on her relationship with Todd, telling the Interviewer how they met in junior year at high school, him telling her that the love of his life was waiting for him in Canada and how he likes to live in the moment (generally meaning sloppy behind-the-school make outs). When asked, she confirms that him punching a hole in the moon for her is true. Envy confirms that he did it for her too; whilst Envy calls it romantic, Ramona calls it horrible. She attempts to talk to Todd again, but he goes off into a vegan portal with Wallace.
The documentary reveals that this point, Day 2 of shooting, the movie was already seventeen million dollars over-budget and had only gotten three shots in. Ramona has a big fight scene coming, but she wants to try and get Wallace away from Todd so she can speak to Todd privately. Todd confesses to the Interviewer on what working with Wallace has been like. He has learned so much about acting and about living life from him. Todd immediately has a sexual identity crisis: when Envy asks if he is okay, he breaks up with her on the spot and confesses his true feelings for Wallace Wells, even going so far as to get a tattoo of him. He tells her that he is feeling change coming on, but the livid Envy leaves the interview in fury. Todd, telling himself he thought Envy would be happy for him, only for the Interviewer to remind him about what he said about vegans never wavering from their romantic partners. He corrects the Interviewer, telling him he said "vegans never wafer". They don't eat wafers because they are not vegan. Wallace tries to disprove the rumors about his onset affair with Todd Ingram, but Envy comes into the interview with Todd. Envy asks Todd to tell Wallace what he had just told her, but he is unable to, and from his expressions. Wallace correctly guesses that Todd Ingram is in love with him, which Todd confirms. Wallace tells Todd it was strictly to be an onset affair: and once the movie is done, so is their relationship. This revelation flat-out destroys Todd's heart. Todd tells him about the sparks, and when Wallace asks "what sparks?", Todd, in an emotional breakdown, ascends into a vegan portal and disappears.
Envy, in anger, kicks Wallace out of his interviewing chair, accusing him of breaking her boyfriend. She attacks him, but he shakes her off. Wallace orders her stop and have some dignity, for they are one a film set. He tells her that if she wants to fight him, she can fight with "them". On cue, Wallace's four stunt doubles (including Straight Wallace) appear. She is furious that he got four doubles, whilst she only got one. He tells he signed a contract and tells that if she wants more stunt doubles, she should get a better lawyer. Envy, in response to this unfair move, drags Ramona out of an interview and pits her against Wallace's doubles. Whilst they fight, Wallace criticizes his doubles' bad fighting skills, whilst Envy threatens to have Ramona fired if she loses the fight. After his stunt doubles leave, because they can't handle his criticisms and insults, Envy attempts to pit him against Ramona. Ramona immediately yells to stop. Envy reveals that this fight is for real life because broke Todd. Ramona demands to be taken to Todd's trailer.
Envy and Ramona find Todd inside his trailer, having broken vegan edge by eating French fries. He gives them a quick tour, showing them all the spots where he and Wallace made out. The trailer holds so many memories as it was where he fell in love for the first time. He tells Envy that while their relationship had been a fun one, through Wallace he has discovered a kind of fun in which the two people that are in the relationship actually care about one another. When Envy asks about them, reminding him that he has known Wallace for three days: he tells even if it was just two days, he'd still be chasing that high for the rest of his life. Envy declares to be too famous for this conversation and ends their relationship, She attempts to leave, but before she can, Ramona seizes the opportunity to talk with them about Scott Pilgrim. Ramona shows them the tape she acquired from the Rockit. She doesn't know if Todd acted alone or if Envy planned it all, but Envy tells this vegan portal was made by a vegan more powerful than Todd could make, pointing out the craftsmanship and concluding that Todd did not make the portal. Envy asks Ramona if she really did spend three whole days following along with her orders just to show Todd the video, before concluding that she will never find Scott Pilgrim and might as well give up on the investigation, telling her that sometimes you need to leave losers in the past. Ramona takes the tape out and quits her job just as Envy fires her.
Aftermath[]
Matthew Patel arrived shortly after by helicopter. As soon as he is told that everyone here works for him, he immediately fires them all. Knives and Stephen approach him, presenting him an exciting opportunity. He seems interested by this opportunity, and gives them his business card. Ramona meets up with him, learning that he found out about what the movie's story is, making the decision to pull the plug on it after seeing that he gets defeated, calling this to be a "character assassination" of him. After gloating about his victory, Ramona reveals he did not actually win the fight as someone else made him think he did. She is trying to find him and get him back. Matthew tells Ramona that he took his new-found confidence out on Gideon Graves and defeated him in combat. He tells her that because of this, he now owns everything owned by G-Man Media, including the League of Ramona's Evil Exes. He proclaims he will not repeat Gideon's mistakes to ensure he won't end up where he is now. He tells Ramona that Gideon is now shacking up with Julie Powers and that his real name is actually Gordon Goose. Todd and Envy are crossed off the list and Gideon (Goose) and Julie are added to it. Ramona skates off to find Julie, whilst Robot-01 watches.
Knives and Stephen's exciting opportunity was a play, Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Musical, which they pitched to Patel. Patel took a liking to the idea of playing Scott Pilgrim and immediately greenlights the project. Knives and Stephen wrote songs for the musical, which soon had it's big opening a few nights later. All of Scott's friends, Scott himself, Ramona Flowers and the League of Evil Exes attended, but in a bid to gain back his empire, Gideon and Julie attempted to bomb the stage. The bombs were defused beforehand, and Gideon and Julie were brought before Patel. Patel, stressed out with the hard work of being a CEO immediately gave back Gideon's fortune, whilst he kept the play.
When Scott was brought to the future, Old Wallace took to see Future Ramona. She revealed her whole plan to him, but admits she failed. Scott revealed that through Robot-01's memories, he was able to see Ramona's ongoing investigations. Future Ramona was impressed by Ramona's determination to find Scott and sent him back to the past.
