Easter Eggs in Peacock’s “Twisted Metal”: Season 2

Easter Eggs in Peacock’s Twisted Metal: Season 2

Introduction

The second season of Peacock’s streaming-exclusive Twisted Metal series is now available for all to enjoy. Like the first season, it also includes numerous Easter eggs that span the entire franchise. Also like the first season, finding them all is an absolute joy due to the care, dedication, detail and passion apparent in each one. So, read on to discover more about what is in store for the tournament contestants as they journey through the Divided States of America in this spectacular show’s second season.

Spoiler Warning: This post contains series as well as game spoilers arranged by episode, so beware if you have neither watched nor played.

Note (31/07/2025): Since this season’s episodes will release in weekly batches through 28 August 2025, with the first three out 31 July and the rest being distributed in batches until the 28th, this post will be updated accordingly. After the last batch has come out, this post will no longer be updated, save for essential changes.

Final Note (28/08/2025): All this season’s episodes have been released as of 28 August 2025. As such, this post will no longer be updated in terms of content but rather essential edits and minor revisions as necessary.

Episode 1: “PRSRPNT”

San Jose, CA Opening and Family Wagon — This season opens with a flashback to San Jose, California, in 1998. In it, a young Raven and Kelly, her best friend, appear as high school students driving a station wagon similar to the Joneses’ Family Wagon in Twisted Metal 4, which was later repurposed into part of Warthog.
Slappy and the Stinkers Film — Before cutting to the two friends, a movie theater marquee advertises the movie Slappy and the Stinkers, a comedy released that same year.
Young Raven and Kelly — During this flashback, the original Raven is shown with Kelly, her best friend — and potentially girlfriend in this iteration. After one of their female classmates exit her house’s garage with two male classmates, this duo decides to strike at them by feigning a magic-infused tarot card reading. This decision makes Raven and Kelly the bullies terrorizing popular kids, which is the opposite of how the bullies harass them, later causing Kelly to drown by throwing her in the water despite Raven saying she cannot swim.
Witchcraft and Kelly’s Fall — Raven succeeds in scaring her classmates, but at a great cost: Kelly’s severe fall. While Raven was revealing the students’ “fates” using the cards, Kelly had adorned the girl’s room with red anarchic, occult markings. In trying to leave out the bedroom window before being caught, however, she fell off the roof, landing in the pool and lying there, seemingly lifeless. When Raven sees Kelly in this state, this opening scene ends, though not before her card displaying a man with a skull depicted as “The Devil” immediately before the transition back to the present, which references Calypso and Mr. Grimm simultaneously.
John’s Arcade Training — John Doe’s first scene in this second season is that of his training for the upcoming Twisted Metal tournament. To do so, he plays repeatedly on an old arcade machine entitled Super Fast Racing. Just as was done during arcade cabinets’ heyday, he can play and continue his sessions only by inserting physical coins into the slot.
Twisted Metal 2 (1996) — Shortly after John’s first Season 2 shot, a copy of Twisted Metal 2, the sequel to the original 1995 game that released on the PS One a year later, lands next to him. This Easter egg is similar to the first season’s episode, wherein John finds on Evelin’s windshield as he crashed through an EB Games store in the Ridgepoint Centre shopping mall an ephemeral copy of the 1995 classic
Other 1990s PS One Games — Aside from Twisted Metal 2, both 1997’s Gran Turismo and 1999’s Driver: You Are the Wheelman appear in John’s stack of training games.
Gorillaz’ “Clint Eastwood” and ’90s/’00s Music — During John’s training montage, Gorillaz’ 2001 “Clint Eastwood” plays, emphasizing both the continuation of 1990s and 2000s songs comprising the majority of the series’ soundtrack from last season and the period during which this franchise evolved and increased in popularity.
John’s Pizza Man Routine — As part of John’s training montage, he is shown, among other happenings, delivering pizzas to various customers, introducing himself each time as, “John Dough: Pizza Man,” replete with an official uniform as well as his own business card. Similar to the end of Season 1, where John accepts the pizza he ordered from the delivery person at the door, these sequences could be a collective nod to the fact the Twisted Metal franchise was planned originally to be a pizza delivery simulator. Either or in addition, they could refer back to Conner “Pizza Boy” Nazang from both Twisted Metal 4 and the previous season.
(The) Raven and the Ravens — Before meeting with John, the first such encounter this season, the new Raven, the one shown in this episode’s opening flashback, speaks with two other Ravens. In doing so, she assigns each woman to a specific section of New San Francisco, thereby confirming her reign as the true Raven in charge of the others. As she explains to John, she needs him to win the tournament so she can wish for Kelly’s health (see below) to be restored.
Raven’s Dismissal of “Downtown Raven” — When John and Raven meet after the latter’s briefing with the other women, he tells her he preferred Neve Campbell’s Raven. This Raven replies by saying this particular Raven, dubbed “Downtown Raven” was not as effective a leader as the others, emitting a certain disdain for this character.
Raven’s Manipulation of Her Voodoo Doll — In contrast to her Black counterpart, this Raven does not appear to have supernatural abilities, as evidenced by the fact when she plays with her voodoo doll while speaking with John, her guards rather than special powers hurt him in the affected areas.
Dollface and the Dolls —Krista, both John’s sister and the woman who goes by Dollface, a powerful figure who covers her face with a frightening, cracked white doll mask, is first shown stopping a rival faction with her Dolls gang to provide for their group. As Dollface’s later characterization (see below) will demonstrate, this version of the character takes inspiration from Black and the 2012 reboot alike.
Sweet Tooth, Stu and Big Baby — Sweet Tooth and Stu are first shown slaughtering helpless individuals on the road. Before the last person dies, he mentions Big Baby, another killer and a new character created for this season alike, is regarded as the mightiest being around. This comment leads Sweet Tooth to hunt Big Baby out of spite, a decision that begins his path to being feared as the most warped psychopath there is.
Entertainment References — Inside his New San Francisco house, John peruses his bookcase, which contains board games such as Sorry! and Clue and books like those from famous mystery author Agatha Christie, children’s horror series Goosebumps and The Baby-Sitters’ Club, all of which remain acclaimed works to this day. John ends up seeking the 89th book in the latter series when it is not with the others.
Dollface’s Characterization and Quiet — At one point, Dollface and Quiet discuss the Dolls’ operations as well as how as much fits into traditional life. During this conversation, Dollface’s confidence in her own being is reminiscent of how her Black counterpart gains the ability to accept herself for who she at the end. Similarly, her playing with Quiet’s facial features — as well as the tall fashion boots she sometimes wears — is suggestive of her 2012 iteration, who is obsessed with her physical appearance.
Black Level Map and “Dookie Face” — As John flips through the 89th Babysitters’ Club entry, he finds several inserts placed throughout it by his sister, including a map and a note calling the reader a “Dookie Face.” The map references several key levels from Black, including Suburbs, and the term “Dookie” refers to Green Day’s landmark titular 1994 pop-punk album.
Space Theme — A space-themed poster in John’s room is reminiscent of his conversation with Quiet in the previous season, during which he reveals his belief in aliens, itself a nod to the Recorder Box item from the first Twisted Metal game.
Masks as a (Collective) Unifying Force — Adding to what Dollface told quiet during their discussion, she claims masks are a sort of collective unifying force, and that followers who support their work will always pick up and wear them when their original owners fall in service. This comment is illuminating of characters like her and Sweet Tooth because their masks are so integral to their personalities. Moreover, it hearkens back toBlack‘s ending in that the Dollface there also came to accept her mask as a mark of power and purpose rather than a hindrance or shameful reminder of the past. Ironically, this show’s Dollface is free to wear it as she wishes, whereas the other renditions cannot.
Trash Man — At the end of Sweet Tooth’s fight on the road with Big Baby, the latter, literally an adult man who swings around his purple uncut, mace-shaped umbilical chord as a weapon, claims Trash Man strikes the greatest amount of fear in everyone west of the Mississippi River. Trash Man was introduced in Twisted Metal 4, wherein he was the first — and, as of this writing, only — tournament contestant to have won despite never entering properly or abiding by the established rules. In the game, he wished for the entire world to be covered in garbage so as to play with his pets, exemplifying the adage, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” (Incidentally, Jon St. John, the same voice actor known for playing Duke Nukem also portrayed Big the Cat in Sonic Adventures, released in 1999 as well.)
Battle Royale Tournament to Prove Sweet Tooth’s Ruthlessness — After Sweet Tooth bests Big Baby in combat, Stu suggests his boss invite the most vile individuals from all over the country to compete against one another in combat, with the winner, who he envisions being Sweet Tooth inevitably, being crowned the best in the nation. In offering this possibility, Stu creates a draft competition board that features several characters from throughout this franchise, thereby foreshadowing the forthcoming tournament (see below).
Kelly (Again) — In something of a simultaneous shocking surprise and departure from the games, John finds Kelly alive but unconscious and hooked to medical monitoring equipment inside the ambulance parked inside Raven’s garage. During his escape, he removes Kelly and all the equipment before driving away, which was made possible in part due to the help he received from Chester, one of Raven’s forces and the closest — seriously close, as this episode evidences — to a friend John made in New San Francisco. That Kelly is technically still alive suggests hope for her return to her former health — as well as the extent to which Raven will go to save her.
Meat Wagon — The ambulance in which John finds Kelly resembles to some degree Meat Wagon, the selectable vehicle in the 2012 reboot that lets drivers fire terminally ill patients strapped to gurneys at their enemies.
Calypso and the Twisted Metal Tournament — While looking through Raven’s ambulance, John sees Calypso appear on a stack of televisions. Calypso proceeds, in public announcement style, to invite everyone around the country interested in competing in the upcoming tournament to enter. He broadcasts his message nationally, being televised as well as recorded on radio stations, with one character being Vermin, who drives Roach Coach, an exterminator’s van driven by Goggle Eyes in Twisted Metal 4. As such, all the characters shown so far make preparations to join.
Calypso’ Unease and Possible Responsibility for the Loss of Power — Calypso’s tournament invitation becomes noticeably discomfiting, especially at the end, when he glances nervously to his side and laughs maniacally. There is some speculation he may be neither the “real” Calypso nor the primary antagonist this season, but both these suggestions are conjecture at this point. Similarly, that he is able to power on electronic devices across the country to broadcast his message, it is possible he is, at least in some way, responsible for the loss of power that occurred in 2002.
Geographic Coordinates — The coordinates of Calypso’s broadcast point to Indianapolis, Indiana as the tournament’s starting point. This city’s official slogan is, “Crossroads of America,” which is an apt title for what Calypso has planned.
“Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Heroes” Reunite — After escaping New San Francisco via a conveniently places ambulance in Raven’s shop, John sets off on the road to find Quiet. He does so virtually head-first when the Dolls ambush him as well as the New San Francisco drivers pursuing him, done with DMX’s 1998 “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” no less. Dollface drives what appears to be either Darkside or Juggernaut, in line with the 2012 reboot, shoots one orange- and one purple-colored missile, and her Dolls unload individual and differently colored VM Beetles onto the road to destroy the ambulance. Intriguingly, both Dollface and John’s vehicles have the same license plate: STNSPWN. A color-swapped Roadkill also makes an entrance, with Quiet as its driver.

Episode 2: “DOLFAC3”

Dollface Ten Years Ago (Flashback) — Like this season’s first episode, this one opens with a flashback. This time, it is set 10 years in the past, when Krista was little more than her associated man’s property. Relegated to the ladies’ restroom along with the other women that evening, she rallies them in support of overthrowing the patriarchy, starting with their men. This scene serves as the spark that lit Krista’s push to become Dollface — and in doing so, make her mission of supporting outsiders a reality.
(Mr.) Kreel — The man with whom Krista enters the meeting location is named Kreel, which refers to Black‘s Mr. Kreel, that Dollface’s boss, her mask maker boss who locks her inside the doll mask. In both cases, Dollface kills Kreel, thereby releasing herself from his control.
Chessefellas Stuffed-Crust Pizza —Chessfellas is the pizza parlor in which Krista meets along with her male companion during the flashback. This name is a play on 1990 film Goodfellas.
“Ride or Die” —Somewhat of a neologism, this colloquialism denotes extreme loyalty and devotion between two people. It was particularly prominent in 1990s West Coast gangsta rap music, notably in songs by and featuring Tupac “2Pac” Shakur along with Death Row Records more generally.
Mayhem? — Allegedly a new character created for this series, Mayhem is a teenage girl who grew up in the country after the apocalypse. As such, she is less experienced than some of her contemporaries, as demonstrated by certain details she reveals along the way, such as that she cannot drive — yet wants to participate in the tournament. It is possible Mayhem is not who she claims to be — or at least refers to the car she will drive — since her appearance resembles closely that of Krista Sparks, not to be confused with Dollface, from Twisted Metal 2, who drives the green Grasshopper dune buggy and turns out to be Calypso’s daughter. Despite being a fan theory at this point, her looks, attempt to steal the green vehicle at the Dolls’ camp and possible ulterior motives could lead both to a betrayal and major reveal by this season’s end.
Paint Brawl — During the Doll’s race to determine who will represent them in the tournament, several Dolls fire paintballs at the drivers. This event refers to the canceled Paint Brawl game, a planned spin-off featuring characters from Small Brawl.
Turbo Boost — Toward the end of the competition in which John and Quiet compete to determine who will represent the Dolls in the tournament, Quiet debates with herself about the opportune time to press the green triangle button inside of her car, which, when she presses as in the games, deploys a speed boost, enabling her to cross the finish line to win the race.
Horned Helmet— In the woods, John and Quiet fight two people dressed like combinations of cavepeople and animals. The man’s horned helmet is reminiscent of 1311832119, armored tanker truck Minion’s driver, in Black.
Mortal Kombat — After defeating the primitively clad adversaries in the woods in front of Mayhem, Quiet asks John where he learned to “punch like that.” John mentions one of the video games he played in New San Francisco was Mortal Kombat, the hit franchise that both debuted in 1992 as an arcade game and has since become one of the most popular and successful fighting game.
Diesel City — Dollface explains a stop in Diesel City en route to the tournament will be necessary. This location first appeared in the 2012 reboot as a business-like location south of Los Angeles that is decaying gradually over time.
Special Moves — Dollface also mentions going to Diesel City will grant them the resources necessary to perform special moves, which references the fact all characters in the games have unique weapons.
Blackfield Asylum — This episode cuts to Blackfield Asylum, the mental health institution prominent in Black and the first season alike, before ending.
Mr. Grimm — Within Blackfield Aslyum is Mr. Grimm, unmasked and waiting in the darkness. After receiving an invitation to enter the tournament, his cell door opens to reveal his white skull-painted motorcycle helmet, and he answers the invitation vocally, saying “we” will compete, which is a nod to the question contestants in the first game receive via email. His voice deepens noticeably during this line, making this moment this character’s first ostensibly supernatural one.

Episode 3: “TE3TDRV”

Mr. Grimm’s Supernatural Powers — This episode opens at a graveyard, with Mr. Grimm attacking and stealing the life from two men attempting to desecrate his father’s grave. That he sucks their lives from them — and subsequently gains their voices momentarily — is suggestive of his supernatural abilities. As his encounter with Axel later in this episode (see below) will show, however, there is reason to question exactly how “supernatural” his powers are.
Bud Captain Grimm — The grave Mr. Grimm digs ups at the start of this episode belongs to none other than Bud Captain Grimm, his father. His Captain title refers to the Twisted Metal 4 version of Grimm: a pirate. Captain Grimm’s life of 1956 to 2001 suggests he could be based, at least somewhat, on the Vietnam War veteran turned cannibal portrayed in Black, which was released in 2001. Similarly, his father takes some inspiration from earlier character iterations, including the 2012 reboot, with Grimm’s helmet turning red with the robbers’ blood to match that shown in the game. The black motorcycle that emerges from his grave is reminiscent of various iterations of this character.
Michelle Branch’s “Everywhere” — Singer-songwriter Michelle Branch’s 2001 “Everywhere” plays twice in this episode: first after Quiet, as the head of Dollface’s convoy en route to the tournament, inserts her CD, disguised as a copy of Metallica’s 1983 Kill ‘Em All album, into Roadkill’s CD player after having tricked John into riding instead with his sister. The second instance occurs later, when Quiet and Mayhem escape the clash between Mr. Grimm and Axel (see below).
The Babysitters’ Club (Again) — En route to the tournament via the convoy, John’s bond with Dollface increases after they learn their interest in The Baby-Sitters’ Club books is mutual.
Millennium Drive-In — The drive-in movie theater John and Dollface enter is none other than the Millennium Drive-InBlack level.
Grimm’s Dark Trip Back — At the Millennium Drive-In, the marquee shows a production entitled Grimm’s Dark Trip Back. This title refers to the second story arc in the 2012 reboot’s single-player campaign, “Grimm’s Dark Trip Back (AKA A Grim Tale of Vehicular Mayhem),” in which this character competes to travel back in time so he can prevent his motorcycle stuntman father’s death.
Axel —Everyone’s favorite man as a driving machine, Axel, first appears at the drive-in theater while John and Dollface are bonding. As this episode reveals shortly after, he is part of The Axel Project, a sick scheme in which Dr. Zemu, who is killed after being discovered, had controlled him like an animal until John and Dollface defeat this mad scientist.
Identical License Plates — While hiding from Axel, John and Dollface brush against a car with the same license plate as Kreel’s shown during the previous episode’s opening flashback sequence. This duplicate could be either intentional or a production error.
Dr. Zemu — In contrast to his Head-On iteration, who is responsible for reconnecting Axel to his two wheels, the Zemu shown here created Axel as part of a sick experiment.
Dollface’s Facial Scar (by John) — In shooting at Axel to protect both himself and his sister, one of John’s bullets ricochets off one of Axel’s wheels, hitting Krista’s cheek by accident. Dollface finds out shortly after this occurrence has left an indelible scar on her left cheek, similar to the facial blemish her 2012 reboot equivalent gets after her vehicle-related incident.
Quiet on Holy Men and Sweet Tooth — During Mayhem’s driving instructions, Quiet throws hypothetical scenarios at her in hope of better prearing her. Quiet then proctors Mayhem’s “final exam,” a “killer clown with flaming hair” following Mayhem, made more frightful by Quiet’s real gun pointed at Mayhem.
Mr. Grimm vs. Axel — After John, Dollface and Axel leave the drive-in theater, Axel encounters Mr. Grimm, who had just killed two of Dollface’s associates, as Quiet and Mayhem drive past. Grimm strikes one of Axel’s wheels with his scythe as he passes him. Before Axel arrives, Quiet and Mayhem witness Mr. Grimm sucking the life out of one of the two aforementioned Dollface associates — or so it seems. When these women see him, they do not notice the blue aura representing his victim’s lifeline being stolen and transferred to him — throwing into question the possibility of Mr. Grimm having any supernatural abilities.
Diesel City (Again) — At the end of this episode, after John, Dollface, Quiet and Mayhem are reunited, Diesel City appears in the distance. Dollface then tells everyone present they all will steal supplies from this place, which will allow for special moves, in what looks to be this season’s heist episode.
Sweet Tooth-Mr. Grimm Connection — During the post-episode season preview, one part reveals Sweet Tooth and Mr. Grimm know each other, with Sweet Tooth asking him how he made it out of Blackfield Asylum.

Episode 4: “LZGTBZY”

Diesel City Smokestack — This episode opens with a welcome to Diesel City via a smokestack, a nod to the many chimneys found throughout the 2012 reboot’s level.
John Pre-Disguise — To change into his disguise Dollface gives him, John changes his shirt. As he does so, Quiet watches him much like how she did in Season 1 — that is, with visible interest.
Grasshopper — Intriguingly, Grasshopper, or at least a car that resembles the same one Mayhem attempted to steal from the Dolls in Episode 2, appears briefly while the group prepares to enter Diesel City. This inclusion could provide further support for the fan theory that Mayhem is really Krista Sparks, Calypso’s daughter.
Nebraska — The armored drivers first displayed in Episode 1 are revealed as Nebraska, the collective unit that, according to Quiet, wiped out all Agent Stone’s remaining police forces in Topeka, where Quiet faced Stone previously.
Ancient Greeck, Spartan and Roman Armor Inspiration — One of the Nebraska forces shown at the marketplace wears a silver helmet reminiscent of those found in ancient Greece, Sparta and Rome.
Snipers — As John and Quiet as well as Sweet Tooth and Stu peruse the marketplace inside Diesel City, various snipers patrol the area. After Sweet Tooth claims to Stu he could get away with killing, which is forbidden inside the walls, one sniper shoots and kills an escaping thief, both countering Sweet Tooth’s argument and referencing the weapon found throughout this franchise, notably with Agent Stone in Black and as a special weapon in the 2012 reboot.
Torch Bomb Painting — When John and Quiet enter the auction meeting place for all the insider representatives conversing with one another, several paintings are on display. One of these works is entitled “Torch Bomb.” This painting, a red heart with a black and yellow strap across its center and surrounded by flames, is not a real weapon available in any of the games, so it instead refers to all the weapons available throughout the games in general.
Laxative Poisoning — While speaking with John and Quiet, who are disguised as Rick Davis of Kirkland County and Deb Tomas of Spokane, respectively, the Roman emperor-themed leader explains these two areas had been at war with each other until they arrived together at the auction. As it turns out, Spokane sabotaged Kirkland’s water supply, contaminating it with laxatives so everyone who drank it felt unwell. This outcome is not unlike one of the many wishes Calypso grants in this franchise.
Count Sweet Tooth — In the marketplace, Sweet Tooth ends up spending all his and Stu’s money on a red velvet cape. Believing it to have belonged to Count Dracula, Sweet Tooth claims he is “investing in history.” Stu is angered by this choice, and two guards take him away after he accuses Sweet Tooth of frivolous spending.
Spike Bomb and Ghost Missiles, Boomerang Blast and Napalm Cones — John and Quiet later view other pieces on display, including “Spike Bomb,” “Ghost Missiles,” “Boomerang Blast” and “Napalm Cones.” The salesperson informs them New San Francisco had recently installed a series of napalm cones around its perimeter, which it then against invaders.
Dollface and Sweet Tooth Kill Together — As Dollface kills some of Diesel City’s forces per her heist strategy, Sweet Tooth jumps in with his new cape to fight alongside her.
Trash Boy — Almost right after John and Quiet enter the emperor’s chamber, a young man approaches John, introducing himself as a “Trash Boy.” This reference continues that of Trash Man started in Episode 1.
The Uneasy Alliance Ends — Dollface and Sweet Tooth’s partnership is ephemeral as it ends when they learn each person wants the same EMP in the control room.
Torch Bomb Goes Off — Shortly after John and Quiet make it to the weapons cache, one of the torch bombs goes off, catching the entire room alight to the tune of Haddaway’s “What is Love?”
Mayhem’s Unexpected Appearance — During the fight between Sweet Tooth and Dollface, Mayhem jumps down from the ceiling to wrap the clown in his own cape so Dollface can steal the EMP and escape Diesel City.
Stu’s First Kill(ing Spree) — Stu finally kills, after having spent so long trying to avoid it. His first victims are the emperor along with all the insiders playing inside his chamber.
Shrapnel — A vehicle unique to this series, Shrapnel is a blue VW New Beetle. Although Dollface drove it to Diesel City, she allows Mayhem to drive it in the tournament.
Dollface Officially Enters the Tournament — At the end of this episode, Dollface decides to enter the Twisted Metal tournament, planning to use the EMP she stole from Diesel City against the other competitors while John and Quiet drive ahead in Roadkill. This choice reflects the same one her Black and 2012 reboot iterations made, albeit for different reasons and end goals.

Episode 5: “ONURMRK”

“New Challenger Approaching” Voice — With each new driver’s entrance, a voice announces, “new challenger approaching,” which is reminiscent of many similar voices in various games.
The New Preacher — John finds two Holy Men in the car parked next to him. They remember him, reiterating that he killed Preacher. These enemies then claim Preacher is still alive and reveal a baby in a carriage, suggesting his spirit lives on by switching host bodies.
Axel on Freedom — When Dollface asks Axel how life has been for him since she and John freed him from Dr. Zemu, he suggests he is not truly free but may one day be. This conversation is reminiscent his Twisted Metal 2 version, who wishes to be from his contraption.
Big Baby Returns (in Conversation) — Sweet Tooth offers to “look after” the Holy Men’s baby since he has experience killing one already (Big Baby).
Vermin — While walking around the area, Mayhem finds and talks with Vermin. As part of her plan to incite animosity among all the participants, she says the Holy Men have been spreading a rumors about Vermin.
Mike — Stu learns Mike survived Sweet Tooth’s attack at the end of last season. Being half the duo that comprises Mike and Stu in Twisted Metal 2, this revelation is fitting.
Dave and Hammerhead — As Mike and Stu are talking, Dave, Mike’s new partner, joins their conversation, explaining Hammerhead has been souped up and is ready to compete. This change references Dave and Mike, Hammerhead’s first two drivers who appear only in the original game.
Sweet Tooth and Mr. Grimm’s Encounter — A rift between Sweet Tooth and Mr. Grimm is clear as they face off verbally before the tournament begins. Specifically, Sweet Tooth shows clear disdain at the fact Mr. Grimm is alive. In response, Mr. Grimm is displeased with Sweet Tooth, claiming he will absorb his soul as he has the others. In doing so, Mr. Grimm speaks in three different voices: his own as well as those of the two grave robbers he killed in Episode 3. This action further raises the question of whether he has supernatural abilities since he could either have taken their souls or be delusional.
Junkyard Dog — Billy Ray Stillwell from Black also competes in this tournament with Junkyard Dog, the same truck found in the canceled Lost game and 2012 reboot as well.
Death Warrant — Another competitor, Death Warrant, is revealed. Although he is an aged bounty hunter in this show, there is no character by this name in the games, just the vehicle in the 2012 reboot.
Raven (Again) — As one of the competitors, Raven is furious to find John has entered the exact tournament for which she had prepared him.
Calypso (Again) — Calypso appears after all drivers have arrived to welcome them. In doing so, he explains they must complete a qualifying round involving delivering a package to Tournament City. Like in his broadcast, he is noticeably unhinged, laughing maniacally at times. He also seems to possess at least some supernatural powers, given his ability to change day to evening right before the participants set out for the round.
Qualifying Round — The qualifying round is the first official action sequence as part of the tournament. During it, the drivers compete against one another to the sound of Rob Zombie’s “Dragula,” the same song that accompanied Season 2’s first official clip.
Special Weapons and a Killer Passenger — During the qualifying round, various competitors fire their vehicles’ special weapons at one another. In Roadkill’s case, with Quiet driving, John shoots at Raven, in line with how a gang member assists the main driver in the 2012 reboot.
Napalm Strike — Later in the qualifying round, napalm strikes rain down on the drivers. This weapon is used regularly throughout this franchise.
Various Rivalries — By the qualifying round, it is clear which characters are feuding. These rivalries include John and Quiet against Raven and the Holy Men as well as Sweet Tooth and Stu against Mr. Grimm.
Going Back for Mayhem — Despite their reservations — especially the fact their package has gone from green to yellow, with red meaning death — John and Quiet choose to turn around and assist Mayhem, who appears to be struggling. This episode then ends on this cliffhanger.

Episode 6: “MKAW1SH”

Evelin —This episode opens with a flashback set during Season 1, as evidenced by John’s yellow Hi-C T-shirt as well as the fact Evelin still exists.
John and Calypso’s First Encounter — John and Calypso meet during the same flashback. In it, Calyspo, who both notes the sign John had noticed was #327 in the series and explains his belief in leading a new world, asks John what his wish would be if he knew it could be granted. John replies he would wish for a new life with a family, home and happiness. Calypso argues a solitary life is best, and that he would wish to be known. Through their conversation as well as Calypso’s lighting of the campfire, which he claims he learned from his father, and ability to make beer appear for john spontaneously, the present season’s Twisted Metal tournament is foreshadowed.
Dead Drivers — Billy and Dollface die before en route to Tournament City. Through Krista’s sacrifice of shooting her package to make napalm rain down on her, she takes out the nearby armored drivers, knowing they would kill her anyway.
Dollface’s Broken Mask — In the fighting, Dollface’s mask suffered a beating. Most noticeably, its right eye is cracked. In this way, it resembles both her broken dream of helping John and Quiet win the tournament and the similarity shared with Sweet Tooth’s mask, which has a cut baseball covering the left eye.
John and Quiet’s Lost Siblings — With Dollface dead, John and Quiet share another commonality in that each one has lost a sibling: John his sister and Quiet her brother.
Jaffe Williams High School — This episode introduces the tournament headquarters: a high school. This building, which represents the between-levels garage where players can modify their chosen vehicles in the games, is also reminiscent of high school romantic comedies of the 1990s and 2000s, a trend that had continued from that which started in the 1980s.
Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta” — Calypso and the other characters enter the school to the tune of Harvey Danger’s 1997 “Flagpole Sitta.”
Raven’s High School Comment — Shortly after seeing the high school, Raven makes an angsty-ridden comment about having to relive the experiences she suffered during her own time as a student. This comment would be innocuous were it not for the gravity of Kelly’s injury.
Calypso and Raven’s Connection — After the contestants find out their room assignments, Raven and Calypso speak briefly. During their conversation, it is revealed these two characters share some connection from the past. Also, Calypso expresses his anger with Raven that she entered on her own instead of forcing John to do so per her — and now their — original agreement.
Calypso’s Supernatural Powers — Before Calypso and Raven’s conversation ends, he reveals his supernatural abilities, as hinted at in the opening flashback, by turning his eyes demon black. Raven then realizes she must play by the rules given rather than attempt to sway the outcome by relying on whatever connection they had shared.
Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy is Mine” — Before Stu enters the science room to which he and Sweet Tooth were assigned, he reminisces with Mike about their formative days at Juniper Prep, where they sang Brandy and Monica’s 1998 “The Boy is Mine,” revealing he assumed Brandy’s role and Mike Monica’s.
Peanut Butter and Jelly without Crust — While eating in the cafeteria, Sweet Tooth tells Stu to get a different peanut butter and jelly sandwich because Harold does not like the crust. This moment refers to this sandwich format’s popularity, which led Smucker’s to acquire the cherished Uncrustables brand of frozen sandwiches in 1998.
The Participants’ Wishes — At the end of this episode, Calypso calls all the drivers inside a room adjacent to the cafeteria to share with him their individual wishes. This decision contrasts the games, where each contestant makes his or her wish known only after winning the tournament.
John’s Wish — Calypso calls in John and Quiet last. Inside the room, Quiet makes their collective wish of removing all the walls strewn across the country so everyone can have a chance to live their best lives. After Quiet exits the room, however, John makes his own wish: to bring his sister back to life. This unequal dynamic whereby one partner’s wish differs from the other’s is unique to this series, and how Quiet and John word their wishes may impact the outcome, must like in the games.

Episode 7: “H1TNRVN”

Wishes Shared —At this episode’s start, the contestants share with one another their wishes. This decision departs from the games, in which players discover each driver’s wish upon winning the tournament accordingly.
Wish to Fly — Chuckie Floop shares with the others he hopes to be able to fly, which results in derision against him. His wish is similar to Mike and Stu’s from Twisted Metal 2.
Mayhem’s Wish to Be Invincible — Like Chuckie, Mayhem experiences condescension when she shares her wish with everyone: to be invincible. Her wish is reminiscent of the invincibility cheat code from the games as well as John’s input of it last season to coax Evelin into running properly
Warehouse District Warfare (Event 1) — Calypso titles the first post-qualifying round event “Warehouse District Warfare,” just like the 1995 level.
John and Quiet’s Driver Tracker and Head Start — Sweet Tooth’s “cheaters” comment
Brimstone License Plate (Deacon and Company) — Deacon, Brenjamin and Baby Preacher ride in BR1MSTN3, resembling the car Preacher drives in Black.
GPS as Head Start — The device Calypso gives John and Quiet for their one-minute head start is a GPS, a feature common in many franchises yet curiously absent from the Twisted Metal games.
John’s PTSD (Dollface’s Mask) — The PTSD John experiences when he sees his sister’s mask staring at him after Quiet places it by Roadkill’s shifter for the first main tournament event reflects the struggles many characters in this franchise face, with Mr. Grimm’s Black incarnation perhaps being the most notable, given the gravity of his war-forced cannibalism, and Agent Stone from the game due to his pain of failing to prevent the mother and daughter from dying during the raid.
Sweet Tooth’s Horatio Nelson Comment — While waiting for John and Quiet’s one-minute head start to end, Sweet Tooth likens himself to Horatio Nelson preparing to fight Napoleon Bonaparte, to which Stu replies everyone could be like Nelson.
Catchphrases on Ice — When John and Quiet, Sweet Tooth and Stu and Deacon and company and Raven all arrive simultaneously at the ice rink to steal the package located there, each group representative says his or her catchphrase, which hearkens back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when doing so was common for characters in games.
OutKast’s “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” — After the same contestants make their classic references, they attempt to take the package. The ensuing calamity occurs to the tune of OutKast’s 2000 “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad).”
Mayhem’s First Kill — Mayhem kills Chuckie Floop during the first main event to take his package. He happens to be her first kill, and her subsequent astonishment is reminiscent of many franchise characters.
Quatro — After stealing Chuckie Floop’s car, a white 2001-2002 Audi TT Quattro Coupe with blue stripes, it starts talking with her to set up a new authorized driver profile. In doing so, she learns the first three letters of its designation is 4BQ, so she instead calls it Quattro — the same name as the alien police officer who competes in Twisted Metal 4 to bring Sweet Tooth, Calypso, Mr. Grimm and Rob Zombie to justice (and who alters RoboCop’s famous line by instead saying, “One way or another, you’re coming with me”).
Mr. Grimm Hitches a Ride in Sweet Tooth’s Ice Cream Truck — In a unique feat, Mr. Grimm, Sweet Tooth and Stu all finish the first main event simultaneously because of Grimm’s ability to drive literally into the back of Sweet Tooth’s ice cream truck.
Deacon and Company’s Death via Boomerang Blast — Deacon fires a missile at John and Quiet while driving to the finish line. Rather than destroy his intended targets, though, this weapon flies back to its sender because it is a boomerang blast, the same item for sale in Diesel City.
Calypso’s New Baby — Upon returning to the garage with Preacher, Calypso offers to take him off their hands. Not wanting to deal with the potential challenges Preacher would pose along the way, they accept Calypso’s offer. With Calypso now having a child in the form of Preacher, the question of how it will unfold given the crusade Preacher and the Holy Men lead against Calypso in the 2012 reboot as well as the remaining fan theory of Mayhem really being Calypso’s daughter.

Episode 8: “SDDNDTH”

Axel’s Flashback — This episode opens with a flashback to Old Orleans, Louisiana, where a pre-modified Axel is shown working at a bakery. His job turns out to be a front, however, as he later arrives at a house and shoots everyone there.
First-Person Shooter — When Axel enters the house in the flashback, he kills everyone save the baby via a FPS view.
Apocalypse 9 Gang — One night after the first tournament event, Calypso sends in the Apocalypse 9 Gang to attack the drivers as part of a challenge. In response, the drivers form a temporary alliance to defend themselves against these warped men who burn their own nerve endings as part of their induction.
Axel’s Fuel Dependency — Until this point, Axel has been shown relying on fuel for his power, going as far as drinking it regularly. When Dave, Mike and Stu find themselves in the same room as him during the Apocalypse 9 attack, they form an intervention to help him buck his addiction to find his inner strength, suggesting his dependency was psychological.
Freddy Krueger — John mentions to Mayhem one of the gang members pursing them resembles Freddy Krueger, the famous character from the Nightmare on Elm Street slasher horror films.
Girls’ Night — When Quiet and Raven let Vermin join them, Vermin gets excited, exclaiming it is a girls’ night. This get together was popular in the past, at least more so than now, and involved girls from the same school spending the night at someone’s home and generally having fun in one another’s company.
Axel’s Intervention — Axel reveals during his intervention he never kills children. He also notes he both lost the baby from his mission and was later turned into the human vehicle he is.
Saw — John and Mayhem kill one of the gang members by placing him on a table and pushing him through a saw blade. This kill is reminiscent of Saw, a horror film series involving gruesome deaths that started in 2004.
Deep Blue Sea —After the saw kill, John and Quiet bond over horror movies, with Mayhem citing the 1999 Deep Blue Sea as one she will never watch because it scares her more than any other title.
Fighting Stances — As the Apocalypse 9 members approach, the contestants adopt fighting stances with their fists and bodies similar to that of classic combat games like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Tekken, Soul Caliber and others.
Crash Test Dummies’ “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” — As Axel proves his freedom from his gasoline addiction by attacking the remaining gang members about to hurt the other contestants, the Crash Test Dummies’ 1993 “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” plays.
Sweet Tooth Adopts Stu — After learning some deeply personal information about himself, Sweet Tooth declares he is adopting Stu as his own child.
Dollface’s Mask Given to John — Early in this season, Dollface explains someone always picks up a fallen Doll’s mask. It is fitting, then, Quiet gives John his sister’s mask.
Attempt to Fix John’s Wish — John and Quiet set out to speak with Calypso in hope of nullifying John’s wish to resurrect Krista. To their surprise, the same wishing well where they made their respective wishes remains inside the room. This episode then finishes.

Episode 9: “VAVAVUM”

Calypso’s Wishing Well — Picking up from the previous episode, John and Quiet are able to undo John’s wish by drinking the water from the well per Calypso’s request. At least, this is what Calypso tells them.
Wintertide Solstice Promenade — Calypso invites everyone to the Wintertide Solstice Promenade, a prom dance that marks the passing of winter and arrival of winter.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and DJ Jazzy Jeff — Sweet Tooth tells Stu he will get to practice his dance moves he has learned from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a popular 1990s TV series, with DJ Jazzy Jeff being Will Smith’s partner musician.
Sweet Tooth’s Cocktail Casual vs. Transylvania Chic Suit — In preparation for the Promenade, Sweet Tooth asks Stu which outfit he prefers. Cocktail Casual, the one he shows first, is the same as what he wears in multiple games, including as a bonus costume in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
Ricky and My So-Called Life— At one point, the character Enrique “Ricky” Vasquez is mentioned. He was on the 1990s show My So-Called Life.
Three Suits (Plum, Orange, Blue) — Stu, Mike and Dave all wear suits to the Promenade. Specifically, Stu wears plum, Mike orange and Dave blue, all replete with matching top hats.
Wintertide Solstice Blood Offering — To mark the death of autumn and birth of winter, Calypso requires everyone to offer their blood via a knife cut — while suggesting he has been alive at least since of this tradition’s Roman progenitors. Raven’s is particularly memory-evoking since her Black rendition is shown doing so herself in her Blackfield Asylum cell before receiving her tournament invitation.
“Two Princes” — The Spin Doctors’ 1991 “Two Princes” starts the Promenade by playing after the blood offering. Various 1990s songs comprise this event’s soundtrack throughout this episode, including music by OMC, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Pretenders.
Dave’s Return to Cannibalism — After Stu makes a joke to Dave about chicken fingers, a chicken variety popular from the 1980s onward, Dave returns to his room. When Stu visits him to apologize, he finds him eating human flesh despite having had ostensibly sworn it off.
Hacky Sack — Mike and Stu play hacky sack at the Promenade, a game involving one’s legs popular during recess at many schools in the 1990s and 2000s.
Mayhem’s Connection to Axel — It turns out Mayhem is the baby in Axel’s flashback. Refusing to kill a kid, he took and protected it until he was taken and transformed into the man-machine entity. Axel learns this fact by seeing Mayhem uses a white hair scrunchie. When he asks her where she got it, she replies he remembers having it since she was a baby.
She’s All That — Seeking revenge for being upstaged by Mr. Grimm on the dance floor, Sweet Tooth strikes back by feigning a bet with Mr. Grimm concerning Vermin, which he relays to Mr. Grimm in a compromising position. When Vermin finds out about this fake bet, she runs away, just like what happens in the 1999 film She’s All That.
“I’ll Stand by You” — The Pretenders’ 1994 “I’ll Stand by You” plays as John and Quiet exchange their declarations of love for each other.
Harold — Sweet Tooth is shown sitting and talking with Harold at the dance. Although Harold appears as a paper bag to everyone else, Sweet Tooth sees him as a fellow human. He tells Sweet Tooth he loves him as a best friend, which is made even more eventful after Mr. Grimm lights him on fire in response to Sweet Tooth having ruined his moment with Vermin.
The After-Party (Event 2) — John and Quiet awaken in separate cars to see transmission-type towers in a large field. Calypso announces this event, which will determine who will proceed to the final challenge, is a free-for-all called The After-Party. This episode ends on this note.

Episode 10: “M4YH3M”

Lightning Round and Storm — The Twisted Metal tournment’s penultimate round starts this episode. In it, the drivers must kill their assigned targets while navigating the stage, which happens to feature lightning strikes generated from the nearby generators. This event’s lightning theme is likely an allusion to the Environmental Attack, also called Lightning, weapon in the games. Similarly, the towers resemble those in Twisted Metal 2‘s Los Angeles stage.
Roadkill and Its Replica — Quiet and John awaken to find themselves in different versions of Roadkill: the former in the original and the latter in Calypso’s facsimile.
Assigned Kill Targets — This challenge is reminiscent of the Hunted game mode, wherein all competitors attempt to kill the assigned character. Unlike this mode, however, John, Quiet and company are to kill only their individually assigned rivals, not go after the same person as in the games.
Calypso’s Trial — While most of the drivers compete in the Lightning Round, Calypso keeps Sweet Tooth, Mr. Grimm, Stu and Mike by his wishing well to hold a trial for both Dave and Harold’s deaths.
Axel’s Shockwave (“Axel Power!”) — Like he does to other characters in the games, Axel sends a shockwave Quiet’s way during the Lightning Round. He also heightens this moment by shouting, “Axel Power” right before unleashing his special attack.
Raven’s Lightning Weapon — Somewhat like in Black, Raven shoots lightning at John and company. In Black, her attack is similar to Outlaw’s.
Contestant Kill Announcer — As with the announcement of each driver entering the tournament this season in Episode 5, the same voice announces when each target is unable to continue driving, due either to incapacitation or death, during the Lightning Round.
Mr. Grimm’s Souls Removed — After finding Mr. Grimm guilty of having killed Harold, Calypso, at Sweet Tooth’s plea, punishes him by removing all the souls he had taken up to that point, throwing them into the wishing well. That no one but Mr. Grimm, and possibly Calypso, see these souls extends the suggestion made in Episode 3 that this series’ Mr. Grimm, despite believing otherwise, does not have supernatural abilities.
Axel’s Sacrifice — Although Axel’s assigned target is Quiet, he sacrifices himself — or at least his strength in the moment — by blocking Raven’s lightning shot fired at Mayhem. In doing so, he asks John and Quiet to take care of Mayhem, exactly what he wished he could have done had it not been for the Vultures as well as Dr. Zemu. Intriguingly, Axel does not die from Raven’s blast but rather sees his hands meld into his wheels, suggesting he will resemble his game counterpart more closely by no longer being able to disengage from them.
John and Quiet Save Mayhem — Despite agreeing not to get involved with Mayhem earlier this season, John and Quiet risk their lives to save her from Quatro as he burns from Raven’s attack.
Sweet Tooth and Stu Part Ways — Sweet Tooth and Stu end their professional partnership after burying Harold outside the school when the trial concludes. Emphasizing Mike is Stu’s equivalent of Harold, Stu asks to ride with Mike during the final round. Sweet Tooth agrees but highlights he will not hesitate to kill Stu in the arena, especially since he comes from a family of sadistic fathers trying to end their sons’ lives. This comment suggests Sweet Tooth’s father, Charlie Kane, attempted to kill him at some point, which deviates from the games in that it was always Marcus who offed his father.
Mayhem’s Real Wish — Before Mayhem wakes up to find herself receiving care from John and Quiet, a brief flashback reveals she had wished to find a place where she feels she belongs. It is appropriate, then, she ends up with John and Quiet, who act as her parental figures.
Mayhem Discovers Calypso’s Secret Control Room — Shortly after John and Quiet leave the room, Mayhem follows Calypso into his secret control room, which is accessed via a specific locker. She finds at the end his command center as well as two eyes coming from a mysterious creature he has created for the tournament.
Mayhem Runs Away — Mayhem goes to tell John and Quiet what she learns about Calypso but instead tries to run away when she overhears them say she isn’t strong enough to continue competing and must no longer do as much.

Episode 11: “OHLYNTE”

Mayhem as Calypso’s Final Round Guest — Calypso’s guards discover Mayhem attempting to escape the school soon after she makes this decision. When she is brought to Calypso, he invites her to be his guest for the final event. to which she agrees reluctantly.
Reason for Sweet’s Tooth’s Hatred of Mr. Grimm — During breakfast that morning, Sweet Tooth reveals he despises Mr. Grimm because he feels all attention shifted to Mr. Grimm when he arrived at Blackfield Asylum. This revelation relates to this season’s first episode, wherein Sweet Tooth chooses to enter the tournament for fame, as well as the first season’s second episode, wherein Sweet Tooth first explains his desire to attain mass recognition for his antics.
Raven’s Necklace Key — Raven is shown activating some feature of her car while others eat breakfast. This feature later turns out to be her vehicle’s shield, a common energy attack in the games.
Kidnapped with Black Bags — Calypso’s guards kidnap and transport the contestants to the final round. To do so, they place black cloth bags over their heads.
Final Round — After unmasking the drivers, Calypso reveals the final event is a classic deathmatch located in a makeshift shipping container yard replete with two stadium seating arrangements.
Christmas Day — During Calypso’s opening monologue, he reveals this final round is happening on Christmas — and that he is making it Twisted Metal Day. This detail refers to the original game, which takes place on Christmas Eve in 2005, making it the 10th annual event of its kind.
Mixed Audience — The aforementioned seating is filled with a mixed audience of Insiders and Outsiders from across the country, making it the first time such an occurrence has happened visibly in this show.
Cargo Containers — The shipping container stage where the drivers compete is reminiscent of Black‘s Prison Passage stage, which is set inside a moving prison ship’s warehouse section, eventually docking at Blackfield Asylum.
Hammerhead — Stu and Mike drive Hammerhead during the final round, which is the same driver-vehicle pairing in Twisted Metal 2, albeit without the monster truck shown in the game.
Sweet Tooth’s Missiles — Like displayed earlier in this series, Sweet Tooth fires missiles from the clown head atop his ice cream truck. This time, he launches them at Raven during the final event.
Raven’s “Nookie” Comment — Raven comments to herself out of frustration John could have been trained to win on her behalf as she had planned, were it not for him going for the “Nookie,” a reference to Limp Bizkit’s titular 1999 nu metal song.
Mayhem’s Fruit Punch — While watching the final round with Calypso atop his perch, Mayhem drinks fruit punch in a juice box. This children’s drink and its accompanying form was popular in the 1990s and 2000s. Also, fruit punch was a popular flavor sold by Hi-C, the same company whose yellow shirt John wears for most of the first season.
Calypso’s Comment to Mayhem and His Supernatural Powers — Calypso tells Mayhem he sees some of the strength in independence on which he prides himself in her, noting his additional belief John and Quiet had been making her soft.
John’s Boomerang Blast — As shown earlier this season, John fires a Boomerang Blast during the final event. This time, it is directed at Raven, and it makes full contact.
Raven’s Death — As Raven dies, she sees a mirage of Kelly appearing to walk with her into the afterlife. Raven attempts to take her hand, only to fall on her blistering face.
Sweet Tooth’s Fame Comment — After Mr. Grimm falls off his motorcycle, leaving him without a vehicle like Sweet Tooth, the killer clown argues with him about his comment he will always be the same, saying he will instead be happy knowing the entire world will know his name. Sweet Tooth’s comment is similar to the 2012 reboot’s Dollface, who desires fame to the point she ends up wishing for it over her original desire to remove her mask.
Sweet Tooth vs. Mr. Grimm — Sweet Tooth and Mr. Grimm take up arms after they are left without their vehicles, battling on the ground. This epic battle, consisting of Sweet Tooth with his machete and flaming hair and Mr. Grimm with his scythe and skull-painted helmet, hearkens back to 2013’s PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale fighting game, in which Sweet Tooth in this exact setup is a playable character.
Minion (Final Boss) — The two evil eyes Mayhem saw in Calypso’s secret control room ends up belonging to Minion, the robotic red demon created to server as the final boss to annihilate any remaining competitors during the final round. This reference is two-fold, citing both the eponymous character from several of the games and the final boss concept prevalent in video games, wherein one or more powerful beings attempt to stop the protagonist from reaching the end. Curiously, this version is not a real demon but resembles one, does not drive a car because it has superior abilities built into its suit and is based in part on the perennially popular Dragon Ball Z anime.
Sweet Tooth vs. Minion — Like with Mr. Grimm, Sweet Tooth engages Minion in combat, first with a minigun he rips off his ice cream truck and second with his machete. Unlike his earlier battle, though, he loses this one.
Stu as the Winner — Despite all this tournament’s challenges and mix-ups, one driver does emerge victorious, albeit on account of being the only person visibly composed sufficiently at the time: Stu.

Episode 12: “NUY3ARZ”

Calypso Flashback — This episodes opening flashback — and the last one this season — includes two parts. The first part reveals Calypso arrived in Virginia in 1585. The second part, which takes place in an NBC office in the early 2000s, shows Calypso tried to obtain network permission to host his Twisted Metal tournament before the apocalypse to no avail, with the executives finding his pitch pitiful because of what they regarded as gratuitous violence and uninspired.
Sparks Name Change — One of the executives refers to Calypso as Mr. Sparks. This name is the same as Krista Sparks, the girl he learns is his daughter in Twisted Metal 2.
International Vehicular Combat — One of Calypso’s ideas he mentions in his pitch is international vehicular combat. This concept of taking the fight abroad was a central fixture of Twisted Metal 2, featuring fictional as well as real locations as diverse as Amazonia and Antarctica.
Calypso as Cause of Apocalypse? — All doubt as to the cause of the nationwide communications failure that brought about the apocalypse is removed at the end of this flashback because Calypso reveals he is responsible via a vision of the future devastation he will engender. promulgate.
John Resuscitated and Sweet Tooth Hauled Away — Quiet and Mayhem resuscitate John by shocking him with defibrillators charged by Sweet Tooth’s ice cream truck. Additionally, Sweet Tooth is found alive and taken away by a cab driver.
Stu’s Wish Granted — In a demonstration of his remarkable power, Calypso grants Stu’s wish: to go far away with Mike from all the struggle and strive. The twist is that Stu and Mike are teleported to a rocket orbiting Earth, and Mike is still dead. Granted, Stu made this wish when his best friend was still alive, but Calypso’s sinister intentions are clear. Also, Calypso thanks Stu for playing Twisted Metal with the camera showing a close-up of his face before granting his wish, just like he does to each contestant in Twisted Metal 2.
John’s Map and Copper Valley — John instructs Mayhem to follow the same map to his family’s home he finds in Episode 1. Unable to read writing due to having spent her entire life in the apocalypse, Mayhem appreciates being able to understand this one since it contains illustrations exclusively.
John’s Family’s House — John, Quiet and Mayhem reach his family’s home halfway through this episode.
Muppets from Space — Two ticket stubs from 1999’s Muppets from Space from the same drive-in theater John and Dollface visited in Episode 3 are found in John’s room. This find suggests he and his sister watched this film upon its theatrical release when they were kids.
The Babysitter’s Club Book 89 — John finds in the house the missing book for which he was searching in Episode 1.
DMX Poster — A poster of rapper DMX’s 1998 album, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, is shown in John’s room. This album is the source of the song “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem, which plays at the end of Episode 1.
TMNT Pillow Case — John’s childhood pillow case features the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, characters who amassed popularity in the 1990s.
The Zombies’ “Dreams” — Mayhem dances to The Cranberries’ 1992 “Dreams” at the house. This song reflects the fact she has achieved her dream of finding a place to belong.
Insiders Declare Nationwide War on Outsiders (U.T.I. Alliance Formed) — Like in Episode 1, Calypso broadcasts another message. This time, he explains John and Quiet are wanted for having set off the explosion that killed everyone in one of the two stands during the final event. In reality, Calypso is responsible but trying to frame them.
Stu Returns a Changed Man — Despite being left stranded aboard a rocket in space with his dead friend, Stu masters the machine to return to Earth. He reveals as much by holding off Minion so he can escape with John, Quiet and Mayhem.
Minion Reveal — During Minion’s attack on John, Quiet and Mayhem at John’s family’s house, John rips off its head. In doing so, he finds out Krista is under the mask, suggesting Calypso did revive her but to serve his nefarious ends.
Quest to Kill Calypso — This season ends with John, Quiet, Mayhem and Stu agreeing to find cars so they can drive to and kill Calypso. This mission is unique to this series but appears to draw inspiration from several character endings involving Calypso meeting his fate in the games, including Twisted Metal 4, Black, Small Brawl and Head-On.
Yellow Taxi Cab and Pope Charlie Kane — The mid-credits scene shows Sweet Tooth attempting to escape the chains binding him to the back of the yellow taxi cab. When the driver realizes as much, he tells him he is going to see Charlie Kane, his father. They have this brief exchange near the welcome sign to the Eastern Sovereignty, the city known formerly as New York — and where Charlie is Pope.
Zemu’s Lab — The post-credits scene reveals noise and movement in Dr. Zemu’s lab at the drive-in movie theater where John and Dollface discovered Axel earlier this season, suggesting someone, likely Axel, has returned to experiment.

References/Further Reading

To learn more about the Twisted Metal series as well as franchise at large, please visit the following links:

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post as well as throughout this blog belong solely to Lord Trichechus Rosmarus of Premier Polygon Productions. Consequently, they represent the perspectives only of these entities and in no way aim to disparage the artists’ works cited.