Fit the Twenty-Ninth is the twenty-ninth episode or 'fit' of the radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and the third in the Hexagonal Phase.
Plot Summary[]
The Heart of Gold arrives at the gates of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge leading onto the planet Asgard. The gods do not want to see any mortals, having had some bad experiences with them in the past, so Bifrost is now the only entrance.
Zaphod Beeblebrox arrives on Bifrost, and is met by Heimdall, who refuses to let him in.
Arthur Dent is talking to the Tanngrisnir computer, which looks like Fenchurch. She shows him the Grebulons, who destroyed the Earth, and the Vogons, who orchestrated it. She also tells him about the planet Nano, which has the last remaining humans, and the fact that the Vogons are on their way there. Arthur insists that they must save Nano and its inhabitants, and heads to the bridge in order to persuade Wowbagger. The computer advises him to swear, as it will make Wowbagger pay attention.
Heimdall tells Zaphod that he has orders from Odin to kill him immediately. Zaphod suggests that he should do a task instead, to win the right to enter Asgard. Heimdall agrees, and tells Zaphod to run across the rainbow bridge, the only trick being that dragons will be trying to kill him as he does it.
Zaphod sets off, but as his lungs are used to being fed by two windpipes, he becomes a little woozy, and yells the random phrase "compliments to the underbrazier." He doesn't know that this phrase is that day's password for the missiles.
Hel and Modgud, deep in the bowels of the planet, hear the password, and fire several missiles, believing that they are being invaded. Unfortunately, the missiles hit nearly all the dragons. Hel contacts Heimdall, and realises her mistake, although she manages to hide this from him. She self-destructs the missiles, but Zaphod has nearly reached the end of the bridge while Heimdall was distracted.
Heimdall catches him, but Zaphod uses his secret moniker, Bentstick, to force him to let him go. Heimdall also tells him where he is likely to find Thor - the Well of Urd.
The Guide explains that Wowbagger is not the first of his family to become artificially immortal - his ancestor Wowbagger Ultrajax also managed it by stealing the Quentulous Stone of Firefram from the Lajestic Vantrashell of Lob.
Wowbagger is talking to Trillian and Random, but gets irritated and puts Random in a sedation tube. He starts to kiss Trillian, but Random wakes up and interrupts them. Arthur enters suddenly, swearing, and demands that they head to Nano.
Constant Mown is writing in his journal, admitting many unVogonish tendencies. He does not hate himself, and wants to save the humans on Nano. The Guide explains the past of Hillman Hunter and the other humans on Nano.
Random uses some sweet talk to distract Ford Prefect while she steals his Dine-O-Charge Credit Card.
Cast and Characters[]
- The Book - John Lloyd
- Arthur Dent - Simon Jones
- Ford Prefect - Geoffrey McGivern
- Zaphod Beeblebrox - Mark Wing-Davey
- Left Brain - Mitch Benn
- Bowerick Wowbagger and Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz - Toby Longworth
- Random Dent - Sam Béart
- Trillian - Sandra Dickinson
- Heimdall - Tom Alexander
- Hel - Unknown actress
- Modgud - Theo Maggs
- Constant Mown - Andrew Secombe
- Hillman Hunter - Ed Byrne
- Fenchurch (the Tanngrisnir computer) - Jane Horrocks
- Announcer - John Marsh