Original subtitles

(male narrator) Chosen from among all others by the Immortal Elders

Solomon, Hercules, Atlas,

Zeus, Achilles, Mercury

Billy Batson and his Mentor

travel the highways and byways of the land

on a never-ending mission

to right wrongs, to develop understanding

and to seek justice for all.

In time of dire need

Young Billy has been granted

the power by the Immortals

to summon awesome forces

at the utterance of a single word.

Shazam!

[thunderclap]

A word which transforms him in a flash

into the mightiest of mortal beings.

Captain Marvel!

[theme music]

[instrumental music]

Football's a marvelous sport.

- Isn't it, Billy? - Sure, I love--

Did I ever tell tell you what a fine athlete

I was as a young man?

Yeah, as a matter of fact, you have, Mentor.

'Several times.'

Oh! Ha-ha-ha.

Now, ugh

let's see if I still have that old fiery touch, huh?

Eighty-six.

Seventy-three. Hike! Ugh!

- Ugh. - 'Thanks, mister.'

(male #1) Two, twenty, six, six.

Hut!

Whoa! I'll get it.

[intense music]

Ah-ha-ha!

- Aah! - Yah!

[screaming]

Wendy, what happened?

There's some kind of weirdo

behind the bushes, jumped out on me.

It's the Brain! I'll get him. Come on!

Ugh.

That was a pretty dumb trick for a kid

who thinks he's a Brain.

It was only a joke.

- Let me up, Greg. - Real funny.

You do it again, Brain, and you're really gonna get creamed.

[dramatic music]

Well, who is he?

Jim Carter, he moved into the neighborhood

a couple weeks ago.

Oh, he's weird, all he ever does is read books

and play those dumb jokes on everybody.

Come on, gang. Let's go.

[beeping]

The Elders.

[beeping]

Oh, Elders, fleet and strong and wise

appear before my seeking eyes.

(Solomon) Billy, soon you will learn there are some people

who will place themselves in danger

to be accepted by others.

And there are people who will go ahead and do what is wrong

because they believe something good will result.

You mean, they let the end justify the means.

Yes. You're learning, Billy.

Elders, will I meet someone

who will willingly put himself in danger?

Perhaps, you already have.

(Zeus) 'Just heed the motto'

of the American hero Davy Crockett

who said, "Be always sure you're right, then go ahead."

Good luck, Billy.

[beeping]

The Brain.

- The Brain? - Yeah, Jim Carter.

Those other kids called him the Brain.

I think that's what the Elders were talkin' about.

Be always show you're right, Billy, then go ahead. Hm?

Well, I don't know how right I am

but I'm sure gonna find out.

[instrumental music]

- Hey, Jim. - Yeah.

It's really a great costume. Where'd you get it?

I made it myself.

See, this side is black for hiding in the dark

and this side is white for the big shocker.

That's very ingenious, Jimmy.

But do you make a habit of always scaring your friends?

They aren't my friends.

They don't like me and I don't like them.

Well, I can't blame 'em for getting uptight at you

the way you scare 'em all the time.

Maybe you oughta give 'em another chance.

No, forget them.

Rather go home and read my book.

"Oliver Twist." That's one of my favorite books.

- You've read it? - Sure, I love to read.

Hey, so do I.

'I've got a great book collection at home.'

Do you wanna see it?

- Lead the way. - Heh.

[instrumental music]

- 'Oh-ho. Wow.' - Hm.

Looks like you have a lot of heroes, Jim.

Ooh, and some anti-heroes too, huh?

Yeah. One of my favorite heroes is Captain Marvel.

'I'd really dig meeting him some day.'

Perhaps, uh.. Perhaps we could arrange that.

Really? Do you know Captain Marvel?

Well, uh..

...we-we know how to get in touch with him.

Man, it must be great to have a friend like that.

My only friends are the... heroes in these books.

But at least they're reliable.

Well, maybe the reason your friends aren't reliable

is because you try to scare them into liking you.

'Maybe you ought to go along with what they want for once.'

I'm not very good at football.

Or any sport for that matter.

Well, you don't have to be a superstar to have fun.

[scoffs]

Hey, Greg. Can Jim and I play?

The Brain wants to play?

[groans]

So, I'm not the world's greatest football player.

I'd still like to try.

[scoffs] It's okay with me, man.

As long you're not on my team.

(Greg) Come on, Billy.

Come with me.

[instrumental music]

Huddle up!

Right, now, look. The next touchdown wins the game.

So, we got a come up with a play that'll work this time.

What about the play Joe Namath used to win the Super Bowl?

How do you know what play Joe Namath used

in the Super Bowl?

I memorized it from one of my books.

- Heh. - Okay. Let's see it.

Alright, after the snap

let Greg really put the rush on you

then you be on this end and I'll be on this end.

Dig this, the Brain's thinkin' up their plays.

[laughs] Maybe we might as well stop now.

Why don't you give him a chance, Greg?

Come on, you guys! I'm fallin' asleep!

We'll crisscross a couple of times

and we'll go out for the long bomb. Okay?

Well, what do we got to lose? Let's try it!

- Go! - Alright!

[instrumental music]

Eighteen!

'Twelve!'

Ready. Hut!

Hut! Hut! Go!

[cheering]

Alright! Hey, hey!

- Alright! - Hey, hey! We won!

- Alright! - Alright! Greg!

[indistinct chatter]

Brain, alright! Great.

- We did it! - Good game, Brain.

'Just might make the team yet.'

- Thanks. - 'Nice play, Jim.'

(Greg) It's just one more thing, Brain.

That is if you wanna be a full-fledged member..

...there's a little test you gotta pass.

What kind of test?

Why don't we just call it a, uh, neighborhood initiation?

What type of initiation, Greg?

That's a secret.

But it's guaranteed to put a little excitement

into the old Brain's life.

'Let's play again.'

'We'll meet you at your house at 4 o'clock.'

Maybe you ought to find out more about this initiation

before you get involved, Jim.

Why? It's a chance for me to make friends with those guys

and I don't want to blow it.

There are other ways to make friends

without risking your neck.

Sure, just be yourself

and let people accept you for who you are.

(Mentor) Billy's right, Jimmy.

I'm sure Captain Marvel and your other heroes would agree.

Maybe so.

Yeah. I think I'll skip it.

Initiations are a bummer anyway.

(Billy) Glad to hear it, Jim.

You know, I got a marvelous idea.

When Greg and the others come back for you

why don't you bring 'em back here

for a picnic supper on the beach? My treat, huh?

That's great. Hey, catch you later.

[instrumental music]

(Greg) 'Hey, Brain!'

Initiation time.

(Greg) Hey, man, we can't wait all day, are you comin' or not?

Be right out!

Well, looks like we've been stood up, Mentor.

Yeah, well..

At least our meal isn't totally unappreciated.

Flies are enjoying it.

I wonder why Jim didn't show.

And there are people who'll go ahead and do what is wrong

because they believe something good will result.

[wind hustling]

I've got a strong hunch, Mentor, that Jim decided

to go through with this initiation after all.

Well, let's go find him, huh?

[intense music]

(Greg) 'There it is.'

And all you've gotta do is climb on top of that.

'And walk along the conveyer.'

- Oh, wow! - Greg, man.

Oh, wow!

That's all?

(Greg) Look, man, if you're scared, just say so.

'But if you flunk out'

you won't get another chance.

Greg. This is too dangerous to be foolin' around with.

It's not too dangerous.

'So, what's it gonna be, Brain?'

[music continues]

Oh, come on. Let's forget the Brain.

No, wait.

I'll do it.

(Wendy) 'You will?'

This I gotta see.

[intense music]

[music continues]

Come on, Brain. Get movin'!

[music continues]

[music continues]

Greg, what if he slips or something?

- He's okay. - Yeah.

You're so brave about all this.

I don't see you riskin' your neck?

I can do that blindfolded.

That's easy to say when you're down here.

You want me to prove it?

Why don't we call the whole thing off

and get Jim down, huh? I'm afraid.

Yeah, man, this isn't provin' anything, Greg.

Forget it. Anything that Brain can do, I can do.

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

You know, I'm starting to feel like a worry wart, Mentor.

Maybe Jim's not in any trouble after all.

I hope that's true, Billy.

But at this point, I'm as worried as you.

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

[alarm blaring]

Greg! Get off!

[music continues]

Get off! That was a warning siren.

Oh, no, Brain, I'm going all the way.

Just like you.

[revving]

Do something!

Help me! Help me!

Hey, Mentor, what's that big machine?

(Mentor) 'Oh, it's used for loading and unloading ore from ships.'

Yeah.

Hey, you don't think..

That that's where the kids are?

Well, I would hope that they'd have better sense.

[music continues]

Grab my hand. Grab my hand.

I can't. It's moving too fast.

(Jim) 'Turn off the machine.'

Come on, we gotta find somebody to turn it off!

(Jim) Go get some help!

Hey, Mentor, look.

An S.O.S. That's an emergency call.

[music continues]

Shazam!

[thunderclap]

[instrumental music]

Captain Marvel!

[music continues]

(Greg) 'Help!'

Save me!

Quick, Greg, get off.

[instrumental music]

Man, you really had us scared.

- That was a close call. - You're lucky you're alive.

Well, your initiation almost had a sad ending, Greg.

Machinery like this is no place to play around.

Yeah.

I guess I didn't use

my head either, Captain Marvel.

You didn't and you did, Jim.

'Flashing that SOS was what brought me here in time.'

SOS? Where'd you learn about that?

From a book.

You'd be surprised what you can learn from books.

Right, Jim?

That's right.

Thanks, Jim.

I'm glad to see something good come out of all of this.

Captain Marvel, could I shake your hand?

Sure, Jim, if you don't squeeze too hard.

[chuckles]

Far out.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye.

[theme music]

Hi. You know, we all want to be liked.

But today, we saw why scaring and daredevil stunts

aren't the way to go about it.

If a person can't like you for what you are

then maybe they're not worth having as friends.

See ya next week.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]