The camera walks through the entrance to the SCRANTON OFFICE PARK to find PAM sitting in DWIGHT’S CAFFEINE CORNER, wearing a red t-shirt over a black turtleneck. She has a reach extender up her sleeve, and she is repeatedly attempting to slide it out by extending her arm, grab the handle and pick up a salt shaker from her table.

She is not having much success, which has resulted in a lot of spilled salt… to HANK’S chagrin. Nonetheless, PAM seems quite pleased with herself.

PAM (in a talking head in front of the BUILDING DIRECTORY):
Yeah, this is a big year for me! I’ve finally found a good way to get Jim to do a real Halloween costume. And I didn’t even have to convince him the fourth was the “Dress Up as a Fictional Character” anniversary!

We cut to PAM and ANGELA at a GENERIC COFFEE SHOP. ANGELA is clearly upset and talking at length about it. PAM is being patient, although someone a little more socially aware than ANGELA might detect she’s holding back a smile.

PAM (in voiceover on top of the above):
Angela keeps me fully updated on the state of Dwight’s immortal soul. And I’m always happy to talk her through her worries! Whether it’s Dwight’s scarecrow care rituals maybe counting as idolatry, or Dungeons and Dragons being a gateway to worshipping Satan, or, like a couple weeks ago, when she was very upset about Dwight ‘celebrating a pagan perversion of eternal life itself’… with his Halloween costume.

As PAM says her last line, her eyes slightly widen in the COFFEE SHOP shot.

We smash cut to DWIGHT, at THE MANAGER’S DESK. He wears a spiky red wig and a black robe with white stripes criss-crossing it. A black sword is lashed to his back.

DWIGHT (seriously):
Ichigo Kurosaki, protagonist of the legendary manga Bleach. He is a ‘shinigami,’ a reaper, who escorts the dead to the next realm and fights demons who eat human souls… all while protecting his loved ones and seeking vengeance against the evil spirit who murdered his mother. He is tremendously strong, a top-notch swordsman and excels in hand-to-hand combat. (beat) He also has a lot of trouble remembering people’s names.

ERIN walks into his office, wearing a green dress and carrying a bow and quiver of arrows – she’s MERIDA FROM BRAVE with shamefully straight hair. She hands him a fax, smiling broadly, then continues to hover by his desk, watching expectantly. This catches DWIGHT’s attention, and he looks over at her. She bobs her head a little.

ERIN (even by ERIN standards, giddy):
I’m really excited you’re doing this.

DWIGHT (surprised, but pleased):
Why… thank you, Erin.

ERIN exits, stopping at the door to briefly beam at DWIGHT along the way.

DWIGHT (I’ll be darned!, to camera):
A young person with an appreciation for the classics! There *is* hope for this generation.

The camera quick pans to the doorway, where NELLY pops her head in. She is wearing a fake moustache, green short shorts and a World War One British Army captain’s uniform with strategic sections removed for a shirt, which she will spend the entire day explaining to IGNORANT AMERICANS means she’s SEXY EDMUND BLACKADDER.

NELLY (cheered):
Oh, that’s brilliant, Dwight!

DWIGHT:
Thank you!

NELLY heads for her desk.

DWIGHT (gee golly!):
I never realized there were so many manga enthusiasts in this office! (with wonder) Perhaps I’ve underestimated them all along.

We cut to PAM in front of the BUILDING DIRECTORY. She silently holds up a depiction of Ichigo… and beside it, a snap of Syndrome from The Incredibles.

While not “the same picture,” the similarities are hard to miss.

PAM waggles her eyebrows, and then we cut to…

…JIM, outside THE OFFICE’S FRONT DOOR. He is visible only from the shoulders up.

JIM (snapping a black eyemask onto his face):
It’sssssssssssss showtime!

The camera pulls back to reveal JIM, along with CECE and PAM, who is pushing a stroller carrying a standing PHIL and a SMALL BORDER COLLIE PUPPY NAMED FRESNO. JIM AND THE KIDS are wearing red shirts and pants with black gloves and boots, lighter red belts, black shorts and black eyemasks. PAM’S outfit is similar but gloveless – she has gone with the black turtleneck under the shirt as seen at the COFFEE CORNER. THE PUPPY, who has dark fur around his eyes, merely rocks a red t-shirt cut to his size, but the fuzz on his head has been shaped into a cowlick. All their shirts are emblazoned with stickers featuring a yellow i superimposed on a black and orange circle.

In short… it’s THE PARR FAMILY.

They charge into the OFFICE.

JIM (looking around, and dramatically spotting…):
Syndrome!

PAM and CECE gasp and assume fighting stances. PHIL hops off the stroller and babbles something. DWIGHT looks out into the BULLPEN in confusion.

PAM:
We found him!

JIM:
Good work, kids.

JIM holds his hand out to PHIL, seeking a low five. PHIL looks at him skeptically, then makes a burbling sound with his lips that suggests something going fast … or maybe he’s just amusing himself with a funny noise. The DOG, not one to leave anyone hanging, gives JIM a paw.

Quick cut to:

JIM (by the DUNDER MIFFLIN SIGN, still in full costume):
We borrowed Fresno from my brother. I’ve gotta drive my niece to Pittsburgh for a band audition now, but if you’re not going to have Jack-Jack why even bother doing The Incredibles?

We return to the BULLPEN, where DWIGHT has come to his office door, and the show is in full swing.

PAM:
Your evil plot will never succeed, Syndrome! We’ve got super strength!

JIM whacks HIS DESK, which collapses.

Quick cut to:

JIM (by the DUNDER MIFFLIN SIGN in full costume, now carrying CECE in one arm):
Removed the screws. And taught my daughter to use a screwdriver. (turns to her) You’re pretty good now, right Ceec?

CECE (shrugs):
I’m okay. (brightens) But I’m *really* good at jellos!

We return to the BULLPEN.

PAM:
We’ve got elasticity!

PAM uses the reach extender trick we saw her practicing earlier to retrieve a letter opener off her own desk… and she nails it.

PAM:
We’ve got invisibility!

CECE crosses her arms and holds them in front of her face… then steps behind her father so as to be blocked from DWIGHT’s view.

PAM:
And maybe you can replace all that with your inventions… but we’ll still have one thing you never will, Syndrome…

JIM:
The power of love!

The PUPPY barks.

PAM:
That’s right, Jack-Jack!

We do a couple quick reaction shots: PHYLLIS (a PHILADELPHIA PHILLIE) looks amused; DEVON (recycling his HOBO costume) looks resigned; MALCOLM (a FIREFIGHTER, or at least a guy in normal workday clothes wearing a plastic firefighter’s helmet with a price sticker still on it, as if he realized at the last possible moment people were serious about dressing up) and DAKOTA (TESS MCGILL FROM WORKING GIRL) look like they wish they’d sent out a few more resumes; OSCAR (a ROADBLOCK… “actually, I’m the Roberts Court”) wears an indulgent ‘let the children play’ expression; and we finish at RECEPTION with ERIN, who claps gleefully.

Then, we quick cut to PETE in the CONFERENCE ROOM. PETE is wearing his normal work clothes too, along with a fake goatee… making him Tony Stark. Not Iron Man, Tony Stark. Look, he really didn’t want to spend time on this.

PETE (in talking head):
Oh, Erin adores The Incredibles. She says she really likes how they come together and fight evil as a family. (beat) She also roots for Simon in Die Hard With A Vengeance. (beat) Not sure the fighting evil thing is that big a part of it.

We return to the BULLPEN.

DWIGHT:
What’s going on here? What are you doing??

PAM (duh):
Putting a stop to your dastardly plans once and for all!

ERIN:
Yeah, the Parrs have got you now, Syndrome!

CECE starts making karate motions at DWIGHT. Phil eats a goldfish out of his pocket, then makes his blurbling noise again.

ERIN’s commentary makes it finally click for PETE, who has been leaning on the RECEPTION DESK JIM-style and watching with amused confusion.

PETE:
Oh, it’s a group costume. Cool.

This last bit is directed to ERIN, who is tickled, perhaps even hot-to-trot, that her boyfriend is enjoying this too. (Which he’s not, really, but he loves that *she* is.)

DWIGHT (with dawning horror):
You think I’m doing a group costume?!? With them?!?!? And *I’m* the villain?!?!?!?

PAM (victory!):
Ha! We’ve got him on the ropes now, he’s about to start monologuing!

JIM snickers. He’s not alone among the office denizens who get the reference.

DWIGHT’s face hardens. This. Will. Not. Stand.

DWIGHT: Excuse me, I need everyone’s attention for a moment. (PHYLLIS straightens. DAKOTA and MALCOLM exchange a look… is anyone *not* paying attention to this?) I just want to clear up some rumors that are going around the office. I am Ichigo Kurosaki, I am a soul reaper from Karakura who fights evil spirits and can see ghosts. (PETE nods. That tracks. PAM and JIM scoff theatrically.) I am not doing any sort of ‘group costume,’ and I am not, I repeat, *not* Syndrome from the Incredibles.

This may be one of the top 10 most disappointing things to ever happen to ERIN. If you discount anything related to the orphanage. Or sex with ANDY. Or GABE.

MEREDITH (hair curled, wearing a glittery, fancy-looking dress with cleavage cut down to her navel… she’s THE AMY ADAMS CHARACTER FROM AMERICAN HUSTLE, since everyone is too afraid to ask):
…really?

DWIGHT:
Of course really! Why would any of you think that?

PHYLLIS (obviously, knows full well what’s happening, but…):
Because they’re the Incredibles, and you’ve got a very good Syndrome costume, Dwight.

CLARK walks in the front door, dressed as a passable HARRY POTTER, but very late and knows it. He quickly takes in the scene, and like a traveler lost in the desert seeing the mirage of an oasis, spots an opportunity to cover for himself with kiss-assery.

CLARK:
Wow, Dwight! You totally nailed Syndrome! That hair, it’s… it’s perfect!

DWIGHT is horrified… but then spies salvation, in the form of his one true love, who has silently been observing all the uproar from ACCOUNTING, wearing a LEOPARD onesie.

DWIGHT:
Angela! (to the INCREDIPERTS and other assorted lookers-on) Angela knows, she saw me put my costume together right from the start! (to his beloved) Tell them, Angela. Tell them I’m not Syndrome!

ANGELA:
Of course Dwight isn’t Syndrome.

DWIGHT sighs in relief. Behind him we can see JIM and PAM telepathically communicating about their next step, while CECE looks disappointed the game is over and PHIL starts trying to pull off one of his gloves. THE PUPPY appears to have fallen asleep.

ANGELA (to the crowd):
Syndrome isn’t real, he’s an alter ego Buddy Pine created to help him with his mission. Dwight is Buddy Pine. (Quick cut to DWIGHT’S jaw drop of betrayal, then back to the catty accountant) And it *is* a wonderful Buddy Pine costume, Dwight. (with an edge) You’ve outdone yourself.

We cut back to DWIGHT, who is crushed, and then to a talking head with the ANGELEOPARD.

ANGELA (in lecture mode):
Buddy Pine was a fine young man who wanted to preserve law and order and protect his community. As he grew up, he realized he had an even higher cause: to stop those who claimed to act for the good of all, but in truth just sought glory for themselves, and usurped powers that should be limited to God and not man. Buddy Pine was a hero, and those Hollywood heathens *refused* to give him his due. (beat) And Buddy would never force his fiancée into hours of consultation with her pastor on her relationship with an (shudder) *atheist* over a Halloween costume. (beat) I assume.

We return to DWIGHT, who absorbs this blow and then reacts decisively, as any good regional manager would.

DWIGHT:
Okay, that’s it! I’m switching to my alternate costume.

DWIGHT turns and walks back into THE MANAGER’S OFFICE, presumably to fetch something out of his bag.

Meanwhile, at that same moment… CECE holds out a hand.

CECE:
Force field!

DWIGHT turns around again and starts advancing on her.

DWIGHT:
Listen, you…

JIM (chastising):
Dwight! You’re in a force field.

DWIGHT stops on a dime. He’s… trapped! He looks to camera, horrified.

PAM (one proud mama):
Good job, Vi.

PHIL, who has been remarkably focused on this prank all things considered, finally loses interest and toddles off. A now-rejuvenated ERIN takes it on herself to hustle after him.

JIM (back in character):
Go, Dash! Use your super speed!

PAM laughs and looks at JIM fondly.

We cut to THE ANNEX, where we visit with a nondescript, bespectacled man with neatly cut brown hair. This is A NEW HR GUY. He wears a tie and button down, but has a discarded pirate hat, eyepatch, and stuffed parrot at his side… desperately trying to resist his serious nature and be one of the gang. His name is unimportant. DWIGHT goes through human resources staffers faster than KEVIN goes through M&Ms, this guy’ll quit by Thanksgiving.

NEW HR GUY:
I had assumed he was Syndrome without seeing the Halperts. Really for the best we run with that. (beat) He probably shouldn’t be dressing up like he’s Japanese.

And cut to the PLAQUE from the opening credits, reading THE OFFICE: AN AMERICAN WORKPLACE. In smaller writing below is the PBS logo and the words “New Episodes Return November 15.”