War Is the H-Word

Season 3, Episode 2, Aired
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Episode Summary

Bender and Fry volunteer for military duty to enjoy the benefits of the soldiers' discount. When war breaks out later that same day, Leela too decides to join the all-male ranks, under the guise of Lee Lemon, and creates quite a stir for her leader, Zapp Brannigan.moreless
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Cast & Crew

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  • David Herman

    Soldier #1 / Henry Kissinger's Head

  •

    Katey Sagal

    Turanga Leela / Lee Lemon

  •

    Billy West

    Philip J. Fry / Professor Hubert Farnsworth / Dr. Zoidberg / Zapp Brannigan / Richard Nixon's Head / Clerk / Hick Soldier

Fan Episode Reviews (12)

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  • Perfect

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Southparkfa, Aug 07, 2010 Report Abuse
    In this episode, Fry and Bender join the army to get a special 5% discount off of gum. However, they are quickly called into a war on a distant planet. They survive, however Leela is disguised as a man (Lee Lemon) in order to help them. Zapp is attracted to Lee(la), and is very confused as he doesn't realize it's Leela. Later, Bender nearly dies to stop a bomb, and then the army plants one in him. This episode was so funny, the war, Zapp, Fry, evryone and everything was great. Overall, a new favorite of mine, check it out. 10/10 A+moreless

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    1 0

  • War!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By that70sguy92, Jun 15, 2009 Report Abuse
    War is always an interesting plot, especially a clever war like the one in this episode (War is the H-Word). It was a very clever war, with awesome enemies, and some smart guns. The end was the best part "Bite my shiny daffodil ass!" LOL! That made me laugh for days. This is a great episode to watch, and it is one of my favorites. I encourage anyone who likes this show and war to watch this episode of Futurama.

    Immediately after Fry and Bender join the army for a discount on something at a gas station, Earth goes to war with another planet.moreless

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  • hillarious

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Blind_Legend, Jun 24, 2008 Report Abuse
    Bender and Fry hatch a plan to join the military to gain 5% discount cards given to all military personnel, buy gum from a store and then quit. Playing the military for chumps.
    Their plan goes awry when war is declared and their resiginations will no longer be accepted. In an attempt to help stop her friends being killed Leela tries to join as well but the military are no longer accepting female recruits, not while Zapp Brannigan is in charge, so she is forced to disguise herself as a man to be accepted into their ranks.The best scene is when after the first battle against their foe goes poorly. President Nixons head places a bomb inside Bender designed to blow when he (Bender) utters a single word. Ass. When Bender discovers this he turns this predicament in his favour by making demands and threatening to blow himself up if they are not met.moreless

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  • Earth goes to war.

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By stitch069917, Jun 20, 2008 Report Abuse
    Fry and Bender go to a convenience store to buy some gum when they see a military man walk up and get a discount on the purchase he makes. They decide to join the military and get a discount card then quit. Right after they sign up, war is declared. They are immediately put on a ship with Zap Brannigan, of all people. Leela tries to go with them, but Zap tells her that women are no longer allowed in the military. She uses a disguise and gets on board anyway. Nixon's head tells the soldiers that they are headed for a planet and....moreless

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  • ANother one of my personl favorite episodes!!!!

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By Iverson82094, Feb 04, 2008 Report Abuse
    Fry and Bender enlist in the Earth Army to take advantage of the 5% military discount to buy chewing gum. Within seconds of their enlistment, Earth declares war on Spheron I, a planet that commanding general Zapp Brannigan describes as devoid of any natural resources and possessing no strategic value.

    Concerned for her friends' safety, Leela attempts to enlist, but is unable due to the Army's men-only policy (similar to the situation of Mulan). Leela sneaks aboard the Nimbus disguised as a man under the name of Lee Lemon, and Brannigan finds himself attracted to this new soldier.

    The troops are deployed to Spheron I and discover that the enemy is a race of sentient spherical creatures. Fry is told to hold back an assault while his fellow soldiers recharge their weapons by turning a crank that plays Pop Goes the Weasel (similar to how a Jack-in-the-box is operated). When the enemy charges, Fry blows a hole in the ground with his weapon and hides in it while his squad is decimated. Bender opens his chest plate and throws himself on a bomb, absorbing the explosion. After the battle, Brannigan sentences Fry to become Kif's assistant while Bender, now a hero, is treated at a field hospital.

    As the soldiers regroup at camp, Richard Nixon's Head sends Bender, now an officer, and Henry Kissinger's Head to negotiate with the Spheron leaders. Leela overhears Nixon and Brannigan discussing the true plan: while Bender was recovering, Nixon had a bomb implanted inside Bender; the weapon will detonate with enough force to destroy the entire planet when Bender says "ass".

    Leela and Fry steal a helicopter and fly to the negotiating hall; in the process, Leela reveals her identity, to Fry's amazement and Brannigan's overwhelming relief. Fry stops Bender from accidentally activating the bomb; however, Bender realizes that he now has the power to force the Brain Balls to do anything he wants, including surrender. The spheroids reveal that Spheron I is actually their home world, and it is the humans who are the "evil invading aliens", but Bender simply demands that they "get the Hell off [his] planet!" Without argument, the spheres all bounce into the sky and disappear.

    Back at the Planet Express office, Professor Farnsworth and Zoidberg confess that they were unable to remove the bomb from Bender's body. Instead, they reset the bomb's trigger, taking it from the list of words that Bender almost never says. Despite Bender's pleas, the crew refuses to tell him the new trigger word but during the credits Bender correctly guesses "antiquing". After a last second boom and flash, Bender states that he's OK.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • The title caption on the New New York Post newspaper at the end of the episode reads 'Balls Throughly Licked.' Edit
    • Kif's donkey is in the hospital with Bender. You can see it for a few seconds before they pan to Zoidberg. Edit
    • The jellyfish-like alien nurse assisting Dr. Zoidberg looks like the same species of sea alien seen arm-in-arm with Zoidberg on the deck of the Titanic in A Flight to Remember. She (or an alien who distinctly resembles her) is also seen performing a gangster rap at the Miss Universe pageant in . Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • This is the first time of many that we hear Fry singing "Walking on Sunshine". Edit
    • A clip of Fry using a Lightsaber to knock down a piñata is a reference to Luke Skywalker's training in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. This was noticed by George Lucas and included this clip on the Bonus DVD of the Star Wars Trilogy DVD Box Set. You can see it at the end of the Lightsaber Featurette during the credits. Edit
    • During the M*A*S*H parody, Alien Code #1 is written on top of one of the tents; being translated to 'M*E*A*T.' Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Zapp: (in the shower) Lower. Lower. Lower. Too low!! Lower. Fry: (scrubbing Kif's back) I'm walking on sunshine! Whoa! I'm walking on sunshine whoa, oh, oh! I'm walking on sunshine whoa! Edit
    • Bender: So, what's the word? Hermes: We think it's better if you don't know. Bender: Oh, come on. I'm not gonna say it. Please? Ooh, is it "please"? Fry: No. Bender: Hm, words I never say. Oh, I know! "Thanks"! Leela: Bender, stop trying to destroy the world. Bender: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Is it "sorry"? No. "Fun-derful"? Uh, "non-alcoholic"? Amy: Quit it! Fry: Bender! Hermes: Stop it, mon! Zoidberg: Enough already! Bender: "Compassion"? "Shrimptoast"? "Antiquing"? Big explosion sounds Bender: I'm OK Edit
    • Leela: We couldn't disarm the bomb so we reset the word that triggers it. Amy: It's from the list of words you almost never say. Bender: That's using your ass. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Dyslexia: Zapp's made up sexual learning disorder, "Sexlexia", is a play on the actual learning disorder Dyslexia. Edit
    • Cat's Cradle: Outside the gas station, there is a poster that reads "Free Bag Of Ice-9 With Six Pack". This is a reference to the 1963 science fiction novel "Cat's Cradle", by Kurt Vonnegut. In the book, a super weapon, Ice-9, is created and is capable of freezing all the liquid in the entire world. Edit
    • Ancient Greece Attempting to peak the interest of Lee Lemon (Leela), Zapp Brannigan wants to discuss Ancient Greece. Bisexuality was a normal and acceptable part of Ancient Greek society. Edit

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