Ready Player One Chapter 18 Summary

How It All Goes Down

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  • It's Ogden Morrow's 73rd birthday, and he's throwing a rocking shindig at his OASIS-based, zero-gravity nightclub, The Distracted Globe. Shmoop is not on the invite list.
  • Wade dresses up Parzival in the hottest digital clothes credits can buy and rides to the party in his 1980s Frankenstein car, a mix of the Delorean from Back to the Future, the Ekto-1 from Ghostbusters, and Kitt from Knight Rider
  • At the party, Parzival and Art3mis drink digital drinks, listen to '80s tunes, and dance around in zero gravity.
  • Then, Parzival utters the words that screw up any budding, long-distance relationship: "I'm in love with you" (18.41). Screeeeeech.
  • They get into an intense argument about whether or not it's possible to love someone you don't know in person. (Shmoop amongst yourselves.)
  • Their fight is interrupted when the Sixers blow a hole in the club and invade, swarming in to kill Art3mis and Parzival. Their lovers' spat will have to wait.
  • A firefight ensues, claiming the lives of a few avatars, but Parzival and Art3mis manage to keep them at bay.
  • The battle ends when Og comes out of the DJ booth and blasts all the Sixers with magical red lightning bolts, instantly vaporizing them.
  • After kicking butt, Og starts the music again. Parzival looks around for Art3mis, but she's pulled an Irish goodbye.