if a tie happens; in case of a draw
The host announces a tie after eighty-seven minutes, then states the rule for what happens if the score stays level.
In the event of a tie, we move into a sudden-death round.Mean Girls · 2004 — Chapter 10 of 10 · 2'31" · B1
Cady Wins the Mathletes Championship, Explained: sudden-death round
A state math final is deadlocked, and each team uses its pick on a girl: "The girl, dude. The girl." Under the quiz-show theatrics, the voice-over is busy scoring the other contestant's eyebrows and lip gloss, then admits the mockery won't stop the other contestant from beating her.
What happens
The state math championship runs 87 minutes and ends in a tie, so it goes to a sudden-death round where each team picks its opponent. Both schools pick a girl: North Shore takes Krafft, Marymount takes Cady. Before the question, Cady mentally dissects the other contestant's eyebrows and outfit, then has to solve a limit problem to win it.
Listen for
in the event of a tiesudden-death roundmaking fun ofthe limit does not exist
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Now
Phrase of the scene
sudden-death round
a round that ends on the next score
The host explains the tiebreak: both sides enter sudden death, and the next correct answer ends the contest at once.
The playoff went to a sudden-death round after a tie.
Also in this scene
- in the event of a tie
if a tie happens; in case of a draw
- making fun of
mocking or laughing at someone
- the limit does not exist
the limit has no finite value
- How do you like me now?
a gloating 'what do you think now?'
- do your thang
do things your own way
Everything marked in this scene
27 notes across 42 lines
a round that ends on the next score
The host explains the tiebreak: both sides enter sudden death, and the next correct answer ends the contest at once.
In the event of a tie, we move into a sudden-death round.Let 'event of a' run together; keep the t light.
In the event of a tie, we move into a sudden-death round.be allowed the chance to do something
Each team is given the opportunity to choose their opponent.man; bro — Casual address between friends; avoid in formal settings.
- North Shore, who do you select? - The girl, dude. The girl.choose or select
Her outfit looked like it was picked out by a blind Sunday school teacher.mocking or laughing at someone
Cady drifts mid-match and realizes that mocking her rival's looks will not help her win the question.
And that's when I realized, making fun of Caroline Krafft wouldn't stop her from beating me in this contest.prevent her from defeating me
And that's when I realized, making fun of Caroline Krafft wouldn't stop her from beating me in this contest.gerund subject: The whole -ing phrase is the subject; it frames mocking as an action that fails to help.
And that's when I realized, making fun of Caroline Krafft wouldn't stop her from beating me in this contest.calculate the limit
Contestants, find the limit of this equation.did not make someone happier
And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't make me any happier.the problem right before you not just physically ahead; the task you face now
All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you.relative clause: The relative clause 'you can do in life' modifies 'All'; the whole phrase is the subject, completed by 'try'.
All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you.The 'of' in 'front of' is very light; don't give each word equal weight.
All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you.give the right answer to this problem
Now, we are in a sudden death. If Miss Heron can answer this problem correctly, we have a winner.had a haircut
Limits. That was the week Aaron got his hair cut.winners at state level
Our new state champions, - the North Shore Mathletes. - Yeah!In fast speech 'do you' blends; keep the stress on 'like' and 'now'.
How do you like me now?yeah! bring it on — A loud sports-celebration shout; avoid with elders or in formal settings.
You like that? Yeah! Get some! Get some!chose
Awesome. You went with the leather sleeves.did a great job — Praise between friends; the mild swear keeps it casual.
- Africa, you did the damn thing. - Thanks.arrive at or enter not literally roll; arrive at an event
We're gonna look so kick-ass in these when we roll into Spring Fling.very cool; badass — Casual praise for looks or style; not for formal contexts.
We're gonna look so kick-ass in these when we roll into Spring Fling.causative let: The pattern let + person + bare verb means allowing someone to do something.
Cady, this is your night. Don't let the haters stop you from doing your thang.people who hate on you — Encouraging friends online or in casual talk; too slangy for formal writing.
Cady, this is your night. Don't let the haters stop you from doing your thang.keep punishing yourself endlessly
Cady, you don't have to punish yourself forever.Say 'have to' quickly and lightly, with the main beat on 'punish'.
Cady, you don't have to punish yourself forever.Cady Wins the Mathletes Championship, explained
What's really going on
On the surface this is a math championship, but the scoring has moved off the chalkboard. Each team spends its one pick on a girl — "The girl, dude. The girl." — and the camera stays inside Cady's head while she grades the other contestant's eyebrows, an outfit "picked out by a blind Sunday school teacher" and some "99-cent lip gloss." Then the voice-over turns on itself: "making fun of Caroline Krafft wouldn't stop her from beating me in this contest." The question on the board — find the limit — becomes the scene's own arithmetic. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you smarter; ruining someone's life didn't make her happier. The answer she finally shouts is about the math, and it lands as the only rule left standing.
Theme
Coming of ageA math tiebreak turns into a self-audit: the insults she has been scoring don't add up to anything.
GuiltShe measures each jab at a rival against what it actually got her, and the ledger comes up empty.
Listen for
- event of a — Let 'event of a' run together; keep the t light.
- in front of — The 'of' in 'front of' is very light; don't give each word equal weight.
- do you — In fast speech 'do you' blends; keep the stress on 'like' and 'now'.
- have to — Say 'have to' quickly and lightly, with the main beat on 'punish'.
Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter.The voice-over's own verdict on trash talk: insulting a rival gains you nothing. It plays during the tiebreak, after the mocking.
All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you.Her takeaway from the whole mess: stop keeping score of people and deal with the question actually on the board.
The limit does not exist.The answer to the sudden-death problem, shouted out to win the round: if the limit never approaches anything, there is no limit.
Cady, this is your night. Don't let the haters stop you from doing your thang.A pep talk after the win: go to the dance, ignore the people who dislike you, do it your own way.
Cady, you don't have to punish yourself forever.A push after she says she isn't going: she doesn't have to keep punishing herself. She answers that she's grounded, and the reply is that she's already out.
Questions about this scene
Who does each team pick as its opponent?
Each team is allowed to choose its opponent for the sudden-death round — "Each team is given the opportunity to choose their opponent" — and both sides go with "the girl": North Shore picks Krafft, Marymount picks Cady.
What does the voice-over say about the other contestant?
It grades her eyebrows, an outfit "picked out by a blind Sunday school teacher" and "99-cent lip gloss", then admits making fun of her won't stop her from winning.
What does "the limit does not exist" mean here?
It is the answer to the tiebreak problem: "If the limit never approaches anything... the limit does not exist." Answering it correctly makes North Shore the state champions.
Why does she say she can't go to the dance?
Because she says "I'm grounded." The reply, "You're already out," undercuts the excuse: she has already left the house, so it no longer works.
Mean Girls · 10 chapters
All chapters →
Chapter 1queen beeReading the Cafeteria Map
Chapter 2scam onJason Gets Dressed Down at Lunch
Chapter 3hump dayCady Visits Regina's House
Chapter 4huge crush onCady's Crush Gets Exposed
Chapter 5getting on my last nerveTalent Show Rap and a Formation Switch
Chapter 6You didn't hear it from meThree-Way Call Gossip
Chapter 7the word had gotten outThe Party Gets Out of Hand
Chapter 8girl-on-girl crimeRegina George Gets Called Out
Chapter 9can't help itStudents Confess at Apology Assembly
Watching · Chapter 10sudden-death roundCady Wins the Mathletes ChampionshipThat's all 10 chapters of this film