Narrator:
WHILE GREEK HERO ODYSSEUS
WAS FIGHTING THE TROJAN WARS,
PENELOPE WAS LEFT TO FEND OFF
A BUNCH OF UNWANTED ADMIRERS.
SHE PROMISED TO MARRY
WHICHEVER MAN
COULD FIRE AN ARROW
THROUGH 12 AX HEADS,
CONFIDENT THAT THE SHOT
WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
BUT ODYSSEUS RETURNED
AND, IN DISGUISE,
TOOK THE SHOT AND NAILED IT.
IF THE MYTHBUSTERS CAN SOMEHOW
REPEAT THAT SUCCESS,
IT WOULD PROVE BEYOND DOUBT
THAT AN ARROW FLIES
STRAIGHT AND TRUE.
Rachel:
HERE WE HAVE OUR 12 AXES
WITH THE TARGETS OF
3 INCHES IN DIAMETER,
INSPIRED BY ODYSSEUS'
ARCHERY TRICK SHOT,
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE BYRON
TAKE THIS SHOT
AND SEE IF HE CAN GET THROUGH
ALL 12 WITH HIS LONGBOW.
THEY SAY IT'S IMPOSSIBLE,
SO GOOD LUCK, BRO.
Narrator:
IT'S A DAUNTING PROSPECT.
EVEN BYRON HAS HIS DOUBTS.
NOW, I KNOW SHOOTING THROUGH
A 3-INCH RING
SHOULDN'T BE A VERY HARD SHOT,
AND IT'S NOT.
SHOOTING THROUGH THREE OR FOUR
OF THEM, NOT A HARD SHOT.
SHOOTING THROUGH 12 OF THEM?
IT'S A VERY HARD SHOT, DOING IT
WITH A TRADITIONAL BOW.
♪♪
♪♪
[ METAL CLANKS ]
[ CLATTER ]
[ METAL CLANKS ]
Narrator:
CALLING THIS A HARD SHOT
IS A MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENT,
AND WITH A QUIVER
FULL OF ARROWS,
BYRON'S NOT ABOUT TO LAY DOWN
HIS LONGBOW.
-WHOA!
-AW!
COME ON!
GET ON THROUGH THERE.
Narrator: EVERY TIME, HE
SMOOTHLY SHOOTS THE ARROWS
THROUGH AT LEAST
THE FIRST FEW RINGS.
[ METAL CLANKS ]
-OH!
-SO CLOSE!
Narrator:
BUT THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OF SHAFT
OR FLETCHING ON METAL
SPELLS DISASTER
FOR THIS TREACHEROUS
TRICK SHOT.
IF YOUR ARROW COMES INTO CONTACT
WITH EVEN SO MUCH
AS A BLADE OF GRASS,
IT'S GONNA THROW IT OFF.
MINE CAME IN CONTACT
WITH 1/4-INCH STEEL.
I THINK THE ARCHER'S PARADOX
IS WHAT DID ME IN.
[ METAL CLANKS ]
ANYWAY, I COULDN'T DO IT.
I TRIED.
[ METAL CLANKS ]
AND WHILE I'M THINKING ABOUT IT,
GREAT SHOT, ODYSSEUS!
