Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 (2018) movie poster

Timeline

Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 (2018) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 85 min · English
Directed by
Lloyd Kaufman
Starring
Babette Bombshell, Catherine Corcoran, Vito Trigo, Zac Amico, Asta Paredes, Jim Sheppard

Lauren and Chrissy, a lesbian couple, team up to stop a deranged CEO from unleashing organic chaos and taking over the world. This action-packed, sci-fi horror-comedy follows their fight for love and survival as they face an apocalyptic threat that could destroy everything. They must confront the impending doom and battle for the future of humanity.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (14)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2
  5. 5 Every angle

14 events in order · contains spoilers

Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 (2018) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Chrissy faces blackmail from Principal Westley

    In the principal's office, Westley shows Chrissy the video of her kissing Lauren and demands she delete her blog. He threatens to air the footage on TV if she doesn't comply, leveraging the threat to silence her once and for all. Chrissy realizes the stakes have become dangerous and personal.

    Where
    Principal's office
  2. Lauren gives birth to a duck-human hybrid

    In the gym locker room, Lauren gives birth to a duck-human hybrid. She explains to Chrissy that her pregnancy happened under bizarre circumstances involving her pet duck Kevin. The moment underscores the bizarre consequences of the toxic world they inhabit.

    Where
    Gym locker room
  3. Chrissy and Lauren steal Zac's clothes

    Chrissy and Lauren steal Zac's clothes as revenge for his betrayal to the principal, signaling their willingness to fight back. Zac's power and status are diminished as the girls assert control. Meanwhile, Zac is welcomed into the Cretins, escalating the feud.

  4. Zac declares war on Chrissy and Lauren

    After aligning with the Cretins, Zac proclaims war on Chrissy and Lauren. The threat shifts from personal vendetta to open conflict, fueling a broader confrontation around Tromaville.

  5. Aunt Bee and Mr. Chip reveal Chrissy's lineage and Herzkauf's plot

    The next morning, Aunt Bee and science teacher Mr. Chip reveal that Chrissy is the daughter of Chrissy and Warren from the first Class of Nuke 'Em High. Warren grew up to become Lee Harvey Herzkauf, who is secretly plotting with the US president to serve toxic tacos in every school, using Tromaville students' flatulence gas to stay young.

    When
    the next morning
    Where
    Chrissy's home
  6. Kevin mutates into a hulking duck monster

    Kevin is thrown into a vat of toxic waste and mutates into a hulking duck monster. The transformation demonstrates the lethal effects of the toxic environment and foreshadows the violence to come.

    Where
    toxic waste vat
  7. Reporters arrive; Lauren comes out publicly

    Reporters show up at Chrissy's house to question her about the blog. To reclaim agency and support their cause, Lauren comes out as part of a lesbian couple, signaling a united front against Herzkauf's plans.

    When
    morning
    Where
    Chrissy's house
  8. The Cretins kidnap Lauren and the baby; siege at the school

    The Cretins break into Chrissy's house, kidnap Lauren and the baby, and drive them to Tromaville High, where they begin shooting the school in a desperate act of terror. The community's safety is suddenly thrown into chaos.

    When
    night
    Where
    Tromaville High School
  9. Herzkauf mutates and unleashes slaughter in the school

    With the gas running low, Herzkauf mutates into a monstrous form and hurries into the school, slaughtering dozens of students. The mutated villain's power intensifies the danger facing Chrissy and her friends.

    When
    during the siege
    Where
    Tromaville High School
  10. Chrissy, Slater, and Kelly are captured during the siege

    Chrissy, Slater, and Kelly enter the school to find Lauren, but Zac and the Cretins taunt them and threaten sexual assault. The capture underscores the immediacy of the threat and the heroes' vulnerability.

    When
    during the siege
    Where
    Tromaville High School
  11. Kevin intervenes; Zac is killed; Slater sacrifices himself

    Kevin bursts in and murders Zac, shifting the balance of power. The remaining Cretins flee with the baby, while Slater dies by jumping on a grenade to protect his friends.

    When
    during the siege
    Where
    Tromaville High School
  12. Final confrontation ends with God killed and Herzkauf defeated

    Lauren uses Mr. Chip's laser to shoot into the sky, accidentally killing God, and then she and Chrissy fire the laser together to finish off Herzkauf. The school explodes in the chaos that follows, marking the end of the immediate threat.

    When
    final confrontation
    Where
    outside Tromaville High School
  13. Kevin's sacrifice; returns the baby

    Kevin emerges from the wreckage and returns the baby to Lauren, then sacrifices himself along with Principal Westley in a final explosion to stop the villains. The town reels from the destruction, but the threat is finally contained.

    Where
    outside the wreckage
  14. Lauren and Chrissy marry

    In a private ceremony under a rainbow, Lauren and Chrissy celebrate their love and commitment, signaling a hopeful new chapter after the town's ordeal.

    Where
    private ceremony

Last updated: November 25, 2025 at 01:01

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 (2018): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

How did Lauren get pregnant with a duck-human hybrid?

Lauren explains to Chrissy that she was impregnated when her pet duck Kevin was forcibly inserted into her, resulting in a duck-human hybrid birth. This bizarre occurrence is presented as a consequence of the toxic, mutated world of Tromaville where such strange biological experiments are possible.

  • duck human hybrid
  • Lauren pregnancy
  • Kevin the duck
  • Tromaville mutations
Q2

Why is Chrissy revealed to be her own mother?

Aunt Bee and Mr. Chip reveal that Chrissy is the daughter of Chrissy and Warren from the first Class of Nuke 'Em High. This makes Chrissy essentially her own mother, as she is the product of her own future self and Warren. Warren grew up to become Lee Harvey Herzkauf, the main villain.

  • Chrissy mother
  • Herzkauf identity
  • time paradox
  • Chrissy lineage
Q3

What is Lee Harvey Herzkauf's plan?

Lee Harvey Herzkauf is secretly plotting with the President of the United States to flood schools with toxic tacos, using Tromaville High students' flatulence gas to stay young. His plan involves contaminating the national school lunch program with mutated food that keeps him energized and youthful.

  • Herzkauf plan
  • toxic tacos
  • flatulence gas
  • conspiracy
Q4

How does Kevin become a duck monster?

Kevin the duck is dumped into a toxic waste vat, where he mutates into a hulking duck monster. The toxic waste causes his transformation, turning him into a violent creature that later helps Chrissy and Lauren fight the Cretins.

  • Kevin monster
  • duck transformation
  • toxic waste
  • mutation
Q5

How does Lauren kill God with the laser?

Lauren seizes Mr. Chip's laser and fires a shot into the sky while fighting Herzkauf. The laser accidentally strikes and kills God, an absurd moment that fits the movie's comedic tone. This unusual act, combined with a kiss shared with Chrissy, unleashes a combined blast that destroys Herzkauf.

  • kill God
  • laser
  • Herzkauf defeat
  • absurd ending
Q6

Why does Slater sacrifice himself on the grenade?

Slater jumps onto a grenade during the school siege to protect his friends from the explosion. His self-sacrifice kills him but saves Chrissy, Kelly, and others from the blast, showing his heroism in the final confrontation.

  • Slater death
  • grenade sacrifice
  • school siege hero
Q7

Why do the Cretins kidnap Lauren and the baby?

The Cretins break into Chrissy's house and kidnap Lauren and the baby as part of their escalating war against Chrissy and Lauren. They drive them to Tromaville High School and begin a siege, using the hostages as leverage in their violent confrontation.

  • Cretins kidnapping
  • Lauren captured
  • baby kidnapped
  • school siege
Q8

How do Chrissy and Lauren defeat Herzkauf?

During the final confrontation, Lauren uses Mr. Chip's laser to fire into the sky, accidentally killing God. Then Chrissy makes contact with the nearly fully mutated Herzkauf, and she and Lauren share a courageous kiss that unleashes a combined blast, finally defeating Herzkauf and ending the threat.

  • Herzkauf defeat
  • Chrissy Lauren victory
  • laser
  • combined blast
Q9

Why does Kevin sacrifice himself with Principal Westley?

After the main battle, Kevin emerges from the wreckage with the baby and returns the child to Lauren. When Principal Westley tries to escape, Kevin chooses to sacrifice himself along with Westley in a final explosion, ensuring the villain cannot escape and demonstrating Kevin's heroic final act.

  • Kevin sacrifice
  • Principal Westley death
  • final explosion
Q10

Why does Lauren publicly come out as part of a lesbian couple?

When reporters arrive to question Chrissy about her blog, Lauren comes out publicly as part of a lesbian couple to stand with Chrissy. This act reclaims their agency, shows their united front against Herzkauf's plans, and becomes a statement of pride and resistance.

  • Lauren comes out
  • lesbian couple
  • Chrissy Lauren relationship
  • public declaration

Movie threads

More Movies Like Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Chaotic Queer-Positive Sci-Fi Horror like Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2

Outlandish sci-fi horror adventures centered on queer protagonists fighting absurd threats. If you liked the outrageous blend of horror and queer joy in Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2, explore these movies. This list features similar stories where chaotic sci-fi threats are met with campy humor and centered on LGBTQ+ characters fighting for survival and love.

  • campy
  • queer-positive
  • chaotic
  • absurd
  • energetic
  • outrageous
  • Tone: whimsical, campy, hopeful
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often begin with a mundane or high school setting disrupted by a bizarre, often corporate or scientific, threat. The central queer couple or group must navigate escalating absurdity, combining relationship dynamics with over-the-top action to thwart an apocalyptic plot, leading to a hopeful resolution that affirms their bonds.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their unique ability to merge high-intensity horror and sci-fi elements with a whimsical, campy tone and a strong, positive focus on LGBTQ+ relationships, creating an experience that is simultaneously shocking, hilarious, and heartwarming.

Campy Corporate Satire with Monster Mayhem like Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2

Absurdist parodies where greedy corporations create monstrous chaos. Fans of the environmental satire and monster mutations in Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 will enjoy these movies. Discover similar films that feature deranged CEOs, toxic takeovers, and body horror, all wrapped in a campy, comedic package that pokes fun at corporate absurdity.

  • satirical
  • absurd
  • campy
  • outrageous
  • grotesque
  • chaotic
  • Tone: whimsical, satirical
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot typically revolves around a sinister corporation or mad CEO whose reckless experiments or toxic policies trigger a wave of mutations and monstrous transformations. The heroes, often everyday people or rebellious teens, must navigate the ensuing chaos in a satirical battle against the soulless entity, leading to a spectacularly messy confrontation.

Why they belong together: They share a specific blend of environmental or corporate satire with campy body horror and fast-paced, chaotic action. The tone is consistently humorous and absurd, using over-the-top violence and monsters to critique greed without taking itself seriously.

If you liked this

Movies Like Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2

Similar movies to Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 (2018) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High a.k.a. Vol. 2 in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app