Nemesis almost made me hate rollercoasters.
As far as openings to love letters go, that sure wouldn’t get me a second date. But honestly, the first time I rode this beast, I began to think that maybe rollercoasters were too much for me. I exited that first ride shaking, clinging to the handrail for support, and desperately searching for somewhere to collapse. I wound up perched on a rock for much longer than this cram-as-many-rides-in-without-stopping theme park goer would ever have perched unless strictly necessary. In fact, I was so shaken that when my next opportunity to visit the park rolled around, I skipped it. Why mess myself up when there were plenty of other rides in the park more suitable for sensitive souls like me?
Then, eventually, I rode it again. I’d ridden a few more coasters by this point, including a certain pair of duelling descendants of my foe, but I still feared ‘the world’s most intense ride experience’. I’d built Nemesis up to be this fearsome, overwhelming ordeal, but as we ascended the lift hill on my second ride, I was taken aback by how small it was. This was it? Is this all you can conjure, Saruman? But when we crested that hill and began to hurtle into the crevasse, I was very quickly reminded of the ridiculous power that seemingly tiny hill wields. Except, it felt good. No. Great. As I hurtled through the first corkscrew and into that ridiculously forceful helix, I started grinning, overcome with how mad this thing was. I was being pummelled with force – and I really liked it?! By the time the train dived to the very bottom of the pit, ready to enter one of the most memorable vertical loops I’ve ever done, I was in love. Not only with Nemesis, but with rollercoasters. Maybe I didn’t have to stick to the mild to moderate rides. Maybe, just maybe, I should get out there and ride as many of these things as I could? After all, if I could handle this ride that had previously overwhelmed me, surely I was ready?
So, here we are. Despite a rocky start to our relationship, I knew I had to be there to wave farewell to the first iteration of what is now one of my favourite rides in the country. After a day spent getting in some final rides between intermittent downpours, Sunday 6th November 2022 found me on the Alton Towers lawn surrounded by some of my favourite nerds. We were waiting for the promised 19:30 announcement. Whispers had been rife all day that this announcement would confirm the much-rumoured return of Nemesis: Sub-Terra, so it was a (slightly disappointing) surprise when the announcement was just of the rides closure, but holy moly was it done well! Ever since the arrival of the now iconic closure posters, Alton Towers have leaned heavily into the lore surrounding Nemesis, and this announcement was the first sign that we were in for a highly story-based evening. With Phalanx officials announcing an investigation into the ride, whilst dropping lines like ‘you’ll join me in remembering what’s been an iconic presence in many of our lives’ this left me emotional due to both the impending ride closure, and also my deep love of theatrics. By the time the announcement wrapped up and it was time for the mad march up to Forbidden Valley to begin, my eyes were swimming with tears. Oh boy, this was going to be an evening.
Whilst the crowds were overwhelming – we’re talking Disney park post-fireworks – the atmosphere on the way to the Valley was electric. However, even the incredible announcement video didn’t manage to prepare me for what we were about to find waiting in Forbidden Valley. As well as a queue all the way back to the Duel toilets (!) for final rides (that was expected), the entire area had been transformed (that certainly was not!) Our familiar theme park land had been turned into the site of what seemed for be a forensic investigation. Tents had appeared, and outlets had been covered in protective sheets. Ride closure signs had been covered in new signage from the Phalanx. Most strikingly, the Phalanx themselves had taken over and certainly weren’t afraid to make their presence known. Neither, for that matter, was Nemesis itself. It was roaring. But not just the beloved, iconic B&M roar but an actual screech, like a creature in pain. Whilst normally, such a noise would break my heart, I was almost hyperventilating with joy. I just couldn’t believe this was real. They went to this length. For a retrack?!
Our first stop was – of course – a final ride, which turned out to be, fittingly, the best ride I’d ever had. Sat in the front row with good friends, with more friends standing below in the queue line, swooping through the red glow of Forbidden Valley at night, I was reminded what makes this hobby – and this ride – so special. How lucky we are to soar through the air, experiencing speeds and forces we’d never experience with our feet on the ground, forgetting for a moment that anything else matters. And we get to share that with our favourite people! It just can’t be beaten, can it?
In addition, when entering the queue we were handed a ‘very important’ Test Specimen wristband, which – to my utter delight – had the date printed along the bottom. A small souvenir I’ll cherish, even if some have been fetching eyewatering bids on eBay!
On exiting the ride, we were immediately accosted by Phalanx officers who demanded to see our wristbands before questioning us about our interaction with Nemesis. Having survived this encounter, I stopped to take a selfie and had a Phalanx scientist begin to brush me down. Around us, a large cast of characters created an environment that wouldn’t have needed much modification to have been a pretty fun scare zone. Over the next hour or so, I bobbed around the land, soaking up the incredible atmosphere, trying to stay on the right side of The Phalanx and catching friends as they practically skipped off of their final rides.
This was a night that showed what both theme parks, and the theme park community, could be. Even if we hadn’t been treated to a veritable extravaganza of immersion by the park, I can think of no better way to celebrate the things I love than to spend an evening surrounded by like-minded friends, swapping stories and cheering the ride’s final laps. That, plus an immersive one-off event? It sure made for a night I’ll never forget, even if next year there will be an enormous, unfillable, hole in the UK’s coaster line-up.
Don’t stay away too long, Nemesis.
Speak again soon,
Claire
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coasterclaire.co.uk 