Z.Z. von Schnerk



"The Destruction... of Mrs. Emma Peel: Conceived by Z.Z. von Schnerk, produced by Z.Z. von Schnerk, directed by Z.Z. von Schnerk, A Z.Z. VON SCHNERK PRODUCTION!"

- Z.Z. von Schnerk announcing his intended film for the demise of Emma Peel.

Z.Z. von Schnerk is a bankrupt film director who serves as the main antagonist of the Avengers episode Epic.

He is first seen when his top stars Damita Syn and Stewart Kirby test out a man fitting John Steed's description. Considering a non-speaking role, a corpse for him, Kirby guns the man down with a live bullet. When footage of Mrs. Peel is captured by Kirby, Schnerk approves of her being the star of his new film.

After Emma is abducted, Schnerk begins filming her from unseen locations without her knowledge. After she wins a western-style duel that Kirby fakes his death from, the ecstatic Schnerk promises his film will be a compendium of all his prior works.

On another set, Schnerk intends to open his film and have Kirby and Damita attempt to use a WW1-style scene against Emma. Kirby attempts to accost Emma dressed in Indian clothing, but fails. Angered, Schnerk admonishes his male film star for going off script and intends his climax to kill off Emma Peel for real.

After Mrs. Peel's attempts to have a policeman (a film extra from years back) arrest Schnerk fails and her having lost a Civil War-style fight with Kirby and Damita, Schnerk announces his purpose to make film where the heroine is killed and her hero is unable to save her. His latest work would put him on the ranks of immortal film makers and announces his title: The Destruction of Mrs. Emma Peel, while Emma herself growls like the MGM lion.

Later, Emma is tied down on a conveyor belt with a buzzsaw at the end and Schnerk orders Damita and Kirby to bring in the dead actor from earlier dressed in Steed's clothing. In their absence, Schnerk activates the conveyor and and buzzsaw then plays silent film piano music. Just then, Steed reveals himself having switched the killed actor with himself. Steed defeats Damita and Kirby, but Schnerk pulls a gun planning to change his film title once he has killed both Ministry agents. Steed and Schnerk fight with the gun discharging and shooting the corrupt director. As he dies, Schnerk cries out "CUT! PRINT...!" before collapsing.