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13 Things Zenon Got Wrong About The 21st Century

We wish our lives were as mondo fab as Zenon's.

We already explained everything Zenon Kar -- the gutsy teen who saved the world AND its galaxies in a Disney Channel Original Movie favorite -- got right about the 21st century. Now, we're telling you everything she got wrong.

To jog your memory, Zenon is just your average 13-year-old who lives in a space station in the year 2049. At least, that's how old she is in the first movie, "Zenon: Girl of The 21st Century," which hit small screens back in 1999. Disney followed up with two sequels: "Zenon: The Zequel" and "Zenon: Z3."

Even though we're nowhere close to the year 2049, we're already 15 years into the 21st century. Not all of Zenon's futuristic gadgets are real things yet. YET. We're sure scientists are hard at work trying to bring to life all the cool stuff from these movies. If Zenon can predict the future -- this pic proves she can -- here's what we're still waiting on:

We don't live in space

Disney Channel

Space

OK, this is an obvious one. You might be thinking, what about all those people who signed up to live on Mars? Well, the Mars One project isn't about creating a permanent home in space, like Zenon's space station was. She spent her entire life on that thing before being literally grounded on Earth.

Mars One's ultimate goal is to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars, not floating around in the galaxies. Some very brave volunteers signed up for this mission, and they're expected to begin their one-way journeys to the red planet starting in 2026.

When we eventually DO live somewhere besides Earth, we can't return on a whim

Disney Channel

Station

The key word from #1 is one-way. In the movie, Zenon flew back and forth between Earth and her space station like it was NBD. It takes astronauts months or even years to make similar journeys.

We haven't discovered aliens

Disney Channel

Alien

This is another obvious one. In "Zequel," Zenon discovered the existence of aliens after they personally contacted her. They wanted her help to find pop superstar Proto Zoa. Zenon meets up with the aliens on the moon (casual), introduces them to Proto Zoa and lets them use the space station's navigation charts to find their way back to their home planet. To thank her, the aliens magically repair her damaged space station.

I think it's safe to assume that regardless of whether aliens exist or not, this scenario will never happen IRL -- in the 21st century or ever.

Spacesuits do not look like high fashion

Disney Channel

Spacesuits

Zenon and Margie look like they're about to strut down the runway in this pic. Our 21st century space suits are wayyy less colorful and way more baggy.

Our computers are fancier than this

Disney Channel

Computers

Those clunky desktop computers are a thing of the past. Between the new gold-toned MacBook and the Apple Watch, computers are everywhere and they're getting smaller and sleeker every year.

We don't store files on tiny discs

Disney Channel

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In the first movie, the bad guys stored a dangerous computer virus on a metallic disc that was so small, Zenon wore it as an earring. The villain inserted this disc into the space station's computer in order to infect the entire space station with the virus, which would essentially destroy the whole station.

But new computers increasingly don't even come with CD drives. If this were to happen IRL, that computer virus would be stored on a small jump drive or something with a USB port.

Kids can't drive

Disney Channel

Car

Zenon's teenage friends -- who are all definitely under the age of 16 -- drive her to her space station in the first movie. They don't need to know how to drive because one of their dads owns a self-driving car to transport them. They just sit in the car, enter where they want to go and the car goes.

Tickle force fields don't exist

Disney Channel

Tickle

When Proto Zoa takes a break from the fame and hides out in the middle of the woods to relax, Zenon and Margie try to track him down. When they try to enter his hiding spot, they are stopped by a boundary line that sends tickling sensations throughout their body. They're basically trapped because they're so busy laughing from the tickling. I feel like if this existed IRL, it'd be horribly misused to torture people with tickles.

Galaxy print is everywhere

Disney Channel

Clothes

Galaxy print definitely had a moment in the last few years. YouTubers made galaxy nail tutorials. Stores sold galaxy print leggings and shoes. You'd think -- ya know, since they actually live in space and all -- Zenon and her pals would be into the galaxy trend. They weren't. In fact, the gang never really wore patterns at all, which is a huge fashion difference from our real-life clothes today. Zenon and co. seemed to prefer bright neon colors instead of patterns.

There are no "save the moon!" campaigns

Disney Channel

Moon

When it comes to environmentalism, there are plenty of causes supporting recycling and an end to global warming, to name a few -- but all of these things benefit the Earth. There are no protests or causes for outer space or, more specifically, the moon. In "Z3," Zenon's friend Sage Borealis is a moon preservation activist who protests the colonization of the moon. That's not something you hear about every day.

Long-distance relationships aren't NBD

Disney Channel

facetime

In the first movie, when Zenon lives on Earth for a short period of time, she gets into a relationship with Greg despite the fact that she's leaving to go live in outer space again. They never really discuss the thousands of miles that will separate them -- I mean, it is just a movie -- but still. They get into the LDR to end all LDRs without a second thought, and that's probably why he breaks up with her off-screen somewhere between the first and second movies.

No one wears hair slinkys

Disney Channel

Slinkys

I use the term "hair slinkys" for lack of a better word. I'm not sure what else to call these things, but they look great on Nebula. There hasn't be a huge hair accessories trend so far in the 21st century. Scrunchies and butterfly clips were more of a '90s thing. We've still got 75 years left of the 21st century -- who knows, maybe hair slinkys will be the next big thing.

The president isn't female...

Disney Channel

hologram

...yet! In the scene above, Zenon's hologram teacher is talking about President Chelsea Clinton's energy-saving initiatives. Yep, that's right. In 2049, a 69-year-old Chelsea Clinton will lead the U.S., according to Disney Channel. That's awesome and all, but let's hope there's a female president before 2049.

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