diff --git a/build/bundle.js b/build/bundle.js
index dc40b8d4..7c74d4e7 100644
--- a/build/bundle.js
+++ b/build/bundle.js
@@ -4564,7 +4564,8 @@ var Sandbox = Backbone.View.extend({
 
   processSandboxCommand: function(command, deferred) {
     var commandMap = {
-      help: this.helpDialog
+      help: this.helpDialog,
+      reset: this.reset
     };
     var method = commandMap[command.get('method')];
     if (!method) { throw new Error('no method for that wut'); }
@@ -4572,6 +4573,13 @@ var Sandbox = Backbone.View.extend({
     method.apply(this, [command, deferred]);
   },
 
+  reset: function(command, deferred) {
+    this.mainVis.reset();
+    setTimeout(function() {
+      command.finishWith(deferred);
+    }, this.mainVis.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
   helpDialog: function(command, deferred) {
     var helpDialog = new MultiView({
       childViews: require('../dialogs/sandbox').helpDialog
@@ -4751,7 +4759,8 @@ var Level = Sandbox.extend({
 
     this.gitCommandsIssued = 0;
     this.solved = false;
-    // possible options on how stringent to be go here
+
+    // possible options on how stringent to be on comparisons go here
     this.treeCompare = new TreeCompare();
 
     this.goalTreeString = options.level.goalTree;
@@ -6460,18 +6469,59 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
       this.gitEngine.loadTreeFromString(this.treeString);
     }
 
+    this.shown = false;
     this.setTreeOpacity(0);
-    this.fadeTreeIn();
+
+    if (!options.wait) {
+      this.fadeTreeIn();
+    }
 
     this.customEvents.trigger('gitEngineReady');
   },
 
   setTreeOpacity: function(level) {
+    if (level === 0) {
+      this.shown = false;
+    }
+
     $(this.paper.canvas).css('opacity', 0);
   },
 
+  getAnimationTime: function() { return 300; },
+
   fadeTreeIn: function() {
-    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 1}, 300);
+    this.shown = true;
+    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 1}, this.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
+  fadeTreeOut: function() {
+    this.shown = false;
+    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 0}, this.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
+  reset: function() {
+    this.setTreeOpacity(0);
+    if (this.treeString) {
+      this.gitEngine.loadTreeFromString(this.treeString);
+    } else {
+      this.gitEngine.defaultInit();
+    }
+    this.fadeTreeIn();
+  },
+
+  tearDown: function() {
+    // hmm -- dont think this will work to unbind the event listener...
+    $(window).off('resize', _.bind(this.myResize, this));
+    this.gitVisuals.tearDown();
+  },
+
+  die: function() {
+    this.fadeTreeOut();
+    setTimeout(_.bind(function() {
+      if (!this.shown) {
+        this.tearDown();
+      }
+    }, this), this.getAnimationTime());
   },
 
   myResize: function() {
@@ -6494,6 +6544,7 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
 
 exports.Visualization = Visualization;
 
+
 });
 
 require.define("/src/js/models/collections.js",function(require,module,exports,__dirname,__filename,process,global){var _ = require('underscore');
@@ -6649,7 +6700,10 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
   this.commandOptions = {};
   this.generalArgs = [];
 
+  this.initUniqueID();
+}
 
+GitEngine.prototype.initUniqueID = function() {
   // backbone or something uses _.uniqueId, so we make our own here
   this.uniqueId = (function() {
     var n = 0;
@@ -6657,7 +6711,7 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
       return prepend? prepend + n++ : n++;
     };
   })();
-}
+};
 
 GitEngine.prototype.defaultInit = function() {
   var defaultTree = JSON.parse(unescape("%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22branch%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22commit%22%2C%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22author%22%3A%22Peter%20Cottle%22%2C%22createTime%22%3A%22Mon%20Nov%2005%202012%2000%3A56%3A47%20GMT-0800%20%28PST%29%22%2C%22commitMessage%22%3A%22Quick%20Commit.%20Go%20Bears%21%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22commit%22%2C%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22author%22%3A%22Peter%20Cottle%22%2C%22createTime%22%3A%22Mon%20Nov%2005%202012%2000%3A56%3A47%20GMT-0800%20%28PST%29%22%2C%22commitMessage%22%3A%22Quick%20Commit.%20Go%20Bears%21%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%2C%22target%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22general%20ref%22%7D%7D"));
@@ -6748,6 +6802,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.loadTree = function(tree) {
   this.instantiateFromTree(tree);
 
   this.reloadGraphics();
+  this.initUniqueID();
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.loadTreeFromString = function(treeString) {
@@ -11981,7 +12036,8 @@ var instantCommands = [
 ];
 
 var regexMap = {
-  'help': /^help($|\s)|\?/
+  'help': /^help($|\s)|\?/,
+  'reset': /^reset($|\s)/
 };
 
 var parse = function(str) {
@@ -12085,6 +12141,11 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.resetAll = function() {
   this.commitMap = {};
 };
 
+GitVisuals.prototype.tearDown = function() {
+  this.resetAll();
+  this.paper.remove();
+};
+
 GitVisuals.prototype.assignGitEngine = function(gitEngine) {
   this.gitEngine = gitEngine;
   this.initHeadBranch();
@@ -15349,7 +15410,10 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
   this.commandOptions = {};
   this.generalArgs = [];
 
+  this.initUniqueID();
+}
 
+GitEngine.prototype.initUniqueID = function() {
   // backbone or something uses _.uniqueId, so we make our own here
   this.uniqueId = (function() {
     var n = 0;
@@ -15357,7 +15421,7 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
       return prepend? prepend + n++ : n++;
     };
   })();
-}
+};
 
 GitEngine.prototype.defaultInit = function() {
   var defaultTree = JSON.parse(unescape("%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22branch%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22commit%22%2C%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22author%22%3A%22Peter%20Cottle%22%2C%22createTime%22%3A%22Mon%20Nov%2005%202012%2000%3A56%3A47%20GMT-0800%20%28PST%29%22%2C%22commitMessage%22%3A%22Quick%20Commit.%20Go%20Bears%21%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22commit%22%2C%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22author%22%3A%22Peter%20Cottle%22%2C%22createTime%22%3A%22Mon%20Nov%2005%202012%2000%3A56%3A47%20GMT-0800%20%28PST%29%22%2C%22commitMessage%22%3A%22Quick%20Commit.%20Go%20Bears%21%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%2C%22target%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22general%20ref%22%7D%7D"));
@@ -15448,6 +15512,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.loadTree = function(tree) {
   this.instantiateFromTree(tree);
 
   this.reloadGraphics();
+  this.initUniqueID();
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.loadTreeFromString = function(treeString) {
@@ -17191,7 +17256,8 @@ var Level = Sandbox.extend({
 
     this.gitCommandsIssued = 0;
     this.solved = false;
-    // possible options on how stringent to be go here
+
+    // possible options on how stringent to be on comparisons go here
     this.treeCompare = new TreeCompare();
 
     this.goalTreeString = options.level.goalTree;
@@ -17467,7 +17533,8 @@ var Sandbox = Backbone.View.extend({
 
   processSandboxCommand: function(command, deferred) {
     var commandMap = {
-      help: this.helpDialog
+      help: this.helpDialog,
+      reset: this.reset
     };
     var method = commandMap[command.get('method')];
     if (!method) { throw new Error('no method for that wut'); }
@@ -17475,6 +17542,13 @@ var Sandbox = Backbone.View.extend({
     method.apply(this, [command, deferred]);
   },
 
+  reset: function(command, deferred) {
+    this.mainVis.reset();
+    setTimeout(function() {
+      command.finishWith(deferred);
+    }, this.mainVis.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
   helpDialog: function(command, deferred) {
     var helpDialog = new MultiView({
       childViews: require('../dialogs/sandbox').helpDialog
@@ -17535,7 +17609,8 @@ var instantCommands = [
 ];
 
 var regexMap = {
-  'help': /^help($|\s)|\?/
+  'help': /^help($|\s)|\?/,
+  'reset': /^reset($|\s)/
 };
 
 var parse = function(str) {
@@ -19705,6 +19780,11 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.resetAll = function() {
   this.commitMap = {};
 };
 
+GitVisuals.prototype.tearDown = function() {
+  this.resetAll();
+  this.paper.remove();
+};
+
 GitVisuals.prototype.assignGitEngine = function(gitEngine) {
   this.gitEngine = gitEngine;
   this.initHeadBranch();
@@ -21544,18 +21624,59 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
       this.gitEngine.loadTreeFromString(this.treeString);
     }
 
+    this.shown = false;
     this.setTreeOpacity(0);
-    this.fadeTreeIn();
+
+    if (!options.wait) {
+      this.fadeTreeIn();
+    }
 
     this.customEvents.trigger('gitEngineReady');
   },
 
   setTreeOpacity: function(level) {
+    if (level === 0) {
+      this.shown = false;
+    }
+
     $(this.paper.canvas).css('opacity', 0);
   },
 
+  getAnimationTime: function() { return 300; },
+
   fadeTreeIn: function() {
-    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 1}, 300);
+    this.shown = true;
+    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 1}, this.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
+  fadeTreeOut: function() {
+    this.shown = false;
+    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 0}, this.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
+  reset: function() {
+    this.setTreeOpacity(0);
+    if (this.treeString) {
+      this.gitEngine.loadTreeFromString(this.treeString);
+    } else {
+      this.gitEngine.defaultInit();
+    }
+    this.fadeTreeIn();
+  },
+
+  tearDown: function() {
+    // hmm -- dont think this will work to unbind the event listener...
+    $(window).off('resize', _.bind(this.myResize, this));
+    this.gitVisuals.tearDown();
+  },
+
+  die: function() {
+    this.fadeTreeOut();
+    setTimeout(_.bind(function() {
+      if (!this.shown) {
+        this.tearDown();
+      }
+    }, this), this.getAnimationTime());
   },
 
   myResize: function() {
@@ -21578,6 +21699,7 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
 
 exports.Visualization = Visualization;
 
+
 });
 require("/src/js/visuals/visualization.js");
 
diff --git a/src/js/git/index.js b/src/js/git/index.js
index 0160ba75..f70c8b33 100644
--- a/src/js/git/index.js
+++ b/src/js/git/index.js
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
   this.commandOptions = {};
   this.generalArgs = [];
 
+  this.initUniqueID();
+}
 
+GitEngine.prototype.initUniqueID = function() {
   // backbone or something uses _.uniqueId, so we make our own here
   this.uniqueId = (function() {
     var n = 0;
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
       return prepend? prepend + n++ : n++;
     };
   })();
-}
+};
 
 GitEngine.prototype.defaultInit = function() {
   var defaultTree = JSON.parse(unescape("%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22branch%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22commit%22%2C%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22author%22%3A%22Peter%20Cottle%22%2C%22createTime%22%3A%22Mon%20Nov%2005%202012%2000%3A56%3A47%20GMT-0800%20%28PST%29%22%2C%22commitMessage%22%3A%22Quick%20Commit.%20Go%20Bears%21%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22commit%22%2C%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22author%22%3A%22Peter%20Cottle%22%2C%22createTime%22%3A%22Mon%20Nov%2005%202012%2000%3A56%3A47%20GMT-0800%20%28PST%29%22%2C%22commitMessage%22%3A%22Quick%20Commit.%20Go%20Bears%21%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%2C%22target%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22general%20ref%22%7D%7D"));
@@ -130,6 +133,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.loadTree = function(tree) {
   this.instantiateFromTree(tree);
 
   this.reloadGraphics();
+  this.initUniqueID();
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.loadTreeFromString = function(treeString) {
diff --git a/src/js/level/index.js b/src/js/level/index.js
index a89c8a71..6fcf2dc4 100644
--- a/src/js/level/index.js
+++ b/src/js/level/index.js
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ var Level = Sandbox.extend({
 
     this.gitCommandsIssued = 0;
     this.solved = false;
-    // possible options on how stringent to be go here
+
+    // possible options on how stringent to be on comparisons go here
     this.treeCompare = new TreeCompare();
 
     this.goalTreeString = options.level.goalTree;
diff --git a/src/js/level/sandbox.js b/src/js/level/sandbox.js
index 397581a7..bf48dba4 100644
--- a/src/js/level/sandbox.js
+++ b/src/js/level/sandbox.js
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ var Sandbox = Backbone.View.extend({
 
   processSandboxCommand: function(command, deferred) {
     var commandMap = {
-      help: this.helpDialog
+      help: this.helpDialog,
+      reset: this.reset
     };
     var method = commandMap[command.get('method')];
     if (!method) { throw new Error('no method for that wut'); }
@@ -104,6 +105,13 @@ var Sandbox = Backbone.View.extend({
     method.apply(this, [command, deferred]);
   },
 
+  reset: function(command, deferred) {
+    this.mainVis.reset();
+    setTimeout(function() {
+      command.finishWith(deferred);
+    }, this.mainVis.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
   helpDialog: function(command, deferred) {
     var helpDialog = new MultiView({
       childViews: require('../dialogs/sandbox').helpDialog
diff --git a/src/js/level/sandboxCommands.js b/src/js/level/sandboxCommands.js
index 88d22e65..f538a65b 100644
--- a/src/js/level/sandboxCommands.js
+++ b/src/js/level/sandboxCommands.js
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ var instantCommands = [
 ];
 
 var regexMap = {
-  'help': /^help($|\s)|\?/
+  'help': /^help($|\s)|\?/,
+  'reset': /^reset($|\s)/
 };
 
 var parse = function(str) {
diff --git a/src/js/visuals/index.js b/src/js/visuals/index.js
index f9216be3..e5146c3b 100644
--- a/src/js/visuals/index.js
+++ b/src/js/visuals/index.js
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.resetAll = function() {
   this.commitMap = {};
 };
 
+GitVisuals.prototype.tearDown = function() {
+  this.resetAll();
+  this.paper.remove();
+};
+
 GitVisuals.prototype.assignGitEngine = function(gitEngine) {
   this.gitEngine = gitEngine;
   this.initHeadBranch();
diff --git a/src/js/visuals/visualization.js b/src/js/visuals/visualization.js
index 92d3057b..7e2f76a0 100644
--- a/src/js/visuals/visualization.js
+++ b/src/js/visuals/visualization.js
@@ -58,18 +58,59 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
       this.gitEngine.loadTreeFromString(this.treeString);
     }
 
+    this.shown = false;
     this.setTreeOpacity(0);
-    this.fadeTreeIn();
+
+    if (!options.wait) {
+      this.fadeTreeIn();
+    }
 
     this.customEvents.trigger('gitEngineReady');
   },
 
   setTreeOpacity: function(level) {
+    if (level === 0) {
+      this.shown = false;
+    }
+
     $(this.paper.canvas).css('opacity', 0);
   },
 
+  getAnimationTime: function() { return 300; },
+
   fadeTreeIn: function() {
-    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 1}, 300);
+    this.shown = true;
+    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 1}, this.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
+  fadeTreeOut: function() {
+    this.shown = false;
+    $(this.paper.canvas).animate({opacity: 0}, this.getAnimationTime());
+  },
+
+  reset: function() {
+    this.setTreeOpacity(0);
+    if (this.treeString) {
+      this.gitEngine.loadTreeFromString(this.treeString);
+    } else {
+      this.gitEngine.defaultInit();
+    }
+    this.fadeTreeIn();
+  },
+
+  tearDown: function() {
+    // hmm -- dont think this will work to unbind the event listener...
+    $(window).off('resize', _.bind(this.myResize, this));
+    this.gitVisuals.tearDown();
+  },
+
+  die: function() {
+    this.fadeTreeOut();
+    setTimeout(_.bind(function() {
+      if (!this.shown) {
+        this.tearDown();
+      }
+    }, this), this.getAnimationTime());
   },
 
   myResize: function() {
@@ -91,3 +132,4 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
 });
 
 exports.Visualization = Visualization;
+
diff --git a/src/style/main.css b/src/style/main.css
index e879c97a..bd27f479 100644
--- a/src/style/main.css
+++ b/src/style/main.css
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ body,
 
 #interfaceWrapper {
   min-width: 600px;
+  min-height: 400px;
 }
 
 #controls {
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index 9e279223..cc1b2835 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ Big Bugs to fix:
 Done things:
 (I only started this on Dec 17th 2012 to get a better sense of what was done)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+[x] reset for sandbox command
 [x] do an after-paper-initialize type thing so we can insert git shim once
     git engine is done.
 [x] promise-based levels