RJ Writing Ink

Amphibia Season 2, Episode 13A/13B Review

Trust. It’s one of the most things that a person can learn about in life. We need learn to trust in others, or else we won’t get far in life. Why am I bringing this up in a review about Amphibia? Because trust and honesty is the underlying theme behind this week’s episode. Keep reading some more, and you’ll see what I mean.

Ivy on the Run

Ever since the last episode, the ship of SprIvy has set sail, and it looks like there’s no stopping it! Nothing, that is, except for a nagging parent. Ivy’s mom, Mrs. Sundew, won’t stop nitpicking and criticizing her daughter for her shoddy job with her chores. Eventually, Ivy can’t take it anymore and decides to run away with Sprig. Not in the romantic sense, mind you; she just wants to go off on her adventures. Things come to a head when Ivy stands up to her mom and wants to quit her tea lessons. Felicia agrees, if Ivy can beat her in a fight. Then we get the big reveal that all those tea lessons were Felicia’s version of the old “wax-on, wax-off” teaching style shown in The Karate Kid. Afterwards, Ivy finally learns her lesson about being patience and waiting for her chance.

Look, I’m going to be honest. While I understand what Mrs. Sundew was going for, I think that she could have handled things better. It was obvious that her daughter wasn’t getting the point of the lessons, and in Ivy’s defense, her Mom did come off as nagging. Like, really nagging. It may be personal experience talking, but I think it would have been better had Felicia been upfront with her daughter about the purpose of her chores. At the very least, it would have encouraged her to put more effort into them.

Bottom line, Ivy should have more trust in her Mom, and her Mom should have just been upfront with her. Then again, that would mean no plot for the episode.

Speaking of trust…

After the Rain

So, remember how Hop Pop buried the music box and then lied to Anne about it for months? We all knew that this was going to blow up in his face, and in this episode, it finally does. Badly.

When Anne hears from Marcy that they need the box before they start their temple quest, Hop Pop freaks out and tries to dig it up, only to discover its missing. Actually, a lot of buried things in Wartwood are missing, but more on that in a moment. Anne catches Hop Pop in the act and forces him to come clean about everything. Shocked by the lack of trust and betrayal, Anne runs away, leaving Hop Pop to realize that he screwed up. Big time! Meanwhile, Sprig and Polly learn that the box (and everything else) was stolen by a magpie beetle as part of its mating ceremony. Which may or may not be a reference to the periodical cicadas that emerge every decade or so (and are due this year). Ultimately, they get in trouble getting it back, and Anne and Hop Pop have to work together to save them.

Afterwards, we soon learn Hop Pop’s reasoning for lying to Anne. We remember how Sprig said his mom died when he was little, right? Here, it’s revealed that Sprig and Polly’s parents were killed when a group of Heron’s attacked Wartwood. Despite being out of town, Hop Pop blames himself for not being there, hence why he’s so protective of his grandkids.

I won’t condone what Hop Pop did, as everyone agrees it was a jerk move. However, I can at least understand his motives. We still know next to nothing about the music box, and given what I’ve speculated about, maybe Hop Pop was right to be worried. That said, he still should have trusted Anne with the truth from the getgo. Especially since trust will be more important than ever going forward.

Now the Real Quest Begins

For the moment, I think we can chalk “Ivy on the Run” as being a fun breather episode. Something that’s meant to get us mentally prepared for something big that’s about to happen, while also sowing the seeds to future plot points. Could this be a sign that next time the Plantar’s have to leave the valley, they’ll take Ivy with them? I would certainly hope so, as it would give Ivy a chance to get even closer with Sprig.

As for “After the Rain,” its purpose is clear: things are about to get very serious. Thus, the heroes cannot afford to have trust issues holding them back, or else they may fail. And given all the fan theories people have been speculating on, they can’t afford to fail.

I would also like to point out that on the wall in Ivy’s room is a map that shows the route that the Plantar’s took to get to Newtopia. Just an interesting bit of world-building there.

Next week, though, we’re finally getting to see the First Temple and the return of Marcy as the latter half of Season Two finally kicks it into high gear. And not a moment too soon, either. With DuckTales about to end, I need a new adventure show to obsess over!

I Give “Ivy on the Run” and “After the Rain” a 3.5/5 and 4.5/5, Each.

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Amphibia Season 2, Episode 12A/12B Review

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DROUGHT’S OVER! After a months-long vacation, Amphibia officially returns for the second half of Season Two. And given the trailer that Disney dropped on YouTube, Matt Braly’s team has big plans for the show. Legend of Zelda-esque temples; ancient puzzles and prophecies; even greater mysteries to solve. I am beyond pumped for what’s to come. Before any of that can happen, though, it’s time for Anne and the Plantars to return to Wartwood in the season 2 opener. Which, for some reason, dropped on Disney Channel Africa already, then got leaked onto the Internet. It’s like that one episode of The Owl House from months ago, but I can’t complain.

Night Drivers

Rather than spend several episodes showing the Plantar family’s journey home, the episode decides not to go that route. While some may not like this, I think it’s more important that the setting returns to Wartwood before any further adventure takes place. So important, that Anne and Hop Pop spend twenty hours awake driving Bessie so they can get home. It’s a nice call-back to the fact that Anne’s the only other one who’s read Bessie’s manual. However, eventually exhaustion proves too much for them, and they have to get some sleep. And they make it clear they don’t want Sprig and Polly driving through the night.

Since Sprig and Polly are overconfident kids, they immediately do just that and put everyone in danger. Classic Sprig and Polly, if you ask me. They may be able to do a lot of things, like master that quareller’s canyon, but they’re so out of their league that they need the help of a ghost to get home safely.

Yeah, in this creepy twist that we should come to expect from Amphibia, the kids keep meeting this scary-looking hitchhiker that freaks them out. Turns out, it’s the ghost of a frog that guides travelers safely on the road home. And by the time things are done, Sprig and Polly learn a valuable lesson on not diving into things they’re not ready for. Also, that robot from the start of the season’s still following them!

Return to Wartwood

At long last, the Plantar’s return to Wartwood, and get a big heroes welcome from everyone. The whole town’s excited to see the family and hear all about their adventures on the road, and get their gifts. Yeah, as it turns out, the family promised everyone in town to get them something in Newtopia, and they completely forgot. Instead of feeling guilty and coming clean, though, the Plantars lie, then proceed to double-down on it by planning to arrange an incident to seemingly destroy the presents at this party Wartwood’s throwing them.

Having learned several times about how lying tends to backfire, Anne immediately calls the Plantars out on their scheme, saying it’s a terrible idea. The only reason she goes along with it is because she wants to keep the ship of Sprig+Ivy afloat. So, the quartet summons a giant chicken monster called a Chickalisk that can turn people to stone to destroy the presents.

In a show that’s already given us parasitic mushrooms, chimera lions, giant ants, and more, a “Chickalisk” is crazy. It has to be one of the craziest things the show’s given us, and I loved every minute of it. Long-story short, they beat back the Chickalisk, and Anne guilts the family into telling the truth. However, instead of getting mad, the Wartwood residents laugh it off; they missed the antics of the Plantar’s family and are glad to have them back. It’s almost like the entire town became boring simply because the family left them behind. *Looks at the fourth wall*

Glad to Have you Back, Amphibia

So, the new episode doesn’t do much to move the plot forward beyond crazy hijinks. Considering how the show’s about to get way more serious, though, I think that a breather episode’s the best way to get fans back into the show. After all, look at the trailer.

Before the season’s done, I’m expecting a lot more shocking twists, tearful revelations, potential betrayals, laughter, and character development. It’s good to have you back, Amphibia.

I Give “Night Drivers” and “Return to Wartwood” a 3/5 each.

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