In the girls' room, the girls, minus Stella, are all playing around with their pixies, along with Livy, surfing around on an envelope, all while "I Want to Be Where the Girls Are" plays. Tecna and Digit are playing some racing video game together, obviously having a good ol' time. And Kiko, still holding a cutout photo of Bloom, is still very jealous, watching Bloom playing with Lockette like a little infant.
Cut to Miss Faragonda's office, with the six Winx girls. She tells them that Lockette and Chatta have been talking with her about Lord Darkar, and tells them it has to do with the destruction of Spheria, about the entire realm being annihilated in a single day, by a dark force stronger than any other, being the worst disaster in magical history. Bloom says they'd learned about it in school. I thought the destruction of Sparx was the worst disaster ever. I guess next season will have an even more devastating worst disaster ever? Faragonda says it was a result of a man named Ardulus going to the UnderRealm to obtain the shadowfire, but it was the shadowfire who took control of him. She says certain powers, like the shadowfire, are so strong, that they control those who try to control those powers. And the shadowfire--Lord Darkar, essentially--seeks only one thing: total control of the universe.
Musa: So what do the pixies have to do with all this?
Layla: They said he was trying to find out the location of their secret village, but I don't get why. I mean, what's there that a guy like that would want?
Stella: Yeah!
Faragonda: What's important now is that we protect the pixies and keep them from falling into Lord Darkar's hands again.
Tecna: Did you notice how she just sidestepped the question about the pixie village?
Go Tecna! Miss Faragonda continues that the pixies should stay at Alfea, since Darkar probably allowed the pixies to escape so he could follow them back to their village. She also says that Layla is in great danger too, since she knows the location of the pixie village. She finally demands that the Winx girls do not investigate the matter any further, that it's for their own good. Ah, cryptic Faragonda's back again. Seriously, though, I wonder why she's so cryptic in her advice most of the time. And saying that they can't investigate the matter any further... sure that'll work. Uh huh.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
Outside Alfea, there's a powerful storm. The pixies are slowly flying in the halls of Alfea, talking to each other.
Tune: Musa was telling me that Faragonda was bugging this morning. Anyone know what this means?
Chatta: Maybe it means she ate keekbugs for breakfast.
Digit: It's a modern slang word for acting strange.
Heh. Funny how Tecna's pixie, of all the pixies, would be the one to know slang. Intelligent or not, seems like she still may have something to offer Tecna, as far as understanding simple things like "bugging" and buckets. Lockette mentions the storm, that it's full of darkness, and it's scaring her. OUtside, in the forest, several magical creatures are working to find shelter from the storm, and a creepy cloaked man walks about. Also, we're shown a large, black obelisk.
The six Winx girls are walking down the halls of Alfea, with Stella stuffing her face with a large sandwich.
Stella: You know, I've gotta' tell ya', personally, I didn't find that Lord Darkar dude to be all that scary.
Tecna: What are you talking about?! Layla's the only one of us who's actually seen him.
Stella: Oh. Yeah.
Ah, Stella. You and your boasting. And not realizing that someone's told them that she and Bloom didn't actually see Darkar. Flora mentions how Miss Faragonda was giving off negative vibes with their discussion of Lord Darkar earlier. Tecna questions why she wouldn't talk about the pixie village. Layla, despite being friends with the pixies, has no idea what the big secret is. Livy fly-surfs to the girls, telling them that she has an important message from Faragonda, though she forgot what it was. She soon remembers she had it written down though, and tells the girls to meet Miss Faragonda at the lake, and to tell no one.
At the lack, in raincoats, they meet Miss Faragonda at the lake. She says that Wizgiz and Palladium are at two others in a couple other locations, with other students. Tecna analyzes the obelisk, and notes that it isn't even made of matter. Miss Faragonda is concerned that the obelisks may be depleting all of the magic in Alfea. Stella, Flora, and Musa transform to their winx forms, and all take turns attacking the obelisk, but their attacks do nothing, except remove all the attacker's winx, leaving them powerless. Tecna, Layla, and Bloom transform next, and again, their attacks also simply deplete their winx. except for Bloom, who, for some unknown reason, has plenty of winx to spare. Yeah, we know Bloom is the most powerful, but this is simply ridiculous. All five of the other girls were down after a single attack, yet it'll take Bloom seemingly hundreds of attacks before she becomes powerless later. She isn't that much more god-like than the other girls! Not Bloom's fault, mind you--and I'm not faulting Bloom here--but the writers should've thought it out a little more. The creepy cloaked figure, who looks like he's probably Avalon, watches the goings-on.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
The Winx girls, minus Bloom, are back in their room, all having taken a shower, with Flora still taking hers, singing to herself in the shower. So Flora and Tecna both sing in the shower. Flora's song is actually cute, and seems that she could actually sing pretty nicely. Even if the lyrics could use some improvment. Tecna and Stella go on about how they're exhausted, and can't believe Bloom's still out there trying to destroy the obelisk.
At Red Fountain, in Sky and Brandon's room, Sky's trying to call Bloom, without luck.
Sky: Something's not right. Bloom hasn't answered her phone all night, and we had a phone date three hours ago.
Brandon: Don't worry, dude. She's probably just out with some other guy.
Absolute most freakin' hilarious line ever! Just came right out of the blue on Brandon's part, but especially considering Sky's overreaction to Brandon's line, it's obviously completely true. Sky is so totally jealous! Serves him right, after the Diaspro incident! Sky says he's just worried that something bad might've happened to Bloom. Sure, Sky. Tell yourself that. We're sure you believe it, too.
Outside, still at the obelisk, Bloom is still attacking it on and on, until she finally runs out of winx, and faints.
The other five Winx girls are still inside their room, feeling better physically, though worried about Bloom. Stella's certainly good at taking her mind off such things, though!
Stella: Where are you going, Flora? It's your turn. Would you rather have to wear polka dots the rest of your life, or plaid?
Flora: I'd rather go out and look for Bloom.
Stella: Hello! Answer the question! Don't be afraid to commit to a choice! No one here will judge you. I mean, not too much, anyway.
So very Stella, not wanting to dwell on Bloom. And what better way to try to relax than talking about something silly and superficial! Tecna agrees with Flora, that they should go out and look for Bloom, but Musa says that Bloom wouldn't listen, anyway, that she's too hard-headed. The electricity goes off at Alfea, caused by the storm, despite the electricity at Alfea being run off magic. Soon, the creepy cloaked man carries into their room a limp Bloom.
In Miss Faragonda's office the next morning, with the six Winx girls, Faragonda explains that the storm last night was the work of a powerful wizard, who's standing beside her, still cloaked. After taking off his hood, Stella, Layla, and Bloom recognize him as the paladin hunk who saved them back in the UnderRealm.
Back at the obelisk at the lake, Miss Faragonda introduces to the six Winx girls, as well as to eleven other random students, the newest member of the Alfea faculty, Professor Avalon. All the girls find Professor Avalon to be dreamy. Avalon casts a spell that destroys the obelisk. Faragonda says that Avalon created the obelisks to observe the girls' powers in action.
Tecna: Um, I have a question, Miss Faragonda. What's the name of the class Professor Avalon is teaching, and how many students will be asmitten--I mean, admitted!
Tecna's adorable when she's awkward like that! She was starting to get way too comfortable around Timmy, what with her bedroom voice and whatnot. Miss Faragonda explains that it's a master workshop, and that only twenty students will be admitted. Though since only seventeen students seem to be present for this meeting, I guess that won't be much of a problem, will it? Though an eighteenth does come running up toward the rest, out of breath. Avalon warns that the class will be quite difficult, though that hardly deters any of the girls from wanting to sign up for his class. Tecna happily says how she's never gotten anything lower than an A- before. So I guess back in "Pushing the Envelope," when the girls said that Musa had the highest grade, that it had to have been only for that one class. I guess Musa had an A+ for the class. Amaryl, oddly sweetly, asks about what this "genial power" is. Guess Amaryl can be nice when she's crushing on a guy. Though honestly, I'd have figured her to more likely start getting cattier with all the other girls oogling Avalon. Avalon explains that genial power is the power that connects one with their family and origin so one can best understand and connect to their own magic. Bloom asks if she can still learn it even if she doesn't know her origins, to which Avalon says it'll be more difficult, but that yes, she can still learn it.
Later, in a creepy, isolated room, Miss Faragonda gives four new pixies four jewels, saying that the jewels must remain secret. Two of them are Athena and Discorda, pixies at Red Fountain and Cloud Tower, respectively. Another is the pixie of Alfea's library. And the fourth... not sure. But anyway, I'm lollygagging here, and since Faragonda explains this whole exposition better than I could, I'll just hand it over to her.
Faragonda: I believe Lord Darkar is someone who seeks to enter the realm of Realix, and his hunt for the Codex, which will allow him to enter the portal, is what led him to your village, but as you know, there is another way to enter Realix. Lord Darkar must never learn of this way.
Gives us more questions than answers, really. Like what is Realix? And when did Sparx become not the most important magical place in existence? And what's this Codex? Guess we'll find it all out in due time.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Sky and Brandon, on their hoverbikes, are riding over to Alfea. Because Sky's jealous. Whether he'll admit it or not.
Brandon: Sky, what are we doing?
Sky: I just want to check on Bloom.
Brandon: So swing by tomorrow afternoon.
Sky: Well, I don't want her to know I'm checking up on her!
Brandon: So we're spying.
Sky: No, I--I just don't want to look obsessive!
Brandon: Right, right.
Quite funny dialogue there, especially with the way Sky says his lines. I guess he's just so used to two-timing his girls that he can't trust Bloom. Ha! Sky insists they climb up a tree to spy on her. 'Cause chicks just dig Peeping Toms.
Inside Alfea, the students are all holding a party to welcome Professor Avalon to Alfea. Look closely, and you can see Knut playing the role of the DJ. Guess Knut knows the music that the kids like nowadays. Hey, he's hip! Flora wants to know how Avalon will make the class selections, but he stops her to explain that he also used the obelisks to absorb their magic so he could analyze it. Bloom asks what her report says about her, but Stella says that it's supposed to be a party, so less school talk, and more partying. I can see Stella's point, too. I mean, in real life, who wants to talk about schoolwork at a party? Bloom later follows Avalon to his office, trying to get him to spill about what his report on her says about her, with him backing up, trying to say how it wouldn't be fair to the other students to reveal her results early.
All the while, Sky's still spying in the tree outside, and sees Bloom going after Avalon, alone, in a room in Alfea, and gets pretty darn mad. Jealous! Sky knocks down a branch in anger, which hits a couple of magi-beaves below, which chomp down on the tree, falling it, with Brandon and Sky falling with it.
What'd'ya know? The only case of Musa using slang in the episode wasn't even heard! All we heard was Tune saying that Musa used the word "bugging." And far as I'm concerned, there's nothing wrong with that word, anyway!
I'm guessing Lockette to be the second youngest of the pixies, ahead of Piff. The way she was scared of the storm, and the way Bloom was playing with her as if she were a baby... I don't see Tune or Chatta letting their fairy friends play with them that same way.
And Zing... where was Zing, anyway? She was missing the entire episode! Seems odd that she'd have just been wandering around Alfea all by herself, not knowing anyone, but eh, what do I know?
7 out of 10 on the old scale.
