In the girls' room at Cloud Tower, Flora says that some herbs Miss Griffin gave to Bloom shortly before the scene will help bring Bloom's vision back to normal.
Bloom: My head's killing me.
Stella: Hate to say it, but that's what you get for trying to face those witches alone.
Layla: You did not just say that. I mean, where were you, Stella?
Points for Layla! Bloom feels her powers are weakening. Layla says all their powers are weakening. Musa says it's because of Cloud Tower.
Tecna: What's important is that we stop arguing, and work together from now on.
Stella: Exactly, Tecna! That's precisely what I've been saying this whole time!
Tecna: Stella!
Layla: Yeah, right.
Musa: You were the first one to run off!
Stella: Come on, details!
It's funny, and it's Stella! It's not nice, but Stella's got the cutest expression with the final line. Somewhere in Cloud Tower, the Trix sisters are upset that the Codex was not in the heart. Stormy is upset that Tecna tricked them, but Icy says Tecna's not that smart. Darcy seems surprised that the fairies have no idea where the Codex is. Stormy, proving not to be "the stupid one," suggests they keep sending energy into the heart of Cloud Tower, thus, as Darcy and Icy figure, they can take control of the physical building itself, have it grab the Codex for them, and destroy everyone else.
In their room, Layla, unable to sleep, gets out of her bed and covers up Musa, who is peacefully asleep, albiet in an odd position in bed.
The next morning, via a flashback for whatever reason, we see Miss Griffin explaining something to the six Winx girls, Zing, Lucy, and Mirta. She hopes the eight girls got a good night's sleep, as they're all needed. She explains that early in the morning, the Trix sisters started an attack on the heart of Cloud Tower in an effort to take control of Cloud Tower itself, making Cloud Tower their physical enemy along with the Trix sisters. During the conversation, we see the four groups of two outside the flashback walking through Cloud Towers halls: Mirta and Lucy, Stella and Musa, Layla and Flora, and Bloom and Tecna. Griffin gives he girls ruby coins that light up whenever any dark magic is nearby. Zing, cosplaying, along with Layla and Flora, examines the ruby, then turns her nose at it, as if it were worthless. Stella thinks the ruby would make a great necklace. Miss Griffin wants the girls to split up in groups of two to track the Trix down, but Layla and Bloom complain that they'd agreed to stick together last night. Miss Griffin teaches the girls a simple spell, exclamo, to allow the girls to keep in touch using the walls of Cloud Tower.
Stella: OK, you just made a weird ear thing on the wall.
Probably the single second most hilarious line ever delivered on the show, after Brandon's "another guy" line from "The Dark Tower." From a crystal ball-ish thing, the Trix sisters watch the goings on from the flashback. Gets more confusing when you consider the Trix sisters are watching a flashback. Unless their comments are all a part of the flashback... gah. I need to think less. The Trix feel the girls' going off into pairs will make it easier to pick them off one pair at a time.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
Flora and Layla walk down a hallway, with Zing cosplaying, looking like a hunter of some sort. Flora wonders how the witches can study with the gloomy atmosphere. Simple. They appreciate the gloom more than you, Flora. Flora thinks Cloud Tower sounds haunted.
Zing: Don't worry! The ghouls and goblins mostly come out at night, Flora. Mostly.
I'm not sure exactly how much that's meant to comfort Flora. Flora and Layla get very frightened when their ruby starts glowing. Someone puts a hand on them, and they scream. It's just Miss Griffin, though, who notices the girls are very jumpy.
Layla: Scared, what you do mean scared, who's scared, we're not scared, not really.
Miss Griffin tells the two girls not to let Cloud Tower get the best of them. Layla realizes they need to pull it together.
In another area, Musa and Stella are arguing about which of two albums is better, though Stella notices that it looks like Stormy had already blown through where they're passing.
In a third area, which looks like a small classroom, Bloom and Tecna enter.
Bloom: You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Guessing the Codex was in Cloud Tower's heart was a guess.
Tecna: I made a ridiculously illogical leap in reason--I assumed!
Bloom: We all make mistakes, Tecna.
Tecna: Not me! I don't!
Actually, Tecna has made mistakes in the past, though she would be the kind of person who would try to sweet those incidents out of her mind, convincing herself that she really is perfect. Bloom, figuring she should try to change the subject, asks Tecna about digitally enhancing the rubies' power. Tecna fiddles with her tiny computer, as Bloom hears something, and starts to head after it, but Tecna is afraid.
Tecna: Bloom, wait! I'd rather not spend another afternoon encased in ice.
Poor Tecna. She asks Bloom to stay with her much more sweetly than she normally would. Bloom, seeing how worried Tecna is, promises to stay with her. Why did Bloom used to bug me, again?
Zarathustra asks where Griffin is taking the Tome of the Coven. Griffin says she's taking it to the heart of Cloud Tower to repel Icy's magic. Zarathustra says they're probably focused on picking off the Winx girls, which is exactly what Griffin is counting on. Zarathustra comments on how wicked it is. Now that's what being a witch is all about: questionable methods, but for a good reason! Not like Griffin's putting them in danger just for kicks. Faragonda would've probably tried something lamer.
In another hallway in Cloud Tower, Lucy worries that she heard something, but Mirta says she doesn't have to worry. Lucy mentions that she used to be picked on all the time by the Trix sisters. Of course, Lucy kinda' let them, and Mirta did warn Lucy about it... though I guess it's nice that Lucy figured that out eventually, on her own, no less! Course, it took the witch invasion for her to figure it out, but still, Lucy and Mirta are friends again! No reason to stay mad at her. She's sorry now. Lucy also worries because the Trix are even stronger now. Mirta tells Lucy that she's stronger too. The two see someone coming through the wall near them, startling them both, but they're relieved when they see it's just Miss Griffin. But almost immediately, she changes to her true form, revealing herself to be Darcy. You know, there was really no reason for Darcy to dress as Miss Griffin just for a second. Darcy was just having a little fun with Lucy and Mirta! Who can blame her? Unfortunately, this is the last we see of Lucy, and the last we see of Mirta until the very end of the episode, so there's no telling exactly what happened to them.
Back with Tecna and Bloom, Tecna tries to explain her project to Bloom.
Bloom: So how's this work exactly?
Tecna: The hologram is a simulated synthetic model of Cloud Tower.
Bloom: OK, I have no idea what that means.
Tecna says that with the help of the ruby, they'll be able to monitor all of Cloud Tower with it. Bloom worries there's a catch. Bit more pessimistic than usual. Tecna says there will be no warning system as the ruby and hologram are hooked up.
Back with Layla and Flora, they're both still very on edge. Zing, in a third cosplaying, doesn't help.
Zing: You guys, they're coming out of the walls! They're coming out of the walls, look out!
Layla: They are?
Zing: No, that's from one of Bloom's Earth DVDs about the scary space aliens!
And we now see why Zing hasn't bonded to any fairy yet. I still think she'd be suited well for a witch. Zing may not be, but Layla and Flora are terrified. Layla, sick of it being just her and Flora, tries to contact Mirta via the wall ear, but gets no response. Zing tries too. They fear something is wrong.
In the cafeteria with Stella and Musa, they're both still arguing about music. It's a great little conversation, too, and it makes one realize that putting Stella and Musa to pair off was not the brightest idea.
Stella: How can you say "Drop It" is the single of the year, that lo-fi, inner-realm, sample-heavy crunk is so last decade!
Musa: Do you even know what any of those phrases mean, Stella?
Stella: I don't need to be a musical expert to know a bad song when I hear one.
Musa: What are you doing?
Stella: I'm not going anywhere until you admit I'm right.
Musa: Is your brain candy-coated?! We're trying to save the universe, and you want to argue top fives?!
Stella: I resent that you always think your musical opinion is superior to everyone else's!
Musa: I can't help that I have good taste!
Stella: Sorry, I can't hear you darling.
Vidia! Now, let's face it: they're both too headstrong and stubborn. Stella's the pettier of the two, but if Musa really wanted Stella to drop it, she should probably just agree with her, lying or otherwise. The ruby falls from a pocket in Stella's skirt while she's sitting. It has invisible pockets. Who knew?
Back with Bloom and Tecna, Tecna discovers with her hologram that the Trix are ambushing two fairies in the library. Bloom automatically assumes it's Stella and Musa, and tries to contact them via the ear, and hears only fighting and screaming going on.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
The Trix admire their handiwork, having somehow stuck Stella and Musa in the wall, with their hands, feet, and stomachs stuck in the wall. Course, it would've been so much more cruel for them to have stuck their faces inside the wall, but I guess it's a kids' show. Stormy and Icy decide to go and find the rest of the fairies before worrying about the Codex, noting that it's not going anywhere.
Stella: Not that I have a finger to point, but you know who's fault this is, right?
Musa: Not mine! You were the one in charge of the ruby, but instead you were arguing top fives!
Stella: Well, we're stuck now. Want to keep going?
Musa: Why not? Let's do top five one-hit wonders.
Oh, it's your fault too, Musa. Can't put all the blame on Stella. Musa may be a music expert, but there's no accounting for personal taste. I like Debbie Gibson no matter how much anyone tells me she sucks! Funny how Stella and Musa can so easily just go right back to arguing about songs, though. Back with Flora and Layla and Zing, Layla wonder why Mirta and Lucy never responded, but they figure they're probably in trouble. Again.
Back with Tecna and Bloom, Bloom forms an ear on the wall to talk to Layla, who tells Bloom that she thinks the witches got Mirta and Lucy. Bloom says they got Stella and Musa too. Tecna's noticing something on her holographic thingy at the time.
Tecna: Bloom, speaking of which--pun intended--we have some strange activity here.
Bloom: Hmm.
Tecna: Tell me, why are my puns never considered funny?
Tecna, I'm sorry, but a comedienne you are not. Just wants to be funny like a normal girl rather than a computer, but it just ain't happening. Bloom doesn't seem to want to really respond. Five witches are running through the halls of Cloud Tower, fearing for their lives. Three of the witches are taken out of commission by Cloud Tower: a short, messy red-head and a purple-grey haired witch. And yes, there's a reason I'm stating specifically which two witches made it through...
In the heart of Cloud Tower, Miss Griffin notes that Icy's magic has already started affecting it. Miss Griffin, using the tome, asks to help protect the heart of Cloud Tower.
The two witches that made it out of the hallway run into the classroom with Bloom and Tecna. It's the purple-grey haired witch and the short, diamond-shaped red-head witch. Um... wait. What happened to the messy red-head? Where did she go, and how did this other red-head witch manage to escape the little floor trap? Guess she's just one tough witch! The witches, afraid, explain that the whole school is eating people, sucking them into the walls. Tecna and Bloom worry that the witches will "delete us all" and steal the Codex once everyone else is gone. One witch is curious what this Codex is, while the other is more concerned with "delete us all." That would be Tecna's way of saying "kill them." Tecna says there's no time to elaborate, but really, how much time does it take to say "kill us"? The girls hear a noise. Tecna checks her holographic thingy and sees the witches are here. The Trix come in a couple seconds later through the walls. The two witches flee in fear. OK, maybe diamond-shaped red-head witch wasn't so tough after all. Guess I can't blame them too much for running off, since even Tecna and Bloom ran off shortly after this. Tecna and Bloom transform to their winx forms. Tecna boosts Bloom's power with a multiplication spell, though Bloom's attack misses the Trix, but Bloom is hit by Stormy's lightning strike. Tecna and Bloom decide to fly away, with the Trix chasing behind, catching up.
Tecna: Their rate of acceleration is accelerating!
I guess Tecna's just nervous: isn't that redundant? Shouldn't it be their velocity is accelerating instead? In the heart of Cloud Tower, Miss Griffin casts a spell which encases the witches in a few walls. Powerful walls, too, since they can't seem to just phase through like they've been the rest of the episode.
Flora, Layla, and Zing enter a room that's ruined, and assume that Tecna and Bloom have been beaten. Bloom and Tecna walk into the room, showing that they're safe.
The Trix sisters try to blast their way out. Stormy thinks they should destroy the heart, figuring that if they can't control it, then no one will! Icy agrees. Technically, this could backfire, and Cloud Tower could attack them too, but I guess they figure they're so powerful they've got nothing to fear. And they'd be right, probably.
Musa and Stella escape, magically appearing near the other Winx girls. Still no idea what's become of Lucy and Mirta. Miss Griffin is with them, telling the girls to go back to their rooms, that the witches are trying to destroy the heart of Cloud Tower, and that things will get ugly. They're about to take her advice, except that the door disappears, and doors randomly continue appearing and disintegrating. Before long, a crack forms in the floor, and the six girls fall through. Zing flies after them.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Looking from outside Cloud Tower, Darcy notices that it has four spires atop Cloud Tower, yet only three stairwells. Hunch that the Codex may be in the spire with no stairs.
In the mind of Cloud Tower--a void, essentially--the six Winx girls are flying through. Guess they transformed while falling? Tecna says that they can use visualization to escape. Bloom tells them to visualize a normal hallway and they'll be there. Feels like Barney, with all the kids imagining the dinosaur is doing exactly the same things at exactly the same moments. What happens if the Winx girls visualize different hallways? Seems entirely likely to me, but it seems they don't.
Meanwhile, the Trix have figured out which of the spires does not have the staircase, and Icy blasts a hole. The sisters are shocked to see a pixie inside, though: it's Discorda, the witch pixie elder! The WInx girls fly behind them, and Bloom insists with the trio's power, that they must use convergence to defeat the witches.
Icy: A meditating fairy is such an easy target.
Discorda: So is an over-confident witch with her back turned!
Trouble is that Discorda isn't as powerful as she'd like to be, and pretty much just annoys Darcy with her blast. The Winx girls attempt to pull off convergence, but with all the girls' different ideas on what the spell should do, the spell goes awry, and they're all blasted back. Discroda's expression is weird, kinda' surprised and saddened. Just looks unexpected. Stormy easily defeats Discorda, and then Icy goes inside the spire for the second piece of the Codex.
A bit later, the six Winx girls, plus Mirta, walk back to Alfea. Wonder where Mirta's been this whole time. A shame we didn't see her say bye to Lucy. Griffin, Ediltrude, and Zarathustra watch from above. Griffin mentions that they'll need to go back to Alfea to restore their winx, as well as be prepared for the Trix to steal the Codex there. Griffin hopes they can learn to converge better than they did today.
I wonder why the fairies paired up the way they did, seemingly with little reasoning behind them. Like why wouldn't Flora and Musa go together? And why wouldn't Bloom and Stella go together? As it is, putting Musa and Stella together didn't seem like the smartest thing, really.
I wonder how Lucy feels about the Winx girls. She didn't really interact with any of them today, but she wasn't arguing with any of the girls for the short time they were all together, and overall, she just seemed less harsh than usual. Kinda' got the feeling that she might've been getting over her hatred of fairies--I'm sure Mirta helped with that--but as little as she was shown, it's hard to be sure.
It's a shame the Trix sisters didn't tease Tecna about being wrong about where the Codex was hiding. It would've been cool to see them hurting Tecna psychologically like that!
7 out of 10 on the old scale.
