Stella: Looks like she ran into some of the locals.
Layla: I wouldn't worry about her. She seems pretty tough to me.
Amentia declares that they will keep the monsters busy as long as they can. Timmy flies the ship around swarms of rune bats, saying that if he lands the ship now, the bats will swarm them. Brandon shoots a few of them. Guess Bloom has introduced the games to that Earth game Galaga.
In Lord Darkar's fortress, Darkar tells Bloom that it's time for him to activate the Codex, and that hand-in-hand, they'll seize the ultimate power. None of the Trix sisters look happy at all. Icy overheard Darkar calling Bloom "my dear."
Icy: "My dear"? I hate to interrupt your sweet little together-we-will-rule-the-universe moment, but we've got a little bit of a problem outside.
Stormy: The Winx girls and their boy toys have managed to fly a ship into the main cavern.
Darcy: While you're in here flirting with Bloom, they're out there turning your shadow monsters into a shooting gallery!
It's kinda' nice to see the Trix standing up to Darkar, instead of just complaining about him behind his back. Darkar says it's just a minor annoyance. Icy complains that they were supposed to enter the realm of Realix together. Darkar says he needs time to open the vortex, and tells the Trix to lend their Gloomix powers to the monsters outside, as he and Bloom walk off. The Trix are mad. Icy vows to take Bloom out once she isn't needed anymore, and to remind Darkar just who he's dealing with in the Trix.
Back with the ship, Brandon says the bats are scattering, and that they can't kill at the bats with the ship's cannons. Sky is going to use the Red Wing, and tells Riven and Helia to get up to the battle bridge. Sky's Red Wing is a small craft that shoots a lot and is more maneuverable than the main ship. Riven and Helia take off in a carrier pod. Sky brags about taking out 23 bats in one pass. Riven says they'll catch up in no time.
Outside the fortress, the Trix grumble about having to give the monsters all their powers, but Icy says it'll be worth it to destroy the Winx girls. The whole giving-up-their-powers thing shakes up the ships, as well as makes all the monsters much more powerful. There's a really quick moment in here with Lockette darting in, looking like she's trying to find somewhere to vomit, before zipping off screen. Funny! Sky crashes the Red Wing into a stalactite, then almost crashes into the main ship before being able to balance off. Some monsters from above start spitting energy blasts at the main ship, shaking it up. Piff falls out of Layla's hood, falling to the floor, looking unconscious. Tecna wonders where the rocks came from. Layla notices that they're coming from the monsters, that they must have had some sort of spell put on them. Apparently no one noticed that they weren't rocks.
Back inside the fortress, the Trix complain about how exhausted they are, as they sludge their way back to Darkar.
Back in the main ship, Layla picks Piff up and asks if she's OK. Stella starts complaining about Timmy's driving, as she's interrupted by another impact to the ship. Sky contacts the main ship, telling them that they're monsters throwing boulders at the ship. Now these are rocks, people! Layla says they have to get inside the fortress, that she's worried about Bloom. Chatta says Bloom's probably OK, but Lockette disagrees, saying that she senses Bloom is going into total darkness. Chatta gives up trying to get them to stay positive.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
Inside the main ship, Layla asks what Sky is doing, who is flying his Red Wing wildly, cheering a direct hit he got. Helia and Riven complains that he almost clipped his medium ship with Sky's showing off.
Back inside the fortress, Darcy complains that they need to confront Darkar now! Stormy and Icy remind her that they don't have any power left. If anyone suggested they confront Darkar now, it should not have been Darcy.
Meanwhile, Timmy still says there are too many creatures to land.
Musa: If I'm reading this little monitor thingy right, those creatures are everywhere!
I have to love Musa for using the word "thingy." I tend to use the word myself in everyday conversation a lot more often than I really should. Layla insists there must be someplace to land. Tecna asks Lockette, who's screaming very quietly, to use her powers to tell them which entrance has the fewest monsters guarding it. Lockette changes her barrette into her staff, and determines the best place for Timmy to land.
Back in the fortress, Evil Bloom holds open a box with the four Codex pieces, as Darkar tells Bloom that he's almost ready. The Trix confront Darkar, and Icy says that he wouldn't leave without his main witches. Darkar says he has only one main witch now, and that he doesn't plan on leaving without her. The Trix sisters get angry at this, naturally.
Icy: We have been running all over the realms for you, and now you're going to ditch us for some nitwit little wannabe at the last minute?!
Go Icy! Darkar says Bloom is his main witch now, and for the Trix to consider themselves dumped, as he opens a reddish fog that he sends the Trix sisters through. Thankfully not gone for good! Bloom looks mighty pleased that the Trix are gone, as well. Speaking of Bloom, why doesn't she say anything here? I mean, we know Evil Bloom can be catty, like with Flora in "Shadows in Bloom," and this looks like the perfect opportunity for Bloom to put down the Trix sisters, yet she doesn't. Just wasted potential here. Too bad.
Back with Amentia, she slices a monster in half, and tells her men to push forward, that the monsters are almost wiped out. Then she turns around, and sees hoards more monsters, and realizes she probably spoke too soon.
Back in the main area outside the fortress, a couple of monsters jump onto Sky's ship. That has got to take some talent, jumping on a fast-moving ship far below. Guess the magic made the monsters smarter too, to be able to time their leap just right like that. And their landing on the ship has to be about the cheesiest CGI ever used on the show. It just looks really bad. One of the monsters falls off, but the other starts pounding away at Sky's ship. In the main ship, Timmy and Tecna note that Sky is in trouble.
Back in the fortress, Bloom is still holding up the open case of Codex pieces. Why exactly is Bloom holding the box as if she were a Price is Right model, anyway? I mean, there's no one there but Darkar... then again, this is the same guy who likes going into monologues when he's by himself.... Darkar says he must do one more thing before they enter Realix: he calls for his rune bat Kerbog, and changes it into a large creature, the guardian of Shadowhaunt, for protection against the Winx girls, should they make it into his fortress.
Back outside the fortress, the monster falls off Sky's ship and splatters on the ground below, but the wing has taken heavy damage, and Sky is going to crash. Timmy tries to contact Sky; Sky says he can't control his ship. Layla tells Timmy to fly over there and rescue him, but Timmy says he isn't trained for an in-flight ship-to-ship repair. Stella looks frighteningly stone-faced here. Sky tells them to just forget about him, but Riven won't hear of it, saying that he's never just forgotten about them. Riven opens the hangar bay, hoping Sky can crash his ship in there. Sky's display isn't working right, though, and Sky is unable to guide his ship inside. Helia says he can reel the ship in.
Back in the fortress, Lord Darkar explains that to open the vortex, they must present darkness and light allied together, and that the vortex won't know that Bloom has turned evil, but will only see the light in her. And why is he telling Bloom this? I'm sure Bloom knows all this already... oh yeah. Darkar just likes to talk a lot. Of course.
Back outside the fortress, Helia goes out to the hangar bay, and lassoes Sky's ship, pulling it inside the hangar. And amazingly, Sky's ship didn't just yank Helia right out! Helia must be very strong, apparently! Some bats give him a little trouble, but still!
Back with Lord Darkar and Evil Bloom, Darkar joins the pieces of the Codex together. Lord Darkar is excited that it is working, that the portal is finally opening. Bloom laughs evilly.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
From the medium ship, Helia continues trying to pull in Sky's Red Wing with his string, and is successful! The others cheer from the main ship.
Back in the tunnel to Shadowhaunt, Amentia is breathing heavily, becoming exhausted. Amentia says that they've bought Brandon all the time they can, and that it's time for them to retreat: Amentia's army zips off, with cartoonish sound effect, with absolutely no hesitation. Amentia watches in disbelief as her army runs away, then covers her face in her hand. Poor Amentia... so disgusted.
Back on the main ship, Brandon says the powered-up monsters are too powerful for the ship's blasters. The Winx girls are all eager to go out there and defeat the monsters. Timmy tells them not to be too long though. Tecna says they can handle it, but Timmy says he worries about Tecna being out there fighting. He's winning Tecna over, all right. Her response is a coo! Someone takes off in a second Red Wing inside the main ship. Riven and Helia blast open a large hole leading inside Darkar's fortress. The girls transform to their winx forms, jump out of the ship, then activate their Charmix. Not sure why they didn't just do both in one quick go-round, really. Layla shoots pink blasts floating midair. Stella shoots a large yellow blast that mixes with Layla's smaller pink blasts. The five girls hold hands and use convergence to make the monsters lose their power, making it easier for the ships to all blast, including the other Red Wing. I guess Brandon's piloting this one? I mean, he's the only one it could be, since Sky's been with Riven and Helia since his broke down, right?
At Red Fountain, Faragonda is in Saladin's office. She says that she and Griffin are ready. Saladin says that he wishes he could go with Faragonda, but is in too poor of health, but Codatorta can go with them. Codatorta would have more fun anyway, methinks.
Back in Shadowhaunt, right outside the big hole leading inside Darkar's fortress, the ships have landed, with everyone out except for Timmy, who is still in the main ship. Brandon says they'll guard the entrance as the girls go inside. Stella is surprised the guys aren't going inside with them; Brandon says they'll be with the girls in spirit.
Brandon: Be careful, Stella. You are the light of my life.
Stella: That's the cheesiest thing you've ever said.
Stella's probably right, too! Stella cries on his shoulder. Flora tells Helia that she wishes she had told him how she felt earlier; Helia tells her not to worry about the past, and just to think about the future, as he grabs Flora and kisses her. Flora looks shocked, though she seems to like it. Helia wastes no time, does he? Just how recently did they hook up, again? At least the kiss itself isn't shown, so more can be left to the imagination of the viewer. Then again, maybe this one, it would have been more appropriate for a little, not-so-passionate kiss.... Tecna looks at the ship, knowing Timmy is inside. Timmy watches Tecna from the ship, saying how beautiful she is, not that Tecna can hear. Over with Musa and Riven, Musa says that she knows Riven doesn't want to do the whole mushy goodbye thing, but as she starts to walk away, Riven pulls her close, and tells her to promise to come back, and that he doesn't know what he'd do without Musa. Musa was obviously not expecting this from Riven, but then, it's about time! Guess this makes up for him being speechless back on the beach when Musa spilled her guts about her feelings toward him. Sky looks worried, but Layla goes up to him, telling him not to worry about Bloom, that they'll bring her back. Timmy warns them all that monsters are coming, and the girls fly off, with the pixies close behind. The boys start taking on monsters that start attacking.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
The red swirly vortex that is the gateway to Realix is open. Darkar goes blah blah blah, and he and Bloom enter the vortex.
Lockette, pixie of wimpiness, struggles to get away, as Chatta keeps her from doing so. Funny how she often acts more like a baby than Piff. It's not like the Winx girls even made Lockette come with them! Stella and Chatta yell at Lockette that they need her help, to show them the right way to Bloom. Lockette finally points the right way, but says she senses something terrible. Duh. I think the girls are all expecting terrible danger. That isn't helping any, Lockette. The pixies and the girls move ahead. Stella thinks she hears something, but no one else heard it. Transformed Kerbog smashes his axe against a wall, sending parts of the walls and roof collapsing onto the girls and pixies. They get up in pain. The pixies see something that scares them to their bonded fairies: Kerbog. Tecna says it's an octoceritops, but they're supposed to be extinct. Stella shoots a blast at Kerbog, which he reflects with his axe, which hits Stella and Layla, and temporarily blinds Layla. Flora tries to use her vines, which is ineffective. Musa tries her bass booster, which also proves to be ineffective; Musa notes that they're not even scratching this monster. Kerbog strikes his axe into the floor, which knocks the five girls back into a wall. Kerbog slowly advances toward the girls, as Chatta steps up in front of the girls.
Chatta: See if you can get me, you overgrown mop cow!
Flora disapproves of Chatta's gutsiness, but I like it! Nice to see a pixie who's tougher than Lockette. Actually, I guess, all the other pixies are tougher, but still! Wonder what the heck a mop cow is, though. The girls and pixies all hurry off right after he swings his axe toward Chatta. Tecna says this monster is made of the same kind of magic that made the monster back at Red Fountain. Makes some sense, since that was also Kerbog. Faragonda and Griffin can be heard casting spells on the monster, knocking it down, then they appear, along with Codatorta and Athena, Discorda, and the Pixie Village elder. Concorda is not among the pixie elders here. Codatorta is flying, too. I guess he was given some magic from Faragonda and Griffin to do this. Musa is excited to see the teachers. Stella is surprised to hear Musa say that. Faragonda tells the girls to take the pixie elders with them. Codatorta tells the girls that they can take care of Kerbog, right as Kerbog does some flashy thing that knocks the teachers down. Faragonda tells the girls to run.
The one disappointment really was Evil Bloom. She didn't really do anything. We saw Evil Bloom back in "Shadows in Bloom," where she pretty much owned everyone. Here, though, she just stood around, doing her little evil giggle every now and then. I don't understand why... heck, she even had a great opportunity to put down the Trix sisters, and just passed it right up! Boo!
8 out of 10 on the old scale.
