Bloom: We'll get you changed back Stella, but in the meantime, I think you look kind of cuddly.
Flora: Yeah, kind of like a cross between a frog and a bear, or on second thought, maybe a dragon.
I guess Flora's trying to make Stella feel better... "dragon" ain't the way to go, though. It's actually cute with Bloom and Flora here, though. Stella starts crying. She gets nervous when she hears Brandon call out for her, though. Stella hides behind a tree, worrying that if Brandon sees her in her current state, that he won't like her. Except didn't Brandon already see froggie Stella in the last episode? Sky and Brandon ask if everything is alright, and that they saw the explosions. Bloom says that the guards fired at Stella in the aviary, and knocked her off the roof. She goes on to explain that Stella's looking for a secret escape route to leave the palace grounds. Flora says she'll be a while, so they shouldn't wait, and they should just get the ship. It looks like Flora has something in her eye... wonder why she's keeping one eye closed? I mean, it's not like Helia's here for her to flirt with.... The guards are still after Stella, though. Sky and Brandon are suspicious as to what is actually up. Again, don't they already know Stella's been turned into a frog monster? They did see Stella after the change, after all! Since the girls' have minimal magical powers due to the rain, Tecna figures it would be best for Sky and Brandon to handle the guards. Bloom again tells Brandon and Sky to get to the ship, and Stella says she knows of a secret passage, and takes the girls to it. Good guess on Bloom's part. There really was a secret passage, after all! The guards release the hounds. Not ordinary hounds, though. More like mutant hounds. And they're stronger than dragons, apparently. Stella trips as they're running away, though, and the hounds are about to go in for the kill... except after sniffing, they recognize Stella, and become friendly. Stella says her father gave her these dogs when they were puppies, and tells the dogs to go home, and she leads the girls to the secret passage. She continues that it's a good thing that Brandon didn't see her in her froggie state, or he'd have run off faster than a Solarian sunbeam. Flora says he's not like that. Musa says all guys are like that. Whoa, where did that come from? Stella says the passage is right up ahead in a hollowed-out tree. Tecna asks how they'll know which one. Cue flashback!
Back when Stella was a little girl, she and her dog Couture were on a treasure hunt. Stella looks less dorky and more fashion-savvy than in her flashback from last season. I guess she's a little older here. And Couture? Bad a name for a dog as that may be, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Stella would name her dog that. Oh, and by the way, Couture isn't one of the hounds chasing her a few minutes ago. Couture's a cuter breed. Anyway, while on the treasure hunt, they were supposed to find spell flowers, but they wound up finding a tree with hollowed-out ancient elf tunnels. I love Stella's devious little "up to something" expression as she picks up Couture! Like she's already planning on what she's going to use the tunnel for! She ties a pink ribbon on the oak tree so she'd always know which tree it was. She continues that when she got older, the tunnel came in very handy, as she'd use them to sneak out to go to parties.
And end the flashback. Stella now sadly says that she's using the tunnel to sneak from her own party. Awww. The girls enter the tunnel. The ground is muddy and slimy, though. The girls all find the tunnel creepy, and Stella says it didn't used to be like this. Tecna shines a little light to help everyone see. The passage becomes extremely narrow up ahead, barely wide enough for the girls to fit through. Definitely not wide enough for Stella, in her current state, to get through. Tecna analyzes the tunnel, and says it's short, and heads through first, nervously, but she makes it, and says that it's safe once out on the other side. The other girls follow, with Stella entering last. Despite her size, though, she miraculously makes it through, not getting stuck until she's about to exit from the other side. Musa comments that a narrow passageway and a plus-size fairy isn't good. Stella gets insulted. Musa says she didn't mean anything by the comment. At best, it was a mean thoughtless comment on Musa's part. At worst, she has a serious problem with fat people. Either way, Musa isn't looking too great in this episode. Right after Stella gets unstuck, they hear rumbling. Stella says this part of the tunnel is right under a lake. That has nothing to do with nothing though: the rumbling is coming from a giant boulder straight out of Indiana Jones! Run girls, run!
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
The rock is rolling, and the girls are still running away. They soon get to a fork in the road, which Stella says didn't used to be there. Stella goes left, because when in doubt, go left. That's what she says, anyway. Never heard that one before. What about "right is right"? No? The boulder blocks the left entrance, so for the girls' sake, let's hope left was right. Err... left was correct. A bunch of giant spiders soon attack the girls, and carry them to the ceiling, except for Tecna, who's slips backwards, and faints for a moment. When Tecna gets up, though, she sees the other girls captured on the ceiling of the tunnel. Tecna still has a little bit of magic left, though, and creates holographic images of the girls standing on the ground. The spiders fall for it. I find it a bit odd that the spiders would go after them when they already have a meal captured, but I guess I'm not a spider, either. Tecna flies up and shoots the cobwebs holding them up with a small laser, bringing them down to the ground. Tecna says the spiders are figuring out that the holographic images of them aren't real, so they need to hurry. There's a pool of water the girls have to go through, though. Bloom says they can create a breathing bubble once in the water. Almost immediately, though, they're attacked by leeches, and they all faint again. The leeches ignore Stella, though, who also seems to be able to breathe underwater. Froggie form has its advantages, apparently! Stella attacks a weak spot in the cave wall, though, running the water out forcefully enough to pull the leeches off, as well as suck the girls through the fountain. The rain also seems to have stopped.
Out of the fountain, Bloom says they need to call Brandon, but she magically creates a pink robe to cover Stella. At least save for her face. But even not counting that, wouldn't Brandon wonder how she put on so much weight since the party? He might get suspicious about that. But then, he doesn't even seem to remember that he saw her froggie form at the party, so he doesn't seem to be that observant, anyway. Bloom says that once they get back to Alfea, they'll break the spell and turn Stella back to normal.
Somewhere else--probably Tides--Baltor wonders about a girl at the party who gave him an uneasy feeling: Bloom, naturally. He calls for the Trix, who ask if he merged with the Solarian sun, and they just comment how not tanned he looks. He shows them how powered up he is with a fiery display, though. He also asks if they know anything about the girl, creating an image of Bloom in the air. The Trix explain she's a loser fairy from Alfea, and a loser heiress from Sparx. Not surprisingly, they don't mention how this "loser" kicked their butts. Baltor says she might be a problem. Darcy says they can take Bloom out for him. Baltor says they'll take her out together, that he's looking forward to it as much as they are.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
And the Red Fountain ship flies everyone to Alfea.
Bloom: I'll call you tonight Sky!
Sky: Not if I call you first!
I guess with Stella trying to avoid Brandon, someone had to take their place. Flora says they should find Concorda to see if she can find a counterspell. As the girls are walking past, though, Knut sees Stella, and floats in the air with hearts all around, and grabs some flowers from a nearby vase. Knut doesn't seem to find froggie Stella ugly! Heck, he finds her downright hot! Flora says they can put an illusion spell on Brandon that would hide her actual looks, so Brandon can only see her inner beauty. Stella worries that Brandon wouldn't like her inner-self in he can't see her outer-self, though. Knut walks up to Stella, to give her the flowers. Only it's just stems: Knut got hungry and ate the flower part. Stella gives a nervous thank you. Nearby, Concorda tosses paper aside. Livy stamps the papers by jumping on them with inked feet. Piff and Lockette fly with a heavy book, giving them trouble. Concorda says one will help with their problem. Bloom reads of the mirror of truth, which can break any dark spell. Concorda says it can be found on the other side of the Barrier Mountains, and it's a very dangerous journey. Stella worries it might not work. Concorda says it might not work as well, and that it will only work if it's meant to be, if it will put the universe back in balance. Knut says he'll go with them to help, but Stella would rather Knut stay here.
Knut stands outside Stella's door, listening as Stella says she wishes her schnookums was there with her, for her to rest her head on, listen to his soothing, goofy voice, and tell him how she doesn't care that he's from a nonroyal family, he could still be her prince. Knut gets all giddy and excited, then knocks to come in. He tells Stella that he thinks he could make a good prince even though he's from a nonroyal family. Stella realizes the misunderstanding going on, but with Knut's insistence, she figures she'll "teach" him anyway. Stella orders Knut to go through a bunch of different postures, eventually tripping over himself.
Flora: Are you holding Miss Manners classes again, Stella?
Stella tells Knut not to worry, saccharinely adding that it takes a lot of practice. Out in the hallway on their way to the ship, Flora and Stella talk some more.
Flora: Was Knut courting you?
Stella: Yes, which has convinced me more than ever that Brandon cannot see me like this! No--Matter--What!
Outside, Flora assures Stella that the inner-beauty spell will work. And sure enough, Brandon doesn't seem to notice anything different with Stella! Timmy and Sky are also there, but Riven and Helia aren't. Who knows why. And better yet, I wonder if they notice something wrong with how Stella looks. Were they affected by the spell too? Or did Bloom just ask them not to say anything to Brandon? As they fly through, Tecna says she sees a tear in the atmosphere on her monitory. Sky says the weather is attacking the ship: very cold weather and snow falling. Timmy says it looks like the ship will freeze, which would cause the ship to crash like a stone.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Flora says she'll go outside and melt the ice with her solar ivy. Complete with action hero pose! Flora thinks she's an 80s cartoon! Timmy says she can't fly with the wind gusts outside. Tecna says their magic won't work against a storm spirit, anyway. Brandon says they need to hurry and do something, because the ship will crash any moment. Bloom has an idea, but everyone will have to trust her. Bloom explains that the friction from a power dive would heat the exterior of the ship and melt the ice. Bloom makes Sky promise not to pull up until she says so. Brandon starts yelling for Sky the pull up, but he waits for Bloom. Musa and Flora beg Sky to pull up, but soon after, Bloom gives Sky the word. Sky pulls up, and Sky says they made it just in time, with only three inches before they'd have crashed. But they aren't safe yet, as a giant bird comes near. Bloom says she hopes it isn't what she thinks it is, as it comes in and grabs the ship... then fade to black, with the "To Be Continued..." message. Of course.
Like Brandon. Brandon saw frog monster form Stella in the last episode. Why did he suddenly forget this episode? Seriously.
And Musa. She seems to have a problem with overweight people. I'm sure her father, being overweight himself, wouldn't have liked hearing Musa in this episode. Don't think he'd have liked her comment about all guys being so superficial, either. Did she have a problem with boys in the past or something? Where the heck was all this coming from today?! She doesn't like fat people, witches, or guys... she seems to harbor a lot of prejudices, doesn't she?
And while the show was fun in parts, it also seemed kinda' pointless in the end. I don't really get why the girls all went through the underground tunnel in the first place, and why Sky and Brandon didn't just get the ship right away.
But on the upside, Tecna really shined in this episode! Tecna took charge a lot, and wound up saving all the other girls from the spiders, so yay for her! Nice to see her not being neglected.
And Flora was pretty good in this show as well. She didn't have a big role, but she was just... sweet, I guess. She reminded me more of first season Flora, anyway.
Knut had a pretty big role in this show, more than anytime last season! A cute little role he had too, crushing on Stella! Funny how he didn't think anything of her in her "beautiful" human form, but now that she looks like a frog monster, that's when he falls head over heels! Guess it goes to show how beauty is just in the eye of the beholder!
4 out of 10 on the old scale.
