My Little Pony: The End of Flutter Valley – Parts 3-4 (S01E03-4)

The End of Flutter Valley (G1 Cover)
The End of Flutter Valley (G1 Cover)
The End of Flutter Valley (G2 Cover... why?)
The End of Flutter Valley (G2 Cover… why?)

Title: The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)

Summary: That great maguffin aka the Sun Stone has been stolen by Queen Bumble and her Bees, putting Flutter Valley in dire straights. The witches are on the verge of claiming their new territory, the Flutter Ponies are captured (and recaptured, in Morning Glory’s case), and the Ponies somehow manage to stumble into Furbobia, where Baby Cuddles gets steamed.

Grade: This will be given when Dove and I finally reach the end of this 10 part epic.

Recap:

You have now reached episodes 3-4 of this harrowing 10 part, 2 hour struggle through this Flutter Vally-centric nightmare. I don’t know; I’m pretty sure Flutter Valley was covered in the major motion picture that had been released three freaking months prior to the cartoon’s debut, but Hasbro gotta make that merch money! Anyway, Dove will cover Parts 5-6 in the next batch recap.

 

Part 3

The sounds of grunting and snorting fill the air, as we pan up to a wooden bridge spanning the chasm. Those pesky Stonebacks (a cross between an armadillo and a beaver?) are chewing away at one end of the bridge. One is attacking the post that the rope is strung from, while the other goes to town on the boards. Meaning, the Bushwoolies scream for help, fearing for their lives, since they’re trapped mid-bridge with the Ponies, the Furbobs, and Spike.

Well, not all of them. Surprise is flying around overhead in a weird pattern. Cheap animation, ahoy!

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
Just hover mid-air while your friends are gonna die, Surprise! Geez.

Oh, well look at that. There’s Stonebacks on either end of the bridge. Also, did the bridge just get smaller and shorter? Damn you, cheap inconsistent animation!

Surprise flies to one end and yells at the Stonebacks to stop. Because talking it out and appealing to the creatures’ sympathetic natures is totally going to work! [Dove: Be thankful. I’m fairly certain her Plan A was to jump out at them and yell “Surprise!” before laughing herself into a coma.] [bat: I hated Surprise. She and Shady were on my DO NOT EVER BUY list.]

The Stonebacks just stare at her, snorting and grunting, continuing to destroy the bridge. Nice negotiation, Surprise! Jack Bauer, you are not!

Inevitably, the structure of the bridge is compromised and one ends snaps, leading to systematic failure of the whole bridge and DOWN GOES THE LOT. Welp, that was a short recap. Guess I’ll see myself out…

[Dove: Call me snide, but I really prefer the bridge collapse in Final Destination 5. It seemed somewhat better plotted.]

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
I couldn’t have landed on a better frame. This is perfect.

WAIT! Fizzy remembers, duh, she’s a freaking unicorn and yells that she’s gonna make a parachute! A giant bubble (??) blows out of her horn, while the other ponies and Spike fall past her, but it’s big enough for the Bushwoolies to land on. The Furbobs also land on it.

…how is a bubble a parachute?

Surprise dives in and grabs Baby Cuddles by the mane. Spike takes the opportunity to mount her, riding to safety. It’s not the best landing, as Surprise drops Baby Cuddles into the mud, where Spike also lands. Ew.

Gusty, Buttons, and Cupcake all land in the middle of the river. TWO OF THOSE PONIES ARE UNICORNS. MAGIC FAIL. They bob up to the surface, looking extraordinarily surprised they have survived the fall. And they just walk right on out of the river, which isn’t remotely animated to show movement.

Fizzy slowly descends via that giant bubble, the Bushwoolies and Furbobs still atop it. As soon as they land on the river bank, the Bushwoolies pile onto her forelegs, profusely thanking her for saving them.

Even though they were just show walking out of the river (screw continuity!) Gusty, Buttons, and Cupcake again trot out of the water onto the river bank, this time shaking off the water. Of course this sprays onto the Bushwoolies and Furbobs.

Above, the grunting and snorting Stonebacks turn away and disappear, as the soaking wet Bushwoolies and Furbobs look upwards, before following suit and shaking themselves dry. The Bushwoolies immediately interrogate the Furbobs as to why the Stonebacks dislike them. There is, of course, a disagreement: one says it’s because the Furbobs wouldn’t play with the Stonebacks (??) while the other says it’s because the Stonebacks are smelly.

Finally, the pink Furbob admits they’ve been fighting for so long no one remembers why they started fighting in the first place. (Gee, it’s a regular Hatfields and McCoys situation here.) [Dove: Or Hooffields and McColts, if you want to reference FiM.] [bat: Good one, Dove! This made me face palm, but also laugh, and wonder why I didn’t think of it. FiM truly loves their puns.]

BUT SCREW ALL THAT: BABY CUDDLES’ LEG IS HURT!!

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
The moment where we learn Cupcake does a spot on Baby Cuddles impression.

Cupcake asks her what happened. In a stunning bit of animation error, Baby Cuddles answers through Cupcake, her voice coming out of Cupcake’s mouth as Cupcake mouths the words, which is not only creepy but freaky. [Dove: This is neither the first nor the last time it happens. And it never stops being creepy… and kind of awesome?]

Baby Cuddles can’t walk (she has three other legs, not to mention there’s how many “adult” ponies to carry her???) and Gusty, ever the optimist, points out that it’s still a long way back to Paradise Estates.

Blue (Purple?) Furbob invites the Ponies to come home to Furbobia! They can heal Baby Cuddles! Didn’t we establish they don’t know its location anymore, in the previous episode? [Dove: Yes.] Guess it doesn’t matter. The Pink Furbob drags the Blue Furbob off screen by the tail, which I guess means we’re going to Furbobia! (How high were the writers when they decided to name things in this series? Seriously.)

A right screen wipe and HEY LOOK! It’s the pagan-style stone temple of the Sun Stone, in Fluttery Valley! The Flutter Ponies are doing what they do best, fluttering around, and the mystical Sun Stone is still seated at the center.

Up on rocky ledge that overhangs above the temple, IN PLAIN VIEW OF EVERY PONY, Reeka and Draggle are plotting again, this time with Queen Bumble. She’s telling the bumbling teen witches that their plan had better work. Whatever it is, Reeka promises it will. Bumble’s army is awaiting a special signal, which will trigger their attack on the Flutter Ponies. Okay.

Martin Prince Reeka says some words and throws something into the air, which turns into the Rainbow of Light™ a rainbow, arching across the sky. The Flutter Ponies stop, hovering mid-air, absolutely awestruck. Morning Glory is all OMG SO KOOL while Honeysuckle astutely points out there’s no rain. Honeysuckle is basically Gusty’s counterpart.

Queen Bumble doesn’t actually give a damn signal; she just orders the swarm of drones, who have suddenly appeared behind her on the rocky cliff, to follow her. Okay. The Bees dive bomb into the Sun Stone temple, where the Sun Stone is now unguarded. Draggle bitches that it’s the worst special signal she’s ever heard. Agreed.

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
CHICANERY! WITCHCRAFT! FAKE NEWS!

Because the Flutter Ponies aren’t qualified in masonry, Queen Bumble easily dislodges the Sun Stone and throws it to her drones, ordering them to take it back to Bumbleland. [Dove: *removes hat, puts hand over heart* Aww, Grundleland… wait, Bumbleland? Never mind. *puts hat back on*] (These place names kill me.) Suddenly the Flutter Ponies realize THEFT IS HAPPENING but Honeysuckle is too busy pointing out the rainbow is fake. Priorities.

To prove her point, Honeysuckle flies into the rainbow and it dissolves. I’m sure there’s fake science here but also magic spells? Queen Rosedust remembers, hey, leadership, and orders the Flutter Ponies to retrieve the Sun Stone. It must be returned to the temple before sunset! If not, Flutter Valley will die!

Geez, melodramatic much? [Dove: Die? But it looks crap now compared to the movie. I say euthanise the valley and find somewhere new to live.]

Reeka and Draggle, STILL STANDING ON THAT CLIFF, wave at the Flutter Ponies as they zoom past. Draggle is already claiming ownership of the valley. We close out on a cliffhanger shot of said stone temple, which now looks brown and grey and dying. OH NOES.

Post-commercial, the pack of Flutter Ponies are gaining on the Bees. Bumbleland is still frosty AF, the trees basically pointy sticks coated in ice and snow. Queen Bumble and the Bees pour out of the puffy white clouds, headed straight for the hives.

Queen Rosedust is utterly shocked that the Bees have made it to their homeland. Honeysuckle is all WAIT UP WHAT IF TRAP but Queen Rosedust replies “We can’t argue about it now!” What, wait? Honeysuckle has no rejoinder, so the Flutter Ponies plunge towards the Bees. [Dove: As the plot demands!]

Queen Bumble comes upon Sting, landing on the ground so her cape covers his head. She demands he prepare the honeycomb, then can’t figure out where he’s gone, even though he’s still covered by her cape. Ha ha ha.

Meanwhile, the Sun Stone is just laying in a hole in the ground, so Queen Rosedust and most of the Flutter Ponies rush towards it. Honeysuckle, the lone voice of reason™, insists it’s a trap and complains that no one listens to her. She even hangs back for a second, before rushing forward to try and stop her sisters (kin?) but it’s too late. A massive dome-shaped honeycomb (??) trap descends upon the Flutter Ponies, effectively encasing them.

Queen Bumble approaches, crowing about her victory. Sting, beside her, holds the Sun Stone. Inhaling all the pollen from a bouquet of flowers, Queen Bumble orders Sting to place the Sun Stone, and I quote, “to reflect the sun.” WHAT A CONCEPT.

Apparently, using the power of said Sun Stone to reflect the sun’s rays will melt Bumbleland and bring forth oodles and oodles of nectar-filled flowers. There, there’s where all the damn flowers went, Dove.

We return to the sad and dying stone temple over in Flutter Valley, to remind viewers what’s at stake, just in time for a song!

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
Well-done or medium rare, Hydia?

The witches have moved into the valley, singing about how dark and dreary it is, so wonderful! Hydia has arrived, along with the giant spider Ahgg, who is manning a barbecue. So full of surprises, that spider.

Though Hydia gets real mad when Ahgg spills the ketchup.

Singing about how they basically love trashing a “clean” place until it’s a bog that smells and is fully of dirty clothes and weedy flowerbeds. Really, these witches would make wonderful case studies for an episode of Hoarders.

Slowly, the background changes to reflect that the witches have created enough of a mess to kill the flora of Flutter Valley. I guess those are trees dying. I’m honestly not sure. I spoke too soon. A tree just shed its entire canopy of leaves before its branches curled up. “Dark and dirty, yeah!”

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
Maybe that tooth just aligns with her nostril?

Hydia insists that by sunset, Flutter Valley will be permanently destroyed. meanwhile, I’m wondering how her bottom tooth (fang?) keeps smashing into her nose but there’s no blood spraying out. [Dove: Was that even there in the movie? I have never noticed it before. Now I can’t not see it.] [bat: No, it is not. This is what happens when you lose your giant animation budget.] Ahgg gets it on it, somehow able to speak the word “wilted” and all the witches laugh at their magnificent pet.

Somewhere… else… the Ponies are marching along behind the Furbobs. Spike is whiny, asking if they’re there yet. At some point, the Ponies have fashioned a stretcher to carry Baby Cuddles upon, which they carry via their mouths. YET GUSTY IS CLEARLY SPEAKING EVEN THERE THERE’S A BIG WOODEN POLE IN HER MOUTH.

Gusty is complaining they need to rest, to which Baby Cuddles inquires “me too heavy?” Martin Prince Cupcake does not fat shame the toddler, instead comforting her and telling her everything is going to be fine. Buttons agrees, but the Furbobs once again disagree whether they can fix Baby Cuddles’ leg. Whatever.

The Bushwoolies don’t give a shit, they’re too busy jumping up and down under an apple tree, complaining about how they can’t reach the apples. SUDDENLY THE APPLES FALL, right into the Bushwoolies’ hands and the Ponies’ mouths.

Fizzy observes that all they had to do was wish for the apples and boom, they fell, and is that how easy magic is, getting what you wish for?? (OH. MY. GOD. YOU’RE. A. UNICORN. IS. THAT. NOT. HOW. YOUR. MAGIC. WORKS???) Apparently no, this doesn’t apply to all Bushwoolies, just WISHFUL. Who then admits that no, it doesn’t work all the time like that. In fact, rarely.

The laws of magic in this reality are jacked up. They don’t even need Discord. [Dove: Roll a dice, it’s all random.]

Surprise swoops in, AND OH MY GOD HER BODY IS MOVING BUT HER EYE IS STATIONARY, WHAT THE HELL, THAT’S FREAKING CREEPY. Wow, distracted. Anyway, she says they better get moving along to Furbobia because the sun is going down. (Do Ponies have sundown laws?)

Everybody gets back in gear, the Ponies pick up the stretcher, and the Furbobs smash into each other. Spike takes the lead but OH NOES three Stonebacks block their path! The Stonebacks are now drooling. Ew. Turns out there’s actually more of them, and when one stomps a foot, the rest move in to surround the Ponies & co.

Buttons wonders if the Stonebacks parlez vous pony, but Spike decides that maybe he can “snort” to them. He says something about his dad snorting once a long time ago. (Insert inappropriate 80s cocaine joke here.) Whatever Spike manages to communicate, it’s the wrong thing, as the Stonebacks continue to advance.

Back to Bumbleland, where Sting has built a wooden tripod for the Sun Stone, which is directing the sun’s rays into a quickly thawing forest. I guess the Sun Stone isn’t very stable, as a beam shoots off and hits a tree, forcing it into immediate bloom. Leafing out? Whatever, it’s suddenly covered in green leaves and there’s huge bunches of flowers bloomed out at its base. [Dove: Maybe you need to worship it and sing to it, like the Flutter ponies?] [bat: I was going to suggest blood sacrifices…?]

This is super exciting to Queen Bumble, who grabs a bunch of flowers and inhales all the pollen. (Insert yet another wildly inappropriate 80s cocaine joke here.) I really wonder if the writers know how bees operate, but after watching that, I’m guessing the answer is no.

And I guess she really didn’t inhale the pollen, as there’s now yellow goo depicted around her mouth. I suppose it’s to indicate she drank the nectar. Who cares about accuracy!

Queen Bumble demands MORE MORE MORE but Sting implores her to wait a few minutes (yeah, enjoy the high, you damn addict.) Insisting she’s waited a lifetime already, Queen Bumble takes up the bouquet Sting gathers for her. This won’t end well.

Over in the honeycomb jail cell, the Flutter Ponies are at each others throats. Well, more like Honeysuckle is telling it like it is and calling out Morning Glory for being a turn the other cheek type. Queen Rosedust butts in, telling them to knock that shit off, it’s time to kick into UTTER FLUTTER and bust out of the joint.

Apparently they think they can blow the walls down. Um.

Queen Bumble arrives outside just in time to order honey released. This seems odd. There’s a single OPEN CELL in the structure, ONE THROUGH WHICH THE DAMN FLUTTER PONIES COULD HAVE ESCAPED, yet they DIDN’T, and now the drones are dumping buckets of honey through said hole. My brain, she hurts.

You guessed it. The honey amazingly pours right into that hole and splatters all over the Flutter Ponies’ wings, effectively sticking them together and shutting down the attempt at Utter Flutter. The Flutter Ponies find themselves stuck to the bottom of the honeycomb jail. Oops.

Queen Bumble crows her victory and adds something in about making the Flutter Ponies her slaves. Geez, enslavement is a common topic in these cartoons. What the hell. Sting hands her another flower bouquet, which she sucks dry, before cackling the words “Yes, slaves!”

WHICH IS WHERE THE EPISODE ENDS.

Part 4

We open the episode with Queen Bumble and Sting overseeing a drone dumping more honey into the honeycomb prison. Sting is afraid that the Flutter Ponies might drown and the queen assures me she just wants to “ground” them. Because, y’know, their wings are stuck together and they’re sticking to the floor of the honeycomb. [Dove: If she wanted to ground them, she should just take them out of the packaging. Everyone knows that flutter ponies’ wings are good for approximately two seconds before they fall off.]

In another stunning show of crappy continuity, there’s now three drones dumping honey but no explanation where they came from. A+ job, guys. Sting decides to distract his queen and offers to get her more cocaine nectar.

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
What kind of art direction is this?? “Put honey everywhere but their tails!”

Meanwhile, inside the honeycomb cell, Queen Rosedust is covered in sticky honey (though none on her extra floofy tail? Sure. [Dove: This is quite true to the toy though. Those wings are absolutely useless, but the tails are made of sterner stuff.]) She informs her subjects that she can hardly move. But don’t fear, Morning Glory can! There’s even an extra helpful “tiny opening” left in the honeycomb (that’s been there since last episode, when they were imprisoned, and there’s another on the other side as well) and the Flutter Ponies cheer her on and yell encouragement as she somehow walks up the wall towards it.

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
Even though it was always there, we just now noticed this giant escape hole.

Because this is a children’s cartoon, Morning Glory succeeds and escapes, being yelled at by a drone as she flies by. Even though there’s obviously honey on her wings, too. Whatever.

Morning Glory does her best to flee in the still frozen forest (I thought they melted all that last episode?) but the drone gives chase. She ducks into a huge hole in a tree just in time, and the drone can’t follow because his butt is too big. Then we see Morning Glory outside the tree, which makes no sense, because there was no obvious exit hole, but again CHILDREN’S CARTOON. She’s staring at the stuck drone instead of, y’know, FLYING AWAY TO GET HELP.

With a really terrible cut, we smash back to the apple orchard, where the Ponies & co are still trapped by the Stonebacks. But Surprise is flying around like an annoying gnat, trying to distract and/or stop them. Because that’s real effective. [Dove: I suspect it’s crossed Gusty’s mind to kill Surprise and give her over as a peace offering to the Stonebacks. Surprise really deserves it.] [bat: Gusty probably recites a list before bed, ala Arya Stark.]

I mean, she’s actually yelling “you can’t catch me, nyah nyah!” at them. “It’s not working, Surprise!” Fizzy points out. Thanks, Captain Obvious. Finally, someone comes up with an idea. It’s Gusty, of course, and she’s using her powers to attempt to blow the Stonebacks away. Um. What is wrong with these Ponies??

The Stonebacks weigh too much so that idea fails. Spike actually pats her on the shoulder. He might as well have handed her a “YOU TRIED” ribbon.

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
The power of Christ compels you, Stonebacks be gone!

Baby Cuddles suggests Wishful wish them away. Okay. I mean, it worked with the apples. Why not. It doesn’t work, duh, the Stonebacks snorting and stomping. The Furbobs are all screw that idea, we could do that! Finally Buttons takes charge, ordering everyone to run while she uses her magic to pull the apples from the trees, right on top of the Stonebacks. It’s more a rainfall of apples but whatever. It’s enough of a distraction that the Ponies & co escape.

The Stonebacks fumble and fall, slipping on the apples. If this was animated better, they would have crushed them and slipped on the pulp but nope.

Everyone’s running through the orchard when the camera moves to close in on a SUSPICIOUS LOOKING DOOR placed in the trunk of a tree. It opens, swinging out, and a green Furbob motions everyone inside. Sure.

Because MAGIC everyone runs through a tunnel, straight into Furbobia. The pink Furbob slams the tree door shut and the Stonebacks run right past, having lost their prey. The Ponies are welcomed to Furbobia, which is basically full of pink fuzzy cattails and bloby green background paint. They are introduced to the rest of the Furbobs, which consists of five more. I guess there’s a population crisis. [Dove: Maybe they went the way of the Grundles (Aww, Grundleland), and got Smoozed?] [bat: I suspect that the Grundles are hairless Furbobs. The Smooze acts like Nair hair removal cream and voila.]

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
They didn’t say “steam her”, they said “steamer”, you twit.

Gusty cuts to the chase and tells everyone Baby Cuddles hurt her leg. Oddly, the bandage previous wrapped around her leg is now missing. Green Furbob instructs the others to prepare the steamer, which causes Baby Cuddles to refuse, she “doesn’t want to get steam-ded!” Oh come on, it’s not like they said “prepare the grinder” or the iron maiden!

Meanwhile, Morning Glory is still attempting to escape the snow and ice forest of Bumbleland. She stops to rest, complaining to a genetic mutant pseudo-dragonfly that she’s getting tired. I dunno, pretty sure all your friends back in the honeycomb cell are TIRED and also ABOUT TO BE FORCED INTO SLAVERY.

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
But are you really a hero, Morning Glory?

She finally admits there’s honey on her wings. The dragonfly refuses to help, even after she says she’ll never make it to the the Little Ponies. Wow, there is no half-way in Ponyland is there. Everyone is either overly friendly/helpful or down right rude/evil.

Uh oh, in the distance we can see the drones swarming, closing in on Morning Glory’s location. Morning Glory finally notices and tries to take off but her wings give out. “It’s hard to be a hero!” she complains as she sinks towards the ground. [Dove: All the internet points for that gif.] [bat: *bows*]

For a second it looks like the lead drone has caught her but no, it’s just a terrible angle. Instead I guess they’re forcing her to fly back to Bumbleland by chasing her. Honestly, I don’t care. We know there’s six more parts of this dang episode, so way to stretch out the drama, everybody!

Back at the Sun Stone, which has managed to thaw quite a good sized area of the frozen forest (although, honestly, there was a lot more thawed in the previous episode) we move into a dome-shaped hive and find Queen Bumble with an distended abdomen, complaining that she’s drunk so much nectar she’s going to explode.

Sting chimes in with a “I told you so”, before Queen Bumble orders him to remove her slippers. They look more like cheap purple high heels to me. Doesn’t matter, because right then the drone swarm herds Morning Glory into the queen’s presence. The head drone, who’s name is Pointer (ugh) throws Morning Glory at the queen’s feet.

She commends him on a job well done before sending him and the swarm away. Morning Glory immediately begs for mercy, promising to never attempt to escape again. Queen Bumble orders Sting to lock Morning Glory in a cage and guard her. He complains about it, questioning if he wants to remain the queen’s right-hand bee, but the queen smacks him a good one. Dude, she’s verbally and physically abusive. Quit already.

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
SUN STONE ANGRY! BURN DOWN BUMBLELAND!

Sting herds Morning Glory away, while Queen Bumble fans herself with a limb broken from a bush. Apparently it is getting very hot in the hive, so much so that she passes out. Another weird mutant dragonfly bug lands on her and appears to be chewing on her arm, but I guess it’s trying to warn her. Why? Because the Sun Stone just turned a violent, angry red! Oh noes!

Over in Furbobia, Baby Cuddles is being comforted and reassured by Spike (and her bandage is returned, wtf) as the Furbobs move in to begin healing her. Gusty questions their success rate, the green Furbob states they do this all the time, and the blue Bushwoolie chimes in that the Furbobs are their cousins and wouldn’t ever do anything bad!

Look, you dumb Sasswoolie, you barely know these stupid Furbobs, related or not. [Dove: I wouldn’t trust a single one of my cousin’s with a friend’s health. Some because they’re asshats, most because I’ve never met them before. Much like the Bushwoolies and the Furbobs.]

Of course the healing process involves a song. Of course.

Somehow Baby Cuddles is now in a box-type platform, with a big fuzzy bandage on her foreleg, while the dumb Furbobs wave the cattails and sing about nature being in harmony. The singing activates some kind of material that fills the box, the scent trails flowing upward and enveloping Baby Cuddles.

At this point I remember now that I always confuse myself by thinking this scene was in the 1986 feature film.

Whatever this magic stuff is, it’s powerful enough to lift Baby Cuddles (as well as Spike, who is hanging onto her non-injured front leg) into the air. Like very high into the air. Spike accidentally lets go and floats much higher, clawing the air to get back to Baby Cuddles, while her injured leg begins to glow. The song remains terrible.

The End of Flutter Valley (Parts 3-4)
For 97 installments of just $1.99, you too can experience the eco-friendly healing in Furbobia.

At some point, rabbits and other woodland creatures have joined the Furbobs in song. The box belches a giant purple cloud as Baby Cuddles floats gently back into it, Spike dropping like a rock. He ends up bouncing down several limbs of a tree before hitting the ground. Meanwhile, the Furbobs conclude their song and Baby Cuddles is healed. She also looks like she got liposuction and aged twenty years.

“Me all better!” Baby Cuddles announces, galloping around and suddenly the same size as the adult Ponies, because there is no consistency anywhere in this cartoon series. Buttons thanks the Furbobs for their assistance but now the Ponies must return to Paradise Estate. The Furbobs plead with them to help get rid of the Stonebacks. For some reason Gusty promises the Furbobs to help. Girl, no! What are you thinking!? You were home free!

Fizzy points out there’s too many Stonebacks and maybe they should ask for help from the Flutter Ponies. Gusty’s all SCREW YOU WE CAN HANDLE IT. Buttons interjects and overrules Gusty, insisting they seek aid from their winged friends.

Sneaking back out through the tree door, Spike tags along. Buttons is shocked, having believed him to stay back with the others (I guess she means the Furbobs, Bushwoolies, Surprise, and Baby Cuddles.) Spike insists dragons are brave and tough, but when the green Furbob slams the tree door, he startles and ends up rolling on the ground, dragging the poor Furbob with him. The Ponies laugh, of course. Always laugh at your friend’s clumsiness, kids!

As the Ponies and Spike follow the Furbob out of the orchard, the Stonebacks peek out from the bushes. Uh oh. Furbobia is unguarded and weakly defended!

Oh look! The witches! They’re currently playing a charming version of croquet with a neon orange turtle shell, while Ahgg pretends his legs are the wickets. Hydia stops mid-turn to remind her daughters that Flutter Valley shall soon be past the point of no return, dying from lack of Sun Stone, and they’ll have a new home.

Reeka voices her doubts about leaving their volcano lair (I’m with her) and Draggle agrees. Hydia isn’t having it, insisting they’ll do as she orders, then waxes about having a country lair with acreage and a dried up stream. Okay. [Dove: Hydia, no! Every villain worth their salt dreams of a volcano. And you want a valley? What is wrong with you?]

The family continues to play croquet, Hydia smashing her shell into Ahgg’s left back leg, making him screeching in pain (?) as Reeka and Draggle ask how much longer they have to wait. Hydia insists it’s only a matter of the sun setting, for once it’s down, Flutter Valley dies!

WHAT A CLIFFHANGER ENDING.

Back to you, Dovearoo!

[Dove: *sigh*]

Ponies. Vampires. Weird little films no one remembers. Much snark.