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Bessie and MicroAngelo
While the Plantars were in Newtopia, they purchased MicroAngelo, a little snail said to act as a private chauffeur for Polly. Getting him would be an interesting sign of growth for the family and their resourcefulness. Despite MicroAngelo not appearing much afterwards, a cartoon like this is welcome to show his legitimacy. His presence unfolds in something suitable for his character and how he connects with another one of his kind. As Anne, Marcy, and the Plantars are busy packing up for their voyage to the third and last temple, the older snail, Bessie, is tasked to look after MicroAngelo.
The dynamic between the two snails is a familiar one between old wise ones and innocent naïve youths. MicroAngelo constantly wanders around, getting into trouble through things like falling down a well or crawling into the street where there’s oncoming traffic. Like a worried parent, Bessie becomes very frantic through rushing to save MicroAngelo whenever she notices he’s gone.
Despite all the work he’s making for her, Bessie can see that MicroAngelo is innocent and doesn’t mean any of the trouble he causes, simply not knowing any better. There aren’t too many surprises here, but it’s still very endearing with a lack of dialogue nicely showcasing the snails’ dynamics. Music even enhances the appeal with a catchy whistle tune used to represent them being together.
At the same time, there’s also focus on Anne getting a new look for the upcoming big adventure at the insistence of Marcy. This makes sense considering that Marcy, and for that matter Sasha, have gotten new gear to represent their growth in Amphibia while Anne’s had her same battered school uniform. Thankfully sparing her from more of the bad makeovers her friends would give her back home, Anne gets to try several new looks from a Newtopian fashion designer. This is certainly a good chance for various costumes on display, making for good visual appeal. While it’s largely disconnected from what’s going on with the snails, circumstances end up having these different plots be good fits for each other.
It isn’t long before MicroAngelo’s antics interfere with everyone’s travel plans, and it looks like Bessie hasn’t been doing her job of watching him. Because this is clearly not true, it’s very unjust when she’s locked up in her stable over this. It’s at this point when both plots start connecting when Anne’s different outfit options cause a fire that spreads to everyone’s gear for the trip. MicroAngelo notices the danger and gets Bessie for help. Not only does Bessie help him stop the fire with a simple bucket of water, she also breaks free from her chain and rescues MicroAngelo from legit harm of a winged predator.
Such an extravagant rescue is noticed by everyone, and brings an endearing conclusion on several fronts. Anne ends up with a simple look of just a breastplate of armor over her old look, but loves it because it helps her see the real her. As for the snails, not only is Bessie’s name cleared, but she and MicroAngelo show how much they’ve bonded and that they’ll be sticking together.
Through heartfelt bonds and insightful character moments, this simple cartoon is somewhat profound.
A
The Third Temple
As the main plot of getting Anne and her friends home advances, some things feel inevitable. One relates to an earlier statement of how going home is pointless if they’re not all together. As a result, anticipation builds for Anne, Sasha, and Marcy to reform as the trio they were.
The first sign of that happening in this cartoon is a flashback of how they met. As adorable little kids, Anne and Marcy have known each other for most of their lives. They first met Sasha who defended them from bullies who had nothing better to do than to take swings from kids way younger than them. This being their first meeting with her left a strong impression, and shows why Anne and Marcy respect Sasha despite everything.
In the present, they and the Plantars find the third temple to charge the last stone so they can go home. Just as the first temple represented knowledge and wit for Marcy and the second one represented heart for Anne, there’s a theme for this temple. It’s set in an intense volcano so hot that it shrivels up amphibian creatures, and has several weapons on standby to fight rock creatures. Before anyone can take them out themselves, Sasha shows up on cue, and her raw talent for combat is incredibly effective. Once they have a break, everyone properly reintroduces themselves since Sasha’s presence means the main trio is reunited at last. There’s a lot of mixed emotions with Marcy excited to see her friend while Anne is very skeptical of Sasha considering their last meeting. Speaking of which, Sasha hasn’t forgotten that encounter either, as she and Grime reveal having lost everything and struggling to get by afterwards. This includes Sasha regretting how she treated Anne and nearly harming the Plantars. It all sounds sincere and from the heart, made more believable by her genuine sadness of losing two of her crew members in her last appearance.
So, Sasha leads the way through the temple with her strength overcoming all its obstacles. They eventually end up at the last and biggest challenge where they have to fight the biggest rock creature of all as it increases the gravitational force exponentially. Everyone is brought to their knees and can barely move, but in this desperation is an interesting show of faith. Despite Sasha’s claims of regret, Anne has still been noticeably skeptical and unable to fully trust her due to her pushing her around all her life and not just at Toad Tower. However, in a dire situation like this, Anne does remember the benefits of who Sasha is, like how she never gives up when it comes to taking things on. With that, she encourages Sasha to keep on going, and sure enough, Sasha possesses the show of strength needed to defeat the creature, gravity notwithstanding. Having completed the big challenge, Sasha is able to recharge the last stone, all the way like Marcy too.
Then as everyone leaves and Anne and Sasha agree to start over, there are some signs of suspicion to go out on. Though they could use the now fully charged music box to get home now, Marcy insists they wait until they see King Andrias to do that, though it’s not convincing that it's the best choice. As for Sasha, the last scene flat-out says she still intends to go through with her rebellion and plan of conquering Newtopia, making it clear she still has a lust for control. Yet, there’s still complexities to her as she looks unsure after letting Grime know her stance on the plan.
The temples have offered some of the biggest experiences of the series, and here they end in a grand way that also effectively sets up new dynamics going forward.
A+
Fan Art
Series Ranking
1.
Hopping
Mall
2.
Reunion
3.
Marcy at the Gates
4.
Toad Tax
5.
The First Temple
6.
Barrel’s
Warhammer
7.
Anne vs Wild
8.
The Domino Effect
9.
The Third Temple
10.
Toadcatcher
11.
Prison Break
12.
The Second Temple
13.
A Day at the Aquarium
14.
Anne of the Year
15.
Contagi-Anne
16.
The
Shut-In
17.
Best Fronds
18.
After
the Rain
19.
Family Shrub
20.
Hop-Popular
21.
Anne Hunter
22.
Wally and Anne
23.
Children of the Spore
24.
Friend
or Frobo
25.
A Night at the Inn
26. Bessie
and MicroAngelo
27.
Handy Anne
28.
Scavenger Hunt
29.
Lily Pad Thai
30.
Dating Season
31.
Anne or Beast?
32.
Combat Camp
33.
Little Frogtown
34.
Cursed!
35.
Snow Day
36.
Civil Wart
37.
Maddie and Marcy
38.
Stakeout
39.
Croak and Punishment
40.
Taking Charge
41.
Flood, Sweat, and Tears
42.
Bizarre Bazaar
43.
The Plantars Check In
44.
The Sleepover to End All Sleepovers
45.
Wax Museum
46.
Return
to Wartwood
47.
Sprig Gets Schooled
48.
Swamp and Sensibility
49.
Trip to the Archives
50.
Toad
to Redemption
51.
Anne Theft Auto
52.
Hop Luck
53.
New Wartwood
54.
Ivy on the Run
55.
Night
Drivers
56.
Quarreler’s
Pass
57.
Hop Pop and Lock
58.
Plantar’s Last Stand
59.
Fort in the Road
60.
A Caravan Named Desire
61.
The Big Bugball Game
62.
Fiddle Me This
63.
Truck Stop Polly
64.
Family Fishing Trip
65.
The Ballad of Hoppediah Plantar
66.
Girl Time
67.
Breakout Star
68.
Grubhog Day
69.
Cane Crazy
70.
Lost in Newtopia
71.
Sprig vs Hop Pop
72.
Cracking Mrs. Croaker
The next Amphibia review has Anne and her friends reconnect further with a dinner party, and then performing in a battle of the bands concert.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews, The Owl House asks "O Titan, Where Art Thou?"
If you would like to check out other Amphibia reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.
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