Friday, August 5, 2022

Bessie and MicroAngelo / The Third Temple - (Amphibia Season 2 Episode 18) - 'Toon Reviews 49

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Bessie and MicroAngelo

The approach to storytelling in this cartoon is interesting to say the least.  While significant developments to the main plot happen, they work together with a wholesome, episodic, slice-of-life story.  Furthermore, the main focus covers elements most people probably wouldn’t expect to be as prominent as it is here.  

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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