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Terror of the Terra-Firmians
The best way to describe this episode of the reboot is that it’s an effective mix of honoring the original series and doing its own unique thing. Both approaches in writing make for a memorable escapade of callbacks to legacy and how it allows development for much of the characters present.
The driving force of the story mostly comes from elements exclusive to the reboot with the group hanging out with Webby’s new friend Lena. Following a trip to the movies, Lena’s attitude leads to mixed reactions. While the kids enjoy her laid back and rebellious ways well enough with Webby being absolutely ecstatic, their caretaker Mrs. Beakley is understandably suspicious. Naturally protective of the kids, especially her granddaughter, it’s easy to think that Lena could be a bad influence to those she’s around. Even the audience has a reason to believe this with her established association with Magica de Spell. There’s a good show of these traits with the other inciting incident for the story that also serves as a tie to the original series.
The movie the group saw gets Webby talking about a variety of creatures, particularly a group of creatures known as terra-firmians. The portrayal of these creatures is a respectful homage with its own fresh additions. Like in the original series, the terra-firmians are round colorful ball-like creatures who compete in games involving rolling into things that end up causing earthquakes for the surface world. However, while the original depictions of these characters had them merely as cheerful creatures oblivious to the havoc they cause, the reboot goes for more interesting background. They’re actually a race of different tribes who chaotically compete in games as part of a war where they fight for the throne following the death of the original king. Also, unlike the center of the earth in the original series, they reside in an old abandoned subway tunnel below Duckburg.
As that tunnel is just nearby, Lena seizes opportunity and leads Webby and Huey down to investigate, and are later joined by Mrs. Beakley, Dewey, Louie, and Launchpad. The group is eventually separated which makes for equal focus on different subplots going on. Starting with the least impactful subplot, that involves Launchpad being assigned to get an abandoned subway train moving with Dewey joining him for backup. The catch is that Launchpad is very paranoid about the people he knows being mole monsters after seeing the earlier movie. Through the process, Dewey tries to talk sense into him with Launchpad coming to the conclusion that if everyone is a mole monster, he must be too. It’s a solid comedic side plot which reveals Launchpad’s ways sourcing from a lack of intelligence, but it does show a start of him and Dewey as a notable pair for the series.
Now, the other two subplots have more to talk about. Webby and Huey have a conflict involving the true existence of the terra-firmians. Webby, with a huge passion for adventure, is a firm believer in the creatures and is eager to meet them. All the while, there’s a notable showing of Huey’s individual character, further demonstrating the reboot’s welcome distinction of the three nephews. In Huey’s case, he’s very detail oriented and dependent on his prized book, the Junior Woodchucks Guidebook, a very notable nod to the original series. He stubbornly believes that if certain phenomena isn’t in the book, it isn’t real, and terra-firmians are not in the book. Whenever they come across a sign of the creatures, Webby and Huey have differing reasons for believing if it truly is them or not, getting tense and argumentative.
This conflicting atmosphere is also felt with Lena and Mrs. Beakley whose differing mannerisms bring their lack of trust in each other to the forefront. It’s especially felt when during their trek to free the train from a cave-in, Mrs. Beakley forbids Lena from ever seeing Webby again after all this. This is distressing to Lena, showing that her friendship with Webby is indeed genuine and really doesn’t want to lose her. Her feelings are really put to the test when the train finally gets moving, but strange creatures also start attacking. It’s a major climactic moment to bring several turning points for characters. As Huey witnesses the creature that clearly appears to be a terra-firmian, his view and dependence on his guidebook is undoubtably challenges. He’s forced to come to terms with his worldview being challenged, and doing so in such a tense climax makes the moment stand out even more. However, the most shining character moment belongs to Lena. During the ambush, Mrs. Beakley is caught under a coach of the subway train. Lena is driven to help, but her loyalty is truly put to the test when Magica de Spell appears in her shadow again, trying to push Lena to just leave Mrs. Beakley. There’s suspense over what choice she’ll make, but ultimately, Lena makes the right choice and saves Mrs. Beakley, defying her aunt. This cements Lena as a character worth supporting where in spite of her rebellious nonconformist ways, she does believe in doing what’s right.
As for the terra-firmians, when everything’s settled, there’s a compromise for the views of Huey and Webby. The creatures prove to be real, but nothing is said about their history. If anything, the one who encountered the group practically mirrors Huey in terms of perspective of different beings. Honestly, this brief encounter with the terra-firmians here and how they approach outsiders makes them more interesting than the whole episode they had in the original series. That said, it is unfortunate that they never show up again throughout this reboot. One thing that is further seen going forward though is Lena’s character arc. The episode ends with her gaining Mrs. Beakley’s trust, and when she hears Magica berate her, she brushes it off choosing to follow the rules to keep her new friendship. This in turn leaves the audience with a character worth getting behind with lots of future potential.
Having said that, the main appeal of this episode comes from the many interesting character dynamics and the compelling growth and ideals that result from them.
A
Series Ranking
1. The House of the Lucky
Gander
2. The Beagle Birthday
Breakout
3. The Impossible Summit of
Mt. Neverrest
4.
Terror of the Terra-Firmians
5.
The Living Mummies of Toth-Ra
6. Daytrip of Doom
7. The Great Dime Chase
8. Escape To/From Atlantis
9. Woo-oo
10. The Infernal Internship
of Mark Beaks
The next review follows a mystery with Scrooge going missing during a party he doesn't even want.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews, we return to Ed Edd n Eddy Season 4 with "Robbin' Ed" and "A Case of Ed."
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