Frank15's Winx Reviews: 1x22-1x24
May. 21st, 2026 08:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spiderbraidsIn which Frank15 continues to poo-pooh the idea of Tecna going out with Timmy, and notices the lack of witches in fight scenes that warrant their presence (not 4Kids' fault, for once)
Mission to Cloud Tower
...or The Silence of the Stiletto
The Winx girls and Prince Sky, Brandon, and Timmy are arriving at Alfea from Sparx in a hovership. The sky is filled with dark clouds.
Stella: I really think it's tacky to come back empty-handed from a trip. I know we didn't find the dragonfire, but we should've at least we could've picked up some T-shirts.
Bloom: I really don't think anyone expects souvenirs from a dead planet, Stella.
Stella: Hmm, OK...
Miss Faragonda is there to welcome the girls back. Saladin asks if the boys were able to help the girls. Duh. The girls would've had trouble getting back if the boys hadn't come. Brandon tries being modest, though Bloom and Stella tell of how the Specialists saved them. Musa spots Kiko with a new friend, and Stella notices that it's Icy's duck. She asks how the duck got here, and Knut comes out and says that he brought the duck. Stella notes the trouble with the ogre, but Faragonda assures her that Knut is on their side now. Stella wants Knut to improve his hygiene, at least. Knut apologizes for being stinkier than usual, due to his helping out with the fighting. Miss Faragonda says they have bigger problems than hygiene, anyway. Flora says their ready to help.
Stella: I have an extra bottle of perfume, you want it?
Knut: Thank you!
Stella: Take two.
Knut hugs Stella after her first line. The expression on her face with the "take two" line is just priceless. Price is Right pun not intended. Tecna notices the boys look down. Bloom tells her it's because Red Fountain was completely destroyed. Miss Faragonda tells them how bad the situation is, that she's never seen anything so bad before, and the Trix sisters will strike Alfea shortly.
Back at Cloud Tower, Icy demands a plan from her sisters. Darcy suggests they just send the entire Army of Decay over to Alfea. Darcy, you're a genius! As for Icy... well, if there was ever any proof that Darcy's probably smarter than Icy, it's right here. Darcy's plan was just so entirely simple, you have to wonder why Icy didn't just think of it herself. Stormy and Icy like Darcy's idea.
In Miss Faragonda's office, Miss Faragonda is asking Bloom if she is sure she wants to carry on her plan to infiltrate Cloud Tower. Bloom is sure she must go--just a feeling she has. Prince Sky does not think it's a good idea. Saladin says that Bloom will be the squad leader. Sky looks jealous of Bloom, actually. He's just a jerk, anyway. Brandon's taken aback hearing how he'll be under Bloom's command. Knut says he'll help them through the tunnels of Cloud Tower. Bloom says Knut knows them well since he's played around in them since he was a kid. Sky tells Bloom she needs a plan before she goes, but Bloom says they don't have time for a plan: either they go and try to get her dragonfire back, or they just sit and wait to be attacked, so she'll go regardless of Sky's feelings on the matter. Miss Faragonda tells her to be careful, and to be quick, because the Trix sisters will attack Alfea soon.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
Outside Alfea, Bloom is telling Flora, Musa, and Tecna that they can't come with Bloom to Cloud Tower, that they're needed to protect Alfea. Bloom says only five can go, and Brandon and Sky are going with her. Why? It's not explained, but really, I think Flora, Tecna, and Musa could be of more help with Bloom than they could at Alfea. Musa says that they'd be more helpful to Bloom than the boys. Annoying as Musa usually is, every now and then she says something just so intelligent. And in today's case, what's going to turn into a small plothole. Bloom goes over to hug Flora and Musa; Stella runs over, saying she wants hugs too. Before them all, Tecna is standing off by herself, crying.
Bloom: Tech!
Stella: I can't believe it; you're like actually crying.
Tecna: Well, it's just that Bloom's chance of survival is impossibly low.
Tecna's not so emotionless, now is she? She's just not one to express her feelings much. Feels both good and sad to see her crying. Brandon's ready to go. Bloom, Stella, Prince Sky, and Knut all climb down into the sewer. Flora says she'll cast a friend protection spell for their safety.
At Cloud Tower, Icy is ready to summon the Army of Decay to attack Alfea again. Stormy and Darcy start chanting the spell. Icy finishes it off, and the little buggies form again, along with hundreds of flying stingrays, hundreds of bug soldiers, and a couple of the really giant headless monsters, all headed for Alfea.
At Alfea, random Specialists alert everyone else of the attack.
In the Cloud Tower dungeon, Riven is talking to himself.
Riven: You follow Icy around like a wannabe... no, that won't work.
It's both cute and sad how Riven seems to think Darcy can be redeemed. Darcy's only following Icy because Darcy lets her. If Darcy really wanted, I'm sure she could easily take the lead role from Icy. In the cell across the hallway, Miss Griffin asks Riven who he's talking to. He says he's just practicing what he'll say to Darcy if he sees her again. Miss Griffin says she has plenty to say to her as well, saying she should've known the Trix sisters were trouble. Riven agrees, and can't believe he thought dating a bad girl was cute. Nothing wrong with dating bad girls, now. Just that the Trix sisters, specifically, were a bit too extreme. Gotta' have limits, ya' know. With Miss Griffin's help casting a lock-picking spell, Riven is able to pick the lock to get out of his dungeon cell. He wants to get Miss Griffin out too, but she says the lock is too powerful, but her girls are making a potion that may or may not work against the spell. So the Trix sisters locked up the other Cloud Tower students, apparently. Why was this never mentioned? The last we saw, the Trix sisters only warned the other students not to mess with them, but did not lock any of them up or anything.
Riven hears a noise. Miss Griffin warns it's the buggies, and yells at him to run away, that if the buggies touch Riven, he'll turn to rot. Funny... haven't the buggies touched others? No one else has turned to rot. Riven runs off, being followed by the buggies, and a bug soldier. Riven tries remembering the strategy he's learned in battle class. Look for a way to escape: Riven runs to the window. Take the first course of action that comes to his mind: jump out the window. And he's falling toward a bunch of rocks below. Riven surely seems to have learned a thing or two at Red Fountain.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
At Alfea, Miss Faragonda is instructing the different groups for different attacks and defenses: freshmen. Red Fountain marksmen. Lacrosse team. The group divisions are getting sillier. Prom committee. Wha.... Honor squad. Uber geek Timmy's in this squad. This surprises no one. The three Winx girls here--Flora, Tecna, and Musa--are still in their regular outfits. They really should've transformed by now.... Professor Palladium swings his sword at something. Timmy says the Army of Decay is allergic to pollen. Flora blasts one of the bug soldiers with pollen, and does a cute little giggle. Thank goodness! A cute Flora moment... we haven't had much of those lately. Flora calls for Kiko and Pepe, being chased by a bug soldier. Pepe? Yes... apparently Flora's given a name to the duck. Codatorta uses his own fists to take down that bug, telling it to pick on someone its own size. Kiko looks grateful, and Pepe brags as if he took out the monster. Aww, he's got his mother's ego. Tecna says it's time they kick some decay butt. It's funny hearing Tecna say "butt." The three Winx girls here finally transform to their Winx forms. Finally. Musa fires a heat blast at one of the extra-large monsters.
In the sewer, after a pause, Knut tells them the way to Cloud Tower. Knut pauses a bit after taking a few steps, saying he's not really totally sure about it being the right way. Brandon and Stella have a little conversation while walking down the tunnel. This oughta' prove that Stella's more than just a stuck-up snot once and for all. I could only hope.
Brandon: So Stella, if we survive, you want to catch a movie sometime?
Stella: Sure you're not a prince?
Brandon: Yeah, definitely. I'm just an average squire.
Stella: Honestly? I'd never once dated a non-prince before.
Brandon: I guess that means you don't want to go out with me.
Stella: I didn't say that. It simply means that we have to take it once step at a time, like we could start with a movie.
I love this dialogue between Brandon and Stella. Stella looks especially sweet when she delivers that sixth line. Knut stops walking, saying he's worried if they're caught, and what Bloom would do then. Stella says she'd protect Bloom, but Bloom tells her that she'll eventually need to be ready to fight on her own.
Inside Cloud Tower, the Trix sisters are watching via a crystal ball as the quintet walk through the tunnels. Stormy wants to do something gruesome to her. Icy agrees. Darcy does nothing.
Back in the sewer, the quintet come to three tunnels to choose from. Stella asks which tunnel they need to take. Knut doesn't know. Stella goes into a bit of a fit that they're following him despite his not knowing where he's going. Knut sniffs out his doughnuts back at Cloud Tower to find the right way. An instrumental version of "Mean Girls" plays, as the quintet go through a number of perils. They eventually come to rest on what look like giant red doodle bugs, but the bugs wake up, and they're not happy. Stella yells at Knut again for not knowing where the hell they're going. Go Stella! She's so awesome yelling at Knut. Knut accidentally falls through a paper-thin wall, down a chute that leads to the garbage dump. The others walk down the chute.
Bloom: Nice! We end up in the garbage dump!
I love Bloom's sarcastic delivery of that line. Seems like something Tecna would've said... guess Tecna's rubbed off on Bloom a bit.
Stella: This better not rub off on my clothes! With the current situation, it'll be impossible to find a dry cleaners that's open.
Bloom: Don't you have twelve of the same outfit?
Stella: Hmph!
Bloom's been enjoyable this episode, but particularly this whole scene with them in the garbage dump. Just one great line after another. Stella too, but then, Stella always does have great lines. Bloom smells something bad. Stella says it just got way stinkier. Knut says it's beetle roaches. The beetle roaches surround them, but before going to commercial, we get Knut's best line ever:
Stella: I think I'm gonna' puke.
Knut: They'd like that.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Knut: Make sure you don't touch their saliva.
Stella: Eww, touch it? As if!
Don't worry, Knut, I don't think you have to warn Stella. Brandon tells everyone to hold their noses, since they release a really powerful 30-mile radius stench when killed. Bloom says they shouldn't kill the bugs, since the witches would smell them and know they're there. Reasonable enough, except the Trix sisters already know they're there.
Stella: Right, let's just stand here and negotiate with these giant bugs!
Stella's got sense, anyway, realizing they don't have much in the way of other options. As one of the bugs is about to bite off Knut's foot, Bloom leaps at it and kicks it. Knut says that's amazing for ordinary Earth powers. And truthfully, it is. I don't think anyone on Earth can jump up as high as Bloom just did without a trampoline, a pole, or some other form of assistance. Prince Sky is attacked by a pink beetle roach. Knut warns against throwing a spear at the roach, as it has ricochet armor. A Riven-shaped mystery figure disguised in old rags rides the pink bug like a bull, and runs it off. The other bugs follow it. Ri... the mystery figure explains that the other bugs follow the queen beetle roach, apparently the pink one. Sky thanks the mystery person. The mystery person reveals himself to be, in fact, Riven. Duh.
In the tunnels again, Prince Sky asks how Riven escaped. Riven says he used what they learned in his strategies and battle class. Bloom asks him how he knew he'd be safe, and Riven says he didn't have time to think about it. He jumped out the window, and used his cape as a semi-parachute for a safe landing. He saw the beetle roaches, and tried blending in. Sky says he had never seen Riven take notes, and just figured he was Red Fountain's resident slacker, but that he's probably the smartest student at Red Fountain. Brandon wants to be Riven's lab partner. Riven asks for forgiveness for how he's acted toward them. Prince Sky says it's OK, that anyone could fall for the wrong girl. I hope he's not talking about Diaspro. Riven says he's coming with them to help. Bloom's happy, since they can use an extra hand to take on the witches.
...huh? Earlier, Bloom said Flora, Tecna, and Musa could not help her because only five people could go. How Bloom arrived at that number I could only guess. But now, if Riven goes with them, there are six. So suddenly they can have a sixth person help out? What the heck was with Bloom's being so insistent for having only five people? OK, I know the answer is bad writers. Again. I'm not going to blame Bloom this time.
At Cloud Tower, the Trix sisters are still watching what's now a sextet via their crystal ball. Stormy and Icy have a laugh about how easy it'll be to take Bloom down, and how they'll wipe out Alfea. Darcy, for the second Trix scene in a row, does absolutely nothing. Would it be that hard to throw Darce a line every now and then? Huh? I mean, Stormy and Icy are enjoying themselves: let Darcy in on the fun!
Other Stuff
This was a fairly enjoyable episode. The scene with Riven and Miss Griffin in the dungeon was great. I loved Brandon and Stella's talk about dating. And Tecna's crying was touching. And Bloom wasn't bad, either.
I've known a few people like Riven, as far as his attitude in school is: people who never take notes on anything, even tend to be absent often, yet they take in absolutely everything, as if their mind were a steel trap. I wish I could be like that, really.
It would have been nice if the writers acknowledged Darcy's existence in the scenes with the Trix sisters.
8 out of 10 on the old scale.
The Search for the Flame
...or Total Solaria Eclipse
Outside Alfea, Flora, Tecna, and Musa are sitting about. Musa is worried about the next attack, but Flora says all they can do is wait. Musa says they're supposed to be getting ready for prom this time of school year, but Tecna reminds Musa that this battle is much more important than prom, that it's history. Tecna's pretty gung-ho about the next battle with the Army of Decay, too. Fun to see Tecna like this, completely optimistic. I guess she's overcome the logical side of her that would tell her of the impossible odds, at least for the moment. One fairy, who looks sorta' like Mitzi, with semi-dark blue hair, walks up to the Winx girls, telling Tecna she doesn't care about making history, and telling Tecna not to dis the prom. Her friend, with dark-red hair, asks when her Mom is going to pick her up, but the first says she isn't being picked up. Flora tells them they can't leave, that even Kiko and Pepe are ready to fight. Musa continues to tell the two how they're needed. The dark-red-head is named Hortensia, and the Mitzi-looking one is named Priscilla. The little pep talk works, and soon enough, they are all as gung-ho about the upcoming battle as Tecna. Tecna's beeper beeps her--her triangle on her shirt. It's Timmy, saying he needs Tecna right away.
Tecna: Oh dear. What would Stella say? "How long should I wait to call?" Ooh... Hmm... I can't really wait two days to call him back, right? Not with the witches happening. I'll go see him!
Seeing Tecna ponder over all that is amusing. Kinda' makes you wish she were going to see someone besides Timmy. Tecna rushes off. Musa asks Flora if they're going out. Flora says they're working on some sort of project.
In Cloud Tower, Bloom, Stella, Riven, Brandon, Prince Sky, and Knut are sneaking about. For no apparent reason, Riven is now in his regular clothes. Bloom says that Tecna's anti-detection spell should keep the witches from keeping an eye on them. Bit late for that. Knut says there is a monster ahead, but it can't see them. Knut locates a secret passage that leads to the Trix sisters' room. The group follow, but the sisters are not there. Stella says the Trio may be in the faculty lounge. Bloom looks out the room, but sees several monsters in the hallway. Knut says they can sneak through the kitchen, via a secret mirror door in the room. Prince Sky says that mirror doors are often traps, but he insists on going first through the passage. An eyeball spider-thing watches as the group walk through the passages.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
The eyeball spider--Stormy calls it an arachnacam--comes back to the Trix sisters. Icy asks for suggestions on what to do to the group. Darcy--again, stating the obvious--says they should just freeze them, then crush them. Darcy likes the simple stuff. Not one for elaborate plans, just whatever's the easiest thing that works. Icy doesn't like Darcy's idea; Darcy doesn't appreciate Icy's disapproval. Icy says they'll make Bloom think she's got the dragonfire back, raise her hopes up, then take it away from her, making her cry. Darcy seems to approve of the plan, anyway. If Icy already had a plan, though, why did she ask for suggestions?
Back in the passages, the group is still looking for the witches. The group splits up to search different directions: Brandon and Riven head off in one direction, while the other four look the other way. Bloom senses the dragonfire's presence behind a big door. They enter the room, and the dragonfire is there... but it's almost immediately extinguished by Icy, who is right behind them. Wouldn't it have been more fun, on the Trix sisters' part, to wait a little longer to extinguish the flame? Icy blows Stella, Sky, and Knut at a wall. Bloom tells Icy that getting the dragonfire back is her destiny. Icy looks surprised to see Bloom saying that. Icy ought to know Bloom's take on the subject by now--it shouldn't really come as a shock to her. Icy tells Bloom her destiny is to be locked in this room for eternity.
Darcy: You're powerless, and you're responsible for the destruction of a whole realm.
Icy pushes Darcy out of the way, going on to make fun of Bloom some more. Icy's got a bit of nerve. Darcy's a lot better at this insult game than Icy. Icy's insults, calling Bloom a loser over and over, seem like the kind of insults a 4-year-old would give. Darcy's is the only one that might actually get to Bloom on a deeper level. The Trix sisters laugh some more, but Miss Griffin blasts them from behind, right into a wall. Bloom congratulates Miss Griffin. How did Bloom know it was Miss Griffin, anyway? I don't believe she's ever actually seen Miss Griffin before. The other Cloud Tower witches, with Brandon and Riven, are right behind. How did they get out, anyway? I thought Riven couldn't pick the lock... did that homebrew potion work? What?
Icy: We're not scared of you: we're not your students anymore, and we're more powerful than you'll ever be.
Stormy: Hey Ice, then how come she can knock us around like that?
Good question, Stormy. It's not explained. But on the other hand, go Stormy! Miss Griffin tells everyone to prepare to leave. Icy says they'll all pay when they get their powers back. Wha... when they get their powers back? When were they taken away? Miss Griffin puts up detention barriers to lock the Trix sisters in, though she warns it'll only work temporarily. Miss Griffin makes several groan-worthy school references, like not chewing gum, and having a hall pass, and the like. The students all put on blue cloaks. One blonde-haired sweet-looking student offers Miss Griffin a special red survival cloak made by the fashion club, to help protect her. This girl is a witch? Must be in that DD Cummings sort of way. I'd have to suspect she'd have gotten along well with Mirta.
The witches, the group of six, and Miss Griffin all walk down the hallways of Cloud Tower to get to the top, to exit the premises for Alfea. The saccharin-sweet witch asks Miss Griffin if they're going to be OK. Stella complains that they still don't have the dragonfire, that they came all this way to get Bloom's dragonfire back. Miss Griffin says they'll be able to take the power of the dragonfire back when she, Faragonda, and Saladin combine their powers, as the three points of magic.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
Icy starts breaking down the detention barrier. She also yells "I hate them" over and over again. And we thought Stormy was the one with the temper.
Stormy: I hate Miss Griffin the most.
Darcy: Not me. I hate Bloom, followed by Stella, then Griffin.
Stormy complains that it'll take a while to get out. Icy says they can still cast a spell through the barrier, to summon the Army of Decay to get them. Though really, couldn't the Trix sisters just blast through the wall behind them? Miss Griffin only put the detention barrier in front of them.
Miss Griffin conjures a vortal tunnel to send everyone to Alfea, telling everyone that they must not put up any resistance. The witches, soon enough, allow themselves to be lifted by the portal. When the monsters start coming, Prince Sky says he'll stay behind to keep the monsters from entering the portal. Miss Griffin gives him a hoverbike to get back to Alfea. Bloom says she'll stay with Prince Sky to help him. Um... yeah. How is a girl without any powers going to be of any help? What can she do other than get in the way? Just an easy, if not unnatural way to get Sky and Bloom together. Bah. Turns out the monsters weren't even interested in getting into the portal. They ride off.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Bloom tells Sky she'll swat the buggies away while he drives off. Bloom worries that they're driving too fast. Bloom complains that the buggies are on her. It was her idea to go with Sky, anyway. Can't she just swat them off, anyway? She is wearing gloves, after all. The defense system around Cloud Tower tries to shoot the hoverbike down, causing them to crash.
in a hovership, Timmy is questioning Tecna's findings, telling her that her numbers are off. Stupid. Tecna's always right. Tecna insists her numbers are right, and that the Army of Decay is bigger than they could have imagined. Tecna's so cute when she's worried. Just wish Timmy weren't there.
Other Stuff
The episode felt like nothing happened, even though things obviously did happen. Like everyone's at Alfea. Of course, most of the things that happen in this episode happen for no understandable reason, and that's not very good. And... not much else. Except Timmy being annoying again.
Despite technically being around for most of the episode, Stella was practically not even there in this episode. Heck, Tecna's small role, at the beginning and end of the episode, was bigger. Don't even get a classic Stella-ism today. Darn.
On the upside, Miss Griffin was there for a lot of the episode. Not quite as great a presence as she was in the last episode, though, mostly due to all those horrible school references. She deserves better than that.
4 out of 10 on the old scale.
Battle for Alfea
...or Leave a Tender Moment Alone. Or Not.
In the forest surrounding Cloud Tower, Bloom and Prince Sky are looking at their crashed hoverbike. Sky tells Bloom the bike won't work since the power converter won't "fribulate." Bloom questions him, and he admits he has no clue what he's talking about, but just knows that the bike is busted. Bloom asks if "fribulate" is even a word, though Sky doesn't answer. For the record, it is not a word. Sky and Bloom hike through the forest, leaving the bike behind.
Back outside Alfea, Miss Faragonda tells Saladin and Codatorta that, according to Tecna's and Timmy's advanced warning system, there's a major invasion on the way. Codatorta doesn't understand what good the warning system is. Good point. I mean, they all know that they're up against impossible odds, right? Codatorta feels that this could be the end. Faragonda tries to get Codatorta to be more optimistic, telling him that the girls put together a pep rally for the fight ahead.
Codatorta: That's youth talking.
It's not that he's pessimistic. He's just being realistic. If this weren't a kids' cartoon, the Trix sisters probably would win. Flora, Tecna, and Musa run up to Miss Faragonda, warning her of something coming, materializing in the field. It's Stella, Miss Griffin, Knut, Brandon, Riven, and the other witch students. Flora mentions that it's the imprisoned witch girls. How did Flora know they were imprisoned, anyway? Miss Faragonda and Miss Griffin walk up to one another. They both remember a time when Griffin turned a sorority at Alfea into goats, and she left seven inches tall in a jar. They seem to be looking back at this as a happy memory, too. I guess sort of how a mature adult looks back at fun youthful pranks, or something. Random specialists are all happy to see Brandon back at Alfea; Riven looks hurt that none of them seem to acknowledge he is also back. Of course, being Riven, he's going to pretend he doesn't care, but he's obviously hurt here. Flora, Tecna, and Musa ask Stella where Bloom is. Stella tells them that Bloom was supposed to be back at Alfea, that she and Sky stayed behind to keep the monsters from entering to portal, but were supposed to come right back to Alfea.
Back in the forest, Bloom tells Sky that walking through Blackmud Swamp would be quicker, but Sky tells her that the tree tops of the forest will offer better cover. Hasn't Sky learned a thing by now? The Trix sisters have as heavy surveillance as Dr. Claw. They know every move everyone is making. They can't hide. Sky's just being stupid again. Bloom tells Sky she's scared, that without her powers, she's just a helpless Earth girl. Sky tells her she's the Princess of Sparx, but Bloom says the only thing that made her the important princess of Sparx was the dragon fire, which she no longer has. Prince Sky reminds Bloom of when she told him that when she found out Prince Sky was Prince Sky, that it did not change who he was. When did she say that? Oh yeah, she didn't. A voice calls out to Bloom to go to Lake Chrysalis. Gee... "chrysalis." Do you suppose this lake's name is just a weird coincidence? The name alone pretty much gives away what's special about this lake. Bloom tells Sky she thought she heard a voice, though Sky says he didn't hear anything.
At Cloud Tower, the Trix sisters are, indeed, watching Brandon and Bloom walking through the forest. And Sky thought they couldn't be seen in the forest... just so stupid. Stormy wants to puke, watching Sky and Bloom walking through the forest. Darcy wants to puke because the witches are with the fairies. Icy thinks it's all amusing. Darcy warns that Bloom's headed toward Magix, but Icy writes Bloom off as something they don't need to worry about, and Stormy agrees. Icy, Icy, Icy... have you learned nothing from past evil geniuses? You should never just write off what seems to be a non-threat, because it will always be much more detrimental to your success than you are currently aware! It seems more appropriate for Stormy to carelessly write off Bloom, at least. Just Icy who needs to show a little more responsibility, you know, being the leader, and all.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
At night at Alfea, Faragonda, Griffin, Saladin, and Codatorta are all in Faragonda's office. Miss Faragonda says that the Trix sisters told Bloom they were part of the original coven. Codatorta says that they were banned for eternity from coming to school in Magix, and no headmistress is allowed to override the rule. Miss Griffin does not appreciate the accusation, telling them that the Trix sisters claimed to be from a more benign realm, though she did wonder why her parents never came to conference week. I guess that does not happen often in Magix. Pretty common occurrence on Earth anyway.
Outside Alfea, the Army of Decay is back on the attack, with flying leeches in addition to the flying stingrays, bug soldiers, and giant soldiers. Several fairies are seen fighting--not one witch, though. Weren't the witches supposed to be here at Alfea too, helping with the fight? One of the leeches knocks Flora down, for some reason, not in Winx form. Why were the girls, save for Stella, not yet in Winx form? They need to be a bit more prepared. The girls all transform to their Winx forms. Including Stella, despite already being in her Winx form. Seems odd that she'd do the transformation when she's already in her Winx form. Stella preforms a relocation spell right as a giant soldier is about to smash them, and Flora performs her vine wrap on it. Tecna and Musa blast a second giant soldier, but its remaining bug parts turn into four regular-sized bug soldiers, and the giant soldier in the vine wrap escapes from the vines.
Back in the forest, Bloom and Sky are sitting around a campfire. Bloom tells Sky she has a bad feeling, and she doesn't think they should stop. Sky tells Bloom they need to get some sleep. Sky says he couldn't sleep either on his first mission, so he just closed his eyes and thought of home. Bloom says she can't, because she doesn't know where her home is. Sky tells her about her home in Gardenia. Sky's right this time. Seems almost like Bloom was forgetting her own family in Gardenia. They should count for something, after all, being the people who've raised Bloom all her life.
Back outside Alfea, more monsters are coming. Riven and Brandon both attack one of the bug soldiers, but it repairs itself instantly. Riven reminds Brandon of a move they learned in double duel class, and they bring it down with the attack... for a few seconds. It gets right back up afterward. Kiko digs a hole in the ground as a leech is about to eat him. He looks kind of drunk. Where is Pepe, anyway? Why isn't Pepe with Kiko here? One of the stingrays carries Tecna off, though she expands her wings to their hang glider form to destroy it. Codatorta is grabbed by one of the bug soldiers, though Saladin is there to save him.
Codatorta: I'm fine. Don't tell any of the boys about that.
A random specialist yells for someone to do something about the flying stingrays. And yes, the boy really did call them flying stingrays. Nice to know that I've been calling them by an appropriate name this whole time. Timmy takes some shots at them, but misses. Tecna takes care of one that is about to take Timmy down, and in return, Timmy shoots down a few that are after Tecna. No comment. Except that comment, and this comment explaining that first comment. Miss Faragonda and Miss Griffin float above the school in a bubble, sending out a bright light that destroys several of the monsters... but again, they come back to life. Miss Faragonda worries that she does not know what to do.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
Back in the forest, Sky wakes Bloom up, telling her they should get going. The voice--Bloom now recognizes it as Daphne--tells Bloom, again, to come to Lake Chrysalis. Bloom asks again if Sky heard the voice, but again, Sky didn't hear it.
Back at Alfea, in the morning, Faragonda asks why the Trix sisters pulled back their forces. Miss Griffin tells her that the Trio are toying with them. Saladin thinks that maybe they're weakening, but Miss Griffin says that doesn't matter anyway, that they can't beat the Army of Decay unless they are able to take out the Trix sisters themselves.
Outside Alfea, everyone is pooped. Stella and Brandon are sitting down next to each other. Stella worries that they won't be able to survive another attack. Brandon tells her not to worry, that he'll protect her, but Stella says it'll be she who protects him. Brandon insists he won't be a squire forever. Stella asks if he means he'll become a knight or a man at arms. Brandon says yeah, but Stella comforts him, saying that doesn't matter to her. To look at her parents, the king and queen of Solaria, and see how great their relationship is. Stella is such a sweetie. Not sure how anyone could dislike her. So much more to her than her superficial cover. Musa comes up to tease Stella's relationship. Not trying to be mean, just teasing Stella in jest. Flora defends Stella's relationship. Stella magically creates a pillow to throw in Musa's face to knock her down. Also just in jest.
Musa: That's fighting with magic! It's against the rules!
Brandon: Ha! You sound like Griselda.
Stella: No snide comments, please. Only I can torment my friends.
Yay! Been a while since we've had a great Stella line. Stella starts worrying about Bloom. Brandon tries to comfort her, telling her Bloom will be back. Timmy and Riven come up to them, telling them that Miss Faragonda has called an assembly.
Miss Faragonda, and the entrance of Alfea, tells all the students how bravely they've all faught, but that the battle is not over, and they must muster all they've got. The four Winx girls all look, especially Musa, and especially especially Flora, all look pissed at hearing Faragonda's words. Seems an inappropriate reaction. I have to wonder what Miss Faragonda was telling them in the Italian version... Miss Griffin tells everyone that she knows they can win if they all work together, and at that moment, the Army of Decay comes back swarming into Alfea. Kiko peeks out of his hole, only to hurry back in upon seeing the monsters. Stella complains that there're thousands of the monsters.
Back in the forest, yet again, Bloom notices the Army of Decay headed straight for Alfea. Sky says they need to hurry for Magix immediately, but Bloom tells him that she needs to go to Lake Chrysalis. Sky says he'll go with her, but Bloom tells him she needs to go alone. I can understand that Bloom needs to do something at Lake Chrysalis by herself, but it might be a good idea for Sky to at least bring Bloom to Lake Chrysalis, to make sure she's not attacked along the way. I mean, she is still powerless, after all, and Sky has no way to know that Icy's being too cocky to bother with Bloom.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Back outside Alfea, the Army of Decay is on the attack again. After a giant soldier tries to crush Timmy, Riven slices it up. Brandon catches ride on a flying stingray that knocked him down, and proceeds to slice it. One of the giant soldiers randomly decides to climb one of the towers of Alfea as if it were King Kong, and knocks the tower to the ground. Flying leeches and stingrays are swarming toward the Winx girls, and Musa asks Stella to teleport them to behind the monsters. Musa gathers the other Winx girls inside her protective disco ball, and sends out a blast from it to destroy several of them. Musa and Tecna blast at some more bug soldiers on the ground. Miss Faragonda tells the fairies to concentrate all their powers for a single attack. Miss Griffin tells her witches to unite their powers with the fairies for the attack. That thought probably makes most of the witches sick to their stomachs. Then again, while several students are shown concentrating their attacks, they're all fairies--why aren't the witches actually here, helping? A large orange bubble is formed around Alfea, and all of the monsters are destroyed.
At Cloud Tower, Stormy is screaming because all of the attacking monsters were defeated. Icy says this isn't fun anymore. All the Trix sisters agree that it's time to pay them a personal visit, to take on all the fairies and witches themselves.
In Magix, Sky arrives, only to find the place abandoned and destroyed. Sky doesn't believe how empty the place is, and calls for anyone who may be there.
At Lake Chrysalis, Bloom asks for Daphne, saying that she is ready for her destiny, as she steps into the lake.
Other Stuff
This episode was one of the better parts of the multi-part finale thus far. That really doesn't say much, though. On the bright side, there was nothing bad about the episode, except for the notable lack of witches. Heck, Bloom wasn't even there for the most part! Just that, on the other hand, nothing much good happened either. Mostly a lot of fighting that accomplished almost zilch. It wasn't bad, by any means, but it was far from necessary. A lot of this 8-part finale could've been condensed to make room for maybe a fully-Tecna episode, or a fully-Flora episode.
There was, at least, one standout spot in the episode: Stella and Brandon's little talk, about Brandon wanting to become more than just a squire to impress Stella, and Stella telling him how that isn't important. That was sweet. And amusing once Musa butted into the moment. Speaking of Musa, she wasn't annoying in today's episode. Wish Musa were like this more often.
...then again, some people may have seen Musa's interrupting Stella's moment as just completely obnoxious.
6 out of 10 on the old scale.
Mission to Cloud Tower
...or The Silence of the Stiletto
The Winx girls and Prince Sky, Brandon, and Timmy are arriving at Alfea from Sparx in a hovership. The sky is filled with dark clouds.
Stella: I really think it's tacky to come back empty-handed from a trip. I know we didn't find the dragonfire, but we should've at least we could've picked up some T-shirts.
Bloom: I really don't think anyone expects souvenirs from a dead planet, Stella.
Stella: Hmm, OK...
Miss Faragonda is there to welcome the girls back. Saladin asks if the boys were able to help the girls. Duh. The girls would've had trouble getting back if the boys hadn't come. Brandon tries being modest, though Bloom and Stella tell of how the Specialists saved them. Musa spots Kiko with a new friend, and Stella notices that it's Icy's duck. She asks how the duck got here, and Knut comes out and says that he brought the duck. Stella notes the trouble with the ogre, but Faragonda assures her that Knut is on their side now. Stella wants Knut to improve his hygiene, at least. Knut apologizes for being stinkier than usual, due to his helping out with the fighting. Miss Faragonda says they have bigger problems than hygiene, anyway. Flora says their ready to help.
Stella: I have an extra bottle of perfume, you want it?
Knut: Thank you!
Stella: Take two.
Knut hugs Stella after her first line. The expression on her face with the "take two" line is just priceless. Price is Right pun not intended. Tecna notices the boys look down. Bloom tells her it's because Red Fountain was completely destroyed. Miss Faragonda tells them how bad the situation is, that she's never seen anything so bad before, and the Trix sisters will strike Alfea shortly.
Back at Cloud Tower, Icy demands a plan from her sisters. Darcy suggests they just send the entire Army of Decay over to Alfea. Darcy, you're a genius! As for Icy... well, if there was ever any proof that Darcy's probably smarter than Icy, it's right here. Darcy's plan was just so entirely simple, you have to wonder why Icy didn't just think of it herself. Stormy and Icy like Darcy's idea.
In Miss Faragonda's office, Miss Faragonda is asking Bloom if she is sure she wants to carry on her plan to infiltrate Cloud Tower. Bloom is sure she must go--just a feeling she has. Prince Sky does not think it's a good idea. Saladin says that Bloom will be the squad leader. Sky looks jealous of Bloom, actually. He's just a jerk, anyway. Brandon's taken aback hearing how he'll be under Bloom's command. Knut says he'll help them through the tunnels of Cloud Tower. Bloom says Knut knows them well since he's played around in them since he was a kid. Sky tells Bloom she needs a plan before she goes, but Bloom says they don't have time for a plan: either they go and try to get her dragonfire back, or they just sit and wait to be attacked, so she'll go regardless of Sky's feelings on the matter. Miss Faragonda tells her to be careful, and to be quick, because the Trix sisters will attack Alfea soon.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
Outside Alfea, Bloom is telling Flora, Musa, and Tecna that they can't come with Bloom to Cloud Tower, that they're needed to protect Alfea. Bloom says only five can go, and Brandon and Sky are going with her. Why? It's not explained, but really, I think Flora, Tecna, and Musa could be of more help with Bloom than they could at Alfea. Musa says that they'd be more helpful to Bloom than the boys. Annoying as Musa usually is, every now and then she says something just so intelligent. And in today's case, what's going to turn into a small plothole. Bloom goes over to hug Flora and Musa; Stella runs over, saying she wants hugs too. Before them all, Tecna is standing off by herself, crying.
Bloom: Tech!
Stella: I can't believe it; you're like actually crying.
Tecna: Well, it's just that Bloom's chance of survival is impossibly low.
Tecna's not so emotionless, now is she? She's just not one to express her feelings much. Feels both good and sad to see her crying. Brandon's ready to go. Bloom, Stella, Prince Sky, and Knut all climb down into the sewer. Flora says she'll cast a friend protection spell for their safety.
At Cloud Tower, Icy is ready to summon the Army of Decay to attack Alfea again. Stormy and Darcy start chanting the spell. Icy finishes it off, and the little buggies form again, along with hundreds of flying stingrays, hundreds of bug soldiers, and a couple of the really giant headless monsters, all headed for Alfea.
At Alfea, random Specialists alert everyone else of the attack.
In the Cloud Tower dungeon, Riven is talking to himself.
Riven: You follow Icy around like a wannabe... no, that won't work.
It's both cute and sad how Riven seems to think Darcy can be redeemed. Darcy's only following Icy because Darcy lets her. If Darcy really wanted, I'm sure she could easily take the lead role from Icy. In the cell across the hallway, Miss Griffin asks Riven who he's talking to. He says he's just practicing what he'll say to Darcy if he sees her again. Miss Griffin says she has plenty to say to her as well, saying she should've known the Trix sisters were trouble. Riven agrees, and can't believe he thought dating a bad girl was cute. Nothing wrong with dating bad girls, now. Just that the Trix sisters, specifically, were a bit too extreme. Gotta' have limits, ya' know. With Miss Griffin's help casting a lock-picking spell, Riven is able to pick the lock to get out of his dungeon cell. He wants to get Miss Griffin out too, but she says the lock is too powerful, but her girls are making a potion that may or may not work against the spell. So the Trix sisters locked up the other Cloud Tower students, apparently. Why was this never mentioned? The last we saw, the Trix sisters only warned the other students not to mess with them, but did not lock any of them up or anything.
Riven hears a noise. Miss Griffin warns it's the buggies, and yells at him to run away, that if the buggies touch Riven, he'll turn to rot. Funny... haven't the buggies touched others? No one else has turned to rot. Riven runs off, being followed by the buggies, and a bug soldier. Riven tries remembering the strategy he's learned in battle class. Look for a way to escape: Riven runs to the window. Take the first course of action that comes to his mind: jump out the window. And he's falling toward a bunch of rocks below. Riven surely seems to have learned a thing or two at Red Fountain.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
At Alfea, Miss Faragonda is instructing the different groups for different attacks and defenses: freshmen. Red Fountain marksmen. Lacrosse team. The group divisions are getting sillier. Prom committee. Wha.... Honor squad. Uber geek Timmy's in this squad. This surprises no one. The three Winx girls here--Flora, Tecna, and Musa--are still in their regular outfits. They really should've transformed by now.... Professor Palladium swings his sword at something. Timmy says the Army of Decay is allergic to pollen. Flora blasts one of the bug soldiers with pollen, and does a cute little giggle. Thank goodness! A cute Flora moment... we haven't had much of those lately. Flora calls for Kiko and Pepe, being chased by a bug soldier. Pepe? Yes... apparently Flora's given a name to the duck. Codatorta uses his own fists to take down that bug, telling it to pick on someone its own size. Kiko looks grateful, and Pepe brags as if he took out the monster. Aww, he's got his mother's ego. Tecna says it's time they kick some decay butt. It's funny hearing Tecna say "butt." The three Winx girls here finally transform to their Winx forms. Finally. Musa fires a heat blast at one of the extra-large monsters.
In the sewer, after a pause, Knut tells them the way to Cloud Tower. Knut pauses a bit after taking a few steps, saying he's not really totally sure about it being the right way. Brandon and Stella have a little conversation while walking down the tunnel. This oughta' prove that Stella's more than just a stuck-up snot once and for all. I could only hope.
Brandon: So Stella, if we survive, you want to catch a movie sometime?
Stella: Sure you're not a prince?
Brandon: Yeah, definitely. I'm just an average squire.
Stella: Honestly? I'd never once dated a non-prince before.
Brandon: I guess that means you don't want to go out with me.
Stella: I didn't say that. It simply means that we have to take it once step at a time, like we could start with a movie.
I love this dialogue between Brandon and Stella. Stella looks especially sweet when she delivers that sixth line. Knut stops walking, saying he's worried if they're caught, and what Bloom would do then. Stella says she'd protect Bloom, but Bloom tells her that she'll eventually need to be ready to fight on her own.
Inside Cloud Tower, the Trix sisters are watching via a crystal ball as the quintet walk through the tunnels. Stormy wants to do something gruesome to her. Icy agrees. Darcy does nothing.
Back in the sewer, the quintet come to three tunnels to choose from. Stella asks which tunnel they need to take. Knut doesn't know. Stella goes into a bit of a fit that they're following him despite his not knowing where he's going. Knut sniffs out his doughnuts back at Cloud Tower to find the right way. An instrumental version of "Mean Girls" plays, as the quintet go through a number of perils. They eventually come to rest on what look like giant red doodle bugs, but the bugs wake up, and they're not happy. Stella yells at Knut again for not knowing where the hell they're going. Go Stella! She's so awesome yelling at Knut. Knut accidentally falls through a paper-thin wall, down a chute that leads to the garbage dump. The others walk down the chute.
Bloom: Nice! We end up in the garbage dump!
I love Bloom's sarcastic delivery of that line. Seems like something Tecna would've said... guess Tecna's rubbed off on Bloom a bit.
Stella: This better not rub off on my clothes! With the current situation, it'll be impossible to find a dry cleaners that's open.
Bloom: Don't you have twelve of the same outfit?
Stella: Hmph!
Bloom's been enjoyable this episode, but particularly this whole scene with them in the garbage dump. Just one great line after another. Stella too, but then, Stella always does have great lines. Bloom smells something bad. Stella says it just got way stinkier. Knut says it's beetle roaches. The beetle roaches surround them, but before going to commercial, we get Knut's best line ever:
Stella: I think I'm gonna' puke.
Knut: They'd like that.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Knut: Make sure you don't touch their saliva.
Stella: Eww, touch it? As if!
Don't worry, Knut, I don't think you have to warn Stella. Brandon tells everyone to hold their noses, since they release a really powerful 30-mile radius stench when killed. Bloom says they shouldn't kill the bugs, since the witches would smell them and know they're there. Reasonable enough, except the Trix sisters already know they're there.
Stella: Right, let's just stand here and negotiate with these giant bugs!
Stella's got sense, anyway, realizing they don't have much in the way of other options. As one of the bugs is about to bite off Knut's foot, Bloom leaps at it and kicks it. Knut says that's amazing for ordinary Earth powers. And truthfully, it is. I don't think anyone on Earth can jump up as high as Bloom just did without a trampoline, a pole, or some other form of assistance. Prince Sky is attacked by a pink beetle roach. Knut warns against throwing a spear at the roach, as it has ricochet armor. A Riven-shaped mystery figure disguised in old rags rides the pink bug like a bull, and runs it off. The other bugs follow it. Ri... the mystery figure explains that the other bugs follow the queen beetle roach, apparently the pink one. Sky thanks the mystery person. The mystery person reveals himself to be, in fact, Riven. Duh.
In the tunnels again, Prince Sky asks how Riven escaped. Riven says he used what they learned in his strategies and battle class. Bloom asks him how he knew he'd be safe, and Riven says he didn't have time to think about it. He jumped out the window, and used his cape as a semi-parachute for a safe landing. He saw the beetle roaches, and tried blending in. Sky says he had never seen Riven take notes, and just figured he was Red Fountain's resident slacker, but that he's probably the smartest student at Red Fountain. Brandon wants to be Riven's lab partner. Riven asks for forgiveness for how he's acted toward them. Prince Sky says it's OK, that anyone could fall for the wrong girl. I hope he's not talking about Diaspro. Riven says he's coming with them to help. Bloom's happy, since they can use an extra hand to take on the witches.
...huh? Earlier, Bloom said Flora, Tecna, and Musa could not help her because only five people could go. How Bloom arrived at that number I could only guess. But now, if Riven goes with them, there are six. So suddenly they can have a sixth person help out? What the heck was with Bloom's being so insistent for having only five people? OK, I know the answer is bad writers. Again. I'm not going to blame Bloom this time.
At Cloud Tower, the Trix sisters are still watching what's now a sextet via their crystal ball. Stormy and Icy have a laugh about how easy it'll be to take Bloom down, and how they'll wipe out Alfea. Darcy, for the second Trix scene in a row, does absolutely nothing. Would it be that hard to throw Darce a line every now and then? Huh? I mean, Stormy and Icy are enjoying themselves: let Darcy in on the fun!
Other Stuff
This was a fairly enjoyable episode. The scene with Riven and Miss Griffin in the dungeon was great. I loved Brandon and Stella's talk about dating. And Tecna's crying was touching. And Bloom wasn't bad, either.
I've known a few people like Riven, as far as his attitude in school is: people who never take notes on anything, even tend to be absent often, yet they take in absolutely everything, as if their mind were a steel trap. I wish I could be like that, really.
It would have been nice if the writers acknowledged Darcy's existence in the scenes with the Trix sisters.
8 out of 10 on the old scale.
The Search for the Flame
...or Total Solaria Eclipse
Outside Alfea, Flora, Tecna, and Musa are sitting about. Musa is worried about the next attack, but Flora says all they can do is wait. Musa says they're supposed to be getting ready for prom this time of school year, but Tecna reminds Musa that this battle is much more important than prom, that it's history. Tecna's pretty gung-ho about the next battle with the Army of Decay, too. Fun to see Tecna like this, completely optimistic. I guess she's overcome the logical side of her that would tell her of the impossible odds, at least for the moment. One fairy, who looks sorta' like Mitzi, with semi-dark blue hair, walks up to the Winx girls, telling Tecna she doesn't care about making history, and telling Tecna not to dis the prom. Her friend, with dark-red hair, asks when her Mom is going to pick her up, but the first says she isn't being picked up. Flora tells them they can't leave, that even Kiko and Pepe are ready to fight. Musa continues to tell the two how they're needed. The dark-red-head is named Hortensia, and the Mitzi-looking one is named Priscilla. The little pep talk works, and soon enough, they are all as gung-ho about the upcoming battle as Tecna. Tecna's beeper beeps her--her triangle on her shirt. It's Timmy, saying he needs Tecna right away.
Tecna: Oh dear. What would Stella say? "How long should I wait to call?" Ooh... Hmm... I can't really wait two days to call him back, right? Not with the witches happening. I'll go see him!
Seeing Tecna ponder over all that is amusing. Kinda' makes you wish she were going to see someone besides Timmy. Tecna rushes off. Musa asks Flora if they're going out. Flora says they're working on some sort of project.
In Cloud Tower, Bloom, Stella, Riven, Brandon, Prince Sky, and Knut are sneaking about. For no apparent reason, Riven is now in his regular clothes. Bloom says that Tecna's anti-detection spell should keep the witches from keeping an eye on them. Bit late for that. Knut says there is a monster ahead, but it can't see them. Knut locates a secret passage that leads to the Trix sisters' room. The group follow, but the sisters are not there. Stella says the Trio may be in the faculty lounge. Bloom looks out the room, but sees several monsters in the hallway. Knut says they can sneak through the kitchen, via a secret mirror door in the room. Prince Sky says that mirror doors are often traps, but he insists on going first through the passage. An eyeball spider-thing watches as the group walk through the passages.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
The eyeball spider--Stormy calls it an arachnacam--comes back to the Trix sisters. Icy asks for suggestions on what to do to the group. Darcy--again, stating the obvious--says they should just freeze them, then crush them. Darcy likes the simple stuff. Not one for elaborate plans, just whatever's the easiest thing that works. Icy doesn't like Darcy's idea; Darcy doesn't appreciate Icy's disapproval. Icy says they'll make Bloom think she's got the dragonfire back, raise her hopes up, then take it away from her, making her cry. Darcy seems to approve of the plan, anyway. If Icy already had a plan, though, why did she ask for suggestions?
Back in the passages, the group is still looking for the witches. The group splits up to search different directions: Brandon and Riven head off in one direction, while the other four look the other way. Bloom senses the dragonfire's presence behind a big door. They enter the room, and the dragonfire is there... but it's almost immediately extinguished by Icy, who is right behind them. Wouldn't it have been more fun, on the Trix sisters' part, to wait a little longer to extinguish the flame? Icy blows Stella, Sky, and Knut at a wall. Bloom tells Icy that getting the dragonfire back is her destiny. Icy looks surprised to see Bloom saying that. Icy ought to know Bloom's take on the subject by now--it shouldn't really come as a shock to her. Icy tells Bloom her destiny is to be locked in this room for eternity.
Darcy: You're powerless, and you're responsible for the destruction of a whole realm.
Icy pushes Darcy out of the way, going on to make fun of Bloom some more. Icy's got a bit of nerve. Darcy's a lot better at this insult game than Icy. Icy's insults, calling Bloom a loser over and over, seem like the kind of insults a 4-year-old would give. Darcy's is the only one that might actually get to Bloom on a deeper level. The Trix sisters laugh some more, but Miss Griffin blasts them from behind, right into a wall. Bloom congratulates Miss Griffin. How did Bloom know it was Miss Griffin, anyway? I don't believe she's ever actually seen Miss Griffin before. The other Cloud Tower witches, with Brandon and Riven, are right behind. How did they get out, anyway? I thought Riven couldn't pick the lock... did that homebrew potion work? What?
Icy: We're not scared of you: we're not your students anymore, and we're more powerful than you'll ever be.
Stormy: Hey Ice, then how come she can knock us around like that?
Good question, Stormy. It's not explained. But on the other hand, go Stormy! Miss Griffin tells everyone to prepare to leave. Icy says they'll all pay when they get their powers back. Wha... when they get their powers back? When were they taken away? Miss Griffin puts up detention barriers to lock the Trix sisters in, though she warns it'll only work temporarily. Miss Griffin makes several groan-worthy school references, like not chewing gum, and having a hall pass, and the like. The students all put on blue cloaks. One blonde-haired sweet-looking student offers Miss Griffin a special red survival cloak made by the fashion club, to help protect her. This girl is a witch? Must be in that DD Cummings sort of way. I'd have to suspect she'd have gotten along well with Mirta.
The witches, the group of six, and Miss Griffin all walk down the hallways of Cloud Tower to get to the top, to exit the premises for Alfea. The saccharin-sweet witch asks Miss Griffin if they're going to be OK. Stella complains that they still don't have the dragonfire, that they came all this way to get Bloom's dragonfire back. Miss Griffin says they'll be able to take the power of the dragonfire back when she, Faragonda, and Saladin combine their powers, as the three points of magic.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
Icy starts breaking down the detention barrier. She also yells "I hate them" over and over again. And we thought Stormy was the one with the temper.
Stormy: I hate Miss Griffin the most.
Darcy: Not me. I hate Bloom, followed by Stella, then Griffin.
Stormy complains that it'll take a while to get out. Icy says they can still cast a spell through the barrier, to summon the Army of Decay to get them. Though really, couldn't the Trix sisters just blast through the wall behind them? Miss Griffin only put the detention barrier in front of them.
Miss Griffin conjures a vortal tunnel to send everyone to Alfea, telling everyone that they must not put up any resistance. The witches, soon enough, allow themselves to be lifted by the portal. When the monsters start coming, Prince Sky says he'll stay behind to keep the monsters from entering the portal. Miss Griffin gives him a hoverbike to get back to Alfea. Bloom says she'll stay with Prince Sky to help him. Um... yeah. How is a girl without any powers going to be of any help? What can she do other than get in the way? Just an easy, if not unnatural way to get Sky and Bloom together. Bah. Turns out the monsters weren't even interested in getting into the portal. They ride off.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Bloom tells Sky she'll swat the buggies away while he drives off. Bloom worries that they're driving too fast. Bloom complains that the buggies are on her. It was her idea to go with Sky, anyway. Can't she just swat them off, anyway? She is wearing gloves, after all. The defense system around Cloud Tower tries to shoot the hoverbike down, causing them to crash.
in a hovership, Timmy is questioning Tecna's findings, telling her that her numbers are off. Stupid. Tecna's always right. Tecna insists her numbers are right, and that the Army of Decay is bigger than they could have imagined. Tecna's so cute when she's worried. Just wish Timmy weren't there.
Other Stuff
The episode felt like nothing happened, even though things obviously did happen. Like everyone's at Alfea. Of course, most of the things that happen in this episode happen for no understandable reason, and that's not very good. And... not much else. Except Timmy being annoying again.
Despite technically being around for most of the episode, Stella was practically not even there in this episode. Heck, Tecna's small role, at the beginning and end of the episode, was bigger. Don't even get a classic Stella-ism today. Darn.
On the upside, Miss Griffin was there for a lot of the episode. Not quite as great a presence as she was in the last episode, though, mostly due to all those horrible school references. She deserves better than that.
4 out of 10 on the old scale.
Battle for Alfea
...or Leave a Tender Moment Alone. Or Not.
In the forest surrounding Cloud Tower, Bloom and Prince Sky are looking at their crashed hoverbike. Sky tells Bloom the bike won't work since the power converter won't "fribulate." Bloom questions him, and he admits he has no clue what he's talking about, but just knows that the bike is busted. Bloom asks if "fribulate" is even a word, though Sky doesn't answer. For the record, it is not a word. Sky and Bloom hike through the forest, leaving the bike behind.
Back outside Alfea, Miss Faragonda tells Saladin and Codatorta that, according to Tecna's and Timmy's advanced warning system, there's a major invasion on the way. Codatorta doesn't understand what good the warning system is. Good point. I mean, they all know that they're up against impossible odds, right? Codatorta feels that this could be the end. Faragonda tries to get Codatorta to be more optimistic, telling him that the girls put together a pep rally for the fight ahead.
Codatorta: That's youth talking.
It's not that he's pessimistic. He's just being realistic. If this weren't a kids' cartoon, the Trix sisters probably would win. Flora, Tecna, and Musa run up to Miss Faragonda, warning her of something coming, materializing in the field. It's Stella, Miss Griffin, Knut, Brandon, Riven, and the other witch students. Flora mentions that it's the imprisoned witch girls. How did Flora know they were imprisoned, anyway? Miss Faragonda and Miss Griffin walk up to one another. They both remember a time when Griffin turned a sorority at Alfea into goats, and she left seven inches tall in a jar. They seem to be looking back at this as a happy memory, too. I guess sort of how a mature adult looks back at fun youthful pranks, or something. Random specialists are all happy to see Brandon back at Alfea; Riven looks hurt that none of them seem to acknowledge he is also back. Of course, being Riven, he's going to pretend he doesn't care, but he's obviously hurt here. Flora, Tecna, and Musa ask Stella where Bloom is. Stella tells them that Bloom was supposed to be back at Alfea, that she and Sky stayed behind to keep the monsters from entering to portal, but were supposed to come right back to Alfea.
Back in the forest, Bloom tells Sky that walking through Blackmud Swamp would be quicker, but Sky tells her that the tree tops of the forest will offer better cover. Hasn't Sky learned a thing by now? The Trix sisters have as heavy surveillance as Dr. Claw. They know every move everyone is making. They can't hide. Sky's just being stupid again. Bloom tells Sky she's scared, that without her powers, she's just a helpless Earth girl. Sky tells her she's the Princess of Sparx, but Bloom says the only thing that made her the important princess of Sparx was the dragon fire, which she no longer has. Prince Sky reminds Bloom of when she told him that when she found out Prince Sky was Prince Sky, that it did not change who he was. When did she say that? Oh yeah, she didn't. A voice calls out to Bloom to go to Lake Chrysalis. Gee... "chrysalis." Do you suppose this lake's name is just a weird coincidence? The name alone pretty much gives away what's special about this lake. Bloom tells Sky she thought she heard a voice, though Sky says he didn't hear anything.
At Cloud Tower, the Trix sisters are, indeed, watching Brandon and Bloom walking through the forest. And Sky thought they couldn't be seen in the forest... just so stupid. Stormy wants to puke, watching Sky and Bloom walking through the forest. Darcy wants to puke because the witches are with the fairies. Icy thinks it's all amusing. Darcy warns that Bloom's headed toward Magix, but Icy writes Bloom off as something they don't need to worry about, and Stormy agrees. Icy, Icy, Icy... have you learned nothing from past evil geniuses? You should never just write off what seems to be a non-threat, because it will always be much more detrimental to your success than you are currently aware! It seems more appropriate for Stormy to carelessly write off Bloom, at least. Just Icy who needs to show a little more responsibility, you know, being the leader, and all.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #1
At night at Alfea, Faragonda, Griffin, Saladin, and Codatorta are all in Faragonda's office. Miss Faragonda says that the Trix sisters told Bloom they were part of the original coven. Codatorta says that they were banned for eternity from coming to school in Magix, and no headmistress is allowed to override the rule. Miss Griffin does not appreciate the accusation, telling them that the Trix sisters claimed to be from a more benign realm, though she did wonder why her parents never came to conference week. I guess that does not happen often in Magix. Pretty common occurrence on Earth anyway.
Outside Alfea, the Army of Decay is back on the attack, with flying leeches in addition to the flying stingrays, bug soldiers, and giant soldiers. Several fairies are seen fighting--not one witch, though. Weren't the witches supposed to be here at Alfea too, helping with the fight? One of the leeches knocks Flora down, for some reason, not in Winx form. Why were the girls, save for Stella, not yet in Winx form? They need to be a bit more prepared. The girls all transform to their Winx forms. Including Stella, despite already being in her Winx form. Seems odd that she'd do the transformation when she's already in her Winx form. Stella preforms a relocation spell right as a giant soldier is about to smash them, and Flora performs her vine wrap on it. Tecna and Musa blast a second giant soldier, but its remaining bug parts turn into four regular-sized bug soldiers, and the giant soldier in the vine wrap escapes from the vines.
Back in the forest, Bloom and Sky are sitting around a campfire. Bloom tells Sky she has a bad feeling, and she doesn't think they should stop. Sky tells Bloom they need to get some sleep. Sky says he couldn't sleep either on his first mission, so he just closed his eyes and thought of home. Bloom says she can't, because she doesn't know where her home is. Sky tells her about her home in Gardenia. Sky's right this time. Seems almost like Bloom was forgetting her own family in Gardenia. They should count for something, after all, being the people who've raised Bloom all her life.
Back outside Alfea, more monsters are coming. Riven and Brandon both attack one of the bug soldiers, but it repairs itself instantly. Riven reminds Brandon of a move they learned in double duel class, and they bring it down with the attack... for a few seconds. It gets right back up afterward. Kiko digs a hole in the ground as a leech is about to eat him. He looks kind of drunk. Where is Pepe, anyway? Why isn't Pepe with Kiko here? One of the stingrays carries Tecna off, though she expands her wings to their hang glider form to destroy it. Codatorta is grabbed by one of the bug soldiers, though Saladin is there to save him.
Codatorta: I'm fine. Don't tell any of the boys about that.
A random specialist yells for someone to do something about the flying stingrays. And yes, the boy really did call them flying stingrays. Nice to know that I've been calling them by an appropriate name this whole time. Timmy takes some shots at them, but misses. Tecna takes care of one that is about to take Timmy down, and in return, Timmy shoots down a few that are after Tecna. No comment. Except that comment, and this comment explaining that first comment. Miss Faragonda and Miss Griffin float above the school in a bubble, sending out a bright light that destroys several of the monsters... but again, they come back to life. Miss Faragonda worries that she does not know what to do.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #2
Back in the forest, Sky wakes Bloom up, telling her they should get going. The voice--Bloom now recognizes it as Daphne--tells Bloom, again, to come to Lake Chrysalis. Bloom asks again if Sky heard the voice, but again, Sky didn't hear it.
Back at Alfea, in the morning, Faragonda asks why the Trix sisters pulled back their forces. Miss Griffin tells her that the Trio are toying with them. Saladin thinks that maybe they're weakening, but Miss Griffin says that doesn't matter anyway, that they can't beat the Army of Decay unless they are able to take out the Trix sisters themselves.
Outside Alfea, everyone is pooped. Stella and Brandon are sitting down next to each other. Stella worries that they won't be able to survive another attack. Brandon tells her not to worry, that he'll protect her, but Stella says it'll be she who protects him. Brandon insists he won't be a squire forever. Stella asks if he means he'll become a knight or a man at arms. Brandon says yeah, but Stella comforts him, saying that doesn't matter to her. To look at her parents, the king and queen of Solaria, and see how great their relationship is. Stella is such a sweetie. Not sure how anyone could dislike her. So much more to her than her superficial cover. Musa comes up to tease Stella's relationship. Not trying to be mean, just teasing Stella in jest. Flora defends Stella's relationship. Stella magically creates a pillow to throw in Musa's face to knock her down. Also just in jest.
Musa: That's fighting with magic! It's against the rules!
Brandon: Ha! You sound like Griselda.
Stella: No snide comments, please. Only I can torment my friends.
Yay! Been a while since we've had a great Stella line. Stella starts worrying about Bloom. Brandon tries to comfort her, telling her Bloom will be back. Timmy and Riven come up to them, telling them that Miss Faragonda has called an assembly.
Miss Faragonda, and the entrance of Alfea, tells all the students how bravely they've all faught, but that the battle is not over, and they must muster all they've got. The four Winx girls all look, especially Musa, and especially especially Flora, all look pissed at hearing Faragonda's words. Seems an inappropriate reaction. I have to wonder what Miss Faragonda was telling them in the Italian version... Miss Griffin tells everyone that she knows they can win if they all work together, and at that moment, the Army of Decay comes back swarming into Alfea. Kiko peeks out of his hole, only to hurry back in upon seeing the monsters. Stella complains that there're thousands of the monsters.
Back in the forest, yet again, Bloom notices the Army of Decay headed straight for Alfea. Sky says they need to hurry for Magix immediately, but Bloom tells him that she needs to go to Lake Chrysalis. Sky says he'll go with her, but Bloom tells him she needs to go alone. I can understand that Bloom needs to do something at Lake Chrysalis by herself, but it might be a good idea for Sky to at least bring Bloom to Lake Chrysalis, to make sure she's not attacked along the way. I mean, she is still powerless, after all, and Sky has no way to know that Icy's being too cocky to bother with Bloom.
COMMERCIAL BREAK #3
Back outside Alfea, the Army of Decay is on the attack again. After a giant soldier tries to crush Timmy, Riven slices it up. Brandon catches ride on a flying stingray that knocked him down, and proceeds to slice it. One of the giant soldiers randomly decides to climb one of the towers of Alfea as if it were King Kong, and knocks the tower to the ground. Flying leeches and stingrays are swarming toward the Winx girls, and Musa asks Stella to teleport them to behind the monsters. Musa gathers the other Winx girls inside her protective disco ball, and sends out a blast from it to destroy several of them. Musa and Tecna blast at some more bug soldiers on the ground. Miss Faragonda tells the fairies to concentrate all their powers for a single attack. Miss Griffin tells her witches to unite their powers with the fairies for the attack. That thought probably makes most of the witches sick to their stomachs. Then again, while several students are shown concentrating their attacks, they're all fairies--why aren't the witches actually here, helping? A large orange bubble is formed around Alfea, and all of the monsters are destroyed.
At Cloud Tower, Stormy is screaming because all of the attacking monsters were defeated. Icy says this isn't fun anymore. All the Trix sisters agree that it's time to pay them a personal visit, to take on all the fairies and witches themselves.
In Magix, Sky arrives, only to find the place abandoned and destroyed. Sky doesn't believe how empty the place is, and calls for anyone who may be there.
At Lake Chrysalis, Bloom asks for Daphne, saying that she is ready for her destiny, as she steps into the lake.
Other Stuff
This episode was one of the better parts of the multi-part finale thus far. That really doesn't say much, though. On the bright side, there was nothing bad about the episode, except for the notable lack of witches. Heck, Bloom wasn't even there for the most part! Just that, on the other hand, nothing much good happened either. Mostly a lot of fighting that accomplished almost zilch. It wasn't bad, by any means, but it was far from necessary. A lot of this 8-part finale could've been condensed to make room for maybe a fully-Tecna episode, or a fully-Flora episode.
There was, at least, one standout spot in the episode: Stella and Brandon's little talk, about Brandon wanting to become more than just a squire to impress Stella, and Stella telling him how that isn't important. That was sweet. And amusing once Musa butted into the moment. Speaking of Musa, she wasn't annoying in today's episode. Wish Musa were like this more often.
...then again, some people may have seen Musa's interrupting Stella's moment as just completely obnoxious.
6 out of 10 on the old scale.
