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Return to Ursalia
Reviewed: 08/27/2011
The Barbics Rear Their Ugly Heads....
Well; I was hoping to do Beg, Borrow & Steal first; but I discovered that episode is less than 13 minutes in length and incomplete. So yet another episode I cannot rant on as we are now up to four episodes. However; this episode IS complete and it's the season finale as the Gummi Bears go to Ursalia again and we introduce new Gummi Bears and a new voice actress to the mix. How does this one fare? Let's rant on and find out shall we....?
This episode is done by Rich Fogel, Mark Seidenberg and Kevin Hopps. The teleplay is done by Duane Capizzi and Kevin Hopps. The animation is done by Walt Disney Animation Japan.
We begin this one in the forest as we do the zoom in on Zummi and Sunni picking milk moss which Sunni is instantly repulsed by it. Heh, no surprise there. Zummi explains that Grammi needs it for cooking as Sunni wants to skip dinner. Then we hear kids playing around the tree as Zummi pushes Sunni's head now below the bushes. We see two noble kids (one boy, one girl) play tag. The boy then for some reason brain farts and doesn't go after the girl as the bushes move. The boy blind tags Sunni and Sunni tries to run in; but Zummi stops her and then they bail. Huh? How did the kid NOT notice her? Logic break #1 for the episode; or a big brainfart on the boy's part. Speaking of brain farts; Sunni proclaims that she cannot play with humans which is hilarious considering that she's already played with Calla a lot...and there's Cubbi with Cavin. I don't think the two ever mixed up; but still logic break #2 for the episode as Sunni calls this unfair. You know what's unfair? Disney thinking TaleSpin was merely filler. That's what is unfair. Then again; so is life in general. Reality has a way of biting people in the proverbial asshole.
Zummi claims that Sunni will find friends of her own to play with and Sunni blows it off. So Calla is no longer Sunni's friend? Does Calla know this? Do the writers know? Do they care? Then Zummi swears in DUBBED ANIME STYLE (oh my stars!) as we see a sun beam in the sky. I should point this out before I forget: This is Paul Winchell's final appearance in Gummi Bears before he was put out to pasture. Jim Cummings took over in the next Season six starting with Friar Tum which I ranted on last week. Zummi grabs Sunni and both bail stage left to tell the others. So we head inside the control room as Gruffi is invoking the telescope and swearing in dubbed anime style (by gum) as Zummi is right. Cubbi wants to see and Gruffi lets him as Gruffi deduces that the Gummiscope pulled this one off. You know; that signaling device we saw in Light Makes Right. Damn; that seems like a long time ago. Zummi comes in with the SIGNAL BOOK OF DOOM and he decodes the message that it's from Sir Thornberry (so Ursalia has a Gummiscope?! I don't recall seeing one in Road to Ursalia...) and apparently the bears have returned to the city as everyone's faces light up.
So we go to Castle Drekmore BEFORE HAPPY HOUR (sunset) as the sunbeam is flashing and we cut to the window as Dukie and ultra-cool sidekick Toadie notice the sunbeam right away. Dukie asks what this means and Toadie calls it a grand opening at the fish market. Okay; that makes no sense. Toadie could say “Umm; it looks like the ogre signal to fight off water sheds”. Yeah; it sounds stupid; but it sounds a lot less boring than what they used here. Dukie backhands him as Toadie hangs on to the edge of the window. Dukie brings out his measuring telescope as he explains that it's another Gummiscope. Toadie thought it was destroyed by the bears in Light Makes Right; but Dukie blows it off as he gives Toadie the telescope and Toadie grabs it with both hands and freefalls into the moat. Dukie tells Toadie to gather the troops because he's going to steal the Gummiscope and destroy Castle Dumbwin...ERRR...I mean Dunwynn with it. So we go to the Quick Tunnels as everyone is packing the Quick Cars and Cubbi wants to see Thornberry again. Sunni just wants to see the other Gummi's and Cubbi hopes that they are not divas in roundabout terms. Don't worry Cubbi; they aren't. Sunni and Cubbi exchange the usual playground insults and Grammi blows them off for being unbecoming of a Gummi Bear. Tummi seems more interested in trying out Grammi's secret treat covered on a platter. Grammi blows it off because it's a chocolate cake for the people of Ursalia. Can you smell the Gruffi retort coming at six o'clock? I knew you could. Grammi bounces the cake and threatens to use it on Gruffi; so Gruffi blows her off for using a short joke. I'm sorry; but that joke works a lot better with Colonel Spigot.
Zummi is worried about something though as Sunni gets in to the Quick Car along with the rest. Sunni asks him about it and Zummi states that the ancients aren't supposed to return until humans and Gummi's co-existed together. Sunni thinks there they know something the GANG OF GUMMI WAY doesn't. Anyhow; we head to Ursalia as the Gummiscope is still flashing a sunbeam on top of the city as Zummi and Sunni are in awe. They enter into the city and there is no one...AND THE ROCK SEZS NO ONE. They do notice the Gummiscope flashing on the western part of the castle and Gruffi blows off Thornberry for seeing things. Tummi decides that he can have the chocolate cake now as we see Gummi bear shadows in the background. And they appear to be armed as then the NET OF DEATH arrives OUT OF NOWHERE and sangs the bears. We then hear Peter Cullen's voice as a black Gummi Bear (with a black eyepatch over his eye) appears with his sword as he accuses them of trespassing. Gruffi blows it off because Ursalia belongs to the Gummi Bears. Then a Pat Musick voice states that they ARE the Gummi Bears as a female warrior with a sword appears and they are the Gummi Bears from Barbic Woods. Yes folks; these are the new Gummi Bears I confused with the ancients. Although they are pretty ancient in their own right. Sunni claims that they are Gummi Bears too. I agree with one exception: Sunni. She's a diva Gummi Bear as one of the children Gummi's (with the spear) calls them out on their funny clothes and Sunni asks what is so funny with them.
We discover that the child Barbic is Buddy as the older Gummi Bears pushes him back since they might not be friendly. I disagree with two exceptions: Gruffi and Grammi are not very friendly at all. Most so when it's Gummi Bear on Gummi Bear crime. AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! POW! SPLAT! OUCH! EWWWW! Ummmm.... Anyhow; Buddy is voiced by the late Dana Hill (passed away in 1996) and according to the USIMDB: Dana Hill was born Dana Lynne Goetz on May 6, 1964, in a suburb of Los Angeles to parents Sandy Hill and Ted Goetz. Despite diabetes ending a promising future in athletics when she was just 10 years old, Dana gamely threw herself into acting when still in her early teens, taking her mother's maiden name as her professional acting name. She found success early on with her performances in both Fallen Angel (1981) (TV) and Shoot the Moon (1982), winning high praise from critics. For her stage work, Hill won the 1986 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award as Best Featured Actress for her performance in "Picnic." However, complications from her diabetes set in and the consequent decline in her health meant that from the mid-1980s on, Dana increasingly turned to voice over roles in animated movies and television programs such as Jetsons: The Movie (1990), "Goof Troop" (1992) and "Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man" (1994). In early 1996, Dana's health grew increasingly fragile as was evident to her friends and co-stars. Late that May, she slipped into a diabetic coma. On the 5th of June she suffered a paralytic stroke and on July 15 she died peacefully in the hospital at the age of 32, bringing an untimely end to a career that in less than two decades had spanned the big and small screen, animation and the theater.
She started her career with Mork And Mindy in 1978 as a girl scout. Gummi Bears is her DTVA debut and she was Tank Muddlefoot in Darkwing Duck, Timmy in Bonkers and Max Goof in Goof Troop. Duckman as Charles was her final overall credit in 1996. She has 56 credits to her resume and appeared on the Johnny Carson show in 1982. Dana should be a reminder to everyone who blasted Nick Jonas for having diabetes: Nick Jonas is a crappy singer; but he's still a human being. If he isn't; then neither is Dana Hill under your point of logic. Then you'll understand why I think the ADM is so appalling. It's one thing to criticize someone's talents. That's fine. It's one thing for the fangirls to go overboard on the diabetes issue. I can understand the annoyance of it; but to call diabetes no big deal shows the ultimate ignorance of disease and medicine. If you are truly better than Nick Jonas or the fangirls; then don't bring Nick's health into it. Bring in his talents or his deeds/misdeeds. Bash those if you want. To go after his health to score a point for your side shows that you are worse than the very people you condemn; all because they are crappy stars making a lot of money that you think belongs to bands who alienate mass audiences. It's hypocrisy and it's vile. And vile is evil spelled sideways. Think about it.
Now that I got that off my chest Thornberry steps in as Cubbi and Gruffi notice him but Thornberry is confused as hell thinking that they went down Dustin falls. HAHA! Gruffi blows him off for that one as the female Barbaric points the sword at Thornberry asking if they are friends of his. Thornberry is confused over that; so Gruffi yells at him again before Thornberry admits that they are friends of his. So the female Barbic takes the sword and teases cutting them in half; but cuts the top of the net and frees them. This calls for a celebration as we head to a meeting room as Sunni and buddy are playing with the tambornie and flute as we pan over to the rest of the Gummi's at the table exchanging notes. Thornberry tells Gruffi that the Barbics are big trouble and is glad to get the message because the Barbics have a funny look in their eyes as Gruffi agrees with them. So Ursa (might as well get her name out of the way) stands up and wants to bring on the food as we get a neat spot of three archers firing arrow of meat and veggies on a stick and they hit perfectly on the plates. I guess those plates are made of wood or something that sticks. Did I mention the arrows are ON FIRE?! Oh and did I mention Sunni has teleported to her seat? Tummi fans the flames out with his hat and calls this service. The brown Barbic archer Gummi (the one with the ponytail – not sure about the voice though) blows out Grammi's kabob as he calls it a Barbic recipe. I'm guessing he's the cook of this outfit with him eating the whole thing whole. Grammi has a nibble and she likes it despite needing more pepper root. Did I mention that the archer's name is Grubby? Wow; just wow.
Anyhow; Cubbi is listening to Gritty's stories about the Barbic's battles as Cubbi is amazed at Gritty's strength. He shows Gritty his vial of roided juice and Gritty has never heard of the stuff as he shows his muscles by lifting Cubbi's chair about six feet off the ground. Yeah; Gritty, you never saw Larson & Gary either; suuuuurrrreeeee. We see Sunni and Buddy exchange notes on Buddy's necklace (with the Barbic Gummi symbol on it). Buddy puts the necklace around Sunni's neck and she's in awe. Strange that the Buddy/Sunni thing didn't last beyond this episode; but Cubbi/Gritty does however. Zummi and Ursa talk about coming together as Zummi asks why they have come to Ursalia and Ursa claims that they were driven out of Barbic Woods by humans. They cut down their trees and burned the rest of it. That sounds like the flashback to Light Makes Right; now that I think about it. They are looking for the secret weapon inside Ursalia and with it they will wipe out the human race completely. OUCH! Thornberry is asleep it seems as Sunni thinks they are joking. If only Sunni, if only. Ursa and the Barbics leave the room with weapons drawn as Sunni tries to convince Buddy to stay; but Buddy doesn't say a word other than he has to go; as if he needs the bathroom or something. Buddy leaves as Tummi thinks the party is over. NO?! REALLY?!
So we head to the snowy mountainside as Dukie and ultra-cool sidekick Toadie are walking and Toadie is naturally complaining about the cold. I know how that feels Toadwart; I certainly do. It can cripple your walking plans; that is for sure. The other ogres are behind him as Dukie is blowing him off for wanting to rest again fifty miles ago. HAHA! Dukie orders him to stop whimpering and wiggling his toes in the snow as he grabs the measure telescope and the power of suggestion allows Toadie to tumble like a snowball down the mountainside and probably out of the episode. Dammit! We need Toadie to make Dukie look cool again. Dukie notices the gate entrance to Ursalia as he proclaims that it's over the hill. Toadie is in a snow tomb proclaiming that at this rate; he's over the hill. HAHA! We then see Dukie and the ogres already have passed the gate and they notice Ursalia as Dukie proclaims that he has found a whole city as that ends the segment eight and a half minutes in.
After the commercial break; we head inside Ursalia on the sky shot and cut to Thornberry, Cubbi, Zummi and Gruffi exchanging notes on the situation. Gruffi thinks that they cannot be serious about wiping out humans. Oh; I think that they are macho serious about it Gruffi. Isn't it funny that he cares about humans now after wearing that tinfoil hat on too tight for most of the series? So long ago. Cubbi thinks that they are serious as Gruffi proclaims that they need to find the Gummi weapon before the Barbics do. Cubbi thinks that the Gummiscope itself packs a wallop. If you cannot guess what the Gummi weapon really is; then you have no business reading this rant. So Thornberry thinks they should check the weapons room as the GANG OF GUMMI WAY is SHOCKED to hear that. So we go into a hallway with Ursa and Gritty blowing off the babyfaces for not helping them. Gritty isn't surprised because they are in BS&P roundabout terms pussies in his view. Ursa finds a Gummi statue sitting on a ledge and throws it away and it shatters on screen. How about that?! Gritty opens a pair of double doors at the end of the hallway; and we have a Barbic BINGO~! In other words; the weapons room. They enter inside as Ursa thinks the ultimate weapon must be inside. One of the weapons is a grappling hook crossbow; the ancient version of the grappling hook gun Kit used as he actually uses it unintentionally because Zummi yells stop and gets his hat posted against the door for his troubles.
Zummi blows him off like some fuddy-duddy and stammers again. Gritty claims that humans are dangerous as Gruffi proclaims that not all humans are dangerous. I know that Gruffi has gotten better since the Road To Ursalia episode; but it's still funny that he would defend them after being paranoid of them himself for so long. Cubbi claims that his best friend is a human; but Ursa grabs a spear and blows him off like someone who called out someone a racist. Except it doesn't work here because Cubbi is no racist. Gruffi of course takes Cubbi's side as we get the stare down. Gritty questions Gruffi's bear status and Gruffi blows them off as violent barbarians. I beg to differ Gruffi. They are just human hating assholes. A real barbarian cooks and cleans. Disney sezs so with Dave The CLEANING BARBARIANS OF LAUGHS so it must be true. Ursa storms off stage left claiming that they have zero in common. I agree with her in this case as Gritty joins her. Now here's a dumb decision to walk off: If the Gang of Gummi Way is siding with the humans; maybe they should be capturing them and putting them back into the net again? I'll never understand Barbic Gummi logic.
So we head outside as Buddy and Sunni are riding on wooden tricycles. Seriously; that is what they are. It's almost as if the humans are like the English in taking every word (or invention) from a international land (or the Gummi Bears) into an alleyway and beating them senseless until it becomes theirs. No wonder the Barbics are so pissed off. Buddy shows off his scooter skills are he comes close to the edge as Sunni warns him to be careful and Buddy claims that this would be something Ursa would say as Sunni claims that this is what Gruffi would say. So Ursa is the Gruffi of the outfit and Grubby is the Grammi/Tummi of the outfit. So Gritty is the opposite of Tummi and Buddy is Cubbi and Sunni fused together. That explains why they had Cavin in The Rite Stuff then! I'm guessing Thornberry is Barbic Zummi; but who plays Barbic Gusto? They cosplay their elders for a while as Buddy gets off death reference #1 nearly 11 minutes in. Sunni deduces that all grownups are like that and Buddy wishes that they could have more fun. Sunni thinks that they forgot to as they cycle towards the other side of the bridge and here comes Dukie and his ogres as Dukie hasn't forgot. I think you can guess why the grownups have stopped having fun: They didn't want to stoop to being uncool like Dukie is now. The bear kids stop as Buddy demands to know who invited Dukie. Toadie gleefully answers that one for me as Sunni calls Dukie bad news.
So Sunni and Buddy bail back to Ursalia as Dukie orders the ogres to stop them and it's the SCOOBY DOO CHASE SEQUENCE THE OGRE EDITION~! Funny how Sunni tells Buddy to run despite the fact that they are CYCLING back. Bad form there writers. They close the doors and the ogres squash themselves against it like some unspeakable fetish as Sunni and Buddy get into the Quick Cars (which have been changed to the original Gummi Bear cars I should note) and ride on them. Sunni wonders how to warn the others and then she sees the tower where the Gummiscope is and wants to use that to warn them. So we return to the stone doors as the ogres use yellow ogres to bash down the door. That is not funny unless it's the bump machine they are using, and he's the ogre chair for Dukie right now. Dukie blows them off and wants them to do it harder. So we cut to the top of the tower as Buddy and Sunni are at the...Oh wait; it's not the Gummiscope; but the big ass HORN OF DOOM. Buddy tries to blow into it; but the sound he makes just plain sucks and blows. Heh. Sunni wants him to blow harder and Buddy proclaims that it's not as easy as it looks as he blows with all his might (even bouncing off the ground) and we have a rumble as parts of the walls are crumbling as Dukie and the ogres bail away in fear into the mountains. We cut into the weapons room as somehow Ursa and Gritty have returned (so why did they leave in the first place) as Thornberry is hard of hearing I see. That just plain annoys me as Gruffi and the gang go outside and think it's an earthquake. Ursa disagrees as she sees the big ass horn and proclaims it to be the ultimate Gummi weapon. Wait; what?!
Gritty notices Dukie and the ogres bailing like a bunch of scalded dogs as Cubbi corrects him because Duke Igthorn is NO human being. Gruffi is NOT liking this one bit as we cut to the entrance of the gate as the ogres pant and wheeze in pain while Toadie sums it up for us. Dukie likes this because this is better than a Gummiscope. Dammit! So the Barbics had to know about the scope; otherwise they wouldn't go to the horn because that would make their search for the Gummi weapon pointless and make them look stupid. However; we never got an inkling that the barbics KNEW about the Gummiscope. And wasn't the scope in the exact same place as the horn as seen in one of the far shots of the city? Stupid, stupid, STUPID! Did I mention stupid? We cut to street level as we see Buddy and Sunni running to the GANG OF BARBIC GUMMI WAY as Gritty demands answers to this outrage. Buddy and Sunni explain that they used the horn to warn them about Dukie; but didn't know it would cause an earthquake. Ursa forgives them because they found the ultimate weapon BABEE! And they are going to murder some wretched humans with it too. Gruffi proclaims that they have no right to go after humans and Ursa gleefully blows it off. Zummi seems more concerned about the damage to Ursalia and Buddy actually takes Zummi's side of the deal because someone could get hurt. Ursa grabs Buddy away and accuses him of being very soft to human lover bears. Gruffi grabs Sunni and tells her that the Barbics are too irrational to reason with now. Ursa takes exception and wants them to clear out now; including Thornberry.
So Gruffi drinks his vial of roided juice and it's BUTT BOUNCING TIME~! Gritty proclaims that this will be too easy; but Gruffi bounces some Barbic ass as even Gritty goes flying and drops on his ass. That's right; Gritty can lift a Gummi off the ground in a chair; but gets bounced down by someone half his size. It's as absurd as Winter at full strength getting pinned by a girl half her size for ten seconds in a tag team match in TNA. Gruffi yells to everyone to get to the tower and everyone bails into the tower as Ursa wonders how he did it and Gritty thinks it's the juice. NO?! REALLY?! Gruffi barricades the door as Cubbi realizes that Thornberry is not inside either. So we cut to outside as Thornberry is walking around generally confused as hell here. Gruffi grabs him by the collar and gets him inside before the Barbic can spear him against the door. So Ursa calls out for the big bear guns as they use the weapons from the weapon room including the battering Gummi Bear Ram. Two Barbics use the crossbow grappling hooks to grapple the tower ledge as Cubbi thinks that these bears mean business. So Zummi invokes the spell of Satan....
Zummi:
Blowmite Comit Dumbmo Nowmow!
Translation:
Blow My Comet Dumbo Now Ma!
So he wants Dumbo to shoot stars? Works for me. Sadly; the spell only burns the rope and forces them to freefall and squash Ursa on the way down. No male on female contact? What no male on female contact? Gritty gets on this spring machine as Grubby cranks it up. It's difficult for me to consider that ponytail bear to be called Grubby unless he has eight legs. Grubby fires the spring and Gritty springs into the air and does a perfect three point landing onto the tower beside Gruffi much to the horror of Grammi. Now the smart thing to do is run into the tower and blow the weapon to make the bears surrender; but Gritty does the stupid thing and cut a promo. That allows Gruffi to shove Gritty into the conveniently placed trap door which Cubbi and Grammi open and Gritty free falls. Gritty better hope his IQ is eight or more; because if it isn't it's time to sell. He rolls down the staircase in hilarious fashion as he turns into the ROLLER BALL OF DOOM and Tummi opens the door and cuts a promo on him as he rolls out of the tower stage left. Then we see Grubby and his entire fanbase charge in the bowling ball formation allowing them to crash like pins. Now there's something Teddy can laugh about. Man; those Barbics can sure bump with the best of them.
Gruffi calls that a strike as Sunni thought that Gummi are not supposed to be fighting each other and Grammi agrees but these bears are different as she throws a brick at them. Racist scumbag as Sunni calls this stupid and paces around wondering what to do. Thornberry notices and tells her to follow her heart. Considering that it's Thornberry saying that; that is a bad idea. He proves it even further as Sunni leaves that it might be the gizzard. Sunni goes to the edge and drinks the vial of juice. Sunni bounces down the tower roofs to the ground as she proclaims that they found the horn together; maybe they can stop this together. We cut to Buddy trying to plea with Ursa to stop; but the Barbic gleefully ignore him. He then hears Sunni's whisper yell and runs to the alleyway where Sunni is. You think after Princess Problems; that she wouldn't try something like this again; but here we go anyway. So it's AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark) as Dukie and the ogres have climbed onto the terrance as Toadie is giddy about the party. Dukie admits that this won't be easy and then he changes his mind because Sunni and Buddy are foolishly walking on the street after dark. Buddy wonders how to get them to listen as Sunni wishes they could all be friends. So Dukie appears OUT OF NOWHERE proclaiming that no one needs friends with enemies such as him as Gad and Zook grab Sunni and Buddy. Next time Sunni; let CUBBI hatch the Krackpotkin plan. It can only help you.
So we cut to the barbics playing with their battering ram and...Oh man; that was more disturbing than I had intended. But not as much as the screams of a trapped turd. The battering ram bashes through the door as Tummi proclaims that he'll let the others tell them that they are here as he runs up to the top of the tower with the barbics running after them. Man; Tummi's speed has increased a lot more since I last saw him running. Gruffi isn't giving up because he's standing in front of the blow horn with his babyfaces. The barbics climb to the top as Ursa demands Gruffi to stand aside. Unless you are midget wrestler and it's Hulk Hogan; don't count on that happening anytime soon Ursa. That weapon is theirs according to her and that ends the segment seventeen minutes in. Despite the stupid logic break; this is still a million times better than An Elephant Never Suspects.
After the commercial break; we see that Ursa has somehow teleported to the horn and she has it. WHAT THE HELL? I expect to believe that Gruffi stepped aside without violence whatsoever? Gruffi then grabs onto the weapon (Ah; the feint attack! I've been proven wrong again) and we play tug of war for a while. If this were 1996; Gritty would be doing this because we cannot have Gruffi competing with a woman now can't we? So Dukie finally stops this silliness as he has the megaphone of Jimmy Harts as he informs them that they have Sunni and Buddy (named as such by Ursa and Grammi). Buddy struggles and threatens; but Dukie blows him off gleefully. Dukie informs them that they have until dawn to give them the weapon; or the kids are Gummi ear muffs. Ursa is pissed and want to blow the weapon now; but Gruffi stops her because it might hurt the kids. Something tells me Sunni needs to be toughen up so that she doesn't get into these situations again. Gritty thinks Gruffi wants to hand the weapon to Dukie and Gruffi proclaims that this is exactly what they are going to do.
So we head to the bridge at dawn as the double stone doors open as Grammi, Gruffi, Ursa and Thornberry push the big horn on the wagon towards Dukie. Dukie is standing with Toadie proclaiming that he wants to see Gregor's face when he shows him the big ass horn he has. He cuts a Three Little Pigs promo as Toadie agrees with him of course; lest he gets snowballed again. Ursa cannot believe she's doing this as Gruffi blows her off. Gruffi comes over and tells Dukie he has the horn and Dukie must let go of the kids. Dukie no sells because he has grown fond of their insults as Buddy gleefully insults Dukie for fun. Dukie is so amused as he tells Zook and orange ogre to grab the horn. Wait; weren't they the ones who have the kids? Never mind; I cannot rewind the video anymore (stupid video stream) as Zook and orange ogre go to the horn and they get netted after Gruffi's signal. HA! Gritty, Grubby and company jump out of the horn and the attack commences. Gritty blows them off for the double-cross; so Gad goes over and tries to invoke the OGRE STOMP OF DEATH to murder him. So Cubbi counters by giving him the vial of roided juice and Gritty thanks him and drinks up. It's BUTT BOUNCING TIME as he bounces Zook's (so Dukie has two green ogres and one of them has orange hair. Damn; it's difficult to notice that) ass and the kids go free. Grubby grabs the kids on the rebound (I was hoping that they would yell Uncle Grubby! Just to prove that they ripped the name off of Ken Fosse's old loins.) as Gritty bounces off the rocks and pulls Gad's helmet over his own eyes.
Thornberry looks confused as usual as Gad trips and pratfalls while Gritty bounces off rocks realizing that he doesn't know the reason why you bounce off the ass. Cubbi claims that it will wear off. Memo to Cubbi: teach him to bounce on his butt as Grammi comes over to embrace Sunni and Buddy as Gruffi orders everyone back into Ursalia. Ursa obeys and everyone pushes the horn on the wagon back into the city. Dukie is not amused by this at all. Dukie wants to handle this one by himself and Toadie follows him cutting a battle promo which annoys Dukie so much that he grabs him by the ears and blows him off as a windbag. Sorry Dukie; there is only one windbag and his name is DARKWING....DUCK! BLAM! HEE HEE! Missed again! You are not...POW! OUCH! Ummmm... Dukie proclaims that power speaks louder than words and Ursa agrees with him. Ursa climbs onto the wagon much to the protestations of Gruffi and blows the horn hard as the heels invoke the sound power of suggestion and fly away up over the mountain and out of the episode. Toadie tries to hang on; but no dice anyway as he is gone. I betcha the bridge collapses and takes the horn weapon with it. I check the video....It doesn't happen; but the ground break apart and Cubbi gets sucked in; with Gritty trying to grab him; but the edge break and he free falls. Sunni's screaming is almost there as the rocks stop falling when Buddy and Sunni are hiding behind the rock. Ursa proclaims that this showed them. Personally; I would have the weapon destroyed here; but we still have Cubbi and Gritty handing on. Memo to Cubbi: I don't think Gritty's middle finger is a good idea to hold on. Grab for the wrist dammit! It's stronger.
We get the most straight ground to air shot ever as Gruffi is pissed off at Ursa and calls her a primadonna. Oooooooo; those are fighting words Gruffi Gummi! And Ursa agrees with me as he even shows her teeth during the entire argument. This is great to see and I hope it help tone down the Grammi/Gruffi struggle a bit too. She doesn't like being called primitive. So you don't mind him calling you a primadonna? Sunni blows them off along with Buddy because it's time to work together. Wow; you know you are hosed when Sunni is the rational one of the team. Gruffi agrees and calls a handshake truce and Ursa shakes hands without question. Sunni then acts like a primadonna (oh, the irony) and drags them over to the abyss. So we cut to Sunni (in the GUMMI CHAIN LADDER OF DOOM spot) trying to grab Cubbi (which makes no sense since Gritty was the higher up) and Cubbi almost falls over the edge; but Sunni manages to grab him. We pull up (with Ursa getting the honor of being the anchor; lucky her!) and then we head to inside Ursalia as the Barbics and the babyfaces dismantle the horn as Ursa admits that the horn is too dangerous for their own good.
However; Gritty points out that they cannot return to Barbic Woods. So Thornberry offers them Ursalia as a home. Ursa likes that idea because they will be safe from humans. Zummi and Tummi help with the scrap iron; Grammi and Grubby want to spruce up the place too. Sunni and Buddy are happy to see this and hope that the adults will have more fun. So Sunni tags Buddy and Buddy chases after her; around Zummi and out of Ursalia in a fun manner. Zummi proclaims that there might be hope yet as we jump out to a far shot of Ursalia as we see specks of Buddy and Sunni chasing each other and that ends the episode and Season Five (well; for now as I still got two shorts from this season left as mini-rants) at 21:09. I'm guessing that this means Thornberry is going to return into a return role now. Much better than An Elephant Never Suspects for three reasons: (A) much better animation, (B) Ursa's justification to hate humans holds a lot more water than Colonel's © Buddy doesn't whine like a little baby when things don't go his way. Although the big logic break hurt this episode good. **** (80%).
THE REVIEW LINE
So we end the last full episode (that I could rant on) for season five on a good note. I was almost afraid of this episode when it sounded like a recipe for An Elephant Never Suspects and that one as you know was terrible and probably one of the worst episodes in the 1980's edition of DTVA. Thankfully; this episode delivered in the areas An Elephant Never Suspects didn't deliver at all. For one; the animation was a lot better and it really showed the gap between the in house studio like Walt Disney Japan compared to the overseas Wang Films studio which the animation looked like an unfinished storyboard at times. For two; Ursa was a really good character and having Gruffi as a foil really helps since Ursa doesn't need to fight dirty with cooking to fight back. I found Ursa just right and her hate for humans was at least justified even if her and her army are going by it the wrong way. Gritty was just fine; but it's too bad Cubbi/Gritty didn't catch fire until True Gritty at least. Buddy was actually fairly good and it's a bigger shame that the Sunni/Buddy chemistry was only used in this episode instead of The Rite Stuff just so Cavin can be introduced to it. Why not just have a threesome? Oh and unlike Elliot; Buddy didn't whine like a little baby. Grubby The Gummi Archer was all right and really the Barbics are a fun bunch once you get past their hyperbole hate for humans.
That doesn't mean Return to Ursalia was flawless though. I found the whole point of the big ass horn pointless because they had the ultimate weapon in the Gummiscope already and the Barbics didn't seem to notice IT as the weapon. I also thought having the horn in the same place as the shot where the Gummiscope was was also a huge gap in logic. They could have used the Gummiscope and have it destroyed or disabled and nothing would change in the resolution. I'm guessing this was done to prevent comparisons to Plunder and Lightning which was coming fairly soon; although that requires a leap in logic in hindsight too. Then there is the continuity error at the beginning of the episode. The tag scene in itself was good since it was paid off at the end; but Sunni saying that she doesn't have human friends is a major lapse in logic due to the countless episodes involving her and Princess Calla; and even Cavin to a lesser extent. I just didn't buy it. Otherwise; this was a very good episode to end season five.
So next up is the first episode of Season Six A Gummi's Work Is Never Done; followed by Tuxford's Turnaround. Like Paul Winchell's career in Disney ending here; Tuxford's Turnaround ends Jason Marsden as Cavin as once that episode was complete; Marsden would be replaced by the voice of Kit Cloudkicker, R.J. Williams himself for the rest of the series. Or as they say; Kit Cloudkicker would be moonlighting as Cavin in Gummi Bears. So.......
Thumbs up for this episode and I'll see you all next time.