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Queen Of The Carpies
Reviewed: 09/17/2011
Sunni Becomes A Zuu....
Wow; we have only 11 episodes to go in this series? I did 84 episodes already? So now we head to this episode which is basically the sequel to Gummi In A Glided Cage. I didn't think anyone in creative would want to bring King Carpie Zuu back; but someone did. And no surprise; Sunni is involved as usual. So how does this sequel do? Let's rant on and find out shall we....?
This episode is written by Duane Capizzi. The animation is done by Walt Disney Animation OZ.
We begin this one in Princess Calla's room as a creepy blond man with a mustache shows off a bunch of green drapes. We also see a short old lady with a needle in her mouth trying to trim Princess Calla's dress while Calla is still wearing it. In some respects; that is going to smart. Calla tries to talk; but the maid manages to make Calla sell on cue. She gets on her case about the royal reception as Calla calls her Martha. Yes; we have two Martha's just like we have two Oscars in TaleSpin (Vandersnoot and Wigglestomper) as we pan west to Sunni looking on from the top of the blue wooden closet. She ponders about being a princess again (What a shock?) as Calla is lucky. Then Tuxford barrages in to inform Calla that it's time for the royal riding lesson. Calla seems a bit happy as both nobles kneel down and groan as if they lost their profits or something. Calla bows and tells Lazybones that she'll meet her down stairs and Tuxford agrees to it and closes the door as Martha and Creepy walk out. So we pan west to the closet as Sunni slides down like a spiral and calls this all exciting. Calla props her elbow on the desk and is not amused. Sunni kneels on the stool (NOT THAT ONE!) as she grabs Calla's crown and wears it while looking in the mirror. Do you get the sense that Sunni LIKES being a princess? But cannot be one since that is the Gummi Way? Calla takes the crown back and states that it's not all fun & games and receptions are BOR-ING~! Well; that's the after effects of being kidnapped by Dukie about four times in this series depending on what mood I was in when doing this rant.
Sunni asks how boring can it be when she's the princess. Answer: A lot more considering what she has gone through in past seasons. I think Sunni needs a death wish and time for a primer for the past five seasons. So we head to Gummi Glenn and zoom in and cut to Sunni's room as Gruffi is blowing off the notion of having Sunni's room redecorated. Oh come on Gruffo; it does look a bit boring and Sunni of course acts like a diva and even dresses somewhat like a diva. Gruffi walks out into the hallway as Sunni whines about being a farm animal and Gruffi mocks her. About damn time he used sarcasm for a change instead of his usual direct “NO!” response. Sunni blows her off and yells that she's returning to Castle Dumbwin...ERRRR...Dunwynn because Calla at least treats her as being special. And people are suddenly surprised when I call her a teenybopper diva? And she's pumping it up to nine today. It would be 11 if she wore the crown and had Hoppo's mass. POW! OUCH! Ummmm....Anyhow; we scene change to a spiral cloud spike mountain as we zoom in and cut to inside a cave where...OH MY GOD; IT'S KING ZUU~! The Carpies have not been forgotten! He turns around and demands his beak warmer as a swarm of Zuu's fly into his cave and seem to have gotten Mad Dog Disease. AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
King Zuu asks Bobo about getting it. Bobo walks in and he sounds incredibly goofy and states that he has. King Zuu wants it now and Bobo gives him a lighted torch. Okay; that would have been funnier if he had just brought a stick and lit it in front of King Zuu. This is logic break #1 for the episode. King Zuu panics and bails behind his throne. He takes a good off-screen bump too as Bobo sits on the throne and the torch gets smacked away and King Zuu blows him off claiming that Bobo was trying to chicken fry him. So that's the BS&P way of saying that he was trying to burn him? Okay; that is different at least. Zuu bops him with the staff that he was carrying with him and describes the beak warmer as soft, warm and goes over the beak. Bobo still doesn't have the two clicks in the making of a clue and King Zuu grabs him by the beak and asks him what he does with guys who challenge him. You know King Zuu is a heel when he mistakes Bobo's dumbness for trying to take over his throne. Everyone gulps and shakes with HB teeth chattering sound effects as we do the FCC FRIENDLY BEATDOWN OF DOOM~! I don't understand the point of toning this down when we can still clearly see their shadows doing the same thing. The PTC is not THAT stupid guys. If you have a problem with them; book a different punishment; or sue them like WWE did. Either method is more effective than this. King Zuu throws Bobo out and he free falls to his “death” that we never see of course.
King Zuu then threatens to do the same to them if he gets challenged ever again. Everyone prays and pleads that they will never challenge him at all. King Zuu wants to show them what a real beak warmer is and flies out of the cave. Carpie Dim? What does that mean?! We then see Bobo is all right as he climbs up the mountain and notices the flock flying west and yells at them to wait up and flies behind them like a goofball. No wonder Bobo is an idiot. Brain Damage from the beatdowns can do that to ya. So we head in the forest as Sunni looks pissed off because things would be different if she were a princess. Wait; so Calla rejected her too? I don't get it as Sunni walks in the mud. Heh. She wipes the mud off her elf boots and proclaims that this NEVER happens to Calla. I can't recall any episode off the top of my head right now; but I wouldn't be surprised if this is a logic break too. Anyhow; Sunni overhears Cubbi and Tummi on the hill as Tummi is cleaning the cobwebs (so sezs Cubbi) out of what looks to be a Gummi Cannon. Cubbi calls it a Gummi Ejector which adds more evidence to that theory. Tummi isn't so sure since it hasn't been cleaned in years. Cubbi then hears Sunni do her CANNOT FAIL EVEN IF LIT ON FIRE SWEET ROUTINE OF DOOM (I...feel....dirty...saying...that.) as Cubbi blows her off because he's busy. Sunni acts like a diva as Cubbi points out the logical flaw in Sunni's plan to be lazy. HA! Well played Sir Cubbi, well played. Tummi is stuck in the ejector of course because he's TOO FAT.
Cubbi and Sunni trade insults and Cubbi proclaims that if she's princess of Dumbwin; he would move to another kingdom. HAHA! Don't you just love it when Sunni's plans to be a diva blow up in her face by someone who is actually cool? Kit Cloudkicker would have a FIELD DAY with Sunni in terms of messing with her mind as Sunni pouts like a teenybopper diva and storms off. Cubbi blows off girls proclaiming that they should protect Gummi Glenn instead of being princesses. Ooooooo..I betcha Eisner didn't want to hear that one since that would MURDER their Disney Princesses brand. Oh; to answer Cubbi's questions: It's because the writers still haven't got the sexism out of their systems yet. Oh and while I'm on a roll; we see the ejector point forward and Tummi gets REJECTED~! Yeap; it still works to perfection as Tummi flies into the air and MURDERS Zuu King good in the sky. Both freefall as the flock fly away and Bobo wants to know where the king is. Why would you care Bobo? Are you a sadist looking for a public beating again?
Zuu King takes a wussy bump onto the ground while Tummi takes a MAN-SIZED bump on Zuu King's head. If you look closely; it seems Tummi gain Yokozuma's ass on the bump to boot. Pretty sloppy there guys as the staff sticks like a spear on the ground in front of Sunni while the crown lands right on Sunni's pinhead. Yes folks; I think we all know where this is going now. Sunni gets knocked on her back and then unpops the crown and demands answers to this outrage. She doesn't care though because it's beautiful and puts it on her head as we see the flock in the sky as one of the Zuu's notice the crown and Sunni on the sky shot as they perch on the branch with Bobo as Zuu #2 (slightly different voice; but Zuu #1 and #2 are voiced by Jim Cummings and June Foray I do believe. Bobo is Frank Welker; Zuu King is Will Ryan.) states that no one touches Zuu King's crown and Bobo deduces that she beat her up as the branch breaks and we get another wussy off-screen bump in response only using the bushes. Sigh. Well; Bobo is almost right; just the wrong bear beat him up good. Hint: He is just TOO FAT!
We see Sunni fitting the crown and then turn around hearing the bump; but notices nothing of note and then turns her back on the birds. She twirls around feeling like a queen which is a step up from being a princess. Sadly; it's not a step up of being a goddess as the Zuu birds pop from the bushes as Zuu #1 thinks Sunni MURDERED King Zuu. No, not really, although you ARE close. Sunni bounces off to show the others what she found as Zuu #1 proclaims that they cannot let her escape since she is now their queen. I hope one of the lessons involves singing Gummi Berry Juice again. I just cannot forget Gummi In A Glided Cage; I just cannot. Sunni hops deeper into the forest cosplaying the queen. It's also nice to see that you can still say lord in DTVA at this point as she turns around and notices the Zuu's almost right away. I see Bobo cannot even practice the fine art of not being seen properly either. Too many blows to the head can be really ugly, methinks. Then apparently; Sunni hits her head because she clearly SEES him; but ignores it and walks off. And you thought BOTCHAMANIA was limited to professional wrestling? So we practice the fine art of not being seen and for some reason it sounds like the Bugs Bunny short featuring him being a bull fighter and making Nimcowpoop his bitch.
Bobo of course is an idiot and steps on Zuu #1 (or #2) on the tail feathers and we get screaming and tripping; plus cover blown. Sunni turns around and screams...badly. If there was one reason for her to do the kick in the nuts acting in Sweet & Sour Gruffi; this would be the time to do it. Sunni bails stage right as we give chase on the sky shot and we get the TMS BACKGROUND OF DOOM with the trees as Sunni gets out her vial of roided juice; but drops it when Zuu #1 grabs her by the shoulders and whisks her away. Sunni demands that she be let go and calls him a buzzard. So Zuu #1 lets her go and Sunni free falls. HA! And HOLY CRAP! So Sunni joins Kit in terms of suspenseful freefalls. Sadly; she only falls about 30 feet before Bobo grabs her back. So we fly to the cave as Bobo proclaims that her wish is their command as we head to a sky shot of the ground where Zuu King appears to be dead and Cubbi helps Tummi up. Tummi recovers thinking that he hurt a duck. Cubbi corrects him as Zuu King wakes up and sees Gummi Bears and tries to swipe at them. Cubbi and Tummi bail easily; but Tummi stops about ten feet away and runs back in. Cubbi pleads with him to leave because Carpies are EVIL~! Nah; just Zuu King Cubbi. Tummi doesn't care because his conscience is telling him to help the poor buzzard or be a bird basher.
Zuu King blows them off because he got nailed from behind. Cubbi tells Tummi not to listen and I do agree with him since Zuu King did NOT get hit from behind; he got nailed in the kisser before free falling. Hardly a cheap shot. Zuu King actually takes Gruffi's side on the whole “Bears aren't meant to fly” (Damn you Disney you keep holding TaleSpin back thanks to poisoning children into thinking that bears flying airplanes isn't cool.) issue while overselling his injuries. Tummi proclaims that it's all his fault and I agree with that too. Cubbi decides that Zuu King is hurt enough not to be a threat right now and Zuu King gets off a “bear necessities” crack on Cubbi. Wow; TaleSpin never referenced that line at all; but Gummi Bears did. Zuu King wants a pillow and something to eat natch. So we scene change to the Zuu Cave as Sunni sits on the throne and the flock proclaims “Long Live The Queen”. Sunni is not amused at this at all. Funky coloring mistake: When Sunni twiddles her hands; her left arm is white and then changes to yellow when she grabs the staff to blow them off.
The Zuu's gasp in horror as Sunni demands answers to this outrage as Bobo reluctantly steps forward (because he IS the bump machine of the group) and tells her that she's the queen and her wish if her command. Sunni demands them to take her home and Bobo end arounds her good. HAHA! Besides; they don't know where Gummi Glenn is anyway so that exception makes perfect sense either way. Sunni then demands to know why she was chosen and Bobo proclaims that she's the meanest, baddest and strongest. Bobo's perception of all three is like being out of his depth in a mud puddle. Sunni paces around and then we see that she has EVIL INTENTIONS~! Memo to Sunni: You are no Max from Max & Ruby. Or Ruby & Max. Same thing basically. Bobo proclaims that every wish is her command and Sunni orders them to spruce up the place if she is going to live here since it isn't fit for a queen. Everyone bows to their new mistress and we scene change to the forest as a Red Cross tent (Like I said; copyright issues?) is set up as we head inside as King Zuu wants to know what flapjacks are. Cubbi shows him the plate of pancakes with maple syrup and butter on top. King Zuu is repulsed by it (BOO! HISS!) as Tummi sums up the tastiness of pancakes with a jug of maple syrup. And of course Grammi blows them off for stealing the jug of maple syrup.
Gruffi demands answers to this outrage as Grammi checks the hurt wing and Cubbi and Tummi basically spill the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth that doesn't mean anything since Carpies are EVIL anyway. Gruffi has the trademark pose on and blows this all off as Grammi tells them that he did suffer a nasty bump and needs a wing splint. See; this is why my use of wrestling lingo can be interchangeable with cartoons. Gruffi doesn't want to help; but Tummi mention about not helping animals is like dirt on your conscience. Of course with Gruffi; eating dirt is the GUMMI WAY knowing him. Gruffi relents and storms out saying that he cannot believe he's doing this. Grammi consoles Zuu King as they will take good care of him. So we head to the Zuu Mountain as Sunni has a new hair doo and looks in the red mirror Zuu #2 gives her. I see Sunni is wearing a white fur scarf (Made of Goosein's (?) according to her) to boot as she likes it and wishes Calla could see her. Now the logical thing to do here is go to Castle Dumbwin and kidnap Calla; but knowing the dumbness of the Zuu's I doubt that will happen. Zuu #1 gives her a pot of orange daisies. We see on the far shot that the place looks half decent. Maybe those art lessons with Gusto Vaino have indeed paid off for her. Sunni gets crowned again as a throne as a royal pillow on it and sits down proclaiming that this is the life.
So Bobo steps forward and complains that he's hungry. Sunni tells them that they can eat and Bobo claims that they need to go out and she kindly gives them permission to go out. However; Bobo's mind process involves that Sunni must go with HIM and so Sunni flies with Bobo outside and I must admit; Kate Leigh does know how to invoke the childish girl scream. You have to give that to her at least. Sunni loves it though as the breeze is good and it's BEFORE HAPPY HOUR (sunset) as Sunni proclaims that she might never go back to Gummi Glenn ever again as we end the segment almost 11 minutes in. Cute enough I guess.
After the commercial break; we head back to the Red Cross tent as Cubbi and Tummi as they try to get the wing splint on Zuu King; but they keep missing and Zuu King keeps moving and that he's very ticklish. Remember that for later on by the way. Zuu King blows them off and wants to know when dinner's ready and here comes Grammi with a tray and a bowl of soup on said tray. I know this because Grammi yells “Soup's On!” as she comes in. It's Ragweed Noodle Soup by the way as Zuu King slurps the soup and hates it as he accuses her of trying to poison him. Yeah; this is turning into the story of Tweeg Getting The Tweezles; only it doesn't have the charm of a straight shooter like LB to make it sound funny. Zuu King proclaims that he's a bird and he eats worms see. Now that sounds dull.....
….except that it's a segue to Sunni on her throne instantly repulsed by the fact that they served worms on a platter. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Sunni is grossed out which is actually an improvement from Rebecca Cunningham being instantly scared by them. Sunni passes them to Bobo since she had a big lunch. Sunni jumps down and we have the big fight of doom with the entire flock in the center of the cave as they play tug of war on one worm. Sunni wants to know what is going on and the Zuu's all accuse each other of stealing the one worm as the worm slithers away. Sunni suggests sharing it. BWHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh boy! BWHAHAHAHAHAHA! Since when did she EVER share anything? Other than Hoppo's diva tips. POW! OUCH! Ummm.... The Zuu's agree and then notice that the worm is gone and then blame each other for eating it. Sunni doesn't know what to think of this and she walks away towards the cave admitting that Calla's response at the beginning does have some merit to it.
Sunni feels like a babysitter instead of a queen as Bobo arrives to make her whims come true. She wishes for him to stop saying that silly command and he sells it and walks away. Sunni walks out towards the edge of the cave and wishes that she were home actually. So we scene change back to the tent as they remove the wing splint from the Zuu King (and still tickle him) as Zuu King tests the wings. They seem good enough as Gruffi mocks him. Zuu King proclaims that this will do and Gruffi calls him ungrateful. WHAT THE HELL?! Zuu King acted like a gentleman here. I thought we were pass this dickiness from Gruffi. Grammi and Tummi walk in and they give him a beak warmer as a going away present. It's an orange stocking and it's a wee bit too big for his nose; but Zuu King loves it anyway. He cries as Grammi wonders if he's allergic to moth wool and Zuu King tells her that he's not. He was looking for one of these.
Zuu King offers them to spend some time in Zuu Mountain as a retreat from Gummi Glenn. Tummi ponders this one over as he doesn't think it would hurt to spend a weekend there. Even more so now Tummi as Zuu King asks them to stay with him for life. Nice to see someone not say forever in this cartoon. Tummi calls that a long time as Grammi politely no sells the deal. Zuu King is PISSED as he has had enough of being a nice bird and tries to grab Grammi; but Gruffi grabs her and we bail in various directions. Gruffi remembers to blow off Grammi during the chase. Zuu King goes after Tummi of course since he's....you guessed it. Tummi pratfalls on his face and Zuu King misses grabbing him. Now there is a use for that spot. Zuu King is mad and then after more TMS BACKGROUNDS OF DOOM; his beak warmer gets stuck in the tree despite it appearing that he was going to have to WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE! I club BS&P! The beak warmer gets unthreaded and all the Gummi Bears go underground via the rock trap door. Gruffi remembers to mock Zuu King as a crybaby. I love real comments that aren't supposed to be real comments. Zuu King is pissed off as he squeezes the beak warmer and proclaims that he'll make them pay and make them slaves. He flies away proclaiming that he'll do an air strike instead.
So we head inside Zuu's Cave as Zuu King opens the double doors and thanks himself for being home. Then he notices the flock is in SHOCK for seeing him again and Zuu King demands answers to this outrage. Sunni then runs in pleased to see him again. Zuu King ponders over this development and he's pissed as he demands her to be caged. YES! Please do that Bobo! I want to see her tormented again with that song..... WHAT?! You refuse to do it Bobo?! UGH! Even Sunni blows Bobo off because she's not the queen and Bobo claims that she is while being so giddy. Bobo claims that she murdered King Zuu and King Zuu taps his shoulder and gleefully answers that one for me. Too bad Bobo doesn't have the two clicks in the making of a clue as Zuu King grabs Bobo; takes him off screen and we have the FCC FRIENDLY OFF-SCREEN BEATDOWN OF DEATH just to amuse me. At least this one doesn't have shadows and only Sunni thinking: “Oh; that is going to leave a mark.”. Bobo gets thrown out of course as Zuu King turns his attention to Sunni as Sunni gleefully gives back the crown and staff. She only wants to see her family again as King Zuu tells her that she will; with feather dusters and aprons. Sunni invokes the POINTY FINGER OF DEATH on him and Zuu King backhands her! HOLY CRAP! I didn't see that one coming at all. And it was right in the face too. Sunni drops on her ass as the flock finally gets it and cheer for King Zuu.
So King Zuu wants more Gummi Bears as we scene change to Zuu King and the flock outside as Zuu King tells Sunni about only going down 5,000 feet and the birds fly away. Sunni blows off the Carpie Dim call and for once I agree with her. What the hell does that mean? Sunni tries to climb down claiming that this will only take a day or two; and then slips on a loose rock and freefalls through a cloud to end the segment sixteen minutes in. 1990 must have been a year Disney liked free falls considering the ones Molly, Kit, Louie and Baloo did in TaleSpin.
After the commercial break; we see Sunni free falling as Bobo notices her while he climbs up and still doesn't quite quite click on the clue part until he dives down and swoops in and saves Sunni before splatting her guts on the ground. Wow; just wow. Not as badass as Kit's fall from the Iron Vulture (since Sunni did it to herself); but close enough at this point. Cubbi; BE JEALOUS! Sunni is thrilled to see him as she wants him to come home to Gummi Glenn. Bobo thinks King Zuu wouldn't like that. After two beat downs; I would agree with her cart blanche. Clueless putz indeed! So ECW stole another character from a cartoon. Sunni tells him that she likes him (and after getting saved; she BETTER) and she wants him to meet her folks back home. Bobo falls for it hook, line and sinker of course. Sunni gets on his back and they fly away.
We scene change back to the Red Cross tent as the rest of the Gummi Bears pack up ready to leave as Gruffi continues to blow off Zuu King for being such a dick. Projection much there Gruffo?! Here's an obvious question; we're 17 minutes in and until now there has been one Gummi Bear not present? Yeah; it's Zummi and yet he FINALLY shows up now. Where has he been all this time? Goofing off with Gusto again?! Willfully this time?! And then Princess Calla shows up and talks about being driven batty. I didn't think we would see her again. She props herself against the tree claiming that she ran all over Dumbwin all day and she's pooped. She then asks where Sunni is and everyone is stunned as Grammi asks if she was with her and Calla insists that she isn't as she hasn't seen her in days. Tummi hopes she's okay because HERE COMES the Zuu's. And they have the Gummi Bear Nets of Death; the weakness similar to the butterfly net is to fairies. Grammi gets netted first as Calla runs into the tent as Gruffi points out the obvious to us. Was that even needed?!
Zuu King flies up with Grammi in the net and ties her net to the branches of a tree. Zuu King perches on said tree as he tells her in roundabout terms that she'll join Sunni. Grammi is not happy to hear that one as Gruffi grabs the jug of maple syrup. No really; I'm as SHOCKED as you are that this would get involved somehow. Zuu #1 chases him as Gruffi goes to the conviently placed slingshot net and slingshots the jar of maple syrup as it breaks BEFORE it even makes contact with Zuu #1 and syrup pours all over him. I smell a BS&P'ing of that spot which is silly since Gruffi aimed for the torso and not the head. Zuu #1 drops down on the ground as Tummi calls it easier to tar and feather Carpies since they already have the feathers. I cannot argue with that overwhelming logic Tummi. We see Tummi, Zummi, and Calla behind the rock as Zummi takes out his notes from his hat (I see he's relapsed back into character since Zummi In Slumberland) and stammers. Zummi runs in and has an upside down spell. Now this is awfully stupid for the obvious reason of: they can fly upside down on their own. I think Zummi is looking for a heavy gravity spell to make flying more difficult. So we invoke the SPELL OF SATAN....
Zummi:
Tummar Upright Sumrite Downmow!
Translation:
Tum Mark Up Right Sum Right Down Now!
Why do I bother doing this translations? Answer: Because I want a good laugh and to point out the randomness of the spells the writers write at times. Needless to say; it backfires as Zummi goes upside down and gets netted. Why bother with Zummi at all...other than to pad the running time? I mean; you went 17 straight minutes without him; so why decide to have him appear now; only to look bad?! Zuu #1 flies into the trees as Zuu #2 and #3 swoop in with nets (I know; how could they use nets if they never had any?) as Gruffi drinks the vial of roided juice and IT'S BUTT BOUNCING TIME~! Gruffi bounces away and the Zuu's have a meeting of the minds. And it wasn't at the worm feast. Gruffi doesn't look where he is going and thus cannot turn around and gets netted by two Zuu's. He is flown away as Calla is behind the rock gasping in horror. That leaves Tummi...and where's Cubbi?! Why abandon him now writers?! Calla then notices and hears Sunni's voice as Sunni swoops in with Bobo. And Zuu King is PISSED by this. Well after two beat downs; if Bobo had the two clicks in the making of a clue; this would be a defacto face turn.
Bobo panics and flies away allowing Sunni to flip hand over feet in midair before getting WARNERED~! She manages to grab onto Zuu King's back and unintentionally tickles him with her feet. How ironic that Grammi gets her feet tickled in Secret Of The Juice while Sunni USES her feet to tickle Zuu King here. Just peachy. I think we can safely call the finish now. Sunni climbs on his back and we begin the most hilarious fight I have ever seen as the animators channel the powers of the Mighty Hercules. How ironic after Sunni got slapped by Zuu King earlier in the episode. Zuu King demands Sunni off her back as two Zuu's swoop in and clip Zuu King as Sunni somehow jumps and Zuu King gets de-feathered. WHAT THE HELL?! How did that happen?! Zuu King whines about his feathers (beautiful is hyperbole to the extreme sir) and free falls. They go splat on the ground off-screen as Sunni is on her ass and she laughs at Zuu King's expense. I see they lifted this spot for Destiny Rides Again which made MORE sense in TaleSpin than here.
Zuu King stands up and he's PISSED as he grabs a wooden stick and wants to see how evil Sunni is. If you cannot guess what Sunni picks up next; you have no business reading this rant. Damn; I'm good as I called this one almost ten minutes in that this would be the finish. So we circle as the Zuu's watch on and Gruffi doesn't like this at all since she'll get torn apart. No chance in hell Gruffi; no chance in hell. Hint: You found his weakness earlier in the episode. King Zuu finally makes the fatal error and of course he gets feathered in the chest by Sunni. I got to admit Kate Leigh's voice is so sweet on the tickling part. Here's another strike against Teddy Ruxpin the DIC version: Will Ryan voices Zuu King here and he does a pretty good sell here. When Grubby gets tickled by Teddy once; the sell is beyond the pale awful. And guess who voices Grubby The Octopede in both story and television series....It's Will Ryan. That's why that toy is better off out of Ken Frosse's cold, dead hands.
Needless to say; Zuu King gives up and Sunni wants the crown and Zuu King puts it on her head as the flock cheers her. The Carpies cheer as Gruffi is in shock and gets off the title of the episode. Sunni orders the Gummi Bears freed and the Carpies sell without question as the bears are released from their nets. This presents one problem: How is Sunni going to get out of this one now that she's queen? Bobo bounces on his ass in front of her and praises Sunni. Sunni wants to challenge Bobo and Bobo wants no part of it. Sunni proclaims that she commands it and Bobo is scared to death and covers his eyes; but agrees to it. So Sunni instantly gives up and gives Bobo the crown. Okay; I like that kind of ending since we don't get a violent fight out of it and it still makes Bobo look like a dodo. The flock flies down in a circle and we get the football victory spot for Bobo as he is now officially the king of the Carpies. Well; that completes the face turn of the entire Carpie flock. Bobo wants a beak warmer and he even sezs please as the Carpies all sell and drop him on his ass and fly away.
Bobo joins them as Sunni claims that they will NEVER learn. No; but they will be less evil than plucked Zuu as he protests this outrage and runs after them and proclaims that he will MURDER them once the feathers grow back. So we scene change to Sunni sitting down at a chair as the Bears pamper her with pillows and cookies. Sunni thanks them for it; but still admits that it's all for the birds as she whips out the feather and tries to tickle Gruffi with it. Gruffi actually sells it weakly and that ends the episode at 21:08. A fun episode for the most part; but Act III seemed a little contrived and forced. And the finish was a complete telegraph by the way. So it wasn't as good as Gummi In A Glided Cage. It needs more Sunni torment. *** ¾ (75%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Okay; this wasn't the ultra-disappointing sequel that I was expecting as I did like a lot of it and the story made sense until the writers got too cute for their own good and dragged it down a bit. The animation for the most part was very good; the first one for WD-OZ I might note. Bobo I liked; the prototype to Whackie Jackie in my view minus the creepy stalking part. Sunni's performance was actually great; and her acting was a lot better than it usually is in this series. I would have liked it more if Princess Calla was kidnapped first as a sight gag to Sunni saying that Calla should be here since Calla does nothing more for the rest of the episode.
It was the third act that bothered me: Cubbi gets written out and Zummi comes in with no rhyme or reason other than to make him look bad casting a spell that backfires. Then the syrup jug spot which the jug broke before it made contact with the Carpie in one scene and then the finish was telegraphed a mile away with Sunni defeating a plucked Carpie King by tickling him. On the other hand; that last complaint was done effectively though; so at least they tried hard here. I did love the ending with Sunni giving up the crown to Bobo who earned his crew cut here and quite frankly; the correct booking decision. Overall; I liked this episode; but the contrivedness of the third act dragged it down below the thumbs up it deserved. Still; a worthy sequel to Gummi In A Glided Cage. So next up is True Gritty as we actually get a Cubbi/Gritty focused episode for once. So.....
Thumbs in the middle pointing up for this episode and I'll see you all next time.