Girls Rule (TV special)

"Girls Rule" is the sixth TV special produced for the Enchatria Girls cartoon series. The TV special ties into the Girls Rule line.
==Story==
As each year prior to Halloween, the students of Enchatria High are shown a video to warn them of the dangers they might face up until after the holiday. Halloween traditionally is the day that the humans come out to hunt for monsters, and even if few humans still practice the holiday like that, monsters still can't consider themselves safe days prior to and on Halloween itself. Most of the students are familiar with the video and moreso that no Halloween attack has happened within their lifetime. Therefore, all are unimpressed and uninterested, except Wendy, who's about to experience her first Halloween ever. Having first read about the holiday in magazines, she is utterly shocked that Halloween isn't about candy and fun.
After class, she talks with Rachel, Clyde and Lori about the video, unsure what to believe. Her friends tell her not to worry, including Lori, but she nonetheless tells the tale of how centuries ago, tomato juice on her mouth and clothes was mistaken for blood and her family were chased from their home in Transylvania.
This doesn't do much to calm Wendy, but Rachel assures her that not only is Halloween safe, she will keep her friends safe. However, as they are walking down the hallway, the school is egged & TP'ed. The students rush outside to find out who the vandals are, and find two humans driving a pick-up truck warning them that Halloween is mere days ahead while throwing some more eggs, which hit Judy. This event sets the student body on edge as they wonder if they are in danger and ponder on ways to get back at their attackers, even if Principal Goodway forbids retaliation. About to let go of Halloween as anything but a harmful holiday, Wendy bumps into Jessica as the latter returns from the old library in the catacombs. Jessica wants to write a story about Halloween, but Abby and Zee notices a map among the books she's got with her; a map to the Hall of Halloween. The trio go see Layla to ask if she, the resident catacombs expert, knows anything about this place, which Layla doesn't but is willing to help look for. With the aid of the map, the four actually find the place and learn the true story of Halloween from the mechanical tour guide. Originally, Halloween was a way for humans and monsters to celebrate their friendship.
Armed with this new knowledge, the four return above ground, finding their friends gathered outside around a mildly gruesome pumpkin display—another attack by the humans. Timmy takes it lightly, believing the humans to be out of ideas, and picks up a pumpkin. This activates a mechanism that has all the students outside the target of a rain of pumpkins. Abby and Zee moves in to protect Heath, which he is initially grateful for until Andy mocks him for being saved by a girl. The worst victim of the pumpkin rain is, once more, Judy. Goodway announces an emergency meeting in the auditorium, where she advises the students to not go outside without human disguise until Halloween is over. Frankie protests and holds a speech about being proud of who you are and that she has discovered that Halloween used to be a holiday to celebrate monsters.
Her fellow students respond with enthusiasm, but not as Wendy wanted them to: The student body declares they'll take back their holiday by force. On her father's and sister's urging, Judy takes it upon herself to lead the movement. However, they also demand that she gets rid of Keith, something she finds much harder to comply with.
As all this is going on, Lori and Rachel get stuck with their own problem as Rachel skipped out on a double date, as she's prone to do. Lori realizes Rachel has never been on a date and resolves to get her to go on one, one way or another. Meanwhile, Abby learns from Gina that what is bothering Timmy is that his male ego got hurt because he needed a girl's help, which Abby and Zee finds stupid. The two meet up with Wendy and Keith in the hallway and witness a number of students giving each other strange signals. Thanks to Timmy's idiocy, they learn that there's a meeting in the courtyard later where the students will discuss their plans to get back at the humans. The four decide to spy on the event and learn that Judy is the instigator. After her speech and Jack's transformation to DJ (as Jack, being a human, isn't allowed to partake in the revenge), the group goes into the catacombs to get to Green Hill High to vandalize it like what had been done to Enchatria High. Frankie and her friends follow them. On the way, Timmy runs off in front of the group, thinking they are too slow. When finally the group reaches New Salem High, they find a huge Heartette drawn onto the school's front side. As they are wondering what to do to top that kind of vandalism, the New Salem Police arrive to investigate the damage. The students run and, as per the Halloween Warning video's advice, hide themselves in a variety of clever ways.
Eventually, everyone makes their way in front of a certain house, where they discuss whether DJ could be responsible for the graffiti and how to get back to the catacombs. Before they can move, the door opens. A boy, Chad, invites them in for the party, thinking they are humans in Halloween costumes. The Enchatria High students conclude that the police won't be looking for them at the party, so they accept the invitation. Inside, most wish to use the opportunity to still exact revenge, while others decide to just enjoy the party. Wendy meets a human named Clair, who takes a special interest in the new arrivals. All in all, the monsters handle themselves well at the party until three more guests arrive: the two boys that trashed Enchatria High and their 'boss', Lilian Von Scheck. Coming from a family of famed monster hunters, Lilian immediately suspects that some of the guests are monsters and is proven right when Timmy's clumsiness reveals them. A fight between monsters and humans is prevented by Chad and Clair, who point out that there is no proof they have to be afraid of monsters. Just then, a siren is heard outside and everyone rushes out the door to see the police arrest Holt. When Lilian points out that there are more 'evil monsters' present, the rest of the Enchatria High students run, leaving DJ behind for the time being to be incarcerated for the vandalism to Green Hills.
DJ is taken to the police station and thrown in a cell. The Green Hill Sheriff demands that he hand over his headphones, which Holt does. He promptly changes back to Jack, but due to sheer luck, the Sheriff is looking the other way when that happens and doesn't notice the change at all until the next morning. By then, Jack's had enough time to concoct a story that DJ escaped, abducted him, and locked him up in the cell instead. The Sheriff believes him and even gets him a ride 'back' to Green Hill High. Jack is at first wary of his new environment, thinking everyone is ready to attack him for being a monster, as he is used to being a target for being human at Enchatria High, until he realizes that no one at Green Hill High knows about his monster side. Everyone thinks he's just another human, causing an unusual sense of feeling welcome in Jack. That is, until the goons attempt to beat him up, but Jack finds himself saved by Clair.
Back at Enchatria High, all the students that went to Green Hill have detention. During this, Judy gets a phone call from her father, who says he's proud of her for doing what she believes in. As the call is on speaker, Keith can hear it and interjects that it's not what Judy believes in. Big Bob replies that Judy needs someone who supports her and if Deuce can't be that someone, Judy may not stay with him. As Keith refuses to yield to the von Puckett's ideas, Judy breaks up with him. Elsewhere at Enchatria High, Lori has arranged a speed-dating session with several guys for Rachel, which Rachel angrily and reluctantly agrees to. It goes about as well as expected, with Rachel stomping off furiously in the end.
At Green Hill High, Jack easily befriends Clair and Chad, but has to be creative to avoid loud music and trigger his transformation to DJ. He is successful until the school band starts playing through the speakers, at which point he runs off to an empty corridor of Green Hill High to transform away from everyone else. Unfortunately for him, the ever-perceptive Lilian followed him and is witness to his transformation.
Shortly after, Green Hill High gets vandalized a second time, and both the humans and monsters think it's DJ again. The humans call for his arrest, while the monsters generally are impressed with and proud about DJ's accomplishments. Hearing her father's and sister's voices in her head still, Judy lies to her fellow students that DJ sent her an email confirming he is responsible for the attacks on Green Hill High and that he will keep in contact until his return with Judy only because she was the one to inspire him, which makes Judy a figure of unquestioned authority in the eyes of most of her peers. She does tell her audience that DJ will keep them up to date through his Critter account. Wendy, Keith, Abby, Zee, and Gina don't know what to think of the mess, but they do know they need to stop DJ before things get out of hand even more. With Elsa's help, they find out that DJ is somewhere inside Green Hill High and they go out to get him that night. Coincidentally though, right that night, Lilian and her goons are working to vandalize their own school again, this time in costume and with a camera ready to film the act as fake evidence that monsters were behind the vandalism. Lilian immediately spots the four monsters trying to get into Green Hill High and gets the police. Wendy and co. find Jack hidden away in a closet, but the reunion is cut short when Lilian and the police arrive, force Jack to transform into DJ, and arrest him. The other four are free to return to Enchatria High, where they're again put in detention. Worse, during their talk with Goodway, the headmistress receives a phone call to turn on the TV. The Sheriff holds an announcement that he will return the true meaning of Halloween by condemning Holt to the Trick-or-Treatment, a death sentence not used in two hundred years. Goodway is further informed by the Monster Elder Council that no action will be or may be taken to save Holt.
As much as the news hits everyone, two people are particularly upset. Lilian never meant for an innocent to die because of her schemes, and Judy realizes she used DJ and that he's going to suffer for it. Neither is willing to take the blame instead though. At detention, Wendy comes up with the idea to get help from Chad and Clair, who can look for evidence that DJ has been framed. Her friends help her escape and she manages to contact Chad and Clair, who are eager to get DJ's innocence proven. Their investigation leads to the discovery that Lilian and her goons were behind the vandalism of Green Hill High, which solves that mystery, but does not answer who left the posts on DJ's Critter page. With Elsa's and Jessica's assistance, it is eventually discovered that Judy is to blame for that part of the lie that may cost DJ's life. The group sets up a confrontation for Judy and Lilian within the catacombs. Despite everything, the two bond almost instantly over their shared sense of fashion and the equal pressure to live up to their family's expectations. Then Wendy and co. make their presence known and demand that Lilian and Judy confess what they did to the Sheriff. Lilian and Judy put up no resistance and explain everything to him, but the Sheriff reveals that he couldn't care less. He needs to show he's a capable lawman and by keeping DJ the perpetrator and punishing him by execution, he'll accomplish just that.
Wendy and co. go to work on a new plan. Just freeing DJ will only have the humans come and get him, so more has to be done. The team decides that, on one hand, they'll free Holt and, on the other, bait the humans to the Hall of Halloween, where they can learn the true history of humans and monsters. Lilian gets her goons to help in this endeavour. The goons dress up as monsters and pretend to attack Chad, Clair, and Lilith when Holt is put in the Trick-or-Treatment machine, which forces the police away from the device to arrest the monsters. Wendy, Zee, and Abby use the diversion to free Holt and then make a run for it, in which they are also assisted by Michelle. As the police figure out they've been duped and give chase to the real monsters, even pursuing Michelle in their cruisers, Chad and the goons rouse the human crowd to take matters into their own hands and attack Enchatria High.
Wendy and DJ reach the Hall of Halloween well in time to prepare for the humans' arrival. When they enter, the monsters greet them as the guests of their party, which confuses the humans greatly. Lilith comes forth to confess she is behind the vandalism that plagued Green Hills and that though she meant to protect the humans, she now knows she has nothing to fear from the monsters. The humans accept the confession and invitation, but then the Sheriff and his officers finally arrive, intending to arrest DJ, Wendy, and all monsters present. The Green Hills students, however, make a stand against the Sheriff and challenge him to arrest them as well if they want to get to the Enchatria High students. The Sheriff, wanting to avoid the fallout if he arrests the New Salem students as well, saves face by claiming it's past midnight and that means he is off duty anyway, before sneaking off to the snacks. With all conflict thus ended and subdued, the party commences.
Lori apologizes to Rachel for pressuring her into dating, while Rachel confesses she was intimidated by the thought of dating. Then she spots a handsome vampire across the room, who is revealed to be Lori's cousin, Thad. Rachel decides to give the whole dating thing a shot and gets Thad to dance with her. At the DJ stand, DJ tries to flirt with Clair, but she takes of his headphones because she's more interested in Jackson. Clair kisses Jackson causing him to faint. Abby makes an ice sculpture, which Timmy thinks look great. However, as Abby turns away, the sculpture topples and threatens to crush her. Timmy melts it with a fireball, saving Abby. Feeling his ego restored, Timmy accepts an invitation to dance from Abby and Zee use Magic Wand into Rebuild. Judy approaches Keith to apologize, admit he was right all along, and ask him if he would consider taking her back. Keith replies that he knows family is complicated and would be happy to continue their relationship. Judy is elated and grabs her ePhone, from which her father and sister could hear the entire conversation. Big Bob demands to speak with his daughter, but Judy just leaves the ePhone lying on the table while she goes to dance with Keith, her father's voice still ranting in fury. All things considered, the party is nothing less than a success.
==Characters==
*Wendy Wonders
*Judy von Puckett
*Keith Evans
*Mr. Glennsburg
*Lori Creaser
*Abby Snowglode
*Zee Kazaam
*Andy Tuffkowski
*Timmy Plasience
*Jimmy Stones
*Gina Miller
*Scarlett Ferris
*Rachel Finster
*Jack Andrews
*DJ Jack
*Clyde Finster
*Kenny
*Murray Martin
*Oliver McQueen
*Jessica Piper
*Kimberly
*Lilian's goons
*Tawnya Finster
*Michelle Vortex
*Donald Marks
*Todd Benson
*Julie Grande
*Pamela McIvy
*Penelope
*Melody
*Ms. Principal Goodway
*Layla Parton
*Brainy Puffies
*Dory Gazette
*Von Puckett servants
*C.J. Cupid
*Nina von Puckett
*Big Bob von Puckett
*Elsa McMorgan
*Sheriff
*Ms. Martin
*Chad
*Clair
*Lilian Von Scheck
*Mr. Wick
*Tiki
*Thad
*Suzy Fitzgerald
*Mindy Mars
*Norman
*Amy Blossom
*Bella Carson
*Donna Lucas
*Michael Chips
*Sandy Larson
*Captain Planet
*Cody Winds
*Wiz Kid
*Carly Kicks
*Sophia Cata
*Rosie Heart
*Tammy Match
*Valerie Skye
*Presley
*Courtney Crash
*Gabby Hazel
*Caroline Peach
*Patty Purby
==Notes==
===References===
*The ghost seen fleeing in the Halloween Warning movie is designed after the painting The Scream.
*Andy's reaction to finding out he's been hiding in a china shop is a play on the saying "like a bull in a china shop".
*"Critter" is a play on "Twitter".
*Cleo and Lilith's notes beginning with "I know what you did this Halloween," is a reference to the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer.
*"Youspace" is a play on "MySpace".
*"Rockoapoolza" is a Event scene similar to 2002 Nickelodeon film, Hey Arnold! The Movie.
===Continuity===
*"Girls Rule" takes a multitude of cues from the Enchatria Girls book canon as penned down by Lisi Harrison. The human settlement near Enchatria High is revealed to be a Green Hills, California, akin to how in the books the school is located in Salem, Oregon. Judy's and Nina's father's name is Big Bob Von Puckett, a name that previously appeared in the books. Clair's and Holt's/Jackson's hint of attraction towards each other echoes the one Holt and Jackson shared with Melody Cooper in the books. And lastly, the theme of hiding that they are monsters and pretending to be humans is a large aspect of the book series.
*According to Mr. Glennsburg, Frankie experiences Halloween for the first time in this special. By cartoon continuity, easily more than a year has passed since her creation. In fact, while no attention was paid to it being Halloween, the Volume 1 webisode "Freakout Friday" takes place on October the 31st.
*Van Scheck, the main troublemaker of "Fight On!", is mentioned several times while his niece occupies a role of 'lesser evil' in "Girls Rule".
*Lori mentioned her sudden departure from Europe previously in "Why Do Girls Fall in Love?". "Girls Rule" reveals the exact circumstances of the move.
*Andy's dislike of mazes is brought up again. It was first mentioned in "Lost of the Shell Shores".
*Scarlett's claim that she would lull Wendy into a false sense of security before striking at her if she meant her harm is exactly what she did in "Don't Cheer the Creature", the first time she and Frankie had any significant contact. And that was merely the first time.
===Milestones===
*Big Bob von Puckett, Clair, Chad, Lilian Von Scheck, Lilian's goons, and Thad make their cartoon debuts.
===Errors===
*The Halloween video being played every year does not match with the events of "Fight On!", as one would assume that if the video was old knowledge, then none at Enchatria Girls would've trusted Von Scheck.
*When Michelle enters the Cafeteria, she passes by a table Donald is seated at and then a table Andy is seated at. When the whole Cafeteria is shown as Goodway speaks to the school, Andy's table is the one farthest away and Don's table, as well as Don, is missing.
*DJ wasn't the only one in danger to take the "Trick-or-Treatment" when the school acknowledges he was in trouble. Since Jackson and DJ are in the same body, Jack would also die.
*When Gina and Abby are talking about boys being difficult with females, Gina has a green book in her hands. When she gets to Wendy and Zee she is holding a red book.
*Julie and Pamela were part of the group that would go vandalize Green Hills High, but they didn't go and barely showed up afterwards. To a lesser extent, the same disappearance happens to Melody and Penelope, who were enthusiastic about Scarlett's suggestion to get back at the humans but then disappeared from the movie.
*Why is Brainy partaking in a date-interview with Rachel? His love interest is Elsa. In fact, the "Girls Rule" DVD comes with a webisode, "Flowers for Brainy", that is all about his feelings for Elsa.
*When Lilian and her goons try to create video material to blame the monsters for the graffiti, the goon on camera at first wears a purple mask, but when Wendy and her friends arrive at Green Hills High, he suddenly wears a brown mask.
*How exactly did Judy get access to DJ's Critter account? Her knowledge of technology is limited enough that she needs Elsa's help several times to just send a text message to multiple people at once.
*The humans really make no priority of getting Green Hills High cleaned. The initial Heartette graffiti remains on the school's front throughout the TV special, which spans several days.
*When Jack gets mushy and thanks Chad and Clair for making him feel like he fits in, one of the girls who was Chad's audience for one of his jokes was wearing an orange type of color dress, but when Jackson turns around she's wearing a black dress.
===Other===
*The web game Trick or Trance ties into this TV special.
*Bartleby Bloom's model is used for a semi-generic farmer. Whether this is a coincidence or meant to imply ancestry is unknown.
*One of the goons that attack Enchatria Girls wears a mask in the likeness of Rocko from "Friday Night Fights".
*The joke of a one-eyed boy constantly 'winking' was also used in "A Perfect Match".
*"Girls Rule" was announced at Toy Fair 2022. Interestingly, the DVD cover shown in the Mattel Toy Fair Analyst Presentation on the 19th of February is different from the one seen at the Toy Fair stand.Events & Presentations at Mattel.com
*The DVD of Girls Rule contains three webisodes that were not available anywhere else until some months into 2023: "Flowers for Brainy", "I Scream, You Scream", and "No Girls Allowed". There's also a Walmart exclusive release that contains the first half of the Volume 1 webisodes on a bonus DVD. Presumably, it's that release that has caused Mattel to set most of the Volume 1 webisodes uploaded on YouTube on private for a while.
*The DVD of Girls Rules contains four episodes is "Spring Fling", "A Big Beach Party!", "Back to School", and "Robot Wars".
*The DVD of Girls Rules contains music video: Colors Go Pow.
*In the original version, Jack's line goes "It's called... uhhhh... Spazzingtons!" Similarly, Lilian refers to Jack as "Your little spazzy friend sure hates loud music." These lines were changed to "It's called... uhhhh... Jeklingtons!" and "Your little cootie friend sure hates loud music." This is because "spazz" is an offensive, ableist word in the United Kingdom.
==References==
Category:TV specials