Chapter Two: The Secessus Clause

"Chapter Two: The Secessus Clause" is the second episode of the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses and aired on November 16, 2022. It also aired on December 16, 2022 on Freeform and on December 17, 2022 on FX, on December 24, 2022 on ABC and on December 25, 2022 on Disney Channel. It was written by Katy Colloton and Katie O'Brien and directed by Jason Winer.
==Synopsis==
Scott learns that, by way of the Secessus clause, he can retire, but he must find a worthy successor before doing so. Torn between wanting to retire and not wanting to leave the North Pole, Scott taps his children as possible candidates. He quickly realizes none of them are interested in the role, but instead want to know more about the world outside the North Pole.
==Plot==
Cal suddenly gets the feeling that something is wrong with Santa. This is proven correct when the elves realize that Santa is down. Back at the house, Noel uses his abilities to wake up Santa who tells him not to tell anyone back at the North Pole what happened. Despite this, they return and tell everyone anyway. Betty reveals to Santa that there is another clause: The Secessus Clause. After speaking with Mrs. Claus, Santa realizes that he can potentially lay the position off to his kids. He speaks with Betty who tells him that the new clause will allow him to retire the mantel of Santa, should he find someone willing to fulfill the role and offers a binder of potential candidates. He refuses as he believes that he already has his successor down.
Simon and his daughter Grace attempt to sell to investors the idea of a new drone delivery system. This proves to be faulty and they are kicked out. Santa visits Florida to see his son Charlie, who is married and has two kids. His wife, Marie, is under the impression that Santa is a shrimp fisherman and Charlie reveals that while being Santa has been a dream for him as a child, he has learned that it is not a great place to raise his kids. Santa respects his decision and leaves. Mrs. Clause asks Betty about the past spouses, but she tells her that she is not privy to that information and that Santa and Mrs. Claus are viewed as a single immortal entities. Santa decides to spend more time with the kids after Betty tells him that kids raised at the North Pole end up being "weird" despite it only being the two of them.
Santa tries to spend time with Cal and learns that he has had dreams of being Santa. He tries to teach him how to fly the sleigh, but ends up crashing it and drops the whole issue. Grace discovers that Simon has seen Santa's sleigh and has started to become convinced that Santa is indeed real. Betty tells Noel that she is aware that Santa wants to retire, but wants to stay around before showing him an orb that measures Christmas spirit. While it is mostly glowing, the center is dark which has not happened since the 14th century. Noel lets slip to Santa about it and he decides to visit the snow globe depository to check on the world's Christmas spirit, only to find Cal and Sandra. He realizes that they long for the regular world and gathers the family together.
Santa tells his family, as well as a hidden Noel, that he will indeed retire for their good and will locate a suitable replacement. He tells the rest of the elves who immediately panic and cry over him, something that pleases him as they did not have that response with the previous Santa. As Santa begins to look for a suitable replacement, Sandra and Betty show concern. Grace catches Simon looking online to see if Santa is real, when the two of them are shocked by the appearance of Edie the elf who tells them that they have been summoned to the North Pole. As they are unwilling to leave, she uses glitter to knock them out.
==Cast==
*Tim Allen as Scott Calvin/Santa Claus
*Elizabeth Mitchell as Carol Newman-Calvin/Mrs. Claus
*Austin Kane as Buddy Calvin-Claus
*Elizabeth Allen-Dick as Sandra Calvin-Claus
*Matilda Lawler as Betty
*Devin Bright as Noel
*Rupali Redd as Grace Choksi
*Kal Penn as Simon Choksi
===Guest starring===
*Eric Lloyd as Charlie Calvin
*Jerry Lambert as Philip
*Sofia Gonzalez as Marie Calvin
===Co-Starring===
*Isabella Bennett as Edie
*Nico Bustos as Asher Calvin
*Michael Caldwell as Peter Calvin
==Trivia==
*The series depicts drone delivery as a faulty system. This is ironic as giant companies in real life, such as Amazon, have started using this technology with mild success.
*This episode slightly addresses why the elves did not question Scott Calvin suddenly replacing the previous Santa and why there was not a Mrs. Claus; the elves view every incarnation as one entity. Tim Allen himself included this as he too did not understand those plot holes.
==Gallery==
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Category:Christmas episodes
Category:The Santa Clauses episodes