The Magic Within

:Not to be confused with "The Magic Within You".
"The Magic Within" is a one-hour television special of the Disney Channel animated series Elena of Avalor. It premiered on October 13, 2019. It is the fifty-fifth episode in the series, and the sixth episode in the third season.
==Plot==
The Kingdom of Avalor is getting ready to celebrate Carnaval. Esteban, Isabel, and their grandparents are going over the plans for the Carnaval Parade. When Luisa notices that Elena isn't there, Francisco goes off to find her. Elena is in the Grand Council Chamber with Mateo, Naomi, Gabe, and Zuzo. She is using the Scepter of Light to try and find Ash Delgado with her Farsight Power, with no luck as she been in the same spot for a long time. Francisco comes in and asks Elena why she wasn't at the Carnaval Meeting. Elena explains she's trying to find Ash. Mateo adds she's been doing so for hours and needs to rest. Elena denies this and adds that finding Ash is important as she is a threat even greater than Shuriki. Naomi points out that she's exhausted and Elena lets them go home. Francisco tells Elena that her health is more important than catching Ash and advises her to get some rest for Carnaval. However, Elena uses her Scepter's Farsight power to resume trying to find Ash. This proves to be wise as Ash has finally figured out that the dots on the puzzle map are based on the stars in the sky. Upon solving it, she discovers Takaina is in Tepet Muul. Zuzo appears and, upon seeing what Ash has done, tells Elena that Takaina is the place where the Maruvians made the Scepter of Light along with many other artifacts. Inside it is the Well of Crystals which is filled with all kinds of magic crystals. Zuzo adds that if someone as wicked as Ash becomes able to harness that magic the whole world will be in danger. Elena tells Mateo what she's discovered and together they set off to Tepet Muul.
Using the map, Ash arrives in Tepet Muul and makes her way to Takaina. When she arrives, the puzzle box becomes the key that opens her way into the Maruvians' Crystal Forge. Meanwhile, Elena and Mateo arrive on Skylar and Migs. When they see they light the puzzle map gives off, they realize Ash is already here and has found and opened the Forge. Upon landing, Elena sends Skylar and Migs back for back up and she and Mateo run inside. They find Ash just as she has fished out a bunch of magic crystals. Elena stops Ash just in time with her Scepter's Blaze power. A battle erupts that culminates with Ash blasting Elena down the Well of Crystals. The Magic of the Well causes Elena to emerge more powerful than ever in a way that makes her finally defeat Ash just as Gabe shows up on Migs and with Skylar.
Later, a carriage has arrived to take Ash back to the Palace and put in the dungeon. Gabe drives it back to Avalor Palace. Elena and Mateo fly back on Skylar and Migs. Elena is happy that all of the Delgados are apprehended. Her happiness causes her dress to turn yellow. The group deduces that it's because of her new magic.
In Avalor Stadium, Naomi and Marlena are practicing their song for Carnaval just as Gabe shows up to join in. Suddenly, Dona Paloma shows up. She gives them a song she wrote. The trio question this to which she tells them it will help them win. Dona Paloma leaves them to make their costumes and spruce up the float. In the dungeon, Ash has been locked up. Esteban arrives as Mateo told him what happened. Elena confirms this and adds all of Avalor's enemies are locked up. Victor retorts Esteban would be locked up too if that were true (obviously referring to what he told Elena before). Knowing what he's referring to, Elena tells Victor to save his breath as she doesn't believe him and leaves. Also knowing what he was referring to, Esteban comes over to rub it in. Victor tells him the truth always has a way of coming out. Esteban tells him "Yes, if only you did" and leaves.
Elena meets up with her sister and grandparents and confirms Mateo's report as accurate. Isabel informs her they need her help to build their float. Elena goes to get ready. She then starts singing about how happy she is that Avalor is finally safe. Her joy activates her magic in a way that makes her joy infectious and brings the model of Isabel's float to life. The animated float names herself Flo. Elena goes to Mateo and Zuzo about this and they inform her that her new magic is tied to her emotions. Elena and Flo arrive at the float area. Meanwhile, Dona Paloma arrives with her costumes and voices ideas that Naomi, Gabe, and Marlena all agree are terrible. Suddenly, a bunch of stuff goes missing and thanks to Elena awakening her Scepter's ability for Truth Vision, Flo is discovered to be the perp.
That night, Flo joins the Royal Family for dinner. Flo voices how she loves Carnaval and wishes it was always Carnaval to which Elena and Isabel agree. Francisco and Luisa note the girls are just like their parents in that regard and adds Raul and Luisa would spend weeks building their floats. Elena notes they were building one the day Shuriki invaded Avalor. When Flo asks, Elena tells her about Shuriki. While Flo is saddened that Elena never saw the float, Isabel notes that Esteban saw it because he went with Raul and Lucia that day. Flo asks what it looked like to which he nervously lies that he had to leave on very important royal business. Flo asks him what could be more important than Carnaval, to which he bluntly says he can't remember anything that day, which frightens Flo. Flo suggests that Elena use her "Tattletale" vision to show everyone, to Esteban's horror. Suspicious of her cousin's sudden strange behavior, Elena asks the Scepter to show them where Esteban was the day when her parents were working on the float. The Scepter shows a young Victor and a young Esteban with a stranger on a rowboat, which was Shuriki as she prepared to invade Avalor and take over the kingdom, to everyone's horror. Francisco and Luisa are horrified to learn that their grandson helped Shuriki take over the Kingdom. Esteban tries to explain that Shuriki promised him that no one would get hurt, but the Royal Family is having none of it, especially not Elena, whose anger activates her magic. The commotion her magic causes brings the Royal Guard in. Elena orders them to take Chancellor Esteban to the dungeon adding "I want him out of my sight!". Esteban is arrested for treason and led away.
The next day, Naomi, Gabe, and Marlena tell Dona Paloma that they think her ideas are terrible. Higgins comes and tells Naomi and Gabe they are needed at the Palace immediately for an emergency Grand Council meeting. In the dungeon, the Delgados taunt Esteban about what Elena will do to him now that she knows what he did forty-four years ago. Esteban is confident his family will forgive him after explaining his past actions, which the Delgados highly doubt. Gabe, who has obviously been told about Esteban's treason, angrily tells him the Grand Council wants to see him. When Esteban arrives in the Grand Council Chamber, he is met with hostility from an angry Francisco, Luisa, Elena, and Naomi, who has also learned what Esteban has done. Flo comes in in a festive mood for Carnival, but Elena tells her that the Grand Council is in session right now. Esteban admits he helped in Shuriki's takeover because when his parents died, he felt like an outcast who no longer mattered and no one ever listened to him as if he was "invisible". He then tells them that he needed to be seen and heard so Shuriki offered him the power he has always dreamed and because of him being young, foolish, and angry, he accepted her offer when she promised that no one would get hurt. He also admits he realized he made a terrible mistake, but by then, it was too late. While Francisco willingly forgives Esteban for his actions, Luisa disagrees with him and tells Esteban that he brought harm to their family and that she could never forgive that after losing her daughter and son-in-law. Naomi agrees with her. Esteban turns to Elena, who recalls that they grew up together and she loved him as her own brother, but it turns she never knew who he really was. However, Elena admits that she couldn't be happy knowing that Esteban is locked away in the dungeon, to which he sighs in relief, but Elena then decides it would be better if her cousin is sentenced to exile instead. Esteban is shocked and horrified. Elena announces to him that he'll be expelled far from Avalor to live the rest of his days in solitude on Soledad Island. Elena, Luisa, Naomi, (and Flo) raise their hands and their combined votes cause the Grand Council to pass the motion. Elena then commands Gabe to escort Esteban back to the dungeon and that his sentence will be carried out after Carnaval.
The Royal Family arrives at the Parade and Carnaval begins. Naomi, Marleena, and Gabe ask Dona Paloma to join their float. In the dungeon, Esteban tricks Higgins into giving him a small sunbird statue that has a key to his cell that he put in it in case Shuriki ever double-crossed him. Impressed by this display of cunning, the Delgados tell Esteban he needs them and will help him if he lets them out and helps them get their tamboritas back. Esteban agrees and helps him get their tamboritas back. The four of them then escape.
Back at the Parade, Gabe informs Elena about the breakout. This upsets Elena to the point where her magic activates and causes the floats to come to life and run wild. The float the Royal Family made takes off with Isabel and her grandparents on it. Elena gives chase after it with her anxiety causing her magic to activate. Her magic causes an avalanche that knocks Carla and Esteban off a cliff. Esteban climbs back up while Ash saves Carla, though she shows significantly less concern for Carla than Victor. Mateo calms Elena down and convinces her to use love to harness her magic. Elena does so and fixes everything. She then goes after the Delgados and Esteban. Ash tells the trio that they need to get to the Well of Crystals. Victor tells Ash he's not going as they almost lost Carla and announces that he's done with the dark pursuits. Angered, Ash turns Victor to stone and asks Carla to join her. Horrified and heartbroken at her own mother's betrayal, Carla furiously refuses. Esteban fearfully joins Ash and they escape. When Elena shows up, Carla remorsefully turns herself in and explains what happened. Though Elena feels genuine sympathy for Carla, she still has her escorted back to the dungeon. Elena then goes back and Carnaval resumes.
==Cast==
*Aimee Carrero as Princess Elena
*Joseph Haro as Mateo
*Jorge Diaz as Gabe Núñez
*Jillian Rose Reed as Naomi Turner
*Jenna Ortega as Princess Isabel
*Keith Ferguson as Zuzo
*Carlos Alazraqui as Skylar
*Julia Vera as Luisa
*Emiliano Díez as Francisco
*Christian Lanz as Chancellor Esteban
*Gaby Moreno as Marlena
*Mikey Kelley as Higgins
*Constance Marie as Doña Paloma
*Kether Donohue as Flo
*Lou Diamond Phillips as Victor Delgado
*Myrna Velasco as Carla Delgado
*Grey Griffin as Ash Delgado
==Songs==
*"Happy to Be Alive"
*"The Wonder of Me"
*"With Everyone"
*"Love Always"
==Trivia==
*This is the fourth special in the series, following Elena and the Secret of Avalor, "Realm of the Jaquins", and "Song of the Sirenas".
*Elena has a new redesigned signature dress, along with a supercharged scepter after falling into the crystal well of Takaina.
**Her dress changes colors depending on her mood.
*Esteban's darkest secret of having a hand in Shuriki's invasion of Avalor and a forty-one reign of tyranny is finally revealed to Princess Elena, Princess Isabel, and their maternal grandparents; Princess Elena realized that Victor was indeed telling the truth since "King of the Carnaval".
**He was then sentenced to exile from Avalor and live the rest of his days on Soledad Island, far from Avalor, as punishment for his betrayal and treason.
**He then joins Ash, who abandons Victor (whom she turns to stone) and Carla after they refused to join her on her plan to obtain powerful magic from Takaina.
*The opening theme has a brand new footage without Esteban.
*This is the second episode to be on Carnaval, after "King of the Carnaval".
*Isabel has gotten older and both her hair and dress look different.
*When Esteban says he needed to be seen and to be heard, that is a bit of a reference to the song "Speechless" from the 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin.
*Despite this season's discontinuation of title cards being visible, this special has a visible, stylized title card.
*Moral: You must calm down when stress happens.
==International Premieres==
*April 18, 2020 (Disney Jr. Brazil)
==Gallery==
Elena's magical transformation.jpg
Elena's new look and new scepter.jpg
Elena gazing at her new scepter.jpg
Elena marveling her sparkly new gown.jpg
Victor petrified by Ash to Carla's horror.jpg|Victor turned to stone by Ash, much to Carla's horror.
Category:Elena of Avalor episodes
Category:Television specials