Aru Shah and the City of Gold

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Warning: This page will have major spoilers for Aru Shah and the City of Gold.

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***Aru Shah and City of Gold*** is the fourth book in the Pandava Quintet, written by Roshani Chokshi. The story follows protagonist Aru Shah and her friends approximately two months after the events of *Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes*. It was published on April 6, 2021, under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

## Blurb

*Aru and her sisters--including one who also claims to be the Sleeper's daughter--must find their mentors Hanuman and Urvashi in Lanka, the city of gold, before war breaks out between the devas and asuras.*

*Aru has just made a wish on the tree of wishes, but she can’t remember what it was. She’s pretty sure she didn’t wish for a new sister, one who looks strangely familiar and claims to be the Sleeper’s daughter, like her.*

*Aru also isn't sure she still wants to fight on behalf of the devas in the war against the Sleeper and his demon army. The gods have been too devious up to now. Case in point: Kubera, ruler of the city of gold, promises to give the Pandavas two powerful weapons, but only if they win his trials. If they lose, they won't stand a chance against the Sleeper's troops, which will soon march on Lanka to take over the Otherworld.*

*Filled with wondrous magic, unforgettable creatures, manipulative gods, and laugh-out-loud dialogue, this penultimate book in the Pandava series will leave readers wishing they could read the finale* right now*.*

## Development

* Roshani Chokshi tweeted that a morally grey potentially hot demon king was involved in the book. Roshani Chokshi also said it was the second to last book in in the series.
* ReadRiordan released an excerpt from the book on March 11, 2021, which you can read by clicking here.

## The Sleeper's Plan

The Sleeper plans to have his army march to Lanka to seize the antima astra and Kubera's Nairrata army. The Sleeper plans to look for the nectar of immortality during the chaotic battle between his army and the Potatoes.

## The Chapters

### 1 - I’m Your Long-Lost Family! (Insert Jazz Hands)

Aru recalls a time when she got struck by lightning in an attempt to see if it would hurt her and couldn't walk straight for a week. In present time she and Kara talk, Kara reveals that the dungeon is actually her bedroom, and Aru learns the Sleeper plans to march on Lanka. She attempts to escape by using Vajra, but Kara tells her that the bedroom is reinforced by enchanted rubber. Kara then offers to let Aru leave, but on the condition of taking Kara with her.

### 2 - LOL No

Aru at first says she won't take Kara, since Kara calls the Sleeper 'Dad' and seems close to him. Kara responds that she's only lived with him for two years, and when Aru asks why says she was staying in a bad home but the Sleeper erased her memories so she would be happy. Kara continues, saying that although she was happy for a while, eventually she got suspicious of where he was going and why she wasn't allowed to leave, and while looking around found a glowing library that housed all his memories, and that was how she realized he was up to no good. Aru asks if the Sleeper will track her, but Kara reveals the ward on her neck. However, Aru still says it's too big of a risk -- until Kara reveals that the Sleeper talks about her being his 'secret weapon' and that she wants to stop him from using her for nefarious purposes. Aru carefully asks if Kara will go 'berserk' on her, and Kara tells her the origins of the word. Aru reluctantly agrees to take Kara with her.

### 3 - Every Breath You Take and Every Move You Maaake

Kara informs Aru that removing a book from the bookcases will trigger the opening of the door, but she doesn't know which one as she's never done it before. Kara reveals that the Sleeper occasionally takes her on visits to the outside world, and Aru feels uncomfortable at Kara's familiarity with their father. They begin to search through the books, and Kara tells Aru that the Sleeper showed her both his memories of Aru and the surveillance his army has done on Aru, which surprises and creeps Aru out. Aru finds the book, Where the Wild Things Are, as well as the note her father left in it addressed to her. However, as the door begins opening, the defense mechanism kicks into action and a monster made of books attacks Aru and Kara. Kara grabs a blue book from the ground before running after Aru into the doorway. The monster follows them, but Kara stops Aru from electrocuting the books and throws Sunny at it instead. An inky tentacle coils around Aru's ankle as she's about to run through the portal, but Kara slashes through it with Sunny, and the two make it through the portal to the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture. Kara passes out, and Brynne Rao immediately attacks Aru with a gust of wind assuming she's a vagabond. Then she realizes who Aru is, and she and Mini Kapoor-Mercado-Lopez]] give Aru a hug. Aiden Acharya goes to hug Aru, but stops and notices Kara. Aru tells them Kara is the Sleeper's daughter.

### 4 - TL; DR We’re in Trouble

The Potatoes enter Aru's apartment above Krithika P. Shah's museum. Brynne informs Aru that she had been missing for two months and that it was currently May. Aru wonders where her mother is, and Mini, Brynne and Aiden tell Aru they have a lot to tell her, but Brynne tells Aru to explain why she brought Kara with her first. Aru tells them about Kara, and is confused as to how Kara is the same age as her, even though she didn't appear in the Sleeper's memories. Brynne says that Kara could have been frozen by yakshas capable of stopping time when she was a baby. Aru tells her sisters about the Sleeper's plans for his army and Lanka, which they are already aware of. Brynne is hesitant and suspicious of Kara, but Aru says that they can trust her. Aru asks where the twins and Rudy are, and her friends tell her they are safe. Brynne informs Aru of how Aru disappeared after hugging the Sleeper. Aiden shows Aru what happened next, using Shadowfax to project a holographic scene. In it, the Potatoes are seen in the Night Bazaar, with the twins being reunited with their parents. Suddenly, gold begins to fall from the sky and starts spreading across the floor, sealing the exits, with a loud voice informing everyone that there are traitors in their midst. Aiden’s holographic scene ends and Aiden tells Aru that their friends went home with their families, but they haven’t heard from anyone. Aiden says that the Potatoes received a message from Kubera a day ago, telling them that they must get to Lanka in three days time to compete in his trials, or else he would withhold the Nairrata army from them. Mini then tells Aru that people don’t trust the Pandavas anymore, and that they believe Aru and Boo are traitors. Brynne says they’ll defend Boo, but Aru tells her that he really is a traitor.

### 5 - Fun Fact: You’re Cursed

Aru explains why Boo is a traitor. Brynne doesn't believe Aru and the two get into an argument, but Mini calms them down. Aru is frustrated that she can't remember the wish she made on Kalpavriksha, and Mini guesses she forgot it because Shukra cursed her. The Potatoes then inform Aru that her mother left to "do some urgent research" as to where the nectar of immortality is a week before Aru returned, and that they have no idea where she is. Aiden delivers a message from Krithika, saying, "I love you, Aru." They begin discussing how to reach Lanka in time to answer Kubera's summons when Kara says that she can help the Potatoes.

### 6 - At Least There’s Popcorn?

Kara wakes up and Brynne acts hostile towards her. Aru is afraid to defend Kara because she thinks it will make her look like the "untrue sister" from the prophecy. Aiden breaks the ice by walking over to Kara and giving her a glass of water. Brynne demands to know why Kara wants to help the Potatoes and Kara explains that she wants to stop her dad (the Sleeper) from doing bad things and maybe give him a chance to change. This causes Aru to become envious of Kara, as Kara seems to be at peace with an ugly situation, while Aru is still very angry. Mini suggests the idea of voting on whether the Potatoes should accept Kara’s help. Aiden backs out of the vote, Brynne votes no, and Aru and Mini both vote yes. Kara insists that she come with the Potatoes on their mission, as they may overlook something, such as the weapon the Sleeper is after. However, Kara does not tell them what it is, as she does not want to be left behind. Brynne challenges Kara to a fight, since she needs to be able to fight if she is to come with them. Brynne is shocked at Kara’s trident weapon, and the two exchange blows in the middle of the museum lobby until Kara pins Brynne to the floor by her shirt. The Potatoes accept Kara’s help and allow her to come with them. She explains that they need a gold mine in order to get to Lanka, and it turns out the Dahlonega Gold Mine is about an hour away from Aru’s house. The Potatoes get ready to leave on a bus within half an hour. While getting ready, Aru discovers Kara in her mother’s bedroom while she was supposed to be getting a change of clothes from Aru’s room. Aru initially feels angry, but Kara explains that she just wanted to see what her missing parent’s room looks like, which is something Aru can relate to. On the bus, Aru sees the twins Sheela Jagan and Nikita Jagan in her dreams for the first time since her kidnapping. Aru and the twins are glad to see each other. Sheela issues a prophecy to Aru, and Aru wakes up feeling afraid.

### 7 - No One Said Anything About Demon Hamsters

Aru wakes up from her dream as the bus is almost to the gold mines. Aru tells the Potatoes and Kara that she saw the twins in her dreams, and recites the prophecy that Sheela told her. The Potatoes start walking towards a museum, before Aiden realizes that they got off at the Dahlonega Gold Mine Museum, instead of the actual mine. Kara says that they need the gold mine in order to find golden guardians that watch over the Otherworld routes. Mini uses Dee Dee to check for magic and finds a lot of it around where the Potatoes are standing. Suddenly, Aru spots two creatures that look like demon hamsters. A large chasm with stairs leading downwards appear before the group’s eyes. The hamsters introduce themselves as Sonu and Kanak. Sonu and Kanak explain that they are actually called marmots, and that they can take the Potatoes and Kara to see the gold roads. Aru asks about the road to Lanka in particular, but Sonu says it is off limits. The marmots lead the Potatoes down the stairs into a cave, where they begin the tour of the gold roads. As Sonu leads the group into the souvenir shop, Aru sees wisps of white moving across the glass door of the shop, forming images of people walking and falling down from exhaustion. Kanak appears next to Aru and sadly explains the meaning of the name Dahlonega, and says that the images form a ghost window representing the Trail of Tears. Kanak then warns Aru that the gold road to Lanka is unforgiving, and does no one's bidding but it’s own. Aru hurries to join her friends, unable to shake the feeling that the gold of the mine was cursed.

### 8 - I Ain't Sayin' She's a Gold Digger

Aru goes to join her friends in what looks like a giant courtyard with three archways. One of the archways is clouded with fog, and Aru assumes that it leads to the road to Lanka. Brynne wonders if they should make a run for it, but Mini points out that Sheela warned them to be polite. Sonu comes back and conjures up shelves and racks full of souvenirs in the middle of the courtyard, saying that once the Potatoes and Kara purchase something, they can go through the archways and explore, but the Otherworld-cities road is closed because it is too unpredictable. Aru begins to think of a plan and is about to make an excuse to the marmots, but Kara beats her to it. Kara tells her plan to the group, which is to buy souvenirs and cause a distraction, then head to the third archway. Aru becomes annoyed, as this was her plan as well. Everyone seems to have a part in the plan except for Aru, which causes her to become angry. Kara suggests that Aru can buy the souvenir keychains, but seeing how angry Aru is, Kara asks Aiden to help her and goes to buy them herself. Aru and Kara stay behind to pay for the keychains, while the others start heading to the third archway and prepare to cause a commotion. As soon as Aru and Kara pay Sonu with a thousand particles of salt, they make a dash for the archway. The souvenir store comes to life, and the merchandise and the marmots attack them as they try to escape. Brynne blasts a hole through the fog covering the archway, and the Potatoes barely make it inside. Ahead of them, the Otherworld-cities road turns out to be a dark tunnel.

### 9 - I'm Not Equipped for This Level of Decision-Making

The Potatoes and Kara keep walking through the tunnel until they get to a pit filled with statues. They approach the mongoose statues, each of which is holding a ball with a basket between. One ball is gold, and one looks like it was made of lead. Mini uses her compact and determines that the lead ball is the real one that they are supposed to throw in the basket, but Kara says the gold ball is the real one. The Potatoes and Kara start arguing, and Kara appeals to Aru, asking if she trusts her. Aru lashes out at Kara, saying she doesn’t trust her and she thinks Kara made up everything about the Sleeper’s plan. Aru then throws the lead ball into the basket, but before they can move forward, the ground collapses beneath them, sending them into a pit filled with gold coins.

### 10 - Aru Shah Eats Humble Pie

The coins rain down on the Potatoes and Kara, trapping them. Mini manages to create a shield, and the Potatoes and Kara help free each other from the coins. Kara devises a plan, saying the Potatoes have to trust her, which Aru agrees to. The Potatoes implement Kara’s plan, which allows them to escape the pit using Vajra. After escaping, Aru apologizes to Kara for not trusting her, and the girls agree to try and figure out their own version of a sisterhood. The Potatoes and Kara begin walking through a jungle, before they are captured by vanaras. The vanaras bring the Potatoes and Kara to their Kingdom of Kishkinda, to hold the humans responsible for cutting them off from the world.

### 11 - World's Worst Pokémon

The Potatoes and Kara remain squashed together in a net until the vanaras bring them to a large run-down amphitheater. More vanaras emerge from the trees and take seats in the amphitheater. The vanaras release Aru from the net and try to put her on trial for destroying their lands and banishing them. Aru tries to explain that that happened thousands of years ago and she wasn’t even born yet, but the vanaras ignore her. As they are about to execute her with a guillotine, Brynne breaks through the net with a sharp rock and the Potatoes and Kara try to escape from the amphitheater. They engage in a fight with the vanaras until a giantess swoops down on them and gathers the Potatoes and Kara in her hand. The vanaras refer to the giantess as Queen Tara.

### 12 - In Which the Pandavas Are Stranded, But, Hey, the Fruit is Great!

Queen Tara refers to the Potatoes and Kara as her friends, then calls for a celebration. She leaves to prepare her quarters, and the Potatoes and Kara wait in the amphitheater. Two vanaras try to wed Aru and Aiden, but Aiden becomes embarrassed and hurried off. The vanaras take the Potatoes and Kara to Queen Tara’s chambers, where they explain their quest to her. Queen Tara explains she does not want to help them, saying that she owes nothing to the humans, and explains her backstory to the Potatoes and Kara. Tara then takes them to the seaside, where they can see Lanka across the ocean. Tara explains that after the vanara kingdom built a bridge to Lanka and a war was fought, Lanka was burned to the ground. Therefore, Kubera banned anyone from Kishkinda from crossing the ocean, and the ocean obeys his wishes. This means that Tara and the vanaras are imprisoned on Kishkinda. Brynne attempts to cross the ocean anyway.

### 13 - The Ocean Stops Brynne

Brynne turns into a bird and tries to fly across the ocean, but it turns itself into a fist and knocks her out of the sky. Tara takes Brynne back to rest, and the Potatoes try to decide what to do next. Aru wants to find another way to cross the ocean, but Kara and Mini say they should try something else in the morning. Aru sees the twins in her dreams, and after talking to them, Nikita gives Aru an idea for how to cross the ocean using reflections.

### 14 - That Big Demigod Energy

Aru wakes up and hatches her plan. She goes to find a mirror, and stumbles across Queen Tara using one. Tara explains that the mirror she was using was given to her by her late husband, Vali, and that it was meant to have the answers to the vanara’s imprisonment. Tara gives Aru the mirror, then becomes lost in her thoughts. Aru controls the mirror with her mind, telling it to float over the ocean with the reflective side facing the ocean. The ocean doesn’t distinguish it’s reflection from reality, and Aru tells everyone she found a way to Lanka. Brynne tests out Aru’s theory by sitting on top of the mirror, and it allows her to fly above the ocean without getting knocked out. The vanaras and Queen Tara realize they are free, and the Queen thanks Aru by making her an honorary vanara. The Potatoes and Kara gather all of their items, and cross the ocean on a large mirror created by Mini’s death danda.

### 15 - Rich-People Problems

The Potatoes and Kara continue crossing the ocean for hours. Mini begins to worry, seeing as though it seems they will never get there and Brynne depletes their food supply, until their boat crashes into an invisible barrier. They surface at a golden dock with a gem-studded archway. As the Potatoes and Kara walk through, Lanka appears before their eyes. The Potatoes are all angry at the residents of Lanka, since they seem to be going through their life without any worry of a war and don’t care about what happens to the rest of the Otherworld. Kara takes them to an alleyway with a mongoose statue that has a bell tied around its neck. Mini notices the walls have 10 heads carved into them, and remembers that Ravana has 10 heads. Kara rings the bell, and she and the Potatoes are transported to a walled-in courtyard. Ravana suddenly appears behind the Potatoes and Kara. He roars and lunges for them.

### 16 - Aim for the Head(s)

Ravana snatches Mini up in his hand. The Potatoes and Kara engage him in a fight that ends when they cut off all of his heads. A doorway appears in the walls of the courtyard with a sign that says *Welcome, Pandavas!* The Potatoes decide to go in, but Kara cannot enter because she is not a Pandava. Kara tells the Potatoes the weapon the Sleeper is after is called the *antima astra*. Kara says it is part of the Brahmastra, an extremely powerful weapon that is capable of destroying godly weapons. It was destroyed after the last war, but a piece of it survived. Aru realizes without their weapons, they wouldn’t be able to fight the Sleeper. After she relays this information, the Potatoes tell Kara to wait for them in the courtyard while they meet Kubera. Aru talks to Kara privately, and Kara says she just doesn’t want to be left behind anymore. Aru says that they’ll figure it out, which makes Kara happy.

### 17 - You Get a Quest! And *You* Get a Quest!

Aru walks through the doorway and ends up in a theater. She is led to a seat by a mongoose and is frozen in place when she sits down. A show begins onstage, which specifies the trials the Potatoes must go through to get Kubera’s gold army, saying they only have three days to complete them. The room suddenly transforms and Kubera appears before the Potatoes’s eyes. They talk to him, and realize that Kubera (who refers to them as “little blips of mortality”) doesn’t mind a little destruction. Aru becomes angry that Kubera doesn’t seem to care, and demands that he gives them the antima astra as well as freeing Hanuman and Urvashi. Kuber agrees, but he says they first have to take three steps to reach his throne. He then expands the throne room so his chair is extremely far away from the Potatoes. Aru decides to use Queen Tara’s promise to help her if she was in need, and she shoots up in size until her head almost pokes out of the ceiling. Aru picks Brynne and Mini up with her hand, and together they take their three steps.

### 18 - Sorrow with a Side of Cow

Kubera is delighted at their performance. He agrees to give them the astra and Hanuman and Urvashi after they complete his trials. He then gives them a golden eye, saying that it will act as a portal and transport them to their trials. In each trial, their goal is to get his eye. Kubera then reveals that he talked with Boo, and Boo told him not to bother with the Pandavas and called them “weak children”. Kubera then transports them back to the courtyard. Brynne realizes that Aru was right about Boo betraying them, and says she hates him. Brynne wants to get rid of Kara, saying she is the Sleeper’s daughter, but Aru and Mini protest. Kara appears in the courtyard, and Brynne lashes out at her. Brynne then takes Kubera’s eye and uses it to transport them to their first trial.

### 19 - At Least We’re Not in a Parking Lot?

The Potatoes and Kara are transported to a field with a barn that says THE BOUTIQUE AND BOUNTY OF KAMADHENU. A white cow appears before them and tells them they are in Goloka, the realm of cows. Brynne demands to know what is inside the barn without asking anyone’s opinion first. The cow takes them to the barn, which looks like a run down convenience store with weird inside. Aru sees a glint of gold, and, remembering Kubera’s words, figures they must have to find the eye within the store. As the Potatoes look around, the cow says if they want to buy something, they have to pay with a week's worth of service. It also says if the Potatoes or Kara break something, they will be sent to a “time out”, where their soul will slowly die. Brynne suddenly spots the eye and grabs it, spilling milk everywhere. As the Potatoes and Kara try to follow her out the store, it suddenly transforms into a magical-looking store, before quickly reverting back to the original convenience store and plummeting the Potatoes and Kara into a hole deep below the ground. The Potatoes and Kara are chained to individual chairs and pushed against a table with a cauldron full of silver liquid. Slits appear in Mini’s, Kara’s, and Aiden’s chests, and the silver liquid begins to seep out. Brynne tries to escape her chained chair as Aru is cut and slowly loses consciousness.

### 20 - Souls by the Spoonful

This chapter is told from Brynne’s POV.

Brynne is the only one conscious person sitting around the table, and feels guilty that she landed the Potatoes and Kara in this situation. She feels she needs to prove she is strong, so she won’t be abandoned by her friends the way Boo abandoned her. Brynne realizes that the silver liquid is her friend’s souls. A voice speaks to her, telling she has the materials needed to save her friends. Brynne holds a long-handled spoon, and a slit appears in her chest. She realizes the spoon isn’t short enough to reach herself, but can reach to the other side of the table where Aru and her friends sit. She holds the spoon to Aru’s chest, where the liquid fills the hollow. As Brynne moves to fill Aru’s slit, a memory of Anila surfaces in her mind. Brynne remembers how Anila didn’t show up to her birthday dinner after Brynne lost a soccer game. Brynne thinks Anila didn’t come because she found out Brynne lost and didn’t think she was strong enough. Brynne decides to help her friends, even if it means they will leave her behind. She knows that she is strong enough to be weak, and she fills everyone’s chest with their souls and fades from consciousness.

### 21 - Congrats, You’re a Potato

Aru wakes up in a dream with Sheela and Nikita. Mini and Brynne appear next to Aru, and Brynne is glad they are okay. Brynne greets the twins, then tells them to practice their sparring exercises. While they practice, Brynne apologizes to Aru and Mini, which surprises them. Brynne says she is just confused now, as she doesn’t know who she can trust since the Sleeper isn’t completely evil, and Boo isn’t completely nice. Mini says that they are fighting on their own side. As the dream begins to dissolve, Sheela issues some short prophecy lines to the Pandavas. Aru wakes up and is greeted by her friends and Kamadhenu, the cow goddess. The goddess says the Potatoes and Lara have completed their fist trial, even though Brynne shoplifted. Kamadhenu gifts Brynne a small carton of milk, then disappears, letting the Potatoes and Kara follow Kubera’s eye to their next trial. As they walk, the Potatoes decide to name Kara an official Potato.

### 22 - Begone, Worthless Rogue!

The Potatoes find themselves in a musty tunnel that used to be a train station. Kubera’s eye transports itself to an archway across an icky body of water in the tunnel. Brynne uses Gogo to blow a path through the water, and the Potatoes begin walking towards the eye. As they get closer to the platform it is on, it suddenly disappears. The Potatoes rush to where it last was, and as they are looking a cloud of black smoke blooms on the platform. A voice announces that the Potatoes have summoned a magician named Tanutka. Brynne blows away the smoke to reveal a short man.

### 23 - Wanna See a Magic Trick?

Tanutka says he can create illusions. Aru notices a sign by his feet and realizes he is just a homeless street performer. The Potatoes try to be on their way, but Kara lets slip that they are looking for an eye, and Tanutka says that he will show them where the eye is as long as they watch him perform a magic trick. Tanutka says he can summon water and has water from many different places, which leaves the Potatoes unimpressed. Aiden tries to keep walking, but Tanutka begs him for something in return for watching his magic tricks. Tanutka suddenly transforms into a poor beggar. Aiden, Kara, and Aru are all too embarrassed to look him in the eye. Mini gives Tanutka the small carton of milk from Kamadhenu and is the only person who meets his gaze. After Mini gives him the milk, Tanutka begins to transform until he becomes a young man with clouds for hair. The magician says his name is Uttanka, and he asks the Potatoes if he can tell them a story, which they agree to.

### 24 - The Tale of Uttanka

Uttanka says he was once very well-respected, and the god Krishna granted Uttanka a boon of his choosing. Uttanka decided his boon would be the ability to summon water wherever he was. One day, while walking in the desert, he tried to summon water, but none came. He was approached by an old man, who offered him a flask of water encrusted with dirt and covered with flies. Uttanka refused, and the old man suddenly transformed into the god Indra. Indra said that Krishna wished to make Uttanka immortal, but Indra suggested that they give Uttanka a test first to see whether he was worthy of being immortal, which he failed. The Potatoes are snapped back to the present, and Uttanka says he was sent by Kubera to see whether the Potatoes were worthy of skipping the second trial altogether. He says that Aru, Aiden, Brynne, and Kara all failed the test, but Mini did not, as she was the only one to meet Tanutka’s eyes. Uttanka then warns them to remember that they are all their own beginnings and endings when participating in the second trial. He points then in the direction of Kubera’s eye, which floats beneath the archway.

### 25 - Go Ahead, Make My Day

The Potatoes follow the eye into the archway and arrive at an underwater garden with only one plant, a blue lotus. When Aru lifts Vajra into the air, the lotus sighs and opens up, releasing a blue smoke. At the same time, the garden becomes the size of an arena. All of the Pandavas breathe the blue smoke in except Kara. Aru says it smells like vengeance, and Mini says it makes her feel stronger. Aru has a flashback to Boo, and remembers him saying, "If you seek revenge, you should dig two graves." Kara tells Aru that the color her eyes have changed. Aru, Mini, Brynne, and Aiden all have eyes in different shades of blue like the lotus. Aru starts to feel angrier and angrier, and suddenly feels her anger condense into the one person she wants to fight: herself.

### 26 - One Aru Is Enough

There are doppelgangers for Mini, Aru, Aiden and Brynne, but Kara doesn't have one. The doppelgangers look exactly the same, except their eyes are the usual colors of the Pandavas, instead of blue. The copies act in the same way the Pandavas do, and stand between them and the eye. The two groups charge at each other and begin fighting. Aru soon comes to realize that fighting is pointless, since the Other Potatoes are themselves and know exactly what they're going to do next. The doppelgangers battle the real Potatoes and chaos reigns. Aru and Kara fight their way to the eye, but just as Aru is about to grab it, Other Aru throws Vajra at her. Kara jumps in front of Aru and falls to the ground.

### 27 - You Seem a Decent Fellow; I Hate to Kill You

After Kara is stabbed by her counterpart, Aru rushes at Other Aru in fury, and they start fighting again. Aru begins to tire, and Other Aru manages to trap her with Vajra and says, "My blade is revenge, and my aim is true." Aru realizes she said the same thing she said before injuring Kara. Aru glances around and sees how none of the other Pandavas are winning. Aru lets go of all her resentment and anger, then falls unconscious as her doppelganger attacks her.

### 28 - The Mitochondria Is the Powerhouse of the Cell

Aru wakes up and Aiden tells her that after she let go of her resentment, the doppelgangers disappeared, and everyone's eyes went back to normal. When she goes to get the eye, a princely-looking man emerges from the lotus. He says he is the guardian of revenge and regret, and that only light can wake up Kara. He says that he is going to tell them a story, and says his name is Shikhandi.

### 29 - The Tale of Shikhandi

Shikhandi says he was first born as Princess Amba and was betrothed to a neighboring king. However, she was in love with another person, and rejected the proposal. The other king did not accept Princess Amba because she was in the house of a different King, so she goes to Bhishma, and says that he must marry her since he ruined her life. Bhishma apologizes, but says he cannot because he took a vow not to take a bride. Amba prays for many years to become the one who kills Bhishma. When she finally does it, Bhishma sees her for who she really is and doesn't fight back. Shikhandhi says that he is at peace now, but he wishes he had not sought Bhishma's death. Then, he gives them the eye and wishes the Potatoes well. Mini notices Kubera's eye isn't glowing anymore, so the Potatoes decide to continue down the tunnel where they find Rudy.

### 30 - Inconceivable!

The Potatoes are surprised to see Rudy and introduce the sleeping Kara to him. After explaining what they’re doing, Rudy invites them to his parents’ “summer shack”, where the Potatoes clean up and Brynne makes them some food. The Potatoes wonder what to do next, and Rudy says there is a treasure his parents own that might be able to help them. He takes them to the Anywhere Elevator, which is inside a fused metal box. Rudy shows them the key used to open it, which turns into the three types of matter. Brynne attempts to open the box without the key.

### 31 - Brynne Cannot Open the Thing

Brynne admits defeat after 10 minutes of trying to open the elevator box to no avail. Mini comes up with an idea, but Rudy keeps ignoring her. Mini, fed up, uses her Death Danda to grab his attention, then puts her idea into action. Mini is able to open the metal box by spraying it down with water using the key, then turns the water to ice, causing the water molecules to expand and make the metal panels burst apart. The Potatoes are impressed, and after some convincing, Rudy joins the Potatoes in the Anywhere Elevator, and they teleport to their next trial.

### 32 - I Love a Good Ole Deadly Family Reunion

The Potatoes are transported to Navagraha Avenue, where they are faced with a giant palace made of sunlight. Kara begins to wake up and the door to the House of the Sun opens, beckoning the Potatoes. Inside, they find Saranyu and Chhaya, the former of which is holding Kubera’s eye. Mini asks Saranyu for help on their quest. Saranyu greets each of the Potatoes, but becomes angry when she spots Aru, remembering how Indra, Aru's soul father, killed her brother. Saranyu and Chhaya begin arguing, revealing that Chhaya was Saranyu’s shadow brought to life. Saranyu couldn’t bear the heat of Surya, her husband, so she fled, leaving her shadow in her place. The shadow became Chhaya, who lived with the sun god before she was found out. When Surya found out Saranyu left, he brought her back and the three of them lived together. Saranyu and Chhaya argue about who is the more beautiful one between them, and put it up to the Potatoes to decide. Saranyu says if they choose her she will heal Kara, whereas Chhaya says if they choose her, she would send the Potatoes wherever they need to go next. The Potatoes ultimately choose Saranyu, with Aiden breaking the tie between the two. Saranyu heals Kara, and shows them to a hallway that will lead them out of the sun palace. Chhaya warns the Potatoes not to look at what is in the hallway, as the secrets stored there belong to the sun alone. The sisters wish the Potatoes well, then allow them to leave.

### 33 - Hi. Can I Exchange This Prophecy? No? Crap.

Aru recalls how she heard a ghost speak to her once and remembers feeling as if she had stumbled somewhere she wasn’t meant to be. She feels the same way as the Potatoes are moving through Surya’s storage hallway. Aru feels tempted to look everywhere and sees an image of a familiar girl in a mirror, but quickly looks away. She tries to keep herself distracted, but hears her mother’s voice and sees her in a mirror. Aru suddenly spins around and tries to use Vajra on Aiden, believing he was trying to harm her. Aiden tries to calm Aru down using his apsara power, but it doesn’t work and Aru destroys one of his scimitars. Aru tries to apologize, and the two begin to argue. As they argue, a seam opens in the pillar of Prophecies Unheard and Unwanted. The column cracks and prophecies spill out, one of them pursuing Aiden. As the Potatoes flee, they reach an abyss at the end of the hallway. Chhaya suddenly appears and dangles them over the pit, saying they can only use the pit to travel somewhere if they have the god’s favor. Right before she drops them, Aiden receives a prophecy saying the girl he loves would be the death of him.

### 34 - Are You There, God-Dad? It’s Me, Aru.

The Potatoes fall through the darkness. Aru realizes they need to get the god’s attention. She calls out to Indra, and Indra’s elephant mount Airavata appears in front of the Potatoes. Airavata puts all of the Potatoes on his back and flies them to Kubera’s courtyard, where Kara wakes up. Airavata says goodbye to the Potatoes, then flies away. Aru and her friends walk through the doorway in the courtyard and enter Kubera’s courtyard, which contains nothing inside except for a long golden pier standing in the middle of the ocean. As soon as the Potatoes step onto the pier, the doorway vanishes, leaving the Potatoes standing in the middle of the ocean on a pier. Hanuman and Urvashi suddenly appear in front of the Potatoes in a cloud of smoke.

### 35 - I Really Need a Hug

The Potatoes greet Hanuman and Urvashi, and introduce Kara to them. Aru talks to them about what they said to her mother long ago, and they comfort her. Brynne suddenly realizes that the storm clouds moving across the horizon aren't clouds, but is the Sleeper's army rushing towards them. The Potatoes wonder what to do, and Aru decides to fight the demon army, even without the Nairrata army from Kubera. The Potatoes and Hanuman and Urvashi prepare for battle. Chunks of gold suddenly fall from the sky, landing on the pier and in the water, and they expand in size until they become six-foot tall golden soldiers. Kubera's voice echoes above noise of the gold hitting the pier, saying that the Potatoes earned the right to wield his Nairrata army.

### 36 - Big Mistake. Huge.

The Sleeper's army keeps rushing at the Potatoes, and the sisters' Pandava powers begin to grow. Aru thinks of a plan and telepathically communicates with her sisters, who quickly tell Hanuman and Urvashi. As the first wave of demon soldiers reaches the platform, Mini lunges and casts a violet wave of energy, pushing them back, and the battle begins. Rudy uses his gems to create sound disturbances and distract the enemy, while the others manage to push the two sides of the army closer to the center, so they're not surrounded. The two sides battle until mist obscures the platform and hundreds of arrows fly towards the Pandavas. Mini casts a shield, then lowers it so Aru can knock out the rest of the demons with Vajra. Boo suddenly flies out of the mist and heads straight for the Pandavas.

### 37 - The Worst Wish

Boo yells at the Pandavas to leave, but the sisters are all incredibly angry at him. Boo tries to apologize, but Aru forcefully cuts him off, saying, "I wish you would just get out of our lives!" Boo tries to save the Pandavas by forcing them backwards, but the platform suddenly explodes as huge pieces of jagged gold shoot straight up into the air. The Pandavas are protected by Mini's shield, but Boo is not as fortunate and dies from the explosion.

### 38 - Ugly Applause

Hanuman, Urvashi, Aiden and Rudy struggle to keep the Sleeper's army back. The Nairrata army is rendered immobile as gold falls from the sky, clogging up their joints. Filled with rage over Boo's death, the Pandava sisters manage to defeat the Sleeper's army. As the battle finishes, the Sleeper appears, trapping the Potatoes in a shadowy sphere. The Sleeper ignores the others completely and only addresses Aru and Kara, trying to convince them to return with him, but they both refuse. The Sleeper says that the Pandavas performed well in his test today, and says that there will soon be a day when his daughters realize what he has done for them and will join him. He then gathers the remains of his army, thanks the Potatoes for the "wonderfully diverting battle", and disappears. Once he leaves, a large amphitheater containing the citizens of Lanka slowly materializes in front of the Potatoes as the audience cheers on the Pandavas.

### 39 - ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

The Potatoes are lead out of the amphitheater with the Nairrata army surrounding them. Kara asks if she can stay with the Potatoes, and Aru says yes. The Potatoes reach a semi-dark room, where Hanuman and Urvashi tell them to wait for Kubera. The two gods then leave to help protect the Otherworld from the Sleeper's future attacks. Kubera appears in the room. Mini wonders what they ought to do with the Nairrata army when they don't need to use it, and Kubera says the people with god-given weapons can control the army with their minds, which Aru does. Aiden then asks for the astra, which Kubera gives in the form of a necklace. Kubera gives it to Aru, who says that only another Pandava sister will be able to take it from her. Lastly, Kubera hands the Potatoes a flame-colored egg, which contains the reincarnated soul of Boo. Aru is initially confused, but realizes she fulfilled Boo's curse when she said, "I wish you would just get out of our lives!" She initially feels guilty, but realizes that having a second chance with someone she loves is priceless.

### 40 - I Have a Boyfriend in Canada

All the Potatoes except for Aru are able contact their parents. Aru's sisters and Kara accompany to her house, but they don't find Krithika there. Over the next 8 months, Mini's parents and Gunky and Funky take turns housing Kara and Aru, who start high school in September. Aru, Mini, and Brynne take turns taking care of the Boo egg, and all five Pandavas begin training together in arenas that Hanuman sets up for them. The Potatoes grow closer together, and at the beginning of February they begin planning a birthday party for Aru. Sheela says that there will be unexpected guests at her party, and Aru feels that her mother may finally be coming home.

### 41 - Happy Birthday, Aru Shah

Aru waits in Krithika's apartment on the day of her birthday while her friends transform the museum downstairs for her party. Aru talks to the photo of her mother on the mantel while waiting for her sisters to call her downstairs, and uses a celestial spotlight in the form of a silver lipstick tube that was gifted to her by Kamadeva. Brynne signals Aru via the mind link, and she goes downstairs as the party begins. Aru is happy until she sees Kara and Aiden sneaking away from the party, and decides to follow them to the museum's Hall of the Gods exhibit. She hears Kara confess her romantic feelings for Aiden to him, who rejects her advances. Aru secretly feels relieved, and tries to leave quietly, but gets caught by Aiden. Aiden treats Aru coldly, and Aru, fed up, demands to know why, saying he didn't even wish her a happy birthday, and confesses her feeling for him. Aiden kisses Aru, and wishes her a happy birthday. A loud booming sound suddenly comes from above them, and Brynne sends an urgent mind message to Aru, beckoning her to the other Potatoes.

### 42 - Wait... Who? What? HOW?

Aru and Aiden run back to the party, and find that it has been ruined, with the cake on the floor and Greg the stone elephant broken into pieces. A shadowy sphere has filled up much of the lobby, and Aru's sisters and friends are frozen inside. The Sleeper steps out of the sphere and wishes Aru a happy birthday, and asks her to join his cause and fight against the devas. Aiden and Aru prepare to attack the Sleeper, but he steps aside and shows them Kara, who has her wrists bound. The Sleeper then seems to read Aru's mind, and, noticing how she and Aiden kissed, causes him to pass out. At that moment, Krithika bursts into the lobby. Kara's beacon goes off, and Aru realizes that she and Kara share a mother. Kara becomes upset upon realizing this, thinking that Krithika abandoned her and chose Aru over her. The Sleeper comforts Kara, saying that he always meant to tell her about her mother, but first wanted to give her what she deserved. He then tells Kara that she is the reincarnation of Karna, the secret Pandava brother, and she is Claimed by Surya, her soul father.

## Characters

* Aru Shah
* Mini Kapoor-Mercado-Lopez
* Brynne Rao
* Aiden Acharya
* Kara
* The Sleeper
* Rudy