Elena of Avalor S1 E21

## Plot

First of all, this is a television special. Second of all, it was supposed to be the season finale. Third of all, this takes place exactly one year after the first episode. So, all of the characters are one year older than when they were first introduced. For example, Elena is 17 now, we just didn't see her birthday, unlike Esteban's and Naomi's. Also, in three more years, Elena will be crowned queen. So she'll be 20 when she becomes queen, not 21 like Elsa or Anna was. When Sofia the First has a special, you can tell, because the animation is notably better. It says a lot about how good the animation of this show already is that I couldn't pinpoint an aspect that was noticeably improved on. Maybe the hair or fabric movement, or the lighting? Either way, it's nice to see a special animated by the Elena of Avalor team. I'm looking forward to more in the future. Anyway, Skylar is telling Nico, Ciela, and Avión about Shuriki. How she invaded Avalor 42 years ago, and how she was finally defeated by Elena. The three trainees will have their guardian test tomorrow. If they pass, they'll become guardians of Avalor. If they fail, they'll be sent back to their home realm, Vallestrella. The test will be especially difficult this year, since Migs and Mateo helped design it. Elena and Mateo are listening to the story. Elena has to give a state of the kingdom address to the grand council the next day. It's revealed that Victor and Carla have snuck back into the kingdom, and are watching them. The next morning, the grand council agrees with Elena that it's been a great year, and award her with a medal of honor that looks like a beautiful choker necklace. Also, I love her new dress. Elena believes that she's gotten the hang of being a ruler down, but Francisco tells her that while it's good to be confident, there's always something more to learn. It's a bit like what happened in the first episode: Elena believes that she's ready to rule and is overconfident in her own abilities. Francisco reminds her that she still has a lot to learn. She doesn't listen at first, until a crisis comes along that proves her wrong. Anyways, Elena heads to Mooncliff Mountain to see the young jaquins take their test. It will be divided into two parts: A battle portion where they need to work together to defeat a magical enemy and avoid getting zapped, and a search and rescue mission where they need to each find a statuette and safely return it to a pedestal in ten minutes. They work together to tag and defeat an illusion of Orizaba. They look for the statuettes in the Via Mercado, but can't find them. Nico realizes that Mateo made them invisible, but they still cast a shadow. Thanks to him, Ciela and Avión are able to find their statuettes and return them safely to the pedestal. However, Victor and Carla are watching, and use a stone to shatter Nico's statuette. No one is any wiser to what they did, and Nico fails the test. Skylar is forced to bring him to the gateway and return to Vallestrella with him. Victor and Carla need to go to Vallestrella for their plan, but only a jaquin can open the gateway. They need to get there before Skylar and Nico do. Elena wants to give Nico another chance, but Migs tells her that it's against the rules. Ciela and Avión agree with Elena. It's only because of Nico that they passed. These rules were made by King Verago, Skylar and Nico's dad. Elena decides to go to Vallestrella to talk to him, but Migs and Mateo don't want her to. It's also against the rules for humans to go to Vallestrella. Elena goes anyways on Luna, and Migs and Mateo go after them. Victor and Carla arrived too late when Skylar and Nico went through the portal. However, they were able to follow Elena in behind her. Elena, Luna, Migs, and Mateo meet up with Skylar and Nico. Also, Elena brought the Scepter of Light with her. Victor reveals to Carla that they're here because Marimonda is here. She's a rebellious forest sprite who's going to help them take over Avalor. She's imprisoned in this realm, and they're going to free her. Victor knows where she is, because he has a map of the realm from an old friend. No, it's not Esteban. After what happened last time, that much should be obvious. We finally meet King Verago, the most complex and intimidating Disney King since Mufasa, Simba, and Frederic. Seriously guys, just listen to his roar. He's easily the biggest jaquin we've seen, even compared to Chief Zephyr or Migs. Elena asks if Nico can take the test again. He says no, and wants her and Mateo to leave. The reason they have these rules is because the last time a human was in Vallestrella, they accidentally released Kizin, an evil monster. The jaquins fought him and won, but at a heavy cost. It was the biggest battle they had ever fought. The holes in the ground are all that remains of the battlefield. After that, they built the gateway, and only jaquins can make it open. While there's magic in both their realms, the ones imprisoned in Vallestrella are far more dangerous. Elena says that she understands, and tells Nico that she's sorry, but he won't be getting another chance. Victor and Carla reach Marimonda's prison. One of the jewels keeps her in there. If they pull the right one, she goes free. If they pull the wrong one, they join her. Victor folds the map and sees that one of the jewels isn't on the map. That's the right one. Plus, it's the only red one. I love Marimonda. She's like Poison Ivy. She likes plant life and hates development. Oh, and she likes to rhyme. They tell her about how urban Avalor has become, and that she needs a jaquin to open the gateway. King Verago and the others hear about Marimonda being freed. Elena wants to help Verago stop her. Marimonda once tried to take over Avalor centuries ago. Back then, ancient sunbirds used magic to stop her, but there are no more sunbirds left. Except for the sunbird oracle, Quita Moz. He disappeared years ago, but there's a legend that he's still here, in a nest in the mountains. Verago doesn't want Elena's help, and doesn't want to try and find Quita Moz. He wants her to leave. Elena points out that she's been ruling for a year, but Verago has been ruling for at least fifty. He has more experience with this sort of thing. Migs and the guards will help him catch Marimonda. He wants Luna and Skylar to take Elena and Mateo back to Avalor. They decide to look for Quita Moz instead, and Nico comes along to help. According to the drawing, his nest is on an island in a lake with three mountain peaks above it. Marimonda is super fast because she uses a giant vine to travel around. Migs will be used as bait for her. Then Verago and the guards will push over a boulder that will trap her in one of the pits. Nico notices that an island's shadow looks like a sunbird. Elena uses the scepter to reveal the nest's location. It's at the end of a tunnel. Elena tries to blast the rock, but it goes right through. Nico realizes that it's an illusion, like Mateo's magic. It's not really there. Elena uses the scepter's glow ability so they can see. It still makes her a little tired. She's the only one allowed inside the nest. Quita Moz recognizes the Scepter of Light. He teaches her a new ability. The scepter can create illusions. All Elena has to do is say envision, and then whatever she wants the illusion to be. She creates an illusion of Isabel. While she wants to learn all of the scepter's abilities, she needs to stop Marimonda. Quita Moz gives her a magic jar that she can use to trap her. The thing is, she needs to get Marimonda to step inside it. Then she can give it back to Quita Moz for safekeeping. I'd rather not think about all of the evils that are in those breakable jars. Elena and the others head back and see Migs. They're unaware of Verago's plan or that Migs is supposed to be bait. Elena accidentally ruins the trap, and Migs ends up getting captured. Marimonda gets away and starts heading towards the gateway. Verago blames Elena for what happened. She decides to make up for it by catching Marimonda herself. She's too fast for Elena to blast with the scepter though. Elena gets an idea. She has Skylar lie down with the jar, and creates an illusion of a house. Marimonda sees it, and starts walking towards it. Elena needs to maintain the illusion, but it takes a lot out of her. At the last second, Victor swats the scepter out of her hands and ruins the trap. Skylar is tied down with vines, and Elena can't get up because she's too tired. She learns that Victor and Carla are in Vallestrella, they freed Marimonda, and it was only possible because she went to Vallestrella. The villains leave and head to Avalor. The others show up, and Elena tells them that Victor and Carla were behind it all. She says that Verago was right, and apologizes for not listening to him. He says that she and his sons have brought ruin upon Avalor. Skylar finally stands up to his father, and tells him that they didn't ruin anything. He points out that if they had just listened to each other and worked together from the start, they would've caught Marimonda by now. After all, Nico found Quita Moz's nest, and Elena got the enchanted jar. Verago should've teamed up with her instead of kicking her out. He's actually proud of Skylar for standing up for what he believes in. Courage like that is the sign of a great leader. Elena realizes that she still has a lot to learn when it comes to ruling. They head to Avalor and come up with a plan together to defeat Marimonda. The guardian jaquins from Avalor are unable to stop her. Ciela and Avión are able to warn the palace that she's coming. Nothing they throw at her can stop her. Not any jaquins, guards, magic, or her own vines. Nico is able to distract her though, even if Verago is worried about him. I did love it when Esteban and Francisco tried to charge at her with swords in hand. That was so cool! Not even sharp weapons like spears and swords can cut her vines. It's revealed that the palace steps were actually a huge illusion created by Elena. Marimonda stepped into the jar, and she's sealed inside. Everything else was a part of the plan. Nico wonders if he can take the test again. Verago tells him that what he did today was much bigger than a test, and makes him a guardian of Avalor. Elena tells her family that Victor and Carla were behind this. They tried to use Marimonda to take over Avalor. Elena is surprised that they didn't follow her there. She tells the captain to assemble their best royal guards and look for them. She gives the jar back to Quita Moz. He has a vision, and tells Elena that a great darkness is coming. If she doesn't defeat it, then she'll never be crowned Queen of Avalor. She has to prepare herself for whatever is coming. Back at Verago's palace, he officially names Nico, Ciela, and Avión guardians of Avalor. He tells his sons that their mother would be so proud of them. Victor and Carla arrive at an old house somewhere. It turns out that Marimonda was just a distraction. They really only wanted the red jewel. Victor's old friend and the aforementioned great darkness is revealed to be… Shuriki! I knew it! She drains the magic from the jewel to restore her youth. She needs more magic to fully restore her powers. Then she will train Victor and Carla to be malvagos, and Avalor will be theirs. Mateo talks to Elena. She's been distracted since she got back from the oracle. She claims that she's just a little tired. She asks him to not stop giving her good advice, saying that she thinks she'll need it. Mateo says that he'll always be there for her, no matter what. I ship it so much! I can't wait for this exciting new serialized plot line to be continued in season 2!

## Review

All in all, this show is beautifully animated with great and catchy songs, interesting characters, good life lessons, and adorable creatures! There were bunny creatures with long ears and peacock tail feathers you guys! The creatures in Vallestrella were inspired by alebrijes: Mexican folk art sculptures first made by Pedro Linares. Also, major spoilers for the long journey ahead, but there are so many red herrings about who or what the great darkness is.