Risk (Shadow Moth's Final Attack - Part 1)

**Risk (Shadow Moth's Final Attack - Part 1)**

**Season 4, episode 25 (Production order); Episode 103 (Overall)**

> It’s time you finally started taking some risks Ladybug!
>
> Shadow Moth, "Risk"

**"Risk (Shadow Moth's Final Attack - Part 1)"** is a Season 4 episode of the series, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. As based on the series' production order specifically, **"Risk (Shadow Moth's Final Attack - Part 1)"** is the 25th written and produced episode of Season 4. It is also the 103rd written and produced episode of the series, overall.

This episode is also the 1st part of the Season 4 2-part finale, "Shadow Moth's Final Attack".

## Synopsis

Without Ladybug and Cat Noir knowing it, Shadow Moth patiently sets his final attack in motion.

## Plot

The episode starts with the Miraculous Ladybug superpower being used on the Eiffel Tower. The team then launch themselves on top of the Jardins du Trocadéro garden and they all fist bump. Ladybug congratulates her team for being the best superhero team ever and that Shadow Moth didn't stand a chance. Carapace replies that he only stays in the shadows because they shine too bright for him; King Monkey laughs at this and he and Carapace high-five. Suddenly, everyone's Miraculouses start to beep, and Ladybug reminds everyone to go to their rendezvous points so she can get the Miraculouses back from them. Everyone separates except for her and Cat Noir, who asks her if he can come with her. When Ladybug doesn't respond, he starts to get sad, but Ladybug cheers him up and says that he'll always be her favorite, before giving him a kiss on the cheek and leaving. Cat Noir smiles.

Ladybug then hides on a rooftop and calls Rena Furtive, who, after checking every rendezvous point, tells her the coast is clear. Ladybug then starts to collect all the Miraculouses. When her own Miraculous starts to beep, she waves goodbye to Nino before joining Rena Furtive in an alley. They compliment each other before detransforming. Alya then mentions that they were just in time for the premiere of a United Heroes movie. Marinette excitedly asks if they'll be able to see the beginning of a movie for once, to which Alya replies 'if they run'. Both of them start laughing and running.

Meanwhile, in Gabriel's repository, Gabriel disappointingly tells his wife that he failed in getting Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses once again. Then, out of nowhere, he starts breaking down, telling himself he is not worthy of their love. Suddenly, after pounding his fist, the pod begins to crack, Horrified, he seals it and runs away.

In Nathalie's room, Gabriel angrily rants about how Ladybug never makes a mistake. Nathalie also tells him that he hasn't either, and that she hasn't seized his Miraculous, but before she could continue, she begins coughing. Gabriel then sadly says that he made at least one mistake, but Nathalie mentions that it wasn't his, it was hers. She said she was fully aware of the risk she was taking, and Gabriel comes to the realization that Ladybug never makes mistakes because she never takes risks. Reinvigorated, he runs off leaving behind a disappointed Nathalie.

The window in Shadow Moth's lair opens and he declares that he needs a villain who can force Ladybug to finally take risks without her realizing it. Before releasing the akuma, he thinks about who his potential victim would be, and after thinking for a while, aims his akuma towards a boy named Froggy, who is upset about his parents not letting him ride a bike without training wheels. In the Zoo at Jardin des Plantes, the akuma reaches Froggy's stuffed toy, and Froggy is akumatized into Risk. Froggy's parents catch up to him, unaware that he was akumatized. Risk then marks them and starts singing. Immediately, both the marks on the back of Froggy's parents' necks glow. They wave to their son, and Froggy's dad comments that it's not so dangerous to ride a bike without training wheels after all. Shadow Moth then contacts Risk, telling him that they are going to have a lot of fun, but that he must be careful to hide his stuffed toy, or else Ladybug will come and break it and he'll lose his powers. Risk then replies that he'll hide it where she'll never find it, in a singing tone. Later that night in the streets, Risk continues to mark everyone in Paris, including Marinette and Adrien (who were both sleeping), unknowingly to them. Shadow Moth then states that he only has to wait then harvest Ladybug and Cat Noir's downfall.

The next morning, Adrien wakes up as Nathalie calls him to remind him about his schedule but Adrien has it memorized. He then asks Nathalie about that breakfast that his father's been promising him for months. Nathalie tries to tell him that Gabriel had something else planned, but Adrien sadly anticipates that he cancelled again. Nathalie clarifies that he did not and that he will still meet him, but for a work session. Just then, a robot comes in, holding a white suit. Nathalie then explains that his father had a new idea for an ad campaign, and tells him to put the clothes on before joining his father, then hangs up. Plagg then jokes that he would love to have breakfast with Adrien. Just then, Risk passes by the Agreste mansion, and the mark on the back of Adrien's neck glows. Adrien finally snaps and tells Plagg that he doesn't want to be a model for his father's brand anymore, and that he just wants to be his son and have breakfast with him. He decides to tell this to his father. Plagg tries to stop him, telling him that he knows his father will react to it very badly, but Adrien tells him he's willing to take the risk.

Adrien furiously walks into his father's atelier, where Lila, Bob, and Vincent are already sitting, and tells him that he needs to talk to him. However, Gabriel shuts him down and tells him to change into the clothes he's supposed to be wearing. Adrien sadly obeys. As he walks back to his room, Plagg tells him to not give up, and that just because he failed doesn't mean he shouldn't try again.

Back in his atelier, Gabriel then details his plan for the ad campaign, which involves Adrien and Lila walking towards each other and hugging, as part of the ad. Lila comments on how this is more romantic than that Hollywood film she "starred" in, but Adrien coldly cuts her off, saying that although they work together, it doesn't mean he has to believe her lies. Lila looks at him unamused. At the same time, Bob comments that this ad is going to cost a lot of green screen and fake backdrops, but Gabriel replies that they will not be using fake backdrops, and that he wants something true. He then declares that the shoot will last several months all around the world, and that Adrien and Lila are set to leave that afternoon. Lila is thrilled, but Adrien protests that he can't leave Paris. Gabriel angrily asks him if there's a problem, and Lila comforts him and they continue to hug. In the meantime, Gabriel finally finishes the detailing of the ad, revealed to be for his new cologne.

Later, the news that there will be a worldwide campaign for Gabriel's new cologne is broadcast on the news by Nadja Chamack. In Marinette's room, she watches it in shock and horror, and starts freaking out because Lila, her worst rival, will be going on a worldwide trip with Adrien, and then screams that it's the end of the world. Tikki makes Marinette calm down then reminds her that she needs to be in school. Marinette, remembering it's Adrien's last day at school and she's running late, hastily grabs her bag and runs off, screaming, but comes back a moment later when she realizes she is still in her pajamas; Tikki chuckles at this.

At school, Mr. D'Argencourt is gathering all the students and reminds the latecomers to meet with the principal later. Lila tells some of her classmates that she didn't expect to be chosen to travel around the world with Adrien and then lies again about speaking almost every single language in the world. Marinette watches this from her hiding place (a trash can) and dry retches in annoyance and disgust. Meanwhile, Nino congratulates Adrien on having his first ever around the world trip. Adrien pretends to be happy about it, but while the others aren't looking, he remains sad. Marinette pitifully watches this and snaps out of her trance when Tikki reminds her to hurry. She then goes to the locker room. While putting her bag onto her locks, she mentions to Tikki that Adrien isn't happy and she feels she is the only one who can see it, to which Tikki replies that she can see it because she loves him. Marinette then decides to confess to him before he leaves, but groans as she's going to mess it all up as usual. Just then, Risk passes the school, and the mark on the back of Marinette's neck glows, and she is clear to tell Adrien her feelings for him; Tikki congratulates her.

Marinette slams the locker door open, and she is sighted by Mr. D'Argencourt, who tells her to stand beside Adrien as Lila's replacement, who explained that she suffers from ballophobia. Lila, horrified, tries to tell Mr. D'Argencourt that she feels better now, but he is having none of it and says that he wouldn't take risks with his students phobias. Marinette smirks at Lila before standing next to Adrien, and Lila growls at her. Marinette is about to confess to Adrien, but he is hit in the face with a ball by Nino, to Alya's shock. Mr. D'Argencourt then tells him to go to the "dungeon" which is located behind the opposing team, and that his teammates have to tag him to get him out. Adrien then walks behind the opposing team. Marinette is distracted, and Alya uses this moment to grab the ball from Nino and hit Marinette, who she tells to go to the dungeon. Marinette runs off, while Mr. D'Argencourt further explains that the point of the match is to avoid the ball. Lila gets angrier as Marinette and Adrien stand side by side behind the opposing team. Marinette asks Adrien if he's really leaving for several months, to which Adrien replies that's what his father's decided. Both he and Marinette sadly look down. Then the mark on the back of Adrien's neck glows, and he proceeds to take a risk and angrily rant on how he's sick of all the photos, the shoots, all the people fawning over him who don't know him, and the ads that don't make any sense, and he gets even angrier when he mentions he has to leave Paris for several weeks with Lila. Marinette is shocked at this revelation and asks him why he didn't tell them that he doesn't want to do this. Adrien then sadly says that no one would understand him, and they all think it's amazing what's happening to him. Marinette sympathizes with him, saying she understands him. Adrien smiles and says that she's the only one. Suddenly, he holds Marinette's hand, making her blush. Lila, after seeing this, is undoubtedly furious and stands up angrily. Marinette then urges Adrien to talk to his father, and he lets go of Marinette's hand. Adrien says that he tried, but he can't. He's his father, and that he loves him and he knows he loves him back; it's all too frustrating. Adrien then asks if there ever was something that she wanted to say to someone but felt like she just couldn't do it, as if an invisible force is holding them back; Marinette responds, "All the time". Adrien then turns to her, and the mark on the back of her neck glows, and she is about to confess her feelings to him, when suddenly Lila appears between both of them, to their surprise; Lila asks if since the class is nearly over, they could finish early so she and Adrien could say goodbye to everyone, and the whole class (except Marinette) agrees. Marinette is disappointed that she wasted the opportunity to even confess to him, while Lila smirks at her. Mr. D'Argencourt then scoops Adrien into a big hug, lifting him in the air, while happily saying that he finally deserves to see the beauty of the world. Adrien then says they're all right, that he's lucky, and he says he's going to miss them all. He then smiles at everyone, particularly Marinette, who smiles back at him.

Outside the school, Lila then tells everyone that they're not leaving alone, they'll bring every one of them in their hearts. Everyone except Marinette is touched by this. Marinette still decides to confess to Adrien, and hurries to him, but Lila and Chloé, who are now working together, have an idea. Chloé pushes Marinette away just as she's about to reach Adrien, hugs him, and tells him to forget about "those losers" and that she can come and see him on her mother's private jet. Adrien sheepishly agrees, then tries to walk towards Marinette to see if she's alright, but his bodyguard immediately pushes him towards the car. Lila then waves goodbye to the others; Chloé waves goodbye to Adrien as their car leaves. Looking at Marinette, Chloé smirks, while Marinette has a sour expression.

Later at the canteen, Marinette immediately formulates a plan to stop Adrien from going with Lila, but Nino cuts her off, asking if she wants to stop Adrien from going. Alya then adds if this is because Lila is going with him. Rose then tells that if she loves him she has to let him go and live his dream, but Marinette replies that this is not his dream: he hates the film shoots, the photos, he can't stand all of it anymore; she's not trying to save him from Lila, but from his father because he doesn't know how to tell him that he doesn't want to be a model anymore. Kim then tells her that *everyone* wants to be a model, and Nino adds that if Adrien didn't want to model anymore, he would've told him, as he's his best friend. Marinette then bursts out that he told her himself, but Alya cuts her off and stops her. She tells Marinette that she can't decide what Adrien does with his life, whether Lila is around or not. Marinette tries to interject, but Alya continues to explain that she will not take part in her plan for their own good, and that she cannot risk messing with someone's life. Marinette is about to give in, but the mark on the back of her neck glows, and she nevertheless decides to save Adrien without them, leaving them shocked.

Back at the Agreste mansion, Adrien sadly goes into his room to pack his things, but to his surprise, he sees Félix standing on top of his luggage. Despite receiving a friendly greeting from his cousin (along with his cousin mocking the way he talks), Adrien remains blunt, cold, and slightly hostile towards Félix because of everything he has done in the past. Although annoyed, Adrien asks Félix about the reason for his break-in, to which Félix tells him that he pretended to be Adrien and headed to the Agreste mansion to get his cousin out of the mess he is in now. Adrien blatantly lies to him, saying he's fine. Seeing through this lie, Félix tells him that he saw the news from his home and left London to help Adrien. Félix sternly (and rightfully) tells him if he wants to be free, he has to stop doing everything his father tells him to do, but Adrien refuses to disobey his father (despite that he defied him a few times). Félix rebelliously assures Adrien that while he can't disobey, Félix *can* because unlike Adrien, he can say "no" to Gabriel. Taking his clothes and handing them to his cousin, Félix tells him that he'll go on this trip as Adrien while Adrien dresses up as Félix, leaves the mansion, and does whatever he wants. At first Adrien is reluctant, but upon succumbing to Risk's effects, he rashly agrees.

As Adrien leaves, Félix goes to Nathalie's room, where he sees Nathalie (with robotic legs, because she became disabled due to using the damaged Peacock Miraculous) struggling to close the suitcase. Félix (dressed up as Adrien) offers to help. As soon as her back is turned he steals her tablet and hastily closes the suitcase, with Nathalie neglecting to notice it. As Félix heads for the exit, he is confronted by Gabriel, who mistakes Félix for his son and tells him that he'll need a word with Nathalie first before it's time to go. Félix leaves the room.

Making sure he isn't being spied on, Félix enters Gabriel's atelier, then brings out an eyepiece with x-ray vision, which he uses to scan the whole room and to find out Gabriel's secret. He eventually finds the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses (unaware they were fake) and placed them in his bag. After he closed the door on the safe, he notices small buttons on the painting and presses them, accidentally getting whisked to the repository. In Nathalie's room, Gabriel laments that this is their riskiest plan yet, and that there are no parameters they can control. Meanwhile in the repository, Félix explores the whole place, until he discovers a cryogenic pod. He opens it, and is shocked and horrified to find Emilie's body lying there. Panicked, he quickly closes the pod and then hurries back to the elevator. Back in Nathalie's room, Gabriel, having taken off his ring, gives it to Nathalie, and tells her he'll entrust his wife's ring and his son to her. Back in Gabriel's atelier, Félix returns from the repository and quickly grabs his bag when suddenly he hears Gabriel calling 'Adrien', and in a fit of worry, he throws away his monocle just as Gabriel and Nathalie enter the atelier. Gabriel, confused, asks what he is doing in the atelier. Félix, still disguised as Adrien, firmly tells Gabriel that he doesn't want to go on the trip. Gabriel furiously tells him that he's his father, and is about to tell him to do something, but stops abruptly, realizing the ring isn't on him anymore, much to his horror. Nathalie then tells 'Adrien' that it's time to go. Félix, still as 'Adrien', sadly obeys.

In Marinette's room, meanwhile, she has spent the last few hours concocting a plan to save Adrien from the trip, and she narrates her story like a fairytale: Gabriel is the dragon and Adrien is the prince. And she declares that to save a prince from the dragon, they need a knight. Tikki, confused, asks if Marinette is the knight, but Marinette then says the knight is Ladybug. As Ladybug, she'll be able to convince Gabriel to not let Adrien go on the trip, and he'll be saved. Tikki starts reminding Marinette that Adrien is her weakness, and that she shouldn't use Ladybug's powers to fix her personal problems. But before she could finish, Marinette cuts her off, saying that she knows it's risky but it's too important and transforms into Ladybug, to the shock of the kwamis present. At the park, Adrien, disguised as Félix, is sitting in the park, nervous. Plagg tries to convince him to do anything he wants, but Adrien tells him he's waiting for Félix to call him. Just then, Kagami calls Adrien, to his surprise, and Kagami angrily confronts him about letting other people, specifically his father, decide everything for him. Adrien then tells Kagami that his cousin is going to talk to his father, but before he could finish, Kagami cuts him off, calling him out about letting his cousin do things for him now. She then specifically asks him who pulls the strings of his life, his cousin, his father, or her when they were together, and angrily tells him that he never makes choices for himself and that he's only good at doing what people tell him to do, and encourages him to 'cut his strings'. After a brief pause, she apologizes to him if she ever hurt him, then hangs up. Plagg, astonished, then says that she has more character than any cheese he ever tasted. Just then, the mark on the back of Adrien's neck glows, and he finally declares that Kagami was right, that he should've stood up to his father from the start, and that Félix shouldn't be doing all this for him.

Adrien runs to the Agreste Mansion but while he does, he sees that the car already drove off with Félix.

Ladybug goes to the train station trying to convince 'Adrien' (actually Félix, who she thinks is him) to stay but he says that he does not have the courage. He then says farewell to her and leaves on the train. Ladybug detransforms. At first she is devastated and says it's all over, but when Tikki tells her that he's just going on a voyage, it reminds her that she could teleport to him using the Horse miraculous.

When Adrien enters Gabriel's office, he finds that his father is not there but he sees the advanced eye lens piece that Félix dropped earlier as he left. He picks it up and then hears a loud noise from Strikeback which disturbs him and distracts him from seeing the information that Félix saw.

## Characters

### Major Characters

* Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Ladybug (Pegabug mentioned)
* Adrien Agreste/Cat Noir
* Gabriel Agreste/Shadow Moth
* Tikki
* Plagg
* Nathalie Sancoeur
* Akuma/Megakuma
* Froggy/Risk
* Lila Rossi
* Félix Fathom

### Minor Characters

* Luka Couffaine/Viperion
* Nino Lahiffe/Carapace
* Kagami Tsurugi/Ryuko
* Lê Chiến Kim/King Monkey
* Juleka Couffaine/Purple Tigress
* Rose Lavillant/Pigella
* Alya Césaire/Rena Furtive
* Emilie Agreste
* Bob Roth
* Vincent
* Armand D'Argencourt
* Nadja Chamack
* Chloé Bourgeois
* Max Kanté
* Ivan Bruel
* Placide I.T.
* André
* Strikeback
* Captain Hessenpy
* Xavier Ramier (voice only)
* Alix Kubdel (background)
* Nathaniel Kurtzberg (background)
* Sabrina Raincomprix (background)
* Mylène Haprèle (background)
* Jean Tretiens (background)
* Ella and Etta Césaire (background)
* Nora Césaire (background)
* Roger Raincomprix (background)
* Roaar (background)
* Sass (background)
* Pollen (background)
* Mullo (background)
* Xuppu (background)
* Stompp (background)
* Kaalki (background)
* Wayzz (background)
* Longg (background)
* Fluff (background)
* Orikko (background)
* Barkk (background)
* Ziggy (background)
* Daizzi (background)
* Marc Anciel (pictured)
* Jagged Stone (pictured)
* Denis Damocles (indirectly mentioned)
* Audrey Bourgeois (indirectly mentioned)
* Froggy's parents
* Lila's mother
* Civilians

## Trivia

* Internationally, this episode first premiered in the USA on Disney Channel.
	+ This is the seventh time Miraculous-related content premiered in the US, following "Captain Hardrock", "Ikari Gozen", "Miraculous New York", "Wishmaker", "Qilin", and "Ladybug Saves Christmas".
* The flute is revealed to be able to be used as a spyglass telescope.
* It's revealed that the Ruyi Jingu Bang can be used as a method of transportation.
* This is the first episode where Gabriel actually cries.
* The movie that Marinette and Alya race to see at the start of the episode, "United Heroez: The Final End Fight", is most likely a reference to *Avengers: Endgame*.
	+ This also suggests that the United Heroez have a movie series set in the Miraculous universe.
* It is revealed how Shadow Moth can detect potential akumatized victims. He closes his eyes, concentrates, and can hear the voices of those going through negative emotions. The voices can appear as streaks of glowing orbs that pulsate with the words.
	+ In addition to Froggy, Shadow Moth detects Mr. Ramier and a man who lost his keys.
* As of this episode, Félix knows that Emilie didn't disappear, but is instead in Gabriel's atelier.
* This episode has one of the few villains who talk to Shadow Moth before gaining their powers.
* Every student at the school, including Alya and Nino, fail to realize that Adrien is not really happy about traveling away from them with Lila, and think Marinette is overexaggerating when she specifically tells how Adrien feels about leaving.
* This is the second episode where Adrien wears his pajamas, after "Kuro Neko".
* This is the 5th episode to not have a proper end card, after "Stormy Weather", "Ladybug & Cat Noir", "Volpina", and "Style Queen".
* This is the third episode where the titular villain never engages the heroes directly after "Catalyst" and "Mayura".
* This is the second time Marinette wheels a garbage bin to school, after "Crocoduel".
* It's revealed that Félix has access to advanced technology such as an eyepiece with x-ray vision and a Code Encryption Hacker that can hack into safes and cameras.
	+ When Félix unlocks the safe, the computer reads "hMk win =Z; this (time);", which can be interpreted as "Hawk Moth wins this time", which foreshadows the events of the next episode.
* Nathaniel and Marc's drawings from "Gabriel Agreste" make a reappearance.
	+ The fake Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses from that episode also appear, stolen by Félix.
* According to the Startrain website on Marinette's computer, the train travels between Paris' Gare du Nord and London's St Pancras.
* Before Lila boards the train, she hugs her mother, who is using a never-before-seen female model.
* This is the second episode where the Lucky Charm isn't used, after "Catalyst".
* This is the second episode to not feature a de-akumatization segment after "Sentibubbler".
	+ Still, this is the first episode to feature an akumatized villain, but not a de-akumatization.
	+ This is also the third time a character is akumatized but is not de-akumatized in the same episode following "Catalyst" and "Heart Hunter".
* This is the seventh episode in Season 4 where a character is fully akumatized for the first time, following "Psycomedian", "Furious Fu", "Sole Crusher", "Wishmaker", "Qilin" and "Ephemeral".
* This is the third episode where Shadow Moth is seen creating a Megakuma and the first episode where someone without a Magical Charm is seen getting akumatized by one.
* Adrien and Félix switching clothes is a callback to "Félix" with Félix pretending to be Adrien to respond to his cousin's friends and how both Amelie Graham de Vanily and Félix mentioned they have done this before.
* This is the final mission of Viperion, King Monkey, and Pigella until Ladybug and Cat Noir get their Miraculous back.
* Originally, the first part of 5-story episode arc was titled **The Rise of Monarch**.

### Errors

* The lyre crosses Viperion's leg in the first scene.
* Pigella's tambourine is gray in the first scene.
* Marinette's body is invisible for 2 frames when she and Alya transform back in the alley.
* The crack on Emilie's cryogenic pod changes between the two shots of it and disappears when the overhead view is shown.
* When Gabriel hits the chessboard, in the next shot, one of the white pawns and castle are actually floating.
* When Marinette watches the news on her computer, there are eight background kwamis. When she gets up in the very next scene, Longg and Fluff appear out of nowhere.
* When Max tells Kim "That's why I brought my ducky!", his mouth doesn't move.
	+ Also, the pair jumped from the second level of the walkway instead of the first.
* In multiple scenes, Félix has Adrien's eye color instead of his own.
* When Ella and Etta get infected by Risk, Etta sleeps in the right bed, while Ella sleeps in the left, opposite to how they sleep in "Sapotis".
* The episode's subtitle is incorrectly capitalized on Disney+ ("Shadow Moth'**S** Final Attack")

## Gallery

Click here to view the image gallery for Risk (Shadow Moth's Final Attack - Part 1).
*Click here to view the gallery.*

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/MLadybug\_Blog/status/1502605498956324865/photo/1
2. ↑ https://cabletvt.powerrangermail.net/index.php/topic,6917.0.html
3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `TFOU`

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ru:Риск (Последняя Атака Теневого Бражника - часть 1)