Sputnik the Magnificent

**Sputnik the Magnificent** is an episode of *Astroblast* from Season 2.

## Characters Present

* Halley
* Sputnik
* Jet
* Comet
* Venus
* Matt
* Matthew
* Robert
* Luke

## Synopsis

*With her Wee Wizard Magic Kit, Sputnik finds it's easy to make things disappear -- even Venus. But can she get her back before Matthew, Matt, Luke and Robert finish building their storage shed?* - Description from Sprout.

## Summary

A new magic kit installs a new hobby for Sputnik, who desperately wants to demonstrate for anyone who will pay attention to her. The adults are too busy doing yardwork, so the babies are chosen to be the audience. Unfortunately, Sputnik's latest trick seems to make Venus transform into a butterfly. It is up to "the magician" to get Venus back before the adults find out.

## Recap

Sputnik tries to make a ball disappear, with unsuccessful results. As Matt tries to have Matthee, Robert and Luke help him build his shed, he "helps" his daughter by asking her to sprinkle some fairy dust. As she does so, Matt sneaks the ball out of her cup, and Sputnik thinks that the trick worked. She shows off the magic trick again and again to the dads, but they are getting tired. Matt asks if she can perform the magic trick to the babies.

She puts on a magic show, putting on her magician costume from her "Wee Wizard" magic kit. She shows the trick to the babies, and after doing so, the ball falls out from under the cup. Sputnik's next trick is making her wand float in thin air, but it's clearly noticeable that it's hanging by a string. Sputnik then says she's going to make her wand disappear like she did the ball, but Venus points out that the ball's sitting on the ground by her feet. Venus wants Sputnik to pull a rabbit out of her hat, but Sputnik claims that she can't--after getting fed up with Venus, Sputnik decides to try and make Venus disappear. Sputnik gets a cardboard box for the trick and shoves Venus in it. While she's reciting the magic words, Venus gets out the back of the box after getting distracted by a couple of butterflies, one of which gets in the box. With Sputnik's trick seemingly being a success (albeit with different results), Halley, Jet, and Comet try getting Sputnik to "change Venus back." When Halley, Jet, and Comet get the butterfly they think is Venus, Sputnik tries unsuccessfully to change Venus back.

Since Sputnik can't do anything, Halley gets mad and points out that Sputnik's going to be in serious trouble when the adults find out what she did to Venus--Sputnik, not having realized that beforehand, acknowledges that Halley's right. Sputnik then suggests that Comet should pretend to be Venus for a while by putting a red bow on his head, but Jet points out that it won't work because there wouldn't be anyone to pretend to be Comet at the same time. Halley makes Sputnik tell their dads about what she did to Venus, which Sputnik agrees to do (albeit very reluctantly). While Sputnik goes to tell their dads about what happened, Venus comes up to Halley, Jet, and Comet after being disappointed at not finding a rabbit in Sputnik's discarded magic hat. Hal!ey, Jet, and Comet are surprised (but relieved) to see that Venus' okay.

Sputnik tries telling their dads about what happened, but ends up fibbing at the last second by claiming the babies dug a hole and buried Venus in it. The dads are shocked, but relieved when they see that Venus, Halley, Jet, and Comet are perfectly fine. Matt figures that Sputnik's been watching too many cartoons and decides to put her down for a nap, which Sputnik strongly (and loudly) protests. While Matt carries Sputnik into their house, Halley grabs her cousin's wand and attempts to do a magic trick on the now-finished shed.

Unfortunately, the shed was completely unstable, and, coincidentally, falls to pieces the second Halley points the wand at it. Thinking that she caused it, Halley throws the wand away and tells her friends, "There are some things even a baby shouldn't fool around with."

## Trivia

* When Sputnik tries to bring Venus back after making her disappear, her spell includes the words "In A-Gadda-Da-Vida," the famous 17-minute song by Iron Butterfly.
* Astroblast Music Identification was also used in Disney's Adventures in Wonderland.
* This is the first appearance of Sputnik's tragedy cry effect. However, it was eventualy used again in When Wishes Come True.
* In the early draft, Sprout requested that the scenes involving the shed must be removed from the script, but it remained in the episode.
* Sputnik's dad does a bit of magic as well. Watch Matt demostrate his "Sleight of Hand" tricks in this episode.