Pooh's Adventures of Frogs

Written by
 Directed by

**Pooh's Adventures of Frogs** is the pilot episode of the series.

## Synopsis

Once upon the last day of a golden summer, Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin wish they could be together forever, but Christopher needs to go to school. But what he got was a kidnapping by the evil Captain Frax, who also kidnapped Princess Lilly of Wartropolis! Now it's up to Pooh and the gang to meet Miles J. Francis the frog and Buzz the dragonfly, and go where no critter has gone before, in the adventure that started it all.

## Plot

The story begins on the last day of summer. Christopher Robin is unable to tell his friend Winnie the Pooh some sad news, and leaves him with the advice, "You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think," but Pooh doesn't clearly understand. (*Forever and Ever)*

Eventually, a story is told about a legendary crew of pirate frogs, led by Johann Croaker, who has buried a diamond named the Toad's Eye on Cecelia Island. (*Shiver My Timbers)* Soon, King Treeby hosts an autumn ball at the Catherine Palace to celebrate the Wartropolis tricentennial. His wife Queen Tilly, is visiting from Paris and gives an elaborate music box with a matching necklace engraved with the words “Together in Paris” as parting gifts to her daughter, eight-year-old Princess Lilly. The ball is suddenly interrupted by the bullfrog pirate Captain Frax, formerly the royal advisor of the family until he was banished by the king for treason. As revenge, Frax sells his soul in exchange for an unholy reliquary, which he uses to place a curse on the family, sparking the Wartropolis Revolution. That night, the royal family is executed by an angry mob, and only Tilly and Lilly are able to escape the siege of the palace, but Frax confronts the two royals outside in the snow to stop them, and kidnaps Lilly, for he has a plan to use her to snatch the Toad's Eye. Treeby and Tilly fear for their daughter.

The next morning, Pooh discovers a honey pot with an attached note - however, he cannot read it himself after getting honey all over it. He goes around to his friends Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit and Eeyore, and none of them are able to read it, so they ask Owl for help. Owl understands the note and deduces that Christopher Robin has been taken to Wartropolis where Captain Frax resides. Owl equips the group with a map and sends them into the "Great Unknown" of the Hundred Acre Wood, and eventually to the city. (*Adventure is a Wonderful Thing)*

Faraway, a mechanic frog named Miles J. Francis is met by Buzz the dragonfly, who is sent by King Treeby to be his personal trainer. The Pooh gang meets them as well, and they agree to let them stay for one night. That evening, Francis gets breaking news on TV that Lilly is kidnapped by Frax, and the reporter Joan Rex summons one frog from every family to the dock to serve Treeby on a rescue mission in the Wartropolis Navy the next day. Pooh discovers that it's the same Frax who kidnapped Christopher Robin, so he decides that Francis is the fastest way to his friend, stating that their meeting was a destiny. (*Something Better)*

The next morning, the group meets Treeby at the dock, about to board a ship named the Mustang, and it's Captain Roobie. (*Pirates is What We'll Be)* While it sails, Lilly and Christopher try to escape Cecelia Island, but Frax's first mate, Butch catches them and sends them to their cabin. An alerted Frax steps in and adds that using both prisoners to find the diamond was his last chance for glory in the king's court. (*Mine Mine Mine)*

Finally, the Mustang arrives at the island shore, Lilly reunites with her father, Pooh reunites with Christopher, and Frax's ship the Cobra engages in a cannon fight with the Mustang. Before victory could happen, a typhoon ensures, where Treeby hangs on his lifeline. Frax then secretly slashes the line and murders Treeby. Eventually, the crew, and especially Lilly, mourn the loss of their king, and Frax convinces Lilly that she was responsible for her father's death, and advises Lilly to flee the kingdom and never return. Encouraged by Buzz, Francis & Pooh rally the crew to stop Frax. In the Cobra, Frax tells Lilly to be prepared for the treasure hunt ahead. Francis, Buzz & the Pooh gang find Lilly and devise a plan of escape. (*Looking Through Your Eyes)*

The following morning, Frax and Butch send Lilly down into a pirate's cave to find the gem. They all soon find the Toad's Eye within a pirate skull; as Lilly pries the mouth open with a sword, Francis pushes it out from within, but soon magma from the island volcano rises and burns the cave. The group barely manages to retrieve the diamond and escape.

Before Frax could savor the moment, a python slithers in, and Francis rescues Lilly, to the point of kissing her, Pooh is delighted, but Frax isn't. In a fit of jealousy, Frax sentences Francis to walk the plank to the depths of the water below. After Lilly begs the captain to spare Francis's life, Frax taunts Lilly over her "part" in Treeby's death. However, when Frax pushes Lilly to the edge of the plank, he admits he himself killed Treeby. Enraged, Lilly forces Frax to reveal the truth to the crew. Pooh, his gang, and Mustang crew fend off the pirates while Frax corners Francis on top of the Mustang's sails. They engage in a furious sword fight, until Frax disarms Francis and kicks to the rope at the top of the mast. .When Frax reaches the top, he begins to cut the rope, planning on sending Francis into the sea like Treeby, and says "Do say hello to Treeby for me". Francis tricks Frax to lunging at him and yells "Tell him yourself!". Frax lunges at Francis which causes him to hang onto the rope which snaps and sends Frax falling to his presumed death. As the island starts to explode due to the battle, the Mustang finally escapes.

Soon, Francis and Lilly are married by Roobie, Buzz returns to Tilly, who congratulates him on his training, and Pooh and his gang tell the frogs goodbye, and the couple leaves on a limo.

The gang returns home, and that evening, Christopher Robin says he will return to school the next day. Pooh declares that he will always be waiting for him, and the two happily watch the sunset, knowing they will always have each other in the sanctuary of the Hundred Acre Wood.

## Trivia

### Story Behind the Story

I had been to Balboa Island, California, so pirate frogs could have a lot to do with this.

### Pooh's side

In this 'Grand Adventure' style plot, Pooh leads his gang on a rescue mission, that would soon connect him to Miles J. Francis, who must save Lilly from Frax, who also kidnapped Christopher.

### Connection

David Spade and John Goodman co-starred in *The Emperor's New Groove.*

## Cast

Jim Cummings as Winnie the PoohJohn Fiedler as PigletPaul Winchell as TiggerKen Samson as RabbitPeter Cullen as EeyoreHal Smith as OwlMichael Gough as GopherTim Hoskins as Christopher RobinDavid Warner as the NarratorJohn Goodman as FrancisLinda Larkin as LillyDavid Spade as BuzzAlan Rickman as Captain FraxTom Wilson as Butch the First MateFrank Welker as the PiratesRoscoe Lee Browne as King TreebyJudi Dench as Queen TillyEmma Thompson as RoobieJoan Cusack as Joan Rex the news reporter

### Songs:

* Forever and Ever
* Shiver my Timbers
* Adventure is a Wonderful Thing
* Something Better
* Pirates is what we'll be
* Mine Mine Mine
* Looking Through your Eyes
* *No Chance*

* End Title Song: Candle on the Water by Helen Reddy
* Exit Music: He's a Pirate by Hans Zimmer

## Full Movie

Due to select content being blocked, this movie is no longer available.