A Spy in the Palace

"**A Spy in the Palace**" is the thirtieth episode of the Disney Channel animated series *Elena of Avalor*. It premiered on November 25, 2017 and is the fifth episode in the second season.

## Plot

The Kingdom of Avalor is getting ready to celebrate the Jaquin Festival, a festival to thank the Jaquins for their roles as the Guardians of Avalor. Princess Elena has put Naomi in charge of getting the Festival ready, who takes to the job with great enthusiasm. Naomi decides to hang the Welcome Banner on the pier, hand out Jaquin masks on the docks, and hand out Anoki Berry Aqua Frescas on the boardwalk. Elena tells her they still have to find a place for the Golden Jaquin statue, which Naomi has never heard about. Elena explains that the Golden Jaquin is one of the oldest statues in the Royal Treasury that Elena wants to be brought out for the Festival. Naomi decides to put it on the Pier's wall edge and Elena agrees. Suddenly, Migs, Luna, and Skylar fly in with baskets full of Anoki Berries, except Skylar who ate his. Naomi thanks them for bringing the Anoki Berries all the way from Vallestrella, to which Skylar thanks them for throwing the Festival. Naomi tells Skylar it is to thank the Jaquin Clan for all they have done for Avalor, and Elena adds they would not have defeated Shuriki without their help. Skylar is glad she is gone for good, though unaware that she is still out there.

Meanwhile, in Shuriki's Shack, Shuriki is making a Shape-shifting Potion so Carla can enter the Palace and steal Queen Lucia's Carnaval Tiara, which has a magical jewel that she can use for her new wand. Once it is ready, Carla drinks it and turns into a girl she calls herself "Rita". However, she still looks the same in the mirror. Shuriki tells her to hide her reflection at all costs to avoid revealing herself and to pose as a long lost relative of Armando since he is so gullible and the easiest way to get close to Elena and the tiara.

Meanwhile, at Avalor Palace, Naomi is making the Welcome Banner when Rico announces that there is a visitor. Carla enters the courtyard and runs up to Armando to give him a hug, calling him "Primo!". A shocked Armando is confused as to how she is his cousin. Carla introduces herself as Rita Perez, saying she is his grandfather's sister's husband's uncle's wife's son's daughter. As Shuriki predicted, Armando actually falls for it. He gives her a tour of the Palace before showing her to her room. She avoids letting Armando seeing her reflection in the mirror. "Rita" asks Armando if she can see the Royal Treasury. Armando tells her no, but it will be opened so the Golden Jaquin can be brought out by Naomi the next day. This makes Carla decide to supplant Naomi as the Festival Planner, that way she’ll have a chance of getting to the tiara.

Meanwhile, Migs, Luna, and Skylar are preparing to show Princess Isabel, Mingo, Zoom, and Estrella their Flyover for the Festival. They do the Flyover, but the cubs are unimpressed as they hoped for more. Migs tells the cubs the routine they will do will be even more impressive. After the cubs leave, Skylar and Luna confront Migs about his statement and he tells them he is adding it in. Isabel tells the Jaquins she has an invention that can help them with it.

Meanwhile, Elena and Naomi tell "Rita" about their plans. Carla subtly hints that the port will not be big enough and that the Festival should be held into the stadium. Wanting enough room for everyone in the kingdom, Elena and Naomi agree. As part of Carla’s first plan at taking over Naomi’s duties, she changes her outfit to match Naomi’s and she rips the Welcome Banner she made. Naomi is stressed but Carla presents one she made as a replacement. Naomi suspects Rita is trying to make her look bad, but Elena dismisses this. Elsewhere, Carla sprinkles vinegar on the Anoki Berries and hides the Jaquin Masks in the ship’s cabin where they won’t be found. Meanwhile, Isabel brings out her invention: Sky Painters. She puts them on the Jaquins. Migs wants to do the routine with them, but Skylar and Luna fool around with them, making Migs call it quits.

The next day, Isabel, Skylar, and Luna are trying to get Migs to come to the Festival. Migs refuses as he does not want to let Mingo, Zoom, and Estrella down. Isabel manages to convince him when she says that he will let them down by not showing up. After fitting Migs with a Sky Painter, they take off for the Festival.

Meanwhile, Naomi arrives at Avalor Palace. She and Elena quickly find out that the Jaquin Masks are nowhere to be found and the Anoki Berries are sour. Naomi decides to make Jaquin Cookies and Jaquin Face Paint Masks. Carla tricks Naomi there is a bush of Anoki Berries at the glen near the waterfall, which would be more than enough. Carla offers to get the berries, saying she’ll be the one who saves the Festival, deliberately making Naomi want to get them so she doesn’t look bad. Naomi goes to get them only to find there are no Anoki Berries there. When she gets back, all dirty, she discovers that Rita stole her ideas about the cookies and face painting and presented them to Elena as her own. Furious, Naomi accuses Rita of stealing the Jaquin Masks and searches her room, but Elena does not believe her. She is convinced that Naomi is letting her frustration with the fact everything is going wrong cloud her judgment. Hurt and feeling betrayed, Naomi angrily calls it quits on being the Festival Planner and storms out. Still planning, Rita decides to fill in as the Festival Planner. Meanwhile, Naomi arrives at her house. She takes an emotional glance at her friendship picture of her and Elena, feeling left out. One of her father's men comes in and gives her the box with the missing Jaquin Masks in them. This makes Naomi believe that Rita is innocent and goes to find Elena.

At the Festival, Elena forgot about the Golden Jaquin statue, so Carla offers to get it from the Royal Treasury, in order to get the tiara. Elena has Rico accompany her, which Rita secretly doesn’t want. Naomi arrives with the masks and is shocked that Elena is happy to see her. Elena isn't mad because they are friends, but Naomi knows she wasn’t acting like one as she was jealous because she thought Rita was replacing her as Festival Planner and as Elena’s best friend. Elena accepts Naomi's apology, assuring her that no one could ever replace her as her friend. Naomi then goes to find Rita.

Meanwhile, Carla and Rico arrive in the Royal Treasury to get the Golden Jaquin statue. After Rico deactivates the Treasury’s traps, Carla gets Rico to leave, by getting another guard to help carry the statue. As Carla is about to grab the tiara, Naomi comes in and apologizes to her for how she acted. Carla accepts her apology and tries to make her leave, but Rico returns with another guard. Since she cannot take the tiara without getting seen, Carla is forced to go back to the Festival with the group and statue.

At the Festival, the crowd has arrived. The crowd includes King Verago, Chief Zephyr, and Cruz, the future Chief of Avalor's Jaquin Clan. Migs, Skylar, and Luna do their routine. Victor appears at the festival with a mask on and Carla tells him what happened. Victor warns her she has to hurry as the Potion will not last forever. Elena declares the Golden Jaquin will be placed at the port like Naomi wanted. Rita declares that she, Elena, and Naomi make a good team and Elena agrees, still unaware that "Rita" is one of her enemies, waiting for the right moment to strike.

## Cast

* Aimee Carrero as Princess Elena
* Jenna Ortega as Princess Isabel
* Jillian Rose Reed as Naomi Turner
* Chris Parnell as Migs
* Yvette Nicole Brown as Luna
* Carlos Alazraqui as Skylar
* Gia Lopez as Estrella
* Maximus Riegel as Zoom
* Desmond Gerber as Mingo
* Joe Nunez as Armando
* Jane Fonda as Shuriki
* Lou Diamond Phillips as Victor Delgado
* Myrna Velasco as Carla Delgado
* Arturo Del Puerto as Rico

## Trivia

* Carla disguises herself as a girl named Rita and currently remains an undercover spy in the Palace.
* This marks the second appearance of King Verago since his introduction in Realm of the Jaquins.
* Cruz makes his debut in this episode.
* Morals:
	+ Don't be so quick to trust people you just met, no matter how much they claim to be your friend or relation in any way.
	+ Don't always accuse the new friend of trying to replace you.
	+ If you don't want to let someone you love down, be there and do your best for them.