Finding Zuzo

"**Finding Zuzo**" is the forty-third episode of the Disney Channel animated series *Elena of Avalor*. It premiered on November 3, 2018 and is the eighteenth episode in the second season.

## Plot

One day, Naomi meets Elena at the highest tower of Nueva Vista. Elena was just looking at the lighthouse her father had built when she was young. The lighthouse also happens to be the reason why Naomi came to see her. It is too short for the far away ships to see since there are so many and the harbor is very busy. Elena suggests making it taller, but Naomi tells her the foundation wouldn't support that and the best thing to do would be to tear it down. This makes Elena angry since it was built by her father and she feels strongly about keeping it intact. They get into a heated argument. They both leave, and Elena runs into Gabe, screaming angrily at him. She apologizes as Gabe asks for her permission to search for Victor and Carla, as they were still on the run after Shuriki's death and Fiero's petrification. Elena grants him permission, but not before she tells Gabe about her fight with Naomi. Gabe agrees with Naomi and tells Elena that the idea to tear down the current lighthouse and built a taller one isn't bad. Elena leaves angrily and slams the door.

Afterward, she calls Zuzo for help but before he can give her his wisdom, he has to leave because something invaded his house. He promises to be back soon but fails to return. Elena is unable to call him in the evening. So she asks Mateo for help. He summons Cacahuate, who appears after a little while. The sloth asks Elena if she had seen Zuzo. Elena tells him she was hoping he could tell her. They deduce he could be in trouble and after persuading Cacahuate, Elena travels to the Spirit World with him, leaving Mateo behind.

They arrive at Zuzo's den and find pieces of moth silk everywhere. They ask the other spirit animals for clues. A squirrel tells them he seemingly had a moth problem at home. An owl informs them moths actually live on the dark side of the tree. A raccoon mentions seeing a bunch of moths carrying a big purple cocoon to the dark side. From these clues, Elena figures out that Orizaba has something to do with Zuzo's disappearance. She tells the sloth how she met Orizaba when she wanted to bring eternal night to Avalor. Zuzo told Elena how to stop her back then. Cacahuate informs her Orizaba is known for holding grudges. Elena now knows they have to rescue Zuzo from Orizaba, but they first need to get to the dark side of the tree. Cacahuate is horrified by the idea.

Meanwhile, in Orizaba's lair, Zuzo is tied up and hanging over a hole into nothingness. Orizaba taunts him and orders him to give her his magic stripes so she can return to the human world and bring eternal darkness to Avalor. Additionally, she wants revenge on Elena for burning her wings. Zuzo refuses while Orizaba continues taunting him and letting him hang closer to the hole.

Elena, on the other hand, is set on rescuing her friend. Cacahuate mentions the Shadow tunnels as the only way in because, otherwise, the bad spirits would see and attack them. Cacahuate reveals he has no idea how to get in there without getting lost. Elena remembers Bobo. The spirit sloth still holds a grudge against the monkey for stealing his stripes, so he does not think of it as a good idea. But Elena reminds him that Bobo is their only hope. Cacahuate agrees and they go to meet Bobo. First, they meet the zanies and tell them they need to talk to Bobo. But Bobo only responds to his full title now: Most Exalted, High Superior, Top Banana King. After Elena uses his full title, the zanies carry Bobo. He and Cacahuate get into a fight about Bobo's past actions. Bobo tells him a monarch never apologizes. Bobo thinks of a song about his title. Elena has to air her grievances in rhyme form and explains the situation to Bobo. Bobo hesitates at first but agrees to help so he can be a hero. They go into the spiky shadowy tunnels. Cacahuate still doesn't trust Bobo as the monkey leaves to see where they are. He gets some glowing peas, called paraluce paps. The arguing between the animals gets worse and Elena shouts at them to stop arguing. Before it starts getting really bad again they arrive at their destination. Bobo recommends another way, which they take.

In Orizaba's lair, the moth fairy continues to taunt Zuzo, who gets closer to the hole. Unbeknownst to her, Elena and the other spirit animals are on their way. Bobo wants to charge at her, but Cacahuate holds him back and warns him not to let Orizaba see the light. Elena gets the idea to use the light against Orizaba, but Bobo and Cacahuate start arguing again, resulting in the paraluce paps falling and breaking open, bouncing around the area and forcing Orizaba to take cover from the light they are generating. Worse, one of the fruits lands on the moth silk that connects Zuzo to the branch above the hole and prevents him from falling. It threatens to burn the fabric and Zuzo tries putting the fire it started out. But the silks start to rupture. Elena tries to save him but ends up in a cocoon just like him when she's spotted by Orizaba. Orizaba greets her sarcastically and tells Zuzo if he wants to save her, he has to hand over his stripes to the fairy. Zuzo finally agrees.

Bobo and Cacahuate argue, but notice that their bickering led to the situation. Feeling guilty and remorseful for their mistakes, they agree to work together to save their friends. Bobo has an idea but needs Cacahuate's stripes for it to work. He hands them over, while Bobo gives him his banana crown.

Meanwhile, Zuzo tries to make a deal with Orizaba. He tells her, first Elena has to be freed before he will hand over his stripes. Bobo distracts her with his stripes. Orizaba follows him but has trouble since she cannot fly. She sends her moths to help her catch him. Cacahuate takes one of the bananas out of the crown and throws its peel directly in front of Orizaba, who slips and falls right into the hole herself while screaming. Bobo and Cacahuate then save Elena and Zuzo right before they fall into the hole after the branch that held them broke. They return to the good spirit branch. Bobo gives Cacahuate's stripes back. Cacahuate gives Bobo his crown back. The sloth says he deserves another chance to earn his own stripes but Bobo refuses the offer because he is happy as the top banana hero king. Bobo and Cacahuate hug and Elena returns to the human world.

Elena and Naomi meet again and apologize. They agree on moving the old lighthouse to higher ground by dismantling it down and rebuilding it, settling their own argument they had earlier on an idea they both agree with.

## Cast

* Aimee Carrero as Princess Elena
* Richard Kind as Cacahuate
* Max Mittelman as Bobo
* Eden Espinosa as Orizaba
* Keith Ferguson as Zuzo
* Jillian Rose Reed as Naomi Turner
* Jorge Diaz as Gabe
* Joseph Haro as Mateo

## Trivia

* Elena reads the title, with Zuzo saying, "What?! Where do I go?"
* The title and the episode's plot could be a reference to *Finding Nemo*. It's the second episode made by Craig Gerber to have this. The first was the *Sofia the First* episode "Finding Clover".
* **Moral:** It's better to compromise and work together than to argue, otherwise nothing will be accomplished.