Pappiliodya

## Images

**Pappiliodya** (パピリオディア *Papiriodia*?) is the 2nd episode of the *Little Witch Academia* anime series.

On Netflix, the episode is titled with a slightly different spelling as "**Papiliodia**".

## Overview

*Akko is excited when her classes finally start, but learning magic turns out to be boring. Worse, her classmates make fun of her for admiring Chariot.*

## Summary

Awakening from the dream, which happened to be a brief flashback of the moment when she used Shiny Arc to open a Ley Line for Luna Nova, Akko excitedly started her day by checking on the Shiny Rod before trying out her new witch robe. However, Lotte corrected her that the robe is meant for practical classes and they wear regular uniforms instead, as she revealed subjects taught in the academy. Sucy, on the other hand, takes her time testing a drop of extracted poison from the cockatrice feather in her possession and chuckles in satisfaction when it manages to crystallize a small bug.

We're then introduced to normalcy in Luna Nova, starting from the teachers' meeting at Headmistress' office, where we see Ursula (Akko's and her friends' savior from the previous episode) show her klutzy side. The scene then shifts to see Ursula telling her senior Finnelan about her plan to be Akko's tutor in her spare time since she is the sole student from Japan. However, her clumsiness leads to her ability for such an endeavor be puts into question. Meanwhile, Akko begins her first day in Luna Nova, where to her dismay, she finds the academy's subjects boring and unfamiliar to her. At one point, she ended up dozing off with Sucy using the opportunity to test one of her magic potions to turn her ponytail into a plant, all while Luna Nova's top student Diana revealed her expertise in majorities of the subjects, more than the professors.

During lunchtime, Akko expresses her dissatisfaction over the academy's seemingly dull subjects and disbelief over the fact that Chariot once attended Luna Nova. Her mention of Shiny Chariot soon attracted Diana's attention, who then greets Akko and tells the Japanese that Chariot has a bad reputation in the magical world. A mild argument ensued between the two, where Diana added that Chariot's popularity doesn't leave much impression due to her shows being nothing more than all flash and no substance and that no one cares about what happened to her even after she left the public eye for a decade. Akko retorted that Chariot was the one who inspired her by stating that the stage performer gave her a dream and even found Shiny Rod. This attracted the attention of some students, who then gathered in the courtyard where Akko tried to use its magic to no avail. Skeptical about whether the staff in the Japanese's possession was a genuine Shiny Rod, Diana suspected that the staff was likely fake. However, Akko remained adamant that the staff was genuine and attempted to use it on a nearby statue to no avail. To prevent an unnecessary humiliation on the brunette, Diana magically brought the statue to life in her stead and have it restored her bewitched ponytail back to normal (though Akko was nevertheless shocked by the experience) and explained that magic is something attained from research and tradition before making her leave with her roommates. Unknown to them, Professor Ursula witnessed the whole thing starting from their conversation at the cafeteria, whom Finnelan then reminded about a certain problem in the academy.

Later, Akko showed Lotte and Sucy her collection of Chariot cards while sadly acknowledging that it had been 10 years since the last time Chariot performed her show. She remembered how the cards became the popular trend in its time, having collected every single one of them except the "A Believing Heart is Your Magic" premium card. Lotte and Sucy are surprised that the Japanese have memorized flavor texts in each card as if they are bible despite her difficulty pronouncing spells written on them.

Meanwhile, Finnelan, Holbrooke, and Ursula are examining Jennifer Memorial Tree, an ancient tree at the academy's botanical garden believed to host the spirit of the late Jennifer the Witch herself. In the middle of their discussion over the tree's current state, Diana, Hannah, and Barbara appeared and offered to lend a hand. Once the professors are gone, the Cavendish and her cohorts make some preparation to aid Diana in casting Plant Restoration Spell in hopes of restoring the tree. Casting the spell, it seemingly worked with Jennifer Memorial Tree returning to its healthy state, which prompts Hannah and Barbara to go for the professors over this development. However, not long after they left the garden, the spell's effects were abruptly undone, followed by the tree's roots unearthing themselves. Some of them even popped out near Akko and her roommates while playing with Chariot cards. As this happens, Ursula discovers the answer to the tree's weakened state.

Rushing for the botanical garden, Akko, Lotte, and Sucy catch Diana in the scene as the tree's roots reveal parasite-like growths all over them. Sucy commented that the growths resemble chrysalises (albeit unusual ones), whereas Diana, mistaking them as actual parasites, begins to blast them one by one with magic bolts. Recognizing the growths, Akko tried to reason with the top student. However, Diana refused to listen and attempted to blast another, prompting Akko to jump into her magic bolt's path and get struck in the process, crippling her and scattering her Chariot Cards in the process. Horrified, Lotte, Diana, and Sucy rushed to her side, at which Akko revealed the growths' true nature as Pappiliodyas' chrysalis forms. Akko's desire to help the chrysalises caused Shiny Rod in her possession to glow, much to the girls' surprise. Discovering a better alternative to solve their problem, Akko, with Diana and Lotte's aid, cast Pappiliodya Spell on the chrysalises, allowing the magical butterflies to emerge from their chrysalis forms (including ones crippled by Diana's spell earlier) and fly out of the garden.

As the Pappiliodya swarm leaves the academy's botanical garden, Ursula, who just has learned more about the magical butterflies, can't help but be amazed by their emergence on the outside as much as the students. Their departure also allowed Jennifer Memorial Tree to return to normal, with Diana, who was still in the garden, immediately praised by the professors and the students. Diana wanted to argue that she was not the only one responsible for the ensuing miracle but eventually chose to leave to see Akko and her roommates accompany the Pappiliodya swarm in the sky, looking for new nesting grounds...

## Order of appearances

* Atsuko Kagari
* Lotte Jansson
* Sucy Manbavaran
* Miranda Holbrooke
* Lukić
* Anne Finnelan
* Samantha Badcock
* History Teacher
* Nelson
* Ursula
* Molly McIntyre
* Diana Cavendish
* Hannah England
* Barbara Parker
* Magic Wand
* Shiny Rod
* Potion
* Magic Broom
* Seven Words of Arcturus
	+ First Word: Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor
* Statue Animation Spell
* Plant Restoration Spell
* Heat Blast Spell
* Pappiliodya Spell
* Jennifer Memorial Tree
* Pappiliodya

## Trivia

* Akko does 4x3 formation of cards does not include the Moonlit Witch card, first seen in "What You Will", or the card where Chariot is riding on the Shiny Rod in the form of a broom, seen in "Sky War Stanship".
* This episode takes place in May, along with "A New Beginning" and "Don't Stop Me Now", as stated in the chronicles book.

* Illustration of Tree of Life on Badcock's chalkboard
* Badcock being corrected by Diana in the middle of her universe-related numerology lecture with Kabbalah diagram on the background
* Illustration of Temple Menorah in Badcock's lecture
* Comparison between Star Wars' iconic font and Awesome Store's in Episode 2 of Little Witch Academia Anime TV Series
1/4
* During the scene of Badcock's lesson in which Diana had to correct her at one point during her lecture, a diagram of the Tree of Life, which prominently featured in Kabbalah and other mystical traditions, can be seen on the chalkboard.
	+ In the same lecture, topics Badcock explicitly mentioned in her lecture are Numerology and the father of Modern Numerology, Pythagoras - a Greek philosopher and mathematician whose numerological teachings is believed to lay the foundation of sorcery and divination.
	+ Additionally, though easily overlooked due to obscured by Badcock's hat, the illustration of Temple Menorah also included on the chalkboard as part of her lecture.
* During the flashback scene where the younger Akko saw the premium Chariot Card in a store called Carta Ursa Major, a store beside it, Awesome Store, utilizes a font which curiously not unlike that of the contemporary *Star Wars* emblem.

## External links

### Essays

* ATELIER EMILY
	+ Leylines, and More on Magic in Little Witch Academia by ajthefourth January 25, 2017

## References

1. ↑ Little Witch Academia's Netflix Release Date Announced - IGN
2. ↑ https://www.netflix.com/title/80156387
3. ↑ https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/265265778230689793/354307531914608650/IMG\_20170904\_124940318.jpg

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