S01 E08 River Camp

Aurora goes through a survival camp with her grandfather River Johansen, while Sam helps Mr. Diaz with a new sculpture.

## Episode guide

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S01 E09 The Queen of Winter

**River Camp**is the 8th episode of the 1st season in the series.

## Plot synopsis

Aurora goes to the survival camp with her grandfather, River Johansen to have a spend time together. Meanwhile, Sam helps Mr. Diaz with a new sculpture.

## Overview

The episode begins with Aurora checking off every item on her list for her huge backpack. Sam says she's only going to camp for a day and not travel, and asks if she's not overdoing it. Aurora says it will not be "just" a camp, but a survival camp with her grandpa River Johansen, which she postponed since she was 8. She thinks it may be the perfect opportunity for her now that she is learning to defend herself, as well as being a chance to spend time with her grandfather. The ringing of the bell announces the arrival of River. After catching up with Angie and Rafael, he greets his granddaughter with a hug. Before leaving, Aurora asks if Sam doesn't really want to go and he replies that he had already promised to help Mr. Diaz with a new sculpture.

After River and Aurora cross the dimensional portal, Sam goes meet-up with Mr. Diaz's at his studio. When asking what he has to do, Rafael tells him to sit in the chair while he sculpts a giant block of granite.

Meanwhile, River and Aurora arrive at the camp site. After dropping her huge backpack, she comments on how excited she is, and that she has brought all that is needed for them to last these two days. However, when turning back around, she sees her grandpa throwing her backpack into the creek. River says she doesn't need any of that stuff and that everything she needs is in nature. "Including your clothes", he says and rips off his clothes with only a thong made of leaves left on. Aurora says she doesn't know how to make clothing with leaves and River says she'd better learn it quickly because they're in the Dimension of Ants that Eat Clothes. Aurora begins to shuffle around awkwardly seeing holes emerging in her clothes. River tells her to find him in the lake when she finishes and disappears into the trees. Aurora throws herself through the leaves and starts to work.

Back in the studio, Sam says the sculpture looks great, but Rafael says there's no emotion in its face. Sam then makes an angry expression and Rafael sculptures again.

In the camp, Aurora sews the last sheet of her dress of leaves and goes out into the woods in search of her grandpa until she finds him by the lake. River comments about her having managed to make her clothes and says it's time for her second lesson: fishing. Aurora asks where the fishing rods are but River tells her to use her hands and throws himself in the lake, starting to punch the surface wildly. Aurora shrugs and jumps into the water per his instructions.

In the studio, Sam says that now the sculpture seems to show emotions. Rafael agrees, but he thinks it's lacking greatness. He asks Sam to pose with his chest stuffed out and begins sculpting again.

In the late afternoon at camp, after fishing, River tried to teach Aurora to light a fire with two sticks. He can easily do it on the first try and then asks her to do the same. Aurora says she'll try, but River tells her to "Do it or do not, there is no try", because the fire is what will keep them safe and warm during the cold night of the jungle. Aurora begins to rub the stick together hoping to create a fire before nightfall.

Meanwhile, Rafael is still dissatisfied with his sculpture, claiming it lacks "strength, brilliance and intelligence". Sam says he has an idea, but that will probably take them the whole night. Mr. Diaz say that this will not be a problem, and with a determined look, pulls off a cloth on a table and reveals a coffee machine.

In the camp, after exhausting hours of trial and failure, Aurora manages to light the fire. She runs off and stumbles around, calling euphorically for her grandfather to see her achievement. She finds him sitting on the edge of a cliff, staring at the moon. River asks Aurora to sit by his side and starts talking about moon as if she were a person. Aurora soon realizes that he is talking about her late grandmother Moon. Feeling a bit awkward, Aurora asks how she was like and comments that her mother never really talks about her. River says Moon was serious most of the time, having a low tolerance for anything messy or destructive, but she had a big heart and loved her family above all else. River then begins telling stories around the campfire about them, like the day they met, the night he saved her from a Mud Dwellers killer, when she drove him out of the castle, and many others. Aurora says she would've liked to meet her. "You'd be her biggest treasure", River replies, "You're organized and nothing destructive, just like your grandma liked". Aurora and River continue laughing and talking in the moonlight before they go to sleep.

The next morning, River leaves Aurora at the door of the Diaz house. Upon entering, Aurora is greeted by her grandma Angie, who says she arrived at the perfect time to see the new sculpture that Sam and Rafael have been working on. They uncover the work of art, a glittered marble humanoid being that no longer resembled Sam, holding a certain book of spells in one arm and a sword (or barbecue spit) in the other, with a bellyaching expression on its face, in a pose that supposedly should look heroic. With an embarrassing smile, Aurora and Angie say it is "perfect". Sam and Rafael are enthusiastic, and say that they are already planning the next sculpture. Angie says that next time they'll tell the truth about what they really think of it and Aurora agrees.

In Mewni, River reports to Star and Marco how much Aurora has evolved. The episode ends with Star looking at a portrait of her mother, saying she wished they had met.

## Appearances

* Aurora Butterfly
* Sam
* River Johansen
* Angie Diaz
* Rafael Diaz