S2E5 - What's A Strategy?

## What's A Strategy?

**What's A Strategy?** is the fifth episode of the second season of Video Game All-Stars. With the competition getting more intense, questions start to rise about the true natures of some contestants.

## Plot

Shadow has a moment before the challenge, wondering how Sven got eliminated so unanimously in the previous episode. In an attempt to enlighten him, Wii Fit Trainer tells him that he really was just a dog, offending Shadow slightly as he asks if he's just a hedgehog to her, which she makes an attempt to explain the difference, deciding to just take some time to reflect. Mario enters around this time, adding that it is a little strange how the vote wasn't close despite Mugman not even being present, which Kirby agrees with. Shadow says that he feels like there's more going on than they realise, but having no concrete proof leads to him dropping it for now, deciding he wants to be alone. Mugman himself is standing by a puddle, staring into it. Reimu approaches him, curious to what he's doing. He doesn't talk to her, so she asks him, being told he's just thinking. She understands, knowing he's an outsider on his team so he should be careful. The two wish each other luck before the challenge begins.

Upon entering the challenge area, Pearl greets the teams alone, saying as Marina has been working hard, she will handling it alone for a while instead. She tells the teams to choose a representative, which King Dedede jumps at immediately. Shadow warns him that the one they choose would have a lot of pressure put on them, but Dedede doesn't care, taking the role anyway. Link tries to do it for Team Rainbow All-Star Meals and a Pole, but Mugman asks if he can instead, wanting a chance to prove himself to the team, getting agreement from Wii Fit Trainer, so Link just lets him do it. At this point, Marina enters, just as Dedede and Mugman are confirmed as the team representatives. Pearl reveals now that the picks are final that the challenge would be strategy themed, with both teams battling under the representatives orders as a commander. Dedede asks what a strategy is, immediately getting negative response from every other member of Triple Metal Dededes. Dedede tries to make them feel better, telling him that he's a king, so he might know what he's doing. Monika enters slightly late, getting caught up on the challenge. Wii Fit Trainer asks if she's okay with Mugman taking the lead, and Monika says she's sure he'll do great. The contestants are taken to the battlefield, where they have a choice of any weapon they please, though to keep numbers even, the Triple Metal Dededes commander wouldn't fight. Dedede is fine with this, and the two teams are given a moment to think of their strategy.

Dedede starts to think, telling Mario that as he beat Monika before, he should go after her. He then tells Shadow to attack Link, but adds that Reimu should help him, saying he lost to a dog, so he needs the help. Shadow sharply reminds him that the fight ended in a tie, but is ignored, as Dedede tells Kirby to go for Wii Fit Trainer, with his logic being that both have beaten him up in the past. Over with the Poles, Mugman tells Link to go after Shadow and Monika to go for Kirby, advising both to attack from behind. Wii Fit Trainer readies her balance board for attack, so Mugman tells her to go for Reimu, while he attacks Mario. Mario asks what they do about Mugman, to which Dedede just tells them to go for him if they win their already assigned fight. With their plans ready, everyone gets into position, ready for the challenge to begin.

On Pearl's word, everyone charges for their assigned targets. When Mugman sees Mario attack Monika, he tells her to focus on him, while he helps Wii Fit Trainer with Reimu. Kirby focuses on attacking Monika, as she charges towards him. Dedede just cheers them on from the side the whole time. Reimu supports the team by firing danmaku at everyone, giving Shadow the upper hand in his duel against Link. However, Link is quite skilled, so he lands a good hit on Shadow. He uses a chaos blast with the last of his energy, then is warped out of the arena as his health runs out. He doesn't mind this, because he gets to watch the rest of the battle, watching closely to see if he can see anything to confirm his earlier suspicions. Dedede decides to give up on being a strategist, telling the remaining three to just attack who they want so he doesn't have to do anything anymore. Link is weakened from Shadow's last resort attack, so they decide to go for him first. Mario and Monika are still duelling, but Mario runs away to assist against Link, so she calls it her revenge for him beating her up before. Link is taken down, but he throws his sword at Mario while he still has the energy.

With three members still standing on each team, it's an even game. Kirby suggests that Reimu attacks Wii Fit Trainer, as she was weakened in earlier combat. Monika and Mugman are ready for them this time however, as they rush in to help their teammate. Monika hits both Kirby and Reimu as they try to get attacks in, defending Wii Fit Trainer. From the sidelines, Shadow notes that it seems to be strange that Monika is fighting with so much intensity compared to before. Eventually Mario gets a hit in on Wii Fit Trainer, taking her out of the challenge, but he's weak himself, so he tries to retreat, though Monika is in pursuit. Reimu tries to stop her with more danmaku, but Mario is taken down, making the game even again. Monika and Mugman regroup, getting ready to take on Reimu, as she's the bigger threat. Dedede steps up again, ordering Kirby and Reimu to go for Monika as she's weaker. Monika kicks Kirby's shield back into his face, forcing him to retreat, leaving Reimu open. Despite her efforts, she is outnumbered, taken down by Mugman. Monika turns her focus back to Kirby, chasing after him with Mugman at her side. Reimu used a spell card before she went down, taking the last of Monika's health.

With only Kirby and Mugman left, they attack each other, Kirby blocking Mugman's attacks with his shield, but Dedede tells him he needs to attack, so Kirby throws the shield at Mugman, doing heavy damage, but leaving him defenceless. From here he has no way to block Mugman's shots, so he is taken down, sending the Triple Metal Dededes to elimination. Shadow compliments Reimu on her flashy attacks, saying she has his approval. Mario shows suspicion to Monika's power in the challenge as well, attempting to confront her about it, but she just says she didn't know she had it in her, leaving them to share another meal with her team, as Link is cooking again. Kirby goes to Mario about the vote, as they're in an alliance, bringing Shadow too despite his refusal to join. Seeing the three together, Dedede approaches them, telling them to vote Reimu now so they could vote him out next time with no problem and guarantee merge. Shadow knows there's nothing to gain from it, so he just walks away, although Kirby and Mario are left weighing their options.

The elimination ceremony begins, with Marina giving Shadow, Kirby and Mario idols. Reimu is surprised to be in the bottom two, and is only more surprised when it's revealed that she is eliminated, getting extremely angered. Kirby justifies his vote by telling her they haven't talked game, while Shadow calls out both Kirby and Mario, calling them sellouts and letting Reimu know he voted for Dedede. With this information, Reimu knows she was set up, and is close to attacking Dedede, but he screams and runs away before she can actually hit him, being taken to the New Albacore Hotel.