Action

**Action**

**Season 5, episode 27 (Production order); Episode 131 (Overall)**

> If no one tackles the plastic problem, who will?
>
> Nino Lahiffe, "Action"

**"Action"** is a Season 5 special episode of the series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir made with the participation of the Breteau Foundation to raise awareness of plastic waste pollution.

The special was released on MyTF1 MAX, Disney+ and for free on the Breteau Foundation's website along with free educational resources and lesson plans for primary teachers.

## Synopsis

Marinette (Ladybug), Adrien (Cat Noir), and their friends want to actively fight plastic pollution in Paris. The adventure leads Marinette to realize that the group should try to fix the problem at its root, by trying to meet with the largest plastic manufacturer in person and convince him to change his habits — but supervillain Monarch has other plans.

## Plot

The episode starts with Marinette and Adrien arriving at the Liberty. Nino informs them of the plastic situation as their friends have noticed a lot of plastic polluting the Seine and that they have been removing it from it as it leads to the ocean. He shows Adrien and Marinette that the houseboat is now an eco-friendly water plant and can receive the plastic that is in the river. Nino then goes on about how plastic is bad as it does not decompose as all of the plastic used has ended up in the environment and will remain in some way as Nino states that the problem has worsened.

In the engine room, Anarka along with Juleka and Ivan with tools are fixing the engine because if they do not, the Liberty will sink along with Marinette and her friends. Markov announces that there is a dramatic increase in the amount of plastic waste fallen in the Seine. It is revealed that he source of their problem is Bertrand King, a plastic magnate, who has been marketing Morpho Fans, fans made of plastic worldwide with the help of Gabriel Agreste's who designed the flags and André Bourgeois, who installed vending machines selling the fans due to the heatwave. Adrien apologizes as he was not aware that his image was in the advertisements for the fans.

Suddenly, smoke comes out of the engine as Anarka decides the teenagers and her must abandon the houseboat before it sinks due to the excessive amount of plastic the ship has collected. Unfortunately, the plastic comes out of the houseboat and goes flying in the air. Nino tells Adrien that he must talk to his father about the Morpho Fans as they are a disaster. Adrien warns Nino that his father will not listen. Marinette comes up with another plan and wonders if the solution can be reached in another way by going to Bertrand himself.

At the bakery, the gang is there as Tom goes over the plastic products the bakery has and Mylène faints from what she is hearing. The guys go to one of Bertrand's employees as he is delivering the plastic to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. When asked by Marinette, the employee says Mr. Bertrand King is at "the top of the social ladder" and presses a button on a Bertrand statue as it points to the top of a nearby tall building as she gets an idea on how to get inside and talk to Mr. Bertrand King face-to-face.

At the front of the building, Nino and his friends are in disguises as Max sees one of the nearby bodyguards walking over to them. The guard goes to Adrien who is with the kids and asks whether or not he is on the fans. Adrien says yes as Marinette convinces the bodyguard that Adrien is meeting Mr. Bertrand King to discuss new advertising campaigns and that the students are his cleaning and delivery people. The bodyguard is convinced by her story as he asks for Adrien's autograph on his fan.

Inside Mr. Bertrand King's office, the teenagers are doing a presentation with the help of Markov as Alya goes over the positives of plastic as it is cheap to produce, strong, light and is the reason why Bertrand and other companies make products out of them as well as medical advancements. Mylène then goes to the negatives such as the fact that too much of plastic is created and that most of the items are being used just once before it is thrown away including his fans. Adrien asks Bertrand to help end plastic pollution. She suggests that he could make his products so that they do break down eventually and that they are biodegradable as the friends end their presentation.

Bertrand agrees, saying that people use plastic, throw them away and buy them again. The guys cheer, believing Bertrand has changed and will listen. But he says that is the point because people keep buying his products over and over again, he earns money from this and that is how his company runs. He goes over if nobody kept repeatedly buying his products, he would not be the King of Plastic and that nothing is going to change. He goes over that many of the things the friends have are plastic and says his plastic is going to remain forever. Outside, Marinette and her friends are disappointed that their plan to reduce the amount of plastic being made failed.

In City Hall, Marinette talks to Mayor Bourgeois about the vending machines as he says that the Parisians love the Morpho Fans and that the removing of the machines would damage his image, as her plan fails. In Gabriel's atelier, Adrien tells his father that plastic can even be found in his clothes and in the hand fans. His father tells Adrien that the fans are just there to keep his brand thriving and is just a trend until the heatwave ends as his plan also does not succeed.

Marinette video chats with Adrien, saying his father did not listen to him at all. She sees Nadja Chamack's picture and it gives her an idea. Nadja tells Marinette she can't report Bertrand's practices because it is his money that lets the television channel thrive. Marinette states that it is essential that Paris knows about the pollution and that it's for the world Manon's will grow up. Nadja sadly leaves and apologizes to Marinette.

Back on the Liberty, without any success, the guys manage to send a global communication, explaining the problem and showing the terrible consequences of this pollution. Live on television, Fei, Aeon and Jessica also help as the friends explain how people in power haven't done anything to help. André Bourgeois announces on TV that he was completely unaware of this and uninstalls the vending machines for the Morpho Fans. Gabriel, however says he did not know his designing skills and talents were going to be used for a company that produces pollution. Marinette and her friends cheer as the anti-plastic revolution has begun and as she is hugged by Adrien.

In his office, Bertrand confronts Gabriel about lying on television live on a video call as Bertrand sees his profit opportunities get away. Bertrand threatens to expose Gabriel but he is not afraid, telling Bertrand that nobody will believe anything he says. Gabriel hangs up on the call, leaving Bertrand furious that the people he trusted and who helped him with his company betrayed him and said they knew nothing about the pollution.

Using these, feelings, Gabriel in his lair, transforms into Monarch, uses the power of the Horse Miraculous to send the megakuma he creates to Bertrand. Landing in his pen, Monarch akumatizes Bertrand into King of Plastic with the power of Submission from the Bee Miraculous, allowing him to turn anything or anyone he touches into plastic as well as immobilize them with his staff. He decides to use these new powers to seek revenge on those who turned their backs on him.

In City Hall, King of Plastic finds Mayor Bourgeois who panics and runs away. However, he is trapped by King of Plastic who uses his new enhanced capabilities to jump in front of him and paralyzes André and turns him into plastic. King of Plastic walks out of City Hall and is faced with Officer Roger and the police force who try to stop him. He turns all of them into plastic statues as well as freezing them. Next, he swears to get revenge on Gabriel Agreste.

At Marinette's house, Adrien is teaching Marinette Mandarin. After mispronouncing a sentence, they both see King of Plastic jumping his way to the Agreste Mansion. Adrien runs off, transforming into Cat Noir as Marinette transforms into Ladybug. They meet up and notice King of Plastic making is way to the house of Gabriel Agreste. Placide I.T notices King of Plastic making is way in and tries to stop him. However, his efforts prove to be a failure as he is frozen and turned into plastic. Cat Noir's staff ends up being turned into plastic as they heroes try to stop him. King of Plastic makes his way to the Liberty.

Freezing and turning Ivan and Mylène into plastic, Nino and the rest of his remaining friends run away from the King of Plastic. Ladybug saves Nino in the nick of time and Cat Noir battles him. Summoning her Lucky Charm, Ladybug receives a plastic bag. Realizing that the plastic bag is immune to King of Plastic's powers, she realizes that tons of plastic will be needed. Nearby, Alya gets Ladybug's plan. She goes and tells that the houseboat's treatment system will be needed to be running. Cat Noir cataclysms the engine as smoke and all of the collected plastic are released and is sent flying to the sky.

Ladybug and Cat Noir manage to defeat him with the help of Nino's resistance by overwhelming him with the plastic they have collected as the plastic lands and buries King of Plastic on the top of the houseboat. Ladybug destroys King of Plastic's staff as the akuma is released. After purifying and uses her Lucky Charm, she reverses all of the damage caused. King of Plastic is deakumatized into Bertrand and realizes just how dirty he is by being under the pile of plastic and realizes that plastic may not be as good as he thought. Ladybug gives him the Magical Charm. After listening to Ladybug and Cat Noir, Bertrand makes his plastics from materials that do break down. Shortly afterwards, Bertrand accepts the anti-plastic movement of Marinette and her friends as the bakery uses more ecologically friendly materials as Bertrand wants to and with her help, will get the whole world involved.

## Characters

### Major characters

* Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Ladybug
* Adrien Agreste/Cat Noir
* Gabriel Agreste/Monarch
* Tikki
* Plagg
* Kaalki
* Pollen
* Megakuma
* Bertrand King/King of Plastic
* Nino Lahiffe
* Mylène Haprèle
* Ivan Bruel

### Minor characters

* Max Kanté
* Markov
* Zoé Lee
* Alya Césaire
* Juleka Couffaine
* Anarka Couffaine
* Lê Chiến Kim
* Rose Lavillant
* Tom Dupain
* André Bourgeois
* Nadja Chamack
* Manon Chamack
* Fei Wu
* Jessica Keynes
* Aeon
* Sabine Cheng
* Roger Raincomprix
* Placide I.T.
* Clara Contard
* Chloé Bourgeois (background)
* Nathaniel Kurtzberg (background)
* Nooroo (background)
* Xuppu (background)
* Longg (background)
* Roaar (background)
* Mullo (background)
* Orikko (background)
* Jagged Stone (pictured)
* XY (pictured)
* Emilie Agreste (pictured)
* Kagami Tsurugi (Alliance avatar/pictured)
* Civilians
* Loader of Bertrand King's company
* Police officers
* Guards

## Comments from the authors

> We are very happy to get involved with the Breteau Foundation in an absolutely essential initiative: to enable our children to be aware of current issues and protect the future of the planet. This message will be all the more powerful as it is carried by Ladybug, a heroine as famous as she is aspirational. The DNA of our series and the values it conveys are naturally in line with the issues defended by the Breteau Foundation.
>
> Aton Soumache, Founder and President of ON Kids & Family

> At the Breteau Foundation, we believe in providing opportunities for children to become engaged in real world issues that transcend classroom walls. Partnering with Miraculous Ladybug to produce a special episode on Plastic was a unique opportunity for us to reach millions of children worldwide to raise awareness on the global plastic crisis and inspire them to become active changemakers.
>
> Sebastien Breteau, Founder of the Breteau Foundation

## Trivia

* This episode doesn't have a specific place in the timeline because it's a special episode made to raise awareness regarding plastic pollution by providing opportunities for children to become engaged in real world issues that transcend classroom walls. Despite the lack of continuity, this episode can still hypothetically occur between "Confrontation" and "Collusion".
* This episode shares its name with the concept of the Bee Miraculous.
	+ This concept is applied when Marinette and her friends take action to get rid of plastic pollution all over the world.
	+ The concept of action was also applied in other episodes:
		- Ever since "Stoneheart", Ladybug and Cat Noir have taken action to protect the Parisians from Hawk Moth/Shadow Moth/Monarch's threats.
		- Starting from "Sapotis", Ladybug took desperate actions to recruit other Miraculous superheroes to aid her and Cat Noir against the akumatized villains.
		- In "Catalyst", Hawk Moth took great action to increase his superpowers thanks to the titular villain.
		- In "The Battle of the Miraculous", Chloé decided to take action against Ladybug for refusing to lend her the Bee Miraculous, by getting akumatized into Miracle Queen and seizing control over the Miraculous holders up to that point.
		- In "Mega Leech", Mylène and Ivan took action against Project Oxygen.
		- In "Strikeback", Félix took a detrimental action by stealing almost all of the Miraculouses for Monarch in order to seize the Peacock Miraculous.
		- In "Intuition", Monarch attempted many actions with the Snake Miraculous to try and seize Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous.
	+ Action is the final episode in Season 5 to be named after a concept of a Miraculous.
* This is the fifth episode from the main series to be available for completely free, following "Princess Fragrance", "The Mime", "Santa Claws", "Cat Blanc" and later, the sixth and seventh would be "Ephemeral" and "Evolution".
* The episode/special is accompanied by lesson plans and other resources for teachers including 5 modules and hundreds of activities.
	+ Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir - Action Shorts is a set of five two minute shorts made as outro and intro videos to each module of the plastic changemakers, made to complement this episode.
* This episode is not a part of the main Season 5 storyline.
	+ However, when considering the timeline, this episode could take place before "Collusion" and after "Revelation" & "Confrontation".
* This special is produced "for children aged between 7-11 years".
* As of April 28, 2022, the animation for this episode was completed.
	+ This did not (necessarily) include lighting, 2D effects, or other post-production work.
* On August 8, 2023, an excerpt from the episode's script was read at the Brazilian annual Miraculous Day event.
* This is the only episode of the first five seasons not to be directed or written by Thomas Astruc.
* In addition to Ladybug and Cat Noir's dream in "Jubilation", this is the third appearance of Fei and Jessica and the second appearance of Aeon in the series and outside of the specials, following "Conformation" and "Re-creation".
* Multiple shots are reused from previous episodes. This includes:
	+ The first part part of the scene of the class watching the news at the end of the episode, which is originally from "Frightningale".
	+ The final shot of Marinette and Alya, which is originally from "Kwamibuster", although it's played backwards and slightly zoomed in, and also edited to look a little bit brighter.
	+ Three shots of Parisians watching the friends' broadcast:
		- The one with the TV store and the man passing in front of the TVs is from "Multiplication".
		- The one with civilians watching it on a billboard is from "Optigami".
		- The one with Chloé is from "Collusion".
* This is the only time that all of Ladybug, Cat Noir, and Monarch's transformation sequences appear in season 5.
	+ This is also the third and final time that both Ladybug and Cat Noir sequences appear in season 5, following "Multiplication" and "Illusion".
		- This would be the fourth and final time for Ladybug, following "Multiplication", "Illusion" and "Reunion" and the fourth and final time for Cat Noir, following "Multiplication", "Jubilation" and "Illusion".
	+ This would be the third and final time for Monarch, following "Destruction" and "Jubilation". This also marks the last time Gabriel's transformation sequence would be seen in any Miraculous form in the series.
* This is the first time the engine room of the Liberty is seen.
* This is the fourth time that a villain's akumatized object is a pen, following "The Evillustrator", "Troublemaker" and "Representation".
	+ However, considering the chronological order, this would technically be the third time, as "Representation" comes after "Collusion".
* This is the last episode in Season 5 where a Magical Charm is given and its background sequence is seen.
* Nino's detective costume makes a comeback, after its first apperance in "Rocketear".
* Adrien teaching Marinette how to speak Mandarin is a callback to Miraculous Shanghai, where he said that he can teach her after hearing her trying and failing to speak Mandarin to Fei.
* This is the fourth and final episode of Season 5 to use Hawk Moth's theme from Season 1, followed by "Derision", "Intuition", and "Revelation".
* This is the eighth episode of seasons 4 and 5 not to have a polka-dotted pattern on its end card, following "Rocketear", "Penalteam", "Determination", "Reunion", "Migration", "Conformation" and "Re-creation".

### Errors

* Bertrand King claims the Alliance rings are made of plastic. However, it is revealed in "Re-creation" that they were made of metal, when they were later recycled into a statue.
* In Ladybug's transformation sequence, the bottom right spot on her left earring is smaller than it is supposed to be.
* Monarch's face masks are miscolored blue throughout the episode.
* While Marinette talks to her friends in the video call, the sky is blue even though it is evening.
* Near the start of the episode, Marinette's right leg suddenly stretches when she gets off her moped.
	+ Adrien is not holding onto Marinette while riding the Moped behind her, instead having his arms firmly placed at her side.
* In the start of the episode, when Adrien gets down of Marinette's moped, his leg clips through Marinette's moped.
* Due to the recycled animation, scene continuity is affected. In the library Marinette is sitting in front of Alya, who has Juleka on her right at the extreme right. In the closing shot, both Marinette and Alya are sitting beside each other near the centre while Nino has appeared on Alya's right instead. Nathaniel also appears to be in front of Marinette as well.
* At the start of the episode, Zoe has the wrong voice.

## Gallery

Click here to view the image gallery for Action.
*Click here to view the gallery.*

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/ladyofacat/status/1505600314103279621
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/Miracul95998611/status/1696622112117539137
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/Thomas\_Astruc/status/1597694895300702208?t=VvFmZ7NWXqDzexb-LkTeSg&s=19
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 https://www.breteaufoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/One-Pager-Pitch-BAJAv1.pdf
5. ↑ https://toybook.com/zags-miraculous-joins-the-fight-against-plastic-waste/
6. ↑ https://twitter.com/MiraculousMX/status/1519346230907879429
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://www.breteaufoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/BF\_ANNUAL\_REPORT\_2022.pdf
8. ↑ https://twitter.com/MiraculousMX/status/1519392995035996161
9. ↑ https://twitter.com/ChikaraYT/status/1519683322347147268

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