Piano Lesson

**Piano Lesson** is the seventh episode of season 2 of *The Cuphead Show!* and is the nineteenth overall.

## Synopsis

Mugman gets dangerously jealous when his snooty piano teacher taps Cuphead to compete for $10,000 musical prize instead of him.

## Plot

The episode starts out with Mugman dreaming of playing piano. In his dream, he was wearing a powdered wig referencing Mozart. Suddenly, when Mugman finished playing, and tulips get thrown on stage. The piano starts acting like a dog, but it was actually a goat licking him, and it was just a dream. Cuphead goes out for crawdads, annoyed that Mugman's piano instructor, Ludwig is coming to their house. Ludwig does eventually come to the cottage, and and slowly takes off his "driving gloves" and puts on his "non-driving gloves" long enough to make Mugman forget what he was about to ask him. Ludwig then explains that he loathes Mugman because he, himself, Ludwig, is jealous about the fact that Mugman's piano career has just started and is fresh while his is starting to end as he gets old, and explains that he must teach Mugman, a part of the next generation.

While at the cottage, Mugman is frustrated due to him not playing the piano correctly. Ludwig suggests that Mugman relaxes. Ludwig then examines Mugman and compliments his "exquisite" posture. He then tells Mugman to play *Chopsticks*. Mugman does so, but incredibly poorly, even annoying their fish. Cuphead then comes back home with a bucket of crawdads, which makes Mugman stop playing at the horrible smell of the food. Cuphead sees what Mugman's playing, and decides to play the first parts of *Chopsticks* before going out on playing ragtime music perfectly, which shocks Ludwig, Elder Kettle, and Mugman. Cuphead then feels awkward at the fact that everyone in the room is staring at him, and goes out to the kitchen to eat the rest of his crawdads. Ludwig runs after him, and asks him how played perfectly. Cuphead explains that he just "played what he felt right". Ludwig asks if Cuphead could come to him to the Music Competition in Inkwell Isle. Cuphead passes on the request, though that is until Ludwig states that the prize is 10,000 dollars.

Mugman then goes out to say that *that* was his dream. Ludwig tells Mugman that he should try watercolors instead and leaves with Cuphead. Mugman wails at his piano, and Elder Kettle suggests that Mugman should practice. Mugman decides to listen, and practices for the rest of the day. Later the same day, Mugman repeatedly bangs his head on his keyboard, and Elder Kettles comes into the room. Kettle suggests that Mugman should try watercolors, which sets Mugman off. Mugman then gets the idea to cut of Cuphead's hands off before Elder Kettle stops him immediately. Later that night while Mugman is sleeping, he hears Cuphead and Ludwig practice. Cuphead then gets into the room through the window. Mugman explains to him that he's mad at him for stealing his dream and prize money. Cuphead says that Mugman is jealous, which angers Mugman even more, making him leave the room.

The next day, Mugman sets up a trap for Cuphead incredibly early in the morning for when he goes up on stage to perform. Mugman then goes back home to the cottage and sees Cuphead snoozing outside. Cuphead explains that he was abandoned by Ludwig. The duo then go inside, and hear Cuphead's song play on the radio. The announcer over the radio then states that Ludwig won the competition, angering both of the cups. That is before Ludwig got crushed by Mugman's piano trap that he had set up earlier. Cuphead is initially mad at Mugman for attempting to sabotage him, but is fine with it, and asks Mugman if he wants a crawdad. Mugman says that the crawdads look like tiny lobsters which causes a giant lobster was next to Mugman and threatening asked who he was calling tiny ending the episode.

## Cast of Characters

* Cuphead
* Mugman
* Ludwig (debut)
* Elder Kettle

## Trivia

* In the original script, after the piano falls on Ludwig, the announcer says: "Wait, he's okay! Ludwig is okay!" Then, a second piano drops and the announcer says: "A second piano just crushed on Ludwig to death! Who drops TWO pianos?!" Finally, Cuphead turns to Mugman and proudly says: "My brother, that's who." This was later cut for being too dark.

* During the piano dream scene and Mugman setting up a trap for Cuphead, Mugman was in the Inkwell Theater room, which is from the show's theme song.
* When Mugman gets worried about Ludwig replacing him, Half of Beethoven's Symphony Number 5 can be heard.