Bring Out Your Beast

"**Bring Out Your Beast**" is the 12th episode of the first season and the 12th episode overall of *Craig of the Creek*.

## Synopsis

Craig wants to play a popular card game, so he decides to borrow Bernard's vintage and valuable cards. A rare card is lost, and Craig has to get it back.

## Plot

The episode begins with Bernard and Alexis working on a project, until Craig appears in surprise, making Bernard fall and overturning the soft drink that Bernard and Alexis were drinking. The reason why

Craig was there was that he wanted to ask Bernard for his *Bring Out Your Beast* game because everyone is playing it in the Creek, but he does not give them to him. However, Craig does not give up and goes to Bernard's room to look for the game.

The scene cuts to the "Splintery Butt" which is where everyone plays Bring Out Your Beast. Turner and Mark

face each other in a game, while everyone watches and shouts. Mark ends up winning and Turner falls off. Craig shows his friends the cards he found in Bernard's closet, and then Craig offers to play with a

kid he finds in that place. Craig only plays random cards that he likes or finds and the other kid plays well, until Craig uses the "Beast Snare" card that takes off all the cards and, in addition, the other player keeps them.

Craig ends up winning and the boy runs away shouting that Craig has that card, Turner listens to him and walks to Craig to explain how that card works, and convince him to throw it away. Craig, his

friends and Turner go to the entrance of the Splintery Butt, Craig places the card on a birthday card, then he buries it under a rock and thanks Turner for warning him, then he goes home, while Turner laughs. Later, when Craig was washing the dishes, Bernard appears and gets angry with Craig because he took his cards and also the Beast Snare has disappeared. Those cards had value for Bernard because he would sell them and so he could pay for his college.

Craig takes Bernard to the Creek to look for the card, but when they raise the rock, they find that the card is no longer there, and in the Splintery Butt there is smoke and

screams are heard, so they go in there to see what happens. Kelsey and J.P. run to Craig to tell him that Turner took the card they buried and has beaten all the players she challenged, including Mark who was the best. She asks who wants to play now, and Craig sits in front of Turner, but he realizes he did not bring cards. However, Bernard appears with his cards and sits next to

Craig to play with him, while several kids watch. The game starts normally, and Craig and Bernard manage to take off some "life" from Turner. Alexis arrives and joins the group of kids who watch. Turner activates the "Beast Snare" card and takes a lot of their cards.

Bernard tries to tell Craig that it does not matter if they lose, and mentions that it is just a game of reading the cards. With that last thing, Craig brings out a card that takes off the life of the player who gets it, and gives it to Turner. She was going to take it just like any other card, but she reads what the

card says and loses the game, mentioning that it was good to be the best. All the other kids celebrate, including Alexis. Craig hands Bernard the card he took, but Bernard gives him all the cards of the game so he can play whenever he wants. Alexis congratulates Bernard and Craig, saying they play very well. Bernard says that in his time he was the best, ending the episode.

## Characters

### Main

* Craig
* Kelsey
* J.P.
* Mortimor
* Bernard
* Turner (debut)

### Supporting/Minor

* The Elders of the Creek
* Alexis
* Tom
* Lil' Matt
* Bill (cameo)
* 10 Speeds (cameo)
* Horse Girls (cameo)
* Secret Kid (cameo)

## Trivia

* While Craig is washing the dishes, he can be heard singing the theme song for *Li'l Butler*, a sitcom from the *Steven Universe* episode "Maximum Capacity".
* The *Bring Out Your Beast* card game is likely a reference to the trading card game *Magic: The Gathering*, of which Matt Burnett is a big fan and active player.
	+ The mechanics of the game are the same: Build a number of cards with balance of creatures and spells and use the cards to lose the opponent's life total.
	+ The Beast Snare card is a reference to the practice of playing *Magic: The Gathering* for ante, in which players wager cards from their deck on the result of each game. This rule was removed from the game after only seven sets as it was unpopular amongst the fanbase.
	+ Mark saying he won't play with Turner due to her having old cards may be a reference to the standard playstyle of *Magic: The Gathering*, in which only cards from a few of the most recently printed sets are legal for use.
	+ Many of the card's illustrations are references to actual cards.
	+ The second card J.P. puts in the deck is a visual reference to the *Magic* card Natural Selection.
	+ The snake card Mark plays is a visual reference to the *Magic* card Psychic Venom.
	+ Much like how Bernard says that his cards are old and valuable, most cards from the first few sets of *Magic: The Gathering* are worth thousands of dollars and kept inside a card binder.
	+ Bernard also gives Craig an advice that he will use his cards, as long as he used protective sleeves. Cards are put into protective sleeves to prevent tear or water to damage the cards and in tournaments, to distinguish who owned the cards in that deck.
	+ Elder Mark's shirt has the logo of Magic the Gathering aka **planeswalker symbol.**
* Turner's dramatic faint when she loses is a reference to the *Yu-Gi-Oh!* anime.

## Videos

Craig of the Creek Craig Plays Bring Out Your Beast Cartoon NetworkCraig of the Creek Craig and Bernard Team Up Cartoon NetworkCraig of the Creek The Ultimate Evil Card Cartoon NetworkCraig of the Creek Hanging Out with Bernard and Jessica Cartoon NetworkThat friend who is too literal... - Craig of the Creek -shorts -cardgame -animation -cartoonsBring Out Your Beast - Craig of the Creek - Cartoon Network UK
## References

1. ↑ Craig of the Creek - Bring out your Beast episode synopsis *FutonCritic*, retrieved on 29 March 2018.
2. ↑ http://affiliate.zap2it.com/tv/craig-of-the-creek-bring-out-your-beast/EP028346420014?aid=sfl0yg