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[A storm brews, wind blows and lightning crashes outside Bright Moon Castle]
[Inside the castle; fire crackles in the hearth as all the princesses, Bow, and Flutterina sit around a table; Glimmer stands in front of the fire]
Glimmer: I called you all here to discuss what happened today. The mission to retake Dryl was a complete disaster. We barely made it out. [angrily] I wanna know why.
Bow: The Horde knew we were coming, they were ready for us. How do they keep doing this? We thought they were tracking Adora, but she wasn't even there today!
Mermista: Isn't it obvious? [slams hands down on table] There's a Horde spy somewhere in Bright Moon. [lightning crashes] ...And no one is going anywhere until we figure out who it is. [lightning crashes]
[Opening theme]
[Same room; lightning crashes]
Glimmer: Mermista...[Chuckles nervously] it's very unlikely that there's a spy--
Mermista: We need to investigate. Obviously, I'll be the lead detective since I've read every single Mer-Mystery book.
Adora: Mer-what?
Mermista: [Angrily enthusiastic] Mer-Mystery! It's only the best undersea novel series ever, there's, like, 18 of them, it taught me everything I need to know about solving mysteries. [gruff voice] Murder mysteries! [Sea Hawk falls over, grunts in surprise and pain]
Perfuma: [Nervously] Um...but no one's been murdered...
Mermista: [Shouts] YET! [Frosta gasps at Mermista appearing suddenly next to Perfuma, Perfuma shouts in surprise] First, we need to question the suspects.
Frosta: Who are the suspects?
Mermista: [Lightning crashes on the first word] Everyone [whispers] is a suspect.
Bow: [Nervously] Everyone? [voice cracks] Is anyone else sweating? I'm sweating!
Glimmer: This is a waste of time. We know that the Horde is pulling their troops back to prepare for something big. That's what we should be investigating.
Adora: No, Mermista's right. And, we know it can't be me the Horde's tracking since [chuckles humorlessly], once again, you used me as a distraction today. [sharp intake of breath] ...A spy is really the only thing that makes sense.
Glimmer: Maybe they didn't fall for the distraction because you're a bad actress. And who would the spy even be, anyway?
Adora: [chuckles humorlessly] How about the Horde officer who's living at--[tone feigns apologetic] I'm sorry--being held prisoner, at Bright Moon? [serious, upset tone] Shadow Weaver has actual shadow spies--we met them.
Mermista: Shadow Weaver does seem like the obvious suspect. Which means it definitely isn't her. [lightning crashes] It's never the obvious one, like in Mer-Mystery: The Pearl Who Knew Too Much. You think it's the pearl, but it's not. [lightning crashes]
Perfuma: [shouts in distress] Spoilers!
Mermista: [slams foot down on table, arm whiffs in the air as she points] It's time to interrogate the castle! [lightning crashes]
Frosta: ...How are you doing that?!
Mermista: [slowly, enunciating, then shouting by the end] I practice. At. HOME! [lightning crashes]
[Glimmer facepalms and sighs in exasperation]
- New scene
[Bright Moon, a rebel campsite]
[Lightning in the sky; Flutterina opens the entry to their tent, lightning crashes; they hum happily, transforming back into Double Trouble; sits on a beanbag and calls Catra on their tech pad]
Catra: Move, now! We don't have all night, Kyle!
Double Trouble: Meoow. You all right there, kitten?
Catra: About time you checked in. Are the princesses still moping around about Dryl?
Double Trouble: [scoffs] No. Watching them mope was my favorite. Now they're playing detective, [mockingly] searching for the elusive Horde spy who foiled their plans.
Catra: Wait, spy? [angrily] Is your cover blown?
Double Trouble: Please, who would suspect a goody-two-shoes like [tone pitches higher] Flutterina? Besides, if they start to get suspicious, I'll just do a quick wardrobe change and throw the blame onto someone else. [transforms into a Bright Moon guard]
Catra: [angrily] They better not. You have to keep them in Bright Moon. If they catch on before our plan is complete, before the big mission is done, I--
Double Trouble: [transforms back; placating] Darling, darling, don't worry. I'll just tire them out a bit.
- New scene
[Bright Moon Castle, room with the hearth]
Mermista: [slams hands on table, lamp on table shakes; firmly] Where were you when the murders happened? [Perfuma grunts in agreement]
Bright Moon General: The what?
Perfuma: [slams hands on table, lamp on table shakes; grunts to assert herself, then grunts in pain at her hands] [haltingly, attempting firm stance] ...Don't think you can get away with it. [softly] ...Although, there still weren't any murders, Mermista.
Mermista: [slams foot on table, lamp shakes; firmly] Yet! [Perfuma puts hands on table again, grunts in agreement]
Bright Moon General: [scoffs] I sincerely do not have time for this.
Mermista: Uh, according to a bunch of other people--
Perfuma: Witnesses!
Mermista: --you weren't where you were supposed to be at the Battle for Dryl.
Bright Moon General: I followed the plan exactly.
Perfuma: [slams foot down on table, shaking lamp vigorously; shouting] A likely--! [rushes to stop lamp shaking; normal voice, chuckles slightly] Sorry... [shouts] A likely story!
Mermista: [firm tone] Admit it. You were slipping away to warn the Horde of our plan. Just like in Mer-Mystery: Secret of the Abalone. [normal tone] That one's really good, you should read it.
[Perfuma picks up pen and pad, writes the book name down]
Bright Moon General: [scoots lamp out of their faces] Look, this is what happened.
[General's recollection of events plays back]
General: On approach to Dryl, Glimmer filled me in. She-Ra would lure away the Horde. Team A--Frosta, Bow, and Flutterina--would scout ahead. Team B--Sea Hawk and Mermista--would guard the exits. Team A indicated the coast was clear and we converged on their signal. [Glimmer teleports Perfuma, the General, and herself] But that's when Frosta ran into us and said they hadn't finished scouting! [door slams shut, Frosta gasps; Sea Hawk shouts as he runs toward them with Mermista in his arms, a large group of Horde soldiers yelling and running after them]
Perfuma: Oh, my!
[End General's recollection]
General: [annoyed] Team A sent the all-clear. If you want to know what went wrong, ask Bow.
- New scene
[same room, new cast]
Bow: [desperate, yelling] Okay, I confess, it was me!
Frosta: Bow, we're not even interrogating you.
Bow: I mean, if I am the spy, it's an accident...I think... Can you be an accidental spy? Do I have an evil alter-ego? Or was I secretly brainwashed and I'm just realizing it now?!
Seneschal: So, like, are you guys still questioning me, or...?
Bow: [grabs lamp to light face] It all goes back to what happened in Dryl...
[Bow's recollection of events plays back]
[Horde flag flaps in wind]
Bow: Everyone was in position, and I was using my new tech to look for remaining Horde soldiers. [goggles whir to life; various beep noises occur as they zoom in and identify two Frostas] But then my goggles glitched and--I don't know what happened! I started to see double. [goggles glitch as Bow adjusts them; Team B teleports in] That's when the other team came in way too early! I tried to signal everyone to fall back, but my tracker pad was missing. [door slams shut, horde soldiers stomp toward Bow]
[End Bow's recollection]
Seneschal: [softly, extended] Whoaaa...
Bow: Don't you see what this means? Either I lost my tracker pad at Dryl, and that gave the Horde vital information...or...I did it on purpose because I am the spy and I gave the signal and I didn't even know! [grabs Seneschal's flower wreath, leaves rustle]
Seneschal: [astounded] You're blowing my miiiind...!
Frosta: [shouts] BOW! [enunciates] You aren't. The spy!
Bow: [slams table, shouts, pouting] You don't know that! [grave tone] It all makes sense... Who else could it be?!
[lightning crashes]
- New scene
[Bright Moon Castle, Shadow Weaver's garden]
[lightning still crashing]
Adora: So you're telling us you really didn't know anything about the plan to retake Dryl? Really?
Shadow Weaver: Not a bit. I've been busy with my garden. She's always been paranoid like this, you know.
[Glimmer muffles a chuckle with her hand]
Adora: [angry] I am not being paranoid. You were spotted around the castle without your guards this morning, and I wanna know why...
Glimmer: Actually, Adora, that's--
Shadow Weaver: I was engaging in a ritual. [lightning crashes]
[Shadow Weaver recollects events]
Shadow Weaver: Essence of echinacea. [dumps sand-like substance into pot, goopy noises as she mixes] A dash of ginger root. [lightning crashes] [sighs] Ah, my daily morning ritual. [birds singing as she holds up a teacup]
[End Shadow Weaver recollection]
Adora: [laughing hysterically, cuts herself short] Okay, you expect us to believe you were just having tea?! She's the spy, you're the spy! Who else could it be?
Shadow Weaver: I am not the villain of this story. As to your question, Glimmer saw fit to grant me free reign of the castle. My guards have been dismissed.
Adora: [disbelief] No guards? Seriously?!
Glimmer: [angry] Yes, seriously! What has she done other than help us?
Adora: [annoyed disbelief] Do you really want me to answer that?
Shadow Weaver: Girls, every moment you waste here, the Horde gets that much further ahead. [enunciates] In order to catch a rat, you need to spring a trap.
Adora: Well, in order to catch the spy [intake of breath]...we need you to admit that you're the spy--!
Glimmer: [exasperatedly] Let it go, Adora! There's lots of other people it could be.
Adora: Like who?
- New scene
[Bright Moon Castle, room with hearth]
Sea Hawk: [drawn out yawn] Ah, I love recounting the epic tales of my exploits. My HEROIC exploits.
Mermista: [drawn out groan] Yeah, it definitely isn't Sea Hawk. Why did you even bring him in?
Perfuma: You said everyone was a suspect.
Sea Hawk: [jumps on table, shouts] Exploits for the ages! Narration!
[Sea Hawk recollects events]
[lamp light flickers and buzzes off and on]
Sea Hawk: I was supposed to be guarding the door, but ['Perfuma' giggles, winks] Perfuma relieved me of duty so I could rejoin the fight. [Sea Hawk flicks away his lollipop] I advanced through the courtyard, avoiding the booby traps [bumps into metal pole, grunts in pain] risking my very...life... Just like in Mer-Mystery: Serpent of the Sea!
[recollection pauses]
Mermista: Wait, is that where my book went? [slaps her knees] Sea Hawk, I've been looking for it!
Sea Hawk: That's when the clouds parted--
[recollection continues]
Sea Hawk: [petals flutter in the wind] --and illuminated my dearest Mermista in the distance. ['Mermista' giggles and sparkles; Sea Hawk blushes then clears his throat]
(Present) Mermista: Moonlight? The battle happened this morning.
Sea Hawk: I made my way over to her, when--['Mermista' gasps]--we were ambushed! My sole aim was to protect Mermista from the Horde...[soldiers shouting as Sea Hawk carries 'Mermista' away] Thinking quick, [Sea Hawk's punches whiff in the air, he shouts] I took on the 40 to 50 Horde soldiers surrounding us and SAVED DRYL!
[end recollection]
Mermista: [scoffs] We lost Dryl, and you punched, like, one guy before Glimmer got us out.
Sea Hawk: Exactly! One HUNDRED guys!
[Mermista facepalms]
Perfuma: [stutters] W-Wait, wait--I-I was with the General the whole time! [accusatory] And why weren't you with Sea Hawk, Mermista?
Mermista: Uh, because Frosta waved me over, but, like, disappeared before I could reach her.
Perfuma: But that doesn't make any sense, she was with Bow, and then...Glimmer and the others were--
Sea Hawk: Who wants to watch me do some squats? [boots squeak on table as he squats]
[Sea Hawk is pushed out of the room still squatting, shoes squeaking; the door slams]
Sea Hawk: [pouts] I bet Adora and Glimmer don't shove suspects out the door...
- New scene
[Another room in Bright Moon Castle]
Glimmer: [groans] [attempts happier tone] ...Okay, Flutterina. Where were you at the start of the battle?
Flutterina: With Bow and Frosta, of course. Like we planned. [concerned tone] ...Is...Is everything okay?
Glimmer: Everything is fine. Now--
Flutterina: It's just that, everyone's so on edge after what happened in Dryl. Have you tried interviewing Shadow Weaver about it? She seems kinda untrustworthy...
Adora: [feigning disinterest] Oh, noo, according to Glimmer, [voice pitches higher] she's totally trustworthy, and [normal, annoyed] it's fine to just let her walk around the castle [chuckles humorlessly] whenever she wants...
Glimmer: Can we please not start this up again?
Adora: I'm just saying, it would have been nice if you told me.
Glimmer: [angry] I don't have to tell you about every decision I make.
Adora: [pants heavily in disbelief] Oh, but you tell Shadow Weaver?!
Glimmer: Maybe it's because Shadow Weaver actually listened when you and Bow kept [shouts] leaving without me!
Flutterina: You two seem like you have a lot to talk about...[chuckles nervously] Maybe I'll just come back later...
Glimmer: I don't know why I'm going along with this. The Horde is obviously planning something. We should be out there, looking for them, not stuck here, playing around.
Adora: [angrily] No one's playing around, Glimmer. There is a reason we've been losing.
Glimmer: [softly, but firmly] And we're going to keep losing if we don't act soon.
[Flutterina takes a deep breath, turning to say something, then shouts when the door slams open]
Mermista: There you are. Why are you just standing around? This isn't Mer-Mystery: Case of the People Who Just Stood Around, the...sequel I wrote right now about all of you.
Glimmer: Who is even left to question?
- New scene
[Scene is a montage of questioning different people in the room with the hearth]
Dryl cook: I think I saw Mermista with Bow's tracker pad.
Bow: Wait, have you guys been here the entire time?
Other Dryl cook: ...Tiny scone?
[transition]
Bright Moon Guard: I can't believe you read those, too! Mer-Mystery: The Maltese Otter is my favorite.
Mermista: [groans] Ugh, that one's so predictable. I saw that twist coming a mile away.
[transition]
[Swift Wind neighs]
Adora: Swift Wind! You weren't even there!
[transition]
Sea Hawk: I told you how I took out one hundred--no--one hundred and fifty guys, right?
[Mermista groans]
[transition]
Bow: [shouting in despair] You have to arrest me, for everyone's safety! Otherwise my evil alter-ego might do it again!
Glimmer: [deadpan] Bow, knock it off.
[transition]
[Swift Wind neighs, now with a mace]
Adora: Still no! ...And put that back.
[multiple transitions occur quickly]
Mermista: It's not them.
Perfuma: [disappointedly] No.
Glimmer: [angrily] No.
[transition]
Seneschal: I think, like, maybe She-Ra did it.
Frosta: Hey! We already questioned you.
Seneschal: Oh, yeah. I came back for the tiny scones.
Other Dryl Cook: I made a fresh batch! [Seneschal takes scone and noms it]
Dryl Cook: Fizzy beverage?
[crowd chatters unintelligibly]
(Things that could be made out:
Perfuma: If you just lent me the book, then I'd show you who done it! I think we should interrogate him again! I don't trust--
Mermista: --happened in Pearl In The Window.)
- New scene
[Glimmer's room]
[Lightning crashes outside Glimmer's window; she summons her staff and taps it on the ground; the door creaks open]
Adora: Glimmer? Where are you going?
Glimmer: [angrily] This isn't working. Nothing we do is working. The Horde is always ahead and I can't just sit here and wait for the next bad thing to happen.
Adora: So, what? You're gonna teleport into the Fright Zone and try to solve this all by yourself?
Glimmer: Someone's gotta do something.
Adora: [imploring] Glimmer, please. You can't leave in the middle of the night without backup.
Glimmer: The less people involved, the better. We don't know who to trust.
Adora: [whines] And what about me? Were you gonna tell me? Or Bow?
Glimmer: Adora, I--
Adora: Stay. [Pleading] Please. I know we can figure this out if we work together. No more secrets, and doing things without us. We need you here. [softly] ...I need you here.
[Glimmer de-summons the staff]
Glimmer: [softly] Okay. I'm here.
Bow: [offscreen; opens door; shouting] Adora! Glimmer!
Frosta: Where have you guys been?!
Perfuma: The communications panel in the war room has been severed!
- New scene
[War room]
[Communications panel sparks with electricity, holograms glitching, and whirs as it powers down]
Adora: When did this happen?
Mermista: I don't know. We were passing by the room when we saw it.
Frosta: [accusatory] Wait. We saw you run out of here two minutes ago.
Mermista: [scoffs] Uh, what are you talking about? I was with Perfuma.
Perfuma: Could the storm have done something to cause this?
Glimmer: This wasn't an accident. This was sabotage. [lightning crashes]
- New scene
[The storm finally comes to a head as rain begins to fall outside the castle and thunder can be heard]
[The hearth room]
[The fire crackles; Perfuma flips nervously through her notepad]
Glimmer: ...The General is working on restoring communications. In the meantime, there's a backup device in the dining room, should we need it.
Mermista: [slams door shut] All of us here knew we were trying to unmask the spy. And we were the ones who made the plan to take back Dryl. We've ruled out all other suspects. Which means the only person the spy could be is one. Of. Us.
[Perfuma gasps; lightning crashes]
Frosta: [shouts] Perfuma was the one who let the Horde take the doors!
Perfuma: I wasn't there! [gasps, accusatory] Wait, your team was the one who told us to come in, and you led Mermista away!
Frosta: [enunciating, slowly] I. Did. Not.
Mermista: Trying to throw the blame on someone else, huh, Frosta?
Frosta: If Mermista knows so much about mysteries, she'd probably know how to plan the perfect crime.
Perfuma: [gasps] And there was water by the tracker pad!
Mermista: Water that could've been melted ice!
Bow: [nervously] It's probably me!
Frosta: [shouts, annoyed] It's not you, Bow!
Mermista: Or maybe it is, like in Mer-Mystery: Salt-er Ego! [Perfuma gasps]
Sea Hawk: It couldn't be me, I was busy fighting at least 200 soldiers!
Adora: This is a waste of time, Glimmer. Shouldn't we be--?
Glimmer: [shouts] Stop. [annoyed] Stop questioning my choices, stop whining about being a decoy, just--stop. Okay?
Adora: [angrily, whining] I'm not whining!
[Sea Hawk grunts as he squats]
Glimmer: All you do is question me. Question my authority. It's exhausting.
Sea Hawk: [cries out, sobbing] Okay, I lied. I didn't fight 300 soldiers. Mermista, will you ever forgive me?
Mermista: Sea Hawk, we all knew that.
Bow: I don't know who to believe anymore...I can't trust my own eyes! [voice cracks] Who am I?!
Adora: Look at what she's doing. Look at what she's doing to you. Shadow Weaver just wants power and you are listening to her.
Glimmer: Oh, what? Are you jealous because you aren't Shadow Weaver's favorite anymore? [mocks] Or are you just mad that I'm Queen and in charge and you're not?
Adora: That's. Ridiculous!
Glimmer: [angrily] You just run around playing the perfect hero. You have no idea how hard it's been for me.
Adora: [angrily] Because you stopped including me in your decisions! We used to be a team. And now? I don't know what we are.
- New scene
[Dining room]
[Flutterina closes the creaky door and walks into the room]
Flutterina: [calling out] Come on, backup communicator, where are youuu?
[The lights flick on; Flutterina intakes sharp breath]
Glimmer: Hey, Flutterina. Looking for something?
Flutterina: [nervously] Glimmer? [chuckles nervously] Adora. Hi...Hi. Uh, just looking for the bathroom. [grunts when they bump into Bow]
[Perfuma chuckles and waves]
Flutterina: Okay...Okay, this looks bad, but I assure you, it isn't what it looks like, so let's all just--
[Adora yelps when Flutterina kicks her in the ankle, then cries out when they push her to the ground; Flutterina pants and chuckles as they run past; Flutterina grunts when they knock into a magical forcefield]
Flutterina: [magic forcefield whirs when they touch it; chuckling] Ohoho. I see...
Glimmer: Give it up, Flutterina. If that's really who you are.
Flutterina: Magic. How very clever.
Adora: Isn't it? Shadow Weaver helped.
Glimmer: You see--
Mermista: [pushes Glimmer and Adora away, both gasp] The reveal of how they caught the murderer is my favorite part!
[Glimmer groans]
[Recollection of events plays back]
Adora: In order to catch a rat, you need to spring a trap. So we set one up of our own.
Mermista: Classic murder mystery move.
Perfuma: There's no murder--never mind.
Glimmer: We knew a backup communication device would be irresistible to whoever destroyed the original.
Adora: We wanted the spy to feel safe enough to make a move, so we created a diversion.
Glimmer: Adora managed to be a really good actress...for once.
Adora: [deadpan] It was really hard, do not ask me to do that again.
[End recollection]
Glimmer: So that brings us back to you. Who are you really...Flutterina?
[Glimmer shouts as Flutterina transforms into Glimmer; Adora gasps as they transform into Bow, Frosta, Perfuma, Mermista, then Adora]
'Adora': Please.
[They transform into Double Trouble's form]
Double Trouble: Call me Double Trouble.
Adora: You're a shapeshifter...
Bow: [gasps] It wasn't my goggles glitching. It was you, pretending to be Frosta at Dryl.
Double Trouble: And Perfuma. Don't short change my credits, darling.
[They lick an eyeball and blink their eyes separately; the crew gasps]
Double Trouble: May I say, as one actor to another, that was truly a masterful performance. I really bought that you two were furious at each other. If you would indulge me, were you inspired by any real emotion or experience?
Glimmer: [enunciates] Enough. It's over, Double Trouble. Now tell us what the Horde is planning...
Double Trouble: Over? [laughs] Ohohoho, love, it's just beginning. The Horde has been planning a massive attack for some time now.
[Double Trouble recollects]
Double Trouble: I let Catra know you were going to Dryl. [communicator turns to static as the call ends] After that, all I had to do was plant seeds of doubt. [Bow's tracker pad beeps when DT sends the ok; they transform into Frosta] Sowing chaos where I could. [They wave at Mermista as Frosta; Mermista groans after Sea Hawk pays no attention; they transform into Perfuma, giggling with Sea Hawk and pointing away from the door; flash forward to the war room, the tracker pad lies sparking on the floor, and Double Trouble smashes the communicator panel; they run out of the room as Mermista as Frosta tells Bow: "Bow, seriously, you aren't the spy. --Hey! Mermista?"] It wasn't hard. I just had to keep you isolated and at each other's throats until...
[The Salineas sea gate; Horde ships make waves]
Double Trouble: ...the plan was underway. ...Salineas. If the Horde controls the seas, they control Etheria.
[Hordak charges his blaster and fires]
[End recollection]
Glimmer: That will never happen. We won't let it. Now that we know their plan, we can stop it.
Double Trouble: [Chuckles] Oh, stop it? Oh, this was a ruse, darling. A distraction. The Battle of Salineas is over. It happened earlier this very evening. It's too late. Salineas is gone.
Mermista: [softly, desperately] No...
Glimmer: No. No, i-i-it's not too late! It can't be! [teleports Mermista, Bow, Adora, and herself to Salineas]
- New scene
[Salineas, on a rock outside the sea gate]
[Horde flag flaps in the wind]
[Glimmer whimpers; the wind blows as smoke and fire crackle on nearby wreckage of ships; the sea gate whirs damagedly; Mermista falls to her knees and cries out]
Adora: ...We can fix this. We have to be able to fix this...right?
[Horde flags are all around flapping]
Glimmer: [voice quivering, but firmly] This won't. Happen. Again. I won't let it. We won't give up. We will take back Salineas, take back all of Etheria...
[smoke burns and crackles as Catra meets up with Hordak on a Horde vessel]
(disembodied) Glimmer: No matter what it costs. No matter what the Horde throws at us next.
[More Horde flag flapping]
[scene transition to Horde Prime's ship in space]
[Monitors blink and beep as Horde Prime smiles]
(Credits Roll)
See Also: Episode Transcript List