02x02 - The Ballad of Hopediah Plantar/Anne Hunter

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

[swords clinking]

[thunder rumbling]

[fiddle strings strum]

[scatting]

Huh. I don't remember taking
this picture of Toad Tower.

Oh, that was me.

Wanted a little reminder
of how we messed
those toads up!

Heh, sure did!

You know, I've actually
been working on a song
based on the battle.

Oh! Am I in it?

Maybe. [clears throat]

‐[gasps, giggles] I'm in it.
‐[fiddle playing]

♪ There was a little frog
Who stood for revolution ♪

♪ The toads didn't like that
So they tried to execute him ♪

♪ But thankfully
Our Anne stepped up
To take the Tower ♪

‐♪ And she saved Hop Pop
Who... ♪
‐[gasps]

♪ Mostly hid and cowered
And cowered and cowered ♪

♪ And cowered and cowered ♪

All right,
that's enough!
[both] Whoo‐hoo!

Wow! Great song, dude!
Yeah, that was awesome!

What? Awesome?
It was missing
all the context!

Like what about the time
I courageously ran for mayor?

Or that time I stood up
to those nasty tax collectors?

[both] Eh. Boring.

Audiences want
clear stakes, Hop Pop.

And action. [both] Act‐ion!

[sighs] Feels like
just yesterday people thought
I was a revolutionary hero.

Whoop. Heads up, g*ng!

Looks like we're about
to stop at our first town.

My first town outside
of Wartwood.

I wonder what it'll be like.

Will the frogs be friendly?
Will they have a bathroom?

Don't get too excited, Anne.

It's just your average
small town.

Pssh, how small can it be‐‐
[gasps] Wow!

Oh, my gosh.

It's literally a small town.

Yeehaw!

Just look at
the "wittle" buildings.

[strains]

[all gasp]

Uh, yeehaw.

‐[all] Yeehaw! ‐[chuckles]

[munches] There you are, girl.

[Bitties gasping]

What's all the ruckus?

B‐but, please.
Just listen‐‐
[screams]

Ooh. I gotcha.

All right. Y'all know the rules.

Pay me, and no one gets hurt.

That's right, pay up,
keep it coming.

Sorry, Mr. Judro, sir,
but I need the money
for my boy Bailey.

‐He's been very sick and, uh‐‐
‐[coughs]

Oh, son.

[chokes] Papa!

I don't want your excuses.

I want your money.

[laughs] [all gasp]

Those poor bitties.

Someone should do something!

Hmm.

Yes, somebody should.

Sprig, get that fiddle ready.
You might have a song to write.

Hyup! Ready and willing.

Huh?

Hey there, uh, feller.

Who do you think you are,
pushing good people around?

I'm Judro Hasselback, [groans]

and this here's my town.

Who in the heck are you?

Name's Hopediah Plantar,

‐the frog that's gonna
teach you some manners!
‐[grunts]

Hey, you better‐‐ [grunts]

Stop! [grunts]

What in the‐‐ [grunts]

Oof! You'll pay for this!

Nobody's paying you
anything anymore.
[grunts]

You saved us, mister. Huh?

Three cheers
for Hopediah Plantar.

[all] Hip, hip, hooray!

[all] Yay!

Wow, Hop Pop.
Nice work.
Go, Hop Pop.

Why, that was nothing.
Judro's just a big blowhard.

Not like those tax toads
I stood up to.

[all gasp]
You stood up to toads?

Tell us the story.
Please? Please?

Aw, sweetie,
there's not much to tell.

And then I lifted not one,
not two,

but three toads over my head

and threw them off Toad Tower.

[all gasp, cheer]

Threw three toads?
I don't remember that.

[whispering]
That's because
it didn't happen.

Oh, let him have this.
He's just juicing up
the details a bit.

In my world,
we call this marketing.

And so, using my frog‐given
natural strength,

I kicked the side of Toad Tower,
and it exploded.

[all cheering]

Hooray for Hopediah Plantar,

here to protect us from
the ruthless Hasselback g*ng.

I'm sorry, Bailey,
did you say "g*ng"?

[Judro] Hopediah Plantar!

[gasps]

Whoo‐whee! You done asked
for it, so here it comes.

This here's the Hasselback g*ng.

My brother Heathro. [snorts]

Half sister Ruth.

Uncle Talbert.

And of course,
the matriarch herself,

Mama Hasselback!

[all gasp]

You the frog who dare throw
my Judro outta town?

[chuckles] Well‐‐

Yep. And he's gonna
run you outta town too.

Right, Hopediah? [all] Hop Pop!

‐You show 'em, Hopediah!
‐Go get 'em, Hopediah!

[laughs] Now this I gotta see.

Um, uh, you're‐‐
You're gonna regret this.

[straining]

[panting]

Think I almost got her.

‐[grunts] ‐[all gasp]

Back off. Stay away from him!

[shouting]

[all grunt]

Aw, man. This is just
like middle school.

Not much different
from my bucket, really.

[laughs]

Looks like you folks chose
the wrong frog.

Or should I say "fraud"?
[grunting]

[laughing]
[Mama]
Word of advice, folks‐‐

Don't believe everything
you're told about heroes.

After all, they don't exist.

Is it true, Hopediah?
Are heroes a lie?

[sighs] It's true, Bailey.

It's true!

Now get lost! Whoa! Whoa!

And take your garbage with ya.

[Hasselbacks laughing]

[bird shrieks]

[inhales]

Aaah!

[panting, sighs]

Not proud of what happened
back there, kids.

Sprig was right.

No one's ever gonna
write a song about
this old coward.

Now that you smashed my fiddle‐‐

Pssh, Hop Pop,
you're not a coward.
Ow.

And who cares about
some dumb old song?

Being a hero isn't about
songs and glory anyways.

It's about doing
the right thing.

‐[screeches] ‐[all yelp]

My frog, Anne. You're right.

This whole time
I was so focused
on getting a song

that I lost track
of what really matters.

Heroes are supposed
to help those in need,

and I was only trying
to help myself.

Well, that changes now.
We're going back!

What? Are you crazy?

Good call, HP. What's the plan?

Well, it goes
a little bit like
this, you see...

[whispering indistinctly]

[loud] Why are we whispering?

Keep it up, Bitties.
That's good.

Just keep working
on Mama's toes.

Looks like no birthday gifts
this year, kids.

Don't worry, Papa.
We'll always have
the gift of music.

[inhales] [Judro] Yoink!

‐A‐whoops.
‐You know, I'm actually
pretty numb at this point.

Serves you little runts right.

If you thought things
were bad before,

just wait and see
what we've got planned
for you‐‐

What the...

[harmonica plays]

Ma'am.

Well, look who decided to show
his frauddy old face again.

Ya back for more punishment?

I'm back to do what's right.

Stand up to bullies like you.

[wind howling]

‐Get him! ‐[shouting]

[grunts]

[all gasp]

You boys ready
for a lickin'?
Hyah!

His tongue feels like iron.

[growling]

[grunts]

[laughs]

Two degrees left. Load me up.

Go, Hopediah! He's doing it!

[Bitties cheering]

[grunting] Huh?

[laughs]

So that's the game, is it?

End of the line, Mama.

Ha!

[screams, grunts, gasps]

‐The jig is up! ‐Run, Hop Pop!

Uh‐oh.

[both grunt]

Well, I best be gone. Toodles!

[Anne] Being a hero isn't
about songs and glory anyways.

[echoes] It's about doing
the right thing.

[groans]

[grunting]

You know what, Mama?
I'm through running.

When you see someone
that can't fight
for themselves,

it's your job to fight for them!

Standing up to bullies like you
is the right thing to‐‐

[groaning]

[gasps]

[laughs]

[groaning]

Mr. Plantar!

[panting]

No!

Don't cry for me, Bailey.

I don't feel a thing.

Bleh.

No! No! No!

[grunting]

[growls]

[laughing] Uh, Mama?

They're changing. What?

[all growling]

Huh. What the...

Now you listen here, Bitties‐‐

[all shouting]

[screaming] My face!

[scatting]

Aaah! Whoa, mama.

Hop Pop, we gotta go.
The bitties are going nuts.

Well, I guess
after years of abuse,

even the most timid of frogs
might get a little‐‐

Whoa! My goodness!

[all screeching]

[growls]

Hi, Mr. Plantar.

Bailey? You frogs
are fighting back?

Yep! All because
of what you said.

You mean about how
standing up to bullies
is the right thing to do?

Uh... no. The part about
how when someone can't
fight for themselves,

you need to fight for them.

You clearly can't fight
for yourself.

Here's a tooth, by the way.

Yaah!

[all shouting]

Time to get going.

♪ Oh, Hop Pop stood his ground
In hopes he'd save the day ♪

♪ But then the townsfolk
Went berserk ♪

♪ And so he ran away ♪

[whip lashes] [Bessie whinnies]

[mechanical whirring]

[frogs croaking]

[humming]

Okay, dinner's ready.

Whoo‐hoo! Yeah!

I'm starving.
Now hold onto
your butts.

[Hop Pop] Bam! Stick surprise!

[all sigh]

Hop Pop, this isn't food.

But I didn't tell you
what the surprise is.

[all gasp]
All right,
there's no surprise.

‐[all groan] ‐Sorry, kids.

This journey's been
longer than expected,
and we're out of food.

No food, huh?

That's what
you plebes think.
[munches]

[grunts] This is all my fault.

I dragged you guys out here to
figure out how to get me home,

and now we're all
gonna starve to death.

[all laugh]

We're not gonna starve to death.

This is our chance to find food

the way nature intended...
as hunters.

Hunters, eh?

[clucking]

[clucking]

[groaning] I'm dying.

I have provided.

Now feed!

[all munching]

[laughing]

[chuckling]
Guys, leave the hunting to me.

Wha? That came out of nowhere.

You guys do so much for me.

Let me do something
for you for a change.

Ooh! I can teach her
to hunt the Plantar way,
Hop Pop.

Just like you taught me.

Hmm, okay,
but you two need
to be careful.

We're not in the valley anymore.

Who knows
what dangerous predators
could be lurking about?

They could be poisonous
or they could be psychic.

They could be poisonous
and psychic.

You don't know!

Whoa! Whoa! Hop Pop, it's fine.

Anne, you ready to hunt?

I'm so pumped.
This is gonna be awesome.

This is not awesome.

[munching]

Ugh! I thought hunting
was supposed to be cool.

Conquering nature and stuff.
Not eating mud.

[munches, spits]

Conquering nature? Oh, no, no.

Hunting is about
becoming one
with nature.

What?
Uh, do I at least
get a cool w*apon?

A crossbow?
Kunai? A crossbow
that sh**t kunai?

Weapons are for barbarians.

Now then,
hunting the Plantar way
involves three main steps.

The first, track your prey.

The soil is a buffet of clues.

[munches] Oh, oh!
I think I'm getting something.

This way.

Ha! Mmm. Blap. Mmm. Mmm.

[rustling]

[squeals, snorts]

See, Anne? Nature provides.

We found some grubbles.
They're supposed
to be delicious.

Step two, use your surroundings.

Hmm.

Perfect.

And now it's time for the final
and most important step‐‐

the dance.

Dance? What do you mean da‐‐

Oh, my gosh.
You gotta be kidding me.

This dance has been
in our family for generations.

Watch me closely.

It's designed to both entice
and disorient.

[squeals]

[drums b*ating]

[all squealing]

[grunting]

[grunts, groaning] Oh, boy.

Okay, that's enough.
I think I can hunt just fine
without a funny little dance.

There's nothing funny
about the sacred Plantar
hunting dance, Anne.

Besides, I thought
you loved dancing.

Well, yeah,
when there's music
and a dance floor.

I mean, is this even necessary?

These little guys
seem pretty easy
to catch.

I don't even think
they have brains.
[squeals]

Not all prey will be
as easy as grubbles.
But that's not the point.

Hunting is about connecting
to the harmony of nature.

Let its rhythm flow through you.

Can you hear the drums, Anne?

Can you hear them playing
the b*at of the hunt?

No. Now let's split up
and catch double
the grubble.

Don't worry about me.
I've got the eyes of a hawk.

Anne!

Totally saw that.

[sighs] All right.
Just be careful, okay?

We still don't know
what's out here.

[growling]

Oh, man,
are we gonna feast tonight.

[chuckles] [squeals]

"The dance, Anne." Ha!

You know what's better
than a ridiculous dance?
A stick.

Time for some grubble satay.

[Plantars screaming]

Wha... Guys!

[gasps]

[Anne] Sprig? Hop Pop? Polly?

[chirps] Hey, hey, hey, girl.

Shh. Bessie. [chirps]

Where's the family‐‐
[monster growls]

[gasps]

[roars, growls] [all screaming]

It came out of nowhere.

Careful, Anne.
It still might
be psychic.

I'm too cute to die!

Guys!

[all screaming]

My biscuit.

Dang it, Polly. Food hoarder.

[gasps] It left a trail.

Super huntress instincts engage.

I can totally do this.

Yeah, I‐I can't do this.

[bird squawks] [wolf howls]

[sighs]
The trail's gone
completely cold.

Sprig was right.
I don't know what I'm doing.

If only he were here with me.

[Sprig] Anne! Huh?

[gasps]

Follow the true way
of the hunter.

Sprig!
Holy cow, are you dead?
Is this your ghost?

What? No. The real Sprig
is still out there
and needs your help.

Me? I'm more likely
a stress‐induced
hallucination.

So what you're saying is
I finally snapped.
[bell dings]

Well, as long
as you're helping.
So what do we do?

Follow the steps.

Right. The steps.

What was the first one again?

[groans] Track your prey, Anne!

Right, right. Track.

How do I track again?
Ugh, sheesh.

Smell the dirt, Anne.

Oh, right. Got it. Got it.

[sniffs] Now taste it.

[gags]
By all means,
take your time.

We're only about
to be eaten by a...
horrifying creature!

Okay, I'm tasting, I'm tasting.

[gags]

Sprig, what is
the point of thi‐‐

Wait a minute.

[munching]

I'm tasting something.
I'm getting‐‐ [gulps]

Polly's biscuits! [gasps]
Which means it's this way.

You're doing it, Anne!

With you guiding me,
we might just be able
to pull this off.

Now come on,
Hallucination Sprig.

♪ When the hunt is on
And the moon is high ♪

♪ You can hunt the hunt ♪
[screams]

♪ Only if you try
But you better hurry up
For the time is nigh ♪

♪ 'Cause if you don't listen
To Sprig ♪

♪ Your family will die ♪

You really need to stop that.
♪ Okay ♪

[gasps]

[growls]

[grunting] [gasping]

What the heck
is that thing anyway?

It's a scorpaleo, Anne.
Half scorpion, half lion.

Scorpaleo?
That is one messed‐up horoscope.

Okay, we don't have much time.

Think. What was step two?

[both] Use your environment!

[roars, growls]

‐I should have
eaten more biscuits!
‐[both screaming]

Okay, running out of time here.

Well, how 'bout
giving me a hand?

Think about what
you just said.
Right. Right, right, right.

There, done. Okay, what's next?

Oh, you know what comes next.

The dance.

[grunts] Okay,
but just this once

because I like you guys a lot.

[growls] [grunts]

[grunts]

[growls]

‐[roars] ‐[screams]

[Anne] Hey, furball!

[all] Anne!

‐[growls softly] ‐[inhales]

[soft growling continues]

‐[growls] ‐Uh, it's not working.

That's because
you don't believe.

You have to feel the music.

There is no music.

‐[growling] ‐[screaming]

This is it!
You have to save them.

Me! Us! Them! This is confusing!

You're right. I have to do this.

[Sprig] Listen, Anne.
Listen to the rhythm
of nature all around you.

[water splashing in rhythm]

[drums b*ating in rhythm]

[Sprig] That's it.
Let it take hold of you.

[drums b*ating continues]

[growls softly]

I am the leaves.

I am the morning dew.

I am... The Hunter!

[grunting]

[drums b*ating continues]

Yes, you're doing it!
It's so beautiful.

[grunts]

[growls]

[roars]

[monster mews]

You did it, Anne! You did it!

‐What? ‐[monster growls]

Whoo‐hoo! I did it!
Danced in your face.

[growls]

Whoop! Gotta go.
Come on, family,
let's skedaddle.

You got it.
Don't have to tell me twice.

[monster roars]

[chirps]

[chirps sadly]

[all laughing]
[chirps excitedly]

You did it, Anne!

It was the best
hunter's dance
I've ever seen.

I did, didn't I?

I heard the music, Sprig.

I felt one with nature.

You were right.

And so were you, buddy.

Uh, who are you talking to?

Not important.

[owl hoots]

[mechanical whirring]