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Amphibia Season 2, Episode 12A/12B Review

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DROUGHT’S OVER! After a months-long vacation, Amphibia officially returns for the second half of Season Two. And given the trailer that Disney dropped on YouTube, Matt Braly’s team has big plans for the show. Legend of Zelda-esque temples; ancient puzzles and prophecies; even greater mysteries to solve. I am beyond pumped for what’s to come. Before any of that can happen, though, it’s time for Anne and the Plantars to return to Wartwood in the season 2 opener. Which, for some reason, dropped on Disney Channel Africa already, then got leaked onto the Internet. It’s like that one episode of The Owl House from months ago, but I can’t complain.

Night Drivers

Rather than spend several episodes showing the Plantar family’s journey home, the episode decides not to go that route. While some may not like this, I think it’s more important that the setting returns to Wartwood before any further adventure takes place. So important, that Anne and Hop Pop spend twenty hours awake driving Bessie so they can get home. It’s a nice call-back to the fact that Anne’s the only other one who’s read Bessie’s manual. However, eventually exhaustion proves too much for them, and they have to get some sleep. And they make it clear they don’t want Sprig and Polly driving through the night.

Since Sprig and Polly are overconfident kids, they immediately do just that and put everyone in danger. Classic Sprig and Polly, if you ask me. They may be able to do a lot of things, like master that quareller’s canyon, but they’re so out of their league that they need the help of a ghost to get home safely.

Yeah, in this creepy twist that we should come to expect from Amphibia, the kids keep meeting this scary-looking hitchhiker that freaks them out. Turns out, it’s the ghost of a frog that guides travelers safely on the road home. And by the time things are done, Sprig and Polly learn a valuable lesson on not diving into things they’re not ready for. Also, that robot from the start of the season’s still following them!

Return to Wartwood

At long last, the Plantar’s return to Wartwood, and get a big heroes welcome from everyone. The whole town’s excited to see the family and hear all about their adventures on the road, and get their gifts. Yeah, as it turns out, the family promised everyone in town to get them something in Newtopia, and they completely forgot. Instead of feeling guilty and coming clean, though, the Plantars lie, then proceed to double-down on it by planning to arrange an incident to seemingly destroy the presents at this party Wartwood’s throwing them.

Having learned several times about how lying tends to backfire, Anne immediately calls the Plantars out on their scheme, saying it’s a terrible idea. The only reason she goes along with it is because she wants to keep the ship of Sprig+Ivy afloat. So, the quartet summons a giant chicken monster called a Chickalisk that can turn people to stone to destroy the presents.

In a show that’s already given us parasitic mushrooms, chimera lions, giant ants, and more, a “Chickalisk” is crazy. It has to be one of the craziest things the show’s given us, and I loved every minute of it. Long-story short, they beat back the Chickalisk, and Anne guilts the family into telling the truth. However, instead of getting mad, the Wartwood residents laugh it off; they missed the antics of the Plantar’s family and are glad to have them back. It’s almost like the entire town became boring simply because the family left them behind. *Looks at the fourth wall*

Glad to Have you Back, Amphibia

So, the new episode doesn’t do much to move the plot forward beyond crazy hijinks. Considering how the show’s about to get way more serious, though, I think that a breather episode’s the best way to get fans back into the show. After all, look at the trailer.

Before the season’s done, I’m expecting a lot more shocking twists, tearful revelations, potential betrayals, laughter, and character development. It’s good to have you back, Amphibia.

I Give “Night Drivers” and “Return to Wartwood” a 3/5 each.

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