Recap / Elena Of Avalor S 1 E 04 Island Of Youth

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• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: The whole episode is about the royal family setting up a surprise party for Esteban, and Elena planned the whole thing. Elena hushes the cries of baby Esteban with a lullaby and he tells her that he loves her. While back on the ship, Elena comforts Esteban, saying that she likes him the way he is and they cuddle.
  Elena: Anything for my favorite cousin!
  Esteban: [sigh] Elena, I'm your only cousin.
  Elena: Oh, don't be like that. I know deep down... [grabs his cheek playfully] ...you wuv me!
• Birthday Episode: It's Esteban's birthday, but he thinks everyone forgot about it. Everyone is actually planning a Surprise Party for him, and he doesn't learn of this until the end.
• Catchphrase: Esteban uses it after escaping the island:
  Mateo: Phew! That was close.
  Esteban: This is true.
• Chekhov's Gun:
  • At the beginning of the episode, Abuelo and Abuela mention that Esteban was a picky eater as a child, so they had to use "here comes the jaquin" to feed him. Later, when baby Esteban refuses to eat the aging petal, Elena has to use "here comes the jaquin" to get him to eat it.
  • The crevice that Esteban jumps over becomes a problem later when the trio have to escape the island, as Elena slips and the canteen is about to fall into it, leaving Esteban to choose between either of them.
• Compliment Backfire:
  Esteban: It's my birthday, and I have nothing to show for it!
  Higgins: Nonsense! You have plenty of gray hairs!
  
  Elena: Well, Abuelo always says that every gray hair makes him that much wiser.
  Higgins: Well, if that's true, you should be a genius by now, Chancellor! [Esteban angrily growls while Higgins cowers]
• *Crack!* "Oh, My Back!": Esteban's hip hurts after he jumps over a pit. It hurts again when he jumps into the boat as they escape the island.
• Foreshadowing: Elena states Esteban is her favorite cousin. We find out later Elena does have another cousin.
• Fountain of Youth: Esteban wants to go to Santalos so that he can live the way he wants to this time. There's also a plant that ages those who consume it, which is used to reverse Esteban's youth back to normal.
• Goofy Print Underwear: When Esteban turns into a kid, his pants are too big and fall off. When he returns to being an adult, his boxers are still on, and it turns out his boxers are crown-patterned.
• Happy Birthday to You!: Avalor has its own birthday song, which the characters sing to Esteban at his birthday party.
• Hotter and Sexier: When Elena and Mateo find Esteban after he drank from the fountain of youth, majestic music starts playing when he turns around to look at them. He's also rather athletic and buff, and he wasn't lying when he said he was handsome.
• Not So Above It All: Esteban is let down when he thinks everyone has forgotten about his birthday and is giddy when they go to Santalos. He's also touched by the surprise party, and there's apparently no problem giving gift-wrapped presents to older people, which he is also touched about.
• Shapeshifting Excludes Clothing: As Esteban becomes younger and younger, his clothes correspondingly become baggier and oversized.
• Status Quo Is God: Esteban still has his canteen of youth water from earlier in the episode, but when Elena slips on a sledge and is left hanging on it while the canteen is also dropped, Esteban chooses to save Elena over his chance at becoming young again.
• The Un-Hug: After Esteban chooses to save Elena over his canteen of youth water, she hugs him. He's surprised by this and awkwardly hugs her.
• The Unreveal: A minor one, but we don't learn what Esteban's new birthday wish is when he blows out his birthday candles.
• Wham Shot: When Elena and Mateo find Esteban at the fountain of youth, he's turned into a teenager.