It has been a year since Elena retook her rightful place on the throne from Shuriki. Confident in her abilities to lead, she helps oversee the Guardian Test for Nico, Avion, and Ciela, which, should they fail to complete, they are to return home to the Realm of the Jaquins — Vallestrella. When Nico's test fails due to secret interference by Delgados, Elena and Mateo sneak into Vallestrella to vouch for Nico to retake it, it would seem that there's a reason why humans are forbidden from entering the Realm of the Jaquins...
Tropes in this episode include:
- An Aesop: Rules are in place for a reason.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Though Nico is successfully titled a Guardian and Marimonda is sealed away again, Victor and Carla succeed in acquiring a jewel from Vallestrella, which is used to make Shuriki young and powerful again.
- Bait-and-Switch: At the end, Elena finds it strange that Victor and Carla, despite freeing Marimonda, who would've taken over Avalor, sounded like they were going to take over Avalor after they escaped Vallestrella with her, yet did not join her in her attack on the palace. It turns out that they didn't mean take over Avalor with Marimonda... but Marimonda was part of the plan to help that come to fruition, thanks to Shuriki.
- Bittersweet Ending: Elena successfully recaptures Marimonda, and Nico passes his test and becomes a guardian, but Elena is then given a test by Quita Moz where she has to conquer a darkness rising somewhere; unknown to her at the time, Shuriki has been revived by Victor and Carla. Nevertheless, Mateo reassures her he’s got her back.
- Call-Back:
- While Elena sings "Got It Down", she talks about some of the events that happened throughout Season 1, including how they stopped an evil moth fairy; her mother's tiara was almost stolen by Victor and Carla (while Esteban scoots away in the background), referencing the events of "King of the Carnaval".
- It's been a year since Elena has started ruling in "First Day of Rule", with Skylar also stating that it has now been forty-two years since Shuriki invaded as opposed to forty-one years.
- Foreshadowing: Victor saying Elena should've just let them take the crown jewels serves as a clue to his real goal. The jewel Victor removed to release Marimonda ends up restoring Shuriki's youth.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: When Victor and Carla reveal that they were the ones that freed Marimonda, Elena asks them why would they do this. Victor simply answers that she should've just let them take the crown jewels, but now they've come to this.
- Humans Are Bastards: The jaquins forbade humans from entering Vallestrella so that they would stop setting monsters free in the Ever Realm.
- "I Am Great!" Song: "Got It Down" by Elena, "A Very Big Deal" by King Verago, and "You Can't Catch Me" by Marimonda.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: Elena delivers one just before Marimonda is re-sealed.Elena: Guess what, Marimonda? You can be captured
- Properly Paranoid: Humans are forbidden from entering Vallestrella in case they set free a monster sealed there. Victor and Carla, on orders of Shuriki, are proof of why such a rule exists.
- Punch a Wall: Victor does this when he and Carla arrive at the portal just as it closes. Of course, it's a stone wall, so it hurts.Victor: Ow! Why did I just do that?
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: While Marimonda attacks the palace, Esteban and Francisco take up swords and join the Royal Guard in trying to incapacitate her. It doesn't work, but points for trying.
- Rhymes on a Dime: Marimonda talks this way.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Marimonda was imprisoned by the Sun Birds for thousands of years before being released by the Delgados. Elena then uses an illusion to reimprison Marimonda in a jar and is delivered back to Quita Moz for safekeeping.
- Season Finale: Meant to be this for Season 1, but Disney Junior aired it Out of Order.
- Sequel Hook: Elena is warned of a darkness rising somewhere; she must defeat this or she won't become queen. Also unknown to her at the time, Shuriki, restored to youth by Victor and Carla seeks to take over Avalor.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Had Elena, Mateo, Migs, and Luna not gone to Vallestrella immediately after Skylar was assigned to escort Nico back, then Victor and Carla would have gave up trying to open the portal, thus preventing them from temporarily setting free Marimonda and acquiring the jewel that Shuriki needed to regain her youth and power.
- Vagueness Is Coming: After sealing Marimonda and returning her to Quita Moz, the fires warn him of an unknown darkness rising somewhere which even he doesn't know about. He then informs Elena that said darkness will provide a test that she must succeed; if she fails, she will never become queen of Avalor.
- Villain Song: "You Can't Catch Me" for Marimonda.
- Wham Episode: Big time: Elena encounters the Delgados again, she is warned of a darkness she must conquer or she'll never become queen, and the Delgados restore Shuriki to her youth.
- Wham Shot: Victor's old friend in the shack is... Shuriki.
