Sir Galavant, the greatest hero in all of the Kingdoms, sees his beloved Madalena taken by the evil King Richard to be wed. When he tries to rescue her, he finds that she would much prefer to marry the King for his money and status. Years later, Galavant has been left to stew in his misery with his put-upon squire Sid. Then Isabella, Princess of Valencia, comes to ask for his aid, as King Richard as conquered her Kingdom.
Tropes featured in this episode:
- Damsel in Distress: Played Straight and then Subverted. King Richard falls in lust with Madalena and kidnaps her to that she would marry him, leading to her love Galavant staging a heroic rescue. By the time he crashes the wedding, she decides to marry King Richard instead because she would be queen and live in luxury.
- Establishing Series Moment: The entire first scene sets up the tone of the whole series; a gallant hero song that establishes the setting with Bawdy Song lyrics about Galavant saving his lady-love from a corrupt king. He storms the castle and makes it to the wedding, gives an impassioned speech about love... and loses when said lady-love wants to stay with the King because he has money and Galavant doesn't. The entire thing sets up the show as a Musical Chivalric Romance setting subverted with nuances about love and Lyrical Dissonance to showcase its more modern sense of humor.
- Jaded Washout: By the time Isabella finds him, Galavant has been left an out-of-shape drunk with no will to be a hero.
- The Mole: While Isabella does genuinely want Galavant's help, it's revealed that she was sent by King Richard just so he could kill him under the threat of executing her family if she doesn't.
- Money Is Not Power: Isabella tries convincing Galavant to save her kingdom at any price — even willing to part with the priceless Jewel of Valencia — but he's too jaded and depressed for it. It's when he finds out that it's King Richard — the man who stole his lady-love and by extension his will to be a hero — that took over her kingdom and he agrees to go on this quest.
- Villain Song: King Richard sings "She'll Be Mine", a song about how much he'd look forward to violently killing Galavant to get his wife's respect.
