Follow TV Tropes

Following

Recap / Tangled: The Series S1E05 "Cassandra v. Eugene"

Go To

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tangled_the_series_cassandra_vs_eugene.jpg

Cassandra and Eugene have been fighting constantly, and Rapunzel is so tired of their bickering that she comes up with a drastic solution: she locks them both in a cell in the royal dungeon, then leaves hidden clues that will tell them how to escape, which will force them to work together to solve the puzzle (at least in theory).

Rapunzel marvels at how much she's able to accomplish without her friends' arguments distracting her. Unfortunately, her plan has a couple of flaws. First, it's anyone's guess if Eugene and Cass will be able to cooperate, and for how long. Second, the Stabbington Brothers happen to be locked in the cell beneath them, and when they hear Eugene's voice it motivates them to break out and seek revenge against him.


Tropes in this episode:

  • Bonding over Missing Parents: It doesn't make them completely overcome their hostility, but Eugene and Cassandra are at their most amicable yet when discussing their respective Parental Abandonment stories. Then Eugene tries to invoke this trope to bond with Cassandra, asking her what she did fantasize her parents were, but the thing is though, Cassandra isn't the type to open up about her personal life. Eugene feels very offended and accuses Cassandra of defying this trope, but the audience will discover in the third season exactly why Cassandra did this.
  • Brick Joke: As the episode begins, Eugene breaks an irreplaceable vase while arguing with Cassandra. As the episode ends, Cass glues the vase back together in appreciation for his help—but then they start fighting again, and this time she breaks the vase.
  • The Bus Came Back: The Stabbington Brothers, who were last seen in the original film having been dispatched by Mother Gothel and interrogated by Eugene, return as the main antagonists of the episode.
  • Cassandra Truth: Cassandra doesn't believe Eugene when he says it's not his fault her halberd went missing.note 
  • Chekhov's Gun: Eugene's advice to Cass about using her halberd for "leverage" pays off when he has her employ the technique again to knock out the Stabingtons.
  • Easily Forgiven: Eugene and Cassandra don't hold it against Rapunzel for locking them together, with Eugene even telling Rapunzel she doesn't need to apologize.
  • Evil Gloating/Evil Laugh: Rapunzel does both of these while boasting to Eugene and Cassandra about her fiendishly difficult riddles. Becomes a Failed Attempt at Drama when she leaves, then suddenly comes back to pleasantly offer her prisoners a basket of cookies. She's too much of a Nice Girl to be evil for long.
  • Foreshadowing: Eugene and Cass both admit that they never knew their real parents, but they'll be in for a surprise when they see them.
  • Here We Go Again!: At the end, it looks like Cassandra and Eugene are starting to get along... and then they start arguing again when Cassandra blames Eugene for her halberd going missing (which was actually Rapunzel's fault). Rapunzel wisely decides not to get involved this time.
  • Human Shield: The Stabbingtons take Cass and Eugene hostage to get past the guards.
  • Locked in a Room: Rapunzel goes so far as to lock Cassandra and Eugene in the castle dungeons as part of a scavenger hunt to force them to get along. It backfires when the Stabbington Brothers show up, looking to get revenge on Eugene.
  • Mistaken from Behind: Rapunzel see a maid wearing the same outfit than Cassandra. It turns out to be a ghastly-looking woman named Frieborg.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Eugene and Cassandra's inability to work together leads directly to the Stabbington brothers being able to escape their jail cell. Bonus points that it happened by actually breaking something - namely, the jack they were supposed to use to pry their cell door open. It really didn't help that the brothers heard them from below on how to cobble together the device. Hilariously, they used it as a club to knock out a passing guard instead of what it was meant to be used for.
  • No Sympathy: Rapunzel traps Eugene and Cassandra in a jail cell, even though she of all people should know what it's like to be confined or imprisoned. She also has no sympathy for the royal tailor her father imprisoned in a stockade.
  • Oh, Crap!: Eugene knows he's tanked when the Stabbington Brothers show up wanting to skewer him.
  • Parental Abandonment: We find out Cassandra is adopted and never knew her parents.
  • Percussive Maintenance: The Stabbington Brothers overhear Eugene and Cassandra on how to put together the jack... and then use it to knock out a guard on patrol when he gets close to their cell and they reach for his keys rather than using it pry the door open.
  • Room Escape Game: Rapunzel's plan in a nutshell: She tricks Cassandra and Eugene to meet in the dungeon and lock them in. Rapunzel then reveals that a series of clues to where the key is hidden with purpose of the two learning to work together. A case of Shown Their Work as this can be considered a legit type of team-building exercise used in Real Life.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: When locked in the cell, Cassandra gives this to Eugene, then he in turn one-ups her beautifully with his own.
    Cassandra: You are nothing but a self-serving, inconsiderate, arrogant free-loader!
    Eugene: Uh! You know, I could rattle off insulting adjectives describing your personality, too, but to do so would imply that you actually have a personality and I just wouldn't feel right about doing that!

Top