Recap / The Crystal Kingdom Chapter Three

"Hell yes he is! Elevators are sweet! Anybody who says differently can take a hike... to The Adventure Zone!"

— The Announcer

See here for the main recap page.

Having survived an encounter with their deadliest foe yet, our heroes take a moment to reflect on some of Faerûn's most prodigious scientific achievements. Later, the trio is forced into a deadly test of intellect, and you can probably guess how well that goes. Merle does some pest control. Magnus makes a token of friendship. Taako enjoys some "Taako time."

Tropes

• Corpsing: When Magnus selects the child difficulty, even through the voice modifier one can hear Griffin-as-Hodgepodge trying not to laugh.
• Creepy Cockroach: Three cockroaches emerge in the elevator museum. Two are squashed, but one gets away.
  • While going through Lucas's exhibit involving a Shrink Ray, Magnus and Merle re-encounter it proportionately much larger.
• The Elevator from Ipanema: Magnus starts humming "The Girl from Ipanema" as he enters the Elevator of Tomorrow.
• Elevator Gag: A bizarre version. Lucas's lab has an entire room called "The Magical World of Elevators"; a museum dedicated to the Miller family's long history of elevator-based scientific achievements.
• Merchandise-Driven: In-Universe, the popularity of elevators led to "Upsy, Your Magical Lifting Friend"; a cartoonish elevator who's the star of a kid's show with his own arch-nemesis, "Downzo".
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Taako refuses to get into the Elevator of Tomorrow.
  Taako: Well here’s my surprise: I’m not doing it. Listen, I’m done - Taako, that’s me, hi - I’m done with elevators. Never again.
  Lucas: Okay, well don’t say something you're gonna regret-
  Taako: Last time I was in an elevator, vines tried to eat my dick! I’m never getting in an elevator again, suck it!
• Super-Powered Robot Meter Maids: Hodge Podge the Buddy-Bot; a fun Pop Quiz-giving toy designed to educate children...
  • Flawed Prototype: ... but it also shoots out jets of fire when given an incorrect response.
• Take That, Audience!: The prevalence of elevators in this episode is the culmination of a long-running feud between Griffin, who has been seemingly obsessed with including elevators in his stories, and a vocal knot of fans who insisted they had no place in the fantasy world.