Production Code: 106
When he learns that the prize to the school's talent show is actually a magical chalice that Professor Rotwood is after, Jake is forced to enter the show in order to try and win it...even if that means competing against Spud.
Tropes
- All Part of the Show: The talent show judges and the audience (even Spud himself) think that the djinn and Jake (in dragon form) fighting on stage is part of Spud's illusion.
- Bait-and-Switch: When Lao Shi reads what Professor Rotwood knows about Taranushi's Chalice, he reacts by calling it such rubbish. Jake thinks he means the myth itself is fake. Turns out that's not so, Lao Shi was rather disgusted with the inaccurate information about the chalice.
- Black Comedy: Of all of Spud's previous failures at being a magician for the talent show, he tried to throw an ax at a target above Trixie's head. note Thankfully it was only a rubber ax, but Trixie still gets nightmares from it.
- Book Ends: The story begins and ends with a narration about Taranushi's Chalice.
- Chekhov's Gun: Spud's great-grandfather used to be a magician whose favorite catchphrase was a string of cryptic magic words. At first, it's brushed off as something he said whenever he was thrown off the stage. As it turns out, they're the missing magic words meant to seal the evil djinn back into the chalice.
- Contrived Coincidence: Taranushi's Chalice ends up in a school with the obsessed Professor Rotwood due to a million to one odds packing and shipping destination.
- Creepy Doll: Under the guise of a canine dummy, Trixie views Fu Dog as this.
- Crippling the Competition: Brad claims this is his specialty. Turns out, he's frighteningly effective at sabotaging the other contestants' efforts.
- Exact Words:Professor Rotwood: Twelve years! Twelve years of piano lessons?!?
Brad: Hey, I said I took 'em, I didn't say I was any good. - Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: At the end of the episode, Spud gives Jake the chalice in appreciation for valuing their friendship and dropping out of the talent show. But when Jake and Fu get back to the shop…Lao Shi: Now, let us put Taranushi's Chalice somewhere safe.
Jake and Fu Dog: …(pointing at each other) I thought you had it!
Jake: You had it when we left school!
Fu Dog: Well, you had it on the subway!
Jake and Fu Dog: THE SUBWAY!!! - Grail in the Garbage: The plot kicks off when Professor Rotwood discovers that the talent show trophy is actually Taranushi’s Chalice, an ancient artefact searched for by man and magical creature alike since ancient times.
- Here We Go Again!: At the end of the episode, Taranushi's Chalice is once again lost as Jake and Fu Dog misplaced it on the subway by accident. Whether they'll find it or not is anyone's guess.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Taranushi's Chalice contains an imprisoned evil djinn. If someone or something fills it over the brim with water, then the djinn escapes.
- Sweet and Sour Grapes: Jake forfeits the talent show on purpose so Spud can win the trophy he's so wanted. But as a token of their renewed friendship, Spud gives the trophy to Jake.
- Tempting Fate: Professor Rotwood was expecting to hear Brad play a "beautiful concerto". Instead, Brad plays the piano so horrendously that it's nothing short of a rude awakening for Rotwood.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Despite that he was supposed to support Spud in the Talent show, Jake auditions for it in order to keep Taranushi's Chalice (the trophy) away from Rotwood. Unaware of the context behind Jake's actions, Trixie calls out Jake on seemingly upending Spud's chance to win.
