Soon after, Polly shouts from the rooftop of the fwagon that they've arrived at the city, as Anne and Plantars then make their way towards the gates. When Anne shouts for someone to let them in, a newt slides a hatch open above them and informs them they can't enter because Newtopia's closed. After questioned again, the newt replies they won't let any outsiders through the walls until the Barbari-Ant infestation is dealt with. Suddenly, one of the ants erupts from the ground and begins attacking Sprig, as the family manages to fend it off by throwing Hop Pop towards it and using his croak throat to knock it away. The Barbari-ant then retreats and scurries back into the large hole it came from.
Unfortunately, their celebration is cut short when more Barbari-ants begin digging out of the ground and circling around Anne and the Plantars. Suddenly, bags of oil are tossed around the Plantars and Anne, as someone on top of the Newtopian gates shoots a fire arrow that ignites the oil to catch fire, causing all of the Barbari-ants to retreat. The hooded figure shoots an arrow with a rope attached to it onto the fwagon's wheel, and zips down towards Anne and the Plantars using a hook. Unfortunately midway the rope snaps, causing them to faceplant into the shallow water.
Once back up on their feet, their savior opens up a notebook and begins jotting down ideas to make the rope stronger, as Anne recognizes the being to be none other than Marcy. Overjoyed, Anne cries tears of joy having found one another after so long and the two hug it out. After showing her new look and weapon to Anne, Marcy then states she's become a lot stronger herself, believing to no longer be the clumsy girl Anne once knew. Ironically Anne then points out that her cloak is on fire, unknowingly to Marcy and they put it out, before Anne introduces Marcy to the Plantars. Marcy then excitedly introduces herself to the family, as she even deduces that they're from Frog Valley judging from Hop Pop's cranium and soil attached to him.
After complimenting Hop Pop on his status as a farmer, Marcy begins to examine Polly, and reveals to the pollywog that her legs will likely grow out of her in two months. Marcy then introduces herself to Sprig, but Sprig instead greets her with a skeptical look. When Anne asks about where she's been, Marcy informs her that she had actually warped right inside the city of Newtopia, where she managed to become well acquainted with them after realizing the newts were similar to a race known as "sephilons" she learned about while playing a video game known as Creatures and Caverns.
Furthermore, she then states that after doing some work for the newts, she eventually became the chief ranger of the Newtopian knight guard. Anne asks Marcy if she can get them inside Newtopia, but unfortunately she can't let them in until the Barbari-ant invasion is dealt with, but luckily she has a plan and leads them away. At a nearby tent, a group of newts are creating a strategy to deal with the Barbari-ants, but they end up disagreeing profusely with each other's ideas. Soon after, Marcy enters the tent and introduces the newts to Anne and the Plantars. While the newts admit they haven't agreed yet on a specific plan, Marcy assures them she has a plan of her own. She explains to everyone that with the weather warming up, the Barbari-ants have been sending scouts deeper into the lines of Newtopia, as she believes an entire invasion is inevitable to happen any time now.
Marcy then adds that the King has requested from her to stop the Barbari-ants before they transform Newtopia into their own personal anthill. While Sprig is suspicious of Marcy's role with working for the king, Anne is surprised that Amphibia even has a king which Hop Pop confirms. Marcy then proceeds to state the plan, which is to sneak into the hills of the Barbari-ants and drive the queen away from their lair to force the rest of them to retreat with her. When Sprig questions how they'll manage to pull that off, Marcy shows everyone a belt equipped with stinkshrooms, a special fungus that let out toxic pheromones which are capable of driving the ants away.
Anne then begins to point out the dangers of the mission, especially when knowing they'll inevitably have to fight through some of the colony to get to the queen. This leads Anne to suggesting she and the Plantars take care of the mission instead due to both their experience in dealing with dangerous creatures and Marcy's clumsiness, but Marcy assures Anne that she'll be fine just as Anne points out her burning cape again. Once Anne and Marcy exit the tent, Sprig shows his discontent with trusting Marcy due to their previous battle against Sasha and her toad army. He then suggests they keep an eye on Marcy, but Hop Pop and Polly believe him to be overreacting, angering Sprig as they leave the tent and catch up to Anne and Marcy.
As the group enters the cave to the queen, Sprig instead decides to express his suspicions with Bessie telling her to go get help if they aren't back after a few hours, but that also proves to be a hopeless attempt. As the group then make their way deep into the caves, Anne begins to grow concerns for Marcy's clumsiness, having nearly fallen through a couple holes if not for Anne's assistance. Suddenly, a Barbari-ant begins attacking Sprig, as Anne and the Plantars begin fending off reinforcements. Meanwhile, Marcy notices a plant and begins analyzing it, mixing it via a beaker of various chemicals which she had brought with her.
This creates an explosive formula, allowing everyone to escape when Marcy blows a hole through a nearby wall by tossing the beaker at it. Once through, Marcy throws an insta-vine potion which automatically begins growing vines in front of the wall to keep any more Barbari-ants from chasing after them. Unbeknownst to her, Marcy had accidentally trapped Polly on the other side after realizing she never made it through the hole, causing everyone to rip apart the vines to let her through. Luckily Marcy manages to throw another insta-vine potion at the wall just before the Barbari-ants arrive again.
As the group continues on into the cave, with Sprig still remaining suspicious of Marcy and Hop Pop enjoying his talk with Marcy about the vegetables he grows, the group then covers behind a nearby rock after Marcy realizes they have made it to the queen's room. Marcy then explains that they all need to plant the stinkshrooms around the room to ensure the queen is affected by it, while informing them the queen lacks good eyesight, but her hearing is phenomenal. Marcy then states that the pheromones from the stinkshrooms will be released after 5 minutes so they would need to work quickly.
As everyone begins getting to work, Anne soon pushes Marcy out of the way from a nearby falling rock, as they manage to stay out of sight from the queen by hiding behind the rock itself. Annoyed by this, Marcy states she was about to move out of the way on her own, but Anne disagrees, believing she needs to make sure Marcy stays out of danger just like back home. Marcy reminds Anne though that they're not back home now, and she's managed to take care of herself up until now with the Newts. Meanwhile as Sprig continues to plant the stinkshrooms, a nearby Barbari-ant egg suddenly cracks open and begins attacking Sprig, causing him to shout out and alert the queen.
The Queen then lunges at Sprig and eats him whole, before screeching and calling even more Barbari-ants to arrive. Marcy then points out that Sprig is still alive since Barbari-ants take longer periods of time to digest their food, as she then proceeds to go save him but Anne stops her once more. Anne asks her to stay put and that she could save Sprig instead, but Marcy reminds her that she's the most knowledgeable with Barbari-ant biology and therefore most fit for the job, but Anne continues to be persistent while believing she can still do it in her place.
Frustrated, Marcy demands to know why she won't let her do it, to which Anne tearfully admits she had just gotten Marcy back, and she doesn't want to lose her again. Marcy promises Anne she can do it, and Anne puts her faith in her as she proceeds to bounce her way towards the queen on the Barbari-ants' backs, knowing they have incredibly bouncy bodies. Once Marcy is also eaten by the queen, she manages to make her throw up both her and Sprig, with Marcy now having gained Sprig's trust. Marcy then shoots an arrow at a nearby rock to swing them safely to the ground, but the queen instantly slices the rope, causing them to crash to the ground as they're once again surrounded by the ants.
Luckily, the stinkshrooms begin to go off in the nick of time, causing the queen and the rest of the Barbari-ants to flee from the group as they tunnel way from Newtopian grounds. While making their way out of the caves to avoid breathing in the toxic air themselves, Marcy thanks Anne for having her back, but Anne believes she didn't need it after all, now convinced she really has changed just as the Plantars point out that once again her cape's on fire. Once the group is out of the cave, Sprig apologizes to Marcy for his prior suspicions of her, with Marcy just being glad he's okay since she's learned how much he means to Anne.
Suddenly, the gates to Newtopia begin to finally open, as Marcy, Polly and Sprig proceed to rush inside. Anne then points out to Hop Pop how well Marcy seems to have managed to adapt to Amphibia, believing this to be the happiest she's ever seen her, as Hop Pop explains how it's always impressive to see the full potential people have. The group then makes their way through the streets of Newtopia, where they are then approached by a group of guards escorting a royal of Newtopia, Lady Olivia. She informs Marcy that the king sends his greetings while asking about the status of the mission, as Marcy then shows her a severed Barbari-ant head to prove to her the mission was a success.
Marcy then introduces Olivia to Anne and the Plantars, as Olivia welcomes them to the city of Newtopia while informing them to not touch anything important looking. Simultaneously, Sprig is then seen playing on top of a nearby statue, but his weight causes one of the arms to fall off, leaving Olivia frustrated but still composed. Once Olivia leaves, Sprig begins asking numerous questions to Marcy about her and Anne, but Hop Pop instead suggests they begin unpacking the fwagon while giving Anne and Marcy some time to catch up together. Later in front of a nearby fountain, Anne and Marcy both point out they've had no luck on finding a way home.
Anne then admits she's spent so much time thinking about finding Marcy, she's not actually sure what her plan is now. Marcy then suggests they go find Sasha, but Anne informs her that she already had, only they didn't depart from one another on a good note and with a fight instead, and now she's unsure of her current location. Marcy states that even if they found a way home, it would all be for nothing if Sasha wasn't with them, as she also admits she's unsure of what to do since Sasha was always the one who came up with the decisions. Anne then believes they should now begin making their own decisions, with her and Marcy declaring to each other that together they'll find Sasha and find a way home.
Marcy then wishes from Anne to know about everything that's happened to her up until this point, as Anne begins showing her all the photos on her phone of all the adventures and creatures she and the Plantars have faced up until now. Meanwhile, a mysterious character watches Anne and Marcy within his castle from afar, as he then walks over to a chess-like board surrounded with other pieces. He then states that the pieces are beginning to fall into place, as he places a figure similar in appearance to Anne beside another figure with a similar appearance to Marcy, while declaring that "it's time for the game to begin".
Tropes:
- Affectionate Nickname: Anne calls Marcy "Mar Mar" or "Marbles," while Marcy calls her "Anna Banana."
- Asian and Nerdy: The flashbacks show how desperately nerdy Marcy is, from her gaming while in class to trying to get her friends into a Dungeons & Dragons knockoff. In the present day, she always makes notes about things she learns in Amphibia as she learns them.
- Awesomeness by Analysis: Part of what has made Marcy such an effective defender of Newtopia is her extensively researching all threats.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: The barbari-ants are monstrous, horse-sized ants. A swarm of them have laid siege to Newtopia.
- Big Damn Heroes:
- Just as the ants have the family cornered, several bags of pitch are thrown around the fwagon (along with a flaming arrow to light them), cutting the insects off. Turns out the Plantars' savior is none other than Marcy.
- Another example happens towards the end, where Marcy jumps down the throat of the Queen Barbari-ant to save Sprig before he is digested.
- Big Damn Reunion: After spending about three months worrying about Marcy, Anne tears up and tackles her upon seeing her at Newtopia, pulling Marcy into a hug she happily returns.
- Both Sides Have a Point: With the conflict of the episode being that Anne still tries to protect Marcy despite Marcy showing herself to be far more competent and doesn't need it anymore, it's easy to see both sides of the argument. On Anne's side, she's had to protect Marcy from her own clumsiness her entire life, and they are now in an infinitely more dangerous world. Not to mention that Marcy still shows signs of that same clumsiness. On Marcy's side, she has clearly taken to this life quite well and can point to the months that she's been surviving without Anne's help as proof of that.
- Call-Back:
- Chekhov's Skill: Marcy holds Polly up to the light in order to see her organs through her skin. She's able to show Sprig is still alive inside the Queen Barbar-iant the same way.
- Conversational Troping: Marcy admits herself a big fan of the Found Family trope when she meets the Plantars and figures out they're this for Anne.
- Discussed Trope: Seconds after reuniting with Anne, Marcy is quick to notice the Plantars and is utterly enraptured in how they've served as a Found Family for Anne that's looked after her for all this time. She even remarks about it being a Favorite Trope of hers!Marcy: "Are they your surrogate frog family? Did they find you and take you in? Argh!!! I love the Found Family trope!"
- The Dreaded: The Barbari-ants are feared by the inhabitants of Newtopia, so they close the city off from them, especially outsiders such as the Plantar family.
- Epic Fail: Somehow Marcy’s cape is burning a third time, even when there wasn’t any fire around.
- Establishing Character Moment: In this episode, Anne describes Marcy as an harmless, smart, but extremely oblivious and clumsy nerd. In Newtopia, she has Took a Level in Badass, as she’s King Andrias’s most loyal strategist and a good archer, although she keeps her clumsiness and obliviousness.
- Extra-Long Episode: The first episode of Season 2 to be 22 minutes long, and the first such episode after "Reunion".
- Eye Twitch: Lady Olivia reacts to Sprig accidentally breaking off a statue's arm with this.
- Failed Attempt at Drama: Marcy slides down the cable she shot from her crossbow to meet the Plantars. However, the rope breaks before she can reach them, causing her to faceplant in the water.
- Foreshadowing:
- Polly notices burrowed holes outside Newtopia's gates. When Hop Pop tells her not to pay them any mind, she lampshades how they're probably going to come back to the topic later. These are the holes that the barbari-ants crawl out of.
- Marcy hypothesizes that Polly’s legs will start growing in about two months. Given that the one-month journey to Newtopia was covered in only a few episodes, this implies it will at least happen before the season's end.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Similar to Anne's blue eyes in "Anne or Beast?", Marcy's eyes somehow turn green during the scene where she's just rescued Sprig.
- The Glomp: Anne does this to Marcy when they reunite.
- Hypocritical Humor: Sprig says "That must be horrible" after hearing how clumsy Marcy is, then immediately proceeds to fail at drinking a glass of water.
- Improperly Paranoid: Sprig hasn't forgotten about Sasha after meeting her in "Reunion." Because of that encounter, he becomes immediately suspicious and distrustful of Marcy, believing she'll turn on the family the moment they enter the barbari-ants' hive. Ultimately, he changes his tune when he is rescued by Marcy.
- Juggling Loaded Guns: Marcy excitedly says "This is real!" as she points her loaded crossbow at Anne's face. Anne nervously pushes it aside and Marcy immediately realizes her mistake.
- No One Gets Left Behind: Marcy insists that she and Anne can't go home until they find Sasha and reunite with her. Since Anne didn't exactly tell her that Sasha went evil and tried to kill the Plantars, this is a problem.
- Not Hyperbole: When Marcy asks Sprig if his skin color means that he's poisonous, Sprig threateningly replies, "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not"... then clarifies that he legitimately isn't sure.
- If You Die, I Call Your Stuff: When Marcy jumps into the Queen Barbari-ant to save Spirg and it doesn't look like she'll come out, Polly claims "Dibs on the crossbrow!".
- Reckless Gun Usage: Trying to show off her armed-mounted crossbow, Marcy shoves the business end of it right in Anne's face who understandably is a bit uncomfortable about that.
- Running Gag:
- Marcy's cloak catching on fire.Marcy: [the final time] Oh, come on! There wasn't even any fire this time!
- Sprig getting captured by the ants.Sprig: [getting covered in green goo and dragged away by the ants] Why me!!? Why always meeeeeeee!!!?
- Marcy's cloak catching on fire.
- Shout-Out:
- Flashbacks show Marcy playing a handheld console that closely resembles a Nintendo Switch.
- In the human world, Marcy tried to get Anne and Sasha into a game called "Creatures and Caverns", a nod to the Dungeons & Dragons franchise.
- Slobs vs. Snobs: Briefly shown during Hop-Pop's interactions with the Newtopian strategists. When he asks if they're coming on the mission, they deny it, scoffingly referring to it as "field work". This drives an indignant Hop-Pop to bring up his career as a farmer, which is all about field work.
- Stalker Shot: While Anne shows Marcy photos of her adventures, the camera zooms out to reveal King Andrias watching them from the castle, revealing he has plans for both of them for an upcoming "game".
- Stink Bomb: Marcy's plan to get rid of the barbari-ants is to fill their hive with "stink-shrooms", which will create a smell bad enough that they will leave and never return. Anne and the Plantars think it actually smells nice, but Molly mentions that prolonged exposure to it will dissolve one's insides.
- Suspicion Aesop: Sprig is suspicious of Marcy when she first appears, as Anne's other friend Sasha was a notoriously toxic influence—and the fact that Marcy's high status with the King seems too good to be true doesn't help. By the end of the episode, when Marcy saves the Plantars from Barbari-ants and leads them straight to Newtopia, Sprig realizes his suspicions are unwarranted.
- Suddenly Voiced: After having a voiceless role in a flashback in the first season, Marcy finally speaks in this episode.
- Swallowed Whole: The Queen Barbari-ant swallows Sprig whole. Marcy jumps in after him and gets the queen to vomit them both out.
- Take a Third Option: One of the Newtopian strategists wants to make a frontal assault against the barbari-ants, another wants to make a sneak attack, and the third wants to learn to communicate with them and broker a peace treaty, which the first two disregard as nonsense. Marcy ends up taking a forth option, driving away the ants with stink-bombs.
- Tempting Fate: Sprig scoffs at the idea of Newtopia being closed off due to "a few little ants". Cue a barbari-ant tackling him from behind.Sprig: Big ant! Really big ant!
- This Is Gonna Suck: Sprig’s annoyed reaction when one Barbari-ant hatches, before it attacks him.
- Took a Level in Badass: Back on Earth, Marcy was a clumsy, oblivious, and somewhat nerdy girl who didn't mind her surroundings and spent most of her time distracted by video games and fantasy role-playing games. By the time Anne and the Plantars meet her, she is a fierce, gutsy, and formidable warrior who is Chief of the Newtopian Knight Guard. (However, she still has her oblivious moments.) She even points out to Anne that she's "levelled up."
- Trailers Always Spoil: Before this episode was announced, the Season 2 trailer revealed a clip where Marcy is introduced.
- Triumphant Reprise: The scene where Anne and Marcy reunite is accompanied by a heartwarming acoustic version of the end credits theme.
- Unexplained Recovery: In the hive, a barbari-ant drags Sprig off into the darkness, only for him to pop up with the group moments later with no explanation beyond him kicking the one who captured him in the face.
- Unseen No More: As the title suggests, Marcy finally makes her long awaited debut.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Marcy gets mad at Anne when the latter's need to constantly save her nearly spoils her plan against the Barbari-Ant Queen. She complains that she's not the same helpless klutz she was back home, and Anne needs to stop seeing her that way. For her part, Anne admits that part of her over-protectiveness is not wanting her friend to get hurt after just reuniting.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Said word by word by Sprig when one Barbari-ant egg hatches right in front of him.
