Platinius: Yes.
Office Temp: And you are the assistant?
Platinius: Yes.
Office Temp: And it isn't the other way around because...?
Platinius: Well, it's kind of our shtick. For the love of your Celestia, please ruin it.
The second book in the Daring Do franchise originated by A.K. Yearling, Daring Do and the Griffin's Goblet is notable for a large number of firsts, including the introductions to numerous recurring characters - Derring Do, Storm Talon, Tabula Rasa, Bravado, Ambassador Hawkwings and Deputy Platinius - as well as launching plot threads that would be continued in later books. It is also the first book to open on one of Daring's classes, as would soon become the pattern.
Short Summary
Daring Do is hired to track down a mystical goblet; her search leading her to discover a conspiracy that reaches all the way into her past.
In addition to the returning main cast of Sapphire Stone, the Applewood film adaptation stars Agister Jolie as Derring, Equestria Furrera as Tabula Rasa, Samuel L Hawkson as Storm Talon, William Featherton as Ambassador Hawkwings, John Barrowmane as Bravado, Gary Birdshoff as Deputy Platinius, Clawrence Fishburne as Copperbeak and Henily Van Cage as Nimbusbeak. Shia La Buck makes a one-scene appearance as Herpy.
Daring Do and the Griffon's Goblet contains examples of:
- Ascended Extra: Daring briefly stops to talk to Herpy, a somewhat silly, but surprisingly competent Page for the University. Herpy was previously mentioned in passing in Sapphire Stone, and his mispelled name earned him a lot of popularity, though his appearance here led to lasting controversy
. - Ambadassador: Platinius quickly establishes himself as such: in addition to his diplomatic prowess, he also takes on Copperbeak and his ninja minions in claw-to-claw combat.
- "Ass" in Ambassador: Ambassador Hawkwings, a rude, obnoxious and outright abusive guy who only really got his job via nepotism, and who only avoids a righteous beating by the Dos by claiming it could create a serious international incident. At which point Professor Storm Talon casually walks by and smacks him over the head with his prosthetic tail.
- Badass Family: The first time the Do siblings are portrayed as such.
- Cluster B-Bomb: Storm Talon, especially when ranting at Hawkwings.
- Conservation of Ninjutsu: Lampshaded: "Why is it the less of you there are, the harder you get?!"
- Cool Airship: Storm Talon's last command, The Storm's Vengeance, a Tiger-Hawk class aerial dreadnought, makes a brief appearance.
- Daring Escape: Trope Namer, of course.
- Daring Hat Roll: The Trope Namer. Appears for the first time.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Bravado turns up for a single chapter in which he is perusing his own adventure that has nothing to do with Daring's current one at the Summit. He helps Daring get the key needed to steal back the eponymous Goblet from Ahuizotl's minion in exchange for helping him get his hoofs on a satchel of unknown contents.
- Expy: Platinius is Mane Retief in a less comic setting.
- Gambit Pileup: Holy horseapples. Daring wants to get the Goblet for a museum,Ahuizotl is playing Hawkwings like a string bass in order to take over Sieyrie Lione Platinius is desperately improvising to prevent an international incident, Nimbusbeak wants revenge on Hawkwings for backstabbing her for a promotion, and Copperbeak's Nightwings are stirring the pot everywhere.
- Highly-Visible Ninja: Defied, at least in Copperbeak's case. "If he dressed like that, you'd know he was a ninja."
- Hijacked by Ganon: The reveal that Ahuizotl is manipulating Hawkwings and the Night Wings.
- Mr. Exposition: Professor Storm Talon to Daring.
- Multi Wielding: When fighting Platinius, Copperbeak wields a weapon in both talons, his tail, and his wings.
- Ninja: The Night Wings.
- Off Hoof Back Hoof: Professor Storm Talon nailing Ambassador Hawkwings with his with his prosthetic tail while casually walking by him.
- Parental Abandonment / Disappeared Dad: Daren Do's disappearance is mentioned for the first time, in a conversation between Daring and Storm. She then finds out that he's alive.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Storm Talon gives one to Hawkwings for being a useless, obstructionist, ungracious jerk.
- Red Pony, Blue Pony: Ambassador Hawkwings and Platinius.
- Smug Snake: Hawkwings' only real defense against retribution for his behavior is the threat of firing and blacklisting for his own employees, or diplomatic fallout against Equestrians. Storm Talon fell under neither of these categories and proceeded to give him a much deserved smacking.
