Recap / Fraggle Rock S 2 E 9 Sir Hubris And The Gorgs

"You're shorter than you look in your picture."

Finding a tunnel leading into the Gorgs' castle, Gobo overhears the Gorgs' story about Sir Hubris, whose return demands that the Gorgs leave forever. Inspired, Gobo gets his friends to help him disguise themselves as Sir Hubris and trick the Gorgs into going away. But the Gorgs begin picking all the vegetables to take with them and plan to throw the Trash Heap into the well (the Fraggle Pond). Gobo, as Sir Hubris, tries to tell the Gorgs they don't need to leave after all, to no avail. The Fraggles show the Gorgs it was a trick and run back home.

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This episode contains examples of:

• Bad Vibrations: When Gobo is walking through the tunnel, the walls begin to shake. It turns out to be Junior, jumping up and down with excitement over the fact that Ma's about to read a story.
  Pa: [after pieces of the ceiling land on his head] Ohhh, gadzooks, lad! You'll bring down the ramparts!
• Be Careful What You Wish For: Gobo comes up with a plan to make the Gorgs leave forever so the Fraggles can gather food without fear of being trapped or thumped. When the plan works, Red and Gobo see the Gorgs start to pick all the vegetables to take with them, and all the seeds as well. On top of that, the Gorgs plan to destroy the well by throwing the Trash Heap down it and blocking it up with cement.
• Big Storm Episode: There's a thunderstorm in Doc's part of Outer Space.
• Bluff Worked Too Well: Since the Gorgs believe Sir Hubris has returned, they think that they have to leave forever—even when, after the plan backfires, Gobo tries to tell them he's just passing through and they don't need to leave after all.
  Pa: Ah, forsooth, Sir Hubris, would that we could... uh, stay, that is. But our fate is clear from the legend. You gave your crown to good King Gorgus, and now that you have returned, it is yours once again. We must leave our kingdom. Future of our history is stated in our legend. [Sets his crown upon the ground.] And after all, a legend is a legend.
• Bold Explorer: Gobo mentions the joys of being one.
  Gobo: What a great card from Uncle Matt! It sure is great being an explorer.
• Character Name and the Noun Phrase: The episode's title.
• Character Portrait: According to legend, Sir Hubris, having a desire to wander the universe, left his crown to Gorgus the Great, who became the first Gorg king. When Gobo is listening to Ma read the story, he notices a portrait of a short figure in a full-length brown cloak that includes a face-concealing hood, standing next to a Gorg who wears a crown.
• Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are: Gobo, as Sir Hubris, says this to call the Gorgs back so can he reveal the Fraggles' trick.
  Gobo: Gorgs! I wish to speak with you, Gorgs. Come out, come out, wherever you are!
• Comically Missing the Point: Wembley does this after the Fraggles reveal their trick to the Gorgs, then start running for their lives.
  Wembley: Hey, Gobo, what's gonna happen when the real Sir Hubris shows up?
  Gobo: Not now, Wembley, not now...!
• Continuity Nod:
  • Wembley talks about Poison Cacklers, which were mentioned by Boober in "The Beast of Bluerock."
  • Aretha, a cave creature Gobo encountered in the episode "Gobo's Discovery," meets up with him again. Her name is a shout-out to Aretha Franklin.
• Didn't Think This Through:
  • The Fraggles hadn't stopped to think that the Gorgs might take all the vegetables with them when going away.
  • They also didn't stop to think who would take care of the garden if the Gorgs left.
• Distinction Without a Difference: Gobo does this when telling Wembley about the tunnel he found into the Gorgs' castle.
  Gobo: So there they were, Wembley. A room full of Gorgs!
  Wembley: Wow!
  Gobo: I had actually found another way into their cave!
  Wembley: So that's when you ran.
  Gobo: Wembley, will you quit that! I didn't run. I escaped.
• The Ditherer: Gobo is going exploring and asks Wembley which tunnel he should take, but Wembley keeps changing his mind about what each one might lead to.
  Gobo: Wembley, why do I bother? Wembley, I'm going that way! [Walks off.]
  Wembley: Good old Gobo. There goes one Fraggle who can make up his mind!
• Doom It Yourself: Doc's roof is leaking, so he decides to fix it himself, despite Sprocket's objections. He winds up putting his foot through the roof, making the leak a hole, and has to be rescued by Shimmelfinney.
• Dramatic Unmask: When "Sir Hubris" returns for the second time and can't convince the Gorgs to stay...
  Gobo: [as Sir Hubris] Before you leave, there is one thing that I must show you.
  Junior: Oh, goody! I love surprises.
  [The cloak opens to reveal the Fraggle Five in a Totem Pole Trench.]
  All the of Fraggles: Fooled you!
  [Ma faints as the Fraggles make a run for it.]
• Eek, a Mouse!!: Ma has this reaction on seeing Gobo in the castle.
• Exact Eavesdropping:
  • Gobo finds the tunnel into the Gorgs' castle just in time to overhear Ma reading the legend of Sir Hubris to Pa and Junior.
  • Later, after the trick fools the Gorgs, Red and Gobo stick around long enough to overhear the Gorgs discussing what's going to happen to the radishes and the Trash Heap.
• Failed a Spot Check: After being mistaken for a trick-or-treater and given a lollipop, Uncle Matt tries to eat it without taking off the plastic wrap.
• Faint in Shock: Ma has a type 8 when the Fraggles reveal their trick.
• Fake Aristocrat: The Fraggles disguise themselves as Sir Hubris, former King of the Universe.
• Fake Identity Baggage: The Fraggles' trick fools the Gorgs, who begin preparing to leave forever—but they plan to take all the vegetables and seeds with them and throw the Trash Heap down the well.
• Finishing Each Other's Sentences: Red finishes Gobo's when they realize their plan has backfired.
  Gobo: Oh, no! The Trash Heap...
  Red: ...will end up in the Fraggle Pond!
• Forced from Their Home: Invoked by the Fraggles, then subverted. They disguise themselves as Sir Hubris to get the Gorgs to leave. When the plan backfires, they show the Gorgs it was a trick.
• For Halloween, I Am Going as Myself: Uncle Matt does this unintentionally when he's mistaken for a trick-or-treater.
• Gone Horribly Right: The Fraggles' trick nearly ends up causing the Gorgs to get rid of the Fraggles' food source.
• Halloween Episode: The Fraggles themselves don't celebrate Halloween, but the plot of pretending to be Sir Hubris in order to spook the Gorgs fits in nicely, although its original broadcast was during February. In addition, during the "postcard" segment, Uncle Matt encounters trick-or-treaters on Halloween night—one of whom is wearing a Kermit the Frog costume—and is himself mistaken for a trick-or-treater and given a lollipop.
  Uncle Matt: It's amazing what can happen when someone thinks you are something that you're not!
• Help, I'm Stuck!: Doc, while trying to fix the roof, accidentally puts his foot through it and gets stuck. Sprocket wakes Shimmelfinney, who helps Doc down.
• Humans Are Ugly: Uncle Matt has described Silly Creatures this way, thinking this is why the trick-or-treaters have disguised themselves.
  Gobo: [reading postcard "As I've told you, Silly Creatures are some of the ugliest things in the universe."
  Wembley: As ugly as Gorgs?
  Uncle Matt: [voiceover] Though not as ugly as Gorgs.
• Inelegant Blubbering: Ma and Junior do this when they think they'll have to leave their home forever.
  Ma: In sooth, our reign is over here! [Starts to bawl.]
  Pa: Ohhh, there, there, my dear...!
  Junior: Was it something I said?
  Pa: Oh, don't be a dunderhead, dunderhead! Now that Sir Hubris is back, we'll have to leave the castle forever!
  [Ma starts to cry harder.]
  Junior: My radishes! Ohhh, no...! [Starts to bawl himself.]
• I've Heard of That — What Is It?: A variation on this trope occurs when Pa suggests that Ma read them the legend of Sir Hubris.
  Junior: [jumping up and down] Sir Hubris? Oh, I love that legend, Daddy! I love it, I love it, I love it!
  [Another piece of the ceiling lands on Pa's head.]
  Pa: Ohhh, you never even heard it!
• Layman's Terms:
  • Pa uses these when Junior interrupts Ma's reading of the legend of Sir Hubris.
    Ma: [reading aloud] "Now, Sir Hubris was not a Gorg. In sooth, he was only half the height of a Gorg, and not even a hand width in girth."
    Junior: What does that mean?
    Pa: He was short and skinny. Now, keep still!
  • Combined with Comically Missing the Point, as commonly seen with Wembley.
    Mokey: If they leave, we Fraggles will become extinct!
    Wembley: Yeah, and we won't be around anymore either!
• Masquerading As the Unseen: The Fraggles disguise themselves as Sir Hubris, who left long before Pa, Ma, and Junior were born. The legend about him gives no clue as to what he looks like, except to say that he was not a Gorg and that he was short and skinny.
• Massage of Love: Mokey and Wembley give one to Boober, whose legs are killing him after being at the bottom of the Totem Pole Trench.
• Melancholy Musical Number: "Doom Dee Doom (March Alone)," sung by the Gorgs as they prepare to leave the castle.
• Must Make Amends: After learning their plan has backfired, the Fraggles again dress up as Sir Hubris, then go back to the Gorgs to try to convince them to stay.
• My God, What Have I Done?: The Fraggles, on learning their plan has backfired.
• Odd Reaction Out:
  Ma: [dropping a curtsy] We are honored by your presence once again, Sir Hubris.
  Gobo: Thanks.
  Pa: Hail, worthy knight.
  Gobo: And hail to you all.
  [Ma nudges Junior, who just turns away.]
• Offered the Crown: Sir Hubris left his crown to Gorgus the Great, who became the first Gorg king.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • The Gorgs, when they see the fake Sir Hubris and think they'll have to leave.
  • Red and Gobo, on learning the plan has backfired.
• Oh, No... Not Again!: Boober says this when he hears he's got to be part of the Totem Pole Trench again.
• Plank Gag: While Pa is telling Junior about what kings do and don't do, Red and Mokey are trying to sneak by with some radishes, and Junior tries to thump them with a rake, accidentally hitting his father. Pa ducks out of the way the second time, but on the third try, Junior knocks him out cold.
  Junior: Oh, no! Pa! Oh, I didn't mean to!
• Please, Don't Leave Me: When Pa reminds Junior he'll be gone someday (meaning Junior will assume the mantle of King), Junior misunderstands and tearfully pleads with his father not to leave. This leads to Pa's telling him that kings don't cry.
  Pa: Now, Junior, that's what I'm talking about! Lesson One: kings don't cry.
  Junior: They don't?
• Rake Take: Pa isn't the only one who falls victim to the rake. Junior, while picking radishes, accidentally steps on the rake, which hits him in the nose.
• Rightful King Returns: The Gorgs think this has happened when the Fraggles show up disguised as Sir Hubris.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Defied with Pa, and discussed when Junior attempts to thump Red and Mokey.
  Pa: Another thing kings don't do is go thumping Fraggles.
  Junior: But they steal my radishes!
  Pa: A king commands one of his subjects to thump the Fraggles, then.
  Junior: Oh.
  Pa: A king would never thump a Fraggle himself!
  Junior: Well then, I've got a question, Pa.
  Pa: Well, that's good. Ask questions. Go ahead.
  Junior: Do I have any subjects?
  Pa: Uh... as a matter of fact... uh... no. Well, not yet, anyway.
  Junior: Well, in that case... FRAGGLES! [He swings a rake at Red and Mokey, who dodge away in the nick of time.]
• Secret Underground Passage: Gobo discovers one leading from the Rock into the Gorgs' castle.
• Staircase Tumble: At night, just before "Sir Hubris" arrives, Junior is keeping watch from the castle belfry, then falls down the ladder leading to it.
  Ma: Be careful, Junior!
  Junior: Rest easy, Ma. Your favorite son is in control!
  [He laughs. A moment later, a loud crash is heard as he plummets to the ground floor.]
• The Talk: Ma tells Pa it's time to have The Talk with Junior. Also subverted, as this Talk is not about "the facts of life," but about what Junior needs to know to rule the universe.
  Junior: [disappointed] Oh, this is that talk!
• Talking to Plants: Junior talks to the radishes while picking them.
  Junior: [tearfully] Ohhh, I'm so sorry, darling radishes. I hate to wake you. But we have to go away! It's not my fault. I just can't leave without you. Now, hold still... [He pulls one up.] Plucked before your time.
• Talking Your Way Out: Subverted, after the plan backfires. Gobo, as Sir Hubris, tells the Gorgs he's just passing through and that they don't need to leave after all, but the Gorgs insist that the legend says they have to. With every other option exhausted, the only one left is the truth.
• Thrown Down a Well: What the Gorgs plan to do to the Trash Heap: throw her down the well, then block it up with cement.
  Pa: [to Junior] Before we go, I want you to destroy that well! Can't leave anything for the... uh... enemy.
• Tipped Off by the Tail: Boober's tail sticks out from under the cloak, but the Gorgs don't notice.
• Totem Pole Trench: The Fraggles do this so they can masquerade as Sir Hubris. Their costume consists of a full-length brown cloak that includes a face-concealing hood. The only giveaway is Boober's tail, which the Gorgs don't notice.
• Verbal Backspace: Gobo does this when Junior greets him, thinking he and his friends are Sir Hubris.
  Junior: [kneeling before the disguised Fraggles] Oh, Sir Hubris! You returned!
  Gobo: I... I have? I... I mean... [in a deeper voice] Yes, at long last!
• Walking the Earth:
  • Sir Hubris left his crown to Gorgus the Great because he had a desire to wander the universe.
  • The Gorgs, if Sir Hubris returns.
• Wanderlust Song: "Only Way Home," sung by Gobo and Aretha.

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