It's the start of autumn in Nutwood, which means the Autumn Elves are hard at work changing the colors of the leaves, including one named Hugo... at least, he was, until he lost his magic bell — each elf carries one to make them invisible while they do their work. Unfortunately, Rupert quickly discovers it's been found by the last people on Earth you want to be invisible: Freddie and Ferdie Fox. The worst part? Because the two aren't elves, they’ll be invisible forever! Only the Elf King can help them, but a lot of strange things are going on with the Autumn Elves right now...
This episode provides examples of:
- Anything but That!: The Captain says this ver batim when the King demotes him to mist collecting duty.
- Bad Boss: The Elf Captain only gives Hugo a quarter of the usual gold dust supply and still expects him to do a better color job on the trees. That doesn't even get into him doing the Elf equivalent of Stealing from the Till and trying to kidnap the King for ransom.
- Bucket Booby-Trap: As Rupert predicted, Freddie and Ferdie try to pull this prank on him with a can of paint thanks to a staged eavesdrop. He pulls the door from the other side, dumping the paint all over them instead.
- Deadly Dodging: Not "deadly," but Rupert simply ducks when the Fox brothers throw plums at him, causing them to hit each other.
- Dispel Magic: Only the Elf King can reverse the bells' invisibility spell.
- Distressed Dude: The Elf King is kidnapped, Bound and Gagged.
- Double Take:
- Hugo spends several seconds talking with Rupert before it hits him that Rupert shouldn't be able to see him.
- Rupert has this reaction later:
Rupert: When will Freddie and Ferdie become visible again?Hugo: Never.Rupert: Well, it serves them... what do you mean?! - Expose the Villain, Get His Job: Hugo is promoted to Captain after he and Rupert expose the Captain as a thief and save the Elf King from him.
- Gold Fever: The Elf King namedrops the condition when referring to the Captain.
- Guile Hero: The Fox brothers may think they're the tricksters of Nutwood, but Rupert's in a whole other league.
- Hoist by His Own Petard:
- Rupert springs the twins' Bucket Booby-Trap on them.
- The Elf Captain threatens to demote Hugo to mist collecting if he doesn't manage to do a more elaborate display of coloring the trees despite a shortage of gold dust. The King agrees with Rupert that this would be suitable punishment for the Captain himself in the end.
- Inherently Funny Words: What's the magic password that undoes the bell's invisibility? Haberdashery.Rupert: That was the secret code word?Elf King: I change it every week. I pick words I like the sound of. Last week, it was "cabbages."
- Invisibility Cloak: The eponymous bell.
- Invisibility with Drawbacks: The twins eventually realize the ability to play more pranks on people more easily isn't worth making their mom angry because she thinks they're hiding or not being able to play with their friends.
- Invisible Jerkass: The Fox twins become this.
- Invisible Main Character: Despite knowing he's risking being invisible forever, Rupert rings the bell so he can sneak up on the villain in the climax to save the Elf King.
- Oh, Crap!: Rupert has this exact reaction when he realizes the Fox twins are invisible.Rupert: Oh, no, it can't be...
- Painting the Frost on Windows: The plot centers around the Autumn Elves coloring the leaves.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: The Elf King is a Benevolent Boss, the exact opposite of the Captain.
- See the Invisible:
- Rupert manages to trick the Fox twins into getting covered in paint so Hugo can get his bell back from them.
- Later, the Captain throws an invisible Rupert in a pile of gold dust.
- Shut Up and Save Me!: The Captain turns invisible, then drags the King away, still tied up.Hugo: (bowing) Your Majesty!King: Don't just stand there bowing and scraping! Stop this wicked elf!
- Sibling Seniority Squabble:Freddie: I'm the eldest!Ferdie: Only by three minutes!Freddie: Right — that makes me three minutes smarter!Ferdie: Doesn't!
- Staging the Eavesdrop: Rupert tricks Freddie and Ferdie out of Granny Goat's plum tree by having a very loud nearby conversation with her about how they're all currently infested with worms. Even after he gloats about it in front of the twins, they're dumb enough to fall for it a second time with the paint can.
- Stealing from the Till: The Elf King told Hugo there was a gold shortage so he could steal most of the gold dust Hugo was supposed to use on Nutwood's trees for himself.
- Villains Want Mercy: Even after everything they've put Rupert through, once the Fox brothers realize they don't want to be invisible forever, they beg Rupert for help.
- You Can See Me?:Hugo: But you can't see me! I'm invisible! Aren't I...?Rupert: No, you aren't.
