Eventually, they will learn to live with each other's flaws and appreciate their strengths. But that sort of thing takes time. BUT... if you'd like to speed things along... this mood tonic will help.
— Xavier, referring to Rapunzel, Eugene and Cassandra's bickering.
An important negotiation with a neighboring country is coming up, and Rapunzel and friends have been placed in charge of the banquet. But their near-constant bickering has been hindering their efforts and stressing out everyone around them. Xavier convinces Pascal and Maximus to use a mood-altering potion to tone down their friends' excesses, but when they accidentally use too much, they'll have to find a way to get the three back to normal before the function is completely ruined.
This episode provides examples of:
- Bait-and-Switch: At the end of the episode, it looks like the Griffin of Pittsford is about to embark on a huge ship, but it turns out his personal vessel is a dingy that he sails in all by himself, blowing wind into the sails minute by minute. Quite ironic for a man with a huge ego.
- Breather Episode: Another one following the previous, though the ending takes us right to the next episode, which is where things get dark.
- Chekhov's Gunman: The big, scary looking man Cassandra let in while under the spell turned out to be able to keep the Captain at bay when things went out of hand.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Varian finding the bottle with a small amount of elixir, leading to the events of the next episode...
- Continuity Nod: Rapunzel comments how she didn't like the taste of the lemonade, a nod back to her comment in "Queen for a Day".
- Go Through Me: King Frederic manages to overcome the effects of the potion when Rapunzel claims that if he really wants to kill the Griffin of Pittsford, then he would have to kill her first.
- Heel Realization: Griffin of Pittsford comes to terms that his earlier attitude was horrible, especially when he came to make an alliance with Corona. This is thanks to Rapunzel (under the influence of mood potion) calling him out on it, even if it was rude.
- How We Got Here: The episode starts out with chaos in the ballroom, a belligerent King Frederic, and Rapunzel getting thrown in prison. Then the entire episode explains the chain of events that built up to that moment.
- In Medias Res: The episode starts on an ominous note with King Frederic throwing his daughter in prison, something he would not normally do.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Rapunzel (having turned Jerkass due to the effects of the potion) points out to the Griffin of Pittsford that he came to them for help and that his bad attitude is only going to cause him more grief. The next day, he freely admits this and thanks Rapunzel for the kick in the butt he needed.
- Kubrick Stare: Mood inverted Rapunzel takes to glaring at people from beneath her bangs. Once she is un-inverted, she does this again while challenging King Frederic to go through her.
- Meaningful Appearance: Rapunzel while she has her personality inverted, has her left eye hidden by her hair. It seems to symbolize how she now has gotten grumpy.
- Mirror Morality Machine: The potion acts like one to an extent, emphasizing personality traits that seem opposite to one's general behavior.
- Rapunzel is turned from her usual optimistic ball-of-sunshine self into a moody, Jerkass teenager with no social tact.
- Cassandra is turned from a cynical, stoic wet-blanket into The Pollyanna.
- The confident-to-the-point-of-arrogance Eugene is turned into an insecure nervous wreck.
- Normally, King Frederic is a ruler that tries to be cordial and ultimately wants peace. When under the effects of the potion, he pulls out his sword and declares war on the spot, having Rapunzel, Cassandra and Eugene locked in the dungeon when she tries to pacify the situation. While the king normally respects Rapunzel's sentimentality and her autonomy (to a point), under the effects of the potion he shames her for it.
- Queen Arianna is often polite and encouraging, so under the potion's effects, she boos at Rapunzel's attempts to mend her mistake with the Griffon of Pittsburg and then eats her cake with her hands.
- The mature Captain ends up acting like a bratty child, treating his sword fight like Cassandra as an over-confident boy would at a game and then complains that she is cheating when she fights dirty and then throws a tantrum when the thug from earlier steps in.
- Curiously, the Griffin of Pittsford acts exactly the same he usually does (rude and confrontational), this implying that his behavior really was just a front for his insecurities.
- Mood Whiplash: After the Wham Shot at the end, it cuts to the cheerful, happy closing theme.
- The Napoleon: The Griffin of Pittsford is abrasive beyond all reason, getting offended over the slightest thing. He is also ridiculously short, just barely coming up to the King's waist. Rapunzel (all social tact gone due to the potion) is quick to call him out on it.King Frederic: Your excellency, we are beyond delightedThe Griffin of Pittsford: "Beyond delighted." What is that supposed to mean? Like "surprised"? You think I wasn’t gonna show up? What do you take me for? Some kind of a jerk?King Frederic: Uh, n-no, I simply meant that—The Griffin of Pittsford: Or maybe you didn't think I could "get" here. Corona's not the only place that has horse and carriages, you know. Pittsford's got those things in spades!Rapunzel: Whoa. Insecure much, half-pint?
- No-Sell: The burly, unsavory man Cassandra let into the palace while guarding the front gate shows no evidence of being affected by the potion. He says he doesn't have personality.
- The End... Or Is It?: The episode ends with an ominous note as Varian finds the remains of the mood reversing potion.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: It's never elaborated how they got everyone else back to normal in a short period of time. That vapor was clearly enough for the effects to last long. If they got everyone to fight the potion like Rapunzel did with her father, that would've been really difficult to accomplish.
