Rapunzel and Cassandra investigate mysterious stories of Gothel's ghost haunting Cass's childhood home. Unfortunately, all this is part of yet another plot by an even more malevolent force.
Tropes in this episode:
- All Take and No Give: Flashbacks via mirrors reveal that Gothel forced Cassandra (who was four at most) to do all the household chores, which includes cooking, while giving her little to nothing in return.
- Armor-Piercing Question: Rapunzel tries to get through to Cass with a question concerning Gothel:Rapunzel: Cassandra, do you really think that woman cared about anyone but herself?
- The Bad Guy Wins: Zhan Tiri is successful in keeping Rapunzel and Cassandra from reconciling, having hidden and thrown away a shard of the mirror that had Gothel professing her love for young Cassandra and giving her a music box. The shard showed what happened immediately afterwards.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Cassandra's response to Rapunzel while she's trying to explain what Gothel is really like is reminiscent of siblings from an abusive household (not actually far from the truth), especially how deep down Cassandra resented being under Rapunzel's shadow, and then feeling like Gothel favored the latter over her.Rapunzel: She wasn't exactly the nurturing type...when she was around that is
Cassandra: Funny, she was never around for me...I wonder why.
Rapunzel: It's not like I asked to be taken from my parents by a madwoman, and all Gothel ever wanted from me was my hair. She didn't love me, she didn't love either of us. Cass, the only good thing Gothel ever did was bring us together.
Cassandra: The only good thing?! You really think this is a good thing?!
Rapunzel: It was...
Cassandra: For you, maybe. - Downer Ending: As a result of Zhan Tiri being able to hide the truth from Cassandra, she comes to believe Rapunzel hid from her the memory of Gothel loving her and turns against her former best friend once more.
- Enemy Mine: Rapunzel proposes a temporary truce to Cassandra, who (eventually) begrudgingly accepts. It doesn't help them make amends, though.
- Frame-Up: The Enchanted Girl places a broken mirror in Rapunzel's bag, which displays a flashback of Gothel giving young Cassandra her music box to remind her of Gothel's own motherly love. Once she sees it, Cassandra believes Rapunzel did know that Gothel loved her, prompting her to sever ties with her former best friend once more. Satisfied, the Enchanted Girl happily throws away the mirror's remaining shard, which has Gothel revealing that the music box was only to occupy Cassandra, and calling her biological daughter a "lousy little pest".
- Hope Spot: It appears that Rapunzel and Cassandra are on their way to becoming friends again, but further manipulations by Zhan Tiri drive them apart, and any leftover goodness in Cassandra has been extinguished by jealousy and ambition.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk:
- Zhan Tiri arrives at the Demanitus Chamber seemingly to lament. She then immediately revels in the fact that he's lost and further announces her plans to drive Cassandra and Rapunzel apart so she can steal the power of the Sundrop and Moonstone for herself.
- A rather nasty case occurs with Gothel. Zhan Tiri places a broken mirror in Rapunzel's bag, which Cassandra later examines. The memory shows Gothel giving Cassandra her music box and telling her the tune is a reminder of Gothel's love towards her. Just when it seems like this is a Pet the Dog moment for Gothel towards her biological daughter, the mirror's remaining shard (thrown away by Zhan Tiri) displays what happened after that: Gothel said to herself the music box was only meant to keep Cassandra occupied, and coldly referred to her as a "lousy little pest".
- Minimalist Cast: The only named characters that make an appearance in this episode are Rapunzel, Pascal, Cassandra, Zhan Tiri, and a village boy named Seth (Gothel doesn't count due to not physically appearing in the present).
- Murder by Inaction: The episode ends with Cassandra leaving Rapunzel trapped in the cave with poison gas. Rapunzel survives thanks to Pascal's quick thinking but Cassandra's intent is pretty clear.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Rapunzel tries to reason with Cassandra that she understands what it's like to have been mistreated and abused by Gothel, something no one else will ever stake claim to.
- Psychological Projection: Cassandra can't comprehend Rapunzel not having the same burning need to know she was loved by Gothel she does, which results in her false interpretation of the mirror in Rapunzel's satchel.
- Red Herring: Initially, it seemed like Gothel's ghost had returned to haunt Cassandra's childhood home. This is later proven to be false, though we do get flashbacks of Gothel through mirrors that show events of the past.
- The Unfavorite: Cassandra during her conversation with Rapunzel in Gothel's old sanctum feels like she was this to her biological mother, and her further divide from Rapunzel is spurred by believing how Gothel had a shred of affection for her, but then preferred Rapunzel over her.
- Unwitting Pawn: Zhan Tiri continues to play Cassandra like a fiddle, manipulating her against Rapunzel so she can steal the powers of both the Sundrop and Moonstone for herself during the upcoming eclipse.
