Recap / The Adventures Of Puss In Boots S 04 E 13 The Bloodwolf

An Ancient Evil Awakens.

Directed by: Ben Juwono

Written by: Doug Langdale

San Lorenzo is under siege by a swarm of Bat-wolves. While they are extremely powerful and large in number, Puss thinks they can manage. Uli reveals that these creatures are merely avatars of the Bloodwolf, and the Bloodwolf himself has yet to appear.

The Bloodwolf soon makes his appearance, and immediately dominates the battle, subduing all of the Senior Puss Squad by feeding on their deepest fears, but for Dulcinea's sake, Puss refuses to give up.

Meanwhile, Dulcinea finds herself in a black and white version of San Lorenzo approached by shadowy copies of herself. They explain that they are a Tulpa named Orange; one of three magical spirits created by Sino to aid those in times of great crisis. Sino created the realm as a way to trap the Bloodwolf; by using a magic amulet the Chosen one can banish the Bloodwolf to the Realm of Shades and trap him there forever, but whoever does this will also be trapped there with him for all eternity.

Orange: Dulcinea, you don't have to do this. You can stay here and be safe.
Dulcinea: ...I'll do it.
Orange: Sino knew that you would, that's why you're the One.

Back in San Lorenzo, Puss gives everything he has fighting the Bloodwolf, but he doesn't even flinch from his attacks and Puss' rapier is broken as a result. When all seems lost, Dulcinea returns. She explains that she needs to get close enough to the Bloodwolf to touch him and get rid of him, and the town puts everything they have into one last attack to distract him long enough for her to activate the amulet, but before she can hit him, Uli blocks her and takes the amulet for himself.

Bloodwolf: And still, you try to please me, Uli. Have you learned nothing?
Uli: I have learned... to do good.

Uli touches the amulet to the Bloodwolf, and banishes the two of them to the Realm of Shadows. The Avatars of the Bloodwolf vanish, and the Bloodwolf statue underneath San Lorenzo begins to fall back into the ground. The day is saved, and the town celebrates in Dulcinea's honor.

Unnoticed amid the celebration, something else begins to climb out of the Netherworld portal.

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Tropes:

• Ancient Evil: The Bloodwolf himself.
  Bloodwolf: I am the source of all fear, I have existed since before time began, and after I am done with this world, fear will be the only thing left.
• Arc Words: During the battle with the Bloodwolf's forces, Cleevil asks Aretphius "Is it time?" She's asked this question of him the last time San Lorenzo was in a crisis, which begs the question; Time for what?
• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: For all the on again off again bickering between The Duchess and Artephius, the fact that Duchess' deepest fear is losing Artephius should say something.
• Barehanded Blade Block: The Bloodwolf very lazily parries most Puss' attacks with just one hand, a feat that is entirely unnecessary as even Puss' direct hits do nothing to him.
• The Big Damn Kiss: Or at least the cat equivalent, when the day is saved and everyone is celebrating, Puss and Dulcinea lovingly nuzzle each other.
• Big "NO!":
  • Puss relieving Dulcinea's death lets out a bigger no than he did when it actually happened.
  • The Bloodwolf lets one out when he realizes he's trapped for all eternity with Uli to entertain him.
• Crazy-Prepared: After banishing away the Bloodwolf, Great Mage Sino made preparations for the event that the Bloodwolf eventually escapes and he's no longer around to help. Given that it's revealed he made three Tulpa, he presumably also has measures in place to prevent other catastrophic events as well.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: The Senior Puss Squad vs. the Bloodwolf. Nothing they do really seems to do any damage, and when he decides he has had enough, he simply strikes them all down at once with a lightning attack.
• Darkest Hour: This comes immediately after Puss' rapier is broken and everyone is struck down by the Bloodwolf, driven further by the fact that this is also the point where the sun sets, bringing literal darkness.
  Bloodwolf: You have no chance, little cat. you are not the one.
  Puss in Boots: I know. The one is dead.
• Dark Is Not Evil: The ominously imposing black and white copies of Dulcinea with black eyes she's been having nightmares about aren't monsters at all, but a Tulpa created by Sino to aid the chosen one in defeating the Bloodwolf.
• Deflector Shields: As soon as The Chosen One arrives, the Bloodwolf wastes no time in attempting to kill her as soon as possible, but a magical barrier protects her (mostly) from his attacks.
• Disney Death: Dulcinea was not actually killed by the Obelisk of Night, but teleported to the Realm of Shades to receive aid in defeating the Bloodwolf.
• The Dog Bites Back: After Uli sends himself and his former master into the realm of Shades, he's more than happy to torment Bloodwolf with his his dancing.
• Evil Is Bigger: The Bloodwolf is extremely large, towering over almost everyone save for the Golem.
• Evil Is Not a Toy: As Uli finds out the hard way.
  Uli: It is I who summoned you back from the Netherworld, unt I who arranged the opening of the portal.
  Bloodwolf: [psychic strangles Uli] Yes. Yes, I can see in your mind, all you have done. And I should be... grateful?
  Uli: Oh, well, you know, I don't expect much. Maybe after you decimate the Earth I could rule over the wasteland as a mighty warlord? Nothing big.
  Bloodwolf: Hm... No.
• Face Your Fears: After resisting the Bloodwolf's fear power, Puss in Boots rallies the others into working past their fear and rejoining the fight.
  Puss in Boots: A wise lady once said to me, "Being brave does not mean that fears have you none, it means you face up to your fears and do what must be done".
• Foreshadowing:
  Dulcinea: I've never met a Tulpa before!
  Orange: [laughing] You never— You never met a Tulpa!
  Dulcinea: Why is that funny?
  Orange: Someday you'll find out.
• Genius Bonus: The Bloodwolf's powers don't fully awaken until sundown. Since his arrival was said to be on Walpurgisnacht, this makes sense as that is specifically a nighttime event (the name literally means "Walpurgis Night").
• Heroic Sacrifice: Orange gives Dulcinea an amulet that can defeat the Bloodwolf by sealing him away in the Realm of Shades for all eternity, but whoever uses it will also be trapped forever with him. However, it is Uli who makes that sacrifice.
• Identical Stranger: Orange never explains why she looks exactly like Dulcinea, she just does. There is an actual reason, but this won't be apparent until much later.
• I Know What You Fear: The Bloodwolf is the source of all fear, and as such he can feed on the fears of others;
  • El Guante Blanco — Growing old and shriveled.
  • The Duchess — Losing Artephius.
  • Sphinx — Losing her wings.
  • Golem — Being destroyed.
  • Goodsword — Rusting to dust.
  • Pajuna — Spiders.
  • Temeroso... is so scared he faints before the Bloodwolf can even do anything to him.
  • Puss in Boots — Dulcinea dying and Puss being powerless to do anything about it.
• Insistent Terminology: When Orange gifts Dulcinea the Amulet of Sino, she refers to it as a necklace causing a bit of an argument.
  Dulcinea: It looks like a necklace.
  Orange: Okay, but if you call it an amulet, it sounds more impressive.
• It Only Works Once: The Amulet of Sino is only good for one round trip out of the Realm of Shades, and then back into it with the Bloodwolf, presumably to prevent him from using it to try and escape.
• The Legions of Hell: The Bloodwolf's army consists of demonic Bat-Wolves.
• Me's a Crowd: Orange exists as many copies of Dulcinea at once. Although she usually just talks one at a time, there are several times where they will all talk in unison.
• No Ontological Inertia: Things relating to the Bloodwolf immediately disappear following his defeat. The only thing that doesn't is the Netherworld portal he climbed out of.
• No-Sell:
  • The Bloodwolf's attempt to feed on Puss in Boots' greatest fear fails because his fear is Dulcinea dying and as far as he knows, that's already happened; being subjected to visions of it doesn't terrify him, it strengthens his resolve instead.
  • Yet despite Puss' resolve, the Bloodwolf is completely unfazed by Puss' attacks, culminating in Puss landing a clean stab on the Bloodwolf, but his rapier blade snapping in half against him.
• Only the Pure of Heart: The qualifications of the Chosen One are further elaborated on; the Chosen One is a cat with a heart so pure, it knows no fear and is thus immune to the Bloodwolf's fear powers.
• Phantom Zone: The Realm of Shades is this; a pocket dimension created by Sino to serve as an alternate prison for the Bloodwolf in the event he ever escaped the Netherworld.
• Pillar of Light: In the Darkest Hour, Dulcinea brings the light back by arriving in San Lorenzo in one of these.
• Redemption Equals Death: More like Redemption Equals Separation from the Mortal Realm. Uli makes the ultimate sacrifice as a final act of atonement for all the betrayals he has caused everyone, by taking the activated amulet and sending Bloodwolf to the Realm of Shades.
  Uli: I'm sorry...
• Satanic Archetype: The Bloodwolf is a demonic creature with blood red eyes who will bring about The End of the World as We Know It to all mortals.
• Splash of Color: Dulcinea is the only thing inside the Realm of Shades that has color; when Uli and the Bloodwolf are sent there, they lose their color.
• Tailor-Made Prison: While the Netherwold is a common dimension to imprison things in, the Realm of Shades is a dimension that was created to serve as the sole prison of the Bloodwolf.
• Taking the Bullet: Uli appears to take the amulet to save the Bloodwolf from being banished, except he then uses it himself to save Dulcinea from being banished instead.
• Tulpa: Sino created three tulpa as a way to aid San Lorenzo after his death.
• Weird Moon: To compliment the blood red sunset, a large blood red moon begins to rise; the Blood Moon which heralds the full awakening of the Bloodwolf's power.
• Wrecked Weapon: Puss in Boots' rapier being broken is what finally sends Puss into the Despair Event Horizon.

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