As we thought.
This technology is pathetic.
Greetings, Marcy!
I mean, the Core.
I mean, Mar-Core?
Okay, what do I call you?
Hmm. Good question, big guy.
Uh, why don’t you call us Darcy?
Darcy?
Yeah! You know, like Dark Marcy.
It’s a reference to one of Marcy’s favorite video games.
We searched her memories, and the name appeals to us.
- So, is Marcy in there? Or... - No, no, no.
This is her body, but we got her locked in a little room up here.
We’re the ones in control.
Although we’ve inherited some of her quirks.
Speaking of which, here are those cupcakes you asked for.
Red velvet with ube frosting.
Marcy’s fave!
We can’t tell you how delighted we are to finally have a body.
Now, then. Follow us!
We have a very important mission for you.
This thing needs some calibration.
So we need to purge our system of some excess data.
Redundant memories, that sort of thing.
This requires a full system reboot. And you’re the only one we trust to--
Andrias?
Hmm. Maybe we’re not the only ones who need to let go of old memories.
Nonsense! The past means nothing to me.
I’m disappointed, Barrel.
Shouldn’t a Newtopian guard always be aware of his surroundings?
Shouldn’t Amphibia royalty know never to put a toad in a headlock?
Ha ha!
Another victory for Barrel!
Oh, yeah. Leif left a note for you.
But it’s blank, so I don’t know why she even bothered.
Blank to you perhaps.
Leif and I came up with a way to leave secret messages for each other.
She’s in the garden. Come on. Let’s go!
Hey, Leif! How’s it going?
Shh. I have just perfected a dance that mesmerizes any creature that watches.
Behold.
- Uh, what? - See?
Even the strangest interdimensional animals love it.
That was weird. Anyone else just black out?
Brilliant! Classic Leif.
Aw, thanks, Drias.
Say, uh, what ya got there?
Oh, I almost forgot. Your surprise.
- Ta-da! - Whoa!
An official portrait of us.
It looks just like us.
Whoa, that’s a huge honor.
What’s the occasion?
Dad’s appointed me to lead the next invasion.
- Say what? - Score!
And I never would have made it this far without you guys.
Thank you. I mean it.
Aw, thank you, Drias.
Now, what are we standing around for? We gotta celebrate.
May I suggest running through the hallways,
screaming at the top of our lungs?
Sounds good to me. Let’s go!
Ah, there you are, Son.
Come with me. We have much to discuss.
We’ll catch up with you later, Drias!
Sorry, guys. Gotta do prince stuff.
Don’t you think it’s time to say goodbye to those childhood friends of yours, Son?
What? Why?
Because you’re about to become king.
It won’t be long before those two start asking for favors.
Using you.
No, Leif and Barrel would never do that. Our friendship is true.
Friendship doesn’t last, Son.
Now let me show you something that does.
Behold, the Core!
It contains the combined memories of our greatest minds.
Including your ancestors.
Uh, hello.
With the Core by your side, you will need no friends.
Now, about your mission.
We’ll be invading a medieval world called Earth.
You must exterminate the savages there
so that we can mine their planet for its resources.
What? Wipe out a whole race?
Doesn’t that seem a little extreme?
Invading other worlds is expensive, and we need all the resources we can get.
For our way of life to continue, this kind of work needs to be done.
The key to the music box?
- But then I’m-- - Officially in charge.
Now, make me proud, Son.
Yes, of course, Father.
Ooh!
- Ooh. - Whoa.
And this is where the magic happens. Literally.
- Wow! - Whoa.
So it’s already official?
It’s not announced yet, but yeah.
Then I bet you’d get in big trouble if anything happened to this, huh?
Okay, guys, come on.
It’s important!
- Leif! You okay? - What happened?
I-- I saw something.
Andrias, if you go through with this mission,
if we continue to use the box, I think Amphibia is doomed.
I-- I think the music box was giving me a warning.
As a gardener, I know the dangers of messing with a fragile ecosystem.
And I believe by interfering with other dimensions,
we have upset the ecosystem of the multiverse.
We have to stop using the box.
But how will we invade?
Mmm.
Nonsense! You sound like those cowardly Olms.
You speak of fate and warnings, but the stones are our sacred birthright.
They are unique to our world and proof that only we are destined to conquer.
But, Y-Your Majesty--
Silence!
The expedition will continue as planned with the prince presiding.
This council is adjourned.
Thank you for hearing her out, Father.
No. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Now we know the gardener is a traitor.
Wait! What? No, Father. She’s not a traitor.
She’s just worried.
Are you certain?
You’ve had that key less than a day and suddenly your friend wants to dictate
how we use the most powerful object in the world.
I warned you about this.
It won’t be long before I join the Core, Son.
Our people will be counting on you.
Well, that didn’t go great.
Yeah, sorry.
But that’s okay. You’re in charge.
You can just decide not to use the box.
It’s not that simple, Leif.
Our society is built on these expeditions.
Look, I know it won’t be easy, but we have your back.
See? Together we can use your power for good.
Look, Leif, maybe you should just focus on gardening
and leave the ruling to me, okay?
Ooh.
Ouch.
Sorry. That was harsh.
I’m just under a lot of pressure right now, you know?
For sure. No, I get it. Friends?
Friends.
Any orders for the portal operation tomorrow, Your Highness?
Don’t ask me. Andrias is calling the shots tomorrow.
Show them the key, Son.
Hmm? Oh, yes. Of course.
Um... Be right back.
Huh?
Leif, what are you doing?
If you won’t stop this, I will.
Don’t!
Wait! No!
Huh?
Hey! What’s the ruckus?
Leif has betrayed us.
What? She would never do that.
I saw it with my own eyes.
Come on! We gotta find her before she does something crazy.
She’s heading for the armory! I’ll cut her off!
Stop right there, Leif. Don’t make me do this.
Barrel, please trust me.
What I do, I do for all of us.
Geez, Leif. I-I don’t know.
- Hey! Get back here! - Leif!
You had a chance to stop her. What happened?
- She confused me. - Come on!
Come on, girl. Let’s get outta here.
That came from the garden.
Leif.
Leif!
We must find the Olms. They’ll know what to do.
I’m sorry, my friend. This thing can’t stay in Amphibia.
The worst has come to pass. The box has left this world.
It is lost and with it, our legacy.
I promise you I will do everything in my power to right this wrong.
There is nothing you can do, Son.
Our way of life is ruined.
Mmm.
I see. According to the Olm prophecy, the box will return.
When and how is impossible to calculate, so we will wait.
We will bury and preserve our glorious civilization,
until our birthright has returned to us.
And only then can you begin to redeem yourself.
That slippery little frog has ruined everything!
Her and her kind will need to be kept in line.
And as for you, you failed me as well.
I’m having you reassigned.
You will travel to the outskirts and defend the villages.
Now, get out of my sight.
Your Highness.
We have your back. Together we can use your power for good.
All right. You did it!
Gold star for you, bud.
But now that that’s taken care of,
who’s ready to finally start invading Earth?
Ready? After a thousand years, I’ve thought of nothing else.
Why, Son, I think I’m almost proud of you.