[grunts in effort]
-[screams, grunts] -[snarling]
* *
-What about an invention
that washes dishes by itself?
No, that's impossible. [gasps]
Whoa.
A volcanic vent? Well, this is new.
-And dangerous. Hm. -[gurgling]
Curious. That ramp is new, too.
-[laughter] -So's that laughter...
[cheering]
ALL: Jump! Jump! Jump!
[laughter, playful shouting]
[gasps] Oh no.
[panting] Stop!
[laughter continues]
I said stop!
[growling]
And why am I still standing here?!
[high-pitched scream]
-Dad! We're trying to jump the fire hole,
and we almost hit you!
-Yeah! You really need to be more careful, Phil.
-But, why would you jump over a fire hole...
uh, a volcanic vent?
-Well, we've already played Catch,
Throw-Go-Nut, Stick Fruit.
-It was this or Thunk-a-pult.
-And I don't want to be a-pulted.
-I see.
What if I invented something equally fun,
yet less deadly for you to do?
Would you promise not to jump this vent?
-[hushed whispering] -[Sandy grunting]
-You've got until after lunch.
-Good. I thrive under pressure.
[panting]
-We're still jumping this, right?
-Of course.
From the top, Chunky!
[laughter, cheering]
* Let's live wild, the world's our own *
* We built this wheel now it's gunna roll *
* You know a spark becomes a fire wherever we go *
* Whoa-ho-ho *
* Stuck together, stuck, stuck together *
* It's an evolution for worse or for better *
* To find some unity *
* For all humanity *
* Because we're stuck together *
* In one big family tree *
-You wanted fun. I delivered it!
I call it the Betterman Ball-in-Cup!
The object? To get the ball in the cup, like so.
-Hup... Ah... -[clicking]
[triumphant]: Hm!
-This took you all morning. -Yes!
It may appear to be nothing more than a ball tied to a cup...
-It may, indeed.
-But it's also so much more.
[struggling grunts]
-This is a waste of time. I'm out.
-Try it again.
-[grunts] -[clicking]
-[giggles] This is the best thing I've ever done!
I'm in forever.
[grunting]
-[struggling grunts] -[ball clicking]
-What is that noise?
-[clicking, grunting] -A brilliant diversion, my dear.
Thanks to the Betterman Ball-in-Cup,
the children will no longer
be jumping over the farm's newly exposed volcanic vent.
-Wait, we have a volcanic vent?
-We do! It's quite dangerous, in fact.
But not to worry. I have solved the issue.
-Oh, good. So, you covered the vent.
-Better. I made the kids forget the vent exists
with my latest, greatest invention.
-It's a ball. Tied to a cup.
-Exactly. Its simplicity is its supremacy.
-Not really a solution, but okay. And since you're free,
I need you to get some burnips for dinner.
Burnips?
But every time I touch them, I burn myself.
-[screaming] -Phil,
you know how important dinner is to me.
Good music, good conversation, and good food.
It's what separates us from beasts.
And tonight, I'm making my sweet and smoky baked burnips
because everyone loves them, and I love that they love them.
So the least you can do is get me some burnips!
-What about some nice soothe-abagas
that don't singe skin instead?
-Burnips!
-It would be my pleasure, dear!
After all, who needs a sense of touch?
This won't be so bad,
thanks to these Betterman Blister Buffers!
-[ball clicking] -[all grunting]
-There has to be a trick to this.
What if we do it faster? [grunting]
-[faster grunting] -[faster clicking]
-There has to be a trick to this.
Maybe if I do it quickly, I won't feel the burn.
[sizzling]
-I feel the burn! [screaming] -[Dawn grunting]
I don't think faster is working!
What if we tried it slower?
That works for me when I do everything.
-[slow grunting] -[slow clicking]
-Okay. Faster isn't the answer. Perhaps slower is.
[sizzling]
Why did I think this would work?!
-[Phil screaming] -[grunting]
What if we close our eyes?
This can't get any worse, so sure.
-If I can't see it, it's not happening.
-[sizzling] -This isn't happening.
-It's happening! It's happening!
-[screaming] -Was that my dad?
Probably just the wind.
* *
-I just love all of us having dinner together.
It took me all day to make it, but it's worth it.
Kids, what did you do today?
[grunting, clicking]
-Well, first I woke up, but then I went back to sleep
'cause I was still tired. And then, I started to dream--
-Grug, you're not a kid. -I'm a kid at heart!
-Dawn? How about you? Eep?
-[grunting, clicking] -Guy? Or even Thunk, I guess.
Can everyone put their games down?
Unlikely.
The children find the Betterman Ball-in-Cup irresistible.
-And who can blame them? -Put the games down!
[all gasping]
-[chirping] -[resume playing]
Much better. Dawn, what did you do today?
-I played Ball-in-Cup. -Besides that.
-I talked to you before I went back to playing Ball-in-Cup.
-Hey! I love that game! -[grunts]
[annoyed grunt, sigh]
-Well, at least we still have music.
Wait, did the music stop?
-[chattering] -[ball clicking]
What is happening?!
-Well, we're sitting at a table having dinner,
and you're angry, and--
-Grug. -What? She asked.
-Hope, you just have to let this game play out.
The harder you fight it, the more they'll love it.
But if you just ignore it, the kids'll get bored,
and they'll drop it like a burnip.
I mean, it's a ball tied to a cup.
-Indeed. Its plainness is its pleasure.
-I know what will grab their attention.
Everyone's favorite and the treat I spent all day preparing.
-Sweet and smoky baked burnips! -[kids cheering]
See, Phil? Your burned skin was worth it.
-I don't think that's a burnips "woo," dear.
-It's in the cup!
Sash! Sash! Sash! Sash! Sash!
-It seems your meal is no match for my mastery.
-[angry grunting] -Easy, Hope! We've all been there.
-[sighs] Maybe Ugga's right.
Maybe this will all blow over in no time.
[both grunt]
[repeated grunting]
[straining]
[chickenseals clucking] [grunting]
[clucks]
Or maybe I'm right, and this game must be stopped.
But, maybe Phil's right.
I mean, no one's falling into the volcanic vent.
[hissing] Dawn?
-Almost got it.
-[annoyed grunts] -[clicking]
-Hm...
* *
-[annoyed grunts] -[clicking]
[hissing, gurgling]
Dawn? Dawn!
-Almost got it.
-[grunts] Dawn! -Do you know what just happened?
-Yes! I got the ball in the cup! -[chattering]
-I was definitely right. This game must die.
* *
-You up for cup? Then let's have a ball.
-HOPE: Phil! -[yelps] Hope!
I'm glad you're here.
I was just testing out my latest stroke of genius.
The Ball-in-Cup caddy, for the player on the go.
-Phil, our daughter almost walked into that volcanic vent
because she was playing your stupid game!
So, I want you to get rid of that game and cover that hole!
-Mm, too easy. -I've got a better idea.
-[panting] -What? What's the idea?!
Ugga, you were wrong. The kids are still playing Ball-in-Cup.
So now what? So now, I gotta get this ball in this cup.
-You too?!
-Ugh, there's gotta be a trick to this thing!
It seems so simple, but it's so hard.
-Don't you see this game is putting
everything we love in jeopardy? Even dinner!
-Yeah, yeah, but have you tried this game? It's pretty amazing.
-It's not amazing. It almost killed Dawn!
She was so busy playing the game,
she almost fell into a volcanic vent!
-Yeah, I've been thinking about that problem.
-You have? -Uh-huh.
That's why I'm turning my memory cave
into a Ball-in-Cup cave.
Here's the plan. These are the beanbag chairs,
this is the papaynapple juice bar,
and this is the Ball-in-Cup repair station,
where you can get new balls, cups, or vines.
-HOPE: What's that? -UGGA: That's supposed to be a lava lamp,
but I don't think it's gonna work because lava.
Now when the kids play, they'll be in here,
so there won't be any danger. Except for that lava lamp.
-This is the exact opposite of what we need to do.
-I did it! I got the ball in the cup!
-[cheering] -I guess I'm on my own.
* *
-[clicking] -[overlapping grunting, muttering]
-Yes! Finally!
-Greatest feeling in the world, right?
-Nothing even comes close.
-[click] -[gasps] It's in the cup!
It's in the cup! It's in the cup!
[cheering]
-[Gran groaning] -[cheering stops]
-Gran! What happened? -[groaning]
-Well, I was playing, uh...
-What's it called, Hope? -Ball-in-Cup.
-Right! Cup Ball.
And I wasn't looking where I was going,
and I tripped and fell into a...
-What'd I fall into? -A bearacuda cave.
-What?! You can't fall into a cave! You mean a pit?
-What's going on here?
-Well, Braids here promised me some ribs
if I pretended to get hurt playing Bowls-and-Plates.
-Ball-in-Cup! -Whatever! The point is
don't play Bells-and-Crust or you'll die. Now, gimme my ribs!
-[annoyed grunt] -While I wait for my grub,
what's that fliddledinger you got there?
-Ball-in-Cup. Wanna play?
[growls]
-[grunting] -[clicking]
-Gran's got game! How you like me now, Brawl-and-Cuddle?
-[grunting] -[clicking]
-Fresh-baked straw-peary pies, anyone?
-Ooh! Ooh! Me!
-Great. All you have to do
is hand over your Ball-in-Cup games.
-DAWN: Uh... -ALL: Okay!
-Really? Well, I'm glad I finally convinced all of you
that you're better off without that game.
-Honestly, it's not you. It's the game.
-Yeah, we've been playing it all day. We're kinda over it.
-Works for me. Let's celebrate with some pie.
[cheering]
* *
-[chomp] Mm!
This pie is way better than Ball-in-Cup.
-But is it better than newBall-in-Cup?
I present Ball-in-Cup Red!
[dramatic fanfare]
[gasping]
-[cheering] -GUY: Red?
Whoa! That's a game changer!
-Yeah! It's like a whole new game!
-I call the red one. -They're all red.
-Including mine. -[cheering]
-[gasps] Is that straw-peary pie? Can I have some?
-[Hope grunts] -Ah!
[Ball-in-Cup clicking]
-DAWN: Woo! -[sighs]
-[clicking continues] -[kids laughing, cheering]
* *
-THUNK: Got one! -[Hope grumbles]
[clicking, grunting continue]
[Hope growls]
-[silence] -[birds chirping]
Ah!
-[kids cheering] -[clattering]
[growls]
[clicking, cheering continue]
-[Phil snoring] -[Dawn sighs]
-[grumbles] -THUNK: Winner-winner, chickenseal dinner!
[sleep grunting]
* *
[snoring]
[whimpering]
-[snoring] -Ew.
Mm... Mm!
[sips]
* *
-Where are they? -Where are what, dear?
-Our Ball-in-Cup games! They're missing,
and we know you hate them. So, did you take them?
-Yes, because those games were turning you into mindless,
aimless do-nothing sloths.
[snoring]
-Give them back, Mom! -Never.
-What are we supposed to do if we can't play Ball-In-Cup?
-I don't know! Run, swim,
play Throw-Go-Nut, go zipvining,
sit on a rock and watch the grass wave in the wind.
Anything!
-Ooh! Wavy grass! I'm in.
[high-pitched vocalizing]
-She's right. We can do anything!
[laughter]
-I guess all of us were the balls,
and you pulled us out of the cups. Thanks, Mom.
-That's what moms do.
* *
-Hope, my Ball-in-Cup holder is missing,
as are all of my Ball-in-Cup games. Have you seen them?
-Yes, because I took them,
and I'm going to destroy them
as soon as I'm done with my bitter leaf juice.
-What? Why?
-I did it for you, Phil.
Ball-in-Cup is beneath you.
Your talents were being wasted.
Now, you're free to apply your mind
towards an invention worthy of your brilliance.
-Hm. It's true. I am brilliant,
and now, I can refocus the full power of my mind
on a dilemma for the ages. What would you say
to an invention that washes dishes by itself?
-I'd say it's long overdue.
But first, why don't you focus the full power of your mind
on helping me prepare for tonight's dinner?
We're going to do it right this time,
and I'm going to need more burnips.
[gasps]
[crackling]
Ball-in-Cup? More like Ball-in-Cup-in-fire.
Hm. Must've dropped this one.
Still have no idea how anyone could become
so consumed with this ridiculous game.
All you have to do is get the ball in the cup.
[grunts, sighs]
[grunts] Hm...
[annoyed grumbling]
Come on, ball! Get! In! That! Cup!
-And then we went cave exploring, and it was awesome!
-I figured out a way to tell stalactites and stalagmites apart!
Ha! Stalactites go up and...
Or is that stalagmites? Oh...
-I learned how to whistle.
[shrieking]
[quiet coughing]
That's a whistle, right?
-And I watched window all day!
Yeah. I was shocked, too.
-Guess we don't need a Ball-in-Cup cave now.
-Nope. But, we do need a man cave.
-Grug, we have a man cave.
-[scoffs] Not a good one. So, who's with me?
[duckcrickets chirping]
Okay! Just me and the duckcrickets.
-Where is Hope? She's never missed dinner before,
especially since she makes it.
-Sorry I'm late. Burning all the Ball-in-Cups
took longer than I thought. Ha, ha, ha!
But I'm here now, so let's do this!
Guy, how was your day?
-Well, it was actually pretty-- -Ah! Hold that thought.
Almost forgot the burnips. I'll be right back!
* *
Come on!
-Where are the burnips? -What burnips?
Oh! Right. I'll be right back.
[grunting, growls]
So, where were we?
-You were getting the burnips. -Of course. Be right back.
-I'm going to check on Hope and those burnips.
I did not lose all feeling in both hands for nothing.
[frustrated grunting]
-Hope! What are you doing? -[Hope gasps]
-Oh! Uh, looking for the burnips.
Oh. And here they are. Always in the last place you look.
-[nervous laugh] -Stars above!
-Is that Ball-in-Cup?! -What?
How did that get here?
I thought I destroyed all of them.
I must have missed this one.
-I'll go take care of it right now.
-And miss dinner? Don't be absurd.
I'll dispose of this work of art,
and then our lives will be free of Ball-in-Cup forever.
-Hey... Get off! [struggling]
-[grunts] Hey! I can feel my hands again!
[gasps] And they burn! [screaming]
[snoring]
* *
[groans]
[slowly rotating]
* *
-[clicking] -HOPE: [grunting] One more!
Gah!
[Phil snoring]
[growls]
I need to get the ball into the cup,
but all the ball and cups are gone.
What do I do? What do I do?
Get ahold of yourself, Hope!
A cup of bitter leaf juice will calm you down.
Wait! A cup!
[high-pitched vocalizing]
[birds chirping]
* *
[yawns]
-Hm. The cups are gone. -Tell me about it.
[slurps, sighs]
And I thought drinking stuff was hard before.
[slurps]
-This won't do. We must find those cups at once.
You and I are going to turn this tree house upside down,
searching every nook and cranny until we do.
-Good idea! I'll check the couch,
and youcheck, everywhere else. -The couch?
[laughs] Oh yeah. The couch is
like quicksand for missing stuff.
* *
-Occupado! -[screams]
[chomp]
-[shudders] Yes.
-You take the couch. -Okay, couch!
What precious secrets are you hiding today?
[giggling]
-[imitating announcer]: Guy is unstoppable! Blah!
Rarely do you see such mastery of Throw-Go-Nut.
This is Guy's time, Guy's moment--
-EEP: Guy? -Ah! Oh.
Eep. Dawn?
Whatever you think you saw, I wasn't doing it.
Did you find a throw-go-nut?
-Sorry, Guy-baby. No throw-go-nut today.
-What? Why not? -All the throw-go-nut balls are gone.
-All the beach balls are gone, too.
-And the meatballs. The meatballs!
-Wait, you wanted to play catch with a meatball?
-Uh, yeah.
Catch with my mouth.
-Well, they've gotta be around here somewhere.
Balls don't just disappear!
-So, let's spread out and find them.
I mean, how far could they have gone?
Well, they do roll, so...
-Ball hunt!
[blowing conch]
[all panting]
* *
-No balls here. -Or here.
-Yep! Definitely no balls here.
-But there's plenty of lobstingrays. Ah!
[grumbling]
-Ugh. No cups here.
Just a bunch of Grug's half-eaten straw-pearries.
Ugh! Ugh!
So sticky...
-Cup?
* *
[grunting]
-No balls, but I found plenty of rocks.
-I found some teeth! -Those are mine!
-And I found another lobstingray. Ah!
-[sighs] Not a cup in sight!
Just a collection of Guy's doomed invention ideas!
A person reclining while sitting?
Ridiculous... [laughs]
A person breathing underwater?
Absurd... Ugh.
A person flying. It'll never happen!
Ugh. Ah...
Still sticky... Ugh!
[birds chirping]
-Cup?
-No balls here. -Or here.
-Or here.
-And no lobstingrays either.
Ah! How?!
-Ah, no cups in Eep's room either!
[grunting, sighs]
But now, I have a pillow hand.
-[gasps] Yes! I found a cup!
-[grunts] -Paws off, Log-bump!
Find your own place to hide your teeth! [grunts]
PHIL: Well, I've returned empty-handed,
in a manner of speaking, which means the cup is half-empty.
Or it would be if we had any cups.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but, Thunk,
all our cup hopes now rest with you.
-Sorry, Phil. No cups in here.
Just a bunch of teeth and some old banana chips.
[crunch] Oh! No. Those are teeth, too.
-[gulp] -GUY: Hey, Phil?
You seen any rubber balls around here?
-Or throw-go-nut balls?
-Or beach balls? -Or meatballs?
Tell me you know where the meatballs are!
-[groans] Why are you looking for balls?
-Because they're all gone. -Wait.
The cups andthe balls are gone?
Do you know what this means?
-Yeah. The cups and balls are gone.
-[sighs] Yes, but that's no coincidence.
Because the balls are connected to the cups.
-Just like Ball-in-Cup!
-Precisely. And who hates Ball-in-Cup
more than anyone?
-Ball? No wait. Cup. Definitely cup.
-No! Hope!
-[Hope yelling] -Huh?
-[Hope struggling] -[all panting]
-Hope! What are you doing? -[clicking]
-I'm trying... [grunts]
to get the ball... [grunts]
into the cup!
-You're playing Ball-in-Cup?
I don't understand.
I thought you hated it.
-I did! But then, I made the mistake of trying it,
and now, I can't stop!
And when you destroyed the last Ball-in-Cup,
I had to improvise! [grunts]
But I'm going to get a ball into a cup
if it's the last thing I do!
-[grunting] -Uh-oh. Dad?
-Mom's lost it. -You're right.
If we don't snap her out of it, she'll descend into a dark
Ball-in-Cup abyss. [clears throat]
-[Hope grunting] -Hope...
-Not now, Phil! -[Phil screams, grunts]
[groans, grunts]
-Perhaps if you step away and clear your head,
you'll see things differently.
You might even be able to get thatball
into the cup.
* *
-Yeah, good idea.
Maybe a Ball-in-Cup breather is just what I need.
-Good. So, give me the cup.
Or the ball. Either one. Or both.
-I can't! I have to get
the ball into the cup, and no one can stop me!
[Phil gasps]
-[Hope panting] -After her!
-[all panting] -Ball chase!
[blows conch]
-[panting] -Hope!
You can't run away from Ball-in-Cup,
and not just because
-you're carrying all those balls and cups. -[grunting, clicking]
-Why is she carrying all those balls and cups?
[grunts]
[all yelling]
-Ow... That's why.
-Mom?!
-Ha! You're no match for Ball-in-Cup!
And now, I'm free to devote
my life to getting a ball into a cup!
[pained groaning]
* *
[sad grumbling]
-Oh no. What have I become?
-[water flowing] -[animals chirping]
-Mm, those burnips really hit the spot.
And then burned the spot to ashes.
-It sure is nice to have you back, dear. [slurps]
-And it's nice to have our cups back, too. -[kids laughing]
-And the kids love having all the balls back.
[laughter]
-[grunts] -Woo! Do the sports!
-I'm just glad it's over,
and even though I never experienced the thrill
of getting the ball in the cup,
-those dark days are behind me. -DAWN: I'm open!
I'm open!
-Phil! You didn't cover the vent?
Dawn! Behind you!
* *
-[Guy panting] -Ah! Oh...
[panting, grunting]
[both grunt]
[shouts]
[dramatic music]
-[grunting] -Honey! Are you okay?
-Yeah. Thanks, Mom.
-Hope! That was amazing!
-How did you do that?! -I don't know.
I saw Dawn in danger, and I just reacted.
-Of course, you did, because that's what moms do.
-You know what else moms do?
They get the ball in the cup!
Woo!
* *