Good night, my sweet Dira.
Dream of wonderful things.
I forgot Luna on the front porch.
I cannot sleep without her.
How could we forget our favorite doll?
Have no fear. Your father will go rescue her.
Hello?
Yes, Ms. Vanderhouven,
I was told you're looking for someone who knows the region.
Of course. I will meet you at the airstrip then.
Bye now.
All packed. Ready to go.
I don't know if that's the best idea for you to come along.
Not this time.
Sure it is.
I got my toothbrush, my board and a bunch of bananas for the monkeys.
No way! You are not going without us.
Kids, trust me, you're safer here.
We know you're a super mom and all, but even you can't do it alone.
I appreciate you both wanting to help,
but I'm not dragging you halfway across the world
into who knows what.
You've already been put into too much danger.
Mom, we're in danger no matter where we go,
here or in the jungle.
If we don't make right by this artifact and save Dad,
we're next, remember?
Yeah, we're part of this. And I really don't wanna turn to stone.
You know what? I guess you're right.
You can come.
We may be a weird, cursed family, but we are a family nonetheless.
Keep the blanket down.
Headphones?
After some research,
I learned that lower primates are calmed by soothing music.
You may laugh, but it really seems to respond to smooth jazz.
It wasn't easy.
It really didn't want to wear them at first.
But we wore him down.
Make sure Linda is fed on time. Two flies and one cricket.
Do not worry about a thing.
We'll keep an eye on the house and your lizard while you're gone.
And please make sure nothing bad happens to Dad.
I'll keep my good eye on him. You got my word.
Well, we can't fly commercial with a cursed baboon head.
So, how are we getting to the Congo?
Please say, "Margie."
You even trying?
Better luck next time, fellas.
You owe me a crankshaft.
And you owe me a case of motor oil.
Old Rufus is thirsty.
-Margie! -Hey, kiddo!
Still hustling the boys, I see.
Gotta keep the old bird in the air somehow.
Wow, look at you two, sprouting up like beanstalks.
I have grown three inches since you flew us to Iceland.
A lot warmer this time around.
Is that why the Congo?
No, we're returning an artifact. It's a long story.
I love long stories.
We have hours of flight time for you to regale me with every detail.
Luckiest kids in the world.
International travel really is the best education.
So, where's Alex? He not coming?
No, he's swamped with work.
Uh-huh.
Anyway, it's just the three of us.
All right, hop on.
Let's get this bird in the air.
Can you believe all this?
Things coming to life?
Secret wings of the house?
Dad turned to stone?
Well, it's not all bad news.
Looks like we got that summer trip after all.
That's your response? Why is everything a joke to you?
Because I'm funny.
And I'd rather not talk about the other stuff.
-What if this doesn't work? -Don't say that. It's going to work.
It has to.
We're not losing Dad.
It's been a hundred years,
and nobody else has figured out how to end this curse.
True, but nobody else is us.
Aren't you scared?
Of course I'm scared, but we've gotta help Mom.
Dad tried to do it alone and look what happened to him.
The only way we'll be able to do this is as a family.
Ladies and germs, we'll soon be landing in the village of Tungada.
In the event of a bumpy landing,
put your head between your knees and kiss your tush goodbye.
Mwenda?
Indeed. You must be the Vanderhouvens.
I read your article on the history of the region.
It was fascinating and so well-researched.
Thank you.
My ancestors have lived in Tungada for thousands of years.
Now, what is it I can help you with?
It's a bit strange.
Then you've come to the right place
because strange things have been happening here as well.
Like what?
Come. We can speak on the drive.
And I'll be here making sure Old Rufus stays in working order.
Uh-oh.
It's beautiful.
What's with all the trucks?
Are people moving away?
Sadly, yes.
Many are making the painful decision to leave our ancestral homeland.
But they believe it is necessary for their protection.
Protection from what?
We are having severe problems with our baboon population,
and if it does not end soon, all of us will have to make that choice.
It disheartens me to even think of our entire village being abandoned.
What kind of problems could be that awful to resort to this?
We've been overrun. They've always been a nuisance,
but recently, their actions have grown very aggressive.
How recently? Like, within the last week?
Yes, it started four days ago.
That's when Fangs woke up. It can't be a coincidence.
And what exactly do you mean by "aggressive"?
They've been stealing-- How do I put this?
Our heads.
What?
Mannequin heads from our stores.
The heads of our beloved restaurant mascot.
Even the head of my daughter's doll.
They've been stealing heads from wherever they can find them.
We fear that soon they'll attempt to take our own.
That is definitely not typical baboon behavior.
Indeed.
They act as if they're in some type of trance.
You think it's related to the baboon temple?
What exactly do you need my help with?
We're here to return something that was stolen.
We've got to get this to the temple. Do you know where it is?
We do not discuss the baboon temple.
It is a cursed place.
Cursed? We're used to that.
Please, Mwenda. What can you tell us?
The temple has not always been cursed.
Legend says, long ago, when humans had encroached
on the baboon's land, they lashed out in retaliation.
Our forefathers originally constructed the temple
as a peace offering between the species.
A harmony was reached for hundreds of years.
The temple was celebrated far and wide.
But then, at the turn of the last century, it was pillaged.
-And the truce… -I think we know who did the pillaging.
-Cornelius was a bad dude. -…was permanently damaged.
Unease has always simmered below the surface,
but recently, they've changed.
And this present crisis is enough to make things boil over.
I think we can solve your baboon problem and save your village.
But we need your help.
Very well.
For the safety of my daughter and the village,
I will take you to the temple.
I never thought I'd see the day
where one of our sacred artifacts would be returned to us.
You almost become used to your history being taken from you.
Maybe we'll start a trend.
One can hope.
Wow! Sphodromantis congica!
It's only native to this region of Africa.
Dad would love this.
Come on, bug boy. We don't have time for this.
But this is the holy grail of the mantis world.
That's a spiny bush viper. One bite will kill.
Russ, focus.
You hear that?
Sorry. I'm hungry. And I'm saving my last banana for--
No, listen.
The baboons. Quick, hide.
I will check to make sure they have passed.
You stay hidden.
I do not see them anymore.
I think the coast is--
No!
No. Stop.
Why did you stop me? We needed to save him.
We're going to, but we can't help him if they capture us too.
Mom's right. We're outnumbered. We have to be smart.
They must be headed to the temple. Let's follow 'em.
That's it. It looks just like the photograph.
Help!
Help! Let me go!
How do we get it in?
We use the same key they did.
So, do we just let the head out here?
No. That doesn't feel right.
Plus, we're keeping it with us until we find Mwenda.
Where do you think we go then?
"From the belly of the beast."
If that was the temple's mouth…
then this must be his esophagus, which means we have to descend into…
The belly of the beast.
Its stomach? Gross.
Careful of booby traps.
Looks like they've all been set off already,
probably when Fangs was taken.
Not all of them. Watch your step.
Lights off.
That was close.
Which way should we go?
It's this way, to the right.
Wow. How do you know that?
There's a bunch of fresh monkey poop right there.
Super scientific.
You'd be surprised how much science deals with poop.
They're coming back. Quick, hide in the left tunnel!
Oops.
Really, Pandora?
Run!
-I don't hear them anymore. -I think we got away.
Welcome to Congo Clown Burger.
Can I take your order? Order.
Can I take your order? Your order.
Your order.
Okay, maybe we didn't get away.
No, but, I think we found the belly of the beast.
You've gotta be kidding me.
That's Fangs's body.
The baboons must have been trying to find a replacement head.
Found out who's controlling them.
Wait, no. We're trying to help.
He probably thinks we're here to steal the rest of him.
There's gotta be a way out of this.
I know what to do.
Mom, I've got this.
Okay.
Now are you okay with me riding my board in the house?
Still no, but that was amazing.
Hey!
Mwenda?
Hello!
Help!
Did you stop them?
We did. You can thank Pandora for that.
That is wonderful.
Now, do you think you can help me get out of here?
Thank you so much.
With what we did in the temple, peace will be restored.
The village and my daughter will be safe once again.
Glad we could help fix things.
If you ever need my help again,
and it does not require my head being stolen,
you know where to find me.
After all this,
I'm realizing the two of you really can take care of yourselves.
Yeah, but you're still way better at it.
Years of experience.
Now let's go home.
All aboard!
See, the bishop moves diagonally, never side to side. Got it?
Maybe we should have started with checkers.
-Daddy! -You have returned.
Hail the conquering heroes!
Did it work? Did we free Dad?
-It didn't work. -We failed.
You didn't fail.
You succeeded in making right by our golden friend,
just as your father urged.
But it didn't end the curse. It didn't bring him back.
No, not yet.
I think it's going to be a bit more complicated than that.
Do you notice anything different about the hourglass?
It's turned upside down from how it was.
And the sand is falling up?
Which only started yesterday after you returned the artifact.
So it stopped falling for Russ…
And started to go back up for Dad.
So if we fill the hourglass…
We could get Dad back.
You guys were right.
We need to return these things to where they belong.
But it's not just one we need to do right by.
It's all of them.
Well, let's get to it. We've got a lot of work to do.