Random Reviews #1: Escape From Catrina

Okay, time to delve into this, the first of the Random Reviews, in which I review, well, random shows. Today's Random Review is of the G1 MLP special, Escape From Catrina, and how it ties into Revenge of Lavan.

Ah, G1 MLP. Without it, we wouldn't have Friendship is Magic. Today's Random Review is the second G1 special, Escape From Catrina. The special opens with the ponies, sea ponies and Spike playing volleyball and getting ready for Megan's return to Ponyland. An Earth Pony named Sundance prepares to return a serve, only to accidentally rip the welcome banner and get scolded.

Sundance dejectedly kicks the ball towards a unicorn named Baby Moondancer, knocking the latter into the water, where the sea ponies rescue her. After some antics, the ball disappears down a cave, where we meet Rep, a lizard person. He tells some fuzzy creatures, the Bushwoolies, to give Catrina her dose of witch weed potion, which may or may not be the MLP version of marijuana, telling the Bushwoolie in charge of delivery not to spill any.

In classic Tempting Fate action, some does spill and Catrina is pissed. Speaking of, Catrina is a cat person, sharp claws and everything, and I'm fond of cat people. Anywho, Catrina drinks what left, grows a little and demands more. Turns out Catrina is a slave driver and the Bushwoolies want out, literally.

Catrina overhears the rebellion and threatens the purple Bushwoolie, who I'm naming Bob*, with death by witch weed potion. Damn, that's dark. After a conversation, Catrina drops Bob into the pit, Rep saving him at the last second. Oh, yeah, Rep's a shape-shifter, forgot to mention that.

After yelling at Rep and the Bushwoolies, Catrina leaves for her quarters. Rep claims that Catrina isn't a huge jerk once you get to know her, but the Bushwoolies ain't buying it. Back at Ponyland, preparations are underway for Megan's return. Sundance continues to get underhoof as even Sparkler tells her off.

Suddenly, Megan appears on the back of Skydancer. The ponies greet Megan and give her a gift for being the guest of honor: the Rainbow of Light, killer of Tirek and “stopper” of Smooze. Baby Moondancer and three foals, Baby Surprise, Baby Glory and Baby Cotton Candy, want to play with Megan, but it's time for a nap. After a musical number, the baby ponies go to sleep.

Over at Casa de Bad Guy, the Bushwoolies make a break for it. Catrina and Rep go out and search for them, but the fur balls give them the slip. Catrina sees the adult ponies living it up and Catrina sees a business opportunity. She takes another hit of witch weed potion and conjures up a blizzard. Holy hell, what's in that stuff, Imo-Yōkan?

…Moving along, one of the ponies escapes the snow and runs to get Megan. Catrina takes yet another swig of potion and ups the storm to trap the remaining ponies in a giant snowball as Megan shows up with the Rainbow, letting it loose and undoing the storm. Catrina ain't having that nonsense as she tries and fails to make the Rainbow go away. Eventually, the spell is undone and Skydancer and the others are free of the blizzard.

Deciding to get rid of the Rainbow to get the ponies, Rep decides to leave the ponies alone, but Catrina's as stubborn as G4 Applejack. Rep remembers the good old days, when Catrina wasn't a power hungry tyrant. After another musical number, the ponies are putting the finishing touches to Dream Castle for the party. Sundance wants to help, but Sparkler says she's “helped” enough for one day.

After Sundance walks away, Posey explains that Sundance jumps good, but her landings… need work. Megan consoles Sundance and builds up her self confidence. Sundance says that she's plenty fast for an Earth Pony. Uh, Sundance, Sonic the Hedgehog called; he wants his “Fastest Thing Alive” title back.

As Sundance and Megan head back to Dream Castle, the Baby ponies admire their costumes, all except Baby Moondancer, who doesn't have one. Megan makes a costume for the unicorn, giving her the Rainbow Locket. Seeing a chance, Rep turns into an Earth Pony and tries to scam the Rainbow Locket from Baby Moondancer. Having failed at that, Rep tries to take it by force and fails at that, too.

Catrina tries and fails to take the Locket, only to take the Locket and Moondancer with it. Once the villains get away, Megan and the others run into Bob and the Bushwoolies, who take them to Catrina's lair. It's revealed that Bob and the Bushwoolies used to live in the cave, before Catrina took over and enslaved the Bushwoolies. Megan and the others venture forth, determined to rescue Baby Moondancer and the Rainbow of Light.

After some back and forth, Catrina threatens to drown Baby Moondancer in the witch weed pond, only for Rep to finally grow a backbone and knock Catrina in to the pit, Sundance having saved Baby Moondancer and the Rainbow of Light. Catrina pulls a Face-Heel Turn, promising to destroy the witch weed machine and quit the stuff cold turkey.

Finally, the “Welcome Back, Megan” party/costume ball is under way as we get one last musical number.

Final Judgment

And that's Escape From Catrina. Does it hold a candle to Midnight Castle? Yes and no. There were some dark moments, but there were some funny moments to balance it out. Rep was funny, yet Woobie-ish; he had to put up with Catrina for Celestia knows how long, hoping to go back to the good old days. All in all, I give Escape From Catrina an A Minus.

Headcanon Time

First up is how Escape From Catrina fits with the Unitedverse: Celestia and Luna passed several laws: the Anti-Slavery Act and a law banning the cultivation and use of witch weed, violation of such punishable by exile.

Next is how Escape From Catrina fits into RK_Striker's Hasbroverse: After the party, Catrina and Rep were sentenced to community service for illegal substance abuse, attempted murder and foalnapping. Both would've been exiled from Ponyland / Equestria, but Luna managed to talk Celestia into being a smidgen more lenient, but just a smidgen. Adding onto this, Luna made Catrina attend the Equestrian version of rehab. Catrina has been clean ever since. She and the ponies are on good terms with each other.

As a bridge between the two, Sundance and Moondancer are aunt and niece and Skydancer and Posey are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's respective great-grandmothers. Baby Cotton Candy grew up and had one daughter, Twist.

*CORRECTION: Bob the purple Bushwoolie is actually Hugster the blue Bushwoolie. My bad.