"Best Fronds" is the second segment of the first episode of Amphibia. It premiered on June 17, 2019.
Synopsis[]
Sprig takes Anne swimming in a nearby lake to help her feel less homesick.
Plot[]
In a flashback, Anne is revealed to have stolen a music box from a thrift store for her two friends Sasha and Marcy. Upon opening the box, a bright light envelopes them. Anne awakens back in Amphibia to the Plantars. While Hop Pop and Polly still distrust her, Sprig is optimistic about his new friend. Wanting to get out, Anne convinces Sprig that they head to the lake to swim, but Hop Pop stops them by explaining that the townspeople would not appreciate seeing her out and about and locks the front door. Sprig tries to cheer Anne up with some Pain Peppers (incredibly hot peppers grown by Hop Pop), but Anne once again convinces him to steal the key for the front lock. They manage to snag it when they see that Hop Pop is asleep and escape the house.
Anne and Sprig make it to the lake, only to find a sign that reads "DON'T SWIM" with the "M" noticeably dragged out. While Sprig is cautious and wants to go back, Anne believes that someone is trying to hog the lake to themselves. Sprig is reluctant but, Anne retaliates believing this wasn't what friends do, and explains to Sprig that no matter how much you don't want to do something your friends ask you to do, you do it anyway, otherwise they may not want you to stay as their friend. Sprig gives in to Anne's demands, and they swim together in the lake.
After a while, a giant water snake (the reason for the sign) appears and chases the two. Realizing that it is her fault, Anne apologizes to Sprig. Sprig in turn allows the snake to eat him, only to reveal that he had Hop Pop's Pain Peppers and is spat back out. The snake leaves as Anne and Sprig return home. Hop Pop awakens and finds the two playing board games in the basement. Anne returns the key claiming that he dropped them and Hop Pop leaves with no trouble. Sprig falls asleep due to the excitement and Anne wishes that her friends are okay. Meanwhile, in a dark tower, Grime, an evil toad, reveals that he has Anne's other shoe and presents it to an imprisoned Sasha.
Cast[]
- Brenda Song as Anne Boonchuy
- Justin Felbinger as Sprig Plantar
- Amanda Leighton as Polly Plantar
- Bill Farmer as Hop Pop Plantar
- Troy Baker as Captain Grime
- Dee Bradley Baker as Water Snake
- Liam O'Brien as Old Man
- Amir Talai as Brown Overalls Frog
Additional voices[]
- Noshir Dalal
- Laura Bailey
- Michelle Ruff
- Phil LaMarr
- Trevor Devall
- Patrick Seitz
Trivia[]
- This episode loosely adapts the pitch pilot. However, rather than swimming in a lake, Anne and Sprig go after giant eggs after Anne complains that there isn't anything to eat. Additionally, Anne ignored the sign because she was busy rearranging it. She angrily asks Sprig why he didn't tell her there were giant fire breathing chickens and he responds by telling her about the sign. The fire breathing chicken, dubbed a Chick-alisk, would eventually make an appearance in the episode "Return to Wartwood".
- Hop Pop sleeping with his eyes open is a reference to an ability actual tree frogs have. Frogs have three eyelids, one is stationary, one blinks to keep the eyes moisturized and the third is a strangely patterned film that comes down when the frog sleeps. Even though you can still see the pupils, this third eyelid is a sure sign of rest. Despite this, Hop Pop never displays this ability again until the episode "Wax Museum".
- Glowing blue mushrooms are present in the basement where Anne sleeps. They do not show up again anywhere in the series.
- The episode's opening was ambiguous whether Anne was remembering the event of the previous episode or if she was hallucinating as the Box looked at her.
Goofs[]
- At the start of the episode, Sasha is not wearing her jacket before Anne opens the Calamity Box, but it appears in the next scene.
- Sprig claims that Anne is his first real friend. However in "Dating Season", it is revealed that he has been friends with Ivy Sundew much longer than her.
International premieres[]
- June 22, 2019 (Canada)
- August 2, 2019 (Japan)
- August 3, 2019 (Latin America)
- September 2, 2019 (Netherlands)
- September 9, 2019 (Southeast Asia)
- September 14, 2020 (Portugal)
International Edits[]
- In the Southeast Asian boardcast, the words "jerk" and "dang" were edited out.
Gallery[]
.png "Screenshot (1601).png (1.48 MB)")
External links[]
- Best Fronds at the Amphibia Wiki
