EPISODE 9: "Wet and Wild Ride" – Deyn
Leg 8: Sparkling Waters / Frosted Glacier [New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U]
Morning Isle Delfino backdrop of pit start. Plenn/Thriff open first clue with tickets for charter ferry to Sparkling Waters and warning of another Delay. All teams board. Atmosphere tenser than ever between Plenn/Thriff, Garf/Gus. With mediation by Tally, preexisting conflict laid bare: Plenn outright accuses Robbos of stealing from his establishment. Gus denies, explains Robbo Gang's renewed conflict against Pianta Syndicate with Rogueport Square as main battleground. Gus/Plenn reach tenuous understanding. Garf presents case to other teams that Plenn/Thriff are statistically best team remaining. Meanwhile, Eve/Flo/Maude continue bonding talking about their children. Eve marvels about the wonderful neighbors she never knew she had.
Everyone disembarks at Larry's Castle and races on foot to Dragoneel's Undersea Grotto. Next clue directs them to travel by Dragoneel to The Great Geysers. The giant, graceful sea serpents captivate almost everyone. However, Flo/Maude cite Season 3's Bloocheep Sea leg as reason to fear a highly physical underwater leg and opt for the Fast Forward: proceeding to Shish-Kebab Tower and riding fast elevator lifts through deathtraps in search of letters for a solution phrase.
Podley remarks on different ambience between relaxing tropical paradises and commercial port towns like Rogueport. He and Eve arrive first at The Great Geysers. Holding hands, they make an exhilarating run across a series of enormous Ptooie-lined water spouts to the clue. It's a Roadblock ("Who wants to have a little fun?") at nearby Urchin Shoals that involves using a Mini Mushroom to traverse vertical walls, both rock and water, to reach the next clue. Podley, Goldy, Drak, Garf, Plenn, and Tally take it. While Goldy surprisingly has initial difficulties keeping traction, Drak's first hesitation causes him to crumble, and Tally exhibits some trepidation, no one encounters major problems. Pack proceeds onward to Huckit Beach Resort with little separation between teams.
Meanwhile, Flo/Maude barely keep their composure and breakfast as platform whips at breakneck speeds up, down, and sideways through equally fast spiked pillars. They require several run-throughs of the course to catch all eleven letters, and then even more to unscramble solution: "Giant Skewer." Without any judges nearby, they eventually venture out of Shish-Kebab and notice nearby unmarked Giant Skewer Tower. One last ride to top earns them FF award to pit stop at Frosted Glacier's Fliprus Lake. Flo deliriously happy they made it out alive.
Eve/Podley leading at Huckit Beach Resort. Huckit Crabs playing catch with rocks through the open-air huts. Gus first to intercept one with Race colors and exchanges for clue. Teams will take Dragoneels further underwater to Urchin Reef Romp. Drak, Grubba also snatch right rocks. Plenn accidentally catches rock in the head. Briefly checked by medical, Thriff supportive. Plenn okay, gives confessional on growing up tough in school of hard knocks. Eve/Podley, Tally/Deyn, Plenn/Thriff trail.
Garf/Gus reach Urchin Reef Romp first and dive in. Neither strong swimmers, nor are Drak/Crimson. Goldy too buoyant; Grubba shoves her down repeatedly like water polo ball. Clue envelopes dangling underneath Urchins, within powerful downward current. One team member, attached to safety harness, must swim down to retrieve it. Teammate can assist their return to safe waters. Grubba makes obligatory joke comparing Goldy to Urchins before braving current without any help, laughing whole way. Next clue instructs them to travel by Dragoneel to base of Frosted Glacier.
Cut to Flo/Maude making said Dragoneel journey at water's surface. Exposition on how they're loving all aspects of the Race. Maude discusses rewarding yet bittersweet sacrifice of putting their successful careers on hold to raise their families, which also limited traveling opportunities. Flo mentions untouched desire to become nurse. Maude also confesses difficulties making non-Crow non-parent friends in their community; glad to have broken One-Way Mirror and met interesting competitors. Flo agrees. Both have zen ride.
Thriff strongest swimmer leading second pack; Plenn/Thriff pass Tally/Deyn, Eve/Podley, who are still fairly competent. Drak/Crimson nervous about current spreading bones into bottomless abyss. Current throws Gus past clue; he panics and flounders. Garf and Eep Cheeps manage to fish him out. They return to Dragoneel, shaken. Drak/Crimson uncertainly consider penalty. Arrival of last three forces Crimson to try. She sends only one hand to untie clue; their combined strength retrieves her hand easily. Over confessional about personal development on Keelhaul Key, Thriff yanks envelope. Deyn, Podley also do with more effort and major assistance from teammates.
Time-lapse shots of all teams riding Dragoneels. Goldy confessional that Grubba taking things seriously improves their standings. Annoyed he's been doing things halfway and not considering her equal partner. Confronts him, he continues playing dumb. Tally/Deyn resolve to use Delay to stay alive. Podley rightfully concerned being in last makes them vulnerable to Delay as other teams' safety nets. Eve calms him.
Goldy/Grubba first at Frosted Glacier. 10-m sheer ice wall stands between them and next clue; racers must climb individually. Grubba grandstands entire way up. Goldy shocks him by zipping up without needing equipment.
Flo/Maude check in with Miles and random Fliprus. They win 6-day trip for two to Sparkling Waters. Both happy with first victory, even if due to FF. Flo asks if they bypassed water leg. Miles jokes it's the power-up sponsorship leg.
On that note, Goldy/Grubba open Detour. Slide involves traveling by Cooligan taxi to Icicle Caverns and using Penguin Suits to traverse pit-ridden course while collecting three Star Coins. Glide requires Cooligan taxiing to Spinning-Star Sky and mastering Super Acorns to wall jump up and glide over midair platforms. Grubba decides Slide, Goldy again aggravated by her lack of input. Goldy freaked out by new taxis—dual Cooligan-pulled toboggans. After some slippery starts due to Grubba's weight, they get on their way.
Garf/Gus arrive at ice wall and start. Gus moves slower, disliking height component; Garf switches from encouragement to tough love, motivating Gus to power through. Drak/Crimson arrive and start ascending, both initially struggling with getting their ice axes to stick. Garf/Gus hit top, decide Slide. Plenn/Thriff arrive, quickly overtake Drak/Crimson. Both also pick Slide.
Goldy/Grubba reach Icicle Caverns. Both don Penguin Suits, Goldy laughs at fantastically fat penguin Grubba makes. Grubba plays along, creates random penguin wrestler persona. He takes running start and does leaping swan dive, landing neatly on belly…only to flub jump timing and go directly into ravine. He lands at bottom and starts plodding back to start point. Goldy's first shot has her scraping googly-eyes along ice. She retries initial start and tilts body upward slightly, allowing her to see. Her jump timing is on point, and she reaches first Star Coin at end of one cavern.
Tally/Deyn, Eve/Podley battling at climb. Eve tires halfway up, Podley provides verbal support. Tally/Deyn reach top and pick Glide. Eve/Podley not far behind, also choose Glide.
Gus jokes he's found correct bird family. He and Garf flub their first slides, but show good handling of mechanics. Goldy confessional appreciating rare challenges highlighting her strengths as she cleanly makes jumps across second path to next Star Coin. Grubba looking annoyed at being upstaged by deadweight partner, oddly quiet for once. Plenn/Thriff, Drak/Crimson arrive and get suited up; Drak voices displeasure on cuteness of Penguin Suits. All four fail to clear first chasm. Garf/Gus intuitively figuring out how to adjust speed on ice and jump timing. Garf nabs first Star Coin. Third Star Coin path includes tricky descending staircase of icy pillars, with alternative route requiring both members present for one to sacrifice self and push other to Star Coin. Goldy trivializes both and nabs it, gloats she did Detour all by herself. Grubba straight-up pissed. Next clue at Icicle Tower with Double U-Turn. Goldy happy they'll be first there. They return to Cooligan taxi.
Tally/Deyn reach Spinning-Star Sky, activate Super Acorns for Flying Squirrel forms. Waddlewings brief on how to glide and perform air jumps. Both practice some before Eve/Podley arrive. New experience for everyone, no natural advantages. Deyn questions why she chose this when she hates falling.
Gus collects second Star Coin. Confessional on flightless bird connection. Meanwhile Plenn/Thriff, Drak/Crimson struggling on jump timing. Plenn/Thriff briefly discuss switching, but conclude it is game suicide due to upcoming Delay. Drak disconnects skull from body and holds above head, giving slightly better perspective preparing for jumps. It helps, and he earns their first. Garf/Gus work together to reach third Star Coin, and get clue.
Goldy/Grubba arrive at Icicle Tower, already used Delay. Route Info instructs them to take Cooligan taxi to Fliprus Lake, where they must use snowballs in bowling-like game to knock over pyramid of crates within three tries.
Tally/Deyn, Eve/Podley figured out Super Acorn mechanics. All that remains is timing. Tally first to air jump over midair Star and grab clue half. Podley next. Deyn also finishes. Tally/Deyn read clue directing to Icicle Tower, leave Detour in fourth place. Eve now concerned they'll be U-Turned.
At Icicle Tower, Garf/Gus U-Turn Plenn/Thriff. Gus claims it's payback. Garf mentions shopkeepers already used their Delay in previous leg and cannot save themselves by U-Turning another team.
Drak throws head at third Star Coin mid-slide and succeeds, earning them clue. Plenn/Thriff relying on trial/error, have gotten only one. On other Detour option, Eve flies over star. They rush off in taxi.
Tally/Deyn reach Icicle Tower. Uncertain of place, they use second slot to U-Turn Eve/Podley, only known team behind them, for safety. Tally scribbles apology note explaining as such. Drak/Crimson arrive shortly after. Pleased that statistically strong threats were U-Turned—especially their primary targets, Plenn/Thriff—and that they still have their Delay available for future. Eve/Podley find U-Turn. Both disappointed, but understand Tally/Deyn's move. They hurry to Icicle Caverns.
At Slide, Plenn/Thriff manage to finish. They depart just as Eve/Podley pull up. Eve/Podley inform them of Double U-Turn results. Plenn unsurprised. Alliance agrees to fight hard, regardless of outcome. Plenn/Thriff en route to Icicle Tower.
Goldy/Grubba arrive at Fliprus Lake. Heavy snowballs mean Grubba back in control for task. He bursts snowball with force on first attempt, but cleanly sweeps pyramid on second. Next clue instructs teams to use constellations obscured by auroras to navigate to pit stop somewhere in nearby forest. Grubba leaves navigation to Goldy. Goldy confused because her sense of direction is glaringly bad.
Eve/Podley struggling with Slide. Plenn/Thriff, on other hand, pick up Super Acorn skills relatively quickly, lament not choosing Glide first. Eve's composure cracking under pressure as they continue failing. Podley barely manages to claim first Star Coin.
Garf/Gus collaborate well on snowball bowling and complete on fourth try. Tally/Deyn succeed on third. Drak/Crimson, physically weaker, take six attempts. Former two require time to figure out reading constellations, but Crimson able to interpret instructions relatively quickly.
Goldy/Grubba wandering around lost. Goldy frustrated Grubba not helping. Grubba taunts her, says team is nothing without him. Goldy finally grasps how Grubba has been undermining them entire Race to boost his perception. She becomes seriously enraged. Grubba engages and huge crazy angry argument ensues. Nearby teams can hear, steer clear.
Plenn first to vault over spinning star. Eve/Podley manage to collect second and third Star Coins. Thriff glides and snatches his half-clue. Eve/Podley, Plenn/Thriff return to W-Turn and proceed onward, though at separate times.
Drak/Crimson check in second, stoked that the pieces in play worked in their favor. Garf/Gus third, Gus hoping the U-Turn does to Plenn/Thriff what the Yield failed to do to him and Garf. Tally/Deyn fourth, exhilarated by auroras. Slightly regretting they committed to using Delay when not in serious danger, but recognize hindsight as 20/20. Finally, Goldy/Grubba arrive. Goldy absolutely pissed they lost lead due to Grubba not working with her and working against her for much of Race. Threatens to quit, which gets Grubba's attention. Though, she relents because million coins is a lot of moolah.
Eve/Podley begin snowball bowling. Both concerned Plenn/Thriff will catch up and overtake them in reaching pit stop. However, they knock over their pyramid and Eve intuitively navigates constellations to keep them in game. Plenn/Thriff arrive later as seventh team eliminated. Plenn not overly bitter about U-Turn. Has even more to say about how his little brother has grown up into amazingly strong man. Thriff returns compliments, pointing out how Plenn's entrepreneurial approach to life brought them success on Race. Both commit to spending more time in-person with each other and traveling post-Race.
LEADERBOARD (w/ RB tallies)
1. Flo/Maude (5:4 / FAST FORWARD)
2. Drak/Crimson (5:5)
3. Garf/Gus (5:4 / USED DELAY)
4. Tally/Deyn (5:4 / USED DELAY)
5. Goldy/Grubba (6:4)
6. Eve/Podley (5:5 / U-TURNED)
7. Plenn/Thriff (5:5 / U-TURNED) [ELIMINATED]
Author's Notes (7/20/16): Garf/Gus enjoy their revenge served cold as Plenn/Thriff meet their end. The Toad Brothers had fun speech quirks and moments of nerdery yet were also a significant force, consistently placing in the upper echelons. Several narrative threads hopefully tied their game together—reconnecting after their overseas separation, Thriff establishing himself as an underrated physical powerhouse and stepping out of the shadow as the baby brother, and Plenn's preexisting network with the Rogueport racers (specifically Podley and the Robbos) impacting their game. It's fitting that once Plenn allowed his preexisting biases to cloud his judgment, his elimination came soon afterward. They received the true alpha edit until this point, but that mantle must be passed onto others as things fall into place for the endgame.
The worlds of NSMBU are so varied and contain such potential. Tasks for this combined water/snow location leg came quite easily, but my personal favorite visual is the majestic Dragoneel transit through Sparkling Waters. The power-up W-turn battle comes a close second. Lots of important things happened here, and it would've been a very hectic episode for sure.