Season 4 Episode 20: RESCUE KNIGHTS AND THE CLASH FOR THE CAULDRON! EVERYTHING RIDING ON RUBBLE!
August 13th, 2030
"Catapult's loaded with a pup treat for you to launch, Rubble!" Ben called out.
The bulldog ran over, his tail wagging rapidly. "Thanks, Ben! I really wanna make sure I'm helpful to the team and that I can fight dragons." Rubble chuckled as he started to get the catapult ready.
"Anytime, bud." Ben earnestly said as he ruffled the fur on Rubble's head.
"Ready, steady… launch!" Rubble muttered as he then shot the pup treat from the catapult.
"I got it, I got it!" Chase yelled, leaping up into the air.
However, the treat soared over his head and landed in the castle moat, causing the German Shepherd to sigh in disappointment. "Sorry Chase… I'll try again. Okay Marshall, this one's for you. Don't move." Rubble apologized before trying to launch one for Marshall. The pup ran after the treat, making Rubble sigh as it flew over everyone's heads again.
"Again… I need to get better!" Rubble growled. The pups all yawned as he tried launching another pup treat.
"Rubble, you can practice tomorrow." Ryder gently said.
"It's getting late…" Chase grumbled.
"Yeahhhh…" Marshall yawned.
Rubble shook his head no. "I'm gonna stay up a little while longer. You guys can head to bed. I need practice." The bulldog answered.
All the canines went to their sleeping rooms, but Ben and Ryder stayed behind. Watching as Rubble loaded up the catapult over and over again, launching pup treats to try and hit his mark. "Rubble, what are you doing?" Ben asked.
"Trying to hit the target that I'm aiming at. I haven't been much help at all against the dragon… and I need to pull my weight. I haven't been really helpful at all in Barkingburg. And I messed up by pulling Excalibark and becoming the royal knight…" Rubble lamented.
Ben was shocked that Rubble felt like that. The construction pup was usually so happy… to see him struggle like this made Ben wonder how happy he really was. Ben picked up his chubby little puppy and hugged him tightly. "Aw, Rubble…" Ben soothingly said.
Ryder came up and gave Rubble a hug too. Smiling and yipping in comfort, Rubble gave both of his human father figures licks and nuzzles. "Rubble, you know that you don't have to do anything, right? Your mere presence on the team is enough!" Ryder comforted his pup.
"Pops…! You really think so?" Rubble exclaimed.
Ryder grinned as he lifted Rubble up into the air. "Of course I do! You already lift up everyone's spirits with your goofy grin, your jokes, and your enthusiasm. Just like Marshall, you're the heart of the team. And the fact that you're still here with us, after all the scary stuff you've been through! Harold, the Kitten Catastrophe Crew, Adventure City, Jack Scallywag, and the Duke of Flappington!" Ryder told Rubble.
Rubble giggled as he gave Ryder some more slurps. "Hehe! Thanks papa." Rubble happily said as Ryder set him down. The chubby pup then let out a yawn. "I think I'm gonna go to bed now. I've had enough catapult practice for one night." Rubble murmured as he waddled off to his sleeping quarters and promptly began to snore.
Dragon Highlands, 5 AM
As the train rode across the tracks, the conductor gasped as she saw a massive red dragon fly over her head. Unknownst to her, a pup leapt off of the dragon and into one of the train carts through the opening in the roof of the train car. Searching through the boxes in the storage caboose, he finally found what he was looking for: a shield with markings on it. Grabbing it with his pincer arm, he whistled to signal Sparks into position, and leapt from the train cart back onto his dragon. Sparks flew back over the train car roof, and the conductor could see the shield that was in the harness of the dragon saddle that the Doberman was clutching. Gasping in horror, she immediately pulled out her phone and called the princess.
Barkingburg Castle, 5:05 AM
The Princess rushed into the sleeping quarters of the other PAW Patrol members. "RESCUE KNIGHTS, WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!" The Princess shouted worriedly.
All of the pups and humans shot up in their beds as they were awoken by Bethany's yelling. "Emergency!?" Ryder yelped.
"AARRGH! Shiver me timbers, you gave me quite a fright, lass!" Sid Swashbuckle snarled as he lowered the sword that he had instinctively grabbed.
"You gave me a fright, Captain Boss Mister Sid Sir!" Arrby whimpered.
"Princess, what's happened!?" Ben demanded.
"The sacred shield that has a map to the Cauldron of Snores has been stolen by Claw and Sparks!" Bethany revealed.
"Cauldron of Snores?" Chase, Skye, Marshall, Rubble, Rocky, Zuma, and Arrby all gasped.
"No! Not the Cauldron!" Sweetie screamed in fear.
"What's the Cauldron of Snores?!" Ben asked.
"The Cauldron of Snores is a forbidden magic artifact that can create a gaseous draught which puts anyone who breathes it in under an enchanted sleep when it's heated by dragon fire! It's a powerful magic that makes it impossible to wake up!" Sweetie explained.
"Magical artifact…?" Ben murmured as he remembered a team of Rangers who had specializations and experience with magic artifacts. He quickly leapt to his feet and started heading out. "I'm gonna go and get some help from the Mystic Force Rangers, you guys protect the city and stop Claw! If we're lucky we won't need their help." Ben told the team before he ran out the door.
"Where do we start?" Arrby wondered.
"The legend has it that the knights began their quest at Fang Rock, somewhere in the royal forest." The Earl revealed.
"Then that's where we'll start! No cauldron is too hidden, no pup is too small! RESCUE KNIGHTS, TO THE CASTLE LOOKOUT!" Ryder declared.
They all ran to the castle lookout elevator, where the stone pillar began to rise, elevating them to the halfway point where the mechanical arms all emerged and dressed them in anti-dragon defensive knight's armor, before continuing to rise until they were in a room with a round table. Outside, the castle's mechanisms activated, transforming it into a fortified base of operations. "Rescue Knights ready for action, Sir Ryder, sir!" Chase and Sweetie shouted as they took their seats around the round table.
"Thanks for hurrying, pup knights. We've got to find the Cauldron of Snores before Claw and the Duke can get ahold of it. The first step is to locate Fang Rock and the royal forest! Skye, you'll find Fang Rock with your copter. Rubble, you'll use your rig to clear a path if necessary. Everyone else, be ready to fight Claw and Sparks at a moment's notice!" Ryder instructed.
"We'll do our best!" The pups all shouted.
"Rescue Knights, roll to the rescue!" Ryder shouted as every pup deployed.
It didn't take long for Skye to locate Fang Rock, and the team was able to determine that the middle trail was the correct way to go. As Rubble drove his rig forward, he saw a boulder which had a cauldron symbol carved into it. "We've gotta be on the right path, my pirate senses are tingling!" Rubble announced.
"So are mine, Captain Blackfur!" Arrby earnestly said.
They saw Claw and Sparks flying in the distance, getting them on edge. Hurrying after them, Ryder and the rest of the team split off from Rubble as they entered the cave. Finding the Duke, Claw, and Sparks with the cauldron in Sparks's dragon claws, a stone pillar skyrocketed and slammed into the ceiling from the floor. "BOOBY TRAP! The old knights must have sabotaged this cave to take down anyone who attempted to steal the cauldron!" Claw yelped.
"Excellent. We'll collapse the cave on the pesky pups to eliminate them AND secure my future as king in one fell swoop!" The Duke cackled.
As Sparks flew through the cavern roof, busting a hole in it, the rest of the cavern collapsed and came down on the team. All Rubble could hear was the screams of his teammates before it cut to static. "Guys!? GUYS!" Rubble shouted as he saw the cave collapse.
He was met with silence as Sparks flew in the sky, and then he heard cackling. Whirling around, he saw the Duke of Flappington standing next to the pile of rocks. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm afraid your family has been… crushed." The Duke sneered.
Rubble froze in horror as he comprehended that. "You… killed them?" Rubble whimpered. "Yes… in fact, you remind me of someone. I didn't notice until just now, but I once shot two bulldogs during my hunting vacation near Adventure Bay. They looked quite a lot like you, come to think of it." The Duke commented. And suddenly, everything clicked for Rubble.
Adventure Bay, 3 Days Before Rubble Joined
(The names for Rubble's parents, Bianca and John were coined by my good friend Color!)
The tiny tyke Rubble toddled alongside his parents Bianca and Abel. They had left their family Aunt Crane and Grandpa Gravel after a dispute with them over their owner, Speed Meister, and his construction company. Bianca and John believed that Speed Meister was taking unnecessary risks with his building, prioritizing completing the build instead of the safety of the build. Speed Meister had gotten angry with them, and kicked the parents and their child out of his construction company, confiscating their vehicles as well. Now without a home, the trio of bulldogs were walking through the forest, heading to a town known as Adventure Bay. "Mommy, when will we get there?" Rubble asked.
Bianca nuzzled Rubble affectionately. "We'll be there soon, my little Rubble Bubble. Don't worry. Another day or two of walking and we'll be there." She reassured her son.
John came back into their view with a grey and black thing in his mouth. The three of them shared the meal together, unaware of the fact that they had crosshairs trained on them.
After they finished their supper, they began to start walking again before Rubble heard the loudest bang that he had ever heard. John fell to the ground and didn't move. "John?! JOHN?!" Bianca yelled as she ran over to her mate. Then a second bang rang out and Bianca collapsed too. "Rubble bubble… keep going… without us. We… love… you… so… much. Remember that… there's always… a construction… solution…" Bianca groaned before her eyes fluttered shut.
"Mommy? Daddy?" Rubble asked. No response. He yawned as he felt tired from his meal, and laid down next to them. Surely they were sleeping. He saw a kid, who was laughing with a strange object in his hands while his father scolded him. Then he drifted off to sleep. When he woke up, he noticed he was sitting in a puddle of dark liquid. "Mama, papa, wake up! WAKE UP!" Rubble shouted, pushing his sleeping parents.
But they didn't wake up. Rubble recalled the words his mom told him. Keep going without them. He had a feeling they would never wake up… so he started to head back towards Adventure Bay.
Present Day
Rubble could see it now. That smug smile… the Duke of Flappington was the kid who had shot his parents. "Y-you're the one who killed my mom and dad?" Rubble whimpered.
He had blocked out the memory before, only now was he able to recall it. The Duke blinked as he comprehended this. Then he burst into laughter. "HAHAHA! SO I TOOK AWAY BOTH OF YOUR FAMILIES! THE FAMILY THAT GAVE BIRTH TO A RUNT LIKE YOU, AND THE FAMILY THAT TOOK YOU IN AFTER I KILLED THE FIRST ONE!" The Duke cackled.
Something inside Rubble snapped. "YOU MONSTER!" Rubble screamed as he pressed his paw to his pup tag, activating his mighty powers.
The Duke armored himself up with his golden ranger armor and the two began to fight. Sparks of energy flew off as they exchanged blows. Rubble screamed as he picked up a massive boulder and flung it at the Duke, which sent the man flying into a tree. The bulldog ran forward and tackled him before he brought his paw down on the Duke's chest, causing him to cry out in agony. He did it again, and again, and again. "YOU… HURT… RUBBLE'S… FAMILY! RUBBLE… HURT… YOU!" Rubble snarled, practically foaming at the mouth in pure anger.
He then delivered a punch to the Duke's head, cracking the visor of his ranger helmet. Suddenly, he felt himself get lifted off of him. "Rubble, stop!" Ryder's voice demanded.
"LET ME GO! HE KILLED YOU! HE KILLED MY FAMILY! I HAVE TO STOP HIM!" Rubble screamed, squirming and not realizing that Ryder was holding onto him in his enraged, furious state.
The Duke groaned. "You're alive? Doesn't matter, you'll all be sleeping soon enough." He grunted before vanishing in a burst of gold light.
Rubble looked up to see Ryder, Chase, Marshall, Skye, Rocky, Zuma, Arrby, and Sweetie. "G-guys!?" Rubble gasped.
"Rubble?" Chase asked.
Rubble's Mighty suit wore off and reverted to his rescue knight gear as the bulldog started to sob. "Y-Y-YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE STILL WITH ME! I T-T-T-THOUGHT THE D-D-DUKE HAD K-K-KILLED YOU!" Rubble wailed, tears streaming down his face.
"You thought that a rockslide…" Ryder murmured.
"Would be enough to take us out?" Chase exclaimed.
"Come on, Rubble!" Marshall chuckled.
"We're the PAW Patrol!" Skye giggled.
"We're Rescue Knights!" Rocky chimed in.
"Dude, we've been through a lot worse than just a rockslide." Zuma smirked.
"Arr! We won't be done in by just a few falling stones!" Arrby grinned.
"Not while the Duke and Claw still have the Cauldron of Snores!" Sweetie exclaimed.
Rubble sniffled and smiled as he was given a hug by his family members. "Come on, guys. We got a job to do!" Rubble exclaimed.
He could tell them about what he had remembered later. Right now, they had to concentrate on stopping that madman from putting the kingdom to sleep! All of them got into their vehicles and headed after the dragon that was flying through the skies. "I'm going to go on ahead and try to cut them off! I think I have an idea where they'll try to set up the cauldron!" Sweetie shouted.
"All right, Sweetie. Go on ahead. We'll meet up with you!" Ryder replied as Sweetie turned her vehicle into dragon mode and flew off towards Barkingburg, taking the quickest possible route to hopefully reach the city before Sparks and Claw did.
As Sweetie hid behind the chimney on the rooftop, she heard Sparks set down, with the Duke appearing beside him. Sweetie emerged from her hiding spot, drawing Excalibark from her pup pack. "SPARKS! HEAT THE CAULDRON, NOW!" Claw shouted urgently, and the dragon obeyed, the cauldron now lit aflame and emitting a green gas.
"NO!" Sweetie screamed before the green gas hit her in the face. She started to feel drowsy, and the magic of Excalibark flowed through her, helping her resist the effects of the sleeping gas, but it wouldn't let her fight it forever. "Ryder, Sparks has heated the cauldron! I.. couldn't stop him…" Sweetie yawned before she fell unconscious.
Ryder started calling Ben. "Ben, the Cauldron is now spitting gas out, what do we do?" Ryder urgently asked.
"Lucky for us, I've dialed Nick the Red Mystic Ranger to help. He knows magical artifacts." Ben reassured them.
"So, Ben tells me that there's a simple magical compound that's creating the sleeping smoke: marsh water and dragon fire. If you disrupt the reaction, the cauldron will likely explode and stop the reaction! Something like stone should do the trick." Nick revealed over their communications.
"Got it." Ryder answered before ending the call.
"RYDER, INCOMING!" Chase yelled.
The green fog was slinking closer and closer to them, but Skye's copter blades repelled the gas away from them. The motor on Skye's copter started to chug and groan. "I see Sweetie stuck on the rooftop with the cauldron, and she might fall! My vehicle's failing for some reasoooooon!" Skye shouted as her rotors froze up, which allowed the gas to go in her nostrils with a strong burst of wind.
"NO! SKYE!" Everyone yelled.
The cockapoo managed to get her vehicle back on and land it before she drifted off to sleep. The fog quickly began seeping around them, and everyone but Rubble started falling asleep. His paws began glowing, as if the Mighty Meteor's power was kicking back in. "Rubble… destroy the cauldron…" Ryder drowsily said before he went unconscious too.
Rubble nodded his head as he began to scale the walls, climbing up the buildings and leaping from wall to wall. "Come on." Rubble murmured as he picked up a stone and threw it at the cauldron, trying to land it in the water. Missing. Throwing another stone, this one also missing. Sparks roared as he started flying towards Rubble, charging a dragon fire blast. "My family is counting on me! I HAVE TO MAKE THIS SHOT!" Rubble thought to himself. He threw the last stone on the rooftop and it landed in the Cauldron of Snores, which made Rubble howl in delight.
The magical vat began to shake and tremble violently. Rubble quickly ran over and picked it up with his superstrength before hurling it at Sparks. As the ancient artifact collided with the dragon, it exploded, sending the Duke, his knight, and their dragon flying off into the distance. Everyone all across Barkingburg woke up. As Rubble climbed down to the rest of the team, he heard them chanting his name. "RUBBLE! RUBBLE! RUBBLE!" Ryder and the other pups all cheered. And at that moment, Rubble knew that he'd always belong with his family… the PAW Patrol.