Galavant 2.02: "World's Best Kiss"

“You never handed me the f-ing amulet.”
-Chef

“World’s Best Kiss,” although it is the second episode of the new season, really did a lot to set up what I presume will be this season’s (loose) plot arc. By the end of the episode, we’ve got the classic rom com trope of a terrible misunderstanding between the couple we’re supposed to be rooting for. I do like a good rom com now and then, but this particular plot device has always stressed me out. I always just want to scream at the television for the characters to realize what is actually going on! Anyway, despite using my least favorite rom com trope, this episode had enough humor to keep me from completely spontaneously combusting with frustration. There was a virgin detecting unicorn, and an amulet that is apparently very important even though we’ve never seen it before. And Madalena and Gareth are struggling to make things work as joint rulers of Valencia (because we didn’t see that coming!).

As the episode opens, Richard and Galavant are still traveling. Richard is getting increasingly whiny. He finds all this walking to be tiring, painful, and worst of all, boring. Galavant just wants to forge ahead. He is impatient to drop Richard off at his kingdom and get on with rescuing Isabella. Speaking of Isabella, she tells Chef all about her plan to escape during the changing of the guard. Chef thinks this is a great idea, because the changing of the guard ceremony is very elaborate. Isabella also wants Chef to give the Amulet of Valencia to her father. Isabella claims she’s worn the Amulet every day since her birth, but Chef has never seen it before, even during the time in the dungeon last season. I like how the creative team just decided to hang a lantern on that particular plot hole. Regardless, the Amulet means a lot to Isabella. As they both get ready to sleep, very far from each other, Isabella and Galavant think about their one kiss in a song called “World’s Best Kiss.” As they think more about the kiss, they both realize it wasn’t all that great, but it was still very meaningful to them.

Meanwhile, back in Valencia, Madalena and Gareth are adjusting to being co-rulers. At first, when Gareth suggests they skip the “leeches and bleeding” part of their schedule for the day, Madalena thinks this just might work. She remarks that Gareth thinks outside the box enough that he may be the right person to help her take over all seven realms. Then she looks up at the wall and sees a painting of dogs jousting. Gareth has decided that since he now has the title of King, he should add a few personal touches to the throne room. Madalena doesn’t like this at all. This conflict escalates into Gareth and Madalena throwing each other’s stuff into the castle moat while singing a full-on musical number called “Let’s Agree to Disagree.” The song is about how they have absolutely nothing in common. Sid is determined to fix this problem, though, and he approaches trying to find common ground between Gareth and Madalena in a very Polyanna-like way. By the end of the episode, they do have something in common, though. They both find Sid very annoying, and he is the final item to be tossed into the moat.

Galavant and Richard arrive in a town that pretty much looks like a Renaissance Festival (which is awesome, because I love Renaissance Festivals), and Galavant immediately sets about taking Richard’s broken boots to a cobbler so they can be on their way. Meanwhile, Richard finds a unicorn, but he’s not so happy to find out that unicorns are drawn to virgins. That unicorn keeps following Richard around through the entire episode despite his protests. After dropping off the boots, Galavant talks to Richard about some of his doubts about Isabella. Richard confirms that yes, the kiss was horrible and was the talk of the dungeon. He also suggests they consult a fortune teller. This fortune teller looks like a Galdalf/Dumbledore style wizard, but he uses one of those folded paper fortune tellers that were all the rate when I was in elementary school. I did get a laugh out of that. The fortune teller is interrupted by a call from his wife that comes through his wizard’s staff. Galavant and Richard realize the staff can be used to contact Isabella, too.

Speaking of Isabella, she leaves her room, and she finds the Jester, who has been playing Hide and Seek with Isabella’s pre-pubescent intended, Prince Harry. Hide and Seek had greatly improved the Jester’s knowledge of the castle grounds, so he is going to help Isabella escape. Chef and Gwynne see Isabella’s amulet start to ring, and they decide to answer it. The conversation is a bit garbled, but it’s clear that Chef and Gwynne thought the kiss was pretty horrible, too. Chef also tells Richard that Gareth betrayed him and is now King of Valencia. This news is absolutely devastating to Richard. Galavant demands to speak with Isabella, so Chef and Gwynne bring the amulet to her. The conversation between Galavant and Isabella is even more garbled, and Isabella is left thinking Galavant thinks she’s a cow. And that he doesn’t actually love her. This whole situation just makes me sad.

While waiting for Galavant to finish his conversation, Richard yells at the virgin detecting unicorn and also pulls a sword from a stone. At first he throws the sword away, but then he decides to keep it and give it a name. Richard and Galavant have a nice heart to heart about the betrayals both have experienced before continuing on their journey. Isabella closes out the show with a big reprise of “World’s Best Kiss” with lyrics that are all about how she and Galavant aren’t meant to be. She can’t believe she ever thought he loved her, and she decides to lock herself back up in Prince Harry’s pretty pretty princess prison room. We do get one last surprise with the episode’s last scene. Richard and Galavant arrive in Richard’s kingdom. Richard is looking forward to relaxing, and he offers Galavant whatever he needs to rescue Isabella. There’s just one problem. Richard’s castle is missing. The footprint of it can still be seen in the grass, but the castle itself? It’s gone.