Challenge of the Brave

I have mixed feelings about this episode. On the one hand it gives us some much needed Cassandra development. On the other hand it kicks off the worst arc in the series that, in the end, winds up dragging the entire show down. But on the other, other hand, this is only a problem caused by the show’s over arcing narrative and not really reflective of the episode on it’s own. So... 

Yeah... let’s just dig into this. 

Summary:  Cassandra trains hard to enter the "Challenge of the Brave", but when Rapunzel learns of the competition, she wants to enter as well. Cassandra lies to Rapunzel to keep her out of the competition, but Rapunzel later learns through Eugene that anyone can enter. They wind up fighting each other both on and off the battlefield.

Five Episodes In and We Are Only Just Now Getting the Deuteragonist’s Main Conflict

I said it before and I’ll say it again, the lack of a proper introduction to Cassandra is a major problem that has multiple ramifications through out the series. For this episode in particular it presents those problems twofold. 

First, in that we shouldn’t be getting insight into what makes this character tick after spending several episodes with them. Because of that we are left scratching our heads trying to figure out the details that the story so inconveniently leaves out. Cassandra feels disrespected? Since when? How come? Why is she trapped in a job she hates? It’s not like she’ll be out on the street if she quits because her dad is still captain of the guard. Heck why isn’t she in the guard? 

We the audience might can piece together some theories based off what we learn later but at the end of the day these are just guesses. The series never gives us the answers we actually need. And once again, a main character’s  motivation and goals are not something your audience should ever have to guess. 

The second problem?

Rapunzel’s and Cassandra’s Friendship Hasn’t Been Established Enough to be Introducing Conflict Yet

I don’t know why these two people are friends to begin with and I never will. The show spends more time telling us why they shouldn’t be friends then actually showing them as friends. Every episode that’s focused on the just the two of them is a fight. In fact it’s the same fight, over and over again. There’s no time spent with just them being together and enjoying each other’s company outside of like a montage or a short song. Show me them being best buds first and doing stuff together before you start breaking them apart or otherwise I’m not going to care. 

Heck, we won’t even see how they became friends until S3!

As for the conflict itself...

It’s Fine for an Episode, Not for a Whole Story Arc

Look, any story that can be solved by five minutes of talking is not a strong plot and certainly not enough to carry a whole two seasons. The conflict between Cass and Raps is unnecessarily dragged out and forced to jump through increasingly contrived hoops in order to keep gong until the end.   

Oh Look Foreshadowing that Winds Up being Useless 

It’s a small thing, but they take the time to establish Shorty’s wig for the season finale. Only for Shorty not to actually make an impact in said finale. I point this out because it’s one of the few times the show actually follows through on a plot point from beginning to end, with set up and conclusion, and it matters not one jilt.  

But Watch As the Writers Forget This Plot Point

Cassandra actually achieves her goal of wanting praise and attention within this episode. In fact she winds up achieving this goal several times over within the very first season. Only for all of it to be ignored come later seasons, because otherwise she’d have no reason for her actions in season three... oh wait she still doesn’t. 

The Main Characters Still Learn Nothing

I may sound like a broken record, but that’s only because the show itself is a broken record. Like its characters, Tangled the Series never learns from it’s mistakes. Instead it digs in its heels and doubles down on the stupid stuff while shoving all of the good things its got going for it off a cliff. 

Cass and Raps should have a better understanding of each other after this episode. They don’t. Watch as they keep being petty, attention grabbers, squabbling over who’s more popular, instead of just communicating like adults. 

Conclusion

So yeah, this episode is pretty much season one in a nut shell. A decent story by itself that could have been a solid bit of character development that winds up getting wasted by the over arching plot of later seasons.