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[At the Plantar home, Anne, Sprig and Polly enter the house.]
Anne: Hey, Hop Pop! Got the groceries!
Polly: Couldn't buy much since we've barely got any money left.
Sprig: Feeling any better, Hop Pop?
Hop Pop: [sighs] No. Ever since we lost the vegetable stand I've just felt, well, lost. I was fine the first couple of days, but it's really starting to catch up with me.
Anne: Well, maybe this will cheer you up. Pa-pow! [Presents a want ad.]
Sprig: The Grub-N-Go's hiring greeters! All you gotta do is smile and be friendly.
Hop Pop: [sighs] Just another job for me to lose.
Sprig [dragging him off the couch]: See? You're a natural.
Anne: Now head out there and get back in the game.
Hop Pop: Lemme go! The couch is the only one who understands me!
Male Frog: Thank you, Mr. Plantar. Don't call us, we'll call you.
(crowd clamoring)
Villager: Got to get ready!
Hop Pop: What's all this rabble?
Wally: Sign-ups for the election! You been living under a rock? 'Cause I have and even I knew that.
Hop Pop: Election?
Toadstool: Vote Mayor Toadstool! If reelected, I will always look out for the little guy.
(Toadie squeaks as Toadstool uses him as a stool.)
Toadstool: Upsy-daisy.
[engine roars]
Child: (Coughing in the dust)
Hop Pop: [scoffs] Some mayor. That guy keeps raising our taxes, and what do we got to show for it? Our snail-ways are a mess. [A snail falls down a covered-up pothole.] Our buildings are falling apart. [The front of a house falls, forcing a bathing frog to hide in his tub.] Heck, we ain't even replaced the schoolhouse after last year's millipede incident!
[Children are shown playing on the rubble when a giant millipede bursts out roaring, scattering them and causing them to scream.]
Felicia: Am I crazy, or is he making sense?
Hop Pop: Maybe we need a mayor who looks out for the people he's mayoring. 'Cause ours, well... [chuckles] He's only looking out for himself. Anyway, good afternoon, everybody.
Wally: I nominate Hopediah Plantar for mayor!
Felicia: I second that!
Villager: I third it.
Villager: Let's hear it for Hopediah!
Villager: Sounds good to me.
Felicia: Hop Pop for mayor, everyone.
[cheering, applause]
Hop Pop: Huh?
[Back at the Plantar Farm]
Hop Pop: Guess what, kids!
Anne: You passed the interview?
Sprig: You got the job?
Hop Pop: Nope! I'm running for mayor.
All: Huh?
Hop Pop: Don't you see, kids? If I win this election, I'll prove once and for all that Hopediah Plantar ain't no loser!
Anne: Oh, no. If he loses, he'll be more down than ever.
Polly: And we just got the couch cleaned.
Sprig: But if he wins maybe we'll get the old Hop Pop back!
Polly: True that.
Anne: Fair point. Hop Pop, we're all in!
Hop Pop: Really? Aw, kids. I won't let you down. If anyone needs me, I'll be in the bathroom practicing my distinguished expression! [laughs]
Anne: Ugh. Politics are the worst.
Polly: Yeah. The monster fights are pretty cool, though.
Anne: The what now?
[cheering]
Toadstool: You've made a powerful enemy today, Hopediah. Toads have run uncontested for decades. This is a disgrace.
Hop Pop: The only disgrace is you as mayor.
Mrs. Croaker: Oh, I like this Hopediah.
Villager: I don't know. Toadstool is tried and true.
Albus Duckweed: Ahem! Welcome to the official mayoral trials, where the candidates try to win your vote.
Anne: I'm suddenly very interested in politics. (Blows horn loudly.)
Sprig: Okay, Anne. That's enough.
Duckweed: Our first trial is all about strength. The first candidate to mount the beetle wins!
[whistles]
[beetle roars]
Duckweed: Ready, set, go!
Toadstool: [grunting] Oh, my giblets! I've got you! No, I don't!
[growling]
Hop Pop: Hey! [laughing] Come and get it.
Beetle: [shrieks]
[cheering, applause]
Duckweed: The second trial is about sensitivity. Can you figure out what these hatchlings need? A good mayor would.
Toadstool: I know what these dumb birds want. Money. All right, all right. Here's your handout.
(He throws a handful of coins at them; they begin pecking him.)
[screeching]
Toadstool: [grunting] Oh! Oh!
Toadie: There, there, sir.
Hop Pop: Hmm...
(He feeds them some worms.)
Birds: [chirping]
Hop Pop: [laughs]
Crowd: Aww...
Sprig (to Anne): That's how he fed us when we were babies.
(The mother bird suddenly returns; all run off screaming.)
Duckweed: Being mayor is a lot like being dropped in the woods naked and forced to find your way home. So that's what we did!
Crowd: [gasps]
Hop Pop: Thanks for showing me the way, Jeremy.
Jeremy: [chirping]
Hop Pop: Safe travels, brother.
[crowd cheering]
Polly: Yeah! Whoo!
All: [chanting] Hop Pop! Hop Pop!
Toadstool: This is getting out of hand, Toadie. I could actually lose! Looks like we'll have to stop him... Ow! the old-fashioned way. Illegally.
[The Plantar farm, night.]
Sprig: Excited for the final trial tomorrow, Hop Pop?
Hop Pop: Not really. I know I've been doing well, but if I mess up tomorrow, it could cost us the election.
[knocking]
Toadie: Mr. Plantar, an anonymous associate would like to speak with you.
Anne: You mean the mayor?
Toadie: No comment.
Anne: Come on, dude, you only know like one person!
Toadie: I said no comment!
[Inside Toadstool's wagon]
Toadstool: Ah, so glad you could join me, Plantar. I'll give it to you straight. I want you to lose tomorrow's trial.
Hop Pop: Well, yeah. I figured.
Toadstool: No, you dimwit, lose on purpose! In return, I'll give you a new vegetable stand. Heck, I'll put it in the center of the market, tax free! You'll make tons of money.
Hop Pop: That's, uh...hard to say no to.
Toadstool: Well, then, don't.
[Hop Pop enters the house]
Anne: Hey, Hop Pop.
Hop Pop: [sighs]
Anne: So, uh, what did the mayor want?
Hop Pop: If I lose on purpose, Toadstool will give us the stand back.
Sprig and Polly: [both gasp]
Anne: What? No! You've got a real chance to win.
Hop Pop: He'll also make us rich. We'd be set for life.
Polly: Oh, in that case, take the deal.
Anne and Sprig: [both] Polly!
Polly: We were all thinking it!
Hop Pop: [sighs] Polly's right, guys. It's just too good to pass up.
Anne: Well, whatever you pick, we'll be behind you, dude.
Sprig: All the way.
Hop Pop: Thanks, kids. [sighs] Guess I've got some thinking to do.
Duckweed: Ladies and gentlephibians, you know the candidates, you've seen 'em fight monsters. But for the final challenge, you'll see them fight...each other!
[applause]
Toadie: Ah!
Duckweed: Now you both know the rules. Fight starts as soon as the bell rings.
Old frog: What? Ring the bell?
[bell rings]
(They begin boxing.)
[grunts]
[groans]
Duckweed: Ah!
[groans]
[cheering]
[chuckles]
Toadtool: Ah! [grunts]
[gasping]
Toadstool: Ow! Okay, Plantar! You've put on a good show but... that's enough!
Hop Pop: This can't be good.
[grunting]
[crowd groans]
[crowd gasps]
Toadstool: Like we talked about. Stay down, Plantar.
Crowd: [distorted] Get up!
Anne: You can do it!
Sprig: Come on, Hop Pop!
Toadstool: Stay down!
[groaning]
(Hop Pop gets up.)
Toadstool: What are you, crazy? You could have been rich. You could've had your stand back. All you had to do was give up! [panting] Why?
Hop Pop: Because this is about more than just me!
(He punches Toadstool.)
Toadstool: [groans]
Duckweed: That's a knockout!
Old frog: Huh? Ring the bell!
[bell rings]
[cheering, applause]
Crowd: Hop Pop! Yeah! Whoo!
Duckweed: Well, folks, that wraps up the trials. Now it's time to tally the votes! With 88 votes, 100% of Wartwood, Hopediah Plantar!
Hop Pop: What? I won?
Duckweed: And with 22,000 votes, the entire rest of the Valley, Mayor Toadstool!
Hop Pop: What?
Duckweed: Congratulations, sir.
Toadstool: Thank you. Thank you all. You're all too kind. Democracy wins again!
[crowd groaning]
Toadstool: Well, you certainly gave this toad a run for his money. Good thing you didn't win though, huh? [laughs] A frog beating a toad. That would have made headlines! Just be proud the whole town loved ya. I'm surprised the rest of the valley didn't.
Hop Pop: How was I supposed to know the rest of the valley got a vote? I'm a theater major, for cricket's sake!
Toadstool: Wait, wait now. You didn't campaign outside Wartwood? Oh, son. That's just sad. Really is. Almost takes the joy out of my victory.
Toadie: The victory piñata is all set up in the lobby, sir.
Toadstool: Well, I did say "almost." Wahoo! Piñata! I'm gonna hit it.
Sprig: Hey, Hop Pop...You okay?
Hop Pop: Yep! I've never felt better!
Sprig: Huh?
Anne: Really? You know you lost, right? Are you in shock? Is he in shock?
Hop Pop: I may have lost, but I stood my ground and fought for something important. And that feels good.
Wally: Hopediah? Uh, may we have a word?
Felicia: We all pitched in and built you a stand. For giving us something better than produce...
Wally: Hope.
Mrs. Croaker: You've made us all proud.
Hop Pop: I may have lost the race, but I'm back at the market with all of you. And that makes me a winner. This is perfect. I wouldn't have put the root vegetables with the tubers, though. It's not important. (beat) I'll fix it later.