Amphibia Spoiler Review: The Three Armies/The Beginning of the End
Here we are, in the endgame of Amphibia. I have so many emotions! Amphibia is my comfort show I discovered during Covid lockdown. It has given me so much joy over the last few years. Still, I would rather it go out on its own terms with something powerful to say. This episode did that. Let’s talk about the first entry of the three-week finale, “The Three Armies” and “The Beginning of the End.”
What I loved about “The Three Armies” is how much it feels like any other Amphibia episode in humor and tone. Like I’ve discussed in other episodes, it doesn’t lose itself in the bigger narrative happening around it. Still, that doesn’t make it any less vital in the grand scheme of things.
Getting the frogs, newts, and toads to work together is a necessary final step before the last battle can take place. On the surface, Anne and Sasha need their army. Thematically speaking though, this is what the world of Amphibia needs to heal itself. It’s stated they’ve all hated each other for nine hundred years, giving us a little more background in the world-building. If the events of “The Core & The King” was over 1,000 years ago, it took some time to put Young Andrias’ vision into place. Even negative change takes time, and from the looks of it here, it took a couple of generations.
The episode wonderfully emphasizes that change isn’t easy. It takes work and cannot happen in a day. Deep-rooted biases are ingrained in both individuals and society as a whole. They’re not going to smooth out centuries worth of problems this quickly. But they can take that first step. It is what begins a new path for a better future. It gives everyone hope that while it’s not fixed right now, they can eventually learn to get along once the bigger threat is defeated. Hope is a very powerful weapon.
One big point of major progress happens when Anne uses her calamity powers to quash the infighting among the frogs, newts, and toads. She’s not as exhausted from using her powers which is super important. Earlier in the season, she would pass out when she partially used them. We saw her get a bit more progress in “Escape to Amphibia” when she gained some control over them. Here, she’s able to use her abilities with only a little bit of struggle. They still leave her weakened as Sasha has to support her. But Anne is able to remain on her feet, walk away, and carry on into the next scene looking fully recovered. The promo for the finale showed Anne using her powers to fight in the final battle. Her physical longevity by controlling them will be super important.
Now that everyone is coming together, I hope that Braddock and Percy make one more appearance so Sasha can get some closure on that front. She’s come so far, and that’s one of the last story threads hanging for her. Though, it would be realistic if it’s never resolved. Sometimes we hurt people, even accidentally and we don’t get forgiveness. We have to learn how to live with that and move on from it.
I’m also glad they addressed Mayor Toadstood and Duckweed living in Wartwood. That’s always been a little dangling thread in the back of my mind. It does make me wonder though if the mayors of Wartwood were always toads put in place since Andrias sent out Barrel to keep the frogs in line. Also again, it’s important to note the time gap between “The Core & The King” and the 900-year feud mentioned here. Perhaps Barrel pushed back against the subjugation of frogs. Maybe Leif returned to Amphibia after hiding the box on Earth and convinced him not to hurt her people. It seems like after Barrel’s life ended is when everything fell apart in this world. That would have been an ideal time to put toads in political places of power in Wartwood.
Though the moment Anne and Sasha mentioned a plan from a movie that Marcy loved, I knew this was going to end horribly since the Core knows Marcy’s thoughts and memories. It really upped the drama of the second episode, because we as the audience know this plan is doomed to fail…
This leads us into “The Beginning of the End.”
The simplicity of the presentation is what allows the complexity of Marcy’s story to work.
The theme of this episode is impact outweighs intent. We see the sides of this theme through both Marcy and Sasha’s story. The bookended opening and closing scenes of the sleepover at Marcy’s house showed us that Anne and Sasha didn’t really indulge in Marcy’s interest, a plot sprinkled throughout the show since “Marcy at the Gates.”
Anne and Sasha ignoring Marcy’s favorite movie and falling asleep at her sleepover aren’t malicious actions. They’re more than likely not even aware they’re harming her. Remember, they’re teenagers. This kind of awareness and empathy takes time to develop. Heck, I’m 34 and I know plenty of adults that lack this kind of empathy. Anne and Sasha aren’t mustache-twirling villains. Their intention isn’t to hurt Marcy and ignore her needs as a person.
But they did. The impact of their actions regardless of their lack of awareness hurt her deeply. A person’s interest is a part of them. They are ignoring a piece of Marcy.
The reverse goes for Marcy too, which is why this story has so many layers. Marcy’s intentions in bringing them to Amphibia were to give her and her friends the adventure of their lives. But the impact was she took them away from their families, Sasha was a prisoner in Toad Tower for a bit of time, and they were in constant danger. Marcy, too, hurt her friends.
No one is right here, which is why “The Beginning of the End” is so complex. Anne, Marcy, and Sasha are all at fault for different reasons. This is why the Core is able to take full advantage of them. It sees this little rift and slams down that wedge in an attempt to break the girls apart.
Anne is very much the key in all of this. She’s been on the emotional journey to change and has grown into a very empathetic person. She put in the work to better herself and be aware of others. This is why season one is so, so important and there are no filler episodes. Every adventure somehow makes Anne a better person.
Character development is plot.
Through her trials with Hop Pop in “After the Rain” and “The First Temple” to everything with Sasha since “Reunion,” Anne has learned the importance of forgiveness. This is such a key step because it’s going to be what saves not only Marcy but the very heart of Amphibia.
This is the point of everything. The frogs, newts, and toads have to forgive past transgressions. The olms need to let go of their fears. The girls have to realize the pain they’ve caused each other to learn to heal and mend their relationship. Cycles must be broken to save this world, Earth, and any world that Andrias and the Core want to invade. They also must be broken to save themselves. If this doesn’t happen, then all will be lost.
I’m definitely interested in how they wrap everything up in their very short time left, even with extra-long episodes in the final two weeks. Marcy’s story is very complicated and tied up in some deep trauma which I talked about before how it’s not going to be easy to get her to a satisfying conclusion. It’s going to take a heck of a lot of skill to stick the final landing. I believe Matt Braly and his crew can do that. Sure, more than likely not every plot point will be addressed. That’s just the nature of television with a show ends. But I have no doubt they’re going to have a satisfying emotional conclusion for Marcy.
And maybe the ending will be like Sasha in “Turning Point” or Grime in “Grime’s Pupil.” The finale of Amphibia will actually be a new beginning. It will be a start for Anne and Sasha to mend their relationship with Marcy, starting a new path to fix the mistake of the past. The creators can then release the show into the loving hands of fans to interpret it as they will.
This would be a beautiful kind of ending that is the stuff the best fanfictions are made of.
The arrival of the Moss Man is definitely a precursor for something important happening with Leif. Yes, it was very satisfying to see Wally get justice and the impact of the episode “Wally and Anne” grows all the time. But this is definitely a setup for something. My initial guess would be the reveal of what’s on the letter the Plantars found last week. Or the Moss Man could be there to add greater mystical context to the final battle. Remember, the Moss Man is a victim of the old colonizing ways of Amphibia. We don’t know what happened to his world. Perhaps he’s fighting so Earth doesn’t fall as his world did.
But it’s also great to see a piece of Leif is there still fighting for the soul of Amphibia. She started this quest. The Moss Man, something she loved so much, will be helping to end this battle for her.
Some random thoughts to round out The Three Armies and The Beginning of the End:
-I lost track of how many times I audibly gasped, fist pumped, or yelled, “THIS IS AWESOME” while watching the battle between the army and Andrias. So many callbacks, characters, and just bonkers crazy moments!
-THE LITTLE BUTLER FROG BOT IS SO DANG CUTE!
-I’m happy to see that Toadie kept his look from a few episodes ago. I’d actually love to see Toadie being the next mayor of Wartwod when the show ends. I’m rooting for you, Toadie!
-Speaking of Toadie, I laughed waaaaaay too long and hard at him getting spiked like a football!
-SCREAMING THAT MY GIRLFRIENDS OLIVIA AND YUNAN ARE OKAY! Sort of! They got captured again. But they’re STILL ALIVE which means my ship always has hope!
-Is that the Grubhog flying into battle!? What a moment calling back to one of the best jokes of the first season!
-I loved Andrias drinking juice from the window watching the battle. It was a very ‘Cersei Lannister watching Great Sept of Baelor getting destroyed’ kind of moment which made me chuckle.
-That animation in Sasha and Anne’s dance sequence is so beautiful and fluid. It was an amazing moment!
We’re here! The actual beginning of the end of Amphibia. With two super-sized episodes left, it’s going to be a crazy finale guys! I can’t wait to watch this in primetime next week!
A very special thank you to Disney TVA for an advance screener of this episode!
