Baloo, feeling like a nobody, sets out to find the fabled city of Panda-La, only to unwillingly cause an invasion on Cape Suzette.

Starring:
Baloo

Appearances by:
Kit, Rebecca, Louie, Wildcat

Other/New Characters:
Won Low, his two sons, daughter, and the rest of the Panda's, The Cape Suzette Mayor

We begin at Louie's, where Louie, Rebecca, Kit, Wildcat and a couple of other's are gathered around the radio, listening intently, and feasting on an ice cream sundae. The commentator declares Money Mangrove as the worlds greatest explorer and everybody cheers. An empty glass appears out of nowhere, zooms across the bench and knocks the radio to the floor. (Everyone: "GASP!") Across the other side of the bench, Baloo's slurping the remains of a milkshake, surrounded by several more empty glasses, looking peeved. Mmmm, milkshake fix.
Louie retrives the fallen radio and asks Baloo what he's problem is. He responds with a despondant "Sorry Louie".

Rebecca: "Why Baloo, don't tell me you're jealous? Money Mangrove is a great man. You're a cargo pilot"

For those out there who have not seen this episode, I'm guessing this doesn't sound all that bad. But, oh her tone when she says this line! She makes it sound like such a bad thing! Kit, the good little kid that he is, points that out Baloo can fly better than that guy anyday, and that he doesn't need a parade to prove that. He then helps himself to a spoon full of ice cream.

Rebecca: "A parade means you're somebody, Kit. Not everybody can be somebody, Baloo"

She's got that tone on again - the say-something-mean-in-a-patronising-nice "I'm-taking-to-a-child-voice. ARG. Hehe don't get me wrong here - I am not a Becky hater! I like her, she's up there on my list of favorite characters, and I especially like her sense of humor and sarcastic wit. She's just being such a meanie toward Baloo :( Well, I have to say this isn't unusual, but she's trying to sound nice while she does it - she's got this sympatheitc tone to her voice and she's talking to him like she's explaining something to a child. It just annoyed me :)

Anyways, moving right along, Baloo starts reminising about a time that he apparantly had a chance to be somebody once - he almost found Panda-La.

Louie: "No jive, Clyde? We're talking Panda-La, city beyong the last horizon?"
Kit: "With giant pagodas that reach to the sky?"
Wildcat: "With gold and silver, and sandwitches and stuff?

Man I love Wildcat. Rebecca brushes Baloo's claim off as a fairy story, and that Panda-La doesn't exist.
Back at Higher For Hire, Baloo is ramaging around in the Sea Duck (throwing stuff here and there), on the hunt for something or other. He finally finds what he's looking for - a figurine of a green panda. Kit looks at it in awe, but Rebecca just laughs and claims Baloo could have gotten this anywhere. Die Becky, die!

Baloo: "Yeah, yeah, yuk it up Rebecca. I'm telling you, I saw Panda-La. And I'm gonna find it again... And when I do, I'll be sitting at the head of a parade!"

Kit tries to tell him that a parade doesn't mean anything but Baloo, determined to go, just gives Kit a pat on the head and tells him that it'd mean he's not a nobody. Slapping high-five with Louie, Baloo leaves, Kit whispering after him "You're somebody to me".

And so, Baloo's big adventure begins. He searches, for who knows how long, for Panda-La with no avail. Eventually, he runs out of map, and wonders if Rebecca was right in saying that he's a nobody. Right then, a tornado appears out of no where and quickly engulfs the Sea Duck, eventually sending it crashing into the side of a mountain.
Baloo climbs out to insepect the plane. Realizing he's not gonna be going anywhere in the Duck, decides to climb the mountain - "What can't do down must go up". Although, I must admit I don't fully understand why he didn't/couldn't climb down, but he could climb up? I personally think it would have actually been easier to head down. And what, exactly, did he think he was going to find at the top? A gas station? A cafe?
Eventually, Baloo collapses from exhaustion. He botices a light coming from inside the mountain, and squishes his way through the rocks to follow it. He crosses over a couple of bridges made within the mountain, before energing at the other side. To his suprprise, he finds a city hidden within the rock.

He wonders down into the city, and notices that it appears deserted. A Panda dressed in a kimono type garment (with long ugly purple claws!) approaches Baloo and introduces himself as Won Low, of Panda-La. Baloo is so rapt he makes a little song and dance about finding the lost city. Baloo introduces himself and tells Won he comes from Cape Suzette. Won looks particularly interested in this piece of information... I don't like this guy already...

Won announces to the town that they have an 'honored' guest, and proceeds to give Baloo the grand tour. Such a deceptivly friendly city it. And all the residents are making sure that their 'honored guest' doesn't see them transport those rockets and cannons around the city.
Won takes Baloo into the palace and outfits him with in stylish, kimono type Panda-La attire. At dinner, Baloo is helping himself to the feast, still marvoling at how friendly that Panda's are. Out of nowhere, a toy mouse zooms across the floor and runs straight at the lamp sitting on the table. Baloo picks up the lamp and moves it to the other side of the table so the mouse has a clear path, but to his surprise, the mouse turns a 180 and runs at the lamp again. Intrigued, Baloo puts the lamp on the floor, to find that once again the mouse runs traight for it. Oooo! A giggle is heard, and a young Panda girl (who I personally think is NOT cute!) runs out to claim her toy ("Mousey like the warm!") With an evil eye from Won, the little girl is silenced and runs from the room.

Baloo: "Cute kid"
Won: "My daughter. Pay no attention"
Baloo: That toy... How does it follow the heat of the lamp?"

He seemed to have hit a bit of a sore spot. Won's expression changes to panic, and he quickly changes the subject, ringing a bell to sommon his sons which he introduces to Baloo. Won informas Baloo that they are seeing to the repair of his "flying machine".

Baloo: "You're fixing the duck!? You guys just get nicer and nicer, how can I ever repay you?"
Won: "You will... you will"

Oooo, shady.
The next morning, we see the Panda's attatch a massive, fish shaped balloon to the Sea Duck and inflate it. Well, that's one way to fly :) Baloo is rapt, and thanks Won yet again saying that he's "done everything" for him. He leaves, and as soon as he's out of sight Won gives the order to "Ready the city!". Every building in Panda-La then sprouts a balloon from it's roof and rises up off the ground. The entire city, now airbourne, sets out after Baloo... Que the scary music.

We now cut back to Cape Suzette, where Louie and Kit are walking down the street. I wonder what Louie's doing here? And who's running his club?! Anyway, Kit (looking extremely depressed) picks up a toy plane from a stand, which Louie buys for him in hope to cheer him up.

Louie: "Aw, lighten up, short-stuff. Ol' Baloo'll be back!"
Kit: "It's just a stupid parade! Who care's anyway?"

At that moment, the Sea Duck being airlifted by the massive balloon appears through the cliffs.

Kit: "Look! It's Baloo, it's Baloo, it's Balloooo-ooo!"

Kudos to Kit. He squeals so loud hear that his voice literally breaks by the end, with the third "Baloo" coming out in a squeak! Kit, Louie, Rebecca and Wildcat along with a huge crown of Cape Suzette citizens run after the Sea Duck as it flies over the city, until it eventually sets itself down (smashing a statue).
The crowd gathers around the Sea Duck, where Baloo opens the door and (still donned in Panda-La fashion) announces his return. Kit pushes his way to the front of the crowd, run and up Baloo and jumps into his arms for a hug.

Kit: "Baloo, you came back!"
Baloo: "Yup Little Britches. And I ain't just 'Baloo' anymore - I am Mister Somebody!"

The mayor of Cape Suzette pushes his way through the crowd and demands to know what's going on. Baloo tells him, and the crowd, that he has just come from Panda-La ("What do you think of them apples?"). Everyone is shocked, and Baloo hints that a parade might be in order? Ok, so he doesn't exactly hint... More like "And I believe a parade is in order?" **nudge-nudge wink-wink hint-hint**.

But, alas, before the mayor can respond, a missle flies in out of no where and blows up a palm tree nearby. The crowd gasps, and everyone looks toward the cliffs to see - dum de dum - the entire city of Panda-La hovering in the air. The cliff guns are basically usless - the Panda's take them out with a single shot.

Won: (over the loud speaker): People of Cape Suzette. Your guns are usless! Prepare to surrender to the might of Panda-La!"

Dramatic fade out...
Won repeats his demand, leaving Baloo totally confused and convinced this must be some kind of mistake, as the Panda's are friendly. Rebecca disproves him, stating that this is clearly an invasion. The mayor panics and calls out the airforce, and several planes (which, I swear sound like little wind up toys!) take flight and attempt to bring down the floating city.
No luck. The smarty Panda's have their heat-seeking stuff (like on Won's daughters Mousie toy) on the rockets, so they simply chase the planes until they hit them! The Panda's take down every single plane with total ease, and Won again demands they surrender. The mayor, telling Baloo that this is all his fault (!) surrenders to the Panda's, who then order the citizens of Cape Suzette to leave and never return (insert malicious laughter here). A funny moment, where the entire town just stands there frozen, disbeliving and awestruck, before Won cracks it

Won: "What are you standing around for?! GO!"

Well, that snapped the people of of their trance! It's chaos, as everyone runs, screaming and calling Baloo a traitor. Baloo tries to tell them not to go, but no one listens. Baloo, feeling guilty, claims that since this is his fault, it's his fight.

Rebecca: "But Baloo, it's a suicide mission!"
Louie: "Or worse..."
Baloo: "I know, but I have to try. Even if I am just a no body."

He leaves, Kit calling after him to wait, but Louie grabs a hold of Kit's sweater and holds his back ("No, little buddy") and the scene ends with a really cute close up of Kit's worried face.

We return to find Baloo, dressed in eskimo attire, loading some 'special cargo' onto the Sea Duck, while Wildcat tinkers with the engines. Baloo askes where everybody is

Wildcat: "Well, I'm here, and you're their, and the Panda's are waaaaaaaay up there..."

Hehehe. Baloo tells him to forget it, telling himself that if "I were my friends I wouldn't say goodbye to me either". With the ok from Wildcat (and the Sea Duck smelling like... ice cream??) Baloo leaves.
In the air, Baloo comments that it's getting "kinda nippy in here" whilst munching on an ice cream in a cone. He begins an assult of the Panda's, lighting dynamite one at a time and dropping them onto the buildings. A not-so-happy-camper Won is shocked that Baloo would attempt to defy them, and launches the heat seeking rockets. But, hey hey, Baloo's ice cream loaded plane ain't hot enough to attract the rockets, so Baloo does an easy dodge and continues his assult on the Panda's. Realizing the rockets have no effect, and with a bit of funnt dialogue here, Won orders his men to "Launch EVERYTHING". And hellooooo shower of rockets/bullets/cannon balls/etc. Baloo manages to fly for a few seconds, but is evertually hit and the Sea Duck flies straight into the cables conecting the Panda palace to its balloon, and becomes entangled.

Inside one of the Panda's many buildings, Baloo is tied, gands behind his back, hanging from the celing of a room with a massive hole in to floor. He tries to reason with Won

Baloo: "Come on Won, ol' pal. I thought we were friends?"
Won: "We have no friends! We live to conquor, and where we conquor, we live.
Baloo: "Well no wonder you got no friends..."

He then appoogises to Baloo for not throwing him in the dungeon - cos they haven't got one - and instead forces Baloo to bungee jump against his will, sending him falling through the rooms massive hole and toward Cape Suzette below. Nice view :)
Baloo, hanging in the air, is in a panic ("Tell me I'm dreaming!"). Meanwhile, Kit's air foils appears out of no where and knocks out the guard. Kit strolls into the room, and calls out to Baloo - who's both shocked and happy to see Kit. Kit pulls Baloo back up and unties the ropes.

Baloo: "What are you doing here?"
Kit: "I stowed away. I couldn't let you go alone. You are a somebody! To me."

Did you hear that Baloo - heed this young boy's words - that's all that matters!
Baloo gives Kit a hug, and the two head off to try and escape. They're creeping around the palace, when a guard discovers them and pokes them with a spear. Louie appears above them and knocks the guard out, saying that he couldn't let his "oldest pal fly solo on this one!". Another guard appears, only to be clonked over the head by Rebecca, who says she "had to protect her only pilot". Yet another guard rocks up, and Wildcat knocks him out, accidentally, by opening a door o n him. How the heck did Wildcat get the anyways!? He was on the ground when Baloo took off.

Baloo: "You came to help me too?"
Wildcat: "I did??"

*Sigh* You gotta laugh at this guy! Another guard appears, and when Kit asks Baloo what they should do, Baloo responds with this great line:

Baloo: "Well, since I'm all out of friends - RUN"

Hahahahaha! I like, I like. So, they run! Back into the room where Baloo is faced with his bungee jumping memory. With no other way to go, they all join hands and jump out the building! They tumble down a roof, into another building and land on another group of guards, knocking them out too. Baloo gives every one a hug (big GROUP HUG) and thanks his friends. He turns serious again, saying he still has to stop the invasion. He climbs onto a rocket, and Kit tells him he doesn't have to do this, that they can escape on the pagoda. Rebecca tells Baloo that she was wrong - and that parade's don't mean anything. DAMN STRAIGHT Becky!

Baloo: "i know - a parade doesn't make you a somebody or a nobody. It's what you you, and who you do it for. I gotta do with for Cape Suzette! And, for my friends"

There's a tiny deleted bit here, where Baloo strikes a matches a lights the rocket. Disney really has a thing againish matches!
Anyway, although we dont actually see it, Baloo lights the match, lights the rocket and blasts off (Kit: "Good luck, Papa Bear"). He makes it to the Sea Duck, climbs in and dumps his ice cream load on Won, topping it with a cherry. Ha! Won fires the heat seeking rockets and, with no ice cream to save it, the Sea Duck it chased. Baloo flies directly into the palace, the rockets in hot pursuit. He flies into the armory ("Oh baby, this is it!") The rockets light every single rocket, firework, bomb, etc, in the room, sending them on flights of distruction and destroying every one of the Panda's buildings.
Oh there is beautiful animation here! Each rocket is zooming around on it's own flight path and the colours are spectacular.

Panda-La is destroyed, but Baloo's fate looks grim. (Kit: "Baloo..."). Rebecca hugs Kit, and all four of them bow their heads

Rebecca: "Well... We'll all miss him..."

Come on - as if Disney could possibly kill off a main character!

Louie: "Oh no we won't"

And, yay, Baloo flies out of the smoke and everyone cheers. Kit: "Papa Bear your safe!" and did I hear Rebecca yell "I love you, Baloo!". Hmm ;)

And, just for that happy fairy tale ending, Baloo gets that darn parade! ("Told you I'd get a parade, Becky!")

Quote Of The Episode
Kit: "You are a somebody, to me!"

Won's son: "Father, the rockets aren't working"
Won: "I know that! Why do you think I am hopping up and down?!"

Baloo: "Looks like open season on Sea Ducks"

Baloo: "You came to help me too?!"
Wildcat: "I did?"

Baloo in Panda-La get-up.

Kit knocking the Panda guard with with his airfoil

Louie knocking another guard out with a vase

Rebecca knocking out the third guard with a vase

Wildcat knocking out guard #4 with a door, though by accident

The five of them knocking out another bunch of guards by landing on them! (whew, that was a lot of guards)

Won getting creamed with the ice cream, with a cherry on top

Baloo zooming around on the rocket

I've read some other reviews and looked at the ratings other Talespin fan have given this episode, and it seems as though I come across as somewhat crazy... This episode is one of my favorites - if not my absolute favorite (barr Plunder and Lightning) of the entire series. Nobody else seems to like it :( Oh well. You're all crazy, CRAZY I TELL YOU.

I think I like this episode because of the friendship factor. The characters are acting with human-like emotion. As in - they actually care about each other. This episode had potential to be quite tacky, but I really think Disney pulled it off!

This episode was actually banned for a while. I'm not sure how long for, exactly... Not as long a 'Flying Dupes' which was only ever aired once to TV. I think perhaps for around 18 months or two years.

Anyway, that's it from me on this one.

Til the next review - Lee ^-^