Stuck Up, Up, and Away

"Stuck Up, Up, and Away" is the first episode of Season 2 of The Powerpuff Girls (and the 25th episode overall). It first aired on Cartoon Network in the United States on June 25, 1999.

Synopsis[]

A mean, spoiled rich girl named Princess Morbucks arrives at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten and decides to enlist herself as a Powerpuff Girl after seeing the Girls save Twiggy in distress. The girls refuse, and Princess' attempt at proving her self-worth ends horribly for both herself and the girls. So, when Blossom once again has to respectfully veto any chance of her being a Powerpuff Girl, Princess becomes so enraged and consumed by her jealousy that she decides that if she cannot be a Powerpuff Girl, she will destroy them.

Plot[]

The Narrator comments on the new day Townsville is having while a new student, Princess Morbucks, arrives at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten in a limousine. Her dad gives her a bundle of cash for milk money, but she looks disappointed. Ms. Keane introduces her to the class. Everyone treats her nicely, but Princess replies rudely and snobbishly to her peers. Finally, she is introduced to Twiggy, the class hamster whom she calls a "smelly, mangy, little rat". After hearing this insult, the hamster runs so fast on her treadmill that it breaks off its joint and Twiggy rolls out of her cage. The Powerpuff Girls then save Twiggy and everyone in the class cheers for them.

Princess looks at the Powerpuff Girls and approaches them, asking how they did that. They then tell Princess they are superheroes called the Powerpuff Girls. She looks amused and says she will be a Powerpuff Girl too. However, the girls giggle and snicker and say they are not taking new members but thanks Princess for being interested in their group. Princess throws a fit and begs to be a member. The girls refuse to let her join because she has no superpowers, much less fighting experience. Later, at the end of the school day, the girls talk about Princess' behavior and Blossom says that given how new she is, they decide they should give her a chance to be friends. The scene cuts to Princess crying to her father about not being a Powerpuff Girl, framing the girls as the bad guys. Daddy Morbucks gives her a stack of cash, which makes Princess giggle with joy.

The next day at school, Princess Morbucks arrives with a grand entrance revealing her new outfit, which looks similar to the Powerpuff Girls' dresses. She proclaims herself a Powerpuff Girl, much to Buttercup's annoyance. Blossom is about to explain to Princess why she cannot join them, when the Powerpuff Hotline rings. Blossom answers and tells her sisters there is a robbery at the First National Bank. They take off and Princess follows them in a jetpack. At the bank, the robbers shoot the girls to no avail. Just as they are about to apprehend them and get back to school, Princess arrives and tries to "save" them with her gadgets. They all fail to stop the robbers and she knocks herself out. The robbers manage to get away, and cover their escape by leaving a bomb on Princess before they flee the scene. The girls dispose of the bomb to the citizens delight, but their cheers stop when they notice how angry the Powerpuff Girls look.

Buttercup furiously yells at Princess for her collateral blunder, and Blossom explains she does not have any superpowers or any crime-fighting experience; so for her own safety, she cannot be a Powerpuff Girl. Naturally, Princess becomes very angry and runs off to her father and whines to him about the ordeal and then blames him for not giving her enough money to buy her a good suit. Her father then gives her a big silver briefcase and she becomes happy.

The next day, Princess arrives at the school by blowing a hole in the wall, clad in solid gold battle armor. She is angry at the Powerpuff Girls and gives a speech about how they humiliated her and turned everyone against her. She declares that if she cannot be a Powerpuff Girl, then there will not be any Powerpuff Girls. Ms. Keane steps in and tells her that fighting is not allowed in the building. Princess apologizes and tells the Girls they will take it outside. She shoots a laser at the girls, which blows them through another hole in the wall and onto the playground. Buttercup then rushes in to fight Princess, but she is able to dodge every attack Buttercup throws at her. Princess knocks her out with one earth-shattering punch. Bubbles then attacks Princess with her laser eyes, but the reflective nature of the armored plating makes them bounce off Princess' suit. Bubbles then attacks with a supersonic scream, but Princess easily blocks it with a shield and shoots down Bubbles with a taser laser from her crown.

Blossom looks in shock as Bubbles falls to the ground, totally scorched and unconscious. Princess gloats about her suit and declares that her victory is assured. Blossom silently scowls at her while Princess keeps mocking Blossom to no end. Annoyed with her silence, Princess shoots another crown laser at her, which Blossom dodges by simply tilting her head to the side. The two go into an all-out battle and Blossom is able to block and dodge Princess' attacks. Blossom then lands blows on the weak spots of her armor and finally strikes critical blows of her own. Bubbles and Buttercup awaken and help out dealing hits on Princess. Blossom lands a final blow on Princess by icing her armor with her ice breath. Princess' armor shatters like glass and Blossom grabs her in midair.

Princess, in tears, asks the girls why they will not let her be a Powerpuff Girl. Blossom tells her it is because she is just a spoiled brat; she continues by explaining what it means to be a Powerpuff Girl, which is not about getting one's way, having the best stuff, or being popular and powerful; it is about protecting those who cannot protect themselves. Blossom finishes her point by saying Princess has done nothing worthy of the name "Powerpuff". Finally, Princess is sent to jail as she calls for her daddy. The Narrator finishes the scene by remarking "Well, Princess. The only ch-ching you'll be hearing is the sound of prison doors." and ends the episode by saying "The day is saved, thanks to the real Powerpuff Girls!"

Appearances[]

Characters

The Powerpuff Girls
Princess Morbucks (debut)
Miss Keane
Narrator
Daddy Morbucks (debut)
Mitch Mitchelson
Harry Pitt
Twiggy (debut)
Mayor (on the phone)
Townsvile citizens
Narrator
Bank robbers
Students of Pokey Oaks Kindergarten

Locations

Townsville
- Pokey Oaks Kindergarten
- Morbucks Manor (1st appearance)
- First National Bank
Mojo's Lair (cameo)

Objects

Powerpuff Hotline

Quotes[]

Blossom: (laughing) Well, uh, we're not really accepting new members at this time, but thank you for your interest in our group.

Princess: (angry) What?! You can't just blow me off like some common peon! I'm Princess, and my daddy buys me anything I want! AND I WANNA BE A POWERPUFF GIRL!

Blossom: Well, I'm sorry, but you can't. We're superheroes.

Princess: Well, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?

Blossom: (stands in silence, looking unamused)

Princess: Very well. Prepare to bow to your Princess! (shots a laser from her crown)

Blossom: (dodges it by simply tilting her head. An explosion from the beam happens behind her. She tilts her head back to the horizontal with the same, unamused face)

[Blossom catches Princess after the girls defeat her outside Pokey Oaks Kindergarten]

Princess: (crying) Why won't you let me be a Powerpuff Girl?

Blossom: Because you're just a spoiled brat. (throws Princess on the ground and lands between her sisters) And being a Powerpuff Girl isn't about getting your way or having the best stuff or being popular or powerful. It's about using your own unique abilities to help people and the world we all live in. And you, little girl, have done nothing worthy of the name Powerpuff.

Errors[]

When Morbucks says to the girls "That was amazing! How did you do that?", and then Bubbles says "It's easy", Buttercup's mouth is also moving also saying that "It's easy", but Buttercup doesn't have a voice line.
When Buttercup yells "What?!", Blossom's ponytail is missing.
After Morbucks crashes, she is besides the girls, but in the next scene, she is tied up beside the burglars.
When Bubbles saves Twiggy, her hair is pink for a single frame.
After Buttercup yells "What's wrong with you?!" in front of Morbucks, the tape on Morbucks from the previous scene is gone.
When Morbucks flew into the bank and landed, her socks aren't visible. Interestingly, this error is also in the show's intro.
After Blossom says "Look Princess, do you see why we don't let extra members on our team?", ceiling cracks that weren't there in the previous scene appear near Morbucks.
When Morbucks' dad is playing golf, his right glove is uncolored.
When Bubbles kicks Princess Morebucks, the "X" in the back of her hair is missing.

Trivia[]

Morals:
- Being a hero is not about fame or popularity. It is about using your skills to help people.
- Do not try to do a job if you have no training, as you could make the situation worse. Leave it to the professionals until you have mastered the skills in a safer environment.
This episode and "Schoolhouse Rocked" are the first to premiere during Cartoon Network's Cartoon Cartoon Fridays programming block.
Princess Morbucks' initial outfit is based on what Veruca Salt from the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory wears in her own introduction scene.
This episode is the first appearance of Princess Morbucks outside of the opening theme, which served as her only appearance through the entirety of Season 1.
- This episode is also the first appearance of Twiggy, the class hamster.
This episode marks the first time Bubbles uses her Sonic Scream.
Ms. Keane allowed the girls and Princess to fight outside her school, yet in the following episode "Schoolhouse Rocked", she did not allow them to fight even outside. This could be because she did not believe the Gangreen Gang to be a threat to the other students, whereas Princess Morbucks was a more apparent threat.
The bank robber's line "I love it when a plan comes together" is the catchphrase of Hannibal Smith from The A-Team.
This episode uses a prototype variant of the June 1999 version of the 1998-2001 animated episode outro, in which the design of the girls in their normal poses is borrowed over from the November 1998 version of the 1998-2001 animated episode outro. In the next episode, that design of the girls would be replaced with a thicker version, which would remain until "Meet the Beat-Alls".
- The November 1998 versions of the pulsating hearts background, the 3D star explosion and the gold star shower were also borrowed over from the November 1998 version of the 1998-2001 animated episode outro, but those versions would remain in use until "Film Flam".
This is the only episode where Princess is shown attending Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. After this episode, she was never seen in Pokey Oaks again, except in the special "'Twas the Fight Before Christmas". She would later attend Midway Elementary School in the reboot series since Presidential Punchout.
Blossom's battle with Princess is a direct reference to the long-running Dragon Ball franchise, specifically Dragon Ball Z. Blossom dodging Princess's energy beam with only a head tilt is a direct reference to Piccolo when training with Gohan. The fast paced attacks and movements of Blossom and Morbucks are also a reference to the fast paced punching, kicking, and dodging the characters do while fighting is also a Dragon Ball Z reference as well.
Mojo's Lair makes a brief cameo as the girls leave school, though Mojo Jojo is not seen or mentioned.
Although the Powerpuff Girls tell Princess Morbucks that crimefighting is dangerous for people with no superpowers and that fancy gadgets will not work, Princess' retort ("Tell that to Batman!") raises a valid point that many superheroes and supervillains are actually non-powered persons with special tools to carry out their work. In later episodes, Princess proves to be an even match for the Girls via her custom devices.