It was the first episode of Danny Phantom to be played for drama instead of laughs and it does a good job of it. My problem with it is the overall drama of the episode is undermined by a punchline ending.
Yes, I know that this is Danny Phantom and that as an animated comedy on Nickelodeon it would routinely have punchline endings (which I normally find funny) but here I'm not a fan of it.
Danny Fenton comes to the conclusion that Vlad had a point when suggesting his efforts to exact revenge against his bully Dash made him no different from Vlad so he goes to Dash and apologizes. And in the very next scene, young Danny Fenton has a flagpole Wedgie and Dash proclaims "apology accepted".
First of all, I don't find this punchline ending funny. Secondly, its inclusion means that the "don't seek revenge against bullies" message translates as an instruction to suffer the maltreatment and do absolutely nothing. Thirdly, there is an obvious difference between Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius and it's that Vlad is exclusively self-serving.
But the rest of this episode I love. It actually was able to pull off a darker tone than most episodes. It actually builds upon Vlad's priorly established goal of stealing the ring of Pariah Dark, King of all Ghosts. It makes better use of the Fright Knight than the episode to his name did.
And Danny working with his villainous enemies works extremely well and I like how despite their allegiance the episode doesn't forget that they're Villains. And that Sydney Poindexter has Qualms.
I like Danny Phantom's willingness to sacrifice himself. And how well Vlad manipulates Valerie now that she knows he's her benefactor. And "you don't understand what? That I used two teenagers as pawns to turn a Knight and defeat a King. Of course you don't it's chess" which was one of his most magnificent moments.
And it was willing to raise the stakes considerably in relation to other episodes. Aside from my problem with it from the beginning of this review I think it's a great episode.
That said, it has not dethroned the Ultimate Enemy.
Yes, I know that this is Danny Phantom and that as an animated comedy on Nickelodeon it would routinely have punchline endings (which I normally find funny) but here I'm not a fan of it.
Danny Fenton comes to the conclusion that Vlad had a point when suggesting his efforts to exact revenge against his bully Dash made him no different from Vlad so he goes to Dash and apologizes. And in the very next scene, young Danny Fenton has a flagpole Wedgie and Dash proclaims "apology accepted".
First of all, I don't find this punchline ending funny. Secondly, its inclusion means that the "don't seek revenge against bullies" message translates as an instruction to suffer the maltreatment and do absolutely nothing. Thirdly, there is an obvious difference between Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius and it's that Vlad is exclusively self-serving.
But the rest of this episode I love. It actually was able to pull off a darker tone than most episodes. It actually builds upon Vlad's priorly established goal of stealing the ring of Pariah Dark, King of all Ghosts. It makes better use of the Fright Knight than the episode to his name did.
And Danny working with his villainous enemies works extremely well and I like how despite their allegiance the episode doesn't forget that they're Villains. And that Sydney Poindexter has Qualms.
I like Danny Phantom's willingness to sacrifice himself. And how well Vlad manipulates Valerie now that she knows he's her benefactor. And "you don't understand what? That I used two teenagers as pawns to turn a Knight and defeat a King. Of course you don't it's chess" which was one of his most magnificent moments.
And it was willing to raise the stakes considerably in relation to other episodes. Aside from my problem with it from the beginning of this review I think it's a great episode.
That said, it has not dethroned the Ultimate Enemy.
