"The Buttercups" is the fifteenth episode of the Disney Jr. animated series, Sofia the First. It premiered on August 2, 2013.
Overview[]
Sofia is on a Buttercup scout troop outing, but King Roland is worried that she will get hurt and makes Baileywick go with her. Sofia tries to use her skills to prove that princesses can do things themselves, but Baileywick gets in the way, and almost prevents her from getting her sunflower pin.
Plot[]
At the castle, Sofia is with her Girl Scout troop, the Buttercups, showing her friends how to make friendship knots when Ruby's mother, Helen Hanshaw, the troop's leader, introduces two new recruits: the twins Meg and Peg. Sofia gives them their Buttercup vests and, when they ask about the badges she's wearing, she explains that in order to wear their own, they must earn them. Helen announces that tomorrow they will be going on a hike through Peppertree Forest, which everyone is excited for. The twins are excited because they go sledding there in the winter, and Sofia is very excited because she's only one badge away from finally earning the Sunflower Medallion, a great honor for buttercups.
After the Buttercups leave, King Roland comes home from a meeting with the knights. Sofia welcomes him home and tells him about the hike tomorrow. But almost immediately, she wishes she hadn't spoken, because Roland is against Sofia going into the forest, stating that it isn't "a proper place for a Princess" and becomes so concerned about something happening to her that even a fall has him worried. Miranda steps in for Sofia to try and assure her husband that she has nothing to worry about, both because of Sofia's Buttercup experience and because Helen will be there to provide adult supervision. Baileywick also supports Sofia going, explaining his experience as a Groundhog, the Buttercups' Boy Scout counterpart, and how it gave him the skills he uses as the Castle Steward. When he heard this, Roland decides to make Baileywick Sofia's Royal Escort and tells him to go with her and make sure she comes home without a single scratch and sternly adds "And I mean not a single scratch." Sofia protests that such a thing is unnecessary because she'll be fine on her own. Roland only tells her he just wants her to be safe and Baileywick promises that she'll have a good time. Realizing there's no changing her father's mind, Sofia reluctantly accepts having Baileywick as her bodyguard.
The next day, Sofia is all ready to go on the hike, but Baileywick overdoes his own packing in a way that ensures he and Sofia both arrive extremely late. Baileywick also leaves Sofia flustered by providing a Royal entrance and explaining to the troop that he is going to accompany Sofia "On the King's orders" to ensure Sofia's safety on the hike. Helen says he can come as long as he can "keep up with the Buttercups."
The hike begins with a song and, along the way to their first stop, Baileywick starts to baby Sofia, much to her chagrin. When they arrive, Baileywick scoops her into a throne. Sofia gets back out stating "It's OK, Baileywick. I can sit on the ground with everyone else.", but Baileywick just scoops her back into it and hands her some ice water, to Sofia's embarrassment. Helen assigns the troop their first badge-earning project: Building birdhouses. Baileywick steps in and starts to build a birdhouse for Sofia, despite her protests that she can do it herself, and because of this, Helen doesn't give Sofia a badge since she knows Baileywick built it when Sofia was supposed to do it by herself and tells Baileywick that scouts only get badges if they do the projects by themselves, but to no avail. Baileywick just continues to insist on helping Sofia, and because of this, Sofia is annoyed that she wasn't able to earn a badge because Baileywick helped her.
Along the way to their next stop, Baileywick rolls out a red carpet across the river for Sofia, but Helen rolls it back and tells Baileywick to let Sofia cross by herself. Baileywick protests that the rocks she has to cross on are so slippery, but Sofia gracefully hops across all of them and makes it across safe and sound. In the end, the only one who ends up slipping and falling is Baileywick. At the next stop, Helen gives the troop their next badge-earning project: Gathering wood for their cook-out. Sofia finds a log with a squirrel on it and politely asks the squirrel to let her have the log. He says he will if she waits for him to finish eating his acorn, but Baileywick once again interferes and begins grabbing all the logs he can carry, to the chagrin of both the squirrel, who mutters "Hmph! How rude.", and Sofia, who tries to stop him and get her own wood at the same time. Baileywick is too fast for her, causing Sofia to moan "Oh, not again!" prompting Helen to not give Sofia a badge and again tells Baileywick that a job well done only counts when Sofia does it by herself. Ruby and Jade can see that Baileywick's mollycoddling is bothering Sofia, so they urge their friend to talk Baileywick. When the cookout begins, Baileywick grabs Sofia's hot dog and begins to cook it for her. Sofia, who has had enough, tells Baileywick that the Buttercup projects are things she can and must do by herself. Though Baileywick reminds her that he promised Roland that she wouldn't get a single scratch, she reminds him that he promised her she'd have a good time, much to Baileywick's guilt. Thus, Baileywick decides to keep his groundhog word and let Sofia do the next project on her own, as required.
At the troops' next stop, Helen assigns the troop their next badge earning project: Flower Gathering. She tells them to pick a bouquet of daisies and daffodils, but she also warns them not to touch any Meddlesome Myrtle. Ruby explains that her cousin touched that plant once, and got a terrible rash, and that his hands turned red and itchy, and than his head swelled up like a pumpkin. Once again, Baileywick interferes even though he promised not to help her, but the flowers he ends up picking for Sofia are the very ones he was trying to protect her from: Meddlesome Myrtle, and he ends getting the red rash, the itching, and the pumpkin head just like Ruby described. Helen manages to treat his condition but insists that they head back so Baileywick can receive full medical attention. However, the trail back is so twisty and steep it will be difficult for Baileywick to climb down. Sofia finds another way down the hill that's much safer and, thanks to an idea from Meg and Peg, directs the Buttercups to work together to build a sled so they can slide down the path. In no time, they complete the sled and, after putting on some safety helmets, slide down the path and head back to the castle. Sofia's leadership earns her the leadership badge and her Sunflower Medallion. Sofia's dad then apologizes for doubting her. Baileywick is then appointed as another troop leader for the Buttercups, making him a Buttercup because he isn't a groundhog any more.
Home Video Release[]
Cast[]
- Ariel Winter as Sofia
- Sara Ramirez as Queen Miranda
- Travis Willingham as King Roland II
- Tim Gunn as Baileywick
- Diamond White as Ruby Hanshaw
- Isabella Acres as Jade
- Fiona Bishop as Meg and Peg
- Viola Davis as Helen Hanshaw
- Sam Riegel as Squirrel, Doctor (credited as additional voices)
Songs[]
Transcript[]
Videos[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Viewership: This episode was watched by 2.945 million viewers on its premiere. It ranked as the series' number one original telecast on record in total viewers and placed among its top 5 in kids 2-5, girls 2-5, and women 18-49.[1]
- This episode introduces Ruby's mother into the series.
- It is also revealed that Ruby's and her mother's last name is Hanshaw.
- She is voiced by Viola Davis, known for Won't Back Down and How to Get Away with Murder.
- This is the first time Sofia is seen in a different outfit (Buttercup Troop uniform) and not her signature outfit throughout the episode.
- This is the second time Roland shows he's very protective of Sofia, the first was in "Let the Good Times Troll".
- Meg and Peg's voices are both provided by Fiona Bishop, who originally voiced Ruby in the pilot film Once Upon a Princess.
- A grey and white model of Whatnaught is used for the talking squirrel.
- This is the first time Amber and James do not appear in an episode set in the castle.
- It is revealed that Baileywick has a fear of frogs by ranidaphobia.
- Moral: Sometimes it's important that you have to let someone do something on their own.
References[]
- ↑ Bibel, Sara (August 5, 2013). Disney Junior's 'Sofia the First' Delivers Number One Original Telecast To Date in Total Viewers. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on August 19, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2024.