It was inevitable. Danny Phantom dealt with school dances, teenager depression, and popularity. And now, we get the Egg sitting plot or in this case, flour sitting, equally the same in concept. We might as well, sometime after this, any school elements are either minuscule or non-existence at best in favor of bigger story arcs (not that I’m complaining). And the plot here is generally pleasing with great character interaction and incredibly sharp dialogue. As bonus points, the flour sitting stirs in another element usually unfitting with such a High School settings plot: The Most Dangerous Game. I already explained the general summary behind it in the "One of a Kind" review, so it doesn’t need repeating here. Skulker is just as easily determined and by hunting both Danny and Valerie with his own wits, he’s at one of his most dangerous (and close to his elements) then usual. I am sorely disappointed Skulker didn’t make a slight comment on the small similarities he and Valerie shares.
Danny and Valerie from the moment the episode starts makes it clear their animosity for each other is evident--great googley-moogley evident. Even in their normal alter ego when the two bump into each other do they give off death glares and insults. The two have every reasons to express anger, both in battle and real life. Valerie’s rampage towards Danny may be a more ambiguous excuse if you view it one-sided; she doesn’t know Danny’s part ghost, but treats Fenton like venom. Because she’s always clouded in judgment when stuck in PMS mode, it’s clear Valerie probably just took her rage out on Danny sometime prior to this episode and consistently kept up with it since. Being a member of the low level social worm only amps the situation on her favor, but that’s an issue that related back to “Shades of Gray” then it does now where her level of shallow is replaced with concern, fear, and frustration on the poor life she leads. It’s any wonder she’s aggressive, even if it’s towards someone who doesn’t fully deserve it.
In fact, it’s this very reason why this episode didn’t garner a perfect score. Because as much as Valerie was unaware of her and Danny’s situations, she administrated acts that proved her downfall. First, let me get this out of way: her temperamental personality and sass is what makes Valerie Valerie. Her heated rivalry with Danny and eventually love interest makes her an intriguing character and all the more fun to watch “Life Lessons” where during a time, she and Danny viewed each other then with as much contempt as I do on gasoline prices (up to four dollars, are you kidding me?!). She’s severely hurt both physically and mentally, reduced to working as the Nasty Burger’s mascot to earn money for college while keeping her devoted goals to hunt down all ghosts; the latter more a personal job then vendetta--a goal for herself. Posters of wanted ghosts and weapons covers her walls (my only question is why she feels the need to blatantly place dangerous weapons so easily for her father to see!), and she constantly keeps herself in shape. She’s got the eye of the tiger, but is just as insecure of her own existence: the flour sitting means a great deal, she needs the grades to pass. In short, as confident as she is, she’s scared.
Yet she’s also rude and condescending. Everybody needs to vent, but her constant barrage of victimization towards Danny is overkill. By the time she declares Danny to be “insensitive and uncaring”, my eyes rolled and any pity I had for her left. The truth isn’t too far off, Danny was just as much a jerk to her as she was to him, the only difference is that he spent half the time apologizing or helping her while she either bitched or played the reluctance card. Again, understandable given she’s working with Danny Phantom and even more so when Danny himself could have explained his true situation with Cujo instead of holding out, but the girl is stubborn and the boy actually views ghost pup as his responsibility, whether he started it or not. It still doesn’t cut the dice. Valerie constantly pins the blame on Danny for events he had no control over (I was thrilled at any point when Danny countered back). She needed a firm reality check that she never gets here. While she eventually manages to team up with Danny long enough to escape Skulker’s wrath, she proves her condescending by telling Fenton that he should have gotten to know her better and installs in him guilt as if everything that has happened before was his fault. Like the hero he is, Danny takes the blame regardless of who started who and plays good Samaritan for her other job. He’s growing up and taking the full front of the damage while Valerie assumes her ego and thinks because her life is worse off then his, he should automatically be punished for any insults. She doesn’t apologize and there isn’t any truce between the tw--she gave Danny so few chances. Hell, I didn’t even believe her speech on proper baby care when confronting Skulker, she was more concerned passing grades then actual parental works. Luckily, the verbal and physical exchanges between the two and the resolution that at least Danny finds in Valerie evolves into something grander by the time Season Two rolls, so in it’s only positive roll, Valerie's bitchy behavior secured a path for her growth by exploring her current existence and flaws. But that still doesn’t excuse her for being a jerkwad.
Tucker and Sam’s subplot is one of the more amusing cases. Because Danny is busy with Valerie, the two go off on their own adventure and as usual, it’s a delight to see the two interact with one another. While Tucker proves he’s a surprisingly capable father (maybe he honed all his baby practices on his precious PDAs), he unsurprisingly takes in that advantage by making money for weary teenagers who have absolutely no clue how to handle children. His get rich scheme works perfectly all as Sam watch in cynicism and disapproval. Her, a mother? Hardly a role worth fitting for this pseudo hippie. Then something happens and she finds herself growing to love the little flour. It came out of the blue and I would rather the plot have taken it more subtly, but seeing her and Tucker argue over the welfare of Tucker Jr/Lilith that ends in the two accidentally kissing is just worth it. Because of their great chemistry, the kiss felt so natural and their reactions appropriately so. I honestly believe that the two could have a much greater romance then Danny could have with Sam. The two bounce each other off so well, just like any other married couples.
I especially loved the animation in this episode baring some minor gripes in mind. The colors are striking, some of my personal favorites include the dazzling pink and violet skies during the battle in the Nasty Burger or the neon turquoise and gray located in one of the Ghost Zone’s world, not to mention Skulker’s lush green jungle home. Valerie’s the only problem as I am still not a fan of her eyes shooting through her visors, it’s like watching a dead guy floating in a pool. And though this isn’t a case of off-model, I’m thoroughly bothered her chubby-ish body looks ridiculously skinny when in ghost hunter mode. That’s a shame as I like the way Valerie is modeled. You know the ol’ saying: the bigger they are, the more of them to love.
7.5/10
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Article written revised in: Jun. 13, 2008
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