Episode Twenty-Six: Danse Macabre

In which our dancing slippers are worn threadbare. Featuring: the moon's pale voice, a plot to kill a king, yet another riddle, a party in hell, a familiar name.

Episode description: Once upon a time.

Episode Overview
Anna, Mabel, and Vera head to the royal ball.

Trigger Warnings

 * Distortion, choking, violence, references to capitivity/enslavement.

Episode Summary
This episode begins with Luna explaining how she met the King, when she was kidnapped and transformed into the thing she now is. She says that if Anna and Mabel think they could dethrone the King, then they should do it. We then hear Mabel explaining the Court's dance/ball to Anna. Vera mocks them for being sappy with each other.

Anna learns that Vera had offered herself as a bride to Mabel. Anna chokes Vera out and forces Vera to explain her plan to infiltrate the ball, which boils down to Vera passing as a member of the Court and getting the other two inside; afterward, Anna and Mabel argue about Anna dehumanizing Mabel.

We hear from the unknown voices as they begin to record the ball on their devices.

The girls reach the ball's entrance and Vera freaks out about how powerful the King is. To pass the entrance, they solve a riddle (the answer to this one being "starling"). Once inside, Anna hears a Court member telling a man named Madrigal to play some music. Anna, distracted by the man for an unknown reason, attempts to walk towards Madrigal. Vera sees that Luna is kneeling next to the King in submission and freaks out harder. The ball erupts into distortion and the episode ends.

Continuity
''' Please note that this section contains spoilers for later episodes of Mabel. Continue at your own risk. '''


 * Vera has a position in the Court, while Anna and Mabel do not. This will change severely over the course of the season.
 * This is Jack Madrigal's first mention since Vanished.

Trivia
'''Please note that this section contains spoilers for later episodes of Mabel. Continue at your own risk.'''


 * Mabel's once again being referred to as a bird (see "Anna's hummingbird" from Vera in Eternal Return) here.
 * Anna and Veratrine's relationship is... not good, to say the least, but this marks at least a small turn of care for Mabel and Vera.
 * VERATRINE: No! You aren't listening! You don't understand, you can't -
 * MABEL: Are you - alright -