Days of Future Crash (Sonic X Skylanders)

Days of Future Crash is the ninth episode of Sonic X Skylanders Academy Season 3.

Synopsis

Eruptor and Scratch need to talk to Crash Bandicoot, so they, along with Knuckles, Tails and Midnight, travel back in time to find him. But when they return, the present isn't like they left it.

Appearances

Characters:

• Master Eon (alternate timeline version)
• Spyro (alternate timeline version)
• Tails
• Knuckles
• Stealth Elf (alternate timeline version)
• Eruptor
• Jet-Vac (alternate timeline version)
• Pop Fizz (alternate timeline version)
• Midnight
• 'Dark Scratch'
• Crash Bandicoot
• Scratch (cameo)
• Kaos (alternate timeline version)
• Glumshanks (alternate timeline version)
• Kaossandra (alternate timeline version)

Plot

At the Crystalwing household, "Dark Scratch's" recent attempts on opening the Wumpan Puzzle Box in the normal Scratch's room ends in failure and she is unable to plot other methods when Eruptor makes a disturbance in the living room, annoying her to the point she goes to see what the lava monster is doing at the time. Eruptor is banging his head on the table as he shares his troubles with an unfinished research paper about the Wumpa Islands, and, even with Tails, Midnight and Knuckles' help, he wishes for Crash Bandicoot to help him, but recalls that the bandicoot lives in the Wumpa Islands, which Eruptor doesn't know where they are at due to the islands being in an alternate dimension. With Sonic unavailable to help due to being on a mission, Eruptor and his friends are stuck with nothing for the lava monster's research paper. The revelation about Crash being from the Wumpa Islands leads to 'Dark Scratch' suggesting that they time travel to the past where Crash Bandicoot ended up in the Skylands by secretly using Jet-Vac's time disruptor so that Crash can help Eruptor with his research paper while 'Dark Scratch' secretly intends to use the bandicoot to open the Wumpan Puzzle Box. While reluctant, Midnight, Tails and Knuckles agree to accompany them to prevent any possiblity of a terrible future from happening.

When they enter Jet-Vac's quarters, Eruptor grabs and activates the device that sends them to the Falling Forest at the time where Crash is assisting the Skylanders search for a dark relic. Tails urges that they hurry since there's a risk they might accidentally alter the past. They manage to separate Crash from the Skylanders unnoticed, and fills in Crash of their help but the bandicoot becomes too enraptured by the time disruptor's capabilities that he ignores Scratch's question about the Wumpan Puzzle Box. Crash suddenly performs a crazy stunt but trips on a rock, causing him to drop the time disruptor, which activates and sends Eruptor, Tails, Midnight, Knuckles and 'Dark Scratch' back to the present. However to their shock, Crash was also taken with them.

Tails' fears become true as when they check outside, they discover that the Skylands has turned into a desolate landscape with the Academy destroyed, since Crash's presence altered the timeline. They are unable to repair it when they learn that the time disruptor lost power, preventing Crash from being sent back. Knuckles suggests they seek the Skylanders' help from the timeline they're stuck in, but after meeting a battle-hardened alternate version of Spyro, who has lost his right wing during battle, reveals that the Skylanders were all defeated by Glumshanks, who now rules the Skylands with fear.

King Glumshanks orders his Mabu servants to bring his meals at the dark castle, where Kaos, now also his servant, is ordered to taste test every dish for any signs of poison. Kaos concludes it to be poison-free, much to Glumshanks' disappointment. Afterwards, he orders Kaos to entertain him by dancing foolishly while Glumshanks tries to zap him with his magic. Fortunately, Kaos manages to persuade his master to observe his precious collection, that turns out to be the defeated Skylanders and Master Eon, frozen in display. Though Glumshanks is still disappointed that they lack Eruptor, Spyro and Scratch to the collection.

At the ruined Grand Library, where the Academy also serves as Spyro's homebase by using the ruins of the school campus as camouflage, he reveals the events in the past that helped Glumshanks rise to power, during the confrontation between Kaos, Chompy Mage, and the Skylanders to possess Kaossandra's book of Dark Magic, Glumshanks was able to grab the book for himself and gain powers that led him to defeat everyone who opposed, subjugating the entire Skylands in the process with Sonic going MIA when Glumshanks first attacked the Academy. When the alternate purple dragon asks of what had happened to Scratch and Eruptor and about who Tails, Knuckles and Midnight are, they give him the full story as Tails becomes guilt-ridden for their actions having caused the collapse of the Skylands. But after taking a look at the Time Disruptor, Spyro recalls that Glumshanks possesses another one within his castle, which causes him and the others make a plan to use it to fix the timeline.

Meanwhile, Kaos returns to his lair, where both he and Kaossandra are kept prisoner. Both Kaos and Kaossandra are benevolent in this timeline, as they ponder of a way to overthrow Glumshanks and restore happiness to the Skylands, but they have little chance with the Skylanders defeated. Even so, Kaos remains determined in his goals.

While Eruptor, Tails, Knuckles, Midnight and Spyro volunteer to scout the castle's outside security, 'Dark Scratch' uses the time alone to ask Crash information about Wumpan Puzzle boxes, but to her dismay, the bandicoot is clueless on the subject. Eruptor's group returns and reveal they have an opening as the troll guards prepare to shift.

They stay clear of the troll guards by hiding in a room, only to encounter Kaos. But to their confusion, Kaos is joyful for their presence as he assumes they plan to overthrow Glumshanks, though he becomes upset when they only plan to grab the time disruptor. But Crash reassures Kaos of Glumshanks' removal of power if he helps them in possessing the device so they can prevent Glumshanks from ruling the Skylands. Kaos accepts, and prepares to provide the key, which is kept in a Wumpan Puzzle Box. 'Dark Scratch' is shocked to witness Kaos of easily opening it with the touch of his hand. When an amazed Tails asks of how it happened, Kaos explains a Wumpan Puzzle box can only be opened by a person who is "true of heart", unaware that he just gave 'Dark Scratch' the answer on how to unlock the box.

Kaos uses the key to deactivate security that is holding the time disruptor. As they prepare to leave, Eruptor discovers in horror the frozen figures of Master Eon and their teammates. This changes Tails' mind that his friends remain to stop Glumshanks, since there's a possibility they've created a splinter timeline and the events will not change despite Crash's return. 'Dark Scratch' frustratingly shows little regard of their fate, but Spyro, understanding the situation, remains adamant and commits to help overthrow Glumshanks, taking the disruptor from "Dark Scratch's" paws, shuts off the portal and refuses to give the disruptor back and let his friends return to their own places in time until Glumshanks is overthrown.

However, Glumshanks arrives just before they can begin their plan, with Kaos appearing to still serve him, and prepares to add Eruptor, Scratch and Spyro to the collection with Crash, Tails and Knuckles as extras. Tired of his tyrannical master, Kaos finally revolts and duels Glumshanks' powers, while also managing to unfreeze the Skylanders. Crash moves in to help and single-handedly overwhelms Glumshanks and the troll guards with help from Tails and Knuckles. Overthrown, Glumshanks submits to defeat with Kaos punishing him to hit his head on the wall 20 times.

At the academy housing, the Skylanders, Kaos, and Kaossandra express their gratitude of overthrowing Glumshanks, as Kaos and Kaossandra prepare themselves to rule the Skylands with benevolence while the Skylanders plan to search for Sonic, where a note from a chest hidden in a bush reveals that the alternate Sonic has been hiding out with the Doom Raiders in the Falling Forest; who have also reformed and nursed the wounded Sonic back to health after the attack at the academy, making the heroes happy to know that their friend is alive as they resolve to find the humbled Doom Raiders and retrieve Sonic.

Soon, the alternate Master Eon questions Midnight, Tails, Knuckles, 'Dark Scratch' and Eruptor's presence, where they explain they're from a different timeline. Regardless, the alternate Stealth Elf and Spyro hug their best friends for always being reliable, putting 'Dark Scratch' in an awkward position as the purple dragon is soon given a prosthetic wing by Tails, to which a grateful Spyro promises to find the alternate Sonic and bring him back to the academy so he and his friends can meet Tails and Knuckles in the future, which prompts Eruptor to earn him and others that that their future meeting with Knuckles may not be sweet due to the lava monster and his friends' own first meeting with the echidna. With the alternate timeline now free from evil and on the verge of a happy future, Eruptor sends Crash Bandicoot back to his timeline, while Eruptor, Tails, Knuckles, Midnight and 'Dark Scratch' return to theirs.

They become relieved that they managed to fix the present back to its normal self, but Eruptor realizes that classes have started and he has made no progress on his research paper. However, Tails reveals that he managed to get Crash answer some questions for Eruptor's research paper that will hopefully get the lava monster to pass the class, to which Eruptor is grateful for.

Meanwhile, 'Dark Scratch' returns to her room and attempts to open the Wumpan Puzzle box after learning the secret to its access. She takes a deep breath, and meditates to be "true of heart". Nothing happens, as the box still refuses to open. 'Dark Scratch' throws the box in frustration, realizing it will never open because of her evil nature.

Transcript

Days of Future Crash/Transcript

Continuity

• 'Dark Scratch' learns that Wumpan Puzzle Boxes open automatically to those who are true of heart.

Trivia

• The title of the episode is a reference to the 2014 movie, X Men: Days of the Future Past.
  • One of them being the alternate timeline version Spyro having a battle-hardened appearance.
    • It is also a reference to the album Days of Future Past by The Moody Blues.
• Starting with this episode, Crash Bandicoot is not voiced by Eric Rogers. This is due to him stepping down from being the showrunner. Instead, Rhys Darby took over the role of Crash.
• Unlike canon, Eruptor has at least some information from the alternate timeline for his research paper near the end of the episode thanks to his friends' help.
• Like with The Skylands Are Falling!, this episode marks the day where Tails and Knuckles officially meet another anthropomorphic animal that is similar to them, albeit being born in a different way than the fox and echidna.
  • Perhaps ironic, the time where Tails and Knuckles first traveled to is Crash Landing, the second part where Sonic, the Skylanders and Crash have their adventure.
• There are a couple of "Back to the Future” references in the episode.
• Stealth Elf's golden leaf hair clip from Season 1 makes a cameo in the part where, Eruptor, 'Dark Scratch', Midnight, Tails and Knuckles arrive at the day where Crash first came to Skylands.
  • It is not seen in the altered future, possibly due to the events that had happened there.
  • Tails and Knuckles do not have alternate timeline counterparts due to the events that happened there as well.
  • Scratch also makes a non-speaking cameo in the episode.
• This is one of the only two episodes where Sonic doesn't appear in Season 3.
  • This is possibly due to Sonic being away from the academy during a mission at the time and as a result, his alternate timeline counterpart never made a physical appearance despite being mentioned several times.
• It’s peculiar that 'Dark Scratch' was resentful of the world ruled by Glumshanks because this was the kind of world he was hoping to create by serving Strykore. This is possibly due to her wanting Strykore to rule Skylands instead of Glumshanks or any other villain at the time.