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Always Buy a Ticket is the third episode of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, and the third episode overall.
It aired on June 1, 2023 on Max.
Synopsis[]
Sam, Elle, and Gizmo have their trust in each other shaken when they're stalked on a train by both a train cop and a supernatural stranger.
Plot[]
Riley was impressed by the amount of chaos evil mogwai could create.
A man screams and runs from angered mogwai while Riley tells them to calm down. One mogwai bites his finger off, which impresses Riley. Another man runs into the store telling Riley that they spotted Elle and Sam on a train with Gizmo. Riley does not care, however, since he only needs one mogwai and now he has many.
On the train, Sam, Elle and Gizmo are impressed at the view. Sam explains that the key to the Valley of Jade is in Ghost City, but he does not know what that means. Gizmo knows what it means, but Elle argues that they cannot understand him. The train staff start asking for tickets, which they do not have, so Elle says that she would talk to the conductor. On her way, she steals tickets and asks for first class, which they are taken to.
In the first class cabin, Sam says that stealing is wrong and reminds Elle that she is no longer working for Greene, so she can stop doing that. However, she says that she has been using her skills since before working for Greene. Sam says that he would be earning his money and wants to leave, but Gizmo falls asleep and stays with Elle.
Sam polished Yao's shoes, finding out he was a Ministry Railways Inspector.
As Sam goes around the train offering people to shine their shoes, Gizmo is approached by a shadow, which scares him. However, when Elle looks, she sees nothing there. Sam cleans a man's shoe, who turns out to be a Ministry Railways Inspector named Yao. He asks Sam about Elle, saying that she uses other people's wallets and he had seen her do it. Yao tells him not to leave anything important with her, so he leaves.
Elle tells Gizmo that she had finally been able to sleep in a bed in years, so she wants to go back to the first class cabin. Sam walks in, acting strange, which makes Elle feel suspicious. Elle pokes his foot, which reveals that that was not Sam, but a monster trying to get Gizmo.
Sam walks in with Elle and Gizmo, saying that he knew he could not trust her. Elle tells him to back off, asking him where they had met, which Sam answers correctly. Elle reveals that there is a monster on the train, which Sam does not believe, so they start fighting for Gizmo. Yao walks in, asking what was going on. Elle recognizes him as a train cop, which makes Sam tell her that he trusts him, handing Yao Gizmo. Yao thanks him for handing him the mogwai and the monster reveals itself, shooting at both Sam and Elle, pinning them to a wall.
Riley walks up to his mogwai, telling them that they would be helping him make history. He tells the mogwai that he knows their three rules: water light and food. However, after swallowing human souls, he knows that life is their fourth rule. He knows that if unless they are hurt or injured, they will live forever and that if he eats a one, he would gain immortality.
Odd-Odd revealed himself to really be a monster and not the inspector they thought he was.
The monster asks if Sam really never suspected Yao was not real, saying that he shapeshifts into different people. The monster smells Gizmo, turning on a stove, which makes Sam wonder why he would eat Gizmo. The monster reveals that he wants to live forever.
Riley tells the mogwai that the good thing about them is that he can get them wet, have them multiply and sell immortality to the highest bidders repeatedly. Riley takes one out of its cage and puts it in his mouth, saying that he feels it. However, he soon throws up, saying that the mogwai is disgusting and wants to travel to the Valley of Jade.
As the monster, who calls himself Odd-Odd explains how to cook mogwai, Sam asks him if he is a shapeshifter and wonders why he did not simply take Gizmo when he had the chance. Odd-Odd says that he was a performer, who played in the greatest stories, but now stuck to the train, where travelers would give him whatever he wanted. However, he mentions that age is not kind and mentions that finding a mogwai was a huge success. Elle and Sam ask more questions, which Odd-Odd happily answers while Gizmo escapes the rope and climbs to the top of the train.
As Sam and Elle faced Odd-Odd, the former got too nervous and ended up missing his chance to throw a gourd at the monster.
Elle breaks free and says that they need to save Gizmo, who is now on the train's roof, followed by Odd-Odd. Odd-Odd chases Gizmo, telling him that he wants to eat him. Sam reads his grandfather's book in hopes of finding something that could help them against a shapeshifter. He says that with a few spices, they can attack Odd-Odd. They grab the spices and ingredients, rushing to the top of the train so they can help Gizmo. As Odd-Odd attacks Sam and Elle, Sam gets nervous before throwing the gourd with the ingredients at Odd-Odd and it slips from out of his hands.
However, Elle sees Odd-Odd from behind and realizes that he is actually small and attacks him with a stick. Odd-Odd is left crying and says goodbye. Sam says that he does not know what they would do without her and they decide to get off the train.
Sam's parents are taken to a room where they are locked up, while Riley taunts them, asking if they were still upset over him swallowing her father. Riley says that he was going to bury them in a ditch, but chose to bring them on his ship as leverage. He reveals that their shipmates would be the other mogwai as he also tells them that he knows all about their son.
When Sam trusted Elle, she betrayed him, taking Gizmo with her.
Sam apologizes for not trusting Elle, saying that he could hold Gizmo whenever she wanted. Elle thanks him for the confidence and holds Gizmo before separating their wagons and leaving Sam stranded.
Cast[]
- Gabrielle Green as Elle
- A. J. LoCascio as Gizmo, Gaptooth
- Randall Park as Yao/Odd-Odd
- Matthew Rhys as Riley Greene
- Izaac Wang as Sam Wing
- Ming-Na Wen as Fong Wing
- BD Wong as Hon Wing
- Eric Bauza as Henchman #1, Noggin, Snout
- Zach Galligan as Henchman #2
- Grey Griffin as Claw, Cranky Old Woman
- Keone Young as Henchman #3, Henchman #4
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This episode reveals that there is a "Fourth Rule" of the Mogwai: unless they are hurt or injured, a Mogwai will live forever. However, this makes them sought after for their longevity.
- This longevity can only be gained if they are devoured in the mogwai stage, but will not work if the mogwai has already become a gremlin.
- This also explains why Gizmo didn't aged in the series, first film, and second film.
- The three-legged crow Odd-Odd mentioned is a reference to the sanzuwu, a Chinese mythical crow thought to represent the sun.
Revelations and significant events[]
Continuity[]
References[]
| Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai episodes | |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | 1. Never Get Them Wet · 2. Never Feed Them After Midnight · 3. Always Buy a Ticket · 4. Don't Drink the Tea · 5. Always Stab or Run · 6. Always Buy a God a Drink First · 7. Never Squeeze a Fox · 8. Never Hug a Mogwai · 9. Never Give Up · 10. Never Ever Expose Them to Bright Light |