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Don't Drink the Tea is the fourth episode of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, and the fourth episode overall.
It aired on June 1, 2023 on Max.
Synopsis[]
A raging storm in the desolate countryside forces our heroes to seek shelter with a too-friendly innkeeper and her oddly docile guests.
Plot[]
Elle walks with Gizmo saying that she does not like the countryside. However, Gizmo is mad at her for abandoning Sam. She reminds him that the monster almost ate him because Sam was too scared to do anything and telling him that if he wants to get to Ghost City, he needs to work with her. As it starts to rain, she runs to a nearby inn while Gizmo covers himself.
Meng Po tried to get Elle to drink some of her strange tea.
Elle opens the door to the inn, where many people look in shock at her. She pretends that she was running away from bandits as a woman named Meng Po tells her she would be safe from bandits there. Elle says that she has no money, but Meng says it is free and they would be having crispy duck for dinner because of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which Elle hates. Meng tells everyone to start cleaning, as she hands Elle a weird looking tea, which she does not drink. Meng tells her that she seems more relaxed and she is taken to her room.
Sam complains that he had lost Gizmo as he slips on the countryside. However, in the distance he sees the same inn that Elle had previously walked into.
On Riley's boat, the mogwai constantly zap themselves as Hon and Fong sit trapped. Fong says that they need to leave quickly so they can get Sam back.
Gizmo was still mad at Elle for having abandoned Sam.
In her room, Elle sees that Gizmo is still mad at her, but she says that something seems off about Meng Po and her guests. She says that they should look around, which Gizmo agrees to do reluctantly when she says that she would leave him alone. As Elle walks around, a guest stops her and shows her a magic trick, also revealing that everyone had gotten there on the same day she had. He says he is glad he is not the only teenager there anymore because he is 15. However, he looks much closer to being middle aged, so she walks away.
Sam walks into the inn, busting open the doors and demanding to see Elle. Meng Po sympathizes with him and offers him tea, which he gladly accepts and drinks. She sees that he has lived through a lot of things. Sam says that he feels happ and gladly helps her out when she asks him to.
Much to their surprise, Sam was not able to recall who Elle and Gizmo were.
Elle realizes that everyone thinks they arrived that same day, as Sam walks in. Elle says that Sam must want to kill her as Gizmo breaks free from her grip and hugs Sam. Sam does not recognize Gizmo and calls him a panda dragon, which confuses the mogwai. Sam greets Elle happily, saying that he does not know who they are, but says that they could have tea after he is done cleaning.
Elle realizes that the tea is wiping people's memories. She tells Gizmo to fix it, but he says that there is nothing he can do. However, he has an idea and Elle understands that Sam could help with his herb knowledge. Elle says that she has a new chore for Sam, which excites him as he sees all the leaves and spices that Meng Po has. When asked if there was anything that could help with memory loss, he says that there is a powder that could reduce any bad effect.
Sam gets to mixing many different spices quickly. When he is done, he tells Elle that she could eat or inhale the dust and all the toxins should clear out. She hesitates to blow the dust in his face when she remembers how angry he was at her, however, and a bell begins to ring, signaling the start of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which excites Sam.
Meng Po approaches Elle from behind, saying that she knew something was off about her. Elle thinks quickly and throws dust in Meng Po's eyes as she runs for the door. Meng Po runs after her while Gizmo grabs the small pouch with the dust Sam had prepared in it.
Gizmo runs to Sam and blows the dust he prepared in his face, which gives him his memory back. He sees Gizmo and is excited, hugging him and asking where they are. Meng Po tells all her guests to stop Elle, but she tells them that she prefers coffee.
Hon and Fong tried to trick Riley in order to find a way to escape.
Riley visits Hon and Fong, opening a small hole in mogwai's cage, throwing water on one of them, which causes it to multiply into other rogue mogwai, which all start fighting chaotically. They are stronger than the ones before. One of the mogwai sees a vent on the ceiling as Riley says that he would not feed them so they would be more compliant. Meanwhile, Fong tells Hon that now was their chance to escape, telling Riley that his worker's arm would get infected if he did not treat it. However, Riley says he does not care, but they tell him that it would start smelling very bad. Riley agrees to let them help the man.
Meng Po tells Elle that she gives her tea to those who need it and have no family or friends. She explains that she had been left on her own, so she created her tea so people would not leave. She forces Elle to drink the tea, which reveals that she was separated from her parents during the Mid-Autumn Festival, during which Greene grabbed her for trying to steal from him. She found out her parents never went back for her because they got greedy and stole so many lanterns that they floated high above the city and their cries echoed through the night. Her mother's right shoe was found, but nothing else.
Sam and Gizmo hear Elle's story, and is conflicted about saving her because she ditched him, but in the end he chooses to help her. Gizmo has in idea, which he communicates to Sam, who tells him he really missed him. Gizmo grabs the dust Sam made and dumps it all over the food.
As the guests start to eat, their memory starts returning and they realize what had happened to them. Sam walks up to Elle and gives her her memories back. Sam tells Elle that he remembers her now as the guests pin Meng Po to the table and force her to drink her own tea. However, Elle stops them from doing it, telling them that she would end up all alone and she should be able to remember that she had lost everything.
Sam, Elle and Gizmo officially rejoined in order to get Gizmo back to his home.
Sam, Gizmo and Elle start walking, while Elle wonders if they really still want her. Sam tells her that they need her, convincing her to go with him.
On Riley's boat, the a mogwai starts scraping the wall, showing the other mogwai that they can go through the vent on the roof. They work together and start moving through the air ducts.
Cast[]
- Gabrielle Green as Elle
- Amy Hill as Meng Po
- A. J. LoCascio as Gizmo, Bucky, Snout Jr.
- Matthew Rhys as Riley Greene
- Izaac Wang as Sam Wing
- Ming-Na Wen as Fong Wing, Yin
- BD Wong as Hon Wing
- Eric Bauza as Henchman #1, Noggin, Snout
- Zach Galligan as Henchman #2
- Grey Griffin as Claw, Duckface
- Keisuke Hoashi as Huge Guest, Wei
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
Revelations and significant events[]
- It is revealed that Henchman #1's name is Sebastian.
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 |