Snug as a Bug

Summary

Flint and his friends arrive in Late-19th Century AD/1898 AD, France to find Bugsy. When Pterry tells the others that Bugsy's powers transform others into insects, Sarah immediately reacts stating bugs are gross. Tony explains that when they were little, while Sarah was playing Tony (who was up a tree) told her to catch something that he had found. Upon doing so, it turns out Tony had found a bug, upon sighting it she was immediately traumatized and passed out on the sight of the caterpillar. Tony explains ever since she hasn't been able to handle bugs, to which Sarah explains its all the fault of her brother, to which Tony questions if he really is to blame. Flint comments that Getalong's love beam should be able to fix her fear of bugs, but Sarah proclaims that this wasn't the problem with her and bugs. Her reaction frightens everyone but Tony, who simply states his sister becomes a different person when confronted with bugs.

At this point, 3 children run past them calling for help. Flint asks what the matter is, they explain they are running away from a monster bug. The thought of meeting a mosnter bug does not go down well with Sora. At this point, Bugsy appears with someone who has been turned into a bee. As both fly buy, the guy who has been turned into a bee comments that he doesn't understand why they are running away and asks they come play with him as bugs. Tony's reaction of the bee-man is of awe, when he turns around, Sarah is attempting to return home on Ridon. With Sarah continuing to state openly how she hates bug, the others decide that they must capture Bugsy quickly and return home for Sarah's sake.

Flint and Tony attempt to capture Bugsy and the bee-man. When they fail, Tony takes another swing and captures the Bee-man instead of Bugsy. Upon capturing the Bee-man, Tony tries and show Sarah, only she is hiding behind a rock. Tony is then transformed into a Dynastinae bug. When Tony explains he never expected to be turned into a bug, Pterry remarks he did warn them earlier about Bugsy's powers.

Sarah comes out of hiding finally, but is horrified that her brother was changed into a bug. In a fit of rage about her brother being changed into a bug, he swings a bug net around demanding Bugsy change him back. To her dismay, all that this leads to is her being changed into a butterfly, much to her dismay. The Bee-man attempts to calm Sarah by downplaying her situation, which Sarah throws off. Tony attempts to calm her by stating her hysterics will make her like Ptera, but Sarah tells him not to compare them.

Petra then appears, commenting how Tony and Sarah will pay for their comments about her. She weakens Bugsy with bug-spray and then stamps him with the Petra stamp. The bee-man tries to get answers from Petra as to what she has done to his friend. However, he is sent flying with a fly swatter. As Bugsy goes to transform Flint into a bug, Super Ninja appears claiming Flint is his fight. The two begin to fight.

Nearby in a tree, Merlock comments that it is time for him appear, commenting he will save her. Bindi comments that it looks like Sarah has disappeared much to Merlock's dismay.Flint and Super Ninja continue to fight, Flint is sent flying by Super Ninja, to which Flint smacks into Merlock and both are sent flying together.

Petra believes that she is finally rid of Flint, to which Super Ninja notes that it was actually he who disposed of Flint.

Tony and Sarah comment that they and the others must find Flint quickly. Dino and Mite appear with bug nets, in their attempts to catch Tony and Sarah they capture Pterry and Getalong instead. Tony and Sarah fly off to find Flint.

Flint wakes up in mid air and notices that Merlock is flying with him. In an attempt to save Merlock, both land on the ground and are knocked out. When Flint comes around, Tony and Sarah have caught up to him and Merlock, and are now joined by Bindi. While Merlock comes around, he if at first delusional and thinks he has died because Sarah is a butterfly. Bindi manages to get Merlock to come around and to Merlock's dismay Sarah realy is a butterfly. Merlock hears a sound and tells the others to be quiet. He then attacks and knocks out the bee-man they saw earlier.

The Bee-man introduces himself as Henry Fabre. Merlock identifies him as the man who famously wrote Souvenirs entomologiques. Sarah whispers that he wrote this as a old man, and the fabra they see before them is the same man in his youth.

Henri Fabre explains that one day while observing ants eat beard, his father told him to stop watching insects all day. Henru ran off and met Bugsy, who showed him the wonders of the insect world.

They are interupted by Super Ninja, who has relocated them. Petra also apepars, then Dino and Mit holding Getalong and Pterry in a cage. Petra commands Bugsy to transform into Bugsy-kon.

Henri asks what has happened to his friend, Merlock tells him that the Bugsy he knew is gone. Merlock stops Bugsy with his cane from attacking. For his efforts, Merlock is transformed into a mosquito. He comments how strange he feels and that he suddenly has the urge to "suck blood" (in Japanese, the word used means "kiss"). He comments he wants to kiss Sarah and both Sarah and Tony send him flying. Next Bugsy turns Flint into a stag beetle.

Dino and Mite get out nets, commenting how they'll sell Flint in a department store. Merlock steps in to help Flint, but both are caught. Sarah tells Tony and Fabre to come with her to get help.

Merlock tells Flint to cut the net with his pinchers. Flint frees both him and Merlock. Merlock attacks Dino and Mite, biting them in the process. Petra produces the bug spray again, but Flint grabs her with his pinchers and causes her pain. Petra tosses Flint and orders Bugsy to attack, but Super Ninja claims that if anyone is defeat Flint, that should be he. Rocky gets mad and attempts to step in, but is knocked aside by Super Ninja.

At that moment, Sarah appears and Super Ninja is soon surrounded by a swam of butterflies. Tony orders a group of beetles to break Getalong and Pterry's cage. Petra is then attacked by a swam of bees lead by Henri Fabre. Super Ninja blows all the insects away, Merlock included among them with his staff. As Super Ninja attacks, Pterry appears and a monster egg appears from Ridon. This turns out to be Leafy.

Leafy transforms into Leafy Master and takes on Super Ninja. Leafy fires pollen at Ninja, Petra and her hencheman. At firt they are taken in by the aroma, but the pollen causes them to develop strong hay fever. Petra orders Super Ninja to blow away the polen likehe did the insects, but the Hay Fever is causing him to feel too down. He transforms back into a broach and Petra states its all up to Bugsy now to finish off Flint and his friends.

During the fight with Flint, Fabre notices that the antennae on Bugsy head allow him to see all directions, making any attack impossible to deliver without him seeing it coming. Tony and Sarah tangle up the antennae. Rocky and Flint cease their moment to attack. With Bugsy defeated, Fabre is finally able to get through to him. Bugsy turns back to normal, and everyone who was transformed into a insect is changed back.

Petra flees.

Tony notices he still has a horn, though Getalong knocks it off. Elsewhere, Merlock comments how he feel sick after sucking the henchmen's blood. Bindi comments she kiss him better (again the Japanese word pun n "kiss" and "suck blood" is used). Merlock simply moans and Bindi knocks him off the branch he is sitting on for being rude.

Henru Fabre promises Flint and his friend he'll study correctly and become a famous insect researcher. Sarah's Entomophobia is now gone after being a butterfly. Tony and Sarah remark how great it was to be a Butterfly and Beetle, commenting on how Merlock's mosquito was pathetic.

In the land of time Old Timer is seen commenting on Henri-Fabre's career.

Back in the 25th century, Sarah is seen reading a book on bugs, Dr. Bernard Goodman comments on how he would like to know what it is like to be a bug at least once. Bugsy then proceed to turn him into a fly.

List of characters

• Flint Hammerhead
• Petra Fina Dagmar
• Dino
• Mite
• Pterry
• Getalong
• Bindi
• Merlock Holmes
• Rocky Hammerhead
• Dr. Bernard Goodman
• Sarah Goodman
• Tony Goodman
• Leafy
• Bugsy
• Old Timer
• Talen
• Jitterbug
• Plumella

English dub Changes

• See also English Dub for common changes to the series

Dialogue;

• When Flint and him are sent flying, when their in dizzy state after they land, this is when Merlock first finds out Sarah got turned into a butterfly in both the original Japanese and English dubs. However, in the English dub, Bindi had just told Merlock Sarah was a butterfly moments before Flint and he went flying.
• When Merlock was a bug, his dialogue was changed quite a bit, the changes in the dialogue were all centered around the act of sucking blood;
  • Merlock is questioned on if he is a grasshopper, when he is suppose to be a mosquito.
  • He become a mosquito he does not mention suddenly getting the urge to suck blood.
  • The reason for him being punched by Bindi and Tony turns from being because he asks to suck Sarah's blood to being told to get a hold of himself.
  • When he is transformed back and is seen up a tree, he remarks on being a bug but doesn't mention anything about sucking Dino and Mite's blood or that it made him feel sick.
  • In the Japanese dub, when Merlock is changed to a mosquito, his Seiyū changes the tone of Merlock's voice to fit in with Merlock's bug appearance. In the English dub, his voice actor didn't bother changing the way he sounded. This is, however, a minor complaint as Merlock was the only one whose tone of voice changed with his transformation into a bug.
• In the Japanese version, Merlock quotes the title of Henri-Jean Fabre's most famous series as Souvenirs entomologiques, in the English dub it was changed to "insects of the world". The correct English translation of the mentioned book series is "Entomological souvenirs". In fact, none of the titles of any of Henri-Jean Fabre's books carry the title of "Insects of the World", even in their original French versions.
• In the English dub, the Old Timer claims that Henri-Jean Fabre's reason for studying bugs was owed to his promise to Flint. This can't possibly be the reason for him studying bugs as any memory of Flint was erased, meaning that Henri-Jean had no knowledge of Flint, let alone any promise he made to him.

Notes

• Sarah is turned into a butterfly, a nod to how she is conceived within the show as beautiful.
• Merlock is changed into a mosquito, a reference to him being descended from Vampires, his sudden urge to suck blood is likely a reference to his comment on how he doesn't suck blood (which is just as well, as male mosquitoes don't suck blood and the females only do so for reproduction, not nourishment).
  • When he goes to suck Sarah's blood, he aims for the neck - the traditional area that Vampires are depicted sucking blood from.
• Leafy being sent to fight Bugsy is a reference to the relationship between insects and flowers and how many species rely on each other to survive.
• In episode 12, the group would not take Bindi against her will, but in this episode they were not afraid to attempt to take Bugsy against his.
• It is a little strange to note, that while other more famous figurines Flint and his friends met on their journey needed identifying, Merlock and Sarah had no trouble identifying Fabre.