Kameko's expectation for reuniting with her dad does not go as planned. In Mermicorno: Starfall season 2 episodes 5 and 6, she and Nautique discover he is recovering within an egg while Gwen decides to use her anger as a force for good.
Mermicorno: Starfall episode 5 recap: Turtle Recall
Kameko and Nautique arrive at the lagoon surrounded by a kelp forest. Determined to reunite with her dad, Kameko cuts her way through until she and Nautique are captured in a net.
The turtle responsible, Toshi, arrives, freeing them. He explains that they set up traps and have the kelp forest to keep barracudas at bay.
Toshi leads the duo into the lagoon, where Kameko tells the turtles she's the daughter of Reed. Reed, however, is resting within an egg.
How? Well, according to an elderly lady turtle, Reed was a member of the Society of the Shell, keepers of the ocean's knowledge.
Reed's special discipline was art, and he was able to befriend the Mermicornos. Princess Hanna crafted him a talisman that could allow him to shapeshift.
Reed was then able to live both on land and in the sea. When Reed heard what happened to Pearl Girl, he went to help, but Ika turned him into a Squidian.
In order to help him heal, Reed was placed inside an egg. But within a week, the turtles will need to migrate to Kami Beach.
Reed won't be able to go unless one more protective layer of the egg is made, otherwise, he will take years to heal. But since Kameko is his daughter, she can create the final layer.
Kameko, unfortunately, doesn't know how to make the shell. She needs to connect with her inner turtle.
Toshi is tasked with training her, but becomes easily frustrated with her inability to pass each lesson. He's not allowing her time to pace herself, nor allowing her to do things as a human or Mermaidicorno.
Frustrated and heartbroken at her constant failure, Kameko seeks Nautique, who managed to learn and master the turtle's tea culture. Seeing him fit in so easily makes Kameko feel even worse about herself, and she withholds telling him her troubles.
When she does cry it out to her dad, Nautique overhears and gives her a much-needed pep talk. Kameko wants to start over with Toshi but its too late.
The time for migration has arrived. Kameko fails instantly while trying to make the shell, leaving the turtles no choice but to leave Reed behind.
The departure is interrupted by a large barracuda that seeks the egg. Kameko remembers her dad's teachings about the barracuda and manages to create the last egg layer to protect her dad.
She, Nautique, and the turtles tickle the barracuda, who retreats. Toshi formally apologizes to Kameko for his treatment of her, realizing that she needed to do things her way instead of the turtle way.
Kameko and Nautique are invited to the hatching at Kami Beach, but they both politely decline, knowing their help is needed in searching for the Mermicorno kingdom.
Mermicorno: Starfall episode 6 recap: The Masked Ice Venger
Gwen narrates a majority of this episode (in a voice that reminds me both of Batman and a noir film). She, Astra, and Squishella find themselves stuck on the Sea Sprinter in the middle of a sea blizzard.
Squishella thinks they should take the opportunity to visit the neighboring town, which has a famous bakery. Gwen is too upset and angry about all the destruction Ika is causing to care.
But the trio leaves the train anyway and finds that the bakery is run down, with no treats inside. After an incident where a goon bullies the mother and daughter who own the bakery, our Mermicornos learn what happened.
Mrs. Beak and her family of hummingbird fish owned the bakery for years, known for its creative cakes. Ika banned their baking and took all of their baking supplies.
Then, a Mr. Anglerton arrives, providing all the baking supplies they will need in exchange for treats. However, he slowly begins taking over the bakery, keeping all the treats for himself.
They asked him to leave, but in doing so, they were punished with no sugar to eat the tasteless kelp buns with. Now he holds fin wrestling matches where the winner wins treats.
Mrs. Beak's daughter, Honey Ripple, is devastated to have the last treat taken as it was her birthday. Gwen decides to enter the match as the Masked Ice Venger and defeats her first opponent using her anger.
She wins the cake that Mrs. Beak and her daughter had made, presenting it to her daughter for her birthday. While Squishella and Honey Ripple work on a new song together, Astra advises Gwen not to keep fin wrestling.
However, Gwen feels she must stand up for those who won't against Mr. Anglerton. Astra warns about the difference between fighting in self-defense and using anger to fight.
Gwen continues to fin wrestle until the storm finally stops. Astra suggests taking Mrs. Beak and Honey Ripple with them to Princess Hanna to escape Mr. Anglerton, but Gwen wants to stay and keep fin wrestling.
When the group is about to depart, Astra worries Gwen won't come with them. Honey Ripple begs her mother not to leave and abandon the bakery.
Inspired by Gwen, Honey Ripple wants to fight back. When they return, they find that Gwen defeated the reigning champion but also used her ice powers on everyone in the room, as her anger got the better of her.
Using the new song Squishella and Honey Ripple wrote; they save everyone from the ice and convince Mr. Anglerton's goons to turn on him. Squishella restores the bakery, but without supplies they can't open.
Mrs. Beak and Honey Ripple decide to take the song on the road to inspire others to stand up to Ika. Back on the Sea Sprinter, Astra calls Kameko and Nautique to meet them at the Mermicorno kingdom.
Mermicorno: Starfall season 2 episodes 5 and 6 review
What I found very intriguing is how damaging Ika Inkblot's plans really are. Initially, his evil plan to destroy all creative freedom sounds silly and far from threatening.
However, we are now seeing the repercussions from it as it has destroyed a very successful business for a family and even removed a prince from power. Not to mention the opportunities it now creates for other criminals to take advantage of the situation.
With that said, it was fun to see more of Kameko and Nautique's journey as Kameko already applies the lessons she learned in the previous episodes and can focus on reuniting with her dad. Watching Gwen have to overcome her anger and frustration added more character development and depth to her growth.
But now that both Kameko and Gwen have had essentially two episodes dedicated to their struggles, I'm wondering which of our Mermicornos is next. With all of them reuniting, I'm hoping we'll get to meet more Mermicornos.
But with so many episodes left of season 2, I can't imagine their introduction will happen anytime soon. Just as I don't expect Sawtooth to switch sides until the final hour.
Thus far, season 2 has followed the same path as season 1, with each obstacle being a perfect combination of creative storytelling while connecting to the overall arc. I find the funny names for things, events, or places to be very clever, proving that the team at Mermicorno: Starfall knows their audience and the source material.
Stream Mermicorno: Starfall season 2 on HBO MAX.