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This article is about the episode. For the song with the same name, see Me and My Shadow Demon.
Me and My Shadow Demon is the third episode of The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo.
Premise[]
The Chest of Demons is stolen by a Shadow Demon, so the gang heads off to maze-like Befuddle Manor to retrieve it, but soon they have to contend with demon chest escapee, Queen Morbidia.
Synopsis[]
As a wolf bays outside of the Himalayan temple where he dwells, Vincent Van Ghoul senses trouble and hears glass shatter in the next room. Finding his crystal ball shattered on the floor, he wonders aloud who has done this, just as the Shadow Demon slips out the window.
Meanwhile, as Daphne drives the Mystery Machine through the forest, Scrappy picks up a signal on the Specter-Detector. The gang stops to investigate an abandoned coal mine, and they soon discover that it's dripping with ectoplasm. Daphne remarks that some ghosts are simply shadows, which makes Scooby-Doo fearful of his own. He whimpers, so Shaggy attempts to offer comfort when suddenly, the demon emerges from Scooby's shadow with glowing red eyes and a sinister sneer and blows out everyone's lights.
They chase the specter across an old wooden footbridge, but he cuts the rope and grabs hold of the Chest of Demons as the kids plunge through the cavern below. Everyone lands inside of an old mining cart with such force that it sends the car hurtling down the railroad track. The gang panics and screams when they realize a piece of the track is missing, though the vibrations shake loose stalactites, which drop from the cavernous roof and fill the hole, allowing them to pass unharmed. Following the path, the cart does a loop-de-loop on the track and then crashes, throwing the gang into a pile of coal. "If only we could have made a cleaner escape!" Shaggy quips.
Realizing the Chest of Demons has fallen into the clutches of the Shadow Demon, the gang argues amongst themselves over who's going to break the news to Mr. Van Ghoul with Flim-Flam ultimately accepting the responsibility. Speaking to him on the crystal ball, the boy tells the warlock that he has news that will induce screams. Vincent is skeptical until he hears the story, which causes him to scream so violently that the crystal in Flim-Flam's hand radiates a high-frequency vibration. Vincent warns that at nightfall, the powers of darkness will be so strong that the chest could be destroyed. Informing the gang that the ghosts are convening at the foot of Bald Mountain in Befuddle Manor, he urges them to get there quickly, but the crystal's reception konks out before he could inform them that parts of the manor are like a lethal maze.
Arriving at the castle with a "Bug Busters" logo plastered on the van, Flim-Flam emerges dressed as an exterminator, unleashing a case of mice who pile into a crevice in the rock wall, eliciting screams from within. Scooby and Shaggy are reluctant to set foot out of the vehicle, but their friends entice them with the promise of delicious party snacks.
Griswald and the Spinster.
Scooby yanks the chain on the doorbell, which results in shriek and the sounds of horns. A moment later, an old spinster throws open the door. The woman remarks that it's an incredible coincidence that exterminators have arrived since she has pests that require removal. Just then, Griswald, an enormous spider with a top hat and tails, descends to the floor and snickers, spooking the gang. The woman tells them not to fear her beloved pet.
As the kids head off to "work," the woman throws off her glasses, spins into a tornado, and emerges as Queen Morbidia, a vampirish temptress who has a streak of grey running through her dark coiffed mane. She and Griswald cackle with glee at the notion of trapping them within the castle walls forever, and then she shapeshifts into a vampire bat.
As they wander deep into the manor house, the kids catch a glimpse of the Shadow Demon, who splits into two and darts down separate corridors, forcing the gang to split up. Losing Shaggy and Scooby, Scrappy, Flim-Flam, and Daphne follow one version of the spook, who traps them in a locked room. They attempt to call Mr. Van Ghoul for help, but there's no reception on the crystal. Meanwhile, the magician hops on a magic carpet and heads to the manor to offer aid.
Instead of chasing the other Shadow Demon, he's now chasing Shaggy and Scooby, who suddenly find themselves on a stage staring into a sea of monstrous faces. To distract the crowd, Scooby pulls out a pair of hats and canes, which the duo sport as they sing a barbershop rendition of "Me and My Shadow Demon," dragging the reluctant shadowy specter into their act.
Back in the sealed room, Scrappy attempts to fix the crystal ball by giving it an enormous smack, which turns on a holographic feature, projecting a roaring train. The train moves swiftly down the projected track, bursting through a wall, leaving an opening to the stage, where the kids find themselves reunited with Shaggy and Scooby. A bat suddenly swoops down between them and transforms into Queen Morbidia.
Welcoming them to the Associated Federation of Crazy and Irresponsible Monsters, Morbidia demands the kids relinquish the Chest of Demons. When they're unable to produce it, the monsters drag them to into the barred dungeon. Griswald decides to have some fun, so he creeps up on them, sending the gang deeper into the basement, where the Shadow Demon suddenly materializes. Fearful of the approaching spider, the apparition slips through a crack in the wall, the kids trailing behind. Griswald tries to follow, but with his massive frame, only his head fits through the opening, and he becomes wedged.
Now in a labyrinthine maze, from a stationary view in the hallway, the gang can be glimpsed walking in circles through a series of passages. Arriving at a dead end, they look up and see Griswald's face glaring down at them from a hole at the top of the wall. It gradually becomes clear that they're standing on the ceiling of the same room where the spider had gotten his head stuck moments earlier.
Around the corner behind them, the Shadow Demon appears, growing larger and larger on the wall, when it abruptly morphs into the shadow of a man. Round the corner swaggers a very short, bespectacled older gentleman who introduces himself as Byron Befuddle, creator of Befuddle Manor. He then introduces his shadow (demon), who springs from his likeness and bellows a hearty chuckle, inciting nervous laughter in Scooby as well. Mr. Befuddle explains that his shadow sprang to life when Queen Morbidia seized the mansion, so he sent it to steal the Chest of Demons to lure the gang inside and rescue him from the maze.
Byron Befuddle and his Shadow Demon.
Griswald begins to wriggle his shoulders, and the plaster in the wall crumbles, freeing him and making a hole large enough that he can pass through. Mr. Befuddle leads the way to the chest's hiding place with the spider hot on their path. They finally arrive at Queen Morbidia's bedchamber, the last place she would ever look for the chest, and Flim-Flam smacks the door into Griswald's kisser. Scrappy opens the closet door, and a pile of junk tumbles out, entombing the young puppy, who emerges a moment later holding the Demon Chest. There's no time to celebrate their find, as Morbidia and her minions are suddenly at the door congratulating Griswald for discovering the hidden box.
Befuddle leads the gang out the back door, and then one staircase followed by another and another, with Griswald trailing behind them in the distance. Befuddle calculates that they're in the manor's basement, but Shaggy finds a window and discovers they're high in a castle tower. As they weigh their options, the voice of Mr. Van Ghoul emanates into the window. "Can I give you a lift?" Outside, he casually sits cross-legged on a flying carpet.
As Queen Morbidia and the monsters break down the door, everyone attempts to escape on the carpet, but the weight of seven bodies and a demon chest puts too much strain on the rug, which plunges from the sky, landing the travelers in the treetops. The scramble to the ground as the federation of monsters heads flees from the manor, but they soon find themselves cornered on the edge of a cliff.
Mr. Van Ghoul suggests that they stall the monsters until sunrise, which is minutes away, and the precise moment that they'll lose their powers. Morbidia snatches the chest and asks if they have any final words, so the gang breaks into a rousing rendition of "Goodnight, Ghoulies." With a little ingenuity and a lot of strain on his lungs, Scooby stretches the final notes until the very moment the sun peaks over the horizon.
The monsters scatter to avoid the light, and Queen Morbidia drops the chest, which pops open on the ground. As the rays of daylight strike her, she withers to a pile of dust, which Flim-Flam sweeps up and drops into the Chest of Demons.
Flim-Flam then confesses that he had a mishap when the carpet dropped, resulting in a crack in the crystal. He informs Mr. Van Ghoul that he and Scooby are going to take both crystal balls to the repair shop, a thousand miles away, and pair soars off into the sky, leaving their friends stranded behind.
Characters[]
Main characters:
Supporting characters:
- Vincent Van Ghoul
- Byron Befuddle (only appearance)
Villains:
- Queen Morbidia (first full appearance)
- Griswald (only appearance)
- Shadow Demon (only appearance)(redeemed)
- Associated Federation of Crazy and Irresponsible Monsters (only appearance)
Other characters:
- Old woman (only appearance)(Queen Morbidia's disguise)
Locations[]
- Himalayas
- Temple Village
- Coal Mine
- Bold Mountain
Objects[]
- Chest of Demons
- Crystal ball
- Specter-Detector
Vehicles[]
Cast[]
| Don Messick | Scooby-Doo Scrappy-Doo |
|---|---|
| Casey Kasem | Shaggy Rogers |
| Heather North | Daphne Blake |
| Susan Blu | Flim-Flam |
| Vincent Price | Vincent Van Ghoul |
| Frank Welker | Griswald |
| Linda Gary | Queen Morbidia |
Songs[]
| Song | Credits | Performed by | Character performance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Me and My Shadow" | Credits | Don Messick | Scooby-Doo Shaggy Rogers |
Continuity[]
- Vincent Van Ghoul continues to take up residence in the Himalayan temple from the previous episode after Bogel and Weerd fled it to seek out the monsters released from the Chest of Demons in the first episode.
Notes/Trivia[]
- This is the third consecutive episode after To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before and Scoobra Kadoobra to have its name based on a song.
- "Me and My Shadow Demon" is a takeoff of "Me and My Shadow," a song that has been recorded countless times since its first release in 1927. Aside from the show's spoken theme, this was the only song from the series to appear on the compilation CD Scooby-Doo's Snack Tracks: The Ultimate Collection.
- Bogel and Weerd do not appear in this episode, despite the fact it was their goal to contact each monster released from the Chest of Demons.
- This marks the first time in the series that Scrappy yells his trademark "Puppy Power" catchphrase.
- The train that almost runs over Daphne, Flim-Flam and Scrappy is named "H&B RR" - Hanna & Barbera Rail Road.
- This is one of only a few episodes with both an opening and a closing poem from Vincent Van Ghoul. Interestingly, the episode does not end with the final poem - a scene about repairing the crystal balls follows, and Flim-Flam actrually mentions the poem after hearing Vincent recite it.
- In 1998, the song "Me and My Shadow" was released on the album Scooby-Doo's Snack Tracks: The Ultimate Collection.
- This episode was the last time until Night of The Living Doo in 2001 that the original Ted Nichols underscore was used in the franchise.
Miscellaneous[]
- Disguises: The entire gang as bug exterminators.
- "Zoinks" count: 0.
- "Gang way" count: 1.
- "Rikes" count: 1.
- "Puppy Power" count: 1.
Cultural references[]
- Flim-Flam was inspired by the Short Round character from film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and the ride through the mines in a coal cart is a reference to that film.
- Griswald's laugh is very similar to Muttley and Mumbly's from Wacky Races and The Mumbly Cartoon Show, respectively.
Animation mistakes and/or technical glitches[]
- None known.
Inconsistencies/continuity errors and/or goofs/oddities[]
- The writers can't decide on one name for Byron Befuddle's home. Vincent first calls it "Befuddle Manor", Daphne and Flim-Flam call it "Befuddle Hall", and lastly, Queen Morbidia calls it "Befuddle Castle".
- The acronym "AFLCIM" doesn't quite fit what Queen Morbidia calls the Associated Federation of Crazy and Irresponsible Monsters. There's no word beginning with the letter "L."
- Everyone could have squeezed through the cell bars and got out of the dungeon.
- Byron Befuddle initially claims he can't escape from his castle but his shadow demon can as it can go through walls. But after regaining the Chest Of Demons, he confidently leads Scooby and the team on a route out. Of course, being a maze, when they get there they are in the highest tower, with only one window.
Home media[]
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: The Complete Series DVD set released by Warner Home Video on June 29, 2010.
Quotes[]
Vincent Van Ghoul chanting: |
Old Woman: Yes. May I help you? |
Vincent Van Ghoul: Blast this crystal and Flim-Flam's fiddling. It's no use trying to call them, I'll just have to go there. Let's be off. (Flies away on a flying carpet, carrying the crystal ball) Oh, how I dread this - it's such a long flight and this carpet never shows a movie. |
Flim-Flam: I once had a third cousin who had a brother who owned a parakeet, and that parakeet's former owner was a lawyer. I can talk us out of this. |
Flim-Flam: As ancient wise men say - "Like, you got a better idea?" |
Vincent Van Ghoul chanting: |
External links[]
- TBA
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