| “ | Times have changed. Whether I like it or not. The campers don't care, Gwen doesn't care, even the founder of this place has better things to do. That's why I'll never stop trying. Because somebody fucking has to. | ” |
The grand finale of Season 1
"The Order of the Sparrow" is the 12th episode of the first season of Camp Camp and is the 12th episode overall. It aired September 9th, 2016 on the RT FIRST site, September 10th, 2016 on the Rooster Teeth Website, and September 16th, 2016 on YouTube.
Official Synopsis[]
| “ | In an attempt to get the kids in the camp spirit, David initiates them into a dated ritual called The Order of the Sparrow. When he promises the kids will get a prize, they jump at the opportunity to join. But what if the prize sucks? | ” |
—Episode description | ||
Plot[]
At the crack of dawn, David awakens the campers in his guise of "Chief Squatting Bear" to continue Camp Campbell's ritual of the "Order of the Sparrow". David receives a lukewarm response and some humorous jabs from the campers and other staff, especially since he's declared their participation be mandatory, but the promise of a mysterious "prize" makes them jump at the chance to take part. As David announces the rules and ceremony, he optimistically walks off as only Max continues to scoff. A few of them start scheming to show off how kind and thoughtful they can be.
As the day progresses, the campers try to suck up to David in unsuccessful ways, such as Harrison "saving" Nerris from drowning after pushing her into a lake, Dolph chewing up and regurgitating a sandwich for him to consume, and Preston completely removing all of the dirt from the surrounding area, all in their selfish hopes of winning the prize. Neil even attempts to French-kiss the Platypus to show his off his "love of nature" and is aggressively bitten. Max is quick to point out that their efforts don't count because their motivations are insincere, and thus begins to instigate David by claiming there is no physical prize and that symbolic prizes such as "a job well done" don't count. Angered, David finally admits that the prize is a bonfire, and everyone reacts with shock and ire.
Down at the edge of the lake, David reveals the vertical bonfire he'd built out of tall logs, and even Gwen is appalled that the prize was so mundane. David and explains the process of the chief selecting a worthy camper who embodies the spirit of the Order, along with them being awarded a sash and a staff, and he accidentally breaks it in the process. Of course, everyone is beyond disinterested at this point, and David swiftly attempts to show them how awesome the ceremony is by lighting the fire. However, a sudden violent downpour hampers his attempts, and Gwen ushers the grumpy campers away.
Alone and still fruitlessly attempting to light the bonfire, David is once again confronted by Max, who unleashes the full fury of his cynicism: the camp is stupid, no one wants to be here, nobody cares about the ritual, the world is full of desensitized apathetic assholes, that David is in denial about it all, and finally concluding his barrage by saying he should "just get with the program and stop giving a shit". Having proven his point and wearing a small yet triumphant smirk, Max turns and begins to walk away. Although David admits that he's fully aware of how little the campers, other staff, and even the founder care, how underfunded the camp is, and how things aren't what they used to be - this is why he'll never stop trying to project his sunny optimism and continue the traditions because, as he so eloquently points out, "somebody fucking has to." He silently returns to lighting the fire in vain, and Max is left stunned by this admission, glancing between David and the broken staff laying on the ground. David's flint stone breaks and he slaps the log pile in frustration. The logs swiftly topple onto him as Max calls out a warning.
David awakens to a bright sunny day, with everyone gathered around him and dressed in Native American garb for the ritual, saying how much they appreciate him. When the bonfire is lit, the face of Cameron Campbell (claiming to be the spirit of the Order of the Sparrow) appears in the smoke, declaring his pride and appreciation for David with the added bonus of being David's real father. David is of course extremely moved and asks if he's dreaming, to which the spirit responds that of course he is. When he awakens for real, it is nighttime and he's sporting a big bandage on the side of his head. He is almost struck by a wayward arrow, and Nikki runs off as Gwen scolds her. This time around, the campers are actually dressed in the style of clothing usually worn in India, which they made and seem to enjoy. Max returns with the staff, wrapped in duct tape, and jabs it at David, telling him not to look "too deeply" into his actions. He claims he was worried he'd drive David to suicide or mass murder if everyone didn't play along, but nonetheless David is still moved by Max's very real change of heart. The staff breaks again and David takes the top half, silently pushing Max's outstretched hand to let him keep the rest. Awestruck, Space Kid says that Max is lucky before he is swiftly beaned on the forehead.
As the bonfire is lit, Neil remarks that the fire is indeed kinda nice, and Gwen sings a slow, gentle version of David's "Camp Camp Song Song" with the Quartermaster as the guitarist, and they all listen appreciatively. Max finally joins the circle, and David asks how he started a fire with wet wood. Turns out he used gasoline, and right on cue a massive mushroom-cloud explosion of fire and smoke erupts, much to Nikki's delight, as Gwen calmly finishes her song.
Features[]
Music[]
- "Camp Camp Song Song" (Opening Theme)
- "Keeper of the Flame" (Ending Theme)
Trivia[]
- This is the first and, so far, only episode in which David swears.
- Ered drives a tow truck despite being underage.
- According to the writers, the hardest thing for them to animate was in David's dream, when he imagined Campbell as The Spirit of the Order of the Sparrow. [1]
- The Quartermaster is another character, next to David, who can play the guitar.
- Gwen sings the theme song.
- In addition to that, she willingly sings the "Camp Camp Song Song". This both alludes to and contrasts with the events of the first episode, "Escape from Camp Campbell", in which Gwen repeatedly refuses to let David sing it.
- Lee Eddy, Gwen's voice actor, in preparing to record the finale's version of the "Camp Camp Song Song," would practice singing it as a lullaby to one of her children.[2]
- Despite being the Season 1 finale, the writers of this episode remain completely unknown as they were not included in the long end-credits roll.
Cultural References[]
- The name and Native American theme of the "Order of the Sparrow" is an allusion to the "National Honor Society" of the actual Boy Scouts of America, the Order of the Arrow.
- David's first word to the campers this episode is "Hau", a Native American greeting. Because it sounds like "How", Max responds "Why", giving the previous word a double meaning.
- Rule #3 of the Order is "Love thy nature", which references a bible verse Mark 12:31 (which has also passed into common usage in general): "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
- Dolph comments, "I could be the hero this camp deserves." This may be an allusion to the famous quote about Batman from the film "The Dark Knight": "He's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now."
- In a later scene, Dolph tries to "help" David eat his sandwich by chewing it up and spitting it back out, as birds are famous for doing. When David runs away, Dolph replies. "Resistance is futile, turkey-man!" This is possibly a reference to the Borg in "Star Trek", who often declare to their targets that "Resistance is futile".
Continuity[]
- The events at the end of the previous episode, "Camporee" lead directly to the events of this episode.
- David mentions experiencing the ceremony of the Order when he was a kid, and this exact event is shown in "Jasper Dies at the End" during his flashback story.
- When David (as Chief Squatting Bear) claims that he is an "Indian chief", Neil suggests that Max is of Indian descent. This is later confirmed in "Culture Day".
- The "raining cats and dogs" gag from "Reigny Day" returns in this episode, with a dog and a cat falling from the sky as it started raining.
- David makes reference to Campbell being a father figure to him in this episode, even wishing that someday, he would admit that he is David's real father. David mentions this again in "Camp Cool Kidz" and "Cameron Campbell Can't Handle the Truth Serum".
- Max recites David's infamous line from this episode, "somebody fucking has to", in "With Friends Like These".
- The broken staff that David gives to Max is later shown on a table in Max's tent in the episode "With Friends Like These".
- Gwen's slow rendition of the theme song at the end of this episode is the first time she's sung in the series. Later on in "Party Pooper", she briefly sings a pooper scooper jingle that her father wrote.
Transcript[]
- The transcript for "The Order of the Sparrow" may be edited here.
Gallery[]
- Main article: The Order of the Sparrow/Gallery
References[]
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/6g9wk3/we_are_the_rooster_teeth_2d_animation_team_season/
- ↑ "Lee Eddy Talks Camp Camp, Mustang Island and More" AfterBuzz TV https://youtu.be/DtP5xvqKuao?t=11m48s