The Secret Library: Tale of the Eternal Torch

"The Secret Library: Tale of the Eternal Torch" is the eighty-third episode of the Disney Junior animated series, Sofia the First. It premiered on May 5, 2017 and is the second episode in the fourth season.

Plot
At Enchancia Castle, Prince James is taking his Junior Knight test in the courtyard under Sir Finnegan's supervision and his family is watching. At first, James does an outstanding job. But when he gets to the wall that the finishing line is behind, He meets his downfall: Instead of trying to climb over the wall, he tries to polevault over it with a staff. This proves to be a mistake for once he's over the wall he lands in a mud puddle that slows him down to the point where he fails to cross the finish line in time. When Sir Finnegan informs him that he failed the test, James protests that he wasn't expecting to get caught in the mud. Sir finnegan tells him that he should never just jump over a wall without knowing what's on the other side and that he needs to learn to look before he leaps which he backs up by telling him the ladder would've been wiser. Roland tells James that he knows he's disappoijnted that he failed but he did well for his first time and that he can alway try again. Sir Finnegan agrees telling James to practice not just on the course but in the real world by going on an adventure. Sofia feels sorry for James but Roland tells him this failure will be a teaching moment for him. Suddenly, Sofia's Amulet glows blue, alerting her that it's time to go to the Secret Library.

After Sofia arrives in the Secret Library, the Library selects a book called The Tale of the Eternal Torch. The book goes inside the pendulum and the narrater proceeds to tell her her latest story: ''To the dragons who live on the Blazing Palisades, their island home is a fiery paradise. Inside the tallest peak, the Eternal Torch burns with a magical flame that lights all the islands fires. But the Eternal Torch is in danger: The sea monsters who live in the ocean that surround the Palisades believe the Palisades should belong to them and have obtained the Forever Fountain whose magical waters could drown out the islands fires and xhase the dragons away. If they are not stopped, the Blazing Palisades will belong to the sea monsters forevermore. ''Hearing this, Sofia resolves to go to the Blazing Palisades and give this story a happy ending. Sofia hitches one of the flying horses up to the same coach she drove in the last time she went to the Blazing Palisades. However, James overhears her talking to the horse about her plans and, while she's getting the horse a snack, clims inside the trunk on the carriage. Unaware of this, Sofia gives the horse his snack and takes off for the Blazing Palisades.

Sofia arrives at the Blazing Palisades and lands. During the landing, she hears a lot of grunts and groans. Sure enough, when she finishes landing the trunk pops open and inside she finds James, to her chagrin. When Sofia asks him what he's doing here, James tells her "Sir Finnegn told me to practice my Knight skills on an adventure. I don't know what you're up to but sounds perfect." Sofia is as far away from being pleased as possible that her big brother stowed away but James assures his little sister that he'll be a big help. James is wowed by the Blazing Palisades calling it perfect for dragons. Weh he sees some lizards in the distance, Sofia identifies them as the sea monsters and reluctantly agrees to let James help. The sea monsters climb onto the island and their leader orders them to begin looking for the trail that leads to the Eternal Torch. Sofia decides they have to go warn Everburn the Elder Dragon and wants to sneak up the trail since she knows where both Everburns lair and the Eternal Torch is. However, James runs out onto the trail and unwittingly shows the sea monster where the trail they're looking for is. James tries to stop them by ordering them to stop forcing Sofia to save him and let them pass. Flembeau and his group come out and greet them. Sofia tell them why she's here and Flembeau identifles the leader of the sea monsters as Aqualina, an old enemy of Everburn. Flembeau tells them they can take the tunnel that leads to a bridge that's on the way to where they need to go and that, once there, they can stop them by burning down the bridge. James agrees to the bridge burning idea but refuses to take the tunnel and wants to fly there on Smokely instead. James and Smokely take off to stop the bridge. Flembeau tells Sofia that Smokely gets so caught up in the heat off the moment that he forgets to think things through to which Sofia notes her brother has the same problem. Hobwing tells Sofia that you don't want to fly over sea monsters. Hobwing's warning proves true as the sea monsters have the ability to shoot water out of their mouths which they use to shoot James and Smokely down. When Sofia and the other catch up, they reveal that the pair's recklessness cost them the chance to stop them at the bridge. James protests that he didn't know about their ability to shoot water out of their mouths to which Flembeau sternly tells him that was because he rushed off before he could tell him before proceeding to scold Smokely. Hobwing tells them they still have time to warn Everburn if they use they tunnels this time. After they do so, Sofia wakes Everburn up and tells him what's happening. Everburn and the other dragons prepare for battle. James wants to help but Everburn tells him to stand aside and he and the other dragons engages in a singing battle with the sea monsters.

When this only causes a stalemate, the Dragons decide to block them off forever by building a wall on the trail. James is fuming about being left out of the action by Everburn yet again. When he sees a big rock he decides to add it to the wall and, despite Sofia's protests, sends it rolling. This proves to be a mistake: Instead of strengthening the wall, the rolling rock destroys the wall and sends the dragons flying. With nothing in their way, Aqualina and the sea serpents replace the Eternal Torch with the Forever Fountian, which flooding the Palisades and washing the dragons out. James wants to fix everything but Sofia reminds him of what Sir Finnegan said and tells him they need a plan. James agrees anf together with the dragons come up with a plan to restore the Watery Palisades to the Blazing Palisades. The dragons distract the sea serpents by breathing fire. This time James listens to Sofia when she tells him to wait. This enables the plan to work in a way that enables James and Sofia to enter the cave. James and Sofia put the Eternal Torch back on it's pedisal in a way that merges the Torches magic with the Fountains. This merger creates a new Palisades that is half-Blazing Palisades at the top and half-Watery Palisades at the bottom. This convinces Sofia and James to leave things as is and they convince the dragons and sea serpents to make peace and the Palisades becomes the Misty Palisades.

Sofia and James go home. Once there, Sofia goes back to the Secret Library to review the story she just finished. After she has done so, she goes to go watch James retake his Junior Knight test. This time, the finish line is behind a door. James checks the door instead of basjing it down. This proves to be a wise move for, like before, there is a mud pubble on the other side. Using a plank, James safely crosses the puddle in time to cross the finish line and pass the test. Sir Finnegan congratulates him and promotes him to Junior Knight.

Cast

 * Ariel Winter as Sofia
 * Nicolas Cantu as Prince James
 * Hugh Bonneville as The Narrator
 * Oliver Platt as Everburn
 * Mick Wingert as Nightlite
 * John Michael Higgins as Flambeau

Song

 * This Island Belongs To Us

Trivia

 * This is the fifth installment of the Secret Library story arc, preceded by "The Secret Library", "Olaf and the Tale of Miss Nettle", "The Tale of the Noble Knight", and Elena and the Secret of Avalor.
 * The Dragons of Enchancia make their second appearance in this episode, following their debut in The Curse of Princess Ivy.
 * James is the second member of the Royal Family of Enchancia to go with Sofia on her mission. The first was her Aunt Tilly in "The Secret Library".