The Buttercups

"The Buttercups" is the fifteenth episode of the Disney Junior series Sofia the First, which aired on August 2, 2013.

Plot
At the castle, Sofia is with her girl scout troop known as the Buttercups, showing her friends how to make a friendship knot when Ruby's Mother and troop leader introduces two new recruits, Meg and Peg. Sofia gives them their Buttercup vests and when they ask about the badges she's wearing, she explains in order to get their own, they must earn them. Helen announces that tomorrow they will be going on a hike through Peppertree Forest. Sofia is very excited about the hike because she's only one badge away from finally earning the Sunflower Medallion, a great honor Sofia has been looking forward to earning since she first became a Buttercup.

After the Buttercups leave, Sofia welcomes her father home and tells him about the hike tomorrow. But almost immediately, she wishes she hadn't spoken because Roland is against Sofia going into the forest stating that it isn't "a proper place for a princess" and becomes so concerned that something might happen to her that even a fall has him worried. Miranda steps forward to try and assure her husband that he has nothing to worry about both because of Sofia's Buttercup experience and because Helen will be there to provide adult supervision. Baileywick also supports Sofia going, stating his experience as a Groundhog, the Buttercups' Boy Scout counterpart, and how it gave him the skills he uses as the castle steward. Hearing this, Roland decides to make Baileywick Sofia's royal escort by having him accompany her and make sure she comes home safely without a single scratch. Sofia protests that such a thing is unnecessary because she'll be fine on her own. Roland only tells her he just wants her to be safe and Baileywick promises her she'll have a good time. Realizing there's no changing her father's mind, Sofia reluctantly accepts having Baileywick as her escort.

The next day, Sofia is all ready to go on the hike but Baileywick overdoes his own packing in a way that ensures that he and Sofia both arrive extremely late. Baileywick also leaves Sofia flustered by providing a Royal entrance and then explaining to the troop that he is going to accompany Sofia "On the King's orders." to ensure Sofia's safety on the hike. Helen says he can come as long as he can "keep up with the Buttercups."

Soon the hike begins and, along the way to their first stop, Baileywick starts to baby Sofia much to her chagrin and when they arrive Baileywick scoops Sofia into her "throne away from home" Sofia gets out of the chair stating "It's ok Baileywick. I can sit on the ground with everyone else." but Baileywick just scoops her back into it and hands her some ice water much to Sofia's embarrassment. Helen assigns the troop their first badge-earning project: building birdhouses. Baileywick butts in and starts to build a birdhouse for Sofia despite her protests that she can do it herself. An annoyed Helen refuses to give Sofia the birdhouse badge because she knows Baileywick built it when Sofia was supposed to build it by herself and tells Baileywick that scouts only get badges if they do a good job on their own but it doesn't sink in. So due to Baileywick's interference, Sofia misses out on earning a badge, much to her disappointment but she says nothing because she understands he was only trying to help.

Along the way to the next stop, Baileywick tries to roll a red carpet out across the river for Sofia but Helen rolls it back and tells him to let Sofia cross by herself. Baileywick protests that the rocks she has to cross on are slippery but Sofia gracefully hops across all of them and makes it across safe and sound. In the end, the only one who ends up slipping and falling is Baileywick. At the next stop Helen gives the troop their next badge earning project: gathering wood for their cookout. Sofia finds a log with a squirrel on it and politely asks the squirrel to let her have the log when he's done eating. But Baileywick interferes once again and starts grabbing all the logs he can carry to the chagrin of both the squirrel and Sofia. Sofia tries to stop him and get her own wood at the same time but Baileywick is too fast for her causing her to moan "Oh, not again!". Once again, Helen refuses to give her the wood gathering badge and she tells Baileywick again that a job well done only counts when Sofia does it by herself but still it doesn't sink in. Ruby and Jade can see that Baileywick's mollycoddling is bothering Sofia so they urge their friend to tell him to stop butting in. When the cookout begins Baileywick grabs Sofia's hot dog and begins to cook it for her. Sofia finally has had enough and tells Baileywick straight up that the Buttercup projects are things she can and must do by herself and reminds him that he promised her she would have a good time.

At the troop's next stop Helen gives the troop their next badge earning project: flower gathering. Once again Baileywick interferes but this time it backfires in a way that affects only him. The flowers he ends up picking for Sofia are the very ones he was trying to protect her from: Meddelsome Myrtle, a poisonous flower whose poison takes effect when it's inhaled through the nose causing a red rash, itching and swelling. Helen manages to treat his condition but recommends they head back so Baileywick can receive full medical attention. However they notice the trail down the hill is so twisty that it could be difficult for Baileywick to climb down. Sofia finds another way down which is not so steep or twisty and with an idea from Meg and Peg, the Buttercups work together to build a sled to slide down the grass. In no time they complete the sled, and after being equipped with safety helmets they slide down to the bottom of the hill and head back to the castle. Sofia's leadership earns her the leadership badge which also earns her the Sunflower Medallion.

Home Video Release

 * Sofia the First: The Enchanted Feast DVD

Songs

 * The Buttercups

Cast

 * Ariel Winter as Sofia
 * Sara Ramirez as Queen Miranda
 * Tim Gunn as Baileywick
 * Travis Willingham as King Roland II
 * Diamond White as Ruby Hanshaw
 * Isabella Acres as Jade
 * Fiona Bishop as Meg and Peg
 * Viola Davis as Helen Hanshaw

Trivia

 * This episode introduces Ruby's mother into the series.
 * It is also revealed that Ruby's and her mother's last name is Hanshaw.
 * The first time Sofia is seen in a different outfit (Buttercup Troop uniform) and not her signature outfit throughout the episode.
 * This is the second time Roland shows he's very protective of Sofia, the first was in "Let The Good Times Troll".
 * Meg and Peg's voices are both provided by Fiona Bishop who originally voiced Ruby in the pilot film Once Upon a Princess.
 * A black and white model of Whatnaught is used for the talking squirrel.
 * This is the first time Baileywick's fear of frogs is seen.