“StuGo” Once Again Shows How Much Heart The Series Has While Still Being Hilariously Absurd in Latest Episode

StuGo once again shows how much heart it could have while Merian worries about her friendship status with Francis before showing how hilariously absurd it can be when the students hold an election.

Francis Wants to be Alone

Merian is throwing a party back on the boat the kids call home and everyone appears to be having a good time. However, Merian checks on Francis who seems to be enthralled by reading a fire extinguisher. After Merian presses and asks what she can do to make the party better for her, Francis excuses herself and says that she just wants to go for a walk alone.

This triggers Merian and reminds her of someone back home, a “friend" named Samantha. Someone that Merian was great friends with that seemingly was pushed away by Merian’s tendencies. While Pliny is watching Larry do hula hoop tricks and Chip and Sara are otherwise having a great time, Merian turns her party into a full investigation to figure out what she did that pushed Francis away.

Merian rounds up all the other kids and asks them in a full interrogation what was happening and what they might have seen when Francis left the party. After getting everyone’s stories, Sara just suggests that Merian “check the tape." What tape?

Turns out, there is a full security room on the boat that has access to a plethora of cameras on board. In fact, Sara has her own favorite sizzle reel of the other kids tripping on the stairs into the kitchen. Using this footage, Merian rounds up screengrabs of various moments when they knew Francis was happy, sad, or angry to figure out what she was thinking or feeling when she left the party.

Any viewer of the show will know, Francis has a range of emotions, but doesn’t appear to show them on the surface. Merian makes this discovery too as she examines each picture. Throughout this exercise, everyone has suggested that Merian just ask Francis what she did wrong, but no. Merian has to go through this whole process.

Eventually, Merian decides she is just going to give up and run away, she can’t face Francis again and might take up residence in the lower bowels of the boat. However, that place is also occupied by a giant rat that startles Merian and prompts her to leave, but on her way out she takes a tumble that causes her to smash through the various levels of the rusted boat, eventually finding herself on the beach near Francis.

Finally, Merian decides to simply talk to her friend, but Francis warns her not to approach. Thinking that she is just pushing her further away, Merian does in fact approach and explains that she is concerned that Francis hates her. Francis explains that no, she is actually quite fond of Merian, she just likes to be alone sometimes. Apparently a number of folks back home think Francis is mad at them, but it was nice that Merian actually took the time to talk to her about it. You know, like everyone was saying the whole time. As Merian is going to head back to the party and respect Francis’ alone time, she discovers that she can’t move. Giant clams have surrounded Francis’ ankles which is why she told Merian not to get close, and now they are around Merian’s ankles too.

Considering they’re going to be there until sunrise now, the two begin to hum and lightly dance together, giving this episode a touching ending.

The Sash

The kids are doing a beach cleanup and are taking orders from Merian. But why? It doesn’t take long for the others to realize, it’s her sash. Something that she explains that she received when she was elected president of her school’s Portuguese club.

The kids are all over-achievers and respect authority, and it seems that Merian has played into that with her golden sash. But now the kids are wondering, why does Merian get to wear the sash? The obvious answer is because it’s hers, but now the kids are demanding an election to determine who is “a presidente" as the sash proclaims. Especially since each of the kids is a president at their school in some way or another. Francis is not only the president of an organization, but also the founding member. (Watch the episode to find out what organization!)

At the boat, they hold an election but everyone has voted for themselves, with Larry and Francis both being disqualified for various reasons. Even still, there is a tie and that tie must be broken, so the kids go to Dr. Lullah and Mr. Okay.

Now, Lullah gets the idea in her head that she should be president, no, Empress. Therefore, Mr. Okay gives her his support, and leaves the kids’ elections tied. Fortunately, the island has other residents in the form of the mutant population and Pliny knows just how to get Merian to keep this election going - a debate.

So, with Francis moderating, the students gather together to hold a debate in front of the mutants. However, a new mutant we haven’t met yet arrives on scene - Big Mitchell - who just arrives playing music and dancing and rouses the crowd of mutants (and kids) and gets the mutants to suggest that he become the sash-bearing president.

While taking part in Big Mitchell’s impromptu festivities, Chicho tosses Big Mitchell the elusive sash, and he heads over to a nearby sinkhole and rustles up a giant bug that the other mutants carry out and begin to milk, all while the party is still going.

Inevitably, the sash ends up caught between Big Mitchell and the bug and begins to tear with Merian screaming as she watches from afar. Next to her, Pliny can’t help but feel she is responsible for all of this, especially considering she was one of the instigators in who gets to wear the sash.

After Merian explains that the sash, though just a piece of cloth, was important to her since it symbolizes how much her classmates trusted her and made her feel good, Pliny takes action and fights to get the sash back.

This includes diving into the sinkhole to chase after the bug, with the rest of the kids holding on to each other’s feet in a human chain.

The kids end up going deep into the island via the sinkhole with Chip anchoring the chain of kids while all the kids dangle above a pit of the giant bugs. Merian realizes it's not worth it, it's just a piece of cloth and while Pliny is arguing, Merian says it’s her sash so it’s her call. Pliny respects her wishes and lets the sash go and the kids spring back through the hole in which they entered, safely returning to the surface.

Later, the kids don Merian with a new sash made from trash recycled materials, while Big Mitchell parties with the mutants. Lullah, watching the whole thing while wearing her new Empress sash suggests that Big Mitchell might be one they need to keep an eye on.

Will we see more of Empress Lullah in the future? Let’s hope so. Will we see more of Big Mitchell in the future? Let’s hope not. Though, a small majority might want to see him again. Who knows?

This episode of StuGo is now available on Disney Channel and the DisneyNOW website. It will arrive on Disney+ this spring.