| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Miraculous of Illusion. |
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| “ | Monarch's gonna have to deal with a new enemy, buddy. The Resistance! | ” |
—Nino Lahiffe, "Illusion" | ||
"Illusion" is a Season 5 episode of the series, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. As based on the series' production order specifically, "Illusion" is the 5th written and produced episode of Season 5. It is also the 109th written and produced episode of the series, overall.
Synopsis
Even though Ladybug can no longer entrust him with a Miraculous, Nino wants to keep helping the superhero and Cat Noir. He decides to create a Resistance Network at school. The secret organization’s first mission is to figure out how Monarch’s new power works by deliberately triggering an akumatization. But the first members of the Resistance, Marinette, Adrien and Alya, are not convinced. Would Ladybug and Cat Noir agree with such a plan?
Disney+
What if someone decided to trigger an akumatization?
Plot
Mr. Ramier, XY, Mr. Damocles, and Chloé are interviewed for a TVi news report on their views of Monarch taking all the Miraculouses. While others share their positive opinions, Chloé, who still holds a grudge towards Ladybug, says that Monarch would never be able to take the Miraculouses if she was still Queen Bee. At the TVi studio, Nadja Chamack is sitting with Alec, Bob Roth and Mr. Banana for the news report. They talk about how Ladybug lost all the Miraculouses to Monarch and if she is the hero the people need. After taking each person's opinion, they take a break.
In Adrien's room, Plagg is playing with an Alliance ring. Adrien sees he has virtually become a puppet to every Alliance ring user, and he becomes annoyed at this. He takes the ring from Plagg and goes to confront his father. On his way, Adrien meets Nathalie and tells her he needs to see his father. She replies that it is a perfect time since he is also waiting for him in the kitchen, to which Adrien gets surprised. She also says that she will accompany Adrien for the parent-teacher conference, but Gabriel interrupts her from the kitchen, saying that he will go instead of her, to which Nathalie frowns.
Inside the kitchen, Gabriel is shown to be cooking French toast. Adrien enters the kitchen, and Nathalie shuts the door behind him. Gabriel asks his son about how he likes his French toast. When Adrien tells him his preference, Gabriel tells him to call him "Dad" instead of "Father". Gabriel tells him that he has cleared his schedule for the parent-teacher conference since it is about his future. Adrien becomes surprised by Gabriel's new behaviour and asks if everything is alright. Gabriel tells him that he never felt better. He explains that since his mother's disappearance, he allowed too much distance between himself and his son. He expresses his disbelief that he couldn't even see that Adrien didn't want to be a model any longer. After discussion, he tells Adrien to ask Alliance how long they have to cook eggs to be soft-boiled. At the mention of the Alliance, Adrien tells him that he is not really comfortable with having his face on all these rings, and that's the main reason for him to quit modelling. Gabriel explains to him that it is just an image, not the real him, and since this image frees him from his obligations, they will be able to spend more time together. But if Adrien doesn't want it, he can undo it. Adrien understands it and replies that he is okay with it. After that, Gabriel and Adrien continue cooking.
At their respective homes, Marinette and Alya are preparing for school. Alya video calls Marinette from her Alliance ring and asks if she is late, to which Marinette denies but visibly fixes her things and packs her bag. Alya tells her she misses being Rena Rouge. Marinette replies she also misses her former superhero team, but she needs a way to get back the Miraculouses from Monarch. Alya asks if she agrees that Monarch entrusts his akumatized villains with Miraculous. As Marinette exits the bakery, she agrees but replies that when they de-akumatize them, the villains never have the Miraculous on them. Alya suggests that Monarch might have used the Dog Miraculous to get the Miraculous back. As two of them meet at the school and end their call, Marinette counters Alya by saying that she would have noticed the ball in that case. Suddenly Nino interrupts them and asks what they are talking about. They reply that they were talking about a "very tough new video game". Just then, the school bell rings, and Nino frowns in annoyance at the interruption.
Inside the classroom, Ms Bustier informs the class that the afternoon classes will not be held due to parent-teacher conferences regarding post-graduation. Nino tells Adrien that he is gonna be a superhero. Adrien replies that he thought Ladybug couldn't hand out Miraculous anymore. Nino says he isn't talking about the Miraculous since Monarch will have to deal with a new enemy, the Resistance. Adrien gets surprised and asks if there is a Resistance starting up. Nino replies not yet, but Adrien can be the first recruit, Comrade Mayo, and Nino will be Comrade Ketchup. Nino tells him that he already has a plan but can't talk about it in the classroom.
Later, along with Marinette and Alya, they walk towards the cafeteria. Nino asks Adrien if his father is OK with him eating in the cafeteria. Alya further asks him if he is really coming to the conference. Nino, noticing the change in Adrien's father's behaviour, asks Adrien if he is sure his father has not been akumatized again. To this, Adrien only smiles at him but says nothing.
Inside the cafeteria, as they line up, Nino explains to Adrien about the cafeteria's system. Adrien expresses his surprise at this and begins to examine the dishes. As he picks every plate on the counter, his Alliance ring bumps onto one of the plates, turning it on. After Adrien turns it off, Marinette asks him if that doesn't feel weird to have his face on all these rings. Adrien replies that it is just his image, and it allows him to spend more time with the people he cares about, like his father, his friends and also Marinette, to which she becomes flustered. Chloé sees Adrien in the cafeteria and asks if he would like to dine with her. Adrien kindly declines her offer, saying he is eating with his friends. She and Sabrina leaves Adrien and his friends alone.
Nino then goes over how he and Alya were Carapace and Rena Rouge. Lila then shows up and asks if she can sit with Adrien and his friends. Adrien asks if she can wait for tomorrow in which she says yes. Lila takes a picture of Adrien dining with his friends in the cafeteria using her Alliance ring and posts it on social media. Nino goes over on how Monarch gives his akumatized villains the superpowers of the Miraculouses even though Ladybug and Cat Noir never find any on them. Nino then states they will film an akumatizion. When Alya asks how they will know the akumatizion will happen, Nino replies with they will create one.
Suddenly, people start rushing into the cafeteria, looking for Adrien, after Lila's picture goes viral. The Resistance (Nino, Alya, Marinette and Adrien) rush over to the boiler room. Lila secretly follows them. Nino then announces that Gabriel Agreste is the ideal parent for an akumatizion and he will be used. Marinette and Adrien agree to the plan, despite Alya's objections. Lila listens in on the meeting.
Gabriel arrives at the school and Lila tells him about the Resistance's plans to get him akumatized. At the meeting, Miss Bustier asks Gabriel where Adrien's file is but he answers her with that Adrien has changed his wishes and he needs to help him decide. After Marinette, Adrien and Alya pretend to 'accidentally' spill food on Gabriel's suit, he takes Adrien away from school.
On the drive home, Gabriel tells Adrien he will call him Father not Dad. At the Agreste mansion, Gabriel tells Adrien to go to his room. In his secret lair, Gabriel transforms into Monarch. He then absorbs Trixx into his ring and creates an illusion of Gabriel. The Resistance calls Adrien and Nino sees an illusion of a megakuma. Adrien films the megakuma entering the illusion Gabriel's tablet. The illusion gets akumatized into The Collector. The illusion says Monarch gave him the Miraculous of the Horse.
Adrien quickly runs to his room and transforms into Cat Noir. The Collector pretends to have leave the mansion and hit the gates with his tablet. Marinette runs off and transforms into Ladybug. Ladybug and Cat Noir fight The Collector and he pretends to have teleported. Nino replays the video of the illusion getting akumatized to see how Monarch transferred the quantum essence of the Miraculous of the Horse to him.
Meanwhile in his lair, Monarch absorbs Pollen, Mullo, Kaalki and Orikko into his rings. He then can feel the kwamis hoping he loses his powers but states that they will never see their guardian again. He teleports into the sewers and uses Venom. He then uses Multitude and splits into eight clones. He then uses Sublimation to make himself invisible. After The Collector teleports, Ladybug uses her Lucky Charm and is given a packet of shredded cheese. She looks around and finds nothing.
Monarch uses Voyage to teleport the illusion to the sewers and Ladybug and Cat Noir go through the portal and follow him. One of the Monarchs uses immobilizes Cat Noir. Ladybug looks around and sees the Monarchs' footsteps in the sewer water. She realizes that Monarch has turned himself invisible. She spreads the cheese on the clones and the Monarchs run off. The Monarchs unite to become one person again. The Collector then tells Ladybug that he can't be saved and rejects the megakuma. The illusion falls into the sewer water and disappears. Ladybug powers up falls into the sewer water too. Monarch teleports himself to where Ladybug and detransforms. She looks around and can't find the illusion. She finds Gabriel and smiles.
Nino shows Alya how if he slows the video down he can find magic lightning bolts that are invisible to the naked human eye and believes that is how Monarch gives his akumatized villains the powers of the Miraculouses. At the front of the house, Nino apologizes to Gabriel for the food being spilt on him and says it was a plan to help Ladybug and Cat Noir. He shows them his discovery. Gabriel congratulates him for spotting that. Nino asks Gabriel if Adrien can come back to school and he says yes. Nino welcomes Gabriel on the Resistance as Mr Comrade Tartar Sauce and shakes hands with him. Back in Adrien's room, Gabriel apologizes to Adrien and hugs him. Adrien asks Gabriel if it is okay with him that he doesn't wear an Alliance to which he answers him yes.
In the boiler room, Nino introduces the rest of the Resistance members and finally Comrade Sweet and Sour, Lila. Alya convinces Marinette to accept her as everyone wants to help Ladybug. Marinette shakes hands with Lila. Back at the Agreste Mansion, Gabriel video chats with Tomoe Tsurugi and tells her that he uses the Alliance rings to give false information about Ladybug and Cat Noir. He also states that the Resistance will never find the connection between his powers and the Alliance as the episode ends.
Characters
Major Characters
- Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Ladybug/Aquabug
- Adrien Agreste/Cat Noir
- Gabriel Agreste/Monarch (Hawk Moth mentioned and Shadow Moth mentioned and pictured)
- Gabriel Agreste/The Collector (illusion)
- Alya Césaire (Rena Rouge mentioned)
- Nino Lahiffe (Carapace mentioned)
- Lila Rossi
- Plagg
- Trixx
- Kaalki
- Pollen
- Mullo
- Orikko
Minor Characters
- Xavier Ramier
- XY
- Bob Roth
- Denis Damocles (Darker Owl indirectly mentioned)
- Chloé Bourgeois (Queen Bee mentioned)
- Sabrina Raincomprix (Miss Hound indirectly mentioned)
- Nadja Chamack
- Mr. Banana
- Alec Cataldi
- Nathalie Sancoeur
- Wayhem
- Anarka Couffaine (Captain Hardrock pictured)
- Mrs. Rossi
- Claudie Kanté (Startrain pictured)
- André Bourgeois (Malediktator pictured)
- Fred Haprèle
- Roger Raincomprix
- Sabine Cheng
- Otis Césaire
- Rose Lavillant (Pigella indirectly mentioned)
- Mylène Haprèle (Polymouse indirectly mentioned)
- Juleka Couffaine (Purple Tigress indirectly mentioned)
- Max Kanté (Pegasus indirectly mentioned)
- Markov
- Lê Chiến Kim (King Monkey indirectly mentioned)
- Ivan Bruel (Minotaurox indirectly mentioned)
- Caline Bustier
- Nooroo
- Roaar
- Daizzi
- Stompp
- Barkk
- Tomoe Tsurugi
- Tikki (transformation sequence only)
- Sass (background)
- Ziggy (background)
- Wayzz (background)
- Xuppu (background)
- Longg (background)
- Megakuma (illusion)
- Jagged Stone/Guitar Villain (pictured)
- Emilie Agreste (mentioned)
- Viperion (indirectly mentioned)
- Ryuko (indirectly mentioned)
- Vesperia (indirectly mentioned)
- Rooster Bold (indirectly mentioned)
- Caprikid (indirectly mentioned)
Trivia
- Internationally, this episode first premiered in France on TFOU.
- The episode shares its name with the concept of the Fox Miraculous.
- Like with all other episodes of Season 5, this one also follows with making connections to its concept outside of the superpowers.
- Monarch mentions all the times Ladybug tricked him using illusions, which is a reference to episodes like "Sapotis", "Miraculer", "Gang of Secrets", "Mr. Pigeon 72", and "Sentibubbler", where Ladybug, thanks to Rena Rouge, tricked him using the power of Mirage. It can also be an allusion to all the times Ladybug tricked him.
- The episode also shows characters trying to trick others, relations to when they trick themselves and also alluding to lies that were already told:
- Nino orchestrated a situation to force an akumatization in order to study the way Monarch is giving Miraculous superpowers to his villains. However, unknowing to him, he chose the wrong target, as Gabriel Agreste is Monarch and Lila spied on him and told his plan to Gabriel himself.
- Gabriel created an illusion of himself being akumatized to mislead Nino and the others from the role of Alliance in his plans to transfer the Miraculous superpowers, all while leading Ladybug and Cat Noir into a trap which is the same trick he fooled the heroes with in "The Collector".
- His change in behavior is a common illusion trick usually done when someone is planning to do or had done something sneaky, bad or something bad or tough is about or going to happen to them.
- He lied to everyone even his son about what really happened to Emilie and how he used them all, even Emilie to cover his own guilt.
- Gabriel's overconfidence and cockiness with the Miraculouses in "Evolution" and "Destruction" but he fooled himself.
- He threw himself into the illusion of a perfect world but should've accepted that no world is perfect nor last forever.
- Despite doing everything for Adrien's happiness, Gabriel only reflected his own happiness.
- How Gabriel went on with his "illusion of choice", with himself and others when actually like everyone else he was wrong.
- In the end, Nino's Resistance has been infiltrated at its very beginning, as he made Gabriel Agreste himself an honorary member and Lila one of its core members. This gives the secret organization an illusion of control of its own plans.
- Lila constantly fooled everyone with her lies and illusions.
- As Chloé still being in denial, since she believed if she was still Queen Bee, she would've never handed Paris to Monarch, she ironically did exactly that in "Miracle Queen".
- Nino went deep into his own insecurities in "Rocketear", tricking himself into the illusion that Cat Noir and Alya were in love, but they weren't.
- "Revelation" showing Adrien how he was fooled by the illusion of his own kindness.
- The Fox Miraculous represents everything about illusions, lies and truths.
- Through the current Fox Miraculous holder, Alya Cesaire as a reporter she is a seeker of the truth but as Rena Rouge, she learned you can't always believe everything you see or hear as well as what someone tells you and regardless of truths and lies they are still knowledge and must be treated with respect.
- Her first akumatization only happened because she believed in a lie and when Alya sought the truth in that manner she was disrespecting Ladybug's privacy nor how others like Hawk Moth were going to use that information.
- And she got a taste of her own medicine when Shadow Moth did it to her in "Optigami", "Sentibubbler" and "Transmission".
- As in "Rocketear", where Rena used her powers to show an illusion of truth.
- Like Gabriel, he was so deep in his own illusion of what he wanted back that he was blinded into what he couldn't see ahead.
- As his alteregoes, Gabriel used his villains and their problems to distract the heroes away from his problems in various episodes.
- Like how he was looking for any information he could about heroes so he could exploit them.
- Such as Ladybug in Season 4, when she needed to reveal the truth about her problems.
- When Felix discovered the truth about Adrien's family, he should've revealed the truth to the heroes about his own sooner at least before Lila uses it.
- Because of his father leaving a poor example of how people in power should act Felix was trapped in his own illusion of the past assuming everyone in power acted like that until Ladybug and the others showed him the reality.
- From "Emotion", due to Felix not knowing about Ladybug's identity as Marinette nor being able to bring her back, he was only shrouded with the illusion that he lost control of his power when in reality he didn't know enough about them but he was losing control of himself.
- Like how good Miraculous holders hide to defend themselves and those they love while the bad ones hide only to protect themselves while still harming others.
- As well as the kwamis except for the holders and guardians no else knows about them and that the events they caused were altered in history so no one would know.
- Through the current Fox Miraculous holder, Alya Cesaire as a reporter she is a seeker of the truth but as Rena Rouge, she learned you can't always believe everything you see or hear as well as what someone tells you and regardless of truths and lies they are still knowledge and must be treated with respect.
- This is the eighth episode that features a post-credit scene, following "Miracle Queen", "Gabriel Agreste", "Optigami", "Sentibubbler", "Dearest Family", "Multiplication", and "Jubilation".
- The beginning of the episode shows the public's opinions regarding the current situation of Monarch stealing the Miraculous from Ladybug. It appears that, despite some people, like Chloé, criticizing the superheroes, the general population is hopeful that she will recover the Miraculous and defeat Monarch.
- One of the interviewed is Denis Damocles, who mentions his akumatization into Darker Owl in "Jubilation" and how, despite being able to use the power of the Pig Miraculous, the heroes weren't able to find the Miraculous on him.
- One of the guests on Nadja Chamack's talk show is Alec Cataldi, who is seen wearing a wig and showing a very optimist perspective of things, a development that comes from his akumatization back in "Wishmaker".
- This is the first episode to feature the Agreste's kitchen.
- During the meeting between teachers and parents to discuss the future of the students' studies after they finish collège (the French version of middle school; translated in English as junior high), the parents present there are: Gabriel Agreste, Sabine Cheng, Otis Césaire, Fred Haprèle, Claudie Kanté, André Bourgeois, Anarka Couffaine, Roger Raincomprix and Mrs. Rossi.
- The only parents not to be present there are the ones of Nino Lahiffe, Ivan Bruel, Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Rose Lavillant, Lê Chiến Kim and Alix Kubdel.
- With the exception of Alim Kubdel, whose reason not to come to the meeting was because his daughter is currently time traveling to protect the Rabbit Miraculous, the other absent parents are the ones that haven't been introduced just yet to the series, possibly being the reason why they are not present at the meeting.
- The only parents not to be present there are the ones of Nino Lahiffe, Ivan Bruel, Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Rose Lavillant, Lê Chiến Kim and Alix Kubdel.
- The Resistance has pictures in the boiler room showing the students' parents and their akumatized forms. All these photos matched those used on the Akumatized villains page on the Miraculous Ladybug Wiki during the time the episode was in production.
- This is the third time Sublimation is used, following "Penalteam" and "Strikeback".
- This time, Monarch used it to get the power of invisibility.
- This is the third episode not to have any akumatized villain, following "Sentibubbler" and "Destruction", as the Collector was just an illusion.
- Just like with the other times in "The Collector" and "Gabriel Agreste", Gabriel used his akumatized identity to mislead and prevent someone from knowing his identity. This time, it was to prevent the heroes from figuring out that the Alliance was the way how he was giving the Miraculous powers to his akumatized villain and, in this way, connect all of it to him and Tomoe.
- The events of "The Collector" and "Gabriel Agreste" are mentioned by Nino, as he had asked Adrien if his father had been akumatized again.
- Unknown to him, he was unaware that Gabriel's akumatization into "Gabriel Agreste" was from a Sentimonster Gabriel had made of himself to trick Félix.
- He was also unaware that he had self-akumatized again in "Dearest Family" in order to carry out his method of destroying the Magical Charms.
- Nino founded the Resistance in order to better help Ladybug and Cat Noir defeat Monarch. Besides him, some other of his colleagues have joined it as well: Adrien, Marinette, Alya, Kim, Max, Juleka, Rose, Ivan, Mylène and Lila.
- Little does Nino knows that he himself had made Monarch aware of the Resistance and even invited him as an honorary member. Not just that, but with Lila informing Gabriel of everything they do, their future plans are already compromised.
- The members of the Resistance go by code names named after condiments; these include:
- Nino: Comrade Ketchup
- Adrien: Comrade Mayo
- Alya: Comrade Beurre Maitre d'Hotel
- Marinette: Comrade Bechamel
- Gabriel Agreste: Comrade Tartar Sauce
- Max: Comrade Béarnaise
- Kim: Comrade Burgundy
- Rose: Comrade Cocktail
- Juleka: Comrade Grand Veneur
- Ivan: Comrade Aioli
- Mylène: Comrade Gribiche
- Lila: Comrade Sweet and Sour
- The Resistance's name is also named after the team from the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy & Lolirock where the former fights against the Final Order and the latter fought against Gramorr and Praxina.
- The codenames for the resistance sauce codenames are named after the ones from Pokémon The Series The Beginning "Showdown At Dark City" Where Ash Misty & Brock used alias Tom Ann & Sardon.
- This is the third episode where a white background, and not the actual destination, is shown for a portal made by Voyage, after "Destruction" and "Jubilation".
- It's revealed that Monarch's Alliance rings can be used to give powers to himself.
- When Monarch does so in this episode, he uses a total 5 powers at once:
- Mirage
- Venom
- Multitude
- Voyage
- Sublimation
- Previous to this episode, as shown "Ephemeral" and "Strikeback", wielders were able to hold up to three Miraculous. This could be different because the power is not coming the Miraculous but the Alliance rings, or because Gabriel can handle the amount of power now.
- When Monarch does so in this episode, he uses a total 5 powers at once:
- This is the fourth time where the Miraculous Ladybug superpower is not used, following "Ladybug and Cat Noir", "Catalyst" and "Destruction".
- This is the eighth time where magical charms don't appear since their introduction following "Sentibubbler", "Hack-San", "Ephemeral", "Kuro Neko", "Risk", "Evolution", and "Destruction", Magical Charms aren't used, due to this crisis being an illusion.
- Monarch attacking the heroes in sewers while being invisible is this same thing Vanisher tried in "Catalyst".
- It's revealed that a Mouse Miraculous user can return to normal after using Multitude by saying "Unite".
- This is the sixth time the aqua power was used, following "Syren", "Mayura", "Miracle Queen", "Gang of Secrets" and "Ephemeral".
- Marinette and Alya find out that Nino told Adrien the secret identities of Rena Rouge and Carapace, which happened in "Rocketear".
- When apologizing to Gabriel, Nino keeps saying "dude" instead of "sir", similar to what he did in "The Bubbler".
- Alya still has the belt bag where she used to keep Trixx hidden despite renouncing and later losing him to Monarch in "Strikeback".
- She most likely wears it to remember him and hold on to hope she can be Rena Rouge again.
- Following "Deflagration", outside of the weaknesses of Sublimation, the power has another:
- Depending on what ability the user chooses they do not only get the strength of said power but its weaknesses too.
- This is the only time Tikki is only seen during Marinette's transformation. In every other episode the transformation is seen in, she appears before it, or at some other point in the episode.
- This is seventh time a kwami has only appeared during their holder's transformation, after Plagg in "The Evillustrator", "Guitar Villain" and "Gabriel Agreste", and Nooroo in "Catalyst", "Heart Hunter" and "Jubilation".
Errors
- In the English dub, Gabriel says he is cooking French toast for Adrien, even though it is very obvious that he's cooking pancakes instead. Strangely, it is correctly identified in the French dub of this episode and the English dub of "Passion".
- The tablet of the Gabriel illusion is already in its akumatized form before it spreads the purple ether across his body.
- When the Monarch is shown, Longg is not in her cage behind him.
- When Monarch calls Venom, the bottom two strands of the Butterfly Miraculous are missing.
- When Monarch touches Mullo's cage to take her power, he doesn't use the ring with the Mouse symbol.
- This may not be an error if matching the rings to the respective cages is not necessary.
- Ladybug activates the aqua power without consuming a magic macaroon.
- While Ladybug is looking for a way to use her Lucky Charm, the paralyzed Cat Noir has missing ears.
- When fake Gabriel gets the power of teleportation, he says "I've been given the power of teleportation". But later when Nino realizes the lightning bolt, he says "I've got (the power of teleportation)".
- Despite it is not an error for the episode itself, there's a deleted scene in it that would result in an inconsistency to the episode "Conformation", with that one being Ladybug giving a Magical Charm to Gabriel after he made her believe he had rejected an akuma. That Magical Charm would later appear in the final cut of "Conformation".
- It is unknown how Nino has a picture of Startrain, as no one, expect the heroes, saw her in her debut episode.
Gallery
Click here to view the gallery.
References