The Christmas Special

"The Christmas Special" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series Regular Show. The episode was written and storyboarded by Sean Szeles, Kat Morris, Benton Connor and Hilary Florido, and was directed by series creator J.G. Quintel and Mike Roth. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on December 3, 2012. The episode guest stars Thomas Haden Church as Quillgin, Edward Asner as Santa Claus and Kurtwood Smith as Gene. David Ogden Stiers also returns for his recurring guest appearance as Mr. Maellard.
The episode is the series' fourth half-hour special. "The Christmas Special" is nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 2013.
Plot
During a regular night at Santa's workshop in the North Pole, an evil elf named Quillgin (Thomas Haden Church) escapes with a mysterious present in hand. Quillgin attempts to get away in Santa's sled and prepares to open the box when Santa Claus (Edward Asner) arrives on a floating snowboard. The two engage in a fight in an effort to acquire the box when Quillgin fatally shoots Santa, who falls to the earth.
At the park, all of the employees are gathered with guests for a Christmas party. When the team falls short on soda, Benson commands Mordecai and Rigby to retrieve more, which are located in Skips' garage. Inside the garage, they find a seriously injured, but still alive Santa Claus, clutching the box he rescued from Quillgin. While the two groundskeepers attempt to examine the box's contents, Santa warns them that the box must be destroyed. He relates a story dating to several months prior, wherein Quillgin, a central employee to the workshop, suggested the development of a present granting any wish. Quillgin uses dark magic to achieve these ends, leading Santa to lock up the box to keep danger away. The elf declares revenge on Santa and stole the box in an effort to destroy Christmas forever.
When Mordecai and Rigby lead everyone to the garage, Santa is gone but the box remains, and the employees begin to fight over the box. Skips notes that the box can only be destroyed with lava, and the closest location with lava is neighboring rival park East Pines, in an abandoned mineshaft. East Pine workers capture the team on their mission, with Benson pleading to boss Gene (Kurtwood Smith) to let them go. Quillgin, hot on the trail of the box, arrives at the park and begins beating up security guards in order to find the box. Gene leads the group to the mineshaft and warns them of booby traps. The team goes through several trials to gain access to the following rooms, with Quillgin chasing them at various points along the way.
When the group arrives at the lava pit, they are confronted by Quillgin, wielding a gun. Santa arrives under an invisibility cloak and knocks the gun into the pit. Quillgin unleashes a grenade, separating the team from the box, which falls into his hands. He wishes the holiday be destroyed forever, but Mordecai charges at the elf, knocking both of them into the pit. Rigby quickly follows, and three fight over the box. Mordecai retrieves the box and wishes for floating snowboards, and the two friends escape the lava. They drop the box towards the lava, and Quillgin falls to his death chasing the box. Santa takes the team home in his sleigh, and Benson commands the team to clean up. Mordecai and Rigby are left a very special present from Santa: the invisibility cloak, allowing them to instead play video games.
Reception

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu