Hop-Popular

"Hop-Popular" is the second segment of the twelfth episode of the first season of Amphibia, and the twenty-fourth episode overall.

It premiered on July 4, 2019 alongside "Civil Wart".

Synopsis
After losing his vegetable stand, Hop Pop decides to run for mayor of Wartwood.

Plot
As Anne, Sprig and Polly return from buying groceries, they talk about the lack of money they have left. Polly and Sprig asks Hop Pop if he feels any better. As Hop-Pop still seems upset with the loss of his vegetable stand, Anne and Sprig introduces Hop Pop to the fact that the Grub-n-Go grocery market is hiring, and drag Hop Pop who refuses to get off the couch, claiming only the couch understands him. The scene cuts to Hop Pop walking out from Grub-n-Go, who still looks miserable, but at least dressed up. As Hop Pop looks ahead of him, he wonders why citizens are gathered around and, talking about something. Wally pops out behind him and than teases him for being late in news, and than tells him there is an election. The scene shows Mayor Toadstool submitting his name in the "mayor nomination" box and announces, Toadstool: "I would always look for the little guy" and then steps on his secretary, Toadie, and rushes off on his snail, creating dust and making the kid frog behind him cough.

As Hop Pop watches Mayor Toadstool's poor attitude, he complains about the current mayor's performance, which becomes a touching speech toward the town folks, who now cheer for Hop Pop and nominate him for mayor. As Hop Pop now arrives home with a smile, Anne and Sprig ask Hop Pop about the job and if he was hired. However Hop Pop surprises them instead as he replies he's running for mayor. Hop Pop now believes if he get elected as a mayor, he could prove he's not a loser forever. Anne, Polly and Sprig discuss about this for a moment, concluding if they succeed to elect Hop Pop as mayor, they could make him happy again. They tell Hop Pop they would all help him, and Hop Pop leaves to practice his "distinguish" expression. After Hop Pop leaves, Anne complains about politics, and then Polly agrees with her, however saying the "monster fight" is cool. Anne looks back, surprised with what Polly was talking about.

The scene cuts to all citizens gathered front of a cave for the first official mayoral trial, which is to mount a giant beetle first. Hop Pop and Toadstool first fail on their first try, but Hop Pop cleverly inveigles the beetle to charge into a tree stump by taunting the beetle, trapping it, and then jumping on top of it, winning the first trail. The second trial is to figure out what the crying baby birds need. Toadstool claims he knows what they need, and throws them some coins as their handout. However, this just makes the baby birds angry, and Toadstool is forced to back off as the birds peck on him. Hop Pop carefully observes the birds for a while, than he feeds the birds with chewed up worms earning trust from the baby birds, again beating Toadstool in the second trial. Just after Hop Pop finishes his second trial, a giant pigeon like bird lands on the nest, squeaking, and all citizens run for their lives. The third trial was to be "dropped in the forest naked and forced to find his way home", since they believed doing this was alike with real mayor experience. Hop Pop yet again wins the third trial thanks to help of his old beetle friends including Jeremy. Later, Toadstool arrives alone, with only his secretary, Toadie to greet him. Toadstool seems to be shocked about the fact he could actually lose, so he plans to use the "old fashioned way"… illegally.

The scene changes to Hop Pop's house, as Sprig asks Hop Pop whether he signed up for the final trial tomorrow, as Hop Pop nervously answers no, sharing his nervous feelings he could lose everything he accomplished if he messes up the last trial. Just right after Hop Pop says this, the door knocks, and a cloaked Toadie waiting front of the door announces an "anonymous associate" is waiting for him. When Hop Pop enters the snail, which belongs to the "anonymous associate" unsurprisingly, the "anonymous associate" turns out just to be the incumbent Toadstool. Toadstool offers a tax-free vegetable stand placed in the center in the market, which is a sweet offer Hop Pop can't resist. Hop Pop returns to the house thinking about the offer. Anne asks what the mayor offered to him. Hop Pop tells them the truth, and the kids reply they would always back him up whatever he picks, and they leave.

It seems to be a long night of thinking left for Hop Pop. The scene changes to the City Hollow, where the final trial is held. The final trial is a sort of boxing challenge, where each candidate fights each other. Toadstool knocks off Hop Pop and says to just stay down (and win the vegetable stand). But Hop Pop refuses as this election was more than just for him, also knocking Toadstool, winning the final trial. The next scene starts front of the City Hollow, where Albus Duckweed declares the victory of Toadstool, who somehow got more votes. It turns out to be the election was not only held in Wartwood, but the entire valley. Since Hop Pop didn't campaign outside, as a result he couldn't win any votes outside Wartwood. In the end, the village folks build him a vegetable stand for him to thank him for giving hope to all citizens of Wartwood.

Cast

 * Brenda Song as Anne Boonchuy
 * Justin Felbinger as Sprig Plantar
 * Bill Farmer as Hop Pop Plantar
 * Amanda Leighton as Polly Plantar
 * Stephen Root as Mayor Toadstool
 * Kevin McDonald as Albus Duckweed
 * Jack McBrayer as Toadie
 * Kaitlyn Robrock as Felicia Sundew
 * James Patrick Stuart as Wally Ribbiton

Additional voices

 * Sam Riegel as Grub N Go Hirer, Brown Overalls Frog, Bell Ringer

Non-speaking cameo

 * Sadie Croaker
 * Leopold Loggle
 * Mr. Flour
 * Maddie Flour
 * Ivy Sundew

Revelations

 * This is the first time a character(s) has been shown naked, in this case, an amphibian showering and Toadstool.

Continuity

 * Hop Pop references the events of "Plantar's Last Stand".
 * The Mayor had mentioned about the election being a month away in "Breakout Star". Which means that it has only been a month from that episode to this one.

Allusions

 * "In Frog We Trust" - this is a pun on the famous phrase, "In God We Trust". The sign displaying it being carved onto the walls of the mayoral building.
 * "" - A real life status with a style like Hop Pop and Mayor Toadstool had during the "dropped in the forest naked and forced to find his way home" trial.

Edits

 * In the Southeast Asia broadcast, the word "heck" was muted. However, it wasn't muted in Indonesian, Malay, and Thai dub.