"100% Wolf: Legend of the Moonstone": Australian Werewolves Buddy-Bond

 

100% Wolf: Legend of the Moonstone (2020) spins off from the Australian animated comedy about a teenage werewolf, Freddy Lupin (Ilai Swindells), who has to prove that he is "100% Wolf" in spite of morphing into a  pink poodle.  Sounds like a metaphor for failing to meet the constraints of hegemonic masculinity: "All boys like cars and sports, and hate the color pink!"  

The tv series sends Freddy to werewolf school, where he meets the usual friends and enemies.  I watched Episode 8, "Doom and Rune," which features Freddy bonding with insufferable bully Ivan (Will Cottle, below).

Scene 1: A human-style class at the werewolf school.  The teacher tells Freddy and Ivan that they have failed their runes test, and therefore cannot attend the big concert tomorrow night.  For a make-up, they must find some ancient runes in a book or a cave, and translate them.  

Scene 2: After school. Freddy is despondent while his girl friend (hopefully not girlfriend) enthuses over  "two whole days of freedom!"  His Dad pushes him into the limousine (apparently Freddy is a wealthy werewolf).  

They see Ivan walking by himself, and Dad insists on giving him a lift, in spite of Freddy's complaints.  Ivan squeezes against Freddy in the back seat, even though there's plenty of room.  Secret crush?

Scene 3: The B Plot involves the girl friend, Batty, turning into a dog and trying to reconnect with her old friends.  They ignore or attack her.

Scene 4: At the mansion.  Dad is showing Ivan portraits of their illustrious ancestors, while Freddy scowls.  Dad suggests that they work on the make-up test together. Ivan: "Cool!"  Freddy: "No, no, no, no, no!"  What's he got against Ivan?  So far the boy has been perfectly pleasant.

Oh, wait, the moment they're alone, Ivan insults him.  He's only nice in front of adults.

Scene 5:  In the mansion library.  Freddy works while Ivan goofs off.  When Dad drops in, Ivan says that his parents gave him permission to spend the night.  Freddy fumes.  Wait -- why does Ivan want to spend the night with a boy he doesn't like?  A secret crush?

Scene 6:  There are 200 bedrooms in the mansion, but Ivan insists on sleeping with Freddy!  Freddy complains to Dad, who suggests giving him some slack -- he doesn't have a great home life. Why is Dad playing matchmaker so aggressively?

Scene 7: B Plot about a new dog taking over Batty's old territory.  The dog pack plans to disrupt the werewolf concert tomorrow night.  Batty is captured before she can warn the others.

Scene 8:  Breakfast.  Ivan and Dad bond, ignoring Freddy.  Then to the library to work on the runes. Freddy works while Ivan goofs off).  Finally, frustrated, Freddy leaves him alone.  He goes out to the garden, where the band is practicing for tonight's concert. Ivan follows.

Freddy explodes: "I know you're trying to get me expelled!  You think a poodle can't hack it as a werewolf!"  Rejected, Ivan leaves.

The garden happens to have a wall of runes that Freddy can translate for the make-up test.  He pushes some of the stones.  Whoops, a hole opens up and swallows the band.   This isn't good!  He has to find Batty, who is good at runes and can read how to open the hole (or just ask Dad?).

He rushes out of the mansion,  runs into Ivan at the bus stop, and explains the situation.  They jump on the bus.

Meanwhile, Batty has been leashed to a pole to await Animal Control.  Gulp!

Scene 9:  Ivan and Freddy looking for Batty.  Soon it will be dark, and people will start arriving for the concert.  They don't have much time to get the hole open and complete their make-up test.

Batty finds them, but she's lost her moonstone, and can't transform into a human.  Plus she's being chased by a pack of dogs AND Animal Control agents.  They grab her and run, and jump on a bus. That crisis was resolved much quicker than I expected.

Scene 10:  A crowd has assembled in the mansion garden, watching the empty stage.  Where is the band?  The kids rush to the wall of runes, but Batty pushes the wrong stone, and Ivan and Freddy fall into a hole of their own!

Scene 11:  Freddy tells Ivan to call his parents to rescue them (or wait for Batty to get help?).  But he can't:  his neglectful parents left him alone while they went snowboarding in Liechtenstein.  That explains why he was so interested in joining Freddy's family.  

Ivan: Just go on without me.  I'll wait here for someone who cares.

Freddy: I care....

Ivan: Then why did you treat me so badly when I was staying with you?

Freddy: I was jealous of you and my Dad getting along so well.  That's the reason?  I thought it was because Ivan was being a jerk.

Suddenly a path of rune-covered stones opens up.  They are able to translate them and cross over to the band's hole.  They rise up to the stage.  Wait -- when did Ivan and Freddy learn to read runes?  At least they hold hands and hug.

Scene 12:  Ivan and Freddy stand with their arms around each other while the band sings: "A lone wolf bleeds, but a strong pack leads."  Suddenly everyone turns into wolves.  Ivan and Freddy take a selfie together.

Scene 13:  The next day.  Batty gets a friend to humanize her.  Meanwhile, Ivan and Freddy are taking their make-up test.  The end.

Beefcake: None.  The animated teens are rather cute.

Heterosexism: No one expresses any heterosexual interest.  In the original movie, Freddy kisses a girl.

Gay Characters: Ivan and Freddy have a strongly physical relationship (after they reconcile), but I'm not sure if their bond is romantic or fraternal.  Probably fraternal.  I sampled a few later episodes, and Ivan revrts to being just one of a group of Freddy's friends.

Plot Holes:  They could have solved the problem easily by picking up the phone and calling Freddy's Dad.  And where did they learn runes?

My Grade: B