Legend of the Crystal Coconut

"Legend of the Crystal Coconut" is the seventeenth episode of the Donkey Kong Country television series. It was the twenty-sixth and final episode of Season 1 that aired in North America. During the episode, Donkey Kong wishes to know the secrets of the Crystal Coconut. He goes to Inka Dinka Doo for the information, but interprets the cryptic message as having to give up the Crystal Coconut to unlock its secrets. He does so, giving it to K. Rool. However, he realizes his mistake, and must get it back from both him and the pirates that arrive to steal it.

Plot synopsis
The episode begins at night, with a view of Inka Dinka Doo's temple. Inside, the idol says, "Inka Dinka Doo says the time has come!"

Meanwhile, at Cranky's Cabin, Diddy Kong is admiring his reflection in the Crystal Coconut and Donkey Kong is searching Cranky's fridge for a banana cream pie, asking Cranky after a failed search. Cranky is annoyed, and closes the case containing the Crystal Coconut, telling Diddy that it isn't a toy. The case closes on Diddy's finger, but the coconut reveals itself again and heals him. Diddy is surprised by this, and Donkey Kong asks Cranky about the other abilities the coconut contains, but Cranky tells them that no one person knows all the mysteries contained by the coconut. He then asks the Kongs to leave, but Diddy informs him that they "can't sleep without a bedtime story," and requests that he tell them the legend of the Crystal Coconut. Cranky does so, but abridges the story so they will leave sooner. DK questions why Inka Dinka Doo chose him to be the future ruler of the island, but Cranky cannot answer this either. He then states that he should know the secrets of the Crystal Coconut, being future ruler, but Cranky informs him that Inka Dinka Doo will tell him this when he is ready, and demands that the two apes go home. On their way, Diddy Kong jokingly asks if he thinks "Cranky brushes his teeth before or after he takes them out," but Donkey simply tells Diddy that there is a lot he doesn't know. Diddy tells him he will know in time, but DK wants the answers now.

The two head into Inka Dinka Doo's temple, Donkey Kong demanding that the statue listen to him, but he replies by shouting, "Inka Dinka Doo says the time has come!" Donkey Kong then demands (in song) that he tell him the secrets of the Crystal Coconut, but in response, Inka tells him, "To know everything, you must give up everything." Donkey Kong tries to interpret the riddle, and decides upon something: he will give Diddy his tie collection. Diddy informs him that Inka Dinka is referring to something more valuable. DK asks what is more valuable than his ties, Diddy remarking, "The Crystal Coconut, for one!" This gives Donkey Kong the idea to give up the Crystal Coconut. Diddy tells him he was joking, though Donkey Kong explains that, once he knows all the secrets, he will not need the coconut anymore. Diddy is then concerned on who DK is going to give it to.

At King K. Rool's lair, General Klump and Krusha are requesting for their king to come down from his study. From outside, however, the two can hear him throwing books around in anger. Klump calls him down, stating that his news of of the utmost importance, but K. Rool does not care. Klump then decides that they should give the Crystal Coconut back to Donkey Kong; K. Rool hears this, and swiftly comes down from his study, shocked to hear that DK simply gave up the Crystal Coconut. He asks how he got the coconut, and Klump tells him an exaggerated story, but K. Rool does not care; all he cares about is the fact that he has it, and that nobody can take it from him.

Over on the coast of the island, Kaptain Skurvy has arrived at the island. Skurvy states to his crew that his purpose in being on the island is to claim the coconut in the name of his great great great grandfather. He then swears upon the pirate oath that he will do anything for the one who rids him of his toothache. His crew inform Skurvy that pirates have no honor, saying "we be pure scum!" Skurvy acknowledges this, but states that the pirate oath is an honorable thing. They then head off to steal the Crystal Coconut.

Donkey Kong returns to the temple of Inka Dinka Doo, where he reports that he did what he said, and demands to know everything about the Crystal Coconut; however, Inka Dinka simply states the same thing as before, but angrier. Both Kongs realize that he did not mean to give away the coconut. Diddy wonders what Cranky will say about it, but DK thinks Cranky will understand. However, upon returning and telling him, he realizes that he is wrong. As Cranky is yelling at DK, Kaptain Skurvy and his crew arrive at the cabin, to steal the coconut, and once again states that he will give anything to the one who cures his toothache. He then demands the Crystal Coconut, but Donkey Kong informs them that they do not possess it, and Skurvy asks who does.

Back at K. Rool's lair, the king is deciding upon the first thing he should do with his newly gained power. Klump commends him for gaining the Crystal Coconut, but Krusha blatantly states that Donkey Kong simply gave it to them, and K. Rool is shocked to hear about the cause of his victory. He believes that it is part of a trick set up by the apes, and has his minions give the coconut back. Klump is shocked to hear him say this, but K. Rool just yells for him to do it.

The three groups (while singing "Gotta Give it Back") are running through the jungle, Krusha and Klump trying to give the Crystal Coconut back, Donkey Kong trying to get the coconut back, and Kaptain Skurvy and his crew trying to steal it for themselves. K. Rool, meanwhile, is impatiently waiting at his lair when Donkey Kong smashes through the ceiling, demanding he give the coconut back. Upon hearing that, he figures out that him giving over the Crystal Coconut was not a trick, and scorns himself for trying to give it back when Skurvy arrives at the lair, abridging the introduction he gave twice earlier and demanding the coconut. However, the king states that he does not have it; he ordered his minions to give it back. Both then rush back to Cranky's cabin.

Cranky and Diddy are waiting in his cabin, Cranky impatiently asking when DK will return. However, both hear the voice of Klump from outside. They peek outside and hear them from across the bridge, stating that they are giving the coconut back. Cranky believes this to be a trick, and has him ready the trigger barrels. Cranky invites them over, but Diddy presses the barrel, activating a trap floor and sending them plummeting to the ground. After several other failed attempts, they finally get across the bridge and offer him the coconut. Cranky finally realizes that they were not tricking him, but he slams the door in their face. He tells Diddy, but the young monkey informs him that the pirates may return. Cranky then hands Diddy the coconut and transforms into a hologram using it to warn Donkey Kong. Alone, Diddy Kong desperately thinks of a place to hide it.

In the jungle, Donkey Kong stops to rest for a second when Cranky in hologram form appears, telling him that the coconut was returned, and that the pirates are still after it. DK then continues his journey, leaping out of the tree and onto Klump. K. Rool then contacts him through video. The general attempts to inform him that they gave the coconut back, though K. Rool tells him that they should not return the coconut. Klump asks why, and K. Rool informs him that everyone is after it. (when asking what pirates were after the coconut, Kaptain Skurvy and his pirate crew run right over him) Back at Cranky's cabin, Donkey Kong arrives, but sees both Diddy and the Crystal Coconut are gone; when trying to figure out where he is, he instantly thinks of the location and runs off. Seconds after, Skurvy arrives at the cabin, sees the coconut is gone, figures out where it is, and leaves.

Cranky returns to his physical form, and is surprised to see that he is at Inka Dinka Doo's chamber. Diddy explains that he wanted to hide the coconut in a place the pirates would never think of when Green Kroc and Kutlass arrive. Diddy is about to hand them the coconut when Donkey Kong arrives and threatens the pirates to back off. However, at that moment, Skurvy arrives. Kutlass and Green Kroc once again threaten Diddy, but he throws the coconut away and runs, with the pirates running after him. Cranky Kong yells at him again, stating that the entire mess is his fault, and Skurvy demands the coconut. Both throw banter at each other, with Skurvy at one point insulting DK's status as future ruler of the island, which leads Donkey Kong to throwing the Crystal Coconut at his face, knocking his tooth out. He has the coconut, but he notices his toothache is gone. Cranky then tells him that, according to his oath, he owes DK a favor. Skurvy attempts to deny this, but Cranky forces him to owe him the favor. Donkey Kong uses the favor to request for a magazine, but is reminded by Cranky that he has the coconut. He gets the coconut back, and Skurvy states that he will return before leaving. Cranky then commends him for resolving the entire situation, and, before leaving, Donkey Kong tells Inka Dinka Doo that he will be back; the idol simply replies, "Whatever."

K. Rool is impatiently waiting for Krusha and General Klump at his lair. Meanwhile, on Skurvy's ship, Klump is explaining his plan to get the coconut from the pirates to Krusha, both of which are hiding in barrels. Klump's plan is to break out of the barrels, steal the coconut back, and swim back to the island: Krusha, however, mentions that he cannot swim. Klump is angered by the fact that he didn't say this earlier. On the coast of the island, Green Kroc and Kutlass are still chasing Diddy, though he then points out that Skurvy left without them. The episode ends with them trying to hail the ship, while Diddy laughs at them.

Animation and continuity errors

 * As a result of the North American broadcast order, King K. Rool does not know Kaptain Skurvy, despite the fact King K. Rool met him for the first time in "Bug a Boogie" (which aired before this episode).

Trivia

 * A straight-to-VHS movie of the same name was released in November 1999 that contained this episode, "Bug a Boogie", "Booty and the Beast", and "Ape-Nesia" spliced together to give it a feature-length runtime.
 * During this version of the episode, the song "Pirate's Scorn" from "Booty and the Beast" is played.
 * A running gag throughout this episode is Kaptain Skurvy having the same conversation with different people (to the point where he tries shortening it by only saying snippets of it accompanied with several "yadda, yadda, yadda"s.)
 * During the song "Tell Me Everything," Donkey Kong mentions having an autographed picture of ([his] idol) King Kong (who is supposed to be a fictional character, even in the overall Mario franchise), tickets to the Dingling Bros. (parody of Ringling Bros.) Circus Show, and Planet of the Apes trading cards.
 * Kaptain Skurvy at one point says "May he rot in Hell." in regards to his great-great-great grandfather while retorting the idea of Donkey Kong being the future ruler of Kongo Bongo. This is one of the few instances of profanity being used in not only the show, but the overall franchise.