Robin Hood is teaching North Star archery, but misses a shot and has an emotional breakdown, since his entire identity revolves around being the greatest archer who ever live and he's never missed a shot before. Outside of the Land of Legends, the powers of the fairytale figures are fading — Hercules is also losing his Super-Strength, the Genie's wishes don't last anymore, and Prince Charming is getting wrinkles, while the Land of Legends itself is beginning to crumble. Earthside, by the time Paradise decides to fetch Megan, all storybooks have also gone blank.
The monster, freed from the Land of Legends, rampages around Dream Valley and eventually arrives at the estate, but turns out to be a bit of an emotional wreck. He's easily cowed by the ponies, who aren't quite sure what the big deal is about, and bemoans how, since the heroes all left, he doesn't have anyone to chase. Megan realizes that the characters, including the monster, are living archetypes who simply act out their narrative roles, and that their natures are fading outside the Land of Legends.
When they return to the Golden Door, the legends find the Land itself to be crumbling. Megan exhorts them to go back to it, which they do, although they're not eager to take the Monster along. They eventually change their minds once the Monster explains that he's simply filling the role he was given, like them, and is itself fairly bitter about only existing to lose to make the heroes look good. The legendary figures reenter the Door, and they go back in the Land swiftly returns to its pristine state. When the ponies return to Paradise Estate, they find that the storybooks have returned to normal as well, and realize that the legends will always be with them.
This episode contains examples of:
- The Darkness Gazes Back: The monster is first seen as a pair of eyes peering from the darkness beyond the Door.
- Fisher King: When the legendary characters leave the Land of Legends, it begins to crumble away and returns to its pristine state once they return to it.
