Top 12 Sofia The First Episodes of Season 1 (Sofia Coutndown Pt. 1)

Hello  & welcome back to A Look at Disney.   Last Friday, Sofia The First debuted it's second season with Two Princesses and A Baby,  I'll have a review of that but first I've decided to go through all of season 1 and countdown my Top 6, wait no, that won't suffice as there were a lot, of good episodes,  Top 12 Episodes of Season 1 and also, my Top 12 Songs of Season 1.   With that out of the way, let's go visit the new girl in crown as we get this super long and super special countdown started.


12.   Cedric's Apprentice

Okay,  Sofia is just adorable in her little apprentice outfit, which was inspired by Mickey from Fantasia. 

Anyways, let's not get sidetracked with adorableness here (which is super easy to do)  Anyways,  in this episode, Sofia has to take a sorcery test at her school  and seeks the help of Mr. Seedric.  Oh that's right, Sofia isn't doing that anymore as of the season 2 opener.  My little princess is growing up.   I feel like a proud parent but getting back to the episode,  Sofia goes to Mr. Cedric for help but he at first doesn't want to help her until she offers her help in cleaning up his workshop and Cedric agrees as he sees this as a way to swipe Sofia's amulet but he doesn't go after as through the episode,  Cedric starts to soften up to Sofia and actually warm up to her (and it seems that are almost dropping the idea of Cedric is evil in the second season).  We see how the two grow to care for each other as Sofia helps Cedric out by remembering a spell, that he knew from his early days and did earlier in the episode while Cedric was preforming for her family and visiting dignitary,  King Magnus as Sofia knew it was a spell, Cedric was good at.   Now it meant Sofia was turned into a lizard.

Now Cedric really starts to soften, after he sees a little gift that Sofia left for the wizard.

D'aww, that's so sweet.   And in the end, after Sofia passes her test and gets a gold star, she gives one to Mr. Cedric.   Aw!  The big reason I like this episode so much is because it shows another side to Cedric because up to this point, the show had only been portrayed as the buffoonish over the top villain that just wanted Sofia's amulet.  Here,  we get to see another side to him as a mentor figure and that through spending time with the little princess, he got to know more about Sofia and come to know more than just the 7 year old that mispronounces his name and the barer of the amulet.  Here,  he got to know Sofia as a sweet little girl that is willing to learn and we as the audience got to know Cedric and find out that he isn't all that bad.  Only half bad as his mother was evil, and his father (who was voiced by Jim Cummings) was a good guy.    This was a great episode for Cedric as it showed him as more than just a villain.  

11. The Shy Princess

Now,  I'll admit that I haven't seen this episode since it first aired but it was cute.  In it, Sofia's class is assigned to build a dream castle with a partner and Sofia is paired up with Vivian,  a princess so shy that even Fluttershy would have to tell her to speak up.   Vivian's shyness has caused to be a bit of an outcast at school and the girls such as Sofia's big sis, Amber, who I have a love/hate relationship with (she's not particularly good in the early episodes)  but through this project, Sofia reaches out to Vivian and tries to get her to open up and Sofia is able to look past all the rumors that the girls had been spread about Vivian such as she lived in a cave to discover who she really is and what she is really like and through this, she discovers Vivian's love of music and by being able to look past what people said about Vivian without getting to know the truth, Sofia gets the shy princess to open up and makes a new friend.    Also, while it won't be on tomorrow's list, All You Need is a great song.   The big reason I like this episode is because this was one of the first episodes that showed Sofia was able to look past what other kids said about someone that was basically an outcast and  get to know them for herself.  And in a way, it was through music that Sofia got Vivian to open up because her singing is the only time that she isn't so reserved. 


10.  Princess Butterfly

Yeah, remember what I said about Cedric up in entry # 10, that kinda goes out the window.  In the first Amber centric episode of the series, which is also the first Halloween episode of the series.   In it,  Royal Prep (the school that Sofia and her siblings attend) are holding a costume contest but the catch is that the students have to make their costumes this year.  Which is going to be difficult  for Amber, who has won every previous year as we see, she doesn't know how to sew.  So Amber, goes to Cedric for help and uses magic to make her butterfly costume but there's a catch, she can't take it off and the costume starts to take on a life of it's own as Amber starts to fly and the only way that Amber can get Cedric to undo the spell is by getting Sofia to give up the amulet.  Amber knows how much it means to her little sister but she doesn't want to be stuck as a butterfly forever.  Though, she finds another way out of it by just telling the truth.   The big reason, I like this episode is because this was one of the episodes that made me come around on Amber and for her first outing as a main character, she did a good job.  This was a great idea to use her in this story as Amber loves winning and being the best and here she learned that winning is great but not when it comes at a price and here in this case, that price was lying. 


9.   The Baker King

Now, we come to the first episode, where Sofia's dad was the main character. Every show at one point has to their take on "It's A Wonderful Life",  I swear that I've seen more episodes based on that film than the film itself.  And this is Sofia The First's "Wonderful Life" episode.  Sofia's  dad, King Roland is starting to find being the king being overwhelming and stressful and he wants more time with his family.  Your highness, if I may,  I believe that most parents feel this way at point in their lives.  Roland makes a wish for a simple life like that of a baker in front of an enchanted mirror that was in the castle's attic and the mirror changes to that he had never been king.  But Sofia is able to help her dad through some hand-holding that people do value him as a king and that while his job as a king may be stressful and overwhelming at times, he is still important. And while you may think that one job may be easier than the one, you have, it may not be.  What you may think is a simple life, may not be the case at all and to remember that you are valued and that people do care about you and your work, even if you don't always get to see it.


8.  The  Big Sleepover

Now, we go all the way back to the second (well, technically third) episode of the show.  Sofia is excited, she is having her first royal slumber party and she has invited her two best friends, Jade and Ruby from when she lived in the village.  Sofia is excited to show her two friends around the palace and spend the night with them but big sister Amber doesn't approve of them because they won't fit in.  To be fair to Amber, this was back before she became a more developed character that isn't so shallow.  Sofia much to the chagrin and annoyance of Jade and Ruby tries to get them to fit in by having them act more princess like. Which I saw one reviewer, Sofia was basically being  a bully.  I'm not so sure, I'd go that far but I do see where she is coming from and by Sofia trying to change her friends, she causes them to not have any fun and surprise, big sister wasn't having much fun either but once they try what Sofia wanted to do with her friends all along, the girls start having fun.  The message of this one is simple but one that even adults need to hear from time to time, don't force your friends to change who they are to please someone else and maybe your other friends or in this case, big sister will come to accept your other friends who they are.  Granted, this isn't always the case in real life but  for kids, especially at this age, this is a good lesson to teach.


7. The Amulet of Avalor

This was such a great episode, it gave us back story on Sofia's precious amulet and how her father chose it for her as he saw it out of the corner of his eye and thought it was the perfect thing to give to a new princess.  Sofia loses the amulet,  when she takes it off, when her and Amber decide to try each others' new jewelry after their dad lets them pick out an item and Sofia's Amulet is stolen from her by a baby griffon as he is attracted to shiny objects, which is why he is kept in the jewelry room and through the entire episode, we see Sofia trying to get the amulet back as without, she cannot talk to her animal friends and that is such a big part of her life and to lose her friends like that is devastating and at the same time, Cedric discovered this and uses it to try and get the amulet for himself.  I like this episode because it shows how much Sofia's animal friends mean to her and how devastated, she'd be, if she could never talk to them again.  Losing her friends would just break her heart and funny, I say that as that'll come up again in our next entry.


6.  Finding Clover

Sofia's best (animal) friend, Clover is starting to feel frustrated that Sofia has no time for him as she is so busy that he even after he tries to set up, a bum bum bum "Sofia and Clover" Day,  Sofia can't make it due to flying practice and this is after they had seen a magic show and Clover gets the idea to take the place of Mr. Cuddles, the magician's bunny, who decided to run away because he views himself as a serious actor. Dude, you are a bunny.  Anyways, Clover decides to go with the magic show because he feels that Sofia no longer has time for him but this isn't the case as Sofia puts aside all other activities to go and find Clover and bring him home but the magician, who is a bit of a jerk doesn't  want to give Clover back to Sofia but Sofia uses a cloak to disguise herself and partake in a magic trick that allows her to hold Clover as part of a disappearing act and they run off. This was a great episode as it showed that just because people may not have time for you, they'll never stop loving you.  You just need to understand that people get busy but just because they are busy, doesn't mean that they won't try and make time for you, if something really important crops up.

5.  Holiday In Enchancia 

Ah, now we come to the Christmas episode of the series.  Oh,  I'm sorry, the Wassailia episode.  Yeah, they changed the name of the holiday but it's Christmas.  Sofia is excited about spending her first holiday in the castle while her father is out picking up presents but there is a bad storm coming and he and his men get trapped in the bad storm and it is only getting worse.  Sofia and her family decide to go out and look for her father and at first, they cannot find him because of the bad snow but he is actually at the home of a poor family.  Later on, after their carriage, worst princess, I mean uh Aurora shows up as she is summoned by Sofia's amulet that she can always rely on her animal friends. Uh, Snow White would've made more sense for that cameo.  This is a simple episode but it's a great Christmas episode as it hits all the Christmas beats that I love and I'm sure that it'll be in my yearly Christmas rotation.  Other than Aurora's short and pointless cameo, this is a good episode as it is just a great Christmas episode with these characters that I love.

4.  Once Upon A Princess

Ah,  I had to have this one on the list.  Now, I'll admit I have this weird thing that I can't watch a pilot of a series after the first time I see it and this one is no exception but it's still a fantastic episode as it sets up the world and characters rather well as we get to know and see how they've grown as in this pilot, Sofia was scared and nervous.  She didn't think she could handle being a princess.   Well, I'd say after a year,  the little princess has proven herself and Amber has moved past her jealously of her new little sister and come to accept her as a sibling.  This one is on here for nostalgia as it introduced me to this great series and it proved that Disney was capable of treating their classic characters with respect as we've seen with the princesses that have appeared on this show unlike a certain other series that is kinda hit and miss.  

3.  The Little Witch 

For the longest time, this was my favorite episode of the show, although with the aid of a certain mermaid it fell to the the third spot.  You recall what I said about Sofia being able to look past what people saw in someone and get to actually know them.  This is explored very well in The Little Witch in which Sofia gets to know Lucinda, a little witch that had been playing pranks and pulling hexes on the kids of the village that Sofia lived in after Sofia became a princess.  She is informed of Lucinda by her two best friends, Jade and Ruby as it is Jade's birthday and doesn't want Lucinda anywhere near the party and even sets up a trap in case, she comes by but Sofia is able to reach out to Lucinda and she finds out that Lucinda is having trouble making friends. Uh, Lucinda, I like ya but what you were doing doesn't exactly lend itself to making friends rather well. Sofia points this out to Lucinda and gets her to apologize and undo the hexes and curses that she had done to the kids in the village and shows that people do deserve a second chance,  and just because they wronged you, doesn't mean they are bad people.

2.   The Princess Test

 

Sofia and the other girls are about ready to start dance class but it has been cancelled as they informed by the three fairies that they will be having a princess test that'll test everything that they have learned about being a princess. Sofia is nervous as she is still new to this princess thing and she isn't sure that she can remember it all and because she wasn't a princess, she feels like she has to prove that she belongs.  Anyways,  the school librarian, Miss Higgins asks each of the girls for help but all of them save for Sofia turn down helping Miss Higgins as her wheelbarrow had broken down but Sofia decides to help as she knows it is the right thing and through a lot of mishaps, Sofia has her dress ripped, loses her fan and other things that make my little princess think that she is going to fail the princess test but that is not the case as Miss Higgins is actually Fauna in disguise. This episode is great because it shows that there is so much more than just dresses and fans to be a princess, it's also about showing kindness and being helpful to others and putting the needs of others above yourself.  And it's  just a great character episode for Sofia as she explores what it means to be a princess.  

1.  The Floating Palace

And my # 1 episode is The Floating Palace.  Why  do I like this episode, let's list it.  Yep, a list within a list.

6.  Mermaids

5.  Merroway Cove,  aka underwater sea kingdom

4.  Cedric as a Sea Monster

3.  Ariel

2.  Ariel

1.  Ariel

Yeah,  I'm kinda biased as Ariel is in this episode but   that isn't the only reason that I like this episode.    It is just awesome and intense and  as we get to see Sofia as a mermaid and make new friends, Oona and discover a new underwater kingdom with her friends such as Sven.

Uhm, no.   And how mermaids don't like humans and Cedric who is now a sea monster in this special has found another magical item, Oona's comb that can control the water and he wants to try and take it.  Knowing this, Oona is kidnapped by Cedric as sea monster and Sofia has to save her otherwise, the mermaid queen Emmaline (voiced by Jodi Benson) will sink the ship that Sofia's family is on.  So, Sofia has to try and save the mermaid princess and get help from Oona's big sister, Cora.  And just when Sofia is about ready to give up, Ariel shows up and convinces her not to give up and convinces Sofia to not give up and that it's okay to ask for help.  And well, it's Ariel.

There's a slight bias.  The only way this could fall off the top spot, is if I get a Rapunzel appearance.   (whispers)

What's that?  No, really.  Well,  it looks as though, Rapunzel will appear in  a season 2 episode.  SQUEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     Sorry, sorry, sorry.   But seriously, this was a great episode through and through.  It was just awesome and I had so much fun with this episode. This was the most fun episode of season 1 with a great plot and a great time.   

There you have it, these are my top 12 Sofia The First episodes of  season 1.  I had to do it as a Top 12 as I couldn't narrow it down to 6 and these are my favorites.  I hope that you enjoyed this list and join me tomorrow as I go over my Top 12 songs from the show.  Peace!