"'Halloweentown" aka Wisdom in Wavering Faith | Mt. Molehill | Episode 4

[@manuelinacio4038]

Hearing Scout again on Snapcube after 2 years is so great.

[@lemon_robot]

Can't believe it's been that long omg 😭

[@manuelinacio4038]

Last time was Shadow The Hedgehog's real-time fandub, which was released in August 2022. So yeah, it's been that long.

[@kjj26k]

​@@manuelinacio4038 THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO?! *withers into dust*

[@kevinranch8841]

Is there a reason why it’s been so long?

[@ghostlysleuth]

@@kevinranch8841 scout took a step back from streaming and being an internet personality for a bit because she said she didn't find it fun anymore, but she's gotten back into streaming since!

[@7upvids]

mount molehill coming back post scouts transition reminds me of that one mustard gas tiktok getting stitched with “youre still doing this? im trans now thats how long its been”

[@JustinWO-31]

The Scout reveal. So happy for her! Glad she's happier now. Also it's funny that y'all brought up how Marnie just says Hey look! A Pentagram! That was the sole reason my dad said I couldn't watch it.

[@salsaroja9740]

She’s been out for several months I think now but yeah it is great! :)

[@JustinWO-31]

@salsaroja9740 oh well first I'm hearing of it. I'm not really online that much

[@salsaroja9740]

@ So fair tbh. She also came out a bit after sorta dropping streaming and YT stuff so even other chronically online people missed it I’m sure

[@jenger7]

it only just occured to me how clever "wisdom in wavering faith" is after like an hour of wizards of waverly place discussion. bravo

[@riverofthewild]

Love Penny and Scout's dynamic so much. I rewatch the re7 playthrough constantly. Very happy for this long-awaited fourth episode of mount molehill

[@clam6254]

me too! it’s such a good playthrough, these goofuses are the best for commentary

[@strangerhawke]

i just rewatched it lately because i’d been missing their chats!!

[@profileuser5845]

SAME it's my favorite lp ever their dynamic is amazing and I love scouts speedruns of it too

[@keekoumeep7239]

Omg same

[@estroBiologist]

REAL MOLEHEADS NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING BABY!!!

[@stumble_arcana]

FINALLY. Scout had to built up her #girlpower for years but it happened thank god

[@zeldachocobo]

CHARGING #GIRLPOWER............ GET READY FOR #GIRLBLAST

[@Maguspwns2]

This feels odd to say about a DCOM podcast ep but the way you two described the emotional toll of deconstruction really resonated with me as someone who is still working through things. So many people talk about it without talking about how family and community is involved and I really appreciated that you shed light on that. Also, I laughed harder at this episode than I have at anything in months! So happy for this surprise!

[@solitarychap]

scout's new sona looks sooo cute in the new art, katy killed it ❤

[@th3mdt]

Scout finding out that Mark Mothersbaugh is, like, the main guy in DEVO is so wholesome. Also, congrats, Scout.

[@EvilGeniusIIpi]

Wastrel algorithm, hear my plea: Recommend this pod for all to see!

[@dani.5087]

I love how I knew where Penny was going with her Veggietales analogy as SOON as she brought up 'then why would being vegetables be bad'

[@hannahmcaleer6283]

The best thing I could’ve ask for truly. God I’ve missed this show. You just motivated me to spend 3, almost 4 hours hyperfixating on scrubbing my floors while listening to you theorize about all this. Thank you Scout and Penny!!!!!!!!!

[@kitsuna_siv]

Omg. Scout's updated art is so cute

[@fc_Kenzie]

Absolutely exquisite ladies. You had me at the edge of my seat and seeing electrical surges in my brain. Hope to see more! ❤

[@phi7534]

i've watched halloweentown once in my life as a kid, and the odd discomfort of it really stuck with me. this episode really contextualizes that for me, since debby reynolds was playing the role of my great-grandmother who raised and religiously abused my mother and repeatedly tried to go behind her back and convert my siblings and me when we were little!! it's religious trauma all the way down. i legitimately could not be more delighted with this comeback.

[@scoutm1828]

Hi. Person also coincidentally named Scout here. I grew up with this movie series, like we watched it all the time. So the moment y'all were like "it's evangelical propaganda" everything clicked immediately like that is DIABOLICAL story telling on Disney channels part. I'd also like to point out as an ex Catholic that the lighting of the jack o lantern is kind of reminiscent of altar boys lighting the candles near the tabernacle to start mass. The jack o lantern being representative of a tabernacle makes a weird amount of sense when you consider that the jack o lantern is supposed to be the source of magic in Halloween town, which potentially feeds into scout's catholic wizard theory.

[@dishfishes]

OMG AND THE SIMILARITIES TO THE ETERNAL FLAME TOO??? Wild

[@WakaJawaka69Ho]

It’s such a relief to see Scout collabing with Penny after over 2 years, I was worried they would not work together again. They have such great chemistry, hope to see Scout in KH dub and SS3

[@taxicabbie8574]

It’s really nice to hear you and Scout doing the funny together again, y’all’s comedic chemistry is a wonder to behold

[@MoeNinjaCat]

The theory crafting in this one in this one is top tier, maybe my favorite episode yet. It almost makes the wait worth it. almost.

[@HypeRCharge527]

Y'know, it takes a lot for me to say "wait what holy shit" out loud, but seeing the clouds part and the sun crest over the summit of Mt. Molehill sure as hell did the trick. Seeing this thumbnail crop up was one of the highlights of my day, and arguably my week. An unexpected return, but absolutely a welcome one. ^_^

[@SaintSentry]

I don't know if/when Scout's transition was publicly announced before this, but I'm okay with this being how I found out. CONGRATS TO HER!

[@ElliWoelfin]

She had openly changed name/pronouns etc on twitter early last year and has been completely out, like on tumblr where they're pretty active (this is said just to inform, not meant to sound rude if it comes across as such)

[@SaintSentry]

@ElliWoelfin Wow, I've truly been out of the loop

[@powerfullpummel6417]

THE GIRLIES ARE BACK! LETS FUCKIN GOOO!

[@aldar8240]

this is my first hearing about Scout's transition, and so this statement is likely pretty late as a response, but I just want to say going from "chase" to "scout" is one of the funniest name switches I can think of. it's like someone named "ash" switching over to "dust" when they transition, it's great

[@ArcaneAvian19]

This was spectacular. I dont wanna put pressure on Scout and Penny, but if they're up for making more of these, I'd love to see them.

[@d3lta_p]

I was a different gender the last time I listened to this podcast!

[@ElliWoelfin]

So was Scout

[@mordo1191]

Me: *Finishes listening to Penny's theory* huh, i wonder if Scout's theory is the Roman Catholic version of this..? Scout: Penny the one thing you didn’t consider was that this movie takes place in the Wizards of Waverley Place world Me: ah, how foolish I have become. (On a serious note, I'm so glad to see this podcast come back! And congratulations Scout :D )

[@JakeTH19970]

Okay so I think I know what the skinny ghost thing was about. There was an era of diet culture where people thought that sweating was equivalent to exercise, so making yourself sweat a lot would help you lose weight.

[@SnapCube]

OHHHHH

[@paper-mario-wiki]

OHHHHH

[@hauntorthegiraffebiscuit]

The way the pitch of his voice raised, I had figured he was getting younger. But I suppose they would likely operate under bigger guy = deeper voice as universal law.

[@ozymandiasuncia4919]

Yeah, there was a scene in an older James Bond movie with the exact device that she was describing. Also a scene in a Futurama episode!

[@simonlanglois3391]

Hooray for Scout! Glad she's happier. Also, damn this was a funny episode.

[@AnAktualKoala]

HOLY OH MY GOD MY FAVORITE THREE EPISODE PODCAST IT BACK!!! I'VE REWATCHED THOSE VIDS HUNDREDS OF TIMES OVER THE YEARS THANK YOU SO MUCH PENNY AND SCOUT YOURE MY FAVORITIST 'TUBERS IN THE WORLD

[@Emma-Lumi]

my favourite weekly podcast,,

[@Simara-iw8px]

the “o” in molehill kinda links like a frying pan cooking a singular chicky nugget

[@loadeddice4696]

I see an extremely botched omelette. Like, the most bungled omelette you can imagine.

[@Spring183]

You know what this looks like? Looks like Pumpkin Hill! (I’m glad you made a new video btw)

[@RabbitEarTrans]

oh i cannot wait to watch this later if Mt. Molehill has 0 fans i am DEAD, i'm SO happy to see it make a return you were a day late but goddamn is this the best birthday present a girl could ask for

[@calico_cottage]

i can’t believe it’s already been four years. so excited to see you girlies tackle more disney stuff in crazed and mentally skewed ways!

[@zrasabba]

It's been a while since I've sen the movie, but as you were recap-ing the plot, and dropping hints at your thematic readings, I did form a slightly different reading of my own. It's definitely a matter of personal experience, because I'm half-Pakistani and raised Muslim. I can draw a parallel between how the grandma is dismissive to "mortals" and the way my grandma talks about "this [American] culture". So, we have first generation immigrant (the mom) who has left behind her old culture, and you can see that as some kind of internalized bigotry or as a rejection of the some implied conservative aspects of her home. Then we have the second generation daughter (Marnie) who wants to connect to her roots. This reading paints the grandmother in a more charitable light, for sure, but she probably pushed her daughter further away from her culture with how she handled her marriage to a mortal. The compromise at the end should then be the mom allowing her children access to their cultural roots without isolating them from the mortal world. Grandma then makes a similar choice to my own grandmother, living in a different culture to see her grandchildren and try to impart her traditions and culture onto them.

[@reene_the_mess]

Penny and scout have my favorite friendship dynamic and this show was literally a comfort show to me, so much so that i was listening to it during the first day of class from the pandemic and tho i dont expect this to keep going, like if it does, then yipee!! If it doesnt, it's alright and this is delightful and ty for the new episode :]]

[@macaronsncheese9835]

This is my first exposure to Mt. Molehill and I gotta say i hope it isn't my last. It's worth noting that the 4th movie makes it canon that Aggie was, and maybe still is, straight-up the Queen of Halloweentown (iirc it's also implied that she's not the first Cromwell, and that very, very few Halloweentowners are old enough to remember her coronation). Aggie is implied to have willingly relinquished some considerable power to go from Reigning Queen Splendora to Marnie et al's ~quirky grandma Aggie~. Also worth noting that Past Halloweentown from Aggie's youth is in fact shown to be very Dark Ages TM. As for Halloweentown Luke and Bible Dude Luke, my thoughts as someone with slightly more theology background than your average Church Nerd: not only do they seem to be unrelated, Halloweentown Luke is almost antithetical to Bible Dude Luke. Bible Dude Luke is a convert, and the gospel he writes actively paints one of the more sympathetic, humble, and deeply all-compassionate portrayals of Jesus; Luke's Jesus is the guy whose was born in a barn and performs miracles for strangers who have no tie to Judaism because he's there for /Everyone/. Luke's the Evangelist who's absolutely /chugging/ respect women juice. Halloweentown Luker in contrast is a slightly pre-incel punk kid in cahoots with the antichrist. There are theology-minded sorts I could kinda see doing that, namely the kind of guy who has such a raging stan boner for John and/or Matthew that it's crept into heresy territory and they genuinely would boot Luke outta the Bible if they'd had any say in it back at ye olde Council of Nicea... But that kind of guy writing DCOM scripts instead of being eyebrow-deep in theology academia is /way weirder/ than the already weird idea of the punk kid being intended as a proxy for Bible Dude Luke. I figure either they named him Luke as a deliberate irony (and maybe a nod that he's not all bad), OR it was pretty much a coincidence. Personally, if I were giving him a religious name to indicate his role in the story I'd probably go Gus, for St. Augustine of Hippo (famously a rambunctious troublemaker until he became Christian, at which point he went on to become an incredibly influential theologian). Paul could also work in the sense of being a jerk and active persecutor of our heroes up until he has a "falling off his high horse" moment after which he's an ally, but Paul is a tricky name to pull off on a bully character and not sound goofy. Honestly with the mom and mayor I feel like in the analogy I'd take a slightly different tick to the story there; they'd have been actively pressured /into/ marriage rather than apart; Gwen is, after all, the apparent sole daughter of a highly influential church member, and while my background is Catholic so married pastors are basically not a thing, I can't imagine there wouldn't be politics in who a pastor with an aspiring pastor son nudges his kid to choose as a future pastor's wife. Seems like they broke up amicably so probably it was before she left, either she realized that she wasn't ready for marriage and needed to pump the brakes, or she met and started falling for the kids' dad and broke things off so she could work through her feelings, and either way not long after a combination of her seeing someone outside the church and the pastor being pissed that she dumped his son and taking it out on her lead to her being driven out, unwittingly leading to Kalibar becoming what he did, cuz is it really evangelical propaganda if you haven't found a way to somehow blame a woman making reasonable if slightly selfish decisions in context of how she's being treated by the men in her community?

[@paper-mario-wiki]

Hey! Scout here. Penny's elected to not read your comment because she wants to avoid 100% of spoilers for future halloweentown movies, but I'm not putting that same ban on myself. This is super cool!!! Legitimately, it makes me very happy that we're making peoples minds work like this too, it's so fulfilling. Thank you for listening 😇

[@daw8285]

​@@paper-mario-wikiOMG it's the girl from the video I just watched!!

[@macaronsncheese9835]

@paper-mario-wiki oops, apologies for the spoilers then 😅

[@paper-mario-wiki]

@@macaronsncheese9835 No worries!! We both really enjoyed your comment!! @daw8285 Hi!

[@SnapCube]

never apologize, ur analysis rules

[@NoelleRL]

OMG THANK YOU!!! Mt Molehill has been one of my fav podcasts and I’m so glad to see it return! ^w^ also the art of Scout is absolutely amazing and adorable!! ^w^!!

[@Drifting_Ash]

Having only vague childhood memories of this movie I can definitively say the analysis is on point and incredibly interesting.

[@MEGADOMINIC_]

I can't tell if she's going to be playing Epic Mickey or pumpkin carving. I feel like both are equally valid options. One for the fans, another for the chaos

[@Eepy-Rose]

neither >:)

[@jamblastwizard]

i love scout’s new clown sona!!!!

[@evie2411]

This is seriously fantastic and deeply thoughtful analysis, and the pure joy of listening to both of you share your realizations and be so enamored with each other's notes is just SO good. Thank you! This is such a perfect Halloween gift!

[@janusbluejeans2244]

Always happy to see the dedication to reliable punctuality from everyone's favorite DCOM podcast. Keep up the good work!

[@ashtonkaid1289]

unmasking halloweentown as a metaphor for evangelism is not the hot take i was expecting but god damn it all fits. also i had no idea evangelism had such weird rules about movie theaters

[@InfiniteLilith]

THERES NO WAY THERES NO WAY IM CRYING IN MY JOB'S BATHROOM RIGHT NOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO ME

[@air-head3961]

WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD ABOUT SCOUTS TRANSITION NO WAY CONGRATS!!!! The drawing was staring me right in the face the whole time and somehow didn't connect the dots lol

[@Halocon720]

1:59:53 "Perhaps you've met my father" I have met Atticus Finch, father of Scout, I've read To Kill a Mockingbird

[@linkleze-qk9qm]

When the world needed it most, Mt Molehill returned!

[@raktagon]

Penny, you just made my halloween!!! I've been waiting for this series to return for years now. I genuinely jumped out of my seat when I saw the upload

[@AnvilApricot]

PLEASE FUCKING TELL ME THIS IS MOUNT MOLE HILL HALLOWEEN SPECIAL IMMA FUCKIN CRY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

[@Champiness]

somehow

[@boomchicken7946]

YOUR RIGHT

[@livliveart]

IT'S BACK OMG OMG

[@ZR3009]

Good news 🎉

[@fredders1]

i have no idea what’s going on but i’m happy scout and penny are here

[@wolfe6819]

I've listened to the first 3 eps of Mt. Molehill dozens of times each. I'm so excited for this!

[@Trapewurm]

Really happy to see another episode of this series, out of the blue! Also glad you two are doing well and congratulations to scout with her transition!

[@snippetclipper]

I was literally talking about this podcast like a week ago and how much I missed it and then it is SUMMONED

[@TheEepyMagi]

I COULDNT ASK FOR A BETTER BIRTHDAY GIFT 🎉 I KNOW ITS COMPLETELY BY CHANCE BUT THIS BEING UPLOADED ON MY BIRTHDAY IS SO FUCKING AWESOME. Thank you Scout and Penny WAOW!

[@moldyonionsandwich]

"we'll fix it in post!" they did not fix it in post.

[@Daemonophobic]

Seeing this in my subscription box was like seeing an old friend. Welcome back Mt. Molehill!

[@ZippyZaps]

I have never been more excited to see a series revival!

[@aburke722]

I've been having a rough day at work and I TOTALLY forgot this was premiering today this makes me so happy thank you guys I missed this podcast soooo much

[@thepaladxn]

Missed you Scout!

[@mysticdigital5936]

TIL Penny has *probably* not seen Digimon the Movie. Sad. But this podcast was amazing and super fun. I loved the commentary and theories. I loved this movie franchise as a kid, some of the best DCOMs. Honestly made me think more about Aggie too. Can't wait for Halloweentown 2 next time /jk

[@YossarianVanDriver]

Welsh history enthusiast note on timing of Merlin, Arthur, etc., and apologies if you already knew all this but just paraphrased for time: Scout's proposal is /extremely/ on-target, date-wise. Merlin originates in the Welsh legendary poet and prophet /Myrddin/, who was said to have fought at the battle of Arfderydd, traditionally dated to 573. (And in fact one of the poems in the Black Book of Carmarthern is a dialogue between Myrddin and another bard!) He was originally a separate figure not linked to Arthur, but Arthur is pretty much always placed around the late 5th & early 6th century. If I had to guess what she meant by "somewhere in the 3rd to 8th century", the 3rd might refer to how some have proposed Arthur might have been based on this one Roman governor, a Lucius Artorius Castus, based on the name similarity--I will say this is a pretty solidly disproven theory, there's really nothing to link the two, and it's not even clear if Castus ever fought any battles in Britain. Meanwhile the 8th century bookend might refer to how the earliest actual securely-dated reference /to/ Arthur comes from a text from the 830s, so at the latest his legend must have started shortly before that? (That text also puts him in the 6th century, but it's fair to be skeptical of that, because it claims he was winning certain battles that we have sources on from much closer to the time /of/ said battles, that tell us other people won them and don't mention Arthur at all, making it extremely unclear if he was ever a real guy) Anyway, the actual historicity of them aside, point is that even moreso than the range of dates she gave as possible, the general agreement of even the earliest legends for when these figures were imagined lines up 100% precisely for her theory.

[@uncreativename364]

I’m too recent of a subscriber to be familiar with previous episodes of this series, but this vibe really reminds me of OSP’s Detail Diatribes. Two folks just chatting about some media while slowly building up to a greater point. I fucking love it, and I can’t wait for next week’s episode!

[@uncreativename364]

Actually, I’ve gotten further in the video, and now I’ve decided this is the perfect fusion of Detail Diatribe and Unraveled

[@AstroPeri42]

this is maybe the most excited i've ever been for the fourth episode of a podcast

[@weakmoon2363]

Aaaa it's back! And with Scout having an adorable new sona! A wonderful Halloween present

[@bonesrat]

if this is actually mount molehill i will be so hyped. running up and down the walls rn

[@hallow-oda]

this used to be my favorite podcast to listen to while going on walks, and its really good to see its revival. i was elated to receive this notification

[@cusionmon6652]

I absolutely loved this! It's wonderful and downright nostalgic hearing scout on snapcube again after so long and I super hope there will be more of these. Thank you penny for the years of content.

[@snomvish]

didn't know about this podcast until just now, and I'm really enjoying it! here's hoping yall make another one within the next 4 years!

[@DijiEva]

I’ve been listening to this while at work and I keep cackling at my desk. I really hope next week happens in less than 4 years.

[@Mastotomrocks]

Finding out that canonically the VeggieTales cast can’t go to heaven has destroyed what little of my innocence I have left.

[@kal7522]

This is great and 4 days after the Athena P. Video on the Halloween town lore. A fantastic Halloween for Disney channel original movies lovers.

[@rustyruby16]

if this is Mt Molehill ill be ecstatic i used to listen to the podcast all the time on drives its so good EDIT: LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOO

[@nishihii]

i'm not usually a guy for podcasts, and yet i've had this one playing for an hour and a half without pausing. you two always prove to be very entertaining and charismatic

[@Eepy-Rose]

Very happy to see Scout here! Fun fact I followed her on Twitter forever ago then forgot then after they came out as trans I just thought that was some random girl I had no context on. Then like months later I clicked her Twitter link under the shadow fandub and realized HOLY SHIT THAT'S THE SAME PERSON???

[@soursaturn202]

So happy to see a new episode!

[@that_qtpi]

cant believe the mt molehill hiatus lasted just as long as the biden presidency, its so fucking good to be back

[@avian2487]

Absolute banger. Gonna go re listen to Hypothesis for the 1000th time and listen to it a thousand more times.

[@spexification]

IT'S BEEN EIGHTY FOUR YEARS. I'VE BEEN LIKE A LOYAL DOG WAITING FOR ITS OWNER TO COME BACK. I AM BASKING IN THE GLORY THAT IS THE SHENANIGANS i mean i'm so happy to listen to this week's episode! :D

[@gakulon]

2:21:20 Jesus says to get a binky I was so happy listening to this entire episode, so glad that you two came back to this format!! it was amazing 😄

[@isilune5830]

obligatory YIPPPEEE MT MOLEHILL IS BACK!! literally my fav podcast Of All Time so this was great to listen to as i speedran my uni work :) also WALES MENTIONED!!!!!!!!!!! a really cool lil wrinkle is that gwen and dylan are both welsh origin names so... lore there?? another thing i thought was interesting with the historical research is that a descendant of richard cromwell was oliver cromwell who is probably one of the only figures hated by british and irish ppl alike, he abolished the monarchy for a bit in the uk (and as ruler he was kinda shit and extremely brutal in ireland in particular). im operating on literally no brain power rn but surely that can fit in somewhere

[@jimazo]

An interesting conclusion of Scout's theory is that history is repeating itself specifically with Kalabar and Aggie. Scout repeatedly notes in her theory that the Cromwells sequestered resources away to make Halloweentown their own domain separate from the crown's influence, which is significant because the Cromwells were not of royal blood. Aggie and her family would be chasing that aristocratic position that the systems of their time could not let them properly achieve, and then survive the ensuing decrease in power over the next few centuries in their isolated feudal domain. Kalabar, in turn, wants his own power in his own domain despite not originating from aristocratic origins in Scout's theory (she said he was possibly a contracter). Now that the Cromwells have cemented themselves as the hereditary authority, Kalabar is rubbing elbows and sequestering resources in just the way the Cromwells did back when they were a just well-to-do family of commoners being trusted with work by the English royals.

[@lichqueenmara]

AaaHHHH! So glad to see you ladies are back! Now I need to go back and watch the previous ones again too :)

[@mazapan7829]

WHAT!! RETURN OF MY FAVORITE POSCAST EVER??

[@mordo1191]

MT. MOLEHILL IS BACK BABBBYYYY

[@breadlyss]

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD THEY BROUGHT IT BACK YIPPIE

[@noriakikakyoin5745]

27:00 All these years later, it’s still impossible to escape the house of mirrors

[@hatster401]

the way your two theories combine to form this image of a manmade church (halloweentown) that is manipulated by agatha cromwell so she can keep power over it is driving me insane

[@yellowwarbler3972]

Scout comparing Aggie to Homelander was so fucking funny lmaoo

[@moonrocks-19]

SCOUTS SONA LOOKS SO LOVELY

[@sneakiestsnek3150]

I've been quietly missing this series the entire time it was on break. I am so unimaginably happy to hear that it's something you're both enjoying, and I'm glad to have another episode!

[@smallbabyedwards]

My prayers/eldritch invocations have been answered!

[@3shakebreak]

I'm new enough to snapcube that I didn't know about this podcast but I love it! Happy Halloween!

[@softy5447]

Holy shit the teaser it was so obvious, god that movie that was omnipresent for ALL of october every year. Just such a strange concept of a movie

[@bunshine]

OHH wow!! the GRAND return!!!! so cool to see scout on the channel again :)

[@chubingtonpanda4489]

All right! We've all aged an appropriate amount to fully appreciate this bountiful offering, hoorah.

[@ModestZach]

I have never heard of this podcast until now, but I am fully bought in.

[@sumieel5163]

OMG???? I'm so happy to see this podcast again this is so good omg

[@quackmasterson5128]

i can't believe it. i've dreamed about this exact thing probably