Animaestro

Animaestro is an epsidoe of Thomas' Adventures of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Summary:
Humiliated at the premiere of his new Ladybug and Cat Noir movie, A film director and Peter Sam get akumatized into Animaestro and Peter Saminator, who want to show the world what animation films can really do. Ladybug, Cat Noir, OpThomas Prime, and Big Hero 6 will need to act fast if they don't want it to be a sellout.

PLOT
Marinette and Tikki watch a trailer for a new animated movie about Ladybug and Cat Noir, though Marinette gets annoyed when the trailer says that she's afraid of cats. The director of the movie, Thomas Astruc, announces that Ladybug and Cat Noir won't be coming to the premiere, but he hopes that they'll enjoy his movie. Tikki is surprised that Ladybug turned down the movie premiere invitation, to which Marinette says that she is a superhero, not a star who can sit around watching a movie premiere. Nadja Chamack announces that Jagged Stone, Gabriel Agreste, and Gabriel's son Adrien Agreste are going to the premiere. Upon hearing that Adrien will be there, Marinette instantly regrets turning down the invitation.

A little while later, Hiro, Aunt Cass, Tom and Sabine discuss how much food they have to make for the big premiere. Sabine mentions that they should've hired someone to serve all the food for the guests. Upon hearing this, Marinette instantly volunteers, though Tom and Sabine recognize that she only wants the job because Adrien will be at the premiere. They are also not sure about hiring her because of how clumsy she is. However, upon noticing how upset Marinette is over this, they agree to hire her but decide to bake twice as many treats just in case.

Marinette excitedly rushes to her room and pulls out a special macaron she had previously made for Adrien. Tikki thinks that Tom's macarons will be enough, but Marinette says that Adrien deserves a special macaron to show him just how special he is to her. She pictures how Adrien will react to it and what she'll say in response. Tikki asks her if this is why she bakes a single macaron every Sunday, to which Marinette says that one never knows when the perfect opportunity will arise. Nadja is outside the movie theater where she announces the premiere of the animated Ladybug and Cat Noir movie. She announces the arrival of Clara Nightingale, who sang all the songs in the movie. The security guard greets her and claims to be a big fan before letting her in. However, when Thomas tries to enter, the security guard stops him, claiming the event is private. Thomas says that he's the director of the movie and shows him his ID. The security guard becomes excited upon hearing this, asking him if he filmed Ladybug and Cat Noir and what they are like in real life. However, Thomas explains that it is an animated movie, therefore no one was filmed. He begins to explain the process of animation, but the security guard doesn't care and just lets him in. Inside the theater, Tom explains to Marinette how she should serve the guests and gives her a tray. Marinette asks if there should be macarons on the tray, to which Sabine says that they'll put them on as soon as she is ready. Marinette assures them that she is and promises to be careful. Tom reluctantly gives puts a stack of macarons on Marinette's tray and allows her to start serving the guests. However, after only a few seconds, Marinette nearly trips and struggles to catch herself. Meanwhile, Jagged expresses his excitement to Thomas over getting to see Ladybug's new movie, though Thomas says that the movie is technically his since he's the director. Jagged asks him if he was the one who wrote the story. Thomas says no, as the screenwriters write the story. Jagged figures that he must've done the drawing then, though Thomas says that's not the case either as the animators do that. Jagged asks him what he does, though before Thomas can answer, Marinette nearly trips over them but is caught by Jagged, who then boasts about Marinette's drawing talents to Thomas, stating that she was the one who designed his glasses and album cover. Marinette offers Thomas a macaron, though a whole bunch of other people grab the macarons on the tray before he can get one. Therefore, Marinette heads back to her parents for a new tray. Tom and Sabine are relieved that Marinette is doing good, though they begin to panic upon noticing that Adrien has arrived and Marinette has spotted him. Marinette puts her special macaron on top of the tray and practices what she will say to Adrien when she gives it to him. When Adrien waves at her, Marinette waves back but nearly drops the tray in the process. Though she catches it, the special macaron falls off and Marinette quickly rushes to grab it.Chloé orders Thomas to get her a dark chocolate macaron. However, Thomas tells her that he is not a waiter but a director. Chloé asks him if he was responsible for the movie, which Thomas confirms. Chloé becomes upset with him as Queen Bee was left out of the trailer and calls him lame. Upon noticing Marinette, she also criticizes him for hiring her as a waitress, though Thomas claims that he wasn't the one who hired her. Meanwhile, Marinette continues to chase her special macaron, only for it to keep getting unintentionally kicked by many of the guests. Adrien notices that Marinette is having some trouble and wants to help her, but Nathalie informs him that he is expected to welcome the Tsurugis just as Kagamiand her mother walk in. Marinette catches her macaron but then notices the Tsurugis. Both she and Chloé are unhappy to see Kagami, much to each others' surprise. Marinette asks Chloé if she knows her, and Chloé explains that she despises her because she had once caught her sitting next to Adrien and tried telling her to back off, only for her to tell her off. Adrien greets Kagami and Mrs. Tsurugi in Japanese, and two greet him back. Mrs. Tsurugi informs Gabriel that she has brought him the documents they discussed during their prior agreement, to which Gabriel thanks her in Japanese. Nathalie tells Mrs. Tsurugi to follow her while Adrien tells Kagami that he is really happy to see her again. Kagami says that she is happy to see him, too. Upon noticing Marinette and Chloé, Kagami moves closer to Adrien and holds his arm as the two walk off. Chloé angrily attempts to go after Kagami but is held back by Marinette. Chloé decides that the two of them need a plan and steals a seating chart from the security guard, though she is angered upon discovering that she is two rows behind Adrien. Marinette is unsure about going along with Chloé's plan, but Chloé convinces her to do so by saying that if they do nothing, Adrien and Kagami might end up moving to Japan together. While Marinette searches for some things, Tikki asks Marinette if she's really going to team up with Chloé, to which Marinette says that it's only to stop Kagami from kidnapping Adrien and taking him to Japan. As part of Chloé's plan Marinette brings her a garbage bag, ladle, and cooking string. Chloé says that she asked for rope, but Marinette says that the string was all she could find. Chloé takes a bunch of macarons, puts them in the garbage bag, and smashes them to bits. She then spits her gum into the ladle and gives it to Marinette, warning her not to screw up. Meanwhile, Thomas is trampled by a bunch of kids wanting to meet Ladybug. However, a lady informs them that Ladybug isn't there and they're meeting the director of the movie. When the kids express their disappointment, Thomas gets irritated.

Marinette pretends to clumsily trip in front of Adrien and Kagami, where she then places the wad of gum Chloé gave her near Kagami's shoes while Chloé gives Jagged a piece of cake, telling him to hold it for her. Marinette then gives Adrien her special macaron, which Chloé scolds her for as that wasn't part of the plan. However, when the wad of gum gets stuck to Kagami's shoe, Chloé says that is part of the plan and begins Phase 2. Adrien attempts to find Kagami a seat to sit on but finds that almost all of them have macaron crumbs on them. Marinette approaches Jagged and asks for his autograph, to which he agrees. He puts the slice of cake on a nearby chair before doing so. Meanwhile, Adrien finds a chair for Kagami to sit on, but unbeknownst to him, Chloé tied the cooking string to that chair and the one with the cake on it. She pulls the string, swapping Adrien's chair with the chair with cake on top. However, before Kagami can sit on it, her mother calls out to her and Thomas ends up sitting on it instead, as he gets frustrated with the kids when they say that he didn't do anything to make the movie happen. He notices Marinette's special macaron and eats it but quickly develops an allergic reaction as it contains almonds. He also notices that the cake on the seat got on his pants and rants about his special night being ruined, though, apart from Peter Sam, no one seems to really care. Thomas sadly heads for the bathroom. Peter Sam sadly watches him leave, and is at a loss of what to do. Hawk Moth and Infinite sense Thomas' and Peter Sam's sadness and send an akuma and Phantom Ruby chip after him. The akuma infects Thomas' ID and Hawk Moth offers him the power to show everyone what an animation director is capable of in exchange for Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses. Thomas agrees and is transformed into Animaestro. At the same time, the Phantom Ruby chip infects Peter Sam's special funnel, and Infinite offers Peter Sam similar powers to Animaestro, and to help Animaestro get Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses. Peter Sam accepts the deal, and is turned into Peter Saminator. Adrien helps Kagami get the gum off her shoe while Mrs. Tsurugi tells him that it's no wonder Kagami speaks so much of him, as his father raised him to be a refined young man. Meanwhile, Marinette observes Adrien and Kagami becoming closer and is upset over the entire plan ending in disaster. Chloé angrily blames Marinette and asks her what the deal was with the macaron. Marinette tells her that is was passion fruit flavored. Chloé recognizes that’s Adrien’s favorite macaron flavor and realizes that Marinette has a crush on him. She laughs at her, claiming that Marinette is a nobody in his eyes and decides to tell Adrien about her crush to prove it. However, before she can, Animaestro appears at the premiere, determined to show everyone what an animation director is capable of. Chloé dismisses him and turns her attention back to Adrien, only to find that he’s disappeared. Marinette finds a good hiding spot and vows never to listen to Chloé’s advice again before transforming into Ladybug. Animaestro, in the form of a 2D dragon, attacks Paris with mouth beams. Cat Noir tells Animaestro that they would’ve come to his movie premiere if they’d known how upset he was going to get. Ladybug adds that the trailer for the movie is ridiculous, as it claims that she’s afraid of cats despite that not actually being the case. Animaestro is annoyed that Ladybug is slamming the movie before she's even watched it and attacks the duo, though Ladybug insists that she was merely giving constructive criticism. While fighting him, Ladybug and Cat Noir figure out that Animaestro’s akuma is in his ladybug-printed mask as it is the only part of him that doesn't change when he transforms. Ladybug calls on her Lucky Charm and receives a head camera. She puts it on her head but she and Cat Noir are soon attaked by Animaestro again. In the form of Majestia, he shoots laser eyes at the duo, causing them to fall into the underground sewers. Hawk Moth tells Animaestro to takes their Miraculouses as they are at his mercy. Therefore, Animaestro jumps into the sewer, transforms into a cartoon ninja, and makes a bunch of purple smoke appear. He prepares to take their Miraculouses, but due to all the smoke, the duo end up closing their eyes and suddenly, Animaestro freezes. When Cat Noir reopens his, Animaestro is able to move again and once more tries to seize their Miraculouses, only for the duo to dodge him and then reclose their eyes, once again causing him to freeze. However, a civilian looks down into the sewers, asking if Ladybug and Cat Noir are okay, allowing Animaestro to move again. However, Ladybug and Cat Noir attack him with their weapons, forcing him to retreat.Once he's gone, Cat Noir wonders why Animaestro didn't try to take their Miraculouses while they were blinded. Ladybug figures that they must've missed something and decides to look at her Lucky Charm for clues. The duo discover that if no one is watching Animaestro, he is unable to move. Now knowing how to defeat him, they head out of the sewers.

In the form of a cartoon unicorn, Animaestro shoots mouth beams at buildings, causing them to disappear. Ladybug and Cat Noir show up and instruct the citizens nearby to stop watching Animaestro. However, even though they all close their eyes, Animaestro is still able to move. Ladybug realizes that more people must be watching at home on TV and, while Cat Noir distracts Animaestro, she approaches Nadja and the camera crew and tells the viewers to stop watching Animaestro. However, Animaestro tells her that there will always be at least one person watching him, to which it's revealed that Hawk Moth is watching him through a tablet in his lair. Therefore, Ladybug breaks Nadja’s camera, cutting the live footage. Hawk Moth angrily smashes his tablet and orders Animaestro to hurry. He and Infinite then exit his lair, and upon seeing the live footage on his computer is off too, Hawk Moth detransforms, and heads to the battle scene, with Infinite following close behind, warning Gabriel that he will be exposed as Hawk Moth.

Ladybug and Cat Noir continue to battle Animaestro, who says that everyone must watch animation. However, Cat Noir points out that he and Ladybug are the only ones left, with Ladybug adding that once they close their eyes, it'll all be over. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Infinite arrive at the battle scene and frantically rush to where Ladybug, Cat Noir, OpThomas Prime, Big Hero 6, Peter Saminator, and Animaestro are in order to watch the latter. However, he is too late, as the heroes manage to freeze Animaestro and Peter Saminator by closing their eyes. Cat Noir then uses his Cataclysm on his mask, freeing the akuma, and Wasabi's plasma blade cuts through Peter Saminator's funnel, releasing the Phantom Ruby chip, which OpThomas Prime destroys. AT the same time, Ladybug purfies Animaestro's akuma, releases it, and then uses Miraculous Ladybug to return everything back to normal. Gabriel and Infinite observes this and says that Ladybug and Cat Noir should enjoy their apparent victory because triumph always comes before failure. Back at the movie premiere, Marinette begs Chloé to not tell Adrien that she has a crush on him. Chloé reveals that she has decided not to as she is not worth the extra attention and enters the theater. Thomas sees this and decides to let Marinette have his seat and enjoy the movie as he has already seen it multiple times. Marinette is baffled and Thomas sadly assumes that she doesn’t know who he is. However, Marinette says that she knows that he’s the director of the movie and thanks him before entering the theater. Thomas is happy that somebody recognized him, and Marinette discovers that her seat is next to Adrien. Adrien tells Marinette that he's glad that she was able to get into the premiere but apologizes for being unable to taste her macaron. Marinette says it’s okay as there will be other occasions.