An Engine of Many Colours

An Engine of Many Colors is an episode of Roary the Racing Car's Adventures of Thomas and Friends: Series 22.

Summary
Set after 'The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor', and during 'A Shed for Edward', James has a succession of dreams about being repainted different colours. Each different colour seems fine once he gets used to it and even makes him more splendid. But, each time that James starts to show off, he dreams that he has another crash. It isn't until Princess Luna comes to James' rescue in his final dream, to help him discover that no matter what colour he's painted, he always will be the same James everyone knows and loves and what you do to be Really Useful is more important, as well.

Plot
The episode begins with James, pulling coaches at first, but then it changes to him racing along the line, showing off and trying to prove that he was the fastest red engine on Sodor. Thomas narrates how James' brakes failed and he ended up crashing at the back of Tidmouth Sheds, damaging himself and destroying the berth that Edward slept in.

Then, we turned at the Sodor Steamworks at night where workmen are looking up at a sobbing James. James tearfully laments his paintwork being all ruined. Victor kindly tells him they'll have him fixed in no time. But James explains that the Fat Controller threatened to paint him blue if he misbehaved again once before. Kevin comes rushing over. He tells Victor he can't find anymore red paint but adds they have plenty of blue paint, to which James is utterly disgusted. He then fearfully says that if he is painted blue, he will never be the same. James' first dream starts.

His first dream begins with Thomas and Emily there and some of our heroes, and children on the platforms. James arrives. Emily and Thomas are both shocked to see James and ask him about his paint. Even our heroes are shocked as well. James looks back and, to his horror, discovers that he is now blue. He says that no one will think he's splendid now that he is blue. Thomas sighs and then, the Station Master asks James to take the Express for Gordon, the latter having come down with boiler ache. James is reluctant as he is worried people will make fun of his new paint. Thomas explains to James that the colour he is doesn't matter, it's what he does to be Really Useful that does. The cars agree, saying that James is still the same despite being a different colour. A little girl then mistakes James for Edward, much to James' offence. James then sets off with the Express.

Once James was coupled to the Express coaches and went on his way, he sees that the Express coaches are glowing and have suddenly gotten lighter. James starts to get used to his new paint and thinks that he can go as fast as he likes. He speeds up and whizzes past Spencer. Spencer warns James to stop showing off before he crashes again. James says that he knows, but then sees he's about to crash into the Vicarstown Bridge. He slams on his brakes and shuts his eyes as everything goes black.

James wakes up from his nightmare with a fright. He relaxes once he realizes that it was a dream. He then sees Henry outside pulling the Flying Kipper and went back to sleep and starts dreaming again.

His second dream begins with Stanley, Percy and our heroes in the shunting yard. James once again arrives. Percy and Stanley ask James about his paint. James once again looks back and, to his horror, discovers that he is now green. He says how terrible it is. Maxi laughs at James and his misfortune, but Roary and Cici tell James that green is a nice colour. Stanley also adds that Henry wants James to take his heavy goods train for him. James reluctantly agrees.

While James is pulling the heavy good train, he notices that the trucks are hovering above the tracks and glowing and have suddenly gotten lighter. James gets used to the green paint and thinks it makes him stronger. He speeds up and puffs up Gordon's hill, passing Rosie on the way. James tells Rosie she should be painted like him, but Rosie tells him to stop showing off before he crashes yet again. James ignores her until he sees Edward ahead of him with a goods train. James warns Edward he's coming and slams on his brakes and shuts his eyes as everything goes black once more.

James wakes up from his second nightmare with a fright. He settles down when he realizes he was having another bad dream, but he thinks it is too much. He then looks up at the silver moon and went back to sleep with a yawn and starts dreaming once again.

His third and final dream begins with The Duke and Duchess of Boxford waiting on the platform. James arrives with Spencer's special coaches. The Duke then says to James that they're glad to have him while Spencer is away. The Duchess sees that James' silver paint is polished. James once again looks back and, to his joy, discovers that he is now silver. He says that he thinks that's what he calls looking splendid as he puffs away.

James then speeds around the Island, passing Gordon on the way. Gordon tells him to stop showing off, but James ignores him. He speeds up Gordon's Hill and flies through the air spinning. The Duke tells James that it's getting bumpy. James lands on the tracks and apologizes. The Duchess tells James to stop showing off before he crashes yet again. When James hears this and "Another crash" keeps echoing on, he sees several of his friends passing him on the other line saying the sentence over and over again. Then Diesel appears, going backwards, saying to James evilly and deviously "Go on. Crash.". As Diesel's laughter echoes, James looks sideways worriedly and then looks forward at Knapford where Philip was shunting freight trucks. James yells to Philip, who pushes harder. James almost has a collision with the trucks but manages to avoid them. Suddenly, his dream turns into the steamworks where he is on a multicoloured turntable which spins as he shouts the names of various colors. James and the turntable spin down into the black void.

Then suddenly there was a bright light. James opens his eyes and find himself in a strange, ethereal space full of stars and nebulae. He wonders where he is, what is this place and that is he still dreaming. Then he hears a familiar voice, saying "You are indeed still asleep and still dreaming, James". James realizes he is still asleep and believes it to be part of his dream. Princess Luna appears before him, greeting him and explains that it is her duty to come into the dreams of her subjects as Princess of the Night, either at Equestria or the Island of Sodor. Luna tells James that when he wakes up, his greatest fears will still exist, even when he goes back to sleep. James sadly admits that he is now and still afraid that he kept showing off, he'll end up in another crash, just like he did the day before, and also afraid of being painted in a different color that will not work out for himself. He also says that he wants to change but he doesn't know how. Luna first tells him that the engines, people and cars in his dreams are trying to tell him all along, but he just kept ignoring them. James says he knows and apologizes for it. Luna then tells James that he can change himself, only if he is truly and honestly willing to. James asks her what she means. Luna then goes on to explain that it isn't what colour you are that matters, it's what you do to be really useful that does. James remembers what Thomas told him in his first dream, and processes it carefully. James finally realizes that Luna and the engines and cars are right all along, but the dream begins to dissipate and James starts screaming as he suddenly begins to fall into another black void.

James is still screaming in his sleep in reality. The cars are trying to wake him up. James wakes up and calms down. Then the Fat Controller arrives and he talks to James. James, remembering what Luna and the cars told him, sincerely apologizes to the Fat Controller for showing off yesterday and explains that he is ready for a new colour as long as he can be Really Useful again, while the Fat Controller looks at him quizzically. The Fat Controller asks James what he's talking about. James explains that he had three dreams and he learns to accept which colour he would be. The Fat Controller gets the idea, and says that he did tell James a long time ago that if he misbehaved again, he would have him painted blue, but however, he can now see that James is sorry and he thinks that it's only right to have him painted in a color that suits him best. He shows James at his side Victor pushing a flatbed of paint cans towards him and a worker opens one of the cans. It's red. James only smiles and says "Oh...", off-screen.

Sometime later, Thomas and Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Starlight Glimmer are at Knapford Station. James arrives, off-screen and greets them. Thomas, Twilight and her friends greeted James back and compliment him and welcoming him back, all repaired and repainted, as well. James is shown that he was repainted in his normal red livery. James says that he is not going to say a word about his paintwork today. Thomas, Twilight and the others are surprised at this. James tells them that it doesn't matter what colour he is, it's what he do to be Really Useful that matters. Thomas asks James who told him that. James says that Thomas did and Princess Luna, too, in a dream, and then puffs off to do his job. The gang is confused at what James said. As James puffs away, he quietly said to himself that he bets that his shiny red paintwork does look splendid again. The episode ends with while puffing away, James looks up at the sky and sees Princess Luna winking and smiles at his solution, and James smiles back at her.