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The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two · 2020 — Chapter 9 of 20 · 5'36" · B1

Belsnickel Steals the Star, Explained: buy some time

The villain strikes at night: cannons fire, the stables are broken open, and the reindeer is badly wounded. Belsnickel appears with mock politeness - "My apologies for any inconvenience" - and admits he took the star so he can "buy some time" to break his curse.

What happens

At night, something attacks the stables in Santa's Village and the reindeer are scattered. Belsnickel arrives, politely apologizes for the inconvenience, and reveals that he took the star. He plans to take it to the South Pole to stop aging and buy himself time to break the curse.

ThreatsArgumentsThreateningConfrontingRivalsB1slowamericanClean
IMDb ↗

Listen for

buy some timedeep down insidewatch your mouthround up

00:00 / 05:36
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  49. ❝ MonologueSouth Pole village pitch3 linesPractice page ↗
  60. ❝ MonologueCome home and hug them4 linesPractice page ↗
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Phrase of the scene

buy some time

争取时间、拖延

贝尔斯尼克说要把星星带到南极，好先停住衰老，为自己争取时间。

Stall him for a minute; I need to buy some time.

Also in this scene

  • deep down inside

    在内心深处、说到底

  • watch your mouth

    used to tell someone to stop saying rude things

  • round up

    to gather people or things together

Everything marked in this scene

41 notes across 79 lines

Phrase · B1in the middle of the night-[in English] The cannons! -What? In the middle of the night?
SoundIn the middle of the night

liaison

-[in English] The cannons! -What? In the middle of the night?
Phrase · B1someone better not be ...Jola better not be in the stables!
Phrase · B2missing something?Missing something?
Phrase · B2play nasty tricks on someoneYou've played a lot of nasty tricks in your time, Belsnickel,
Soundin your time

liaison

You've played a lot of nasty tricks in your time, Belsnickel,
Phrase · B1big dealBig deal.
Phrase · B1be supposed to happen-That wasn't supposed to happen. -[Santa] Well, it did.
Grammar · B1wasn't supposed to happen

be supposed to

-That wasn't supposed to happen. -[Santa] Well, it did.
Phrase · B2my apologies for somethingMy apologies for any inconvenience.
Phrase · B1how could you ...Belsnickel, how could you?
Phrase · B2never could have done somethingAnd I gotta thank you, Kate, because, without you, I never could have got back inside Santa's Village.
Phrase · B1a family reunionWell, folks, this little family reunion's been sweet, but it's time for me to leave.
Phrase · B1it's time for someone to do somethingWell, folks, this little family reunion's been sweet, but it's time for me to leave.
Phrase · B1not until ...Not until that star is back on the tree.
Slang · C1the shizOoh, it's gonna be the shiz. I am starting a new village.
Phrase · B2round someone/something up

to gather people or things together

And I'm gonna round up my own band of elves,
Phrase · B2make someone forget somethingand I'm gonna invent my own stuff, really cool stuff, that will make everybody forget that the North Pole
Phrase · B2buy some timeI am taking the star to the South Pole so I can stop aging and buy some time
Phrase · B2figure out a way to do somethingto figure out a way to break this awful curse.
Grammar · B2figure out a way

figure out

to figure out a way to break this awful curse.
Phrase · B1what's so bad about somethingWhat's so bad about being human?
Phrase · B2something sucksHumans suck!
Slang · B2suckHumans suck!
Phrase · B2something rulesElves rule.
Phrase · B1be tired of being somethingAnd I am tired of being a human!
Phrase · B2there's only one way to do somethingBelsnickel, there's only one way to break the curse, and that's for you to come back home to the village
Grammar · B2only one way to

there's

Belsnickel, there's only one way to break the curse, and that's for you to come back home to the village
Phrase · B2deep down insideI know that deep down inside…
Sounddeep down inside

liaison

I know that deep down inside…
Phrase · B2watch your mouth

used to tell someone to stop saying rude things

You watch your mouth, young elf!
Phrase · B2be no match for someone-But it's no match for real magic. -[chimes jingle]
Phrase · B1give it up-[glove whirs] -Give it up, Bels.
Phrase · B1not a chanceNot a chance.
Phrase · B1billions of peopleThat stupid holiday makes billions of people feel love and happiness.
Phrase · A2be about to do somethingWell, I'm about to change all of that.
Grammar · A2about to change

be about to

Well, I'm about to change all of that.
Soundchange all of that

liaison

Well, I'm about to change all of that.
Phrase · B1can't handle somethingYou couldn't handle any of the little changes that were going on around here, so you ran away.
Phrase · A2get ready for somethingBecause you spend every hour of every year getting ready for one lousy day.
Phrase · B2bring joy to someoneA day that brings joy to children all over the world,

Belsnickel Steals the Star, explained

What's really going on

The scene is the villain's entrance, and it is built on contrast: destruction first, manners after. Something breaks into the stables and hurts a reindeer, and only then does Belsnickel stroll in with "My apologies for any inconvenience." The politesse is the threat - he is not sorry, and the line is designed to taunt. What he wants is time, and he says so plainly: he will take the star and "buy some time" to undo the curse that keeps him human. His real grievance, though, is not magic but belonging; he cannot stand the family he left, and the answer to his curse is the one thing he refuses - to come home.

Theme

RevengeBelsnickel attacks the village and steals the star out of spite for the family he refuses to rejoin.
IdentityHis curse is tied to being human, and he would rather destroy the holiday than accept who he is.

Listen for

  • In the middle of the night — liaison
  • in your time — liaison
  • deep down inside — liaison
  • change all of that — liaison
Well, folks, this little family reunion's been sweet, but it's time for me to leave.

His mock-polite exit line, delivered as if he had simply dropped by for a visit.

Not until that star is back on the tree.

The condition set by the other side: nothing goes forward until the star is returned.

The only thing you ever cared about was your stupid holiday.

His accusation, reducing a whole life's work to one thing he resents.

and that will never change.

The quiet answer: the joy the holiday brings is the one thing his plan cannot touch.

Questions about this scene

What does Belsnickel want with the star?

He takes it to the South Pole so he can stop aging and buy time to break the curse that keeps him human.

Why does Belsnickel attack the stables?

He uses the attack to scare and scatter the reindeer, hurting one of them, as part of his plan to steal the star.

Why does Belsnickel hate being human?

He says humans suck and that he is tired of being one; he wants to return to being an elf and hates the family he left.

What is the only way to break the curse?

According to the others, he must come back home to the village and embrace his family.

The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two · 20 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 10one way or anotherSanta Flies with Seven Reindeer
Chapter 1come from a long line ofBelsnickel Reveals HimselfChapter 2could care lessKate Grumbles Through a Beach ChristmasChapter 3the time of one's lifeKate Sees Through the BribeChapter 4a real dragKate and Jack Reach the PoleChapter 5took matters into my own handsKate Wakes Up at the North PoleChapter 6time stands stillSanta Tours the VillageChapter 7whipped upKate and Jack Stay One NightChapter 8one of a kindMrs. Claus Tells Santa's Origin StoryWatching · Chapter 9buy some timeBelsnickel Steals the StarChapter 10one way or anotherSanta Flies with Seven ReindeerChapter 11not a moment to loseMrs. Claus Arms Jack With CookiesChapter 12hallowed groundSanta Returns to the Elf ForestChapter 13a tear in the fabric of timeThe Sleigh Tears Through TimeChapter 14for all I knowKate Gets Stopped at the AirportChapter 15the sky is fallingKate Confesses to a StrangerChapter 16see something throughKate Meets Her Father DougChapter 17a game of chickenMrs. Claus Stops the Chicken GameChapter 18at the end of the daySanta Talks Belsnickel DownChapter 19from time to timeThe Last Sleigh Ride HomeChapter 20one day at a timeKate and Jack Come Home
Chapter 9 of 20 · about 38 min to go