An Easter Carol

An Easter Carol is the twenty-first episode in the VeggieTales animated series, released in early 2004 on DVD and VHS by Everland and Warner Home Video In March 8, 2005 and 2006, Sony Wonder reprinted the show on VHS & DVD with newer feature, including the Studio Store. It lacks a subtitle, but the lesson it conveys is to remind viewers of the Christian significance of Easter. It is longer than most episodes, running to approximately 49 minutes. This is the first episode to have a bonus silly song DVD that re-released in 2009 and the only episode to have a white tape.

The episode is a reworking of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The storyline is similar with Mr. Nezzer playing the role of Ebenezer. It is the sequel to The Star of Christmas and picks up where that episode left off with Cavis and Millward going to work in Mr. Nezzer's Easter Egg factory.

Plot
The local church is having a new window unveiling service the next day on Easter. We find out that Ebenezer Nezzer used to come to church with his grandma when he was little, but no longer goes. Reverend Gilbert and his son Edmond agree to pay Ebenezer a visit and invite him to the Easter service.

Next viewers see Ebenezer's factory which is full of mechanical chickens hatching plastic Easter eggs. Cavis Appythart and Millward Phelps are workers in the factory and the two are arguing over who should approach Ebenezer and ask for a day off for Easter. When they finally do ask, Ebenezer goes into a long history of how his grandmother started Easter by making Easter eggs. He recalled that before his grandma died, she told him to tell everyone "Easter means no death". Nezzer misunderstands this, thinking that as long as he makes Easter eggs he will keep his grandma alive forever. When Rev. Gilbert, and Edmond have arrived, Ebenezer explains that he plans to tear down the local church and build Easterland (a Disney World-esque theme park) in its place. When the others protest, Ebenezer gets angry and ejects them all from the factory. Everyone is worried about the demolition of the church but since Nezzer owns the property they are unable to stop him.

That night, Ebenezer falls asleep when he sees a vision of his grandma telling him he has missed the point, and at the stroke of midnight, he will receive a second visitor to help him understand. Meanwhile, Cavis and Millward are trying to break into the factory to steal the Easterland plans despite being on probation for stealing the Star of Christmas in the previous episode. Mr. Nezzer then wakes up from his vision and then intends to stay awake for the visitor.

Ebenezer has fallen asleep waiting for the visitor when a clockwork egg suddenly opens and Hope emerges. She wakes Ebenezer and starts showing him Easter past - a church service. We see young Ebenezer and his grandma sitting in the church. Grandma is trying to get Ebenezer to understand the story of Easter but the youngster is mainly focused on selling his eggs and why the egg he received is empty. Next, Hope shows him Easter a year ago, when Ebenezer first started making plastic Easter eggs. He talks to an inventor and when he sings a rhythm song about how the inventor should make him plastic chickens that lay plastic eggs, he (Inventor) agrees, is not paid, but Ebenezer does give him an early free pass to Easterland much to Hope's dismay.

They return to Easter present and visit the Reverend's house they are discussing about the church it is then revealed that Grandma Nezzer paid for all those church windows herself, and that just before she died she commissioned the new window that they were going to reveal tomorrow. Ebenezer is adamant that remaining loyal to his grandma' business and Easterland is the only way to maintain her memory for him. They next find out that little Edmond is very ill and will not survive for another year if nothing changes. Ebenezer is shocked on how Edmond's parents are so calm with such news. Hope then takes Mr. Nezzer back into the church and teaches him the story of Jesus' life mission, his crucifixion, and eventually his resurrection. With a deeper understanding of Easter's eternal significance, Ebenezer finally accepts his grandmother's passing.

Then Hope welcomes Nezzer to 'Easter future'. The church is being demolished, the orphanage is gone, Little Edmond has died, And without the Hope of Easter, the town's once-brave policeman has lost courage to stop criminals. Hope disappears back into the egg and Ebenezer pleads for her to come back because they need her. He rushes back to the church to try to stop the demolition, and wakes up. He finds out that it is still Easter Present and he still has another chance. Nezzer is able to stop the demolition crew just as they are about to start the church demolition.

Millward suddenly rushes into and shouts that Cavis is trapped in the factory and the chickens are overheating. The entire place is about to explode. Ebenezer rushes back into the factory to save Cavis, and they escape by being catapulted out of one of the factory's windows by one of the machines just when the building explodes. It starts raining Easter eggs across the town from the explosion and Nezzer promises to help young Edmond get the medicine he needs with the money he has left after fixing the orphanage.

Songs
This episode does not contain the "VeggieTales Theme Song" or "What Have We Learned" but does contain these:
 * Another Easter Day
 * 113 Years Ago
 * You Didn't Listen
 * Boids!
 * Hope's Song - Rebecca St. James
 * Another Easter Day (Reprise)