Shadows of Lila's Past or Helga's Masquerade II

Well, I have already posted this idea on HA! Crytical Analysis... Here we go again:

Arnold meets a pleasant rich elderly couple (BTW, have you noticed that he’s friends with many rich and famous people?). He tells them about his life, school, and about a girl he likes very much — Lila. Once they hear Lila’s description, the couple becomes excited — they recognize in Lila their long lost granddaughter, and ask Arnold to set up their meeting.

Arnold tells Lila about the news, and she’s shocked too — or rather horrified. She tells Arnold that her maternal grandparents had disowned their daughter after she married a poor man — her father — instead of a rich guy they had in mind. After her mother died, her rich and influential grandparents insisted Lila to stay with them, to live a rich life her mother repulsed, and were not letting her father to see her. Lila’s father had no other choice but “kidnap” her and flee on the other side of the country. For several years Lila and her father were traveling, too afraid to stay in the same place for too long. That’s until they decided it was safe already and they settled down in Hillwood. But now, thanks to Arnold, their location is revealed, and they would have to move again.

Somehow an idea comes up when it’s remembered how well Helga was imitating Lila during “Helga’s Masquerade”.

So, Arnold does set up the meeting of Lila and her grandparents, but instead of Lila he takes Helga dressed up as Lila instead. Helga loves it: she pretends to be Arnold’s girlfriend, and takes full advantage of it. Plus, she makes fun of Lila, mocking her behavior. Helga, pretending to be Lila, demonstrates all the faults and vices a girl can have — until “her” grandparents are fed up, and leave, stating that they don’t want to have anything in common with this girl who can do nothing but disgrace them, and they don’t want to see her ever again.

Lila’s happy — she can stay in Hillwood. And Arnold can’t help but repeat in mind all the flirty moments he had with Helga during this insane evening.

The only potential problem that I can see with this idea stems from a chat with Craig, where I'm pretty sure he said that "Timberly Loves Arnold" was intended to end Arnold's infatuation with Lila just in time for the movie.

If that's true, then we would have to keep Arnold and Lila as just friends...at least the real Lila (Helga's interpretation of Lila would probably be more than friends).

Even though "Lila is over", I still think that once asked if there are any girl classmates he likes, he would tell about Lila not about Helga. Liking Helga is too "unconventional", it is not what you tell the people you met for the first time.

Oh no, I wouldn't expect Arnold to say that he likes Helga (not yet anyway )

But, I still think that the name Lila leaves a bad taste in his mouth, and so I wouldn't expect him to say that he likes her either. Maybe he could say something like, "Well there was this one girl, Lila, but things didn't work out very well with her." Then upon hearing that name the grandparents get excited and ask him to describe her.

o_o I can think of no grandparents who would decide they never want to see their grandchild again... regardless of how the child behaves... And even if Lila rarely saw/was hiding from her grandparents, I'm not so sure she would be thrilled to find out that they will never want a relationship with her. Ever. Things cannot be worked out, her mother's parents hate her, the end. >_>

Maybe a less "my grandparents now hate me" ending would be more Hey Arnold-ish? ^^;;

Well, the grandparents are supposed to be rather snobbish, plus they already have disowned their daughter.

But, yes, probably the ending should be different.

Maybe we can do a happier ending. Erm, okay, so let's say their grandparents see how obnoxious 'Lila' is and were like "Oh gosh, this is how your father brought you up? You are coming back with us to (wherever they were from) for some ettiquete lessons.


I honestly have no idea what happens after the grandparents found out that the Lila they saw was not the real Lila. But I can imagine Lila standing up for her dad.
"So maybe he isn't the richest dad in the world. But he loves me as much as he must have loved mum! And I'd rather (crazy stuff) than leave him!"
Yea, and the couple changes their mind and let's her stay and also at the same time accepting Lila's dad

Yeah, what you propose makes the story more Hey-Arnoldish.

Maybe the grandparents should try to take "Lila" away to raise her "correctly", and Arnold and Lila will have to save her now. But yes, the story should end with the grandparents accepting their son in law and his right to bring up his daughter. After all, in comparison with fake Lila she's perfect, which confirms that Lila's father is a good father.

Hellerick, is it okay if I write a script for some parts I have in mind for this episode?

It's not okay, it's cool.

Go ahead.

ilike it very much!
"Lila" is Helga?
Its like a win-lose ep fest XD

I think the part where Arnold has to ask Helga to dress up like Lila would be funny... but accurate? Why would Helga do anything like that... for Arnold? She is still pretending to hate him, even though he knows that she doesn't... so it seems a little far-fetched that she'd go ahead and help him out. I think she'd want something in return... or at least make a show of pretending that the only way she'd help him out is if he did something in return... but he does know that she loves him now and would probably do it for free... so here's how I see the scene going down...

"Okay, Football Head, I'll help ya out... IF you do my homework for a whole month."

"Helga, I am not going to-"

"Do you know how itchy that stinkin' Lila constume IS, Arnoldo?! No way I'm doing it for free... especially for a football head like you." She glares at him, pointing a finger in his face.

He just crosses his arms over his chest and stares at her with an eyebrow raised.

---

"I can't believe, I'm doing this for free for a football head like you." She says, dressed up in the Lila costume and waiting for Lila's grandparents to show up.

"It was the right thing to do, Helga."

She mutters something about, "Stupid yellow-haired, football faced little dweeb..." under her breath.

Eh, what do you think? Maybe she actually would make him do something in return... but if so, what would it be?

This us actually all I've got for now. I'm hungry, so naturally I can't really think. lol

I'll post more later, maybe... when my brain is working better.

Lol that reminds of the episode dinner for four.
Helga: Noway am I gonna own up and end up cleaning dishes.
___________

Helga: I can't believe I owned up and ended up washing dishes.

SO I guess your idea would totally work!

I love those lines of hers!
lol! Have a stare shhowdown and . . .
Lila costume XD