A Friend in Deed

A Friend in Deed is the eighteenth episode of the second season of Legends of the Multiverse: Friendship is Universe and the forty-fourth episode overall. When a newcomer, Donkey, moves to Multiville, Rapunzel attempts to befriend him, but her attempts end in failure. The title is a word play on the saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." This episode had the most songs within an episode, until its successor Magical Mystery Cure surpassed it with seven songs.

Production
In October 2021 showrunner and supervising director Jayson Thiessen shared two cryptic photographs of the stop-motion setup with his Twitter followers, which later became the scene through Rapunzel's imagination animated in felt. The scene was originally intended to be animated the same way as the rest of the series. The shapes were cut out by Thiessen's wife Jocelan, and animated by Thiessen himself in their basement.

On November 9, 2025, episode writer Amy Keating Rogers posted a scene from the first draft of the script on Twitter that was cut from the final episode. This scene involves Sally Acorn rejecting advances from a squirrel named "Nutty-a-Gus" at the same time Rapunzel is talking to Kairi about Cranky Doodle Donkey.

The scenes when Rapunzel says Happy Birthday to Britney Akiwara, dresses up in her workout outfit and as a beaver respectably, and the Smile Song reappear in Cakes for the Memories.

Prologue
The episode opens at Corona Sugarcube Corner. Rapunzel turns on exercise music, dons a workout outfit, and proceeds to exercise while making silly faces. As she pauses for a moment, it is revealed she is entertaining Sage and Ginger, who are unimpressed by her antics. Taking a breath after her failed attempt, she accidentally sits on a set of jacks. Leaping into the air in pain, she gets caught in the ceiling fan and thrown into a pile of stuffed toys, causing the babies to giggle at her misfortune. Finally achieving her goal, she pumps her hooves in the air and declares, "Nailed it!"

Smiling through town
Later, Rapunzel trots through Multiville: she compliments Rose Huntsgirl on her Calla lilies (though they are actually true lilies) and Mr. McGucket on his bow tie; she wishes a happy birthday to Caline Bustier, a happy day-after-birthday to Britney Akiwara, and a happy birthday 132 days in advance to a donkey named Shiftless, who is amazed that Rapunzel can remember everything about everyone living in Multiville. Rapunzel explains that everyone is her friend, and above all, she loves to make her friends smile, leading into the Smile Song. Pinkie amasses a large crowd parading through Multiville, ending face to face with a grumpy-looking donkey hauling a large wagon.

Cranky Doodle Donkey
Upon seeing the donkey, she introduces herself and asks his name. After several guesses from Rapunzel, the donkey reluctantly reveals that his name is Donkey from DreamWorks Animation film Shrek. Rapunzel sings about his name to the tune of the song. When Rapunzel refers to him as Donkey, he angrily tells her never to use the name and continues ignoring her. A confused Rapunzel, bemused by being rejected for the first time, shows her logic progression through a scene animated by stop-motion and felt cutouts. However, she resolves to befriend him by any means necessary. As Rapunzel tries to strike up a conversation, Donkey reveals that he has moved to Multiville to be alone with his memories. Rapunzel proceeds to look through all his things in his wagon, annoying the donkey even further.

From bad to worse
Having been denied Donkey's wagon, Rapunzel brings out an actual welcome wagon. Donkey reluctantly lets her get on with her greeting. One brief song later, both of them end up covered in cake batter due to Rapunzel mixing up the oven with the confetti cannon. The confetti knocks Donkey's toupee off, which lands on Rapunzel. She immediately mistakes it for a spider and tramples it, further annoying Donkey. Seeking to fix her mistake, Rapunzel climbs a flagpole and loudly begs everyone in the vicinity for a toupee, proclaiming Donkey's baldness and infuriating him even further. Saddened by his discontent, Rapunzel drags him to a spa, and tops off the treatment with a gift: a new toupee designed by Nene, which resembles the sea serpent's hairstyle from Friendship is Universe, Part 2 as well as the hair of Johnny Bravo. He thanks her for it, but fails to bust out a smile.

Unpacking to unfriending
Later that day, as Donkey is busy unpacking his things at his new house, Rapunzel drops by to see him and plays with a snow globe with a miniature Candy Chiu inside. As they talk, Rapunzel learns that Donkey has traveled all over Multitopia, including Fillydelphia and Manhattan, looking for a 'special friend' whom Donkey lets slip to be a lady. Rapunzel then discovers a scrapbook and flips through it, finding something that catches her eye. As she tries to ask Donkey about it, a series of mishaps sets the book on fire. She attempts to douse the flames, ruining the pages. Donkey is furious at Rapunzel for ruining his scrapbook and throws her out, telling her that he will never be her friend.

Massive apology
After Donkey's rejection leaves Rapunzel feeling dejected and sad, she goes to Kairi for some advice. Kairi and Sally Acorn, who is reading a Zak Storm book, explain that she just has to accept that Donkey wants to be left alone. Rapunzel agrees and decides to leave him alone, but only after he accepts her apology. As she tries to apologize, Donkey flees her. She chases him around town trying everything to get him to accept her apology, but he refuses, saying that nothing she can do can replace the book, which was his only reminder of 'her'.

Reuniting with Matilda
As Rapunzel leaves in defeat, she is suddenly struck with an idea. Speaking through the door, Rapunzel tells Donkey that there is still one more thing she wants to give him. He turns her down stubbornly, but after hearing a different voice in reply, he opens the door to see Shiftless, the donkey Rapunzel had greeted previously who turned out to be the special friend Donkey had been looking for. Donkey explains that she figured it out from the items in Donkey's scrapbook: a flower, a ticket, and a menu from the Grand Galloping Gala, items she had also seen in a scrapbook owned by Shiftless. Donkey reveals the story of meeting Shiftless at the Gala. According to his story, he discovered that Shiftless had disappeared when he entered her room the next day, and leaves without reading the note that Shiftless had left behind. He then spent his life searching for her, and came to Multiville to retire from his search. Shiftless tells him that she has been living in Multiville the whole time. They reunite and Shiftless kisses him on the nose, causing Donkey to smile for the first time in years. Donkey gladly accepts Rapunzel's apology and finally accepts her friendship. Rapunzel literally turns into a rocket and explodes with joy, bouncing about rambling about everything she and Donkey can do together as friends. She calms down as Donkey tells her that he and Shiftless just want some time to be together, but he assures Rapunzel that the two of them are indeed friends.

Epilogue
As Pinkie leaves, she muses on her letter to Princess Palutena: While some friends may enjoy playing and laughing together, some may just like to be left alone, which is fine too. Whatever the case, one of the best things about friendship is being able to make one's friends smile. The episode ends with Rapunzel singing Cranky Doodle Joy, interrupting Donkey and Shiftless in front of an open window of Donkey and Dragon's house. The credits play a piano arrangement of Yankee Doodle, making A Friend in Deed the second episode not to feature the instrumental arrangement of the show's theme song in its credits, the first being The Return of Harmony Part 2.

Songs

 * Smile Song
 * Cranky Doodle Donkey
 * Welcome Song
 * Cranky Doodle Joy

Quotes

 * Rapunzel: Let's do this.


 * Rapunzel: Nailed it!


 * Rapunzel: Looking fit as a fiddle, Mr. McGucket, and you're wearing my favorite tie!
 * Mr. McGucket: Aw shucks Miss Rapunzel, you flatterer you.


 * Rapunzel: I've never seen you before.
 * Donkey: Kid, you're smarter than you look.


 * Rapunzel: C'mon now, Donkey, give a smile!
 * Donkey: Nobody calls me Donkey and I Like Waffles!
 * Rapunzel: Really?!
 * Donkey: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is Coming September 2022. and Shrek 5 is Coming Out Really Soon!


 * Rapunzel: ...what just happened? Meet somebody new, check. Introduce myself, check. Sing random song outta nowhere, check. Become instant best friends... uncheck. I don't get it. How can somebody not become instant best friends with me? Was it something I said? Was it something I sang? This is no time for the blame game, Rapunzel! There's somebody new in town, and you need to win him over! 'Try everything you can to make Donkey smile and be your friend'. Check!


 * Rapunzel: Oh, silly me! I must've put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannon! Again! [giggles]


 * Rapunzel: Oh. Was that your wig?
 * Donkey: [growls]
 * Rapunzel: I can fix this, I can fix this! [through megaphone] Hey, everybody! Does anyone have a toupee?
 * Animals: [Huh?, Toupee?, etc]
 * Rapunzel: [through megaphone] This donkey is really, really, hair! and his Best Ogre Friend Forever! He's a Bald!
 * Animals: [laughing]
 * Rapunzel: [through megaphone] What's so funny? This is serious business, everyone! Donkey needs a new wig to cover his hairless head!


 * Donkey: Listen to me, kid, I will never be your friend!
 * Rapunzel: Never, or never-ever?
 * Donkey: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever!
 * [door slams]
 * Rapunzel: That's four 'ever's. That's like... forever!


 * Kairi Sparkle: I know this is hard for you, Rapunzel, seeing that you're friends with everyone, but you just have to accept that Donkey is gonna be an exception. He just... doesn't want to be bothered.
 * Sally Acorn: Yeah, he doesn't want to be bothered by your over-the-top super-hyper antics.
 * Kairi Sparkle: Sally!


 * Rapunzel: [explodes like a firework] Woohoo! This is just fantastic! Ooh, now we can hang out together, and chat, and sing songs, and [gasps] party! Oh, I can throw you guys a big party! It'll be called a 'Welcome to Multiville, I found my lost love, I'm BFF's with Rapunzel Party'! ...Or maybe something less over-the-top and not so super-hyper.