The Gatekeeper (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur)
Unaired episode about a transgender girl on a volleyball team.
"The Gatekeeper" is an unaired episode of the second season of the animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. It was pulled from broadcast due to its storyline about a transgender girl participating in sports.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
- Season
- 2
- Episode
- 6 (planned)
- Director
- Samantha Suyi Lee
- Writer
- Maggie Rose
- Length
- 21 minutes
- Guests
- Amy Sedaris as Coach Greer
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The school volleyball team—Brooklyn, Tai, Fawzia, and Geri—prepare for a match, with Lunella Lafayette serving as water girl. Team captain Brooklyn reveals she was forced to play on the boys' soccer team in the past, calling it a dark time. Greer, the rival coach and mother of team captain Bella, overhears and pressures Coach Hrbek to disqualify Brooklyn, interrogating Brooklyn about her Pride flag kneepads and transgender flag water bottle sticker. Using a magical key, Greer locks the team in a recreation of their locker room with trials to escape, hoping to get them disqualified for missing the match. Meanwhile, Casey delays the game with help from Devil Dinosaur and Bella. The team retrieves keys for the door but remains trapped as reality resets. Brooklyn realizes she can never follow Greer's rules and breaks down. Her teammates console her, and Brooklyn punches the floor in rage, causing the reality to glitch. They conclude they must break the system, work together to escape, defeat a large hologram of Greer with a volleyball, and play the game.
Production
Disney had faced controversies regarding LGBTQ people prior to this episode, including conflict over the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, aimed at children aged six through twelve, follows Lunella Lafayette protecting New York City with Devil Dinosaur. The series had been praised for authentic representation of black women and LGBTQ+ characters, including two non-binary characters and a girl with two fathers. Brooklyn was already confirmed as a transgender girl. The episode was planned for the second season, which was renewed; the latter half of season two was set to air in 2025, but "The Gatekeeper" remained unaired, and the series was cancelled before that half released despite winning awards. The episode focuses on a rival coach trying to disqualify a team that allows a transgender girl to play. Returning cast includes Diamond White, Fred Tatasciore, Libe Barer, and Laurence Fishburne. Tai is played by Ian Alexander, who is non-binary. Amy Sedaris played Coach Greer. The song "Unlock It" plays over the climax.
Reception
Disney received heavy criticism for pulling the episode. Social media users called the cancellation ironic given the episode's subject, and deplorable due to increased violence against transgender people. Gravity Falls storyboard artist Emma Cicirega described Disney's actions as shameful, suggesting they were motivated by money from the Republican Party. Matt Braly called the cancellation cowardly. Hazbin Hotel writer Dave Capdevielle and Dana Terrace also criticized Disney, with Terrace comparing the company to its own villains. The Mary Sue called Coach Greer a "full supervillain" and noted the episode's relevance to transgender women in sports controversies, expressing disappointment at its removal when media portrayal of LGBTQ people is "most crucial." LGBTQ Nation highlighted a moment where the team rallies around Brooklyn as "heartwarming." Gizmodo and Polygon noted the episode's messaging of acceptance is "not subtle" and "unmissable," with Polygon identifying themes of prejudice, exclusion, and progressive allies. The Verge called the messaging fundamentally uplifting. PinkNews analyzed Coach Greer as echoing real-world fears about banning transgender people from sports, mirroring concerns about Trump's presidency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed The Gatekeeper (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur)?
The Gatekeeper was directed by Samantha Suyi Lee.
Who wrote The Gatekeeper (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur)?
The Gatekeeper was written by Maggie Rose.
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