"Escape From Mystery Manor"
Grade: A*
Wow! This was an incredible episode! It's amazing to see how far a Scooby Doo episode can push the boundaries. This episode is easily one of the darkest episodes of the series, in which the villian actually sets up traps in his mansion to kill the gang. Obviously no one is hurt, but a sense of danger mixed with mystery is always a good Scooby Doo adventure. I love how Fred and Daphne escape the pool trap, despite Fred being a bit joking on the subject due to obsession with traps, and Scooby being the one to save Shaggy and Velma from the wired traps.
It's also awesome to know there was a Mystery Inc before the gang, and that the ending is actually quite sad and dark to know that the villain outlived everyone he loved and had no purpose of continuing to live, so he allows himself to die. Overall, Escape From Mystery Manor was an awesome episode example of showing how to do a serious Scooby Doo and is one of my favourite episodes as a result.
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