"Minstrel Krampus" is the sixth Christmas episode of the FOX animated series American Dad! It was originally scheduled to air on December 16, 2012, but was cancelled the previous Friday without official word from FOX. A report does cite sensitive content in the wake of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.[1] It eventually aired on December 15, 2013.[2]
Synopsis[]
As the holidays approach, Steve becomes a brat and Stan takes him to see his grandfather to be scared straight. Jack tells him the story of Krampus that punishes the naughty children at Christmas and Steve refuses to buy into it, as Jack tells how he captured Krampus and keeps it in a copper pot in the basement. Steve starts opening his gifts early and Stan tries to hide them in the basement. There, he is called by Krampus who talks him into being let out to punish Steve, but he kidnaps him instead and demands Jack so he can extract revenge. Stan tells Jack what he did to Jack's horror as he promises to use his CIA connections to get him out. Instead, Jack takes off.
At Krampus' Castle in Bavaria, Steve is imprisoned to his surprise and spanked. Stan talks to Roger who brings up Santa, but Stan is nervous about confronting him after their last encounter. Despite this, they set off to the North Pole and are captured. Santa beats Stan as he tells what happened. Santa only agrees to help if they can kill Krampus and also promises to take him off the naughty list. At Krampus' lair, the household goods try to convince Steve that Krampus only punishes naughty children because he cares for their well-being. Steve realizes that it is the truth and discovers that Krampus actually only intended to beat Jack to save him from being bad, but was captured in a moment of carelessness while eating strudel.
Meanwhile, Hayley goes Christmas shopping but needs money. She goes to see Roger for a loan but he refuses her and gives her the help-wanted section where she spots a job at the airport. There, she bumps into Jack trying to flee as he tries to figure out why he should help the family. She gets the message through to him and he heads to Bavaria to save Steve.
Santa and Stan arrive and take on Krampus, killing the household items. As Steve tries to stop him, Santa shoots Krampus and finishes him off before turning the gun on Stan and Steve as he reveals himself to be the true bad guy due to being a partner in the toy business. As Santa tries to shoot Stan, Jack intervenes and saves him, injuring Santa who flees with his elves. As Jack lays dying, his and Krampus' blood intermingles, allowing Jack to become the new Krampus to punish naughty children.
Notes[]
- Krampus is a mythical creature whom according to legend, accompanies St. Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children. When Krampus finds a particularly naughty child, it stuffs him or her in its sack and carries him or her away to its lair.
References[]
See also[]
- "The Best Christmas Story Never"
- "The Most Adequate Christmas Ever"
- "Rapture's Delight"
- "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls"
- "Season's Beatings"
- "Dreaming of a White Porsche Christmas"
- "Ninety North, Zero West"
- "Santa, Schmanta"