Ep 17. River Leaf / Human After All

In The Jungle Book season 1 episode 17, titled "River Leaf / Human After All," Mowgli and Bagheera find themselves embarking on two very different adventures. In the first half of the episode, "River Leaf," the pair set out to explore a new part of the jungle that Bagheera has never been to before. Along the way, they stumble upon a beautiful river with lots of lush foliage surrounding it. As they investigate further, they notice that all the leaves around the river seem to be dying off at an alarming rate.

As they try to solve the mystery of what's causing the leaves to die, they encounter a group of worried animals who explain that the "river leaf" is a rare plant that can only grow in the presence of pristine water. The animals fear that the destruction of the river leaf will signify that the water in the river is becoming contaminated. Determined to get to the bottom of the problem, Mowgli and Bagheera team up with the animals to investigate further. Eventually, they discover that a nearby human village has been dumping pollution into the river, causing the river leaf to die off. Mowgli and Bagheera work with the animals to come up with a plan to stop the pollution from entering the river and allow the river leaf to grow once again.

In the second half of the episode, titled "Human After All," Mowgli finds himself face to face with a human boy named Appu. Appu is lost in the jungle and is desperate to find his way home. Mowgli, who has never before encountered a human, is initially hesitant to help Appu, as he is afraid of what humans might do to the jungle. However, as he gets to know Appu better, he realizes that he is just a scared little boy who is in need of help.

Together, Mowgli and Appu set out on a perilous journey through the jungle in search of Appu's village. Along the way, they encounter a number of dangerous obstacles, including a treacherous river and a pack of hungry wolves. Throughout it all, Mowgli must wrestle with his own fears and biases towards humans in order to keep Appu safe and ultimately help him find his way home.

"River Leaf / Human After All" is a touching and thought-provoking episode that explores themes of environmentalism, fear, and the innate goodness of humanity. It showcases the bond between Mowgli and Bagheera as well as Mowgli's ability to show compassion towards others, even those who are different from him. With its stunning animation and engaging storyline, this episode is sure to captivate viewers of all ages.