Talk about going overboard! shrimpy just got a whole lot bigger.

Guess the slimy tentacle doesn’t fall far from the sea witch.

Uma sloshed a wave of water over the yacht that sent everyone stumbling.

Then she vanished under the waves and resurfaced. “True Love’s Kiss won’t defeat this!” Uma roared, grinning. “The world will know my name!” She threw back her arms, then flung out long slimy tentacles. One nearly swept Evie into the sea, but she jumped aside. Another lashed out at Lonnie and Jane, who dodged it. Uma cackled with her hands on her hips; then she folded her arms, ready to strike again.

Mal watched her friends avoid Uma’s attacks. She clenched her fists. Her eyes sparkled bright green, her hair whipped with magic, and then…

Mal vanished in a burst of purple smoke—and turned into a giant dragon.

She had iridescent purple scales and a bilious-green underbelly, razor-sharp claws and teeth, two curved horns on the top of her head, and a long spiked tail.

It would have made Maleficent a proud mom had she been there to see it.

Everyone on the yacht gasped.

Mal locked her glowing green eyes with those of the enormous sea witch.

“Bring it on, Mal!” Uma yelled, swiping with her arms and tentacles as Mal wheeled overhead. “Let’s finish this—once and for all!”

Mal spread her huge green-purple wings and soared over Uma, breathing out flames. People on the yacht crouched down to evade the heat. Uma ducked under the waves, rocking the yacht violently back and forth, with everyone on deck staggering one way, then the other.

Ben had seen enough. He roared mightily, removed his crown and jacket, and ran to the banister. Despite the screams from the guests, Ben dove off the yacht into the sea. He surfaced between the two dueling giants. “Stop!” Ben shouted. “Mal! Uma! Back down!” He looked from one massive monster to the other. “Back down!”

Mal and Uma broke their stare-off by looking down at Ben.

Uma cackled. “What are you gonna do, Ben? Splash me?”

Mal’s eyes sparkled brighter as she hovered beside Ben and glowered at Uma, her dragon wings flaring out in anger.

“That’s enough! This isn’t the answer! The fighting has got to stop! Everyone!” yelled Ben. He looked at Mal. “Nobody wins this way. We have to listen and respect each other. It won’t be easy. But let’s be brave enough to try.”

Uma rolled her eyes.

Mal’s green sparkle faded from hers, and she straightened up a little.

Ben turned to Uma. “Uma, I know you want what is best for the Isle! Help me make a difference!” Everyone at the rail of the yacht watched in silence as Ben held out his hand to Uma.

She looked torn. Her eyes softened. She reached out a tentacle to Ben, about to touch his hand. Instead, she dropped his beast-head ring into his hand.

Ben watched her lower silently beneath the waves.

And then Uma was gone.

The crowd aboard the yacht watched Uma head out to sea, and they exhaled a collective sigh of relief. The clouds parted, and the sky twinkled with infinite stars. Ben took his eyes off Uma’s wake and swam back to the boat. Jay and Carlos lowered a ladder, and a sopping wet Ben climbed up. Everyone cheered for him. Then Mal flew up and hovered above them.

Mal’s wings closed, and then…

POOF!

Everyone gasped.

She vanished in a swirl of purple smoke—and dropped on two feet on the yacht in front of the stained glass. She was Mal again, but not quite the same Mal.

Her hair was long and thick and purple. She wore the purple dress depicted in the stained glass, with its purple cape and rich layers of fabric that swept past her feet. The dress sizzled where it touched the wet deck. Mal patted out the fiery embers, and the crowd giggled. A gold crown shimmered atop her head. She curtsied to Ben, who bowed. Mal grinned and laughed. Fanfare played, and two guards took her by the elbows and escorted her down the stairs as the crowd clapped for her.

Evie met her at the bottom, and Mal grinned.

“I did not know that I could do that,” said Mal.

Evie laughed. “Yeah, that makes two of us.” She blew out a few more embers on Mal’s dress. “Shall we?” asked Evie, extending a hand.

“We shall,” Mal declared as she took her friend’s hand and walked toward Ben.

Mal walked straight up to Ben and kissed him.

Everyone cheered and applauded.

“Okay, that’s enough,” said Carlos, which made everyone laugh.

Beast looked on proudly. “How about that boy of ours?” he said to Belle.

“How about his girlfriend?” Belle smiled fondly. “We’re in good hands.”

“I owe you guys a lot,” Ben said to the crowd. “If there’s anything I can do or if there’s anything you need, please—”

“Umm, actually, there is something you can do, Ben,” said Evie. “I know a girl who’d really love to come to Auradon. It’s Drizella’s daughter, Dizzy. She’s like a little sister to me and…”

Ben nodded. “Then she should come.”

“Okay! Okay, great!” said Evie.

Everyone cheered.

“Actually, there’s a lot of kids who’d really love it here in Auradon. Kids just like us who also deserve a second chance. Could I maybe get you…a list?”

“Yes. Yes! Absolutely!” said Ben. “Please.”

Evie beamed as the the crowd clapped.

A guard approached Mal with her spell book. “My lady Mal.”

“Yes,” she said.

“We found your spell book below deck,” he said to her. “Uma had it.”

“Oh.” Mal took it and examined the cover, with its gold dragon encircled by a ring of Mal’s green and purple spray paint. “Thank you. Um…” Mal looked long and hard at the old leather book her mother had once used and Mal had been using as of late to put on the whole perfect-princess performance. The act was over. Mal was free to be herself, and Ben would love her for that. “You know, this seems like the kind of thing that belongs in the hands of Fairy Godmother. Fairy Godmother!”

Fairy Godmother stepped between the guard and Ben. “That’s me. Excuse me. Thank you.”

“This belongs in a museum,” said Mal, handing her the book.

“Yes. And I’m going to take it.” Fairy Godmother tucked the spell book under her arm and happily vanished into the crowd.

Mal looked at Ben. “I’m not going to be needing it anymore.” She moved toward Ben and playfully kicked water back at him.

Ben grinned and kicked water at Mal. She shrieked, delighted, and turned away.

When she turned back to face him, Ben was beaming. Mal took his crown in her hands and angled it crookedly on his head. She pressed her forehead warmly to his.