In preparation for Casey's climactic performance, Ice Princess ratchets up the stakes considerably, going so far as to bring real-life skating stars as announcers for an event that is apparently being televised. However, since ESPN does not cover junior sectionals -- or any junior events, for that matter -- the dramatic tension arises not only from Casey's determination to succeed, but also the possibility that Michelle Kwan and Brian Boitano will eventually notice that none of those ESPN cameras are actually plugged in. Fortunately for Casey, this means no one is actually on the air to explain that she does not deserve to be here, having placed fifth at the regional championships.

But the careful viewer will identify the most important exchange here as the Meet Cute between Ann and Gen. In fact, it is with admirable consistency that Ice Princess pays off a line from one of its very first scenes, in which Ann fantasizes that she will meet her significant other by tutoring them in math . Sure enough, Gen gets right to the point and explains that she might get into college if Ann helps her pass math; furthermore, Ann's follow-up inquiry ("Do you know any cute guys?") inspires Gen to burst out laughing instead of answering yes or no, in response to what is clearly an outlandish joke between lesbians. This is certainly an elegant narrative solution, as the two characters pining after the unavailable Casey end up falling for each other instead.

Meanwhile, Casey is intimidated by a skater who deliberately comes within inches of colliding with her, an unmistakable reminder of Tina's disgraceful tactics in Sarajevo; if this incident causes Casey a moment of shock, however, the viewer is only shocked to see that this skater is not, in fact, Tina Harwood herself, back on the ice and not sorry for a thing. To be sure, the matter of trust between Casey and Tina might be a sensitive one, if the film did not avoid it entirely by setting this chapter two months later. While the audience is meant to understand that Casey and Tina have totally resolved their differences and achieved a fruitful synergy, however, we cannot help spending the rest of the movie wondering what Tina's next act of treachery will be.

In fact, it might be wise of Casey to consider this possibility (at least in the back of her mind) while Tina is giving her earplugs to wear, since it is not out of the question that they might be tipped with cyanide or some element which throws off her vestibular system. (Of course, even if Casey's inner ear is crippled and she falls on her face within seconds of entering the rink for her short program, this would only affect her score if it happened in the 17 seconds before she is disqualified for using a non-instrumental music track.) But if we are to accept that Casey has truly made amends with Tina, it is somewhat surprising that Casey has failed to work things out with her mom in the two months since the feminist Joan expressed her vehement disgust for young girls following their dreams.