History Recap / HeyArnoldS3E46ArnoldBetraysIggyHelgaAndTheNanny

* AnAesop: Sometimes people will just never forgive you, no matter how sorry you are, and it's better to accept their terms than forcing forgiveness.

* WhatTheHellHero: Or rather "What The Heck Helga?"; the kids feel disgusted when Helga admits she framed Inga for theft.

* RejectedApology: Pretty much the basis of the episode. Iggy refused to forgive Arnold for ''months'', even after Arnold did his chores for a week. The only thing Arnold could do to actually earn Iggy's forgiveness was to humiliate himself in public by walking around in bunny pajamas. It wasn't until Iggy overhears Sid and Stinky when he realizes that not only did he get the wrong guy, but he also went too far. In the end, he begs Arnold for forgiveness, but Arnold gives him a DeathGlare and leaves him, [[LaserGuidedKarma giving Iggy his just deserts.]]

* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: It's one thing to humiliate Arnold to retaliate him for "divulging" about the bunny pajamas. But all that satisfaction goes out the window once it's discovered the anger towards Arnold is completely misplaced. And [[HeelFaceDoorSlam just seconds before Arnold goes through with the walk of shame]]. At the end of the day, all revenge earned was Arnold's [[TranquilFury silent]] [[RejectedApology resentment]], and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone unresolved regret]] for hurting him.

* EasilyForgiven: Played with in the beginning of the episode, where Helga kept orchestrating events to try and make Inga look bad. While Inga clearly has the idea that Helga's doing it, she doesn't punish her for them. For that matter, Helga's legitimately surprised Inga ''doesn't''. Helga's first "accident" has her spill glue on the cushion of Bob's favorite recliner. Inga's in fact relieved when she learns what happened, admitting when she heard Helga cry out that she was worried Helga was hurt or something.

* DreamingOfThingsToCome: Downplayed. After Inga is fired, Helga dreams of walking through the park and meeting her former nanny, homeless and starving. Inga bemoans that nobody will hire her because her chances of being hired have been tarnished by her reputation as a "thief". The poor woman has sunken so low that she has to resort to stealing food from pigeons. When Helga wakes up, she convinces herself to look for Inga to convince herself none of it will happen. The very next day at the park, Helga is startled to see her dream coming true in the near-exact configuration. On the surface, the more exaggerated parts of the dream like Inga starving and eating pigeon food aren't there. Sadly enough, though, elements like Inga telling Helga she's been blackballed from working in America, if to a more grounded extent. Even if the damage isn't apparent like in Helga's dream, it's there all the same.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: When Iggy tries to apologize to Arnold for everything he had put him through, Arnold simply [[RejectedApology gives him the cold shoulder and walks off]]. Arnold may be an AllLovingHero, but even he understands that it's not worth connecting with someone ever again if they have been put through so much because of them. Nobody would disagree that Arnold did the right thing there.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Inga has a rather sad one to give to Helga regarding what the 'consequences' are for framing her of theft, even if she ''does'' get away with it:
-->'''Inga:''' You are such an angry girl, Helga. And you won't let anyone help you. So you must live with your unhappiness.

* StealthInsult: Downplayed. In the end, Helga receives a letter from Inga about how she's returned to the Alps. In the letter, she asks something along the lines of "I trust everything in your house is [[ExactWords the same as before]]?" While not as backhanded or malicious as it could've been, there's something ironic about how such a [[SincerityMode sincere]] question seems to low-key ask Helga "Was this what you wanted?"
* {{Symbolism}}: Helga is introduced to the concept of cross-stitching by Inga as a form of relaxation. Helga rejects it and is outright reluctant to try it. Later, after Inga's been unjustly fired, Helga finds her at the park and cross-stitching. Following their sobering conversation concerning Helga's inability to let others help her, she leaves behind her cross-stitching. It's a cross-stitch of a house with a heart in it, as though signifying Inga's sincere goal to give Helga a happier home life, and Helga's missed chance for what might've been. Towards the end, Helga is seen cross-stitching (implied to be the same one Inga left behind), as though symbolizing the only [[RayOfHopeEnding optimistic]] part of the ending: that perhaps Inga ''did'' manage to influence Helga for the better, and Helga in turn strives for that happier home life.

* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: It's one thing to humiliate Arnold to retaliate him for "divulging" about the bunny pajamas. But all that satisfaction goes out the window once it's discovered the anger towards Arnold is completely misplaced. And [[HeelFaceDoorSlam just seconds before Arnold goes through with the walk of shame]]. At the end of the day, all revenge earned was Arnold's [[TranquilFury silent]] [[RejectedApology ire]], and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone unresolved regret]] for hurting him.

* SecretSecretKeeper: Played for drama. Towards the end, Inga soberly reveals to a guilt-ridden Helga that she knew all along who ''really'' took Big Bob's belt and planted it in her room. The only reason she didn't come forward with the truth then is because it would've made matters worse to directly accuse her employer's daughter of such an act. If anything, she low-key gave Helga a chance to come clean, and she didn't take it.

* DreamingOfThingsToCome: Downplayed. After Inga is fired, Helga dreams of walking through the park and meeting her former nanny, homeless and starving. Inga bemoans that nobody will hire her because her chances of being hired have been tarnished by her reputation as a "thief". The poor woman has sunken so low that she has to resort to stealing food from pigeons. When Helga wakes up, she convinces herself to look for Inga to convince herself none of it will happen. The very next day at the park, Helga is startled to see her dream coming true in the near-exact configuration. On the surface, the more exaggerated parts of the dream like Inga starving and eating pigeon food aren't there. Sadly enough, though, elements like Inga telling Helga she's been blackballed do come true, if to a more grounded extent. Even if the damage isn't apparent like in Helga's dream, it's there all the same.

* DreamingOfThingsToCome: Downplayed. After Inga is fired, Helga dreams of walking through the park and meeting her former nanny, homeless and starving. Inga bemoans that nobody will hire her because her chances of being hired have been tarnished by her reputation as a "thief". The poor woman has sunken so low that she has to resort to stealing food from pigeons. When Helga wakes up, she convinces herself to look for Inga to convince herself none of it will happen. When she wakes up, Helga is startled that her dream is coming true in the near-exact configuration. On the surface, the more exaggerated parts of the dream like Inga starving and eating pigeon food aren't there. Sadly enough, though, elements like Inga telling Helga she's been blackballed do come true, if to a more grounded extent. Even if the damage isn't apparent like in Helga's dream, it's there all the same.

* UngratefulBastard: Despite Arnold giving Iggy presents and doing his chores for them, Iggy ''still'' doesn't forgive him and forces him to be humiliated with the bunny pajamas. Understandably, Arnold has had it with him.

* HardTruthAesop: Forgiveness shouldn't come at a steep price. If you have to get hurt (physically or emotionally) just to earn back the "friend's" forgiveness, then the friendship isn't worth keeping.

* GuiltInducedNightmare: During their first dinner without Inga, when Bob says he misses Inga, Helga tries to shrug off that perhaps Inga will soon find employment elsewhere, and life will go on. [[GilliganCut That night]], Helga is tossing and turning to a fitful dream where she's wandering through the park and encounters Inga. Only, the once elegant and kindly Inga has been [[BrokenAce reduced to a cold and starving vagabond]]. Inga soberly remarks that unfortunately, nobody wanted to hire a "thief", so she's forever blackballed from her profession. The dream ends with a desperate Inga being forced to snatch food from pigeons just to stay fed. Helga wakes up and is so scared by the dream, she resolves to find Inga, if only to make sure her nightmare doesn't come true.