History SpongeBobSquarePants / TropesQToZ

** Post-''Sponge Out of Water'' and ''Sponge On the Run'', SpongeBob sounds ''much'' deeper and slightly nasal, likely due to Tom Kenny aging after at least 20 years.

* TakeAThirdOption: In the episode where Plankton is trying to build his Chum Bucket Mega Bucket in the Goo Lagoon, he tells [=SpongeBob=] that nice guys finish last, and that only aggressive people conquer the world. [=SpongeBob=] kindly retorts with "What about aggressively ''nice'' people?"

'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' NOOOOOOOOOO!\\

* TroubledFetalPosition: Played for laughs with Squidward in "Band Geeks", after another screw-up by his slapdash marching band.

** In "One Coarse Meal", SpongeBob, of all characters, is outright '''disgusted''' when he finds out Mr. Krabs is tormenting Plankton of his fear of whales. He confronts him in his office and tells him off, but he doesn't listen nor own up and changes the subject.

* VocalEvolution: Creator/TomKenny's [=SpongeBob=] voice was somewhat deeper and nasal in earlier seasons, before becoming higher pitched and childlike in the movie & revival seasons. Does not help with VagueAge. He does go back to his lower voice around season 8.

* WaterIsAir: Very frequently, starting with the intro to every episode, in which [=SpongeBob=] takes a bath. Most noticeable in "SpongeHenge," involving a wind storm that causes [=SpongeBob's=] holes to whistle.

-->''[=SpongeBob=]and Patrick are sitting around a campfire late at night.''\\

* WhatTheHellHero: In ''Karen 2.0'', when [=SpongeBob=] accidentally makes Karen cry some more after Plankton dumps her, Mr. Krabs responds to this with this:
-->'''Mr. Krabs''': ''(Angrily)'' Smooth, [=SpongeBob=]. REAL smooth!

* WhosWatchingTheStore: Only three people operate the Krusty Krab, and all three are not always at work at the same time.

* SignatureSoundEffect: [=SpongeBob=],
Squidward and Mr. Krabs make their own signature walking sound effects.

* SignatureSoundEffect: A few examples.
** [=SpongeBob=]'s shoes create their own signature squeaks when he walks.
** Likewise, Squidward walks with a distinct squishing sound because of his suction cups.
** Mr. Krabs makes a rapid ticking sound whenever he scuttles his feet.

* WithholdingTheirName: In the episode, [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS5E84SpyBuddiesBoatSmartsGoodOlWhatshisname "Good Ol' Whatshisname"]], Squidward and [=SpongeBob=] compete in against each other to learn the names of all the customers in the Krusty Krab. When Squidward gets down to the last customer, it seems like the customer doesn't want to tell Squidward his name, as it sounds like he tells him "What's it to ya?". After Squidward takes the customer's wallet from him, getting himself arrested as a result, Squidward finds out [[RealJokeName the customer's real name]] is "[[WhosOnFirst What Zit Tooya]]".

* RiddleForTheAges: The secret formula of the Krabby Patty.

** Patrick does it in "Moving Bubble Bass" after Bubble bass revealed he tricked SpongeBob and Patrick and ate the free lunch he promised them, which leads to Patrick to threaten him.

* SynchroVox: Used in the opening with "Painty the Pirate", who starts the theme song. Notably, since the still image is a painting of a realistic human being, the UnintentionalUncannyValley effect that normally plagues this trope is greatly reduced.

* SchmuckBait: In "Mrs. Puff, You're Fired," the new instructor orders no eating in class, then asks, "Would anyone care for a bon bon?" Most of the students ([=SpongeBob=] included) resist, but one kid accepts and is thrown out of the classroom.

* WidgetSeries: Of the WHAT variety.

* SynchroVox: Used in the opening with "Painty the Pirate", who starts the theme song.

** [=SpongeBob=] and Sandy have their moments, [[DependingOnTheWriter though not co

** [=SpongeBob=] and Sandy have their moments, [[DependingOnTheWriter though not consistently]].
* SmashCut:
** In "Tea at the Treedome", Sandy discovers [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick have nearly dried up. This is accompanied by a cut from her dropping her tea glasses to a live-action shot of a sponge and starfish.
** The episode "Krusty Krab Training Video" ends with the narrator saying, "Okay! The [Krabby Patty] secret formula i—"
* SmartAnimalAverageHuman: [=SpongeBob=] and his pet snail Gary. While not human, sea creatures that walk upright are considered the "humans" of the show while feral creatures like clams, worms, and snails are considered "animals" that can be domesticated into pets. Gary is shown to be intelligent and wise compared to his goofy and eccentric owner. Gary even has dreams where he owns an enormous library and has a tall, humanoid body, with his shell and face as his head.
* SmellySkunk: The opening of "Pineapple Invasion" has Plankton use a skunk to stink out the Krusty Krab, taking advantage of the chaos in an attempt to steal the formula.
* SmugSnake: Plankton, Karen, Squilliam, Bubble Bass, and Mr. Krabs DependingOnTheWriter.
* {{Snapback}}: About every episode.
** "Wishing You Well" ends with Mr. Krabs being wished away and ''almost eaten''. He is fine in time for the next episode.
** "Lame and Fortune" ends with Plankton being warped into a Chinese food restaurant and eaten. He's completely fine in the next episode.
* SnapBack: Many characters and locations are destroyed, maimed, transformed, etc., in various ways, but none of it carries over to the next episode.
** "Scavenger Pants" ends with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick asking Mrs. Tentacles to adopt them so Squidward can have the brother he never thought he had, but this is no longer acknowledged in later episodes. Naturally, they cannot possibly be adopted because 1, they already have living biological parents, and 2, they're legal adults.
** "Glove World R.I.P." ends with Glove World being closed down and replaced with Glove Universe, but later episodes show Glove World operational again.
* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Between Squidward and Mr. Krabs in the episode "Born Again Krabs":
--> '''Krabs:''' I'm not cheap! I'm generous!
--> '''Squidward:''' ''[deadpan]'' You almost tore a man's arm off for a penny.
--> '''Krabs:''' ''[deadpan]'' Thanks, Squidward. I knew I could count on you.
* SnarkyNonHumanSideKick:
** Potty sometimes serves just to make Patchy's life miserable. Squidward also counts in most episodes.
** Gary also counts, judging by [=SpongeBob=]'s reactions to his meowing.
* SnipeHunt:
** Mr. Krabs sends [=SpongeBob=] on one of these in the first episode, on Squidward's advice he'd make a terrible fry cook. [[spoiler: However, [=SpongeBob=] returns to save the Krusty Krab from some hungry anchovies with a ''real'' hydrodynamic spatula with port and starboard attachments and turbodrive (there was only one in stock), which prompts Mr. Krabs to hire him.]]
** In "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost" when Squidward pretends to be a ghost and orders [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick around:
--->'''Squidward:''' I want something else to eat now. Something that's very difficult to find.\\
'''Patrick:''' What do you hunger for, master?\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Whatever you want, we'll find it, we'll find it!\\
'''Squidward:''' Cherry pie.\\
(''[[HammerSpace Patrick holds up a pie from behind his back]]'')\\
'''Squidward:''' Where'd you get that?\\
'''Patrick:''' I found it.\\
'''Squidward:''' ''[throws pie off screen]'' Well, go find it again!
** Squidward sends [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick on these in "Scavenger Pants" so they can leave him alone. Naturally, they keep succeeding.
** In the app ''Krusty Cook-Off'', Squidward stages a fake jellyfishing contest to get [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick to leave him be, but only Patrick can do it because [=SpongeBob=] has to work the pancake stand. Turns out the contest was real, and Patrick shows the trophy he won to prove it.
* SnowMeansCold: During wintertime, it always snows in Sandy's treedome.
** In "Boss for a Day," a customer's complaint about being too cold is visualized with a load of snow on the table, complete with a snowman.
* SoldHisSoulForADonut:
** In "Money Talks", Mr. Krabs sells his soul to the Flying Dutchman in exchange for the ability to talk to money. When Mr. Krabs' money talks him into spending them (specifically, on things he doesn't want, like corn dogs, fairy princess outfits, and diapers), Mr. Krabs tries to get his soul back from the Flying Dutchman, only for the Flying Dutchman to claim his soul anyway. The Flying Dutchman soon finds out that Mr. Krabs has already sold his soul to various monsters, as well as [=SpongeBob=], who tells the Flying Dutchman that Mr. Krabs was five dollars short on his last payday.
** In "Born Again Krabs", the Flying Dutchman bets [=SpongeBob=] that Mr. Krabs is so greedy he'd sell ''[=SpongeBob's=]'' soul for a nickel. The Dutchman then offers Krabs all the change in his pockets--62 cents--for [=SpongeBob's=] soul. Krabs accepts without hesitation. Even Squidward was disgusted by this.
* SomebodyDoesntLoveRaymond: Both [=SpongeBob=] and Mr. Krabs refuse to accept anyone can hate Krabby Patties (the plot device for ''Just One Bite'' and arguably ''Plankton's Regular'').
** Though in the former episode, [=SpongeBob=] was aiming more for Squidward to just try it and when Squidward (falsely) proclaims he hates it, [=SpongeBob=] does accept it and realize he was wrong to be so forceful. The latter episode does play it straight, however.
* [[{{Somethingitis}} Something-itis]]: We can frequently see this trope be used by supposedly qualified people, such as "head-go-boom-boom-itis" in Squid Baby, or "oral-report-itis" in Oral Report.
* SoundEffectBleep: "Hey, Patrick, how the [DOLPHIN CHIRP] are ya?" The whole episode (''Sailor Mouth'') took the trope as far as it could. (Though it turns out "DOLPHIN CHIRP" is the most filthy cuss word known to man.)
** This has been a ''very'' popular source of parody on Website/YouTube, most involving editing cuss words in.
** Subverted with "Krusty Love." [=SpongeBob=]'s cursing is filtered into nonsense vocal noises.
*** The Dutch dub plays it straight though. See {{Angrish}} above.
* SoUnfunnyItsFunny: The show had this, especially in the earlier episodes. The real king is this gem:
-->'''Squidward:''' Why couldn't the 11-year-old get into the pirate movie? It was rated [[{{Pun}} Aaaarrrrrgh.]] ''[laughs uproariously]''
--> ''[{{beat}}]''
--> '''Squidward:''' ''[laughing dies down from awkward silence]'' Because... it's about... pirates...?
--> '''Krabs:''' I'm not payin' ya to do stand-up, Mr. Squidward. Now get back to work!
* SpaceEpisode: "Goons on the Moon" and "Mooncation" mostly take place on the moon. Squidward goes to Mars in "Out of the Picture." Plankton goes to space in "Fiasco!" in an attempt to get away from the police, but they follow him there as well. Subverted in "Sandy's Rocket," where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick only think they're on the moon when the rocket crashes back in Bikini Bottom.
* SpecialGuest:
** "Pre-Hibernation Week" has Pantera as a special musical guest.
** "20,000 Patties Under the Sea" has Music/{{Kiss}} frontman Gene Simmons as the sea monster [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick meet.
** "Whatever Happened to [=SpongeBob=]?" has Creator/RayLiotta as the leader of the Bubble Poppin' Boys.
** "Hello Bikini Bottom!" has Creator/AndySamberg as Colonel Carper.
** "License to Milkshake has [=Michael McKean=] as Captain [=FrostyMug=].
** "Whirly Brains" has Creator/EdAsner as the Grumpy Old Man.
** "Chatterbox Gary" has Creator/KeithDavid as the voice of Gary's translator and as Squidward's impersonation of it.
* SpecialEditionTitle: "Christmas Who?" (done as ''The [=SpongeBob=] Christmas Special''), "Whatever Happened to [=SpongeBob=]?" (done as ''[=WhoBob WhatPants=]''), and "Truth or Square" (done with a remade version of the theme song and stop-motion animation).
* SpeciesSurname: Mr. Krabs (Eugene H. Krabs) is a crab. Plankton also has this trope; "Plankton's Army" revealed that his full name is Sheldon J. Plankton. Also playing this trope straight are Mrs. Puff and Patrick Star. Pearl may count since her surname is Krabs and ''Dunces and Dragons'' reveals she has crab ancestors. "Squidward Tentacles" is also an example of two [[ALizardNamedLiz similar]] [[ADogNamedDog tropes.]]
* SpectatorCasualty: Parodied. During the Fry cook games several Fish in the Audience are turned into fish sticks when Patrick fails the high-jump and catapults hot oil everywhere. A food vendor walks up as a sign flips to hawk hot food.
* SpellMyNameWithAThe: In the first two seasons, Karen refers to the show's titular character as "The [=SpongeBob=]."
* SphereEyes: [=SpongeBob=] himself.
* SpiritualSuccessor:
** ''[=SpongeBob=]'' itself can be considered the successor series to the earlier Nicktoon ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife''. Both series not only had much of the same writing staff but also shared similar character archetypes (Rocko to [=SpongeBob=], Heffer to Patrick, Ed Bighead to Squidward, etc.).
** A large part of the pre-2004 crew now work for ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''. Most notably Dan Povenmire and Robert F. Hughes. (Who also both worked on Rocko.)
** The series is also considered a LighterAndSofter take on ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'' (which several of its' crewmembers have also been involved in) with its energetic, fluid animation, usage of stock library music, and overtly detailed close-up shots.
* SplitScreenPhoneCall:
** Parodied in "Jellyfishing." [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are calling each other until the camera zooms out and reveals that they're in the same room.
** In "Overbooked," Sandy leans over the divider and shouts "Just be there!"
** Sandy's calls to Plankton and Mrs. Puff in "Girls' Night Out" are done this way.
* {{Spoiler}}: The Dish Network description for "Doing Time" is "[[AccidentalMisnaming Ms. Puff]] imagines going to jail for [=SpongeBob=]," which spoils the [[AllJustADream ending]].
* SpotlightStealingSquad: Mr. Krabs and Plankton get more focus in Season 6.
* SpotlightStealingTitle
* SpringtimeForHitler: In "House Fancy", Squidward can't stand to see [[RichBastard Squilliam Fancyson]] on TV when he's showing off his BigFancyHouse, so he claims to have a fancier house than Squlliam's, even though it is nowhere as rich. He hires [=SpongeBob=] for an emergency redecorating session, which backfires when [=SpongeBob=] covers his living room in paint and the vacuum cleaner ends up vacuuming the entire living room and explodes, turning Squidward's house into a debris, which Nicholas Withers regards as a [[AccidentalArt neo-classical masterpiece]], and Squilliam has a nervous breakdown when Squidward's "masterpiece" manages to take the award that Squilliam was about to receive, being featured on the next episode of "House Fancy".
* StableTimeLoop: In "SB-129," Squidward goes back in time and invents jellyfishing. When he returns to the present, [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick tell him that he invented jellyfishing when he asks who came up with it.
* StagingTheEavesdrop: In "Bossy Boots", Mr. Krabs tasks [=SpongeBob=] with firing Pearl (since he doesn't have the heart to do it himself). After Pearl reveals to [=SpongeBob=] that she ''wants'' to be fired, the two decide to stage an overly-dramatic firing for Krabs to hear from behind the door to his office.
* StarstruckSpeechless:
** In episode "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic", [=SpongeBob=] meets Kevin, an expert in jellyfishing. When [=SpongeBob=] gets close, he stares at Kevin and only manages to repeat "Hi Kevin" over and over, only snapping out of it when Kevin threatens to call security.
** In "Christmas Who?", Squidward dresses up for SantaClaus when the real Santa doesn't show up. [=SpongeBob=], believing he's unexpectedly meeting the real Santa, is only able to repeatedly stammer "S-s-s-s-s-Santa..." until Squidward makes him stop.
* StartMyOwn: In "Friend or Foe", it's revealed that Krabs and Plankton started a restaurant together as a retaliation when the owner of another restaurant wouldn't accept them as customers. Also, before Krabs started to make Krabby Patties, Plankton broke the partnership to start his own restaurant because nobody liked the patty the two of them made together.
** Also, [=SpongeBob=] started running his own stand for his "Pretty Patties" after being made fun of (for making Pretty Patties) by Mr Krabs and Squidward.
* StatusQuoIsGod:
** After "Friend or Foe" it is possible that Mr. Krabs and Plankton stayed friends as kids for a brief time (ex-shown pulling the main drain at the end)
** And there's "Bumper to Bumper". [=SpongeBob=] finally obtains his driver's license for real... [[spoiler:only for a cop to point out that because Mrs. Puff crossed the county line, thus setting off her security cuff, the test results were null and void and he then proceeds to ''tear up the license''.]]
*** Every Boating School episode is this trope. Every single episode. "Bumper to Bumper" isn't the only Boating School episode that ends with [=SpongeBob=] finally getting his license, only for it to get taken away seconds later.
*** Every "Plankton Tries to Steal the Krabby Patty Formula" episode is this trope as well. Even if Plankton successfully steals it, everything will go back to normal no matter what.
** "Karen 2.0.": Karen gets replaced by a new Karen robot. [[spoiler: Plankton gets rid of Karen 2.0 and keeps the original Karen at the end.]]
** "[=SpongeBob=] You're Fired". Let's just say, it's really not a spoiler that [=SpongeBob=] gets his job back at the end of this half-hour "special". Everyone knew the episode would end with everything going back to normal.
** "The String". [=SpongeBob=] pulls a loose string from Squidward's shirt, eventually unraveling ''the entire universe as well as himself.'' This episode was the season 11 finale, but everything is back to normal next episode.
* StealingFromTheHotel: Exaggerated in the episode "Kracked Krabs". Mr. Krabs starts "exaggerating" (stealing) from the hotel room, and [=SpongeBob=] helps him. They steal the toiletries, the furniture, the air conditioner, the wall... and eventually ''the room itself.'' As a hotel worker inspects their suitcase, the room pops out.
* StealthInsult: Squidward in "Band Geeks":
** "I really expected better of you people. I guess I'm a loser for that too."
* TheStoolPigeon: In the episode "Banned in Bikini Bottom", after discovering a secret Krusty Krab being run by Mr. Krabs at [=SpongeBob=]'s house because Krabby Patties had been banned in Bikini Bottom, Plankton becomes a Petty Peter when he reports this to the police to get it shut down.
* StopCopyingMe: Patrick does it to [=SpongeBob=] in "Big Pink Loser." Parodied when [=SpongeBob=] thinks "At least I'm safe inside my mind," and Patrick thinks the exact same thing.
* StockAudioClip:
** [=SpongeBob=]'s signature laugh, as well as [[MemeticMutation the guy shouting "My leg!"]]
** In "Krusty Krab Training Video," Plankton goes on a rant that, from Mr. Krabs' perspective, sounds like incomprehensible chipmunk gibberish due to his small size. Evidently, Plankton's high-pitched speech was created by editing together two of his lines from "Plankton's Army" (an episode that aired much later, but was presumably produced around the same time) and speeding them up in post. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhx0_Cprgj4 See this video for a comparison]].
* StockBeehive: Jellyfish live in stock hives full of jelly. As with everything in the show, it falls under RuleOfFunny.
* StockFoodDepictions: Krabby Patties are always just depicted as a burger with lettuce on a sesame-seed bun. Close-up depictions will also show cheese, tomato, and sauce, with the occasional onion and pickle.
* StolenCreditBackfire:
** "Arrrrgh": This episode has an inversion. After [=SpongeBob=], Patrick, and Mr. Krabs dig up the Dutchman's treasure, the Dutchman appears and asks who's responsible. Mr. Krabs immediately throws [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick under the bus. These two each get a doubloon for their troubles, while Mr. Krabs just gets plastic.
** "Patty Hype": [=SpongeBob=] creates the Pretty Patties (Krabby Patties with different colours) and decides to sell them by himself. When they become extremely popular, Mr. Krabs convinces [=SpongeBob=] to exchange businesses so now he will have the more profitable Pretty Patties. As it turns out, the Pretty Patties change the color of people's bodies as a side effect, leading to angry customers wanting a refund from Krabs.
** "Artist Unknown": After [=SpongeBob=] creates an immaculate statue in one stroke, Squidward berates him, causing [=SpongeBob=] to run off. An art critic later comes in and wants to buy the sculpture, which Squidward claims as his own, only for the head to come off while being moved. Squidward, knowing he can't recreate it, recruits [=SpongeBob=], who after being lectured by Squidward, only manages to make a mess. [=SpongeBob=] storms off right before the critic returns, and Squidward blames the whole mess on the janitor. In this mess, however, is another great statue, and the critic promises great riches for the janitor.
** "The Lost Mattress": [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick buy a new mattress for Mr. Krabs and throw the old one out. Squidward tries to take the credit by signing their card with the words "This was all my idea". However, the old mattress contained all of Mr. Krabs's money, causing him to go into a coma when he realizes it is gone. Squidward is held accountable by the police since he took credit for the idea.
* StormInATeacup: In [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E10WetPaintersKrustyKrabTrainingVideo "Wet Painters"]], Spongebob and Patrick panic when they get paint on Mr. Krabs' first dollar, only to be told that the supposedly irremovable paint can be easily removed with saliva.
* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: In "Squidville" Squidward replies to [=SpongeBob=] "''Playing'' with a ''reef'' blower? That is the most ''childish'' thing I've ever ''heard'' of. [=SpongeBob=] replies "But it's fun." Squidward replies "''Fun?'' How could playing with one of those over-sized ''hair dryers'' ''possibly'' be ''fun?'' Later in the episode, when ''Squidward'' is playing with a reef blower in Squidville, a resident asks him what he's doing and after Squidward tells him he replies "''Playing'' with a ''reef'' blower? That is the most ''childish'' thing I've ever ''heard'' of." then after Squidward says that it's fun, he replies "''Fun?'' How could playing with one of those over-sized ''hair dryers'' ''possibly'' be ''fun?''"
** In "Mermaid Man And Barnacle Boy IV", [=SpongeBob=] uses Mermaid Man's belt to shrink Squidward. He's left with no idea how to turn Squidward back to normal size. Patrick suggests instead of M, flip it to W for Wumbo. [=SpongeBob=] points out that's not a real word, and it shrinks as well. Later, after [=SpongeBob=] has shrunk everyone including Mermaid Man, everyone asks him if he knows how to unshrink. Mermaidman says, "Have you tried setting it to Wumbo?".
* StrawLoser: It takes a ButtMonkey to make [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick look like winners; Squidward apparently fills that role.
** Plankton seems to follow a similar comparison to Mr Krabs, who is usually a ButtMonkey or UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist himself when the former isn't in the spotlight.
** Utilized in universe in "I'm With Stupid". When his parents come to visit, Patrick asks [=SpongeBob=] to act like a brainless loser in front of them so he will look less like a deadbeat in comparison. [[GoneHorriblyRight The scheme works too well]], since Patrick, who himself is a hopeless variant of the trope to [=SpongeBob=], actually starts to believe the act himself, and turns into a condescending bully towards [=SpongeBob=].
* StunnedSilence: Numerous occasions, such as in the season-one episode "Hooky". [=SpongeBob=] goes to the "carnival" with Patrick during his Krusty Krab shift, and chaos ensues at the restaurant, since Squidward is a terrible fry cook but also the only one available to replace [=SpongeBob=]. Mr. Krabs demands to know what's going on.
-->'''Squidward:''' It's a feeding frenzy, sir! And [=SpongeBob's=] not back from his break!
-->'''Krabs:''' ''[{{beat}}, then laughs out loud]''
-->'''Squidward:''' What?
-->'''Krabs:''' I thought you said [=SpongeBob=] was takin' a break! No one's taken a break at the Krusty Krab since the chum famine of '59! Now, what were you sayin'?
-->'''Squidward:''' ''[deadpan]'' He took... a BREAK.
-->'''Krabs:''' ''[blinks once and stares ahead in silence, then his arms and nose fall off]''
* StupidCrooks: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick deliberately attempted to rob a bank in order to try and break Mrs. Puff out of jail from the inside. For masks, both characters wore socks over their heads, which covered their eyes and didn't allow them to see where they were going, and the bank teller treats the ordeal as a normal exchange, asking [=SpongeBob=] for his name and ID (which he gladly hands over), pulling up his checking and savings accounts, and bluntly informing [=SpongeBob=] that he has no money in either account.
* StupidSexyFlanders: In "Squilliam Returns":
-->'''Squidward:''' Try to [[ImagineTheAudienceNaked imagine him in his underwear]]...oh no, he's hot!
* StylisticSuck: Any scenes featuring Patchy the Pirate and Potty the Parrot are meant to look as cheap as possible. Especially Potty, a extremely poor-looking marionette.
** "I wrote this," the song Patrick wrote in "Sing a Song of Patrick," it's so bad, that the band that was paid $100 to compose it died right after they were done playing it, society breaks down when it plays on the radio, and band together as [[TorchesAndPitchforks a massive lynch mob]] when they figure out that [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick hijacked the radio station to put it on the air.
* SuckinessIsPainful:
** Patrick's self-composed song in "Sing A Song Of Patrick", which is so awful that it [[BrownNote actually]] ''[[BrownNote kills]]'' the band that records it.
** [[GiftedlyBad Squidward's clarinet skills...]]
** Squidward's art is so bad that it causes Larry's eyes to light on fire in "Out of the Picture."
* SuddenlyFluentInGibberish:
-->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Patrick, I didn't know you spoke bird!
-->'''Patrick:''' No, that's Italian, [=SpongeBob=].
* SuddenlyObviousFakery:
** The plot of "Penny Foolish'' relies on Mr. Krabs and the audience both seeing a piece of green gum (really a rolled up $500 bill) as a brown penny until [=SpongeBob=] shows Mr. Krabs what he really picked up off the sidewalk that day.
** "One Coarse Meal" has Plankton be terrorized by Pearl until the second half when it is revealed that "Pearl" is really Mr. Krabs in a costume with visible seams and patches that can't disguise the shape of his body from the head down. Before this, his costume was a one-to-one recreation of his daughter.
* SuddenlySpeaking: In "The Secret Box", [=SpongeBob=] asks Gary if he thinks his plan is good. Gary replies with, "Hmm... ''NO''."
* SueDonym: In "Fear of a Krabby Patty", Plankton gives his name as "Peter Lankton". It is later shortened to "P. Lankton". "Hey, wait a second... is this a prank call?"
* SuperheroEpisode: Many episodes including Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy qualify. For example, "Patrick-Man!"
* SuperGullible: [=SpongeBob=] is prone to this; taken up to eleven in "Gullible Pants".
* SuperSargassoSea: The Bikini Bottom Triangle contains many items taken by the mermaids via singing to activate a giant vacuum, which opens a rift in the sky while doing so. When they sing their song backwards, the items are returned to their owner.
* SupremeChef:
** Jim was the Krusty Krab's fry cook; he quit due to the bad pay, but his patties are even better than [=SpongeBob=]'s.
** [=SpongeBob=] himself can cook food very well, particularly Krabby Patties.
* SurroundedByIdiots: Squidward. Big time.
* SuspiciousSkiMask:
** The page quote comes from "No Free Rides" as Spongebob confronts a ski-masked Mrs. Puff for carjacking his boatmobile.
** Spongebob himself wears this to show a couple "the error of their ways" by leaping through their open window and yelling that he's the "Open Window Maniac".
** After losing his name tag, Spongebob fears that his identity could be stolen. Cue ImagineSpot involving an unnamed ski-masked bank robber wearing his name tag.
** Mr. Krabs and Spongebob provide the image source in "Krusty Towers" as they wear ski masks before "abducting" Mrs. Tentacles by bagging her and stuffing her into the trunk of a boatmobile. Until Mrs. Tentacles shows up behind them and closes the trunk for them before Mr. Krabs reveals that it was his laundry in the bag.
** Spongebob and Patrick wear ski masks as they break "Smelly" (Actually Squidward encased in hardened sewage) out of a zoo.
** In "Plankton's Intern" Plankton and Pearl wear ski masks as they sneak into the Krusty Krab to steal the krabby patty formula. It doesn't do much for either of them since [[PaperThinDisguise Plankton is still the same size and Pearl's mask just fits over half her face.]]
* SwallowedAFly: In "Nasty Patty", the health inspector swallows a fly before he can take a bite of the 'Nasty Patty' that [=SpongeBob=] and Mr. Krabs fixed up. They believe that they killed him when they see him lying on the floor.
* SwappedRoles:
** "Gary's Got Legs" revolves around [=SpongeBob=] giving Gary arms and legs, causing the snail to pamper him to the point of becoming lazy. In essence, [=SpongeBob=] becomes the pet snail, and Gary becomes his owner.
** "Pat Hearts Squid" has Squidward moving in with Patrick, causing the former to become stupid and lazy and the latter smart and jerkish.
* SynchronizedSwarming: Plankton rallies his extended family to aid him in finally stealing the Krabby Patty secret formula.
-->'''Mr. Krabs''': Curse you Plankton, and [[LampshadeHanging your ability to join together to form a working human ear!]]
* SynchroVox: Used in the opening with "Painty the Pirate", who starts the theme song.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:T]]
* TakeAThirdOption: In the episode where Plankton is trying to build his Chum Bucket Mega Bucket in the Goo Lagoon, he tells [=SpongeBob=] that nice guys finish last, and that only aggressive people conquer the world. [=SpongeBob=] kindly retorts with "What about aggressively ''nice'' people?"
* TakeThat: "Krabby Land" is an episode-long potshot to UsefulNotes/McDonalds. Mr. Krabs' quote at the end clinches it:
-->'''Mr. Krabs:''' The children? I don't care about the children! The fact that feeble minds are easily manipulated by cheap playgrounds and talentless clowns is no skin off my nose! Survival of the fittest, [=SpongeBob=]! Survival of the fittest!
** "Graveyard Shift" has another one at [=McDonald's=] when Mr. Krabs makes it so the Krusty Krab is open 24/7 and Squidward says it's a stupid idea. There are [=McDonald's=] restaurants that are open 24/7.
** The 2017 Free Comic Book Day comic has a huge one to the comics industry at that point in time, and even to [[BitingTheHandHumor Free Comic Book Day itself]]:
--> '''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Why, it's the day when all the graphic literature shops provide ''gratis'' samples of their wares in a pathetic attempt to bolster an industry which has spent the last two decades in a death spiral brought on by lethal interaction between the lack of variety and a monopolistic distribution system!
%%* TakingAdvantageOfGenerosity: [=SpongeBob=] is often the victim of this.
* TalkingAnimal: In an episode where [=SpongeBob=] befriends a seahorse he says "That's it, girl. Don't be afraid. I'm just a talking sponge is all."
* TalkLikeAPirate: Mr. Krabs, Patchy, the Flying Dutchman, and other minor characters all typify this trope. In "Aargh!" though, [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick take it to an absurd degree:
--> '''[=SpongeBob=]''': Aargh, captain, aargh, we're, aargh, about, aargh, to hit, aargh-
--> '''Krabs''': Out with it, man, aargh!
--> '''Patrick''': I think, aargh, he's trying, aargh, to say, aargh... ''[crashes the boat]'' Land.
--> '''Krabs''': Urgh... from now on, only the captain says "aargh".
* {{Taps}}: In the episode "Band Geeks", Squidward and the Bikini Bottom citizens are practicing in a marching band. Squidward tells the flag spinners in the front to spin the flag faster, and eventually, so fast that they fly and collide with a zeppelin, which explodes. The trumpeter of the band then plays the Taps as the rest of them hold their hats on their chest.
%%* TeamRocketWins: Plankton in "Wishing You Well" and the movie.
%%** Squilliam in Squilliam Returns.
* TechnicalEuphemism: In "Patrick [=SmartPants=]", when Patrick has become an InsufferableGenius due to replacing the top of his head with brain coral, he is being condescending to Sandy. She angrily demands to know if he's calling her dumb and he says she's just "impaired".
* TeensLoveShopping: Pearl the teenage whale likes the mall and defines it to some teenage mermaids as the place where you get whatever you want, which led to the mermaids chanting, "Mall! Mall! Mall!".
* TeethFlying: [=SpongeBob=] has to impersonate Mr. Krabs at his Navy reunion. One of Krab's buddies asks to punch him in the "armor abs", resulting in one of his teeth coming loose. The others are disappointed that he only lost one tooth, until he spits out a few more, and then ''his skeleton'' and the others declare, "Now that's manly!"
* TemporarilyAVillain: The show has Barnacle Boy switching sides over not getting enough food and respect.
* TemptingFate:
** During the episode "[=SpongeGuard=] on Duty":
--->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' I'm cool! I'm every bit as cool as Larry! ''[smugly]'' And if I'm not, let me be struck by... ''[lightning rumbles]''... a flying ice cream truck! ''[ice cream truck song plays]'' ... AND LIVE! ''[ice cream truck stops in mid-air inches above [=SpongeBob's=] head, then falls on him]''
--->'''Larry:''' Please do not drop flying ice cream trucks on the bathers!
** A textbook example occurs in "Wet Painters," when [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick have to paint Mr. Krabs' house of valuable collectibles. Cue Murphy's Law, involving a giant paint bubble:
-->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Barnacles! What could be worse than a giant paint bubble?!\\
'''Patrick:''' Ooh! I know! ''(produces a bubble wand, dips in into the paint, and blows another giant paint bubble)'' ''Two'' giant paint bubbles!\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' NOOOOOOOOOO!\\
''(the bubbles collide and form one MASSIVE paint bubble)''\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Patrick, I don't think this bubble can get much bigger!\\
'''Patrick:''' Nonsense! ''(produces a bike pump to hook up to the paint bubble, inflating it further)''
** Also, in "Can You Spare a Dime?":
--->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Squidward is not a freeloader and he would never take advantage of me.\\
'''Narrator:''' Three weeks later...\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' He's just having a hard time getting his confidence back.\\
'''Narrator:''' Many months later...\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' I'm sure he's close to a breakthrough.\\
'''Narrator 2:''' [[RuleOfThree So much later that the old narrator got tired of waiting and they had to hire a new one...]]\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' ''[grunts as he crawls to the living room]''\\
'''Gary:''' ''[matter-of-factly...]'' Meow, meow, meow...\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' I ''know'' he still isn't looking for work! DON'T RUB IT IN!
** The lead singer of the band from "Sing a Song of Patrick" says that they'll record Patrick's song "even if it kills [them]". GilliganCut to a cemetery, with four graves sitting side-by-side.
* TerribleArtist: [=SpongeBob=]'s crude drawings come to life in the episode "Frankendoodle". Even Patrick criticizes him on his lack of structure and perspective, [[HypocriticalHumor though his drawings aren't any better.]]
* TerribleTicking: Or in this case, squeaking, in "Squeaky Boots".
* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: Averted, [=SpongeBob=] has curly lashes... though he is a bit girly.
* ThatCloudLooksLike: [=SpongeBob=] watches the clouds go by with Sandy, who then reminds him they are all flowers.
* ThatPoorCat:
** In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II", a cat screech was heard when Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy parked their invisible boat mobile with a crash. This happened 2 times.
** All snails usually meow like cats. But starting in Season 4, they were able to screech. Gary was able to screech too. He did it in five episodes: "The Thing", "What Ever Happened to [=SpongeBob=]?", "Grooming Gary", "Gary in Love" and "Unreal Estate".
** There was a similar gag of a guy yelling "My leg" instead of a yowling cat. Mainly in the early seasons.
* ThereShouldBeALaw: In "Squidville," after [[IronicHell Squidward gets bored of his daily routine in Tentacle Acres,]] he starts behaving the same way [=SpongeBob=] did at the beginning of the episode that caused him to move to Tentacle Acres. His actions result in his neighbors compiling a LongList of grievances against him, and he reacts with:
-->'''Squidward:''' Grievances! This town is a grievance! There should be a law against so many stuck-up tightwads living in one place! This city needs to be destroyed! Or at least, painted a different color.
* TheThingThatWouldNotLeave:
** Squidward, when he loses his job in 'Can You Spare A Dime?'.
** [=SpongeBob=] when he has to take a vacation.
** the Flying Dutchman, after he wrecks his ghostly ship. [[spoiler: Which had been fixed for 3 months by the time he decided to leave.]]
* TheTheTitleConfusion: It's known as ''[[https://i.imgur.com/5fqdfnt.png The SpongeBob]]'' on Creator/{{StarTimes TV}}.
* ThisBillboardNeedsSomeSalt: In "Sleepy Time", Plankton, dreaming that he's a giant, treats the Krusty Krab's sign as a lollipop.
* ThousandYardStare: Mentioned by name when Mr. Krabs and Squidward find [=SpongeBob=] in shock at the beginning of "The Krusty Sponge". When he realizes it's because they're about to receive a visit from food critic Gene Scallop, Krabs adopts one as well.
%%* ThreeWishes: At the end of "Shanghaied".
* ThrowTheDogABone:
** Squidward in "Band Geeks" (where [=SpongeBob=] and everyone else in Bikini Bottom manage a musical performance impressive enough to give his rival Squilliam a heart attack), "House Fancy" (where in spite of his house getting wrecked, it is determined way fancier than Squilliam's house), "Enchanted Tiki Dream" (where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick give it their all to let Squidward have some happiness for once) "Suction Cup Symphony" (where his performance is applauded), and "Love That Squid" (he gets a girlfriend named Squilvia who loves him even when he loses his patience with [=SpongeBob=]). In "Whale Watching," Mr. Krabs hires Squidward to babysit Pearl, in exchange for a [=SpongeBob=] free shift, and after some animosity, Squidward and Pearl make up at the end, and end up [[TheThingThatWouldNotLeave siccing [=SpongeBob=] on a boy that spurned Pearl.]]
** IneffectualSympatheticVillain Plankton and Mrs. Puff in "Wishing You Well" both get their wishes granted, with Plankton wishing to be taller and Mrs. Puff wishing for her own hot rod. On the subject of Plankton, there's an episode he gets a pet, in which he receives a happy ending.
* TieInCereal: {{Invoked|Trope}}. [=SpongeBob=] has been shown eating Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy bran flakes.
%%* TimeTravelEpisode: "SB-129".
* TinyGuyHugeGirl: Mr. Krabs and Pearl, as a family example.
* TitleConfusion: There's an episode called "Patty Caper" and a special called "The Great Patty Caper". Sometimes people get them mixed up.
* TitleDropAnthology: Many DVD collections use this naming scheme, such as ''[=SpongeGuard on Duty=]'', which contains [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E1TheAlgaesAlwaysGreenerSpongeGuardOnDuty the eponymous episode]] from season 3, along with several other episodes.
* ToiletHumor: Shows up from time to time:
%%** Patrick's stomach in "Something Smells".
** [=SpongeBob=] cleaning a toilet as an actor for a sponge in a commercial.
%%** "I gotta act natural!"
%%-->"Oh that's real nice."
* ToiletTeleportation: Subverted when [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick pretend to be ghosts and haunt Mr. Krabs. They clogged all the toilets so he couldn't try to escape that way.
* TomatoInTheMirror: [[spoiler:"Wait a minute, Patrick... ''I'm'' the maniac!"]]
* ToneShift: Seasons 9B-12 are DenserAndWackier than previous episodes.
* TongueOnTheFlagpole: Happens to Patrick when he gets his tongue on a wooden pole when the Krusty Krab is frozen in "Krabs a la Mode." He doesn't seem to mind, though.
* TooDumbToLive: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's past counterparts in "SB-129" repeatedly attempt to play catch with a jellyfish, barehanded. Squidward intervenes to teach them how to jellyfish mostly because their agonized screams are disrupting his clarinet playing.
* TooSpicyForYogSothoth: In "Born Again Krabs", Mr. Krabs trades [=SpongeBob=]'s soul for 62 cents. Just as he starts to feel bad about it, the Flying Dutchman comes back to return [=SpongeBob=] after being annoyed by his incessant chatter about his hobbies.
** The Flying Dutchman gave [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick up as slave crewmen in "Shanghaied" because they were incredibly bad at it. In a subversion, rather than letting them go, he planned to eat them, but they escaped. Then the Dutchman catches them, but he offers them three wishes before they're eaten. After accidentally using up two of their wishes, they use their final wish to turn the Dutchman into a vegetarian. But then they appear in a blender, somehow transformed into fruit, with the Dutchman preparing to eat them.
** [[RuleofThree In a third]] Flying Dutchman example, namely "Scaredy Pants", [=SpongeBob=] is shaved down by Patrick to make him rounder for a sheet he uses as a Flying Dutchman costume to try to scare everyone in the Krusty Krab for Halloween. He fails miserably, but as the restaurant is laughing at him the real Dutchman arrives, angered by [=SpongeBob=]'s insulting costume and about to steal everyone's souls. He takes a moment before doing so to explain the concept of being scary to [=SpongeBob=], then removes the sheet... and flies away screaming when he sees the sponge had been shaved down to facial features, a brain, and a "spinal cord".
* TooUpsetToCreate:
** In "Pickles", [=SpongeBob=] gets so upset about forgetting to put pickles on a Krabby Patty that he is unable to remember how to prepare one. It gets so bad he can't do ''anything'' at all, even talk with proper syntax. Once he is able to relearn how to make a Krabby Patty, he returns back to normal.
** In "Artist Unknown", [=SpongeBob=] attends Squidward's art class, annoying his teacher with his unusual creative process. Squidward scolds him for doing art "wrong", and he gets so upset he quits the class and goes to live in the dump. When an art collector comes in and declares one of [=SpongeBob's=] artworks a masterpiece, Squidward tries to get [=SpongeBob=] to make some more. Unfortunately, [=SpongeBob=] has taken Squidward's criticisms to heart, and is unable to recreate his previous work.
* TownContestEpisode: In [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS9E15SanctuaryWhatsEatingPatrick "What's Eating Patrick?"]], Patrick competes in Bikini Bottom's annual eating contest against the last winner, Oswald McNulty. He prepares for it by binging on Krabby Patties while running on a treadmill.
* TownGirls:
** This trope applies with Sandy as the Texas tough Butch, Pearl as the GirlyGirl Femme, and Mrs. Puff as the in-between (caring but firm) Neither.
** It also works with Sandy as the Butch, Pearl as the Femme, and Karen as the in-between (devoted wife but evil mastermind) Neither.
* {{Tradesnark}}:
** In "Sand Castles in the Sand," [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick play [[strike:Frisbee]] Small Plastic Disc That You Throw[=/=]Toss.
** "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V" proclaims the IJLSA as "a subsidiary of Viacom," Nickelodeon's parent company.
* TraineeFromHell: Spongebob is this to Mrs. Puff. He has failed her Boating School dozens and dozens of times, every time putting the poor driver instructor to hell over the fact that he can't take the driver's test without crashing and/or injuring her.
* TrainingFromHell: The episode when a DrillSergeantNasty shark teaches [=SpongeBob=] how to drive. It works, but [[spoiler: [=SpongeBob=] ends up being able to drive only when [[HandicappedBadass BLINDFOLDED]]]]. HilarityEnsues.
--> MY PANTS!!!!
* TranslationConvention:
** The sea creatures (and Sandy, Mermaid Man, and Barnacle Boy) hear each other speak English but in any live-action segment on land, humans don't seem to be able to hear them.
** Anthropomorphic characters hear snails meowing, but "Gary in Love" shows that snails hear meows as English.
* TreeBuchet: In "Club [=SpongeBob=]", Squidward tries to leave [=SpongeBob=]'s clubhouse by grabbing a vine and pulling himself down the stalk the treehouse is situated in, dragging the treehouse with him and bending the stalk double. As soon as he puts a foot on the ground, the vine snaps….
* TrivialTragedy: In "A Day Without Tears", Squidward bets [=SpongeBob=] he can't go a day without crying. When the news anchor mentions "sad news for Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy fans", Squidward turns the volume up and the anchor says that The Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy Show will only be played seven times a day instead of eight. Not wanting to lose the bet, [=SpongeBob=] quickly changes the channel.
* TroubledFetalPosition: Played for laughs with Squidward in "Band Geeks", after another screw-up by his slapdash marching band.
** [=SpongeBob=] does this for a whole episode in which he becomes afraid to go outside, so he decides to live inside his house for the rest of his life. [[StatusQuoIsGod Thankfully, he got over it.]]
** One episode had Kevin the Sea Cucumber sits in a fetal position and cry for his mommy and blankie when attacked by a King Jellyfish. The other Jellyspotters join in shortly until [=SpongeBob=] saves them all.
* TryingNotToCry: [=SpongeBob=] manages at this in "A Day Without Tears".
* [[ThreeShorts Two Shorts Format]]: There are occasional episodes containing a third short -- namely, the {{pilot}} and five of the fifth season's episodes.
* TwoHalvesMakeAPlot: In the special "Atlantis Squarepantis" [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick find half of an amulet and bring it to a museum, where the other half coincidentally resides.
* TwoTimerDate: Averted; you see, [=SpongeBob=] had ''three'' appointments booked for the same time, not two.
* TyopOnTheCover:
** An in-universe example: Bikini Botto'''''n''''' Arcade in the episode "Karate Star".
** "Pet Sitter Pat" has a book titled 'Snail Tails', which actually had the correct spelling on [=SpongeBob=]'s list of things to do with Gary.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:U]]
* UmbrellasAreLightningRods: In one episode, Squidward loses his house, and it begins to rain. (Even though they're underwater.) He has an umbrella and opens it, but predictably, it gets hit by lightning.
* UmpteenthCustomer: A customer gets this for giving Mr. Krabs his millionth dollar earned. He gets no prize; he and the others just get thrown out so that Krabs can enjoy the dollar in peace. He does reward his workers, though... with a fishing trip.
* UnconventionalFoodOrder: In "You Don't Know Sponge", Patrick orders his favorite flavor of ice cream: Dill Pickle Swirl with mustard and extra bacon bits.
* UnconventionalFoodUsage:
** The episode "Chocolate with Nuts" has [=SpongeBob=] claim that a certain type of potato chips aren't delicious. Patrick says, "Not the way I use them anyway". It's never revealed what he uses them for.
** In "To Love a Patty", [=SpongeBob=] dates a Krabby Patty (a type of burger). Mr. Krabs says that food is for eating, not for dating, so [=SpongeBob=] eats "Patty", but by then, it had expired, so [[TheFoodPoisoningIncident he asks for a doggie bag to throw up in]].
** In "I Had an Accident", [=SpongeBob=] talks to a potato chip [[PunnyName that he names Chip]] in order to cope with his loneliness while staying at home to prevent accidents.
** Discussed in "The Gift of Gum", where [=SpongeBob=] is throwing his [[MyNewGiftIsLame gift of a giant, dirty gumball]] away, but lies that he's dressing it up.
** Discussed in one episode where Patrick wonders if mayonnaise and horseradish [[EverythingIsAnInstrument can be used as instruments]].
* UnanthropomorphicTransformation: In "Feral Friends", most of the cast are transformed into regular sea creatures by a mysterious green rock known as Neptune's Moon. Only Sandy is [[NoSell unaffected]] due to her being a land animal. [[spoiler:At the end of the episode, [[HereWeGoAgain an orange ball of light known as Neptune's Sun appears and turns Sandy into a regular squirrel]] -- a [[MediumBlending live-action one]], no less.]]
* UnexpectedKindness: "Rock Bottom" sees [=SpongeBob=] stuck in a strange cavern city where he can't understand any of the strange locals. Near the end of the episode, [=SpongeBob=] hears an approaching raspberry sound and runs away, assuming one of the locals is coming for him. However, the local is a friendly anglerfish who returns [=SpongeBob=]'s lost [[ChekhovsGun balloon]], which he ties to [=SpongeBob=]'s wrist and begins to inflate. Since nobody has understood him all night, [=SpongeBob=] assumes the local can't understand what he needs either, but then [[{{Balloonacy}} the balloon pulls SpongeBob up out of the cavern]]. Turns out, the local wanted to help [=SpongeBob=] all along!
* UnexpectedlyDarkEpisode: Despite being a mostly comical cartoon series, this show has a few episodes that manage to be rather dark:
** A Pal For Gary: In this episode, [=Spongebob=] adopts a new pet who is extremely dangerous around other pets but ignores said warning, which transforms into a monster that attacks Gary, and [=Spongebob=] does nothing about it.
** Demolition Doofus: Mrs. Puff enlists [=Spongebob=] to be in a demolition derby in order to kill him as revenge for severe injuries she sustained from a recent failure, but his bad driving ironically makes him a racing superstar and she's furious when he does not get hurt.
** One Coarse Meal: Mr. Krabs finds out that Plankton [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes is afraid of whales]]. Sensing this opportunity, Krabs uses the knowledge of Plankton's phobia to drive him to suicide by willing wanting to be run over by a bus, much to [=SpongeBob=]'s concern. [[KarmaHoudini Mr. Krabs ends up getting away with it in the end.]]
* UnexplainedRecovery: In "Karate Island" despite getting beaten to a pulp by Sandy, the Karate Master is perfectly fine when Squidward arrives on "Clarinet Island" shortly after.
* UnimpressiveProgressReveal: Used in some episodes.
** In the episode "Procrastination", [=SpongeBob=] writes his homework very dramatically and enthusiastically... only to be revealed that all he did was just writing a very stylized "THE".
** In an earlier episode, "Your Shoe's Untied", [=SpongeBob=] realizes he doesn't know how to tie his shoes after he unties them for a demonstration; consequently, he can't take a single step without tripping on them and falling flat on his face, which causes a problem at the Krusty Krab when he has to bring a Krabby Patty from the grill to Squidward on the other side of the kitchen. He tries rubbing his shoes together and slowly shuffling along on the wood floor, but despite his best efforts, he barely moves away from the grill, which only annoys Squidward further.
* UnknownRival: Only occurring in "Banned in Bikini Bottom" and "Free Samples", [=SpongeBob=] and Mr. Krabs are unaware of Plankton's plans and are unaware he's in the same location as they are. They also don't see or talk to each other throughout, aside from almost hearing his voice in the latter.
* UnreadableDisclaimer: In "Pickles", it's revealed Mr. Krabs does have a money back guarantee on his menu, but it's written in text that you'd need a microscope to read. Bubble Bass is somehow aware of it, though.
* UnreadablyFastText: In "No Free Rides", [=SpongeBob=]'s date of birth is given as 14 July 1986.
* TheUnreveal: The forumla for the Krabby Patty is one of Bikini Bottoms biggest secrets, and the show goes to great lengths to keep it that way.
** THE SECRET RECIPE TO THE KRABBY PATTY SECRET FORMULA IS -- *Cuts to credits/a commercial*
** In ''Krabby Road'' we are given a brief glimpse at the formula. However the ingredients are [[UnusualEuphemism nonsense words comprised of random letters]] akin to something a frustrated person might type when banging on a keyboard.
** Plankton managed to access it thanks to his family, only to learn the secret ingredient includes his own kind. It turns out that's not true at all.
** In "Goodbye Krabby Patty?", [=SpongeBob=] takes out the formula and reads it, but the front of the sheet is never shown and he keeps the back of it facing the fourth wall before the scene changes to him cooking.
** Slightly averted in "The Great Krabby Caper" which actually reveals some of the ingredients to the formula, specifically flour, barnacle shavings, turmeric, and either sea or land salt. "[=SpongeBob=] On Parade" also confirms salt as one of the ingredients to the formula.
** A book detailing the series claimed to have the secret formula at the end. [[spoiler:All it read was, in .5-point font, "Congratulations! You know how to use a magnifying glass!"]]
* UnsatisfiableCustomer: [[FatBastard Bubblebass]].
* UnstoppableRage:
** Patrick was tearing up the carnival in the Valentine's Day episode after he only got a handshake (while [=SpongeBob=] got other people roses, a box of chocolates, and a bike); because [=SpongeBob=] can't tell him the real surprise (the chocolate balloon) before Sandy came with it.
** Sandy, on more than one occasion.
** Plankton, although usually only in his own fantasies of what his life would be like if he were bigger.
* UnsuccessfulPetAdoption:
** In "My Pretty Seahorse", [=SpongeBob=] adopts a seahorse named Mystery. Seahorses can be kept as pets in the [=SpongeBob=] universe, but Mystery runs away.
** In "Dumped", [=SpongeBob=] adopts two snails named Larry and Jerry and a worm named Rex. Larry is too aggressive so he must be sent away, and Rex leaves on a bus, but it's unclear what happened to Jerry.
** In "A Pal for Gary", [=SpongeBob=] adopts a pet named Puffy Fluffy, who runs away. Just as well, because Puffy Fluffy, despite his cute name, kept trying to eat Gary.
* UnusualEuphemism: "Fishpaste!" "Barnacles!" "Tartar Sauce!" etc.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:V]]
* VacationEpisode: Season 8 gave us five of them. "A [=SquarePants=] Family Vacation," "Patrick's Staycation," "Mr. Krabs Takes a Vacation," "Mooncation," and "Walking the Plankton."
* VagueAge: [=SpongeBob=] lives on his own and holds down a job, yet is considered a "kid" by some. However, a few episodes give his DOB. Possibly justified when considering his mental age, or the long lifespan of actual sponges.
** He's failed boating school thirty-seven times as of the start of the series. ''(Meow)'' [[RunningGag Umm...thirty ]]''[[RunningGag eight ]]''[[RunningGag times.]]
** And he has HUNDREDS of employee of the month awards by the time The Movie takes place. Employee of the month awards that would take 37 years and two months just to win.
* VengefulVendingMachine: In the episode "Rock Bottom", [=SpongeBob=] is waiting for the bus so he can go home. He gets hungry and runs across the street to the vending machine to buy a candy bar. The machine itself works properly, but the bus showed up and drove off every time he tried to put a dollar into the machine or to reach for the candy bar after it was dispensed. Keeping his eyes on the bus, he slowly moves to grab the candy bar, with the bus revving the engines everytime he gently touches the bar. He tries to run back across the street to catch the bus, but it drives off. A random stranger walks up to machine and just takes the candy bar.
* VerbalTic: In Rock Bottom, you actually need to raspberry between words (i.e.: '''JUST''' * PPPTPTPTP* '''LIKE''' * PTPTPT* '''THIS''') in order for you to be understood.
-->"What? *pbthbth* I can't *pbthbth* understand *pbthbth* your accent. *pbthbth*
* VerySpecialEpisode:
** "Sailor Mouth" is about swearing and foul language.
** "The Bully" is about [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin bullying.]]
** "Hooky" parodies this, with the hooks (taking on the role of a GRatedDrug) being the ridiculous part.
* VillainHasAPoint: Occurs in the episode "Walking Small". Even though he was simply using [=SpongeBob=] ('''''for land development!''''') throughout the episode, Plankton was 100% right when he told [=SpongeBob=] that he should be more assertive and stop letting people walk all over him.\\
\\
In this episode alone, two people cut in front of him in line for free ice cream, and [=SpongeBob=] does nothing in retaliation. By the time he gets to the front, the vendor is sold out. Then, as he and Plankton sit on a bench, a large fish sits on [=SpongeBob=], and doesn't even move when [=SpongeBob=] asks him to do so politely.\\
\\
All in all, a lot of [=SpongeBob's=] problems would probably easily be solved (or never occur) if he weren't a spongy, yellow doormat.
* VillainOpeningScene: Some of the more newer episodes tend to open with Plankton at the Chum Bucket.
* VictoriousRoar: [[PlayedForLaughs Played for Laughs]] in the episode "The Algae's Always Greener". When Plankton decides to use his "Switch-Lives-Just-To-Know-What-It's-Like-O-Mogrifier" device to switch lives with Mr. Krabs, he finds himself thrust into an alternate dimension where he has lived Krabs' life and success as the owner of the Krusty Krab restaurant. Unfortunately for Plankton, he unknowingly inherits the exact same problems Krabs has to normally deal with on a daily basis as well, including an attempt to steal the Krabby Patty formula, by a naked Krabs himself this time. When [=SpongeBob=] finally defeats Krabs by getting him to wear a bra, via cannonfire, [=SpongeBob=] and everyone else in the Krusty Krab, sans Krabs and Plankton, commemorate their victory with a victory screech. Needless to say, the entire episode is a case of [[ItMakesSenseInContext It Makes Sense in Context]].
* VillainSong: The pirate ghosts from "Ghost Fools" get one.
* VirtualSidekick: Karen is Plankton's supercomputer, [[KissMeImVirtual wife]] and sidekick. She gives him advice on his evil schemes and occasionally transfers her A.I. into a mobile robotic form to directly assist him.
* VisualPun:
** "Plankton!" -- When Plankton takes control of [=SpongeBob=]'s brain and makes him walk into his kitchen, [=SpongeBob=] says "Time for a well-balanced breakfast." He walks through the wall and out through the fridge with a loaf of bread, a jug of milk and a carton of eggs balanced on his head and adds "This isn't what I had in mind."
** Also from "Plankton!":
--->'''Plankton:''' Brace yourself, [=SpongeBob=], this is my lab! (''labrador retriever barks'') And this is my LABORATORY!
** "Squid on Strike" -- When instructed to make a picket sign, [=SpongeBob=] makes two visual puns: the first being a part of an actual picket fence and the second being the image of someone picking their nose, a "pick-it" sign.
** "No Weenies Allowed" -- [=SpongeBob=] calls out Sandy for a karate challenge. She appears from the sand and grabs him with the lines "Oh, I'm Sandy alright. I'm very Sandy." And [=SpongeBob=] gets the joke while ''flying'' in the air!
** Another "sandy" example, this time from "Ripped Pants"
--->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Hey, Sandy! Look! ''(covered in a mound of sand)'' I'm Sandy!
** In "The Algae's Always Greener" where Krabs flicks tiny Plankton back to the Chum Bucket, he yells, "So long, shrimp!" An actual shrimp is then seen exiting the Krusty Krab.
** Combining this with a normal {{pun}}, [=SpongeBob=]'s phone is shaped like a conch; a "shellphone" if you will.
** In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V", Barnacle Boy gets sick of being an unrespected sidekick and decides to become evil. He then announces that he's crossing over [[FaceHeelTurn to the dark side]]. Zoom out to show half of the Krusty Krab that's pitch-dark. When everyone stares at Mr. Krabs, this is his response:
--->'''Mr. Krabs:''' Why should I waste money lighting the whole store?
** In "Clams" after Mr. Krabs is crying over the loss of his dollar [=SpongeBob=] says "I've never seen Mr. Krabs so broken up" right before his body appears to be in pieces.
** In the episode "I'm With Stupid", Patrick receives a note (cue paper with a musical note on it). On the other side, there's a letter on it (cue flip; other side has a giant letter "B" on it). He also got a message from his parents.
** In the episode "New Leaf" Mr. Krabs tells his employees to keep their "eyes peeled". You can guess how [=SpongeBob=] interprets this.
--->'''Mr. Krabs:''' Plankton's concocting another hair-brained scheme to steal me recipe. So keep your eyes peeled.\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Whatever you say, cap'n. (''literally peels his eyelids'')\\
'''Mr. Krabs:''' (''impressed'') Now that's an employee who follows orders.
** Sandy finds {{Wormsign}}. Literally. It's a road sign with the word "Worm" written on it.
** In "The Bully", Mrs. Puff tells the class to "put on a happy face" for the new student. Cut to the class all wearing smiling masks.
** In "Something Smells", Patrick tells [=SpongeBob=] he needs to "Get this thing off your chest" in order to feel better. Cut to a pulsating purple creature attached to [=SpongeBob=]'s chest.
** In "Imitation Krabs" [=SpongeBob=] remarks that "As long as these pants are square, and this sponge is Bob, I will not let you down!" We then see him holding Mr. Krabs over his head and Mr. Krabs asks if he could please let him down.
** In "Krusty Krushers" the champion wrestlers put [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick in a sleeper hold, which involves rocking the two to sleep like babies.
** In "Sailor Mouth" Patrick imagines himself with 40 eyelashes after [=SpongeBob=] says that Mr. Krabs will give them "40 lashes".
** In "Sun Bleached" [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick tell Craig Mammleton they are putting on coats of sunscreen to stay protected from the sun, and the time comes to put on another coat. They literally make coats, as in outwear, out of sunscreen and put them on, along with a top hat and walking stick to match.
** In "Sportz?", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's idea of kickboxing involves them punching each other with boxing gloves on their feet.
** In "Sleepy Time", when [=SpongeBob=] disguises himself as a thumbtack and Plankton [[AgonyOfTheFeet steps on him]], causing himself to shrink back to his normal size, [=SpongeBob=] delivers the following line: "I think he's got the point!"
* VitriolicBestBuds: Type 1 with [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward.
* VocalEvolution: Creator/TomKenny's [=SpongeBob=] voice was somewhat deeper and nasal in earlier seasons, before becoming higher pitched and childlike in the movie & revival seasons. Does not help with VagueAge. He does go back to his lower voice around season 8.
** Season 1 in general had a more relaxed voice acting, aside from Squidward, who ironically sounded more nervous and his voice mellowed out afterwards.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:W-X]]
* WalkIntoCameraObstruction:
** "Texas": when Sandy is chasing [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick. While carrying a lasso she fills the screen with her foot.
** "Whelk Attack" where Mr. Krabs tries to give Krabby Patties to the whelks. He walks out the Krusty Krab with a plate full of Krabby Patties and walks towards the screen.
** "Bummer Vacation" with [=SpongeBob=] accusing Mr. Krabs of replacing him.
** "Squidward, the Unfriendly Ghost": When [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick about to clean Squidward's back room.
-->'''Patrick:''' "Oh, coming!"
* WalkOnTheWildSideEpisode: In one episode, Squidward gets so fed up with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's antics that he decides to move out into a gated community filled with other squids who share his interests. Inside, he finds that everyone else has a Easter Island head house, everyone else loves playing the clarinet, everyone else loves riding their paddlebikes, everyone else loves ballet dancing, and everyone else enjoys eating canned bread. He's thrilled at this, but soon gets bored of the same routine every day, to the point where he starts going out of control and just lets loose while playing around with a leaf blower. The other citizens filled a formal list of complaints, but Squidward tells them off by flying his leaf blower into the sky while screaming wildly.
* WalkThroughTheCamera:
** "Breath of Fresh Squidward" [=SpongeBob=] walking with new Squidward attached to him. "Boy, the new Squidward sure is chummy."
* WatchingTheSunset: With Squidward.
-->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' This is great. Just the three of us; you, me, and this brick wall you built between us.
* WaterIsAir: Very frequently, starting with the intro to every episode, in which [=SpongeBob=] takes a bath. Most noticeable in "SpongeHenge," involving a wind storm that causes [=SpongeBob's=] holes to whistle.
** [=SpongeBob=] and friends are also perfectly capable of falling off cliffs, drinking water from cups...Pearl's ponytail is nice and neat...
** Lampshaded in one episode where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick run away after they think they're wanted fugitives for popping a balloon.
-->''[=SpongeBob=]and Patrick are sitting around a campfire late at night.''\\
'''Patrick:''' [[LampshadeHanging Hey, if we're underwater, how can there be a--]]?\\
''[fire immediately goes out]''
* WeaponizedStench:
** "Karate Island" has Filthy Phil, who deals with his opponents by using his body stench to knock them out. Unfortunately for him, Sandy is protected from his smell thanks to her suit, and [[HoistByHisOwnPetard he ends up smelling his own stink]].
** The episode "Something Smells" has [=SpongeBob=] accidentally trigger this trope when he uses a rancid seanut plant for a sundae, creating a horrific case of bad breath. The odor becomes so horrible that everyone in Bikini Bottom has a near-fatal reaction; the only person immune is Patrick, who lacks a nose. [=SpongeBob=] can't understand why everyone is running away from him, and Patrick convinces him that it must be because he's ugly. It isn't until Patrick himself eats some of the sundae and also gets bad breath that they realize what's going on, as [=SpongeBob=] ''can'' smell Patrick's terrible fumes (he likely couldn't smell his own because of the real-life phenomenon of "scent blindness," which dulls a person's own odor to themselves).
* WearingItAllWrong:
** In "Pickles", a supposed error on a Krabby Patty order causes [=SpongeBob=] [[CentipedesDilemma to not remember how to do]] ''anything''. At one point, we see that he put his underwear over his head.
** At the beginning of "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E1YourShoesUntiedSquidsDayOff Your Shoe's Untied]]", Patrick gets a new pair of shoes, and decides to wear them on his hands instead of his feet. [=SpongeBob=] likes this idea, and suggests also wearing gloves on their feet and hats on their "captain's quarters". [[BrickJoke In a later scene]], Patrick is still wearing his shoes on his hands as he eats a Krabby Patty at the Krusty Krab.
** In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E6GrandmasKissesSquidville Grandma's Kisses]]", [=SpongeBob's=] grandmother gives Patrick a sweater as a present. When Patrick opens it, he thinks it's a hat and wears it on his head until [=SpongeBob's=] grandmother tells him it's a sweater.
* WhatAreYouInFor: Said by Patrick at the end of "[=SpongeBob=] Meets The Strangler", when the Strangler ends up in the same jail cell as him.
* WhatTheHellHero: In ''Karen 2.0'', when [=SpongeBob=] accidentally makes Karen cry some more after Plankton dumps her, Mr. Krabs responds to this with this:
-->'''Mr. Krabs''': ''(Angrily)'' Smooth, [=SpongeBob=]. REAL smooth!
** Squidward even calls Mr. Krabs out on selling [=SpongeBob=]'s soul for 62 cents in ''Born Again Krabs''. Squidward hates [=SpongeBob=] with a burning passion of a thousand suns, but even he was disturbed at what Krabs did.
** In "Stuck in the Wringer", [=SpongeBob=] yells at Patrick for ruining his life by gluing him to his wringer. But the [[UngratefulTownsfolk townspeople]] [[MadeOutToBeAJerkass call [=SpongeBob=] out for yelling at Patrick]] even though it was Patrick who got him in that mess in the first place.
* WhenTheClockStrikesTwelve: In "A Day Without Tears", [=SpongeBob=] has to resist crying by midnight to win Squidward's bet.
* WhosOnFirst: "Good Ol' Whatshisname", in which Squidward tries to find out the name of a mystery customer.
** Also, in "Shellback Shenanigans":
--->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' When are we making this fresh batch of Krabby Patties, Mr. Krabs?\\
'''Mr. Krabs:''' What?\\
'''Plankton:''' Okay, now what'd he say?\\
'''Karen:''' "What?".\\
'''Plankton:''' I said, "What'd he say?"\\
'''Karen:''' He said, "What?".\\
'''Plankton:''' I have no idea, that's why I'm asking you what he said!\\
'''Karen:''' I know that, and I'm saying he said, "What?"!\\
'''Plankton:''' I know that! Wait... oh, he ''said,'' "What?"\\
'''Karen:''' Yes!
* WhosWatchingTheStore: Only three people operate the Krusty Krab, and all three are not always at work at the same time.
** "Welcome to the Bikini Bottom Triangle" shows that Pearl works in the store if Mr. Krabs isn't there. But while she's gone, some old sea captain works there instead.
* WholeEpisodeFlashback:
** The episode "Missing Identity" is told in flashback by [=SpongeBob=] to a waitress and customer in the diner one night.
** "To [=SquarePants=] or Not to [=SquarePants=]" is a flashback to "three days ago" from the beginning of the narration.
** The Season 8 "vacation" arc of episodes ("A [=SquarePants=] Family Vacation", "Patrick's Staycation", "Walking the Plankton", "Mooncation", "Mr. Krabs Takes a Vacation") are told in flashback by whoever had the vacation, by showing a photo slideshow of the event, and the rest of the episode is what happened on said vacation.
* WholePlotReference:
** The very first episode, "Help Wanted", is a loose remake of a scene from ''[[Creator/JerryLewis The Bellboy]]'' where Stanley's boss makes him set up chairs in a huge ballroom to keep him out of trouble, only to return a minute later and see every chair single set up perfectly. Just replace "setting up chairs" with "looking for a hydrodynamic spatula" and "doing it abnormally fast" with "actually finding it."
** "Patrick Smartpants" is ''Literature/FlowersForAlgernon''. Patrick suddenly becomes smart after an accident in Jellyfish Fields. It turns out that after the top of his head was knocked off, [=SpongeBob=] put a "brain coral" on Patrick instead of Patrick's real head.
** The episode [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E2ClubSpongeBobMyPrettySeahorse Club [=SpongeBob=]]] is, believe it or not, one for Literature/NineteenEightyFour, only LighterAndSofter.
** "Culture Shock" is one for the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "Show Biz Bugs", with Squidward and [=SpongeBob=] standing in for Daffy and Bugs, respectively.
* WhyDontYouMarryIt: In "Married to Money", Plankton fails to get the Krabby Patty secret formula once again, and after listening to Mr. Krabs' statement of how money makes the world go round, he mocks him and asks "why don't you marry it." Mr. Krabs goes silent and sadly responds that if he could, he would.
* WhyWontYouDie: Very blatant in "Demolition Doofus," when Mrs. Puff is trying to ensure that [=SpongeBob=] will die in the truck rally but his bad driving protects him, she screams, "Why are you still alive?!" [=SpongeBob=], oblivious to this, replies: "Put it in drive?" [[NeverSayDie Note that this is the closest toward mentioning death in the episode.]]
* WidgetSeries: Of the WHAT variety.
* WindbagPolitician: When [=SpongeBob=] was chosen hall monitor, he gave a long, boring acceptance speech (which includes a quote from an equally long speech given by a famous hall monitor). By the time he was finished, class was over without him actually performing his hall-monitor duties.
* WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing:
** In the episode "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V", Mermaid Man hires the main cast to pose as superheroes against Face Heel Turned Barnacle Boy's villain group "Every Villain Is Lemons". However the team's ineptness with their super powers leads them to all injure themselves, while the villains look on dumbfounded.
** In "The Great Snail Race", [=SpongeBob=], Squidward and Patrick enter a snail contest, with Patrick's contestant being a rock.[[note]]"Thanks, I know. He's got nerves of steel"[[/note]] While [=SpongeBob's=] snail Gary crashes and Squidward's snail forfeits the race to be by his side, Patrick's "snail" somehow got to the finish line.
* WithholdingTheirName: In the episode, [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS5E84SpyBuddiesBoatSmartsGoodOlWhatshisname "Good Ol' Whatshisname"]], Squidward and [=SpongeBob=] compete in against each other to learn the names of all the customers in the Krusty Krab. When Squidward gets down to the last customer, it seems like the customer doesn't want to tell Squidward his name, as it sounds like he tells him "What's it to ya?". After Squidward takes the customer's wallet from him, getting himself arrested as a result, Squidward finds out [[RealJokeName the customer's real name]] is "[[WhosOnFirst What Zit Tooya]]".
* {{Workaholic}}: [=SpongeBob=] ADORES his job at the Krusty Krab, to the point where he ''goes insane'' when Mr. Krabs tries to make him take a vacation.
* WorkOffTheDebt: The plot of "Pat No Pay". Being Patrick he screws up even the simplest of jobs.
* WorldOfHam: At least half of the characters on the show have a ''huge'' thing for the dramatic, and will demonstrate whenever they get the chance.
* WorldsSmallestViolin: In a scene from "Squilliam Returns" in which Mr. Krabs plays the World's Smallest Violin as a variant of this trope.
-->'''Mr. Krabs''': Oh, boo hoo. Let me play a sad song for you on the World's Smallest Violin. ''[Does so]''
-->'''Squidward''': This is serious!
-->'''Mr. Krabs''': I know. This really ''is'' the World's Smallest Violin. See? (camera focuses on his claw to show World's Smallest Violin)
* WormInAnApple: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick try to raise an abandoned clam (the equivalent of birds in the setting) in "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve". Ignorant of what a clam eats, they unsuccessfully present it with an apple. However, a worm that talks and claims to be visiting from Apple World pops out from the fruit. The duo feeds the worm to the clam instead, despite the worm's threat that "[[UsefulNotes/NikitaKhrushchev we will bury you!]]"
* WrongGenreSavvy: Mr. Krabs in ''Born Again Krabs''. He thinks it's AllJustADream and he's in the hospital "sleepin' like a baby"... until he gets the bill.
* WrongRestaurant:
** In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E3TheBullyJustOneBite The Bully]]", Patrick calls Mrs. Puff's Boating School, thinking he called Pizza Castle, and tries to order a pizza. [=SpongeBob=] is actually glad Patrick called, and hopes he will stand up to Flats for him. Unfortunately for [=SpongeBob=], Flats is Patrick's old community college buddy.
** In "Pizza Delivery", someone calls the Krusty Krab for a pizza by mistake. Not one to miss out on a quick buck, Mr. Krabs smashes some Krabby Patties into a pizza and has [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward deliver it. HilarityEnsues.
** In "Squidville", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are at the gate to Tentacle Acres, where Squidward has moved. Patrick mistakes the intercom for a take out window and makes an order.
** In "Seance Schmeance", an old man keeps coming to the Krusty Krab mistaking it for the restaurant that was there before, asking for a certain sandwich. Mr. Krabs holds a seance to find the recipe and get rid of the customer once and for all.
** In "Komputer Overload", a customer is at the drive thru of the Chum Bucket and keeps trying to order items that the Krusty Krab sells. Plankton angrily tells the customer that they don't sell any of those items, and if he wants any of those, he should go to the Krusty Krab.
* XtremeKoolLetterz: The Krusty Krab.
* XMustNotWin: While usually fine defending his own business, Mr Krabs is sometimes shown to have an unsettling grudge towards any minor success his rival Plankton gains, even so much as gaining ''one'' customer is enough for him to start on an obsessive vendetta in stealing Plankton's "business."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Y-Z]]
* YankTheDogsChain:
** Some episodes tend to do this to both Squidward and Plankton. Used so often in the later seasons that it's almost the show's signature trope, especially with Squidward.
** Happens to [=SpongeBob=] whenever he tries to get his driver's license.
* YesMan: The Jellyspotters
* YesNoAnswerInterpretation: From "Chimps Ahoy":
--> '''Dr. Marmalade''': Lord Reginald, are you all right? ''[shrieks and explosions are heard]'' I'm sorry, was that a "yes"?
* YouCanSayThatAgain: [=SpongeBob=] utters the line in the episode "The Two Faces of Squidward", after Patrick says "We're not just neighbors...", and Patrick, as one might expect, follows through.
* YourCostumeNeedsWork: "That's the worst [=SpongeBob=] costume I've ever seen!" - Passenger on a train ride that ''[=SpongeBob=] himself'' is driving in the episode "The Krusty Sponge"
* YourEyesCanDeceiveYou: A method used by one driving teacher...and it actually works! But now [=SpongeBob=] can only drive safely while blindfolded.
* YourHeadAsplode: In "Sing A Song Of Patrick", Patrick's song is so bad, just hearing it causes a random fish's head to blow up within seconds of hearing it.
* YouNeedABreathMint: A bystander offers one to Mr. Krabs in "Hooky" after he yells in his ear about "the hooks".
* YouNoTakeCandle: Patrick's sister, Sam.
* YourTelevisionHatesYou: In "Idiot Box", Squidward is trying to forget about [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick playing in their box, but everything on TV is about boxes, even [[VisualPun boxing]].
* ZanyCartoon: Big time.
* ZillionDollarBill: In "Goodbye, Krabby Patty?", thanks to [[spoiler: the gigantic success of frozen Krabby Patty]], Mr.Krabs receives what seems to be a 100 million dollar check, only to find out there's plenty more zeroes written all the way to its back, making the amount to be 100 ''nonillion''[[note]]that's thirty zeroes[[/note]] dollars.
* ZombieApocalypse:
** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in "Once Bitten", where the zombie apocalypse turns out to just be the public being hysterical.
** In "Krabby Patty Creature Feature", Krabby Patties experimented on by Sandy cause the population of Bikini Bottom to turn into [[BodyHorror horrifying fish-burger hybrids]] whose only goal is to force other fish to eat them, turning them into more of said creatures.
[[/folder]]
----

** In "Goodbye Krabby Patty?", [=SpongeBob=] takes out the formula and reads it, but the front of the sheet is never shown.
** Slightly averted in "The Great Krabby Caper" which actually reveals some of the ingredients to the formula, specifically flour, barnacle shavings, turmeric, and either sea or land salt.

* UnstoppableRage: Patrick was tearing up the carnival in the Valentine's Day episode after he only got a handshake (while [=SpongeBob=] got other people roses, a box of chocolates, and a bike).

* SurpriseCreepy: [[CanonDiscontinuity While not part of the show]], the 2005 educational short [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UOCmMYINkI "The Endless Summer"]] since it ends with Mr. Krabs realizing everyone except [=SpongeBob=] left Bikini Bottom due to the effects of global warming.

* TownContestEpisode: Patrick competes in an eating contest in "What's Eating Patrick?"

-->'''Squidward:''' Why couldn't the 11-year-old get into the pirate movie? It was rated [[IncrediblyLamePun Aaaarrrrrgh.]] ''[laughs uproariously]''