History TearJerker / RecessSchoolsOut

** Despite what Benedict accused him of, Prickly genuinely had no intention of getting Benedict fired in order to get his job as principal as he only got the Superintendent involved as a way to overrule the "no recess" edict. However, the Superintendent was an ExcellentJudgeOfCharacter as he saw that Benedict was DrunkWithPower (since Benedict still refused to obliged to the Superintendent's orders to back down from his anti-recess crusade) and that it was in the district's interest (and for the students' benefit) to have him fired.
** We also see how Benedict sabotaged his relationship with Miss Finster, who at that point was a sweet young lady with a gravelly voice who loved her job as recess referee. Then her boyfriend launches a campaign against recess, putting her career and their future on the line. When the Superintendent fires Benedict, he attempts to make her walk out with him, only for Miss Finster angrily pull away from him and say that she can never be with someone that hates kids having fun.
--->'''Phil:''' Oh, I see what's going down here. You tricked me! Went around my back to the Man to get my job!\\
'''Pete:''' No! It's not like that at all!\\

** We also see how Benedict sabotaged his relationship with Miss Finster, who at that point was a sweet young lady with a gravelly voice who loved her job as recess referee. Then her boyfriend launches a campaign against recess, putting her career and their future on the line. When the Superintendent fires Benedict, he attempts to make her walk out with him in righteous fury. However, Miss Finster angrily pulls away and says that she can never be with someone that hates kids having fun.

** There is also the scene of how Benedict actually received his chronic limp: after ranting out against Finster for dumping him, he attempts to leave with whatever dignity he has left after the fallout, but falls on the stairs. A shocked Finster and Prickly attempt to help him back on his knees, but Benedict furiously tells them to back off before weakly going back up himself and swearing revenge on Prickly.

* At the end of the movie, Principal Prickly is cleaning out his office since Benedict left a bunch of junk laying around, and finds his old peace necklace from the 60's. T.J. comes by before he goes to hang with his friends, and thanks Principal Prickly for saving his life and helping stop Benedict. Prickly says that he should be thanking T.J.; after all, he didn't enter teaching for the pensions, promotions, or so he could make to the golf course at 3:45. This adventure made him remember that he started teaching to help kids, and had forgotten about it. Prickly looks at his necklace with a wistful expression and puts it on when T.J. leaves.

'''Pete:''' (narrating) I never saw Phillium again. (fade back to the present) He quit teaching, went into politics, eventually became Secretary of Education until the President fired him for trying to get rid of recess again, only this time it was nation-wide

* Principal Prickly cleans out his office since Benedict left a bunch of junk around, and finds his old peace necklace. T.J. comes by before he goes to hang with his friends, and thanks Principal Prickly for saving his life and helping stop Benedict. Prickly says that he should be thanking T.J.; after all, he didn't enter teaching for the pensions or promotions. This adventure made him remember that he started teaching to help kids, and had forgotten about it. Prickly looks at his necklace with a wistful expression and puts it on when T.J. leaves.

* When T.J. is riding his bike through town while his friends are all at camp. But what makes sad is the fact that the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu37sBrxOsQ "One" by Three Dog Night]] is played, and the lyrics are not cheerful.

** There is also the scene of how Benedict actually received his chronic limp: after ranting out against Finster for dumping him, he attempts to leave with whatever dignity he has left from the fallout, but falls on the stairs. A shocked Finster and Prickly attempt to help him back on his knees, but Benedict furiously tells them to back off before weakly going back up himself and swearing revenge on Prickly.

'''Peter:''' You okay, man?\\
'''Phil:''' DON'T TOUCH ME!!! You took my chick.... you took my job! Well, enjoy it while you can, Petey boy, 'cause you're gonna pay!! Somehow... some way... you're GONNA PAY!!

--->'''Phil:''' Oh, I see what's going down here. You tricked me! Went around my back to the Man to get my job!
'''Pete:''' No! It's not like that at all!

** Despite what Benedict accused him of, Prickly genuinely had no intention of getting Benedict fired as he only got the Superintendent in a plan to overrule the "no recess" edict. However, the Superintendent was an ExcellentJudgeOfCharacter as he saw that Benedict was DrunkWithPower (since Benedict still refused to obliged to the Superitendent's orders to back down) and that it was in the district's interest to fire him for the students' benefit.
** There is also showing how Benedict sabotaged his relationship with Miss Finster, who was a sweet young lady with a gravelly voice who loved her job as recess referee. Then her boyfriend launches a campaign against recess, putting her career and their future on the line. He attempts to make her walk out with him in righteous fury when the superintendent fires Benedict. However, Miss Finster angrily pulls away by asking him WhatWereYouThinking because she is a recess ''teacher'' and she can't be with someone that hates kids having fun.
--->'''Phil:''' Come on, Muriel baby, let's blow this scene.\\

** There is also the scene of how Benedict actually received his chronic limp: after ranting out against Finster for dumping him, he attempts to leave with whatever dignity he got left, but falls on the stairs. A shocked Finster and Prickly attempted to help him back on his knees, but Benedict furiously tells them to back off before weakly going back up himself and swearing revenge on Prickly.

** Despite what Benedict accused him of, Prickly genuinely had no intention of getting Benedict fired as he only got the Superintendent in a plan to overrule the "no recess" edict. The Superintendent, however, was an ExcellentJudgeOfCharacter; he saw that Benedict was DrunkWithPower (since Benedict still refused to obliged to the Superitendent's orders to back down) and that it was in the district's interest to fire him for the students' benefit.

** The same can be said for Miss Finster as well, as in spite of her authoritarian nature who likes to keep kids in check through intimidation, she too genuinely values the well-being of children as she was one an idealistic teacher back in the 60s, and that she, just like Prickly, was forced to combat the mind-numbing bureaucracy of the educational system and the realities of society. And just like Prickly, Finster was never a villain to begin with; she is only strict because it's part of her job as she too understands the true meaning of recess.

** This really shows Principal Prickly off for who he really is. Rather than a generic kids show villain like most cartoons with a school setting will make the Principal, Prickly is a human being like everyone else, who had to learn to grow up and deal with the responsibilities and complexities of adulthood, something T.J. and company don't have to worry about yet. It's even more powerful when you find out Prickly's background, that he was an idealistic teacher during the Summer of Love in the 60s, but all that idealism was eventually ground away as he aged, as he was forced to combat the mind-numbing bureaucracy of the educational system and the realities of the world. Prickly isn't a villain, he never was one at all, it just seemed that way to the main characters, who are children, too young to understand just what adulthood can do to you. Thankfully, he's set back down the right path by the end of the movie.
** The same can be said for Miss Finster as well, as in spite of her authoritarian nature who likes to keep kids in check through intimidation, she too is a human being as she was one an idealistic teacher back in the 60s, and that she, just like Prickly, was forced to combat the mind-numbing bureaucracy of the educational system and the realities of society. And just like Prickly, Finster too understands the true meaning of both childhood and adulthood as she already admitted this to Spinelli in the series.