Line #16 Recap/TheSimpsonsS14E9StrongArmsOfTheMa


1	[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_2022_12_05_142836522.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:150:''"It's like I'm married to Film/{{Shaft}}!"'']]
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4	'''Original air date:''' 2/2/2003 ''(produced in 2002)''
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6	'''Production code:''' EABF-04
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8	After Marge gets mugged by a hobo outside of the Kwik-E-Mart's bathroom, she turns into a recluse afraid to even leave her own basement. Eventually, she becomes bored, and starts turning to weight lifting (from some weights Homer bought at Rainier Wolfcastle's bankruptcy sale) to pass the time. After gaining the courage to go outside and beating up the hobo who mugged her, she becomes a bodybuilder, thanks to her old friend, Ruth Powers, who [[NoodleIncident went to jail, got addicted to bodybuilding and steroids, and became Miss Mexican Mafia]].
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10	This is the true [[MilestoneCelebration 300th episode of the show]], even though Fox promoted the 302nd episode, "Barting Over", as the 300th.
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12	!!Tropes featured:
13	* AmazonChaser: Homer is very impressed when Marge beats up the mugger.
14	* AmazonianBeauty: Marge becomes one in the third act. However, with her steroid abuse later on, she becomes a BrawnHilda.
15	* BridalCarry: This is how Marge carries Homer out of the basement at the end of the episode.
16	* BriefAccentImitation: As part of the family's simulated Kwik-E-Mart, Bart takes Apu's role, dressing like him and speaking in his accent. He continues talking in the accent even after Marge leaves the room.
17	* BrokeTheRatingScale: During an attempt by the family to help Marge overcome her agoraphobia, she is told to describe her anxiety level using a number from one to ten. However, while Homer attempts to get rid of a beehive, Marge says "12," then "15". When the swarm of bees attack the family, Marge screams, "703!"
18	* ChekhovsGun: Rainier Wolfcastle's first weight set. Homer buys it at the start of the episode, and while confined to the basement due to her agoraphobia, Marge uses it to work out and pass the time, which causes her to conquer her agoraphobia, run into the mugger and beat him senseless.
19	* CurbStompBattle:
20	** Marge's second encounter with the mugger has her beat him absolutely senseless without the crook getting a single hit in.
21	** A 'roid-raging Marge completely flattens everyone in Moe's Tavern when they interfere after she threatens Moe.
22	* DidntThinkThisThrough: Homer expertly packs the family and all the stuff they bought into the car, but forgot to make room for himself.
23	* DisproportionateRetribution: Moe crudely tells Marge that [[NoGuyWantsAnAmazon he doesn't have enough liquor to make her look good]]. Marge responds by smashing a jar of pickled onions and threatening to ''murder'' Moe.
24	* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: While hopped up on steroids, Marge propositions Homer and, when he tries to opt out, says, "I ''[[ThatWasntARequest wasn't asking]]."'' The next morning Homer's in obvious pain while walking.
25	* DrugsAreBad: Marge's original fitness regime of lifting weights is treated as a positive development for her mental health, but her steroid abuse makes her overly aggressive and extremely ill-tempered.
26	* FromBadToWorse: The family attempts to simulate the Kwik-E-Mart experience at home to ease Marge back into going outside, but Milhouse barging in pretending to be a robber ends up making her agoraphobia even worse than before, driving her into the basement.
27	* HairyGirl: One morning, after she begins taking the steroids, the kids ask where Marge is. Homer simply tells them, "Your mom has a lot of stuff to shave."
28	* {{Hypocrite}}: {{Discussed\|Trope}} when Marge initially refuses to take drugs due to her noting that it'd make a hypocrite out of her anti-drug bumper sticker-laden tail gate. She ends up taking the drugs anyway after succumbing to peer pressure from Ruth.
29	* [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight "I Know You're In There Somewhere" Talk]]: Homer tries to talk down a raging Marge in Moe's Tavern after she was done [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beating up all the men in the bar]]. She has a HeelRealization and steps down.
30	* IWasYoungAndNeededTheMoney: Apparently, in his younger days, before becoming [[TheAhnold a big-name actor]], Rainier Wolfcastle starred in [[UsefulNotes/{{Pornography}} adult films]]. ''Gay'' adult films.
31	* KillItWithFire: Homer's idea for how to get rid of a beehive. Naturally, all it does is agitate the bees.
32	* KnightOfCerebus: Things are the usual lighthearted fare until the thug appears and mugs Marge. Compared to other more comical cases involving criminals in the show such as Snake or Sideshow Bob, this is mostly PlayedForDrama and Marge is left suffering from trauma from the ordeal for a large portion of the episode.
33	* LaserGuidedKarma: The mugger who stole Marge's pearls and gave her agoraphobia as a result ends up on the receiving end of being beaten up by Marge when she runs into him later.
34	* MaritalRapeLicense: After Marge starts taking the steroids, she becomes both more muscular and more aggressive. To the point where she rapes Homer.
35	* MsFanservice: The four Playdude centerfold models that Rainier has at the bankruptcy sale.
36	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: When the rest of the Simpsons try to help Marge by recreating the Kwik-E-Mart inside of their living room so she can practice going back there (and outside), for some reason Milhouse decides it's a good moment to play "cops-and-robbers" with him as the "robber" and enter the living room with a toy gun yelling out "This is a robbery!" Result: Marge gets another panic attack and she rushes into the basement to feel safe, worsening the problem further.
37	* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon: Bart's reaction after seeing the "Iron Maidens."
38	--> '''Bart''': Ay caramba. I'm off women forever.
39	* NoSympathy: Downplayed; while Dr. Hibbert does offer exposure therapy as a possible treatment for Marge's agoraphobia, when asked what happens if she can't recover, he bluntly calls her crazy.
40	* NoodleIncident: Ruth Powers somehow wound up in prison since her last appearance.
41	* NotAfraidOfYouAnymore: When Marge runs into the mugger again, he [[KickTheDog cruelly]] asks if she's been living in fear since they last saw each other. Marge replies with an angry "not anymore!" before giving him the thrashing of a lifetime.
42	* PlayingATree: Lisa gets given the role of “a magazine rack” in Homer’s therapy simulation, because he can’t write great parts for women”.
43	* PoliceAreUseless: When Marge catches the thug herself, Chief Wiggum compliments her for doing the cops' job for them, [[HypocriticalHumor then blames a bunch of civilians for not doing the same]].
44	* PostRobberyTrauma: Marge becomes afraid to leave the house. Later on, thanks to Milhouse pushing her TraumaButton, it escalates further and she becomes a BasementDweller.
45	* RecycledAnimation: The entire "Eye on Springfield" intro is reused from the episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E10FlamingMoes Flaming Moe's]]". Needless to say, to go from Season 3 animation to Season 14 animation is jarring.
46	* RippingOffTheStringOfPearls: The hobo who mugs Marge outside the Kwik-E-Mart threatens her with a gun and grabs her necklace. The necklace rips and the beads scatter as he runs off.
47	* SecondPlaceIsForLosers: Marge gets second place in the Iron Maiden competition which leads to this conversation.
48	--> '''Marge''': From now on, I'm going to up my carbo load, use a ''denser'' ripping gel--\
49	'''Homer''': '''''Denser'''''?\
50	'''Marge''': slams her fist down Damn straight! '' I didn't sacrifice my period for second place!''
51	* SheWhoFightsMonsters: Marge's decision to bulk up is prompted by a thug robbing her, which leads to an epic CurbStompBattle when she catches up with the thug. That said, she ends up becoming an aggressive bully.
52	* ShoutOut:
53	** When Marge started taking steroids, the theme song for Franchise/{{Popeye}} started being heard.
54	** Marge beating up the mugger is nearly a shot-for-shot recreation from the scene in ''Film/TheGodfather'' in which Sonny beats up his sister's abusive husband.
55	** During the [[TheTetrisEffect Tetris]] sequence, music from the Platform/GameBoy version of the game plays, followed by a fanfare from the Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem version when Homer realises he left no room in the car for himself.
56	** "Disco Stu should have [[Music/RickDees disco ducked]]!"
57	** After Marge runs over the mailman, he tells her to take her time calling for help because he has plenty to read. He picks up a copy of ''Franchise/TheTwilightZone'' magazine, then realizes his glasses are broken. This is a reference to the classic episode "Time Enough At Last," the famous ending of which is depicted on the cover of the magazine.
58	* ShutUpKirk: When Ned tells Rainier Wolfcastle he doesn't think it's right that he try to sell four Playdude centerfolds, Moe tells him to shut up and they head off with him.
59	* SuddenlyEthnicity: Ruth [[NoodleIncident became Miss Mexican Mafia whilst in jail]], implying she has Hispanic ancestry.
60	* SuperHearing: Marge as part of her steroid abuse and work gained this as Homer warned Bart and Lisa they can hear them mouthing off her following her getting second place.
61	* TheTetrisEffect: Homer uses his experience in playing Tetris to fit everything he bought in Rainier Wolfcastle's bankruptcy sale and his family in the car. [[EpicFail Unfortunately, he forgot to include himself in the equation]].
62	* ThatWasntARequest: Marge's reaction when Homer tries to turn down sex.
63	* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Bart, Lisa, and Homer's reaction when Marge got 2nd place from the Iron Maiden competition knowing that she'll only get worse from there.
64	* TooMuchInformation: Lenny says that the fact that Marge has stopped having her periods is "more than he needs to know."
65	* TookALevelInJerkass:
66	** In her [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E6MargeOnTheLam last appearance]], Ruth Powers was a genuine friend to Marge and, despite involving her in an arguably justified auto theft, gave her a chance to leave without complaint. Here, she not only suggests that Marge start taking illegal steroids, but peer pressures her into doing it.
67	** As Marge herself dives headlong into steroid abuse, she becomes increasingly aggressive and abusive towards her family, belittling Lisa by criticizing her "[[YouAreFat saggy glutes]]", and [[MaritalRapeLicense not giving Homer a choice about whether they're having sex]]. She develops a HairTriggerTemper as well, threatening to kill Moe for insulting her musclebound appearance, then brutally subduing every other man in the Tavern when they intervene.

Context Recap / TheSimpsonsS14E9StrongArmsOfTheMa