| 1 | ->Visit the main page [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants here]]. |
| 2 | -->For tropes A to C see [[SpongeBobSquarePants/TropesAToC here]]. |
| 3 | -->For tropes D to I see [[SpongeBobSquarePants/TropesDToI here]]. |
| 4 | -->For tropes Q to Z see [[SpongeBobSquarePants/TropesQToZ here]]. |
| 5 | ---- |
| 6 | !!Tropes with their own pages |
| 7 | [[index]] |
| 8 | * [[Jerkass/SpongeBobSquarePants Jerkass]] |
| 9 | * [[LaserGuidedKarma/SpongeBobSquarePants Laser-Guided Karma]] |
| 10 | * [[MediumBlending/SpongeBobSquarePants Medium Blending]] |
| 11 | * [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone/SpongeBobSquarePants My God, What Have I Done?]] |
| 12 | * [[NoEnding/SpongeBobSquarePants No Ending]] |
| 13 | * [[ParentalBonus/SpongeBobSquarePants Parental Bonus]] |
| 14 | * [[PoliceAreUseless/SpongeBobSquarePants Police Are Useless]] |
| 15 | [[/index]] |
| 16 | |
| 17 | !!Other Tropes |
| 18 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 19 | [[folder:J]] |
| 20 | * JailedOneAfterAnother: In the episode "Shuffleboarding", [=Spongebob=] and Patrick accidentally injure Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, who were appointed to participate in the titular event. [=Spongebob=] and Patrick are tasked with becoming substitutes for the elderly duo, and are told to return after they're done Shuffle-boarding. Not only do the two friends disobey the order so they can fill in for the heroes full-time, but they do a bad job at it too as they arrest pretty much every single citizen in Bikini Bottom, young and old, for doing anything under the sun (such as getting on a kiddie ride, having shoelaces untied, or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking being to old]]). Even Man Ray is wrongly jailed, [[VillainsOutShopping as he was just going to the laundromat]]. By the time the duo are done, the entire correctional facility explodes from the amount of citizens in there, who then set out to get revenge. Unfortunately, [=Spongebob=] and Patrick have returned their costumes, so the angry mob goes after the actual ''and innocent'' Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. |
| 21 | * {{Jerkass}}: |
| 22 | ** In "Keep Bikini Bottom Beautiful", a cop follows Squidward around and continuously slams tickets into his face for even being ''near'' a pile of garbage. Must be some slow days for that cop. |
| 23 | ** Dylan in "Whale Watching", after talking Pearl into sneaking out to a breach party (where everyone jumps out of the water and surfaces) once Pearl accidentally beaches herself, he (and everyone else at the party) immediately runs off, basically leaving her to die, good thing Squidward came along and him and Pearl got Dylan back at the end by torturing him with [=SpongeBob=]. |
| 24 | %%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample** Practically everyone in the show at some time or the other, with Mr. Krabs and Squidward being the most prominent examples, although it [[DependingOnTheWriter Depends On The Writer]]. |
| 25 | * JerkassAtYourDiscretion: Puffy Fluffy in "A Pal For Gary" only attempts to attack Gary when [=SpongeBob=] is not looking. The second [=SpongeBob=] turns to see the damage, Puffy Fluffy reverts to his cute state so it looks like Gary is responsible. |
| 26 | * JerkassBall: |
| 27 | ** The normally sympathetic Mrs. Puff becomes a jerk in "Demolition Doofus" as she tries to outright MURDER [=SpongeBob=]! [[{{Bowdlerize}} Thankfully toned down in the book adaptation where she instead just wants to watch him get injured until he decides he'll never drive again.]] [=SpongeBob=] also holds a bit of this when he refuses to own up for causing her to lose her puff and instead chooses to insult her disability for the sake of it. |
| 28 | ** [=SpongeBob=] tends to show shades of this in the later seasons, especially seasons 5-8. The largest example would be "A Pal For Gary", where he straight-up ignores Gary's warnings of Puffy Fluffy and berates him for ignoring or roughhousing the creature. This even continues when he sees the creature in its monster form and scolds Gary ''again'' for sending it away, despite the snail ''saving his life.'' He even chooses to ignore the old lady's warning about the creature, even ''stealing'' it without even paying for it! |
| 29 | ** [=SpongeBob=] tends to show bits of this toward Squidward, specifically sneaking into his house undetected, refusing to leave him alone when he doesn't want it, and even popping up all over the place until he's recuded to a freaked-out heap. It's best seen in "Squid Wood", "The Thing", and "Choir Boys". |
| 30 | %%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample** Practically everyone in the show at some time or the other, with Mr. Krabs and Squidward being the most prominent examples, although it [[DependingOnTheWriter Depends On The Writer]].** Post-HD episodes tone this down, thanks to Stephen Hillenburg returning to production until his death. |
| 31 | * JerkassGods: Neptune, especially in "The Clash Of Triton" where he traps his son in a cage for wanting to meddle in the lives of mortals instead of smiting them, but he gets better. |
| 32 | * JerkWithAHeartOfGold: |
| 33 | ** Squidward, usually in seasons 1-3. While it's clear that he doesn't enjoy being [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's neighbors, trying to avoid them and generally being rather rude, there are moments that show he ''does'' care for them. For example, in "Graveyard Shift", he admits that he "always kind of liked" [=SpongeBob=], and episodes such as "Squidville" and "SB-129" show that he would miss them if he ever had to go away. |
| 34 | ** Mr. Krabs [[DependingOnTheWriter on their better days]]. |
| 35 | * JoinsToFitIn: In "Squidville", Squidward finally gives up on trying to put up with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick and moves to Tentacle Acres, a town completely populated by clarinet-playing, interpretive-dancing, bicycle-riding, canned-bread-buying, cynical, sarcastic squids, all just like Squidward. He quickly grows tired of the tedium, realizing that he needs [=SpongeBob=] to help keep his life interesting. |
| 36 | * JokeOfTheButt: Happens a lot in episodes after season 9. Often, [[FatComicRelief Patrick]] will hit stuff with his butt ("Drive Happy", "The Nitwitting") or end up sitting on characters like [=SpongeBob=] or Plankton. Other times, characters will randomly be drawn with pronounced butts (such as Plankton in "The Krusty Slammer" and [=SpongeBob=] in "The Night Patty"). Bubble Bass, being a FatSlob, often gets butt jokes as FanDisservice; he rubs his butt against a glass window in "Bubble Bass's Tab" and Sandy's treedome in "Goons on the Moon" |
| 37 | * JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: The dream version in the episode "Sleepy Time". Naturally, [=SpongeBob=] managed to ruin the dreams of everyone in Bikini Bottom, and he awoke to find a group of annoyed friends and neighbors, insisting he stay out of their dreams because they get enough of him during the day. |
| 38 | * JumpRopeBlunders: In "Big Pink Loser", [=SpongeBob=] is sick of Patrick copying him and tries to do things that he can't, including a jumprope trick called the "slice-and-dice" that splits him into little cubes. [[SubvertedTrope Patrick then takes the rope and dices himself as well.]] |
| 39 | * JumpScare: "Wormy" has multiple. At certain points, when a character is approached by Wormy (as a butterfly), there's a sudden cut to a live-action horsefly making a loud buzzing noise. |
| 40 | * JustFriends: |
| 41 | ** [[spoiler: [=SpongeBob=] apparently has a crush on Sandy.]] This isn't very noticeable within the show itself, but supplemental materials place special emphasis on it. A survival guide released in 2002 played with the fact, [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Sponge_Is_Straight_by_helgoth11_5659.jpg hinting at the crush being "secret"]]. |
| 42 | ** Sandy's official biography states that she "is the only thing under the sea that [=SpongeBob=] likes better than his job at the Krusty Krab." |
| 43 | [[/folder]] |
| 44 | |
| 45 | [[folder:K]] |
| 46 | * KarmaHoudini: |
| 47 | ** Granny from the episode "Have You Seen This Snail?". Despite having fed multiple snails to death, potentially killing them, she's never shown to be punished for this. |
| 48 | ** Another example happens in "Chocolate With Nuts" where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are trying to earn money by selling chocolate but are conned by a fish [[RuleOfThree three times]] and he never gets any comeuppance, aside from being the only customer they did not sell any chocolate to. |
| 49 | ** At the end of "Best Frenemies", we never saw who came up with the Kelpshake stands and if they ever got punished for selling addictive, toxic drinks to the population of the city. |
| 50 | ** In "Biddy Sitting", an old woman tricks [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick into babysitting her much older mother, giving them no instructions and not even paying them. [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick get badly beaten up by the end of it, but we never see if they confront the old lady for this. |
| 51 | * KarmaHoudiniWarranty: The fish who cons [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick out of their money multiple times in "Chocolate With Nuts" initially [[KarmaHoudini got off scot-free]], but later appearances gave him some form of karma: his jewelry shop gets robbed in "The Getaway" and all of his automobiles are destroyed in "Sanitation Insanity". |
| 52 | * KarmicButtMonkey: Squidward started off this way, being a narcissistic grouch who hated his neighbours somewhat disproportionately (and sometimes played cruel pranks to be rid of them). As the show became more sadistic however, Squidward's treatment became more disproportionate and his hatred towards [=SpongeBob=] became more justified as he increasingly made his life a genuine hell. This also counts for Plankton. |
| 53 | * {{Keet}}: [=SpongeBob=] is quite possibly Western Animation's most famous example of this trope. He's cute, hyperactive, and InTouchWithHisFeminineSide. |
| 54 | * TheKiddieRide: From Northern Leisure/Kiddy Rides UK, we have [=SpongeBob=] and Gary riding in the Krabby Patty Wagon. Also spawned unlicensed ripoffs. |
| 55 | * KidsAreCruel: The children of Bikini Bottom can be just as big {{jerkass}}es as the adults. |
| 56 | ** An example being "Krabby Land". |
| 57 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Those kids seem to respond to me being in pain. They enjoy other people's misery. |
| 58 | ** The kids shown at the start of "Krusty Katering" have no qualms about viciously tormenting the Krusty Krew - Squidward is sneezed on, Mr. Krabs gets smashed open like a piñata, [=SpongeBob=] is burst open while acting as a bouncy castle by a kid with cleats and Patrick's head ''[[OffWithHisHead gets torn off]]''. No wonder they abandon the gig a minute later. |
| 59 | * KidsMealToy: [[invoked]] |
| 60 | ** In "Born Again Krabs", Krabs gives out free Bikini Bottomite action figures at the Krusty Krab until he realizes he is awake. |
| 61 | ** In "Mermaid Man vs. [=SpongeBob=]", Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are hired to promote the restaurant, appearing in TV commercials for it. Kids meals are produced featuring Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy toys. Seeing how the promotion attracted kids to the Krusty Krab, Plankton uses mind-control shampoo on the aforementioned heroes to turn them against the Krusty Krab and bring customers to the Chum Bucket. |
| 62 | ** In "Yours, Mine and Mine", [=SpongeBob=] buys Patrick a kid's meal (that the latter agreed to share with the former but didn't) and Patrick demands a refund. [[TheScrooge Mr. Krabs]], not wanting to lose any money, inserts some straw limbs and pickle eyes on a Krabby Patty and calls it a Krabby Patty-shaped toy. [=SpongeBob=] falls in love with it, naming it "Patty Pal." The whole plot of the episode is Patrick being stingy and selfish by [[AppleOfDiscord not sharing the toy]] with [=SpongeBob=], which devastates the latter and causes conflict throughout the episode. |
| 63 | * KidsPreferBoxes: "Idiot Box" revolved around [=SpongeBob=] ordering a giant screen television... simply so that he and Patrick could have the box to play in. Lampshaded by Squidward. |
| 64 | -->'''Squidward:''' Just when I thought they couldn't get any stupider. |
| 65 | * KillTheLights: In "Jellyfish Hunter", the lights in [=SpongeBob=]'s house go out when a blue jellyfish snips the electrical wires. |
| 66 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' ''I guess Gary forgot to pay the electric bill.'' |
| 67 | * KillerGorilla: A live-action one appears in "I Had An Accident". It attacks Patrick, Sandy and later [=SpongeBob=] before [=SpongeBob=] questions how it can breathe underwater. |
| 68 | %%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* KillItWithFire: In the castaway episode. |
| 69 | * TheKilljoy: Squidward often grumpily tells his neighbours [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick to stop goofing off. Sometimes it's because they're getting in his way, but other times he's just crabby. |
| 70 | * KissTheCookApron: In the season five episode "Friend or Foe", Patchy the Pirate wears a "Kiss the Cook" apron while working at a restaurant called "The Poop Deck". When his parrot Potty questions this, Patchy remarks that he might "get lucky" and [[BreakingTheFourthWall turns to the camera]], offering himself to the ladies in the audience. |
| 71 | * KitschyLocalCommercial: |
| 72 | ** When Mr. Krabs decides to make a commercial for the Krusty Krab in "As Seen on TV", Squidward initially goes all out to make it as extravagant as possible. Krabs then decides it's too much and goes for a cheesy commercial on at 3AM. |
| 73 | ** "Goodbye, Krabby Patty?" gives us an amateurish and inspired commercial for Frozen Krabby Patties. It features stilted dialogue like "welcome to my commercial", the footage is being filmed by Pearl on a handheld phone, and it clearly has NoBudget. |
| 74 | * KitschyThemedRestaurant: When Mr. Krabs sells the Krusty Krabb in "Selling Out", its new owners turn it into "Krabby O'Monday's", complete with wall bric-a-bac and T.G.I. Friday's-style striped tables. |
| 75 | * KneelPushTrip: In "Grandma's Kisses", [=SpongeBob=] is practicing what he's going to tell his grandmother about being a grown up. Patrick then adds "Then you get behind her and I'll push", to which [=SpongeBob=] responds that they didn't agree on that. |
| 76 | * KnightOfCerebus: Granny from the episode "Have You Seen This Snail?". She, unlike other recurring villains in the series (including Plankton and Mr. Krabs, who is considered funny in his actions even more deplorable), she contrasts absolutely comical traits, and the episode itself made things very serious. |
| 77 | * KnowsAGuyWhoKnowsAGuy: |
| 78 | ** [=SpongeBob=] tries to warn Squidward. "Sea Bears are no laughing matter, why, once I met this guy who knew this guy, who knew this guy, who knew this guy, who knew this guy... who knew this guy, who knew this guy, who knew this guy's ''cousin''-" |
| 79 | ** In "Suds", Patrick tells [=SpongeBob=] of the horrors of the doctor's office which he knows because "I know a guy who knows a guy who went to the doctor once". |
| 80 | * KnuckleCracking: [=SpongeBob=] ''attempts'' to do this in "No Weenies Allowed", but it ends…[[{{Fingore}} poorly]]. |
| 81 | * KrakenAndLeviathan: Squidward becomes the "Giant Octopus" after [[BadMoonRising Neptune's Moon]] devolves him. As a mindless animal he tries to eat his friends and can only be matched by a devolved Pearl. |
| 82 | [[/folder]] |
| 83 | |
| 84 | [[folder:L]] |
| 85 | * LaboriousLaces: |
| 86 | ** In "Your Shoe's Untied", [=SpongeBob=] tries to show Patrick how to tie his new shoes, but he's had them on so long that he has no idea how to do so. Now, having untied his shoes, he can't tie them back up. He tries to find someone to teach him, but no one else in Bikini Bottom has shoes with laces. Finally, he learns how from [[spoiler:his pet snail Gary, who secretly has a shoe under his shell]]. |
| 87 | ** Parodied in the episode "Fools in April". [=SpongeBob=] says to someone, "Hey, your shoe's untied. April fools! You're not ''wearing'' shoes!". |
| 88 | * LackOfImagination: While Squidward has imagined things before, he doesn't have a very good imagination compared to some of the other characters. For example, in "Idiot Box" (which provides the page quote), when he tries to play pretend in a box like [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, it doesn't work until he can actually hear a garbage truck that fits with his fantasy of driving a car. |
| 89 | * LactatingMale: Implied in "New Digs", where a transition happens and [=SpongeBob=] is suddenly holding a glass of milk, which he calls "a glass of warm snail milk". [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Was originally going to be played straight]], with [=SpongeBob=] actually shown milking Gary, but the scene ultimately didn't make it into the episode because of the [[{{Squick}} dirty implications]]. |
| 90 | * LadiesAndGerms: In the episode "Squirrel Jokes", [=SpongeBob=] refers to the audience as "Ladies and jellyfish" to start his first stand-up comedy routine. |
| 91 | * LampshadeHanging: Running gag. The series features phenomena impossible in its underwater setting, like fire, and the characters comment on this. |
| 92 | ** "Hey, if we're underwater, then how can there be a-- ''[fire extinguishes]'' |
| 93 | ** In "I Had an Accident", a tree is shown wearing scuba gear. |
| 94 | ** In "Chimps Ahoy", Sandy's bosses come to visit her and check on her scientific progress. One points out that sending scientists underwater to live in Treedomes for no reason doesn't really make much sense. |
| 95 | ** Then there's the infamous episode where [=SpongeBob=] breaks his butt and becomes agoraphobic. After several attempts to get [=SpongeBob=] outside, a gorilla suddenly attacks Patrick, Sandy, and [=SpongeBob=], who points out the absurdity of having a gorilla underwater. Unable to explain itself, the gorilla rides off on a zebra into the sunset. The last shot is a family watching the episode, being just as confused as we are. |
| 96 | ** In "Squilliam Returns" [=SpongeBob=] has to forget everything he knows except fine dining. This is visualised by little [=SpongeBob=]s in his brain shredding documents, burning them, etc. One of them asks his boss why he should work harder, as they're just "...a clever visual metaphor used to personify the abstract concept of thought." When the boss then threatens to fire said worker he's begging for him not to, because he has wife and kids. Which kind of qualifies as a lampshade hung onto a lampshade. |
| 97 | * LanguageBarrier: The sea creatures (and Sandy, Mermaid Man, and Barnacle Boy) [[TranslationConvention hear each other speak English]] but in any live-action segment on land, humans don't seem to be able to hear them. |
| 98 | * LargeHam: [[WorldOfHam EVERYONE!!!]] Especially Plankton. |
| 99 | * LastDayToLive: {{Inverted}} -- the titular sponge is thought to have unknowingly eaten a deadly pie, which will end his life at sunset. Squidward, responsible for bringing a pie-shaped bomb to [=SpongeBob=], feels guilty enough to spend the rest of the day doing anything [=SpongeBob=] wants ([[MistakenForDying without telling [=SpongeBob=] that the reason is because he thinks he's going to die]]). It's eventually revealed that [[spoiler:[=SpongeBob=] never ate the bomb-pie, but rather a different pie. He saved the bomb, which he promptly trips and thus throws into Squidward's face, producing a nuclear blast.]] |
| 100 | * LastNoteNightmare: The early APM track "Lovely Scenery A". While the title may suggest otherwise, it contains a dramatic stab at the very end, where the track is most used. |
| 101 | * LaterInstallmentWeirdness: |
| 102 | ** Although [=SpongeBob=] normally sleeps in his underwear, starting in Season 5 he frequently wears green pajamas and a nightcap. Squidward and Patrick also have their own takes as well. |
| 103 | ** The show has a greater emphasis on WildTake humor from Season 10 onward. Episodes also have a greater focus on {{Continuity Nod}}s to the point of bringing back various {{One Shot Character}}s for cameos, when before most episodes were comparatively self-contained and didn't reference each other much. |
| 104 | * LateToTheRealization: In Season 12's "Jolly Lodgers", Squidward decides to vacation at Hotel Halibut while his home is being rid of a sea urchin infestation caused by [=SpongeBob=]. Unfortunetely, Squidward didn't realize until too late that Hotel Halibut is hosting a jellyfishing convention -- something both [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick obsessively love -- thus [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are staying there as well. |
| 105 | * LaughingMad: [=SpongeBob=] engages in a bit of this during the infamous "I've Been Waiting for You, Patrick" scene from "Bummer Vacation". |
| 106 | * LaughWithMe: A variation. The Flying Dutchman take [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick onboard as his crew. When he demands that they "howl with me, that we might set the seven seas '''ABLAZE''' with fear!", they comply by various ridiculous noises, until he finally gives up on making them scary. |
| 107 | * LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Sporadic through the series. |
| 108 | ** The time frame of 11 minutes, the approximate length of one episode, is brought up more than once, in-universe: |
| 109 | *** Squidward once complained, "Why must every 11 minutes of my life be filled with misery?" |
| 110 | *** From "Nature Pants": |
| 111 | ---->'''Sandy:''' I give him a week. |
| 112 | ---->'''Squidward:''' I give him 11 minutes. |
| 113 | *** After [=SpongeBob=] finishes a long-winded narrative about how he once "lost his identity," a waitress at the bar he was sitting in observes, "Well, you managed to kill 11 minutes." |
| 114 | *** From "Planet of the Jellyfish": |
| 115 | ---->'''Mr. Krabs:''' What happened? |
| 116 | ---->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Well, let me tell ya... |
| 117 | ---->'''narrator:''' Eleven minutes later... |
| 118 | ---->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' ... And that's why we're covered in goo. |
| 119 | ** "Normal" [=SpongeBob=]: "One more thing, Squidward... you don't wear pants." |
| 120 | ** In "Born to be Wild", [=SpongeBob=] decides to take a shortcut to get back to Bikini Bottom. Said shortcut involves riding on one of the bubbles from the ''scene transitions'' to immediately arrive at the Krusty Krab. Understandably, Mr. Krabs is confused. |
| 121 | * LearningToRideABike: "Ride Patrick Ride" centers on [=SpongeBob=] teaching Patrick how to ride a bike. |
| 122 | * LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: |
| 123 | ** Used several times, first when Plankton pulls out a tiny record player from {{Hammerspace}} to provide musical accompaniment for his EvilLaugh. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX-DB7JaNPM second time he does this]] is a funny moment. |
| 124 | ** The episode ''Clams'' an ominous tune starts up and Krabs takes notice. He discovers a full orchestra playing the song. |
| 125 | ---> '''Krabs:''' [[GenreSavvy That's a 4/4 String Ostinato in D-Minor! Every sailor knows that means death!]] |
| 126 | * LegoGenetics: |
| 127 | ** In "The Inside Job," when Plankton absorbs the secret recipe from [=SpongeBob=]'s heart, Plankton turns into a miniature, plankton shaped [=SpongeBob=]. After being extracted, Karen's device gets stuck on Patrick, turning Plankton into mini one eyed Patrick. |
| 128 | ** In "Salsa Imbecilius," Plankton comes up with the idea to mix Patrick's DNA into a soup, and feed it Mister Krabs so as to make him so stupid. he'll unknowingly give away the secret formula. [[HoistByHisOwnPetard The plan backfires when Plankton tastes the soup,]] the soup evaporates, and condenses into a rain cloud, whose rain infects all of Bikini Bottom with Patrick's [[TooDumbToLive (lack of)intelligence.]] |
| 129 | * LethalChef: Squidward might be such a terrible cook that he's liable to burn your milkshake or [[ItMakesSenseInContext serve you a literal fried boot instead of a sandwich]], but unlike Mr. Krabs, he's never prepared a dish [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7myGrxxhLaY that will try to eat YOU.]] |
| 130 | * LethallyStupid: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick. Goes with them being TooDumbToLive. In [=SpongeBob=]'s case, it's not really so much that he's ''lethally'' stupid-- "lethally naive" would probably be a better description. When Patrick has lethally stupid ideas, [=SpongeBob=] usually protests initially, but somehow gets talked into it by Patrick, whose intuition [=SpongeBob=] clearly trusts too much. |
| 131 | * LetMeTellYouAStory: Mr. Krabs' story to [=SpongeBob=] about spending a dollar on a soda to persuade [=SpongeBob=] to let his seahorse go. |
| 132 | * LetsHaveAnotherBaby: Patrick says this to [=SpongeBob=] after they take care of a baby scallop. |
| 133 | * LightBulbJoke: The basis of many of [=SpongeBob=]'s "squirrel jokes" stand-up. |
| 134 | --> '''[=SpongeBob=]''': How come it takes more than one squirrel to screw in a light bulb? |
| 135 | --> '''Audience''': ''BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DARN STUPID!!!'' |
| 136 | * LineOfSightAlias: |
| 137 | ** When the Flying Dutchman comes for Mr. Krabs' soul in the hospital, Mr. Krabs insists that he is "Harold Flower", after the flower on the end table. |
| 138 | ** In "Chum Fricassee", Mr. Krabs gives his fake name as "Sir Crumple O'Wrapper", after seeing a crumpled wrapper on the floor of the Chum Bucket. |
| 139 | * LiteralMetaphor: |
| 140 | ** In "Missing Identity", Mr. Krabs initiates a surprise uniform inspection, declaring that any employee who doesn't pass "gets the boot." He then produces a literal boot, claiming that "it's very stinky," and the punishment is having to wear it all day. |
| 141 | ** This type of joke is very common after season 9, popping up once or twice an episode and usually combined with VisualPun. For instance, in "Upturn Girls", we see a skyscraper literally tearing through the sky, Patrick thinks babysitting is literally sitting on babies in "Biddy Sitting", "Library Cards" has a sequence of various puns on books (an "abridged" book literally has a bridge pop out and a "log book" is inside a wooden log), [=SpongeBob=] keeps his "eyes on the road" while driving by literally taking out his eyeballs and letting them dangle on the road in "The Getaway", [=SpongeBob=] "eats Krabs' dust" in a race by stopping, taking out a fork, and physically eating some dust in "Pat the Horse"... |
| 142 | * LiteralMinded: |
| 143 | ** In "Squid on Strike", [=SpongeBob=] takes Squidward's advice to "dismantle the oppressive establishment" too literally and destroys the Krusty Krab. |
| 144 | ** In "Shanghaied", When a giant anchor falls from the sky and into [=SpongeBob=]'s house (and then crashes into Squidward's house subsequently), Squidward angrily climbs the anchor's chain to find the culprit. |
| 145 | -->'''Squidward:''' I'm gonna get to the bottom of this! |
| 146 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Wouldn't that be the top? |
| 147 | -->'''Squidward:''' ''[glares at [=SpongeBob=] with a "Not amused" look]'' |
| 148 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' ''[smiles goofily]'' |
| 149 | * LittleKnownFacts: Patrick Star comes up with loads of these, usually in TheBlindLeadingTheBlind situations with [=SpongeBob=]. They both believe them. |
| 150 | * LivingDrawing: In "Frankendoodle", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick find a magic pencil that creates real objects out of their drawings. When [=SpongeBob=] uses it to make a self-portrait, the result is the evil "Doodlebob", who is eventually defeated by being trapped in a piece of paper. |
| 151 | * LivingMuseumExhibit: Plankton becomes an exhibit in the Atlantean's museum to replace the World's Oldest Bubble, which [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick had accidentally popped earlier. |
| 152 | * LivingPhoto: |
| 153 | ** Happens twice in "Employee of the Month". The first time, [=SpongeBob=] believes that Squidward will be the next employee of the month and imagines Squidward occupying the next blank picture frame and laughing at him. The second time, he looks at the pictures of himself on the wall and they (now wearing Army helmets) give him an pep talk. |
| 154 | ** In "Have You Seen This Snail?", Gary runs away when [=SpongeBob=] ignores him to play a paddleball challenge. When he winds up in a new home, Gary looks at the photo of [=SpongeBob=] he brought with him and imagines him shouting "Gary, can't you see I'm busy?!" |
| 155 | * LonelyAtTheTop: Patrick in "Goodbye, Krabby Patty?". [[spoiler: Thanks to the huge success of frozen Krabby Patty, whose 400 commercials Patrick stars, that leads him to his own success as a commercial star, he's been away from [=SpongeBob=] and always misses hanging out with him, which makes him lonely and miserable, despite all the fame and fortune he has.]] |
| 156 | * LongSongShortScene: |
| 157 | ** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSNs2SAfPxo Buenos Aires B]] only plays for a few seconds during Squidward's party in "Home Sweet Pineapple" and has never been used since. |
| 158 | ** Taken this to a whole new level with the "Free-form jazz" scene. For reference, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4sEcIHG0Yc here]] is the original scene, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgFy5L11Umw here]] is the full song. It's over '''63 TIMES''' shorter than the original song. |
| 159 | * LookAlikeLovers: Squidward's first impression of a female octopus in "Love That Squid": |
| 160 | -->'''Squidward:''' [=SpongeBob=], she's got it all! Class, style, grace, and looks like yours truly! |
| 161 | * LoopholeAbuse: In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick is about to drive away in the Invisible Boatmobile to stop Man Ray, but [=SpongeBob=] stops, reminding them that he doesn't have a driver's license. Patrick's solution is that because the boat is invisible, you're gonna need an invisible license to drive it, so he digs out "his" for [=SpongeBob=] to borrow. |
| 162 | * LordOfTheOcean: King Neptune is a rather self-centered and short-tempered old man who wields vast magical powers through his trident. |
| 163 | * LoserProtagonist: Zig-zagged with [=SpongeBob=] himself. There are several episodes (primarily the ones that take place at Goo Lagoon) where [=SpongeBob=] is mocked and/or humiliated for being a wimp, a geek, and having interest in childlike hobbies such as bubble blowing, reef blowers, jellyfishing, and toys (notably, his only ''real'' friends are Patrick and Sandy). However, he's also shown to be willing to stand up and unite everyone together for a greater cause such as "Band Geeks", and the townspeople often pity or stand up for him when he's publicly humiliated or hurt such as "Fools in April." |
| 164 | * LostHimInACardGame: Mr. Krabs lost [=SpongeBob=] to Plankton after he bet him in a card game, in "Welcome to the Chum Bucket". |
| 165 | * LoudOfWar: There's a jellyfish party at [=SpongeBob=]'s that's been going for 18 hours that annoys Squidward, so he turns his house towards [=SpongeBob=]'s and plays his clarinet through full-blast speakers. The jellyfish are not happy. |
| 166 | * LoungeSinger: Played by Squidward of all people in the game "Squarepants Mystery", wherein the characters are cast in a detective play. Subverted in that Squidward is playing a clarinet rather than singing, but he's decked out in full mascara, dark eyeshadow, and even complete with a thigh high slit dress. [[ButtMonkey And yes, he gets hurt somehow]]. |
| 167 | * LudicrousGiftRequest: In "Christmas Who?", the citizens of Bikini Bottom first learn about the holiday and ask for crazy things from Santa such as "a glass of water for my teeth". |
| 168 | * LyingFingerCross: Played with in "Hooky". When [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick promise Mr. Krabs not to play on the fishing hooks, Patrick claims he had his fingers crossed. [=SpongeBob=] then points out that Patrick has no fingers. |
| 169 | [[/folder]] |
| 170 | |
| 171 | [[folder:M]] |
| 172 | * MacGuffin: The Secret Formula, arguably. |
| 173 | * MadnessMantra: |
| 174 | ** '''FOCUS ON THE ROAD, THERE IS NOTHING BUT THE ROAD.''' |
| 175 | ** '''CHOCOLATE!!!''' |
| 176 | ** Backing up! Backing up! Backing up! Backing up... |
| 177 | ** Squidward: Fuuuuuuuture! Fuuuuuuuture! Fuuuuuuu-- ''[future [=SpongeBob=] drops a brick on Squidward's head]'' ... thanks. |
| 178 | ** "The Algae's Always Greener" has three of them: |
| 179 | *** Uh...uh...uh...uh...uh... |
| 180 | *** SOILED IT! SOILED IT! SOILED IT! SOILED IT! SOILED IT! |
| 181 | *** And the next day...and the next day...and the next day...and the next day...and the next day... |
| 182 | ** Be the crane. Be the crane. Be the crane. |
| 183 | ** I don't need it. I don't need it. I definitely don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it. ...''[{{Beat}}]''... '''IIII NEEEED IIIIIT!!!''' |
| 184 | ** Darn it. Darn it. Darn it. |
| 185 | ** Have you finished those errands? |
| 186 | ** Tick, tick, tick, tick... |
| 187 | ** Muh-muh-muh-ma-muh-muh-ma-muh-ma! MAN RAY! |
| 188 | %%* MadScientist: |
| 189 | %%** Plankton. |
| 190 | %%** Also Sandy in a few episodes. |
| 191 | * MadeOfIndestructium: |
| 192 | ** From "Wet Painters", Mr. Krabs' first dollar survives everything [=SpongeBob=] & Patrick throw at it while trying to get the paint off. |
| 193 | ** The formula safe in "Frozen Face Off" also qualifies, taking no physical damage from everything short of Plankton accidentally splitting an atom and even then it is fairly intact compared to the rest of the Krusty Krab |
| 194 | * MadeOutToBeAJerkass: In the infamous "Stuck in the Wringer", [[LethallyStupid Patrick's stupidity results in [=SpongeBob=] being trapped in a wringer and can't get out]], and despite Patrick trying to convince him otherwise, nothing goes right for him anymore. Finally, at an amusement park, [=SpongeBob=] yells at Patrick, saying it's all his fault his life is ruined. After a sad Patrick leaves, the crowd around [=SpongeBob=] get on his case. |
| 195 | * MagicFeather: |
| 196 | ** The titular paper from "The Paper". Squidward learns the hard way it's not the paper itself but [=SpongeBob=]'s creativity and optimism that made it fun, and it's worthless in the hands of anyone who lacks that. |
| 197 | ** In the climax of "Free Samples", [=SpongeBob=] saves the Krusty Krab by selling new krabby patties that taste differently. When Mr. Krabs is celebrating afterward, [=SpongeBob=] reveals he just made regular patties, but called them new. |
| 198 | * MakeOutPoint: "Ah, makeout reef. Good times. ''Gooood times.''" |
| 199 | * ManChild: |
| 200 | ** [=SpongeBob=] is old enough to live independently, hold down a job, and drive a boat, yet he's so obnoxiously silly and childish that he's been referred to as an actual kid multiple times. |
| 201 | ** Patrick is one too, being nearly as naive and silly. |
| 202 | * TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack: |
| 203 | ** Patrick's reflection berates him in "Roller Cowards" for…well, being a coward. [[RageAgainstTheReflection He punches it out]]. |
| 204 | ** [=SpongeBob=] attempts to give himself a pep talk in "Wet Painters" after ruining Mr. Krabs' first dollar, but upon hearing Krabs return, the reflection informs [=SpongeBob=] [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere he's on his own]]. |
| 205 | * MarshmallowDream: |
| 206 | ** [=SpongeBob=] dreams of eating Krabby Patties and wakes up chewing on his pillow. |
| 207 | ** Also referred to on "Sleepy Time". When [=SpongeBob=] meets Gary in the dreamworld, the now erudite Gary tries to explain to him the concept of dreams as a view to another world. When an Creator/EmilyDickinson poem goes over SB's head, Gary recites one more his speed: "There once was an old man from Peru; Who dreamed he was eating his shoe; He woke with a fright; In the middle of the night; To find that his dream had come true". |
| 208 | * MartialArtsForMundanePurposes: In one episode, it is revealed that [=SpongeBob=] is nigh-obsessed with karate, driving his boss Krabs to nearly fire him from his frycook job due to the fact this obsession is interfering with his work... until he realizes that [=SpongeBob=]'s karate can also be used to mass-produce burgers and to put on a very entertaining show for customers. |
| 209 | %%* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Sandy and [=SpongeBob=]. |
| 210 | * MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: |
| 211 | ** The ''VideoGame/NicktoonsUnite'' series of video games. ''VideoGame/NicktoonsMLB'' also counts. |
| 212 | ** [=SpongeBob=] has a cameo in "Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band", a Series/ChildrenInNeed music video crossing over many significant British StopMotion cartoons, a few 2D British and American cartoons, and the live-action ''Series/{{Teletubbies}}.'' (The reason for having a mere cameo is that the 2D shows[[labelnote:*]]Including [[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce a character]] from Nickelodeon's [[Creator/CartoonNetwork "other side"]], just as the Children In Need telethon includes programmes from Creator/TheBBC's [[Creator/{{ITV}} "other side"]]. Funny, no?[[/labelnote]] only appear on TV screens to avoid major MediumBlending.) |
| 213 | * MassOhCrap: |
| 214 | ** In "Sandy, [=SpongeBob=] and the Worm", a large amount of Bikini Bottomites are reduced to the same panic as [=SpongeBob=] when they hear of the Alaskan Bull Worm. |
| 215 | ** In "Krabby Land", all of the children, even [=SpongeBob=], have an ENORMOUS one when Mr. Krabs goes right back into his office after pretending to be Krabby the Clown for only about ten seconds with no act. |
| 216 | * MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Whether the toy conch shell from "Club [=SpongeBob=]" is truly magical or not is left ambiguous by the end of the episode. On the one hand, characters who believe in it are all complete {{Cloudcuckoolander}}s, and the miracles it performs could be just a result of luck or sheer coincidence. On the other hand, the conch shell trolls Squidward and shows hints of sarcasm, implying that at the very least it's sentient. |
| 217 | * MeatOVision: |
| 218 | ** A variant in "Fear of a Krabby Patty", where [=SpongeBob=] develops a fear of Krabby Patties and sees Mr. Krabs and the customers as them. |
| 219 | ** In "Frozen Face-Off", Sandy sees [=SpongeBob=] as a sponge kebab. |
| 220 | ** In "It's a [=SpongeBob=] Christmas!", Patchy and Potty are stranded and hungry, and Patchy sees Potty as a plate of buffalo wings. Potty, in turn, sees Patchy as a cake of bird seed and starts pecking at his head. |
| 221 | ** At the end of "Feral Friends", when Neptune's Sun devolves Patchy and Potty into a caveman and a pterodactyl, Potty sees Patchy as a Krabby Patty and carries him away. |
| 222 | * MediumBlending: Above the surface of the water, everything's in live-action. |
| 223 | * MelancholyMusicalNumber: |
| 224 | ** In "Texas", Sandy gets homesick and sings a song about her missing Texas and wanting to go home. Another episode has the opposite, with Sandy singing a song about how much she'll miss Bikini Bottom when she [[WithAFootOnTheBus thinks she's going to leave]]. |
| 225 | ** [=SpongeBob=] gets one in "Mimic Madness", as he is succumbing to Mocking Mimicry Madness and doesn't remember his true identity, flipping through various characters and objects while questioning who he really is. |
| 226 | * MemorialForTheAntagonist: [[ZigzaggedTrope Zigzagged]] in the episode "[=SpongeBob=] vs the Patty Gadget", [[spoiler:which ends with an unusual example. Having defeated the titular gadget, which was intended to take his job, [=SpongeBob=] [[HeroicRRoD suddenly collapses from exhaustion]]. SmashCut to a funeral service, which appears at first to be [=SpongeBob=]'s... until he walks into the shot and [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing begins gleefully dancing on the grave]]. Turns out the Bikini Bottomites were holding a memorial for the Patty Gadget]]. |
| 227 | * MerchandiseDriven: In-universe example in "The Krusty Sponge". When [=SpongeBob=]'s cooking was the sole thing that saved Krabs from a bad review from a food critic, he exploits that for as much as possible with many [=SpongeBob=]-themed items, including the Spongy Patty... which are just rotten Krabby Patties. |
| 228 | * MetaphorIsMyMiddleName: From "Squid Baby": |
| 229 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Do you like games, Squiddy?\ |
| 230 | '''Patrick:''' Games? Games are our middle name! |
| 231 | * {{Metaphorgotten}}: In "Banned in Bikini Bottom": |
| 232 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' If Krabby Patties are illegal now, aren't we breaking the law?\ |
| 233 | '''Mr. Krabs:''' There's an old saying, lad. What doesn't kill ya... usually succeeds in the second attempt.\ |
| 234 | '''[=SpongeBob=]:''' But what does that have to do with making Krabby Patties?\ |
| 235 | '''Mr. Krabs:''' Nothing! |
| 236 | * TheMillstone: Patrick fits more than the usual. Whenever [=SpongeBob=] or anyone has a plan, Patrick is sure to screw it up, or do something stupid to make it worse. |
| 237 | * MindControlEyes: |
| 238 | ** Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy get red spiral eyes when under Plankton's control in "Mermaid Man vs. [=SpongeBob=]". |
| 239 | ** [=SpongeBob=]'s eyes turn into blue spirals in "Bumper to Bumper" when Mrs. Puff's mantra gets to his head. |
| 240 | ** In "[=SpongeBob=]'s Bad Habit", [=SpongeBob=]'s eyes turn into red Kaa-esque swirls during his hypnotherapy session. |
| 241 | ** [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick have red spirals in their eyes when they see the epynomous Whirly Brains commercial. |
| 242 | * MiniatureSeniorCitizens: Exaggerated. Mermaid Man is only slightly taller than [=SpongeBob=], and both he and Barnacle Boy are [[MindScrew somehow the size of fish]]. |
| 243 | * MiniGolfEpisode: "A Friendly Game" has [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick build a miniature golf course inside [=SpongeBob=]'s house when it's raining. They then try to play a round without disturbing their CrankyNeighbor Squidward. |
| 244 | * MiningForCookies: The episode "Mustard O' Mine" is about [=SpongeBob=], Patrick, and Squidward going to the Mustard Mines to get more mustard for the Krusty Krab. Other condiments, like mayonnaise, ketchup, and hot sauce are found in the mine as well. |
| 245 | * MirrorCrackingUgly: [=SpongeBob=] thought he was this, but it was just his reflection reacting to his smelly breath. |
| 246 | * MisleadingPackageSize: In "Idiot Box", [=SpongeBob=] buys a television set just to play with the box it came in. The TV was about three times the size of the box. |
| 247 | * MissedTheBus: Rock Bottom. [[{{Pun}} Full stop]]. |
| 248 | * MissedTheRecital: In the episode ''Best Day Ever'', [=SpongeBob=] is denied entry to Squidward's clarinet recital, as he is supposedly NotOnTheList. It's ultimately discovered that [=SpongeBob=] was on the VIP list and manages to get in, but by the time he sits down, Squidward's recital is over. |
| 249 | * MistakenForBrooding: In "A Pal for Gary", [=SpongeBob=] thinks his pet snail Gary is lonely while [=SpongeBob=] is at work when actually Gary is perfectly happy by himself. This is what leads to [=SpongeBob=] buying a second pet, who unfortunately turns out to be dangerous. |
| 250 | * MistakenForFakeHair: In "No Weenies Allowed", one of the fish at Weenie Hut Junior suggests [=SpongeBob=] have a cool hairdo to get into the [[BadGuyBar Salty Spitoon]], so he runs off to a wig store. A familiar-looking sponge with a black pompadour arrives at the Salty Spitoon to introduce himself as a drifter who wants to enter the bar, and Reg tells him that he can see through the disguise and pulls on his hair. [[BaitAndSwitch SpongeBob then arrives with a rainbow clown wig]], and Reg tries unsuccessfully to fix the drifter's hair before apologizing and letting him inside. |
| 251 | * MistakenForInsane: In "The Hall Monitor", [=SpongeBob=] pretends to be the "Open Window Maniac" to [[ScareEmStraight scare some people into closing their window]]. However, this causes the citizens to think he actually ''is'' a maniac and he even ends up on the news. |
| 252 | * MistakenForOwnMurderer: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick fall in love with one of Sandy's pets, a caterpillar named Wormy. When Wormy transforms into a butterfly overnight, they, having never seen such a thing, assume it's a monster that ate Wormy... and they were next! |
| 253 | * MistakenForThief: |
| 254 | ** In "The Pink Purloiner", [=SpongeBob=] thinks Patrick stole his jellyfishing net, which he actually [[spoiler: left on the bus]]. |
| 255 | ** In "Can You Spare a Dime?" Mr. Krabs's favorite dime is stolen and he accuses Squidward, but really it was in his pocket. However, they argue about whether or not Squidward put it there on purpose. |
| 256 | * MistakenForToilet: |
| 257 | ** In "Plankton Gets the Boot", Plankton walks out of a door, thanking [=SpongeBob=] for letting him use his bathroom, only for the latter to reveal that it was actually his closet. Plankton then tells him he probably needs to get new shoes, implying he used one as a JarPotty. |
| 258 | ** Zigzagged in "Roller Cowards" where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick claim they're queueing to ride a rollercoaster called the Fist o' Pain, only to be told it's actually the line for the bathroom. Ordinarily, this would be an inversion, but since [[BraveTheRidePlot both are scared to ride the rollercoaster]], it's unknown [[AmbiguousSituation if it was a genuine mistake or if they were stalling]]. |
| 259 | * MistakenForUndead: In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E11 Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost]]", [=SpongeBob=]and Patrick believe that they had killed Squidward (when really it was just a wax model of himself that he had made), so when he emerges from his bath - robed, covered in talcum powder in a bath of steam - they think that he is his own ghost. While at first annoyed, he goes along with it when they agree to be his servants to appease him. |
| 260 | * MistakenFromBehind: In the episode [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E6GrandmasKissesSquidville "Squidville"]], [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are trying to find Squidward in a [[InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals crowd of look-alikes]]. [=SpongeBob=] (and the audience) sees an octopus who looks like Squidward from behind, since he's wearing the same [[IconicOutfit brown shirt]] that Squidward [[LimitedWardrobe usually wears]]. But when [=SpongeBob=] [[TheGlomp embraces]] him we see his face and he has heavy eyebrows and a big black mustache. |
| 261 | * MobileFishbowl: The main cast is known to wear water-filled fishbowls on their heads when visiting Sandy's house. Bikini Bottom also once did a concert in a human stadium under a water-filled glass dome. |
| 262 | * MockCousteau: The French Narrator is intended as an homage to Jacques Cousteau, narrating the antics of the title character and those around him as if they were part of a marine biology documentary. |
| 263 | * MockMillionaire: {{Double subver|sion}}ted when Squilliam Fancyson pretends to be one to bait Squidward... only to finally reveal he actually ''is'' rich. |
| 264 | * MoneyDumb: |
| 265 | ** "Porous Pockets" features [=SpongeBob=] getting extremely rich after stumbling upon a large diamond. He spends the episode giving away free money to the greedy crowd that attaches themselves to him and ignores Patrick's attempt to make him stop. He eventually runs out of money and everyone abandons him. |
| 266 | ** Subverted in "Squid's Day Off": Squidward leaves [=SpongeBob=] in charge of the Krusty Krab (Mr. Krabs was in the hospital and Squidward wanted a day off). He has an ImagineSpot where Patrick asks for change for a cent, and [=SpongeBob=] gives away all the money on the till. Squidward runs to check that everything is okay, and tests [=SpongeBob=] by asking him for change of a dollar; [=SpongeBob=] proceeds to recite every possible combination of coins that he could get for it until Squidward simply goes away. |
| 267 | * MoneyFetish: Mr. Krabs. It's his defining trait. |
| 268 | -->'''Mr. Krabs''': My whole life has been about money, saving money, collecting money... ''[rubs his fingers lustfully]'' touching money... |
| 269 | ** He's actually been seen doing exactly that on numerous occasions, whether bathing in money, sensually rubbing large amounts of it against his skin, having dinner with it, or going to ridiculous lengths to gain/avoid losing even the smallest amount of money (he once gave Pearl and her friends free water as a "gift." ... then he reminded them to leave a tip). |
| 270 | * MoneySong: Two, both sung by Mr. Krabs. |
| 271 | ** At the beginning of "Selling Out," Mr. Krabs sings "Cha-Ching" about how much he loves money and values it over anything else. |
| 272 | ** In "Money Talks," Mr. Krabs sings a song called "If I Could Talk to Money" about how great it would be if he could talk with his money. |
| 273 | * MoneyToThrowAway[=/=]MoneyToBurn: In "Patty Hype", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick earn so much money that they have no idea what to do with it all, as they are not materialistic at all. They try burying it, shredding it, and burning it. Still unsatisfied, they finally decide to open a "Free Money" stand, where fish queue to receive bags of money. "I'm getting back in line!" |
| 274 | * MonochromeApparition: The Flying Dutchman is sickly green. |
| 275 | * MoodWhiplash: In "No Weenies Allowed" when [=SpongeBob=] calls Patrick tubby, Patrick cries very briefly about it and then gets angry. |
| 276 | * MorningRoutine: |
| 277 | ** Many an episode begins with [=SpongeBob=] getting up to his blasting foghorn alarm clock and getting ready for work. |
| 278 | ** The episode "Rise and Shine" shows how Patrick starts ''his'' day. |
| 279 | * MothMenace: |
| 280 | ** In "Night Light," [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick fill [=SpongeBob=]'s house with an unholy amount of nightlights and other various light sources (like a searchlight and even a lighthouse). As a result, the entire house emits a very strong light that attracts the Moth, the most dangerous archnemesis from Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy. Don't underestimate his less-than-behe''moth''ic size: he is powerful enough to lift [=SpongeBob=]'s entire house plus the lighthouse ''all at once''. |
| 281 | ** The episode ''[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarepantsS2E5WormyPattyHype Wormy]]'' is an interesting example, since it is not the titular butterfly that is dangerous or unusual ''per se'', but the reaction everyone has when facing it. After taking care of a caterpillar for a day, [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick discover in the morning that Wormy disappeared and instead, they see a butterfly (keep in mind that the two are ''underwater creatures'', so they are completely clueless when it comes to insect metamorphosis). They are convinced the butterfly is a friend-devouring monster (and the GrossUpCloseUp of the creature is no helping matter) and go on warning the town about it, which sends the Bikini Bottomites in a frenzied panic which concludes with the town completely in ruins. Meanwhile, the only thing the adult Wormy does is fluttering aimlessly, like a normal butterfly would. |
| 282 | * TheMovie: The show has had three: |
| 283 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'': [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick must rescue King Neptune's crown after Plankton frames Mr. Krabs for stealing it. |
| 284 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' [=SpongeBob=] and Plankton team up to figure out why the Krabby Patty secret formula has mysteriously vanished. |
| 285 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOnTheRun'': [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick must rescue Gary after King Poseidon kidnaps him for his youth-preserving slime. |
| 286 | * MovingBuildings: |
| 287 | ** One episode has Squidward installing an advanced security system. When Squidward accidentally sets it off, the whole building grows arms and feet and starts attacking Bikini Bottom. |
| 288 | ** In the episode "Secret Box", Patrick says that no one must know what's in the box, "not even... Squidward's house!" And sure enough, the house is leaning in to listen. |
| 289 | * MovingTheGoalposts: Kevin's treatment of [=SpongeBob=] in "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic". [=SpongeBob=] is trying to get into the Jellyfishers' Club, but their leader Kevin keeps stringing him along with increasingly difficult tasks, at which [=SpongeBob=] succeeds with ease. When they finally come up with something sufficiently impossible, it winds up in Kevin being HoistByHisOwnPetard as the fake "queen jellyfish" he creates attracts a real king jellyfish, and [=SpongeBob=] saves the day, revealing Kevin as a complete loser. |
| 290 | * MrImagination: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick create a world of scenarios with only a cardboard box in "The Idiot Box", much to Squidward's disbelief. |
| 291 | --> '''[=SpongeBob=]''': "Squidward, you can make this box whatever you want it to be with... [[EverythingsBetterWithRainbows *makes rainbow appear from hands*]] ...[[MemeticMutation imagination!]]" |
| 292 | * MultipleEndings: "Shanghaied" has three (depending on whether [=SpongeBob=], Patrick, or Squidward gets the third of ThreeWishes), which viewers got to call in and choose between during the episode's premiere. Reruns of the episode show only the winning ending, though all three endings are available on some home video releases. |
| 293 | ** Patrick wishes for bubble gum. |
| 294 | ** Squidward wishes he never knew [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick. |
| 295 | ** [=SpongeBob=] wishes the Dutchman was a vegetarian (the winning ending). |
| 296 | * MundaneMadeAwesome: |
| 297 | ** '''[[MemeticMutation "CHOCOLATE?! CHOCOLATE!!!!"]]''' |
| 298 | ** In the episode "Procrastination". As the name implies, [=SpongeBob=] grapples with his denial for hesitation in writing a 800-word essay. In one of his many time-wasting gimmicks, he spends an implied ludicrous amount of time and effort writing the "The" at the start of the paper, so the sequence ends up just looking "awesome" instead of being the HardWorkMontage it initially appears to be. |
| 299 | ** The opening scene of The Movie features a dramatic scene based around the "crisis" of a customer being given a Krabby Patty without cheese, complete with a slow-motion sequence of [=SpongeBob=] putting some cheese into the patty. It's a Dream Sequence, but still... |
| 300 | ** How about any time the Krabby Patty is brought to the audience's attention by [=SpongeBob=], or at least when it focuses on him making Krabby Patties? |
| 301 | ** When a customer gets a Patty with jellyfish jelly added, he's so enthused that he bursts into an impromptu musical number: "Hey all you people won't you listen to meeeeeeeee! I just had a sandwich, no ordinary sandwich, a sandwich filled with jellyfish jellyyyyyyyy!" |
| 302 | ** And in one of the "Legends of Bikini Bottom" episodes, [=SpongeBob=] is unconscious due to his Krabby Patty meter being empty. Mr. Krabs gets him to eat one. He then blasts up, explodes into pieces, then regenerates after all of them land together, and then... '''[[ChewingTheScenery "OHHHHHHHHH, YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"]]''' |
| 303 | ** Mermaid Man. "To the meatloaf... AWAY!" |
| 304 | ** Mermaidman and Barnacleboy's origin story [[spoiler: (specifically, that they gained their powers from eating some overcooked popcorn)]] |
| 305 | * MundaneSolution: In "Fear of a Krabby", all [=SpongeBob=] needed to get rid of his fear of krabby patties was just a simple nap, thanks to Plankton's hypnotherepy. |
| 306 | * MundaneWish: The episode "Shanghaied" had Patrick waste the first wish the Flying Dutchman gave him and [=SpongeBob=] on wishing that he knew about the wishes earlier. In one of the alternate MultipleEndings, Patrick used the third and final wish on a pack of gum. |
| 307 | * MusicalEpisode: |
| 308 | ** "Atlantis [=SquarePantis=]". It's [[JustifiedTrope justified]] (partially), though, in that Atlantean technology is [[DiscoTech powered by singing]]. |
| 309 | ** Several [=SpongeBob=] specials, such as "The Sponge who could Fly", "[=SpongeBob=]'s Last Stand", and "Hello, Bikini Bottom!" are also musical episodes, the latter even being about the main cast forming a band. |
| 310 | * MurderWater: The Big One from "[=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=] vs. The Big One" is a sentient giant wave with an evil smile who kills anyone who rides it. |
| 311 | * MutuallyUnequalRelation: [=SpongeBob=] generally respects his neighbor Squidward and thinks he's a good friend. Squidward thinks of [=SpongeBob=] as an annoying ManChild who bothers with his life a lot. |
| 312 | * MyGodWhatHaveIDone: ''Band Geeks''. "What kind of monsters are we?..." |
| 313 | * MyMasterRightOrWrong: [=SpongeBob=], despite his occasional disgust at Mr. Krabs's actions and sympathy for the people he victimizes, ([[GoKartingWithBowser even Plankton]]), generally follows through with his plans blindly, either due to his blind idolization of his boss or the fact his dream job may be at stake otherwise. |
| 314 | [[/folder]] |
| 315 | |
| 316 | [[folder:N]] |
| 317 | * NakedPeopleAreFunny: Quite a lot of episodes involve characters being nude for the sake of laughs. |
| 318 | ** "Pranks a Lot" has [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick using invisibility spray to prank the town as ghosts with no clothes on. |
| 319 | ---> '''Tour Bus Driver:''' And if you look to your right, you'll see two naked guys fighting over a can of paint. |
| 320 | ** It is sometimes brought up that Plankton doesn't wear any clothes, one notable example being in "The Algae's Always Greener", where he switches lives with Mr. Krabs and finds himself wearing Krabs' clothes and Mr. Krabs walking around naked due to taking his place as his rival stealing the Krabby Patty formula. Plankton eventually explains in ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' that he goes naked because they don't make clothes his size. |
| 321 | ** "Feral Friends" ends with [=SpongeBob=], Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs, Mrs. Puff, Larry the Lobster, and Pearl being left in the nude after turning back to normal from the effects of Neptune's Moon. Patrick and [=SpongeBob=] are the only ones who aren't humiliated by their sudden nudity. |
| 322 | * NakedPeopleTrappedOutside: Both subverted and played straight in "Feral Friends". The episode's premise is that Neptune's Moon makes its centennial orbit around Bikini Bottom, in the process causing the inhabitants to devolve into non-sapient sea life for two hours. Because the transformations cause them to lose their clothes in the process, everyone is left naked after they return to normal. [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick aren't shown to be bothered by their sudden nudity, but Larry the Lobster briefly panics before covering himself with a flower, while Mr. Krabs, Mrs. Puff, Squidward, and Pearl run away while covering themselves in embarrassment the instant it dawns on them that they are naked in public. |
| 323 | * NamedAfterTheInjury: |
| 324 | ** In "Demolition Doofus", Mrs. Puff's inflation sac is punctured after [[DrivesLikeCrazy SpongeBob crashes a boat for the umpteenth time]], meaning that she can never inflate again. This trope is discussed when [=SpongeBob=] jokes that she should be called Mrs. Pop from now on. [[DudeNotFunny Mrs. Puff is not amused.]] |
| 325 | ** In "Graveyard Shift", Squidward tells [=SpongeBob=] a story about a man known as the Hash-slinging Slasher, who accidentally cut his hand off with a knife and replaced it with a spatula. |
| 326 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Jack M. Crazyfish. Tattletale Strangler, Flying Dutchman, Bubble Bass. |
| 327 | * TheNapoleon: Plankton. |
| 328 | * NasalWeapon: In the episode "Shanghied", where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick try to escape from The Flying Dutchman [[ItMakesSenseInContext while grabbing his favorite sock]], the Dutchman catches up to them and tries to shoot flames coming from his nostrils. The Dutchman relents when [=SpongeBob=] defends himself with the sock. |
| 329 | * NeedleworkIsForOldPeople: |
| 330 | ** [=SpongeBob=]'s grandmother knits sweaters with "love in the stitches". |
| 331 | ** In "Goo Goo Gas", Plankton tries to turn [=SpongeBob=] and Mr. Krabs into babies so he can steal the formula. One attempt turns them into seniors instead and [=SpongeBob=] decides to take up knitting. This gives Mr. Krabs the idea to join him so that together, they can knit a net to catch Plankton in. When they successfully knit the net and catch Plankton in it, they hang it out like a pinata so the other seniors can beat him up for calling them old. |
| 332 | * {{Nephewism}}: Played for a one-off gag in the episode "Stanley S. [=SquarePants=]". Mr. Krabs reveals he has [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987 identical triplet nephews who solve mysteries]] whom he tells to go solve the "mystery" of why they didn't get hired at the Krusty Krab. |
| 333 | * NegativeContinuity: |
| 334 | ** Hoo boy. This is one show that earns this trope purposefully. There's no revealed order or canon for ''any'' of the episodes. Creative director Vincent Waller's stance on whether the series even has canon in it or not is "Not really. Though we do hint at it here and there." |
| 335 | ** Plenty of episodes suggest or outright state that [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward have to work every day of the week and all year, with no days off, even during holidays. This is especially true if the episode in question is stressing what a BadBoss Mr. Krabs is, or if Squidward is trying to ditch work. But in numerous episodes, [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward are shown getting Sundays off, as long as it’s convenient to the plot. And if the plot doesn’t revolve around the Krusty Krab at all, [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward might be shown spending days, weeks, or even months never without ever going to work. Similarly, the working hours at the Krusty Krab shift all the time, from [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward literally working from dawn to dusk to arriving at and/or leaving the place in the middle of the day. |
| 336 | ** In the episode "[=MuscleBob=] [=BuffPants=]," [=SpongeBob=] is portrayed as being extremely weak physically-- at one point, he's unable to lift a beverage glass (as well as the straw inside it). In subsequent episodes, he's lifted Mr. Krabs into the air with ease, [[ItMakesSenseInContext dragged himself across the ground while strapped to a giant anchor]], and pushed his own bed (with Squidward in it) ''through the wall of his house and all the way to the Krusty Krab.'' |
| 337 | ** The Krusty Krab wasn't depicted as having a drive thru window until "Driven to Tears". It's gone in subsequent episodes until "Drive Thru" focused on Mr. Krabs using a hole in the wall as an ad-hoc drive thru, then the Krusty Krab has a proper one again in ''Sponge Out of Water''. |
| 338 | ** Also include the episodes ending with cast getting turned into fruit, snails or genetically mutated into Squidward's body...[[SnapBack and everything's back to normal the next episode.]] |
| 339 | ** Glove World was shut down in "Glove World R.I.P." and replaced with a successor, Glove Universe, but it reappears completely operational in "Don't Wake Patrick", "The Night Patty", "Gary & Spot", "Sandy's Nutty Nieces", "The Ballad of Filthy Muck," "[=SpongeBob=]'s Bad Habit", and "Handemonium", with Glove Universe nowhere to be seen nor mentioned. The reason behind this is unknown, though it's likely those episodes took place ''before'' Glove World closed. |
| 340 | * NemesisAsCustomer: |
| 341 | ** Mr. Krabs generally averts this when it comes to Plankton by refusing him any service at all, because he knows that [[EvilOnlyHasToWinOnce Plankton only needs one Krabby Patty in order to copy the Krabby Patty secret formula]]. However, in "For Here or to Go", Plankton calls the Bogus Business Bureau so that the Krusty Krab will be shut down if Mr. Krabs doesn't let him participate in a contest for a free Krabby Patty. Once he wins, Mr. Krabs spends the rest of the episode attempting to stall or find ways to avoid having to give Plankton his reward. |
| 342 | ** In "Pickles", [=SpongeBob=] is alarmed once he sees that Bubble Bass has arrived and acts a little smug after Bubble Bass takes the first bite. Bubble Bass hides the pickles from his Krabby Patty under his tongue so that he can pretend that [=SpongeBob=] forgot them and can get his money back for an unsatisfactory order, and the grief this causes [=SpongeBob=] sets the episode's conflict into motion. |
| 343 | ** In "Squid's on a Bus," Squidward is enjoying his job as a bus driver until annoying neighbor [=SpongeBob=] rides the bus. After some mishaps with [=SpongeBob=], he asks how [[TemptingFate things could get any worse]]; other annoying neighbor Patrick appears and boards the bus. |
| 344 | * NerdHoard: [[FatBastard Bubble Bass]]'s bedroom has a wall-to-wall shelf of action figures, he uses an alarm clock with the superhero Mermaid Man on it, and he has boxes full of comic books. He's obsessively concerned with keeping his collection complete and intact, often going into tears if someone messes with his figures. |
| 345 | * NeverForgottenSkill: |
| 346 | ** {{Inverted|Trope}} in the episode "Your Shoe's Untied". [=SpongeBob=] has not needed to re-tie his shoes in so long, he has actually forgotten how to do so. |
| 347 | ** In the episode "Pickles", [=SpongeBob=] goes through a HeroicBSOD when he thinks that he got an order wrong. It gets so bad that he starts wearing his pants on his head and [[StrangeSyntaxSpeaker speaking in scrambled sentences]]. Mr. Krabs figures that if he can get [=SpongeBob=] to make a Krabby Patty again, then he'll go back to normal; he even compares it to riding a bicycle, then notices a bicycle on a boiling pot on [=SpongeBob's=] stove. |
| 348 | * NeverLearnedToRead: Clem, one of Plankton's many relatives, after all the other plankton in his family see that the [[spoiler:secret ingredient in Krabby Patties is "freshly ground plankton" (although it's just a ruse by Krabs to drive Plankton away, if only momentarily)]], and flee in horror: |
| 349 | -->'''Mr. Krabs:''' Hey! Why ain't you runnin'?\ |
| 350 | '''Clem:''' Well, I can't read.\ |
| 351 | '''Mr. Krabs:''' ''[angrily]'' Get outta here!\ |
| 352 | '''Clem:''' ''[runs off while laughing like a buffoon]'' |
| 353 | * NeverSayDie: |
| 354 | ** Lampshaded in "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost": [=SpongeBob=] thinks he killed Squidward and says, "I don't know how to say this, but our friend Squidward, he's... pushing up daisies!" Patrick calmly replies: "Oh, I thought he was dead." |
| 355 | ** Averted once again with JustForFun/TheUglyBarnacle, who (according to Patrick) was so ugly that everyone died. |
| 356 | ** "Dying For Pie" averts this trope by using the words "kill" and "die" throughout the episode. |
| 357 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]''': You know, if I were to die right now in some sort of fiery explosion due to the carelessness of a friend, well, that would just be okay.\ |
| 358 | '''Squidward''': We'd better start now if we want to get through this list before you die... of anticipation.\ |
| 359 | '''Mr. Krabs''': So, you tried to kill me over a little new age management, eh?\ |
| 360 | '''Mr. Krabs''': You had to kill him. The boy cries you a sweater of tears... and you kill him. How are you gonna live with yourself?\ |
| 361 | '''Squidward''': Kill him? |
| 362 | ** "The Lost Mattress" subverts this last minute; Squidward threatens [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick with, "I'm going to mur-" but the police officer stops him before he finishes, as sending death threats would've gotten him in even more trouble. |
| 363 | ** In "That Sinking Feeling", Squidward threatens [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick to dig out his house on the count of three, otherwise he'll "grind them into chum." |
| 364 | ** Played straight in "Shellback Shenanigans." |
| 365 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]''': You're- you're saying that he's... that he might... oh... Nurse? Nurse?! Oh, well, Gary, this looks like it might be... the end. |
| 366 | ** Played straight throughout "Demolition Doofus". Mrs. Puff obviously wants [=SpongeBob=] ''killed'' by entering him in a demolition derby, down to imagining him being smashed by all sides and replaced by a ''gravestone'', but she never says "kill" or "murder" throughout the episode, and she comes close to such when he doesn't get hurt. |
| 367 | -->'''Mrs. Puff''': Why...are you still...'''''[[WhyWontYouDie ALIVE!!??]]'''''\ |
| 368 | '''[=SpongeBob=]:''' "[[PoorCommunicationKills Put it in drive]]"? Thanks, Mrs. Puff, you're the best! |
| 369 | ** Played straight in "Broken Alarm." |
| 370 | -->'''Mr. Krabs''': [=SpongeBob=] has passed away!\ |
| 371 | '''Mr. Krabs''': [=SpongeBob=]! You're alive!\ |
| 372 | '''[=SpongeBob=]''': Oh, thank goodness! [[DelayedReaction Wait, why wouldn't I be alive?]] |
| 373 | * NeverTrustAHairTonic: In the movie, King Neptune tries to use some hair tonic, but accidentally gets it into his eye. [[EyeScream So his eyeballs grow hair.]] |
| 374 | * NiceJobBreakingItHero: |
| 375 | ** "Can You Spare A Dime?" features Squidward quitting his job at the Krusty Krab and attempting to go out into the world and "unlock his potential." He fails to find a new job, and winds up on the streets, living in a cardboard box (which actually gets ''repossessed''), and begging for spare change. Just when it looks like the most arrogant, self-centered, narcissistic character on the show [[BreakTheHaughty has finally been humbled]] (he even graciously, and sincerely, thanks [=SpongeBob=] for helping him... at first), [=SpongeBob=] begins to spoil him by tending to his every whim and turning him right back into the person he was before. |
| 376 | ** In "Friendiversary", as a last resort to stop [=SpongeBob=] following him around to celebrate his one-sided Friendiversary with him, he erases every memory of him from his mind and memory book so he doesn't remember him. Unfortunately, doing such also erases his memory of the combination to the Krusty Krab safe with the secret formula inside, because it was attached to one of the memories to begin with. |
| 377 | * NiceJobFixingItVillain: Plankton's hypnotherapy technique in "Fear of a Krabby Patty" as an attempt to get [=SpongeBob=] to tell him the formula ultimately instead ends up curing his fear of krabby patties, as it gives him a dream where a patty comforts him. |
| 378 | * NiceMeanAndInbetween: |
| 379 | ** The trio of [=SpongeBob=], Patrick, and Squidward. [=SpongeBob=] is pretty much the kindest and idealistic character of the series, often to the point where others are annoyed about it, taken for granted, and to the point of being naive. Squidward is an abrasive CrankyNeighbor (and coworker) who barely shows his heart of gold, but this is because of dealing with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick as neighbors. Finally, Patrick mediates between the two, but this is mainly because of his stupidity. |
| 380 | ** Three characters who [=SpongeBob=] considers his best friends: Patrick, Sandy and Squidward. Sandy is the nice one, being the one who appreciates [=SpongeBob=]'s company the most, always eager to do Karate with him and doesn't always throw him under the bus. Squidward stays the Mean one, having [[FriendshipDenial denied being SpongeBob's friend]] multiple times and wants to be away from him, though he has shown to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold care for him deep down]]. Patrick retains his role as the in-between, often willing to join [=SpongeBob=] to do certain activities and enjoy's being with him more than Squidward, but can fall into WithFriendsLikeThese more than Sandy. |
| 381 | * NightmareFace: |
| 382 | ** Horrific and grotesque faces are seen on several occasions. "Face Freeze!" is dedicated to this trope. |
| 383 | ** "Just One Bite" has Squidward say "Does THIS look unsure to you?", revealing a creepy closeup of his face. |
| 384 | ** "Whatever Happened to [=SpongeBob=]?" was infamous for a scene where [=SpongeBob=] asked a bystander in New Kelp City "Is there something wrong with me?" and we then see a horrifyingly detailed and nightmarish closeup of his face. |
| 385 | ** "Jellyfish Hunter" featured a montage of Mr. Krabs ordering [=SpongeBob=] to capture him more jellyfish. One part of the montage shows Krabs saying "more" while in a grotesque and creepy-looking state, which gave rise to the Moar Krabs meme. |
| 386 | * NinjaPirateZombieRobot: "Can You Spare a Dime?" gives us this exchange: |
| 387 | -->'''Squidward''': I could be anything I set my mind to. I could be a football player! Or a king! Or a spaceman! |
| 388 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]''': Or a football playing king in space! With a mustache! |
| 389 | * NoBadgeNoProblem: Because [=SpongeBob=] is an ''idiot'', when Ms. Puff makes him a prefect he thinks that he can use the authority to help people outside of his boating school, so he goes to the Bikini Bottom city and finds that the traffic light's broken. Then he steps up as a traffic police and helps the boats cross the roads in his usual haphazard fashion. Nothing seems to be bad, until he goes off and it's revealed to the audience (unbeknownst to him) that those cars he helped are piling up in a giant crash. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome He's then wanted by the police for this.]] |
| 390 | * NoCanOpener: In [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E17 "The Camping Episode"]], Squidward attempts to eat a can of Swedish barnacle balls while camping but leaves his can opener in his house, and [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick refuse to let him break the camping spirit by going inside to retrieve it. Squidward is then left with no choice but to eat the marshmallows [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick brought with them. |
| 391 | * NoCartoonFish: Parodied with the inclusion of [[KentBrockmanNews Realistic Fish Head]]. Otherwise averted. |
| 392 | * NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The monocle and mustache appearance, as well as the vocal patterns of the wise-cracking Stockholder Eel in "The Executive Treatment" are patterned after [[Creator/MarxBrothers Groucho Marx]], with Stockholder Eel voiced by Frank Ferrante, who is noted for portraying Groucho in ''Groucho: A Life in Revue'' and ''An Evening With Groucho'' stage shows. |
| 393 | * NoDialogueEpisode: |
| 394 | ** "Reef Blower", aside from one brief caption reading "You!". |
| 395 | ** "Dream Hoppers" has a bit of dialogue at the start, but the rest of completely silent except for background music and grunts/groans. |
| 396 | * NoFourthWall: Any episode involving Patchy the Pirate acknowledges that [=SpongeBob=] is a just a show. Other episodes do this as well, such as "I Had an Accident" showing a live family reacting to the MindScrew ending to the episode and shutting off the TV. |
| 397 | * NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: The episode "Can You Spare a Dime?" features Squidward quitting his job over a misunderstanding. When he ends up losing his house, [=SpongeBob=] selflessly takes him into his own home, and takes care of him. Squidward "thanks" him by [[TheThingThatWouldNotLeave becoming a freeloader]], forcing [=SpongeBob=] to wait on him hand and foot. |
| 398 | * NoHeroDiscount: |
| 399 | -->'''Barnacle Boy:''' Listen, bignose. That guy's been saving your butt since before you were born. Don't you have a living legend discount or something?\ |
| 400 | '''Squidward:''' This is a restaurant, not a lending library. And who are you calling bignose, [[HypocriticalHumor bignose?]] |
| 401 | * NoirEpisode: "Squid Noir" is about Squidward trying to find out who stole his clarinet. Most of the episode is in black and white, but the color is restored after Squidward gets the clarinet back from [[spoiler:a jellyfish]]. |
| 402 | * NoMatterHowMuchIBeg: The {{Trope Namer|s}} is this exchange from "The Paper": |
| 403 | -->'''Squidward''': Take it, [=SpongeBob=]. Take it, please. And promise me, no matter how much I may beg, and plead, and cry, don't give that paper back to me... ever! |
| 404 | * NoMoreForMe: In "[=SquidBob=] [=TentaclePants=]", a customer who sees [=SpongeBob=]/Squidward biking into the Krusty Krab says that he's got to lay off the hot sauce. |
| 405 | * NonResidentialResidence: The episode "New Digs" has [=SpongeBob=] move into the Krusty Krab after arriving to work a minute late, much to the annoyance of Mr. Krabs. Immediately after [=SpongeBob=] moves out, [[HereWeGoAgain Squidward moves in]]. |
| 406 | * NonSequitur: In his debut episode, the elderly Mermaid Man keeps rambling nonsense. |
| 407 | --> '''Mermaid Man''':"If you don't get out of here, then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife!" |
| 408 | * NoodleIncident: |
| 409 | ** In "Krusty Towers," [=SpongeBob=] is heard saying, "And that's the story of how I got my head stuck in the fry vat!" |
| 410 | ** Whatever [=SpongeBob=] did at the Christmas party mentioned multiple times in the episode about Patrick's box. [[spoiler: The closest guess is it may be the picture Squidward took of [=SpongeBob=] in "Christmas Who?"]] |
| 411 | ** The time Mr. Krabs left [=SpongeBob=] alone at the Krusty Krab with a [[NoodleImplements welding torch and rollerskates]]. This somehow ended with the Krusty Krab on fire. |
| 412 | ** Apparently, one time Patrick forgot how to eat and needed to be fed with a funnel. Another time, he ended up somehow choking on his remote control. |
| 413 | ** In "Fools in April," [=SpongeBob=] mentions something about lima beans and a car chase. |
| 414 | ** At the end of "Good Ol' Whatshisname" Squidward ends up in jail and for some unexplained reason Patrick is also there. |
| 415 | * NoPartyLikeADonnerParty: Played with in "To Save A Squirrel". |
| 416 | * NoSell: |
| 417 | ** Happens in the episode "The Bully" when Flats repeatedly punches [=SpongeBob=] and the blows don't hurt him at all. [=SpongeBob=] actually goes through his entire daily routine without missing a beat, all while Flats continues to throw punch after punch at him, the entirety of which [=SpongeBob=] completely ignores. |
| 418 | ** In "It's a [=SpongeBob=] Christmas!", Plankton's Jerktonium fruitcakes turn all of Bikini Bottom into jerks...except for [=SpongeBob=] himself, because of his deep love of Christmas and his pure heart. |
| 419 | * NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: [=SpongeBob=] (target: Squidward). |
| 420 | * NotMeThisTime: |
| 421 | ** In "Best Frenemies", Mr. Krabs assumes Plankton was behind the new [=KelpShake=] store that's driving him out of business. It turns out Plankton had done nothing wrong for once. |
| 422 | ** During the episode "Plankton's Army," a suspicious-looking robot customer casually enters the Krusty Krab, remarking to itself (but loudly enough for all to hear) that it would like to "sample the wares" of the "quaint restaurant." Mr. Krabs immediately deduces that it's a plot by Plankton and that the "customer" will order a Krabby Patty. Instead, it buys a single serving of chili coral bits, even after Krabs suggests that the robot order a Krabby Patty instead.\ |
| 423 | \ |
| 424 | The trope is then subverted when Plankton leaps out of a hidden compartment in the dollar the robot used to pay for the food ("Plankton! You knew I'd never distrust a dollar!"), and demands access to the Krabby Patty formula. Krabs casually asks "... or what?" Plankton is left speechless, never assuming he'd have actually succeeded to this point. The page quote for DidntThinkThisThrough comes from this scene as well. |
| 425 | * NotNowWereTooBusyCryingOverYou: In the special "Have You Seen This Snail?" Gary returns after [=SpongeBob=] has had a breakdown over him, in time to find him crying. |
| 426 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' If only I could hear you meow one last time. |
| 427 | -->'''Gary''': (crawls onto [=SpongeBob=]'s head) Meow! |
| 428 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Yeah, like that. |
| 429 | -->'''Gary:''' (purrs) |
| 430 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Gary, your purring is making it hard to forget you. |
| 431 | * NotThisOneThatOne: |
| 432 | ** "The Fry Cook Games": Cue the entrance of Plankton's entrant: what seems to be a massively muscled fish warrior, who actively smashed through the entrance, then turns around to reveal the real participant carried on his back: Patrick. |
| 433 | ** In "No Weenies Allowed", the bouncer at the [[BadGuyBar Salty Spittoon]] redirects [=SpongeBob=] to the Weenie Hut Jr. ice cream parlor across the way. When [=SpongeBob=] objects, the bouncer corrects himself and points at... ''Super'' Weenie Hut Jr. |
| 434 | ** In "Mr. Krabs Takes a Vacation", Pearl is excited as Mr. Krabs drives up to their surprise vacation, and they go towards the teenage boy museum. Cue museum being demolished and Pearl being heartbroken. |
| 435 | * NotWhatItLooksLike: The CruelTwistEnding of "The Bully" has Mrs. Puff enter and see Flatts passed out on the floor before [=SpongeBob=], who has a fist raised from a RousingSpeech, making it look like he beat up Flatts. |
| 436 | * NotWhereTheyThought: |
| 437 | ** In "Sandy's Rocket", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick mess around with the rocket and assume they've landed on the moon when in actuality they never left Bikini Bottom. This causes them to think all of their neighbors and friends are actually aliens, and they proceed to catch every other citizen of Bikini Bottom in their traps. |
| 438 | ** In "[=SpongeBob=], Sandy, and the Worm", Sandy thinks she's in a cave when really she's in a worm's mouth. |
| 439 | ** In "Plankton Gets the Boot", Plankton decides to stay with [=SpongeBob=] (though he mostly goes with him because [[PottyEmergency he has to pee really badly]]). After they get home, Plankton comes out of a door, thanking [=SpongeBob=] for letting him use his bathroom, but [=SpongeBob=] informs him that it ''wasn't'' his bathroom. Plankton then tells him that he should probably get new shoes, implying that he relieved himself in [=SpongeBob=]'s closet. |
| 440 | ** In "The Inmates of Summer", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick accidentally go to a prison camp, but they mistakenly think it's a summer camp. |
| 441 | ** In "Rock Bottom", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick ride on a bus, thinking it's the bus to take them home. Actually, they've entered the wrong bus, and it ends up taking them to the eponymous Rock Bottom. |
| 442 | [[/folder]] |
| 443 | |
| 444 | [[folder:O]] |
| 445 | * ObfuscatingStupidity: |
| 446 | ** Sandy pulls this on [=SpongeBob=] in "Squirrel Jokes", acting just as stupid and insane like his squirrel jokes said about her, which in turn upsets him enough into never telling squirrel jokes again. |
| 447 | ** [=SpongeBob=] did this in "I Am Stupid" to make Patrick look smart when his parents visit. It falls apart when he starts thinking he actually ''is'' stupid. |
| 448 | ** It's implied that [=SpongeBob=]'s antics in "[=SpongeBob=] Meets The Strangler" were deliberately done to injure and irritate the Tattletale Strangler. Halfway through the episode, [=SpongeBob=] accidentally calls his "bodyguard" a strangler and has to quickly correct himself. Later on, after the villain tears his disguise off, [=SpongeBob=] keeps stalking him and only stops once the criminal is put behind bars. |
| 449 | ** Patrick lampshades this in "The Card" when doing various things that would have destroyed the rare MM&BB trading card in many ways. |
| 450 | --->'''Patrick:''' [=SpongeBob=], you can't expect my usual brand of stupidity. I like to mix it up. Keep you on your toes. |
| 451 | * ObliviousToHatred: [=SpongeBob=], for the most part, is completely oblivious of Squidward's despise of him, to the point of considering him as a friend like Patrick. Even when Squidward holds a vendetta club against him in one episode, [=SpongeBob=] seems unaware that it's centered around him. However, there are rare times where [=SpongeBob=] is hurt by Squidward or frightened of him, depending on how he reacts. |
| 452 | * ObstacleSkiCourse: [=SpongeBob=], while snowboarding on a sand mound, using his ''tongue'' as the board. |
| 453 | * ObviouslyNotFine: In "I Was a Teenage Gary", Squidward accidentally injects [=SpongeBob=] with a dose of snail plasma meant for Gary, and he assures him that nothing's going to happen to him. However, as [=SpongeBob=] starts to psychologically, and then physically, transform into a snail, he keeps insisting he's fine until it becomes impossible to ignore. |
| 454 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' I take it back, Gary! ''Something's wrong with meeeeeeeeeee-ow!'' |
| 455 | * ObviousStuntDouble: It's obvious Sandy's doubling for Mermaid Man in the unofficial movie they make. |
| 456 | * OcularGushers: Usally happens anytime a character cries. Their tears stream out of their eyes in that fashion. This is done most often by [=SpongeBob=]. |
| 457 | * OddReactionOut: In one episode, everyone cheers when Mr. Krabs gets a new patty-making machine, except Patrick, who is too distracted by needing to pee. |
| 458 | * OdeToFood: |
| 459 | ** In "Jellyfish Hunter", Fred sings "The Jellyfish Jelly Sandwich Song" after [=SpongeBob=] gives him one. |
| 460 | ** In "Banned in Bikini Bottom", [=SpongeBob=] sings about how he loves Krabby Patties, then later, after finally trying one for herself, a fish sings a similar song. |
| 461 | * OhCrap: |
| 462 | ** In "Boating School", [=SpongeBob=] has one of these moments after it dawns on him that having Patrick assist him in his test is cheating. [[StaggeredZoom The camera even zooms in on his horrified expression three times]], accompanied by a dramatic sound effect. |
| 463 | ** Two in "Valentine's Day": |
| 464 | *** Sandy's reaction when she sees the chocolate eating scallops fly toward her, meaning she's going to be late in delivering it. |
| 465 | *** [=SpongeBob's=] reaction when Sandy tells him she's off-course and has to switch to Plan B, and he later has an even bigger one as Patrick closes in on him and prepares to face the inevitable of his furious wrath. |
| 466 | ** In "Opposite Day", this is Squidward's reaction when he sees the realtor's boat parked outside his unguarded house. |
| 467 | ** [=SpongeBob=] gets two of them in "Party Pooper Pants" when he sees his party guests not following his schedule and doing their own things, meaning in his words, the party will fall apart. |
| 468 | ** Gary has ''several'' Oh Craps in "A Pal for Gary", when he sees [[TroublemakingNewPet Puffy Fluffy]] beast up and go after him, and especially when he sees the creature as a monstrous giant. |
| 469 | ** In "That Sinking Feeling", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick get a shared one when they are unable to dig Squidward's house out in time leading to the climatic underground chase. And they get an even bigger one when they have nowhere left to run and Squidward catches up to them. |
| 470 | * OhMyGods: Residents of Bikini Bottom will swear to Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, in place of God. |
| 471 | * OminousMusicBoxTune: |
| 472 | ** [=SpongeBob=]'s "whistly holes". |
| 473 | ** Heard in "Nature Pants", when Patrick, gone {{Yandere}}, tells [=SpongeBob=] he'll make him into a trophy. |
| 474 | * OminousPipeOrgan: Heard in "Something Smells" when [=SpongeBob=], convinced he's ugly, played a pipe organ in his house. Pipe organ motifs are also heard throughout "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost". |
| 475 | * OneDimensionalThinking: |
| 476 | ** In "Valentine's Day" when a raging Patrick corners [=SpongeBob=] and a crowd of carnival patrons against the end of the dock, it never occurs to [=SpongeBob=] (or the patrons) to jump into the goo and swim away to escape Patrick's wrath (though it is justified because it is revealed two seasons later that [=SpongeBob=] can't swim). |
| 477 | ** In "That Sinking Feeling", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick face a rock blocking their way underground when running away from a furious Squidward, but they are too stupid to think of digging over, under, or around it so they can escape. |
| 478 | ** In "Lockdown for Love", Mr. Krabs accidentally loses the secret formula and it rolls over to the Chum Bucket. But since the Chum Bucket is under lockdown, Plankton can't immediately get to it. He manages to melt a hole in the wall just big enough for him to reach through and grab it. But when Plankton grabs the secret formula and tries pulling it through the hole, he points it upright and it continually hits the wall instead. Thus, Krabs steals the formula back in time. If Plankton had rotated the bottle facing forward, he could have fit it through the hole and secured it for good. |
| 479 | * OneEpisodeFear: |
| 480 | ** In "Tunnel of Glove," [=SpongeBob=] is afraid of clowns, which is weird as he's never been afraid of them before or since and has even liked them in "Krabby Land". He shows said fear again in "Rodeo Daze" as the reason he wants to "save" Sandy from the rodeo is "there are clowns there". |
| 481 | ** In "One Course Meal", Plankton is afraid of whales, which has only shown up in that episode; he was not afraid of Pearl earlier in episodes like "The Algae's Always Greener" and "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy VI: The Motion Picture". |
| 482 | * OneMansTrashIsAnothersTreasure:... but for Mr. Krabs, ''all'' trash is treasure. |
| 483 | * OneSteveLimit: Averted and Parodied in "Dear Vikings". All but the Viking Captain (Gordon) is named [=Olaf=]. |
| 484 | ** There have been SIX different characters named Larry: Larry [=SquarePants=] ([=SpongeBob=]'s cousin, mentioned in the ''Operation Krabby Patty'' game), Larry the Lobster (a lifeguard at Goo Lagoon), Larry Luciano (a ''very'' old snail), Larry the Snail (a temporary replacement for Gary), Pinhead Larry (a criminal in Sandy's dream), and Lucky Larry (a shopowner mentioned in "House Sittin' for Sandy"). |
| 485 | * TheOneWhoWearsShoes: |
| 486 | ** [=SpongeBob=] himself; he wears his shoes to bed ''every night''. |
| 487 | ** Pearl and Mrs. Puff wear shoes more often than not. |
| 488 | ** Sandy's diving suit counts-- when she's at home in her treedome, however, she goes barefoot. |
| 489 | ** [[spoiler:Gary wears little sneakers under his shell, as seen in "Your Shoe's Untied".]] |
| 490 | * OnionTears: |
| 491 | ** Happens [[RuleOfThree three times]] in "My Pretty Seahorse". |
| 492 | ** In "Something Smells", [=SpongeBob=] chops onions for his sundae while crying. |
| 493 | * OnlySaneMan: |
| 494 | ** Squidward, Mrs. Puff (sometimes) and Sandy (also sometimes). |
| 495 | ** [=SpongeBob=] sometimes. Notably when he's paired with Patrick. |
| 496 | ** Strangely enough, Gary, who often proves that he's at least somewhat smarter than his owner. It's pretty understandable, though. |
| 497 | ** Occasionally, Plankton falls into as well when dealing with [=SpongeBob=]. |
| 498 | * OnlyOneFindsItFun: |
| 499 | ** The only ones who liked Patrick's BrownNote song in "Sing a Song of Patrick" were [=SpongeBob=], a random fish boyfriend, and Old Man Walker. |
| 500 | ** In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy VI: The Motion Picture", the homemade Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy movie by [=SpongeBob=] and the gang turns out to be quite terrible, complete with BadBadActing, poor settings and shoddy footage, and obviously received backlash from the audience. The only ones who liked it were [=SpongeBob=], Patrick, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. |
| 501 | * OpeningShoutOut: |
| 502 | ** Used in "Truth or Square". "Who lives in a rock on the sea floor? PATRICK SEA STAR!" |
| 503 | ** Also used in "Unreal Estate" but with [=SpongeBob=] coming out of a banana, a hot pepper, and a chicken Parmesan club. |
| 504 | ** In "Karen's Virus", Karen sings a warped version of the theme song. |
| 505 | ** Exploited by [=SpongeBob=] in "Old Man Patrick". When Patrick doesn't recognize [=SpongeBob=], he begins singing the theme song, and Patrick remembers. |
| 506 | ** Exploited again in "Handemonium". Plankton and [=SpongeBob=] have to stop the Chum Bucket glove after it comes to life, so [=SpongeBob=] takes off his pants and sings the theme song. When Hans, a live-action hand, arrives to give him his pants (as in the theme song), [=SpongeBob=] asks him for help with defeating the hand. |
| 507 | ** Patchy sings a birthday-themed version of the opening theme song in "[=SpongeBob=]'s Big Birthday Blowout." |
| 508 | * OppositeDay: The eponymous episode from season 1. |
| 509 | * OrigamiGag: |
| 510 | ** The season one episode [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E16ValentinesDayThePaper "The Paper"]] focuses on [=SpongeBob=] having fun with a paper candy wrapper. At one point, he uses his tongue to fold the wrapper into complex origami shapes. Squidward tries to replicate the feat, but only makes a mess. |
| 511 | ** In [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E20HookyMermaidManAndBarnacleBoyII "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II'']], [=SpongeBob=] is riding on his heroes' Invisible Boatmobile and while fooling around with the controls, accidentally hits the origami button, which folds the whole thing into a paper crane. |
| 512 | * OriginsEpisode: "Mermaid Man Begins" explores how Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy became superheroes. |
| 513 | * OrMyNameIsnt: In the 76th issue of the comics, Sandy proclaims that she, [=SpongeBob=] and Mr. Krabs are gonna [[ItMakesSenseInContext get the water back and save Pearl]], "or my names ain't '''Sandy Sarsaparilla Cheeks!'''" |
| 514 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]''': Your middle name is '''Sarsaparilla!?''' I thought it was '''[[Theatre/TheSpongeBobMusical Jennif--]]''' |
| 515 | -->'''Sandy''': [[BigShutUp YOU MIND YER]] '''[[BigShutUp BUSINESS!]]''' |
| 516 | * OutOfContextEavesdropping: In "Model Sponge", [=SpongeBob=] overhears Mr. Krabs talking about how it's time for him to "let the little guy go", and assumes he's getting laid off from the Krusty Krab. After [=SpongeBob=] leaves the restaurant to find a new job, however, the audience sees that the "little guy" Mr. Krabs was referring to is actually a scallop. [=SpongeBob=], of course, doesn't know this until he returns to the Krusty Krab near the end, asking Mr. Krabs not to fire him. |
| 517 | * OutOfFocus: Many prominent characters, most notably the main females like Sandy and Pearl, don't appear as often in later seasons to the point where they are sometimes forgotten as characters. It's also driven to the point where they forgot Sandy's ''name'' in one episode (she's referred to as "Sandy Squirrel" in "[=SpongeBob's=] Last Stand"). |
| 518 | * TheOutsideWorld: The show takes place exclusively underwater, but for a couple episodes in which the characters tentatively go above to dry land. they exhibit apprehension and horror at the thought. It is seen as a place of terror where creatures end up as pets or tourist souvenirs. |
| 519 | * OverTheTopRollerCoaster: In one episode, [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick ride on the Fiery Fist O'Pain at Glove World, which goes just above the surface (next to the island) and when it gets to the ground, [[StuffBlowingUp it explodes]]. It also has a list of side effects: Crying, screaming, projectile vomiting, amnesia, spine loss, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking embarrassing accidents, uncontrollable gas]] and [[{{Squick}} explosive diarrhea]]. |
| 520 | * OvercomplicatedMenuOrder: In the episode "Bubble Buddy", [=SpongeBob=] asked Squidward to make a meal for his bubble buddy at Krusty Krab, which are not just overly specific, but has to be remade several times (it'd be hard to go to the details). And at the end, Squidward and Mr. Krabs are given bubble tips and money... which pop, maddening the two. |
| 521 | ** In "Pickles", Bubble Bass makes an order using a string of complicated HashHouseLingo. Squidward gives up trying to write it all down about halfway through, and dryly replies "We serve ''food'' here, sir." |
| 522 | ** Bubble Bass does it again in "Larry the Floor Manager". He asks for very specific stuff on his burger, driving away waiting customers to the point where Mr. Krabs shoves a regular Krabby Patty down his throat and kicks him out. |
| 523 | * {{Overcrank}}: |
| 524 | ** Parodied with [=SpongeBob=]'s BigNo in "Bubble Buddy", which cuts back and forth between him screaming and Squidward bringing down the pin that would pop Bubble Buddy; each time [=SpongeBob=] is shown, his screaming gradually slows down and distorts, until it becomes complete nonsense. |
| 525 | ** The climax of "As Seen on TV" has a scene cutting between [=SpongeBob=] slipping in the kitchen, the patties flying through the air, and the customers booing him from the window, as his "act" for them begins to fall apart. |
| 526 | ** "The Two Faces of Squidward" features a slowed-down scene of the more-handsome Squidward flying through the Krusty Krab after [=SpongeBob=] pushes him away to avoid a falling shoe. |
| 527 | ** Lampshaded in "Company Picnic" as [=SpongeBob=] stops Mr. Krab from signing Plankton's contract to work for him, causing the candy pen to fly towards Simmy the robot; the sequence slows down as [=SpongeBob=] runs to warn Simmy and comments that he's running and talking in slow motion. When the pen is about to hit Simmy in the eye, [=SpongeBob=] ends the sequence with a SlowNo. |
| 528 | * OverlyLongScream: |
| 529 | ** Plankton did it once in the episode where he and Mr. Krabs switch places. It's so long he takes a sip from his soda between screams. |
| 530 | ** Squidward's scream when [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick walk in on him during his bath, in a scene from "Have You Seen This Snail?" that has been subjected to MemeticMutation. |
| 531 | ** The Snail Bites commercial in "Treats" |
| 532 | ** Not as long as others, but Mr. Krabs in "Born Again Krabs" screams until he simply runs out of breath. His head also splits apart and grows back. |
| 533 | * OverlyNervousFlopSweat: |
| 534 | ** Done by Mr. Krabs in the episode "Pickles". |
| 535 | ** In the episode "Squirrel Jokes", [=SpongeBob=] does this when his jokes are falling flat in front of the audience. |
| 536 | * OwMyBodyPart: [[RunningGag Whenever some sort of crash or other major accident happens]], an unnamed character can be heard screaming "MY LEG!" |
| 537 | [[/folder]] |
| 538 | |
| 539 | [[folder:P]] |
| 540 | * PaddingThePaper: In "Procrastination", [=SpongeBob=] is tasked with writing a 800-word essay on what not to do at a stoplight. A montage shows him ardently scribbling on a piece of paper and satisfiedly dropping a steaming pencil... only for the following shot to reveal that he has only written the word "the", in a [[https://spongebob.fandom.com/wiki/Procrastination/gallery?file=Procrastination_106.png ridiculously large and stylized font]]. |
| 541 | * PainfulAdhesiveRemoval: |
| 542 | ** In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS7E20TheAbrasiveSideEarworm The Abrasive Side]]", [=SpongeBob=] [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin gets an abrasive side]] to be able to say no. After he eventually decides to get it removed, Sandy rips it off for him, and the episode makes it clear the process isn't painless. |
| 543 | ** In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E9SurvivalOfTheIdiotsDumped Survival of the Idiots]]", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick get trapped in Sandy's tree dome during winter, when she's hibernating and has grown larger, with even thicker fur. To survive, the two are forced to rip strips of Sandy's fur off with duct tape and stick it on themselves. She screams every time this happens, but doesn't wake up. |
| 544 | * PalatialSandcastle: In "Sand Castles in the Sand", Patrick and [=SpongeBob=] start quarreling while building sandcastles in Goo Lagoon. As the dispute escalates, their sandcastles get bigger and bigger, to the point they end up as big and spacious as ''actual'' castles. |
| 545 | * ParentalBonus: And how! Nosferatu, Dune and so on. |
| 546 | ** And Flats the Flounder, if you know that it's Biff Tannen voicing him. |
| 547 | ** Davy Jones' Locker is really guarded by [[spoiler: The actual [[Music/TheMonkees Davy Jones]], complete with "Daydream Believer" in the background]]. |
| 548 | ** In the episode "Missing Identity", when [=SpongeBob=] imagines a bank robber entering a bank with his name tag, the robber yells [[Film/DogDayAfternoon "ATTICA!"]]. |
| 549 | ** A musical bonus: In the episode where Patrick becomes smart when he switches his brain with brain coral, he mentions a clarinet piece by "Cornelius Bumpfish". Someone on the writing team must like Music/SteelyDan, whose clarinetist was a man named Cornelius Bumpus. |
| 550 | ** In the episode "Professor Squidward", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are hypnotized by Squidward's metronome. |
| 551 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]''': [[Film/TaxiDriver My whole life has been pointing in one direction...]] |
| 552 | -->'''Patrick''': [[Film/TaxiDriver I see it clearly now. There never has been any choice for me.]] |
| 553 | ** In the episode "Idiot Box", when [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are pretending that they are mountain climbers, one of the lines Patrick said was "[[Music/TheDoors I AM THE LIZARD KING!"]] |
| 554 | ** "Sandy, [=SpongeBob=], and the Worm" has Sandy and [=SpongeBob=] trying to track a giant worm, leading to this gem: |
| 555 | -->'''Sandy:''' ''[sniffs sand]'' [[Franchise/{{Dune}} Worm sign!]] |
| 556 | -->''[[VisualPun [Sandy digs a small picket sign out of the sand with "WORM" printed on it]]]'' |
| 557 | ** The episode "Banned in Bikini Bottom" is a parody of the alcohol prohibition movement of the 1920s and '30s. |
| 558 | * ParentheticalSwearing: "Shrimp" is often used in place of "shit". |
| 559 | * ParentsForADay: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick in "Rock-A-Bye Bivalve". [=SpongeBob=] was [[GenderBender the mother]]. Patrick wanted to be the mother, but [=SpongeBob=] said he shouldn't because he doesn't wear a shirt. |
| 560 | --> '''Patrick''': You're right. If I was a mom... ''[pans out to show grotesquely flabby, hairy chest]''... this would be kinda shocking. ''[{{beat}}]'' JUST CALL ME "DADDY"! |
| 561 | * ParodyProductPlacement: The episode "Mermaid Man vs. [=SpongeBob=]" had an ad with Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy advertising the "New Krusty Kids Meal" at the Krusty Krab. |
| 562 | -->'''Man Ray''': How can I be evil with flavors this good? |
| 563 | * PassingJudgment: In [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E20SpongeBobMeetsTheStranglerPranksALot "Pranks a Lot"]], [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's joke competition deranges into the two of them roughhousing over a can of paint while being naked. A tour bus drives right beside them and the guide [[TourGuideGag describes what the passengers are seeing]]. When they recover from their brief shock, the passengers start taking pictures. |
| 564 | --> '''Fish Tour Guide:''' ...And if you look to your right, you'll see two naked guys fighting over a can of paint! |
| 565 | * PerfectlyCromulentWord: |
| 566 | ** Patrick invents the word "wumbo" in one Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy episode. "I wumbo, you wumbo, he she we, WUMBO. Wumbo, wumboing... wumbology? The study of wumbo? It's first grade, [=SpongeBob=]! |
| 567 | * PennyShaving: Mr. Krabs does with with Gary in the episode, "The Cent of Money", when he finds out that Gary can attract coins [[spoiler: due to a Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy fridge magnet he swallowed.]] |
| 568 | %% * PerpetualFrowner: Squidward. |
| 569 | * PersonaNonGrata: |
| 570 | ** In "Cephalopod Lodge", Squidward is banned from the titular organization when he is held responsible for allowing non-cephalopods ([=SpongeBob=] and Patrick) to enter without warning. Despite the duo's successful EngineeredHeroics allowing Squidward's ban to be lifted, he is re-banned when they revealed themselves. |
| 571 | ** In "Who R Zoo?", [=SpongeBob=] gets banned from the Bikini Bottom Zoo for walking inside the animal enclosures, with Patrick joining him. Fortunately, it doesn't stick. |
| 572 | * PestEpisode: "Eek, an Urchin!" is about a sea urchin invading the kitchen in the Krusty Krab and the crew trying to find a way to get it out of the restaurant. |
| 573 | ** "Bunny Hunt" involves a Jorunna Parva (commonly known as a Sea Bunny) invading Squidward's garden. |
| 574 | * PetContestEpisode: In "Grooming Gary," [=SpongeBob=] prepares Gary for a pet show. |
| 575 | * PetTheDog: While Squidward is usually mean to [=SpongeBob=], on some occasions lashing out on him when he's not bothering him or is even trying to make up for the times he bothered him, there are some times where Squidward is nice to [=SpongeBob=]. |
| 576 | ** In "Pizza Delivery", when an UnsatisfiableCustomer makes [=SpongeBob=] cry by refusing the pizza just because it didn't come with a drink (which he didn't even ask for in the first place), Squidward's response is to ring the jerk's doorbell and slam the pizza right in his face. |
| 577 | ** "Christmas Who?" has Squidward initially make fun of [=SpongeBob=] for introducing Bikini Bottom to the concept of Christmas and rubbing it in when Santa doesn't show up. After realizing how upset [=SpongeBob=] is, he chooses to impersonate Santa Claus to cheer [=SpongeBob=] up and even makes the big sacrifice of giving away most of his possessions to the citizens of Bikini Bottom as presents. |
| 578 | ** When [=SpongeBob=] is shown to have difficulty flipping patties with broken thumbs in "Two Thumbs Down", Squidward offers to help him, pointing out that his own thumbs work. |
| 579 | * PicnicEpisode: "Company Picnic" is about [=SpongeBob=], Squidward, and Mr. Krabs having a cruddy picnic to "boost morale." Plankton arrives, and his picnic is much better. |
| 580 | * PieEyed: In the 10th Anniversary episode, Patchy shows a [=SpongeBob=] short in a 1920's style where everything has this eye style. |
| 581 | * PityTheKidnapper: |
| 582 | ** The Tattletale Strangler's reaction to [=SpongeBob=]. |
| 583 | ** This happened to the Flying Dutchman TWICE. Once was when he tried to enslave Patrick and [=SpongeBob=] (they made horrible minions) and another time was when he bought [=SpongeBob=] from Mr. Krabs ([=SpongeBob=] was too annoying for him to keep). |
| 584 | * PlatonicValentine: The episode "Valentine's Day" features [=SpongeBob=] giving valentines to all his friends and neighbors. The main plot revolves around [=SpongeBob's=] gift for Patrick. However, circumstances prevent the present from being delivered on time, and after seeing all the gifts [=SpongeBob=] gave to other people, combined with apparently only receiving a handshake, Patrick goes on an UnstoppableRage. |
| 585 | * PlayingCatchWithTheOldMan: |
| 586 | ** In "A Day Without Tears", [=Spongebob=] watches a television program. A father is going to work, ignoring his son's request to play catch. When he sees how sad his son is, he decides to stay back and starts playing with him. [=Spongebob=] almost cries at this and throws the TV out the window so he won't. |
| 587 | ** In "Farmer Bob", [=Spongebob=] and Patrick's "barn raising" is portrayed by having a baby barn and raising it to an adult. While the barn is a child, they play catch with it, only to throw the ball into the window of an old man house, who shakes its first angrily. |
| 588 | * PlayingSick: |
| 589 | ** [[LazyBum Squidward]] hates [[ApatheticClerk his job at the Krusty Krab]] and dealing with the [[HatesEveryoneEqually general]] [[UnsatisfiableCustomer public]], his [[PennyPinchingCrab cheapskate]] [[BadBoss boss]], and his annoying coworker ([=SpongeBob=] himself, of course, who is also one of two of his annoying next-door neighbors) every day that he does this to get out of work on some occasions, but some of these attempts backfire right in his face. |
| 590 | *** In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS8E1AccidentsWillHappenTheOtherPatty Accidents Will Happen]]", [[ObfuscatingDisability he supposedly twists his ankle while trying to sleep on the job in the storage room]] and threatens to get Mr. Krabs fined by the Office Worker Safety (OWS) Department for negligence. Near the end of the episode, a [[CaughtOnTape security camera]] reveals he was faking his injuries the whole time. [[ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine After Mr. Krabs spent most of the day pampering Squidward for his so-called injury, Squidward now has to do so to Mr. Krabs as punishment]]. |
| 591 | *** "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS8E21SquiditisDemolitionDoofus Squiditis]]" has him try to fake an illness known as "Squid's Disease", but [=SpongeBob=] really believes he has the illness and has infected him as a result, and both are sent home early. |
| 592 | *** Then there's "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS13E2UnderTheSmallTopSquidwardsSickDaze Squidward's Sick Daze]]", where he has a nightmare about what he will likely face for his upcoming workday, [[spoiler: [[BookEnds which eventually comes true the next day]],]] and decides to feign illess in an effort to get out of work for the day. However, Mr. Krabs isn't fooled and sends [=SpongeBob=] to annoy and torture him until he decides to come back to work. |
| 593 | ** A non-Squidward example is in "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E15SleepyTimeSuds Suds]]", where [=SpongeBob=] catches the titular illness by leaving his refrigerator door open all night, causing his house to freeze over. After [=SpongeBob=] gets a rather relaxing treatment for it at the doctor's office and gets [[PostTreatmentLollipop a giant lollipop]] out of it, a jealous Patrick briefly pretends to have the same illness in the hopes of getting the same prize. It doesn't work, ending with him [[LaserGuidedKarma getting SpongeBob's treatment]] [[HumiliationConga in a harsh manner]] after lying to him and Sandy about the doctor earlier in the episode. |
| 594 | --->'''Patrick:''' Hey, Doc, I got the suds, too!\ |
| 595 | '''Physician Fish:''' (Sarcastically) Oh, yes, Dr. Patrick, we have a special treatment for you!\ |
| 596 | ''([[PunnyName Hans]] takes the guffawing Patrick into the back for his treatment)''\ |
| 597 | '''Patrick:''' ''(Hans washes him in the sink and painfully stretches out his limbs)'' Hey, wait! ''(then rubs him on a cactus)'' Ouch! Oh, that hurts! ''(then uses him to clean a toilet)'' WAIT! HEY, THIS DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT...! |
| 598 | * PleaseIWillDoAnything: [=SpongeBob=] gets Squidward to try a Krabby Patty. |
| 599 | * PlotHole: |
| 600 | ** In "Sleepy Time", Gary and Pearl were among those annoyed at [=SpongeBob=] appearing in their dreams, but [=SpongeBob=] didn't do anything in those dreams which ruined them in any way. |
| 601 | ** In "Squilliam Returns", [=SpongeBob=] ends up forgetting his own name, but after he serves Squilliam, Squidward addresses [=SpongeBob=] by name, and [=SpongeBob=] replies as if he knows his name. |
| 602 | * PlotSensitiveLatch: In the episode "Krabs Vs. Plankton", Mr. Krabs is sued by Plankton for slipping in the Krusty Krab, and his lawyer is indisposed, giving [=SpongeBob=] his briefcase, which he claims contains everything necessary to win the case. Unfortunately, the lawyer neglects to tell [=SpongeBob=] the combination to the lock, so he spends most of the trial struggling to open it. At the last possible moment, the briefcase opens, revealing [[spoiler:a Krabby Patty, which is used to lure Plankton out of his ruse and lose the trial.]] |
| 603 | * PooledFunds: Squidward does this on a pile of Krabby Patties after he becomes addicted to them. Mr. Krabs does this with money. |
| 604 | * PosterPatchup: A variant in the episode "Wet Painters." [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick accidentally paint over Mr. Krabs' [[BrokenTreasure prized first dollar]], and try to cover it up by hanging several different paintings on the wall. When Mr. Krabs moves all the paintings away, [=SpongeBob=] hangs ''himself'' up on the wall. |
| 605 | -->'''Mr. Krabs''': [=SpongeBob=], what are you doing? |
| 606 | -->'''[=SpongeBob=]''': ''[nervously]'' Oh, you know, just "hanging" around. |
| 607 | -->'''Patrick''': ''[gives a thumbs-down]'' [[LamePunReaction Boo!]] |
| 608 | * PostTreatmentLollipop: In the episode "Suds", after [=SpongeBob=] gets the sponge treatment for his suds, he gets rewarded with a lollipop. Patrick, wanting a lollipop too, fakes his suds, and gets the same treatment, in a harsh manner. |
| 609 | * PottyEmergency: |
| 610 | ** In "Snowball Effect", Patrick ends up having to go to the bathroom after swallowing snowballs. He begs Squidward to let him use his bathroom, but states that [[PottyFailure he doesn't have to go anymore]] when Squidward finally relents. |
| 611 | ** In "Plankton Gets the Boot", Plankton has to pee after he gets kicked out of the Chum Bucket by Karen. After he reluctantly accepts [=SpongeBob=]'s offer to take him in, he finally gets to relieve himself, though it's implied he didn't exactly make it to the bathroom. |
| 612 | * ThePowerOfRock: "Band Geeks" has the band save the day thanks to forgoeing the marching show and surprising Squidward with a rocking spectacular. |
| 613 | %% * PrankGoneTooFar: The page image is from "Fools in April." |
| 614 | * PrankPunishment: In "Hooky", after his warnings about the dangers of playing with hooks fall on deaf ears, Mr. Krabs resorts to a combination of this and ScareEmStraight. He gets Squidward to catch [=SpongeBob=]'s pants on a hook, then when [=SpongeBob=] comes running to him for help, Krabs tells him that the only thing he can do is take off his pants — in front of a gaggle of girls. [=SpongeBob=] is left humiliated, terrified, and naked. |
| 615 | * PrecisionCrash: Played for laughs in one episode, in Goo Lagoon's anchor throwing contest, the contestants' thrown anchors always land on the referee no matter where he stands. Most ridiculous is when Sandy throws hers, we then see the anchor's ShadowOfImpendingDoom keep following the referee as he repeatedly moves away. |
| 616 | * PredatoryBusiness: Exaggerated with Kelpshake in "Best Frenemies", which drains business from both Mr. Krabs and Plankton, forcing them into an EnemyMine pact to try and get rid of them. Off-screen, the stands themselves somehow ''divide like bacteria'' and Bikini Bottom has a ton of them. By the end of the ep, all the Kelpshake stands get shut down because not only were the drinks addictive, they were also ''toxic'', Plankton having detected radioactive material in it, and everybody who drank one (including Krabs, Plankton and [=SpongeBob=]) somehow ''grew green fur'' as a side-effect. |
| 617 | * PregnantReptile: Has a lot of examples throughout the post-movie seasons. |
| 618 | ** In the episode "Truth Or Square", it is revealed that [=SpongeBob=]'s first time tasting the Krusty Krab was when his mother was pregnant with him. He is shown in her womb, being fed Krabby Patties through an umbilical cord. While sponges don't actually give live birth, they ''are'' biological hermaphrodites and are capable of sexual reproduction in addition to the more-well known method of asexual budding that the show itself popularized much earlier in its run. |
| 619 | ** In the episode "Pets or Pests", [=SpongeBob=] adopts a worm whom he thinks is a male, but then she gets pregnant and gives live birth. [=SpongeBob=] then spends the rest of the episode trying to find someone to adopt the baby worms. |
| 620 | ** Although he wasn't actually pregnant, Mr. Krabs ''disguised'' as a pregnant woman in the episode "The Cent of Money". |
| 621 | ** Then there is the episode "Spot Returns" where Plankton's amoeba puppy gets pregnant and gives birth. This also turns out to be a case of YourTomcatIsPregnant like the worm example above. |
| 622 | * PrefersProperNames: In "[=SpongeBob LongPants=]", [=SpongeBob=]'s new, proper friends call him "[=SpongeRobert=]". |
| 623 | * PricelessPaperWeight: The hilarious ways Patrick uses a valuable trading card in "The Card". |
| 624 | * PrisonEpisode: |
| 625 | ** "Doing Time" has a surreal prison visit by Mrs. Puff. |
| 626 | ** "The Inmates of Summer" where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick get on the wrong ship and end up on a prison island. Complete with a character voiced by R. Lee Ermey! |
| 627 | ** "Jailbreak!" features Plankton and his cellmates trying to escape prison. |
| 628 | ** "Call the Cops" explores two sides of the plot, with [=SpongeBob=] and Krabs as police officers while Patrick and Plankton are prisoners. Their plots aren't connected, as Plankton tries to escape the cell and [=SpongeBob=] interrogates a criminal, while Krabs searches the evidence room. |
| 629 | * PrisonerPerformance: In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS5E15TheInmatesOfSummerToSaveASquirrel The Inmates of Summer]]," [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick accidentally board a PrisonShip and believe it to be a summer camp. To lift the other prisoners' morale, [=SpongeBob=] writes a musical play for them to perform for "amusement and inspiration." The prisoners are initially apathetic but agree to perform once they notice the giant boat prop, which they try to use during the musical number to escape... [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome except it quickly sinks in the water because it's just a prop]]. |
| 630 | * ProWrestlingEpisode: "Krusty Krushers," with Mr. Krabs as [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's manager in a tag match against two HUGE opponents in the hopes of making big money. The opponents totally [[SquashMatch squash]] [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick until their double-team diving headbutt collides with Patrick's iron butt. [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick have the choice of either $1 million in cash, or a chance to go to Wrestle Camp. To Mr. Krabs' dismay, they choose Wrestle Camp. |
| 631 | * ProducePelting: Squidward is hit with tomatoes during his ballet skit in "Culture Shock". |
| 632 | * PropellerHatOfWhimsy: In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E13ShanghaiedGaryTakesABath Shanghaied]]," the Flying Dutchman is looking for someone to scare, and [=SpongeBob=] suggests a muscular and intimidating metalhead. The Dutchman instead looks at someone who'd be infinitely easier to terrify: a small child skipping along and wearing a propeller beanie. |
| 633 | * {{Pseudolympics}}: The Fry Cook Games, including events such as patty throwing, artistic ice cream diving, bun wrestling... |
| 634 | * ProtagonistTitle: Unsurprisingly, the show is about a Bikini Bottom sea sponge named [=SpongeBob SquarePants=]. |
| 635 | * PsychopathicManchild: |
| 636 | ** Squidward. While most of the time he acts serious, on several occasions he'll behave very childishly, to the point of becoming a dangerous madman. The clearest example of this is in the episode "Fools In April" (where he attempts to play an elaborate prank on [=SpongeBob=] in retaliation for annoying him with his April Fool's Day jokes), no doubt, but "Artist Unknown" (where he reacts to [=SpongeBob=]'s inability to recreate Michelangelo's David by throwing a tantrum and messing up his art studio) and "Just One Bite" (where he tries Krabby Patties for the first time and becomes so obsessed with eating more that he tries to do so without [=SpongeBob=] knowing) are also good showcases of this. |
| 637 | ** When [=SpongeBob=] befriends Plankton in the episode "F.U.N.," he reveals a childish side to him never seen before. And it's generally assumed that Plankton is almost as old as Mr. Krabs is. |
| 638 | * PuffOfLogic: Currently provides the page quote. In "Life of Crime", when [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are keeping warm by a fire, Patrick asks how fire can exist underwater, which then causes the fire to promptly go out. |
| 639 | * PulledFromYourDayOff: A subversion occurs in the episode "Bubble Buddy". Squidward tries to enjoy ''[=SpongeBob's=]'' day off, but [=SpongeBob=] comes into work anyway to show Squidward his new friend, Bubble Buddy. He also makes Squidward make Bubble Buddy one of everything on the menu, with various alterations to suit Bubble Buddy's needs. |
| 640 | * PunBasedCreature: Lionfishes are depicted as lions with fish fins, rather than the actual venomous and prickly species of lionfish. |
| 641 | * PunishedForSympathy: In "The Clash of Triton", King Neptune reveals that the reason he is sad during his 5,000th birthday is because he misses his son Triton, whom he locks in a cage in the Island in the Sky for 10,000 years (although specifically, Triton has only been in the cage for 1,000 years) because he made a cure for all mortal diseases, hoping that would teach him how to be a god. |
| 642 | * PushedAtTheMonster: |
| 643 | ** In "Sandy, [=SpongeBob=], and the Worm", while running from the Alaskan Bull Worm, [[IWarnedYou Spongebob]] threatens to trip [[BreakTheHaughty Sandy]] and leave her to be eaten unless she admits that the worm actually is too big for her to handle. |
| 644 | ** PlayedForLaughs in "Pre-Hibernation", when the townspeople of Bikini Bottom all hide under Patrick's rock to escape from Sandy and her obsessive search for [=SpongeBob=], they likewise find him under there (trying to hide after he finds her activities before hibernation too dangerous for his liking) and instantly throw him out into the open for her to find him. Luckily for him, she enters into hibernation when he confesses he doesn't like the activities she made him do. |
| 645 | * PutOnABus: Following Ernest Borgnine's death in July 2012, the characters of Mermaid Man (Borgnine) and Barnacle Boy (Tim Conway) have been relegated to non-speaking cameos since "Patrick-Man!", which aired three months afterward. Conway would pass on seven years later, leaving the future of both characters ultimately in question. |
| 646 | [[/folder]] |
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