Kit Snicket escorts the Baudelaires to the Last Safe Place, Hotel Denouement. She warns them that there is a gathering of VFD members coming, and not to trust anyone on the other side of the schism, especially the hotel manager Ernest. Unfortunately, Ernest has a twin brother, Frank, who also manages the hotel with him. Since Frank is an ally and Ernest is an enemy, the trio must be careful of the information they share, since giving the wrong information to the wrong person could be bad for the noble VFD members. Worse still is that the gathering was called by a "J.S." and Kit doesn't know who in VFD could have called it, given Jacques is dead.
Tropes:
- Adaptational Modesty: Esmé wears a full swimsuit with a sarong instead of the "bikini" made of lettuce leaves she wore in the book.
- Always Identical Twins: Actually there are identical triplets in this case: Dewey, Ernest, and Frank.
- Back for the Dead: Larry returns, only to be killed off.
- A Bloody Mess: Invoked; Count Olaf explains that the red stain on his white jacket is blood — it's actually curry, which got splashed on him when he drowned Larry Your-Waiter in a boiling pot of the stuff.
- Breather Episode: While there are still moments where the Baudelaires are in danger and it does end with a customary Downer Ending, the episode is much slower and calmer in pace, with various familiar faces from the past. After being put on death row, trapped inside a hospital, almost fed to lions, wandering on mountains and stuck in a submarine, the Hotel Denoument is the most welcoming place the trio have been in a long while.
- The Bus Came Back: Vice Principal Nero, Babs, Jerome Squalor, Larry Your-Waiter, and judge Justice Strauss all return in this episode. The self-sustaining hot-air mobile home is also briefly seen, being attacked by eagles.
- Cucumber Facial: Esmé is partaking in one at the rooftop pool.
- Eskimos Aren't Real:Olaf: You can't be Dewey. He's a myth, like unicorns or Giuseppe Verdi
. - Evil Twin: Ernest, who supports Olaf's side of the schism, while Frank is on the VFD side.
- Foreshadowing: The first indication of a third brother is when the clearly heroic Kit is seeing the twin that she's in love with, she tells him to "say hi to Frank" after having earlier made it clear that Ernest is an enemy.
- Go Through Me: When Olaf confronts the Baudelaires and Dewey at the fountain outside the hotel, all three Baudelaires line up in front of Dewey to protect him, knowing Olaf won't risk killing all three of them since he needs at least one of them alive to get their fortune.
- Great Big Library of Everything: The VFD has one, hidden underneath the fountain of the Hotel Denouement.
- Hope Spot: Judge Strauss returns, is revealed to have composed a massive file about Olaf's crimes and all the misery the put the Baudelaires through, and even offers to adopt the Baudelaires once it all boils over. It seems Olaf will finally be brought to justice.
- Identical Twin ID Tag: Olaf suggests that the Denouements part their hair differently so he can actually tell them apart.
- Mathematician's Answer: The Denouement triplets don't directly clarify which one they are, answering "Frank or Ernest?" with things like "I am", and "That's an interesting question."
- Ninja Pirate Robot Zombie: This time, Carmelita is a ballplaying cowboy superhero soldier pirate.
- Retirony: Kit and Dewey plan to leave VFD after the trial to raise their daughter. Dewey is offed less than twenty minutes after he reveals this.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Olaf and Esmé's breakup is not short on drama:Olaf: You've never cared about me, Esmé! All you care about is the Sugar Bowl, free acting lessons and what's in and what is out!Esmé: Oh, I'll tell you what's in and what's out. Being constantly unappreciated by a man whose pant leg doesn't even cover his ankle. Out! Being stuck playing second banana in a series of increasingly ludicrous schemes in increasingly remote locations! Extremely out! I think you're gonna love this one, darling: losing time and again to three children! Look at them! They're not even old enough to rent a tuxedo and yet they beat you every time! THAT is the OUTTEST THING OF ALL!
- The Reveal: In the books, it was left ambiguous who the "J.S." that arranged the meeting was. Here, it's truly revealed to be Justice Strauss.
- Two Roads Before You: The Baudelaires are offered two paths for their future in this episode — live a safe and happy life with Justice Strauss, or inherit Dewey's library and continue to aid VFD in their heroics. Unfortunately, Olaf helps make their choice easier.
- Undercover as Lovers: Babs and Jerome are posing as lovers while on a mission for the VFD.
- Villain in a White Suit: Count Olaf shows up to the hotel in a snazzy white dinner jacket… which gets stained with curry due to Larry Your-Waiter's Cruel and Unusual Death, to Olaf's annoyance.
- Wham Shot: Kit gets into her taxi as Lemony Snicket starts narrating as he always does, only for Kit to react to his presence.
- White Shirt of Death: Darkly parodied; Count Olaf's white dinner jacket gets stained with curry after he drowned Larry Your-Waiter in a giant pot of the stuff; when asked about the big red stain on his jacket, Olaf lies and says it's blood.
- You Have No Chance to Survive: When Count Olaf has Larry Your-Waiter trussed up above a pot of boiling curry, the two have an oddly familiar exchange right before Olaf drops Larry in.Larry Your-Waiter: Do you expect me to talk?
Count Olaf: No, Larry Your-Waiter, I expect you to boil!
