Moose needs to pass a history test or he'll be kicked out of the football team, and since he's never had much of a head for study, his prospects are not looking good. Looking for "an easier way", he sneaks at night in the school's science lab.
The following day, Moose surprises everyone by finishing the history test in record time... And then repeats the feat by acing every other test for several weeks in a row. Most people are happy that Moose has turned over a new leaf, but Archie feels something's off. His suspicions are confirmed when Moose's personality changes, he loses interest in football and his girlfriend Midge, and he develops fearsome Psychic Powers. As it turns out, Dilton's new invention is to blame...
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- A Day in the Limelight: One of the only two episodes of the series where Moose is given an important role rather than being a named extra.
-
Broken Aesop: The idea that Dilton's cap helps you memorize but not understand makes for an interesting plot point, but seems at odd with some of the events in the episode:- Moose builds a Perpetual Motion Machine, which would require inventive skills rather than just memorization — even if he can't explain how he came up with it.
- Becoming a straight-A student should require more than just memory, unless Riverdale's education system is based on rote memorization.
- "Flowers for Algernon" Syndrome: Moose returns to his former self at the end of the episode, although he now takes his studies more seriously and manages to improve his grades without Applied Phlebotinum.
- Kick the Dog: After Moose has been using the helmet successfully for some time, Midge starts talking about their going on a date. Moose coolly tells her that he's been thinking he should find someone else; she's not smart enough for him. The insult makes Midge cry as he walks away.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Moose has this reaction after blasting Midge with his Psychic Powers, which convinces him to renounce his powers. Archie and Dilton are a bit offended that he didn't have this reaction after blasting them.
- My Brain Is Big: Moose's brain grows after too many sessions with Dilton's machine. He keeps this hidden under a cap for most of the episode, until he reveals it at the climax.
- Smart People Wear Glasses: After juicing his brain, Moose starts wearing glasses for no apparent reason other than invoking this trope.
- Super-Speed Reading: At one point Moose is seen flipping through a book in seconds.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Downplayed. At first only Archie find its strange that Moose becomes a genius overnight — Betty, in particular, thinks that her tutoring sessions were simply very effective. When Moose develops Psychic Powers, though, people start to notice.
