Arthur the WreckerThe Brain has lent Arthur a cool computer game where the developer promised secret prizes. Jane tells Arthur that it's tax season, however, and he can only play when she's not working. When Buster wants to see Arthur's progress, they accidentally crash the computer, or at least the keyboard. Arthur worries about wrecking his mom's computer.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Been There, Shaped History: In the teaser, Arthur theorizes that kids like him were responsible for breaking The Sphinx, the Venusde Milo sculpture, and the Liberty Bell, thereby making them more iconic.
- Blood Oath: Arthur says that someone who found the "thing" had to sign in blood to swear he'd never tell what he found.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Jane tells Arthur that if he were worried he should have just called her from the start. She's not mad, as he feared, but disappointed.
- And even though this isn't mentioned, we'd all have to agree: If Arthur hadn't listened to Buster and just obeyed his mother, he wouldn't have had to face any punishment at all.
- Damn You, Muscle Memory!: After playing the game for several hours, Arthur begins moving his hand like it's still operating a computer mouse. He even does it with his pancakes.
- Disappointed in You: Jane tells Arthur she’s not angry, but disappointed in him for disobeying her and then trying to cover it up.
- Do Not Spoil This Ending: Arthur buys a computer game called Deep Dark Sea, he explains that there's a "thing" in the game he needs to find. Apparently another kid who found it received a ton of free stuff, as long as he didn't reveal what "the thing" was. Arthur and Buster find a treasure chest in the game, and expect that's "the thing," and we don't find out for sure if it is.
- Have You Tried Rebooting?: Buster suggests this after he and Arthur accidentally crash the computer. In a somewhat similar vein, at the end it's revealed the computer crashed due to a faulty switch.
- MacGuffin: Arthur mentions that there is a "thing" in the game which, when found, gives the player a number to call for all sorts of prizes. But they're then sworn to secrecy as to what they found.
- Not Angry Just Disappointed: Jane says this to Arthur after finding out he wrecked the computer and tried to hide it from her.
- Not So Above It All: After all the fracas and understandably banning Arthur from using the computer for a week, Jane is taken in by the graphics and asks Arthur how to play the game. Instead of tucking him and D.W. in at night, she resumes his quest.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When Jane returns home, Buster and Brain quickly run for it, knowing Arthur is in for it.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Arthur and Buster track down the Brain to fix the computer. However, Arthur doesn't know what the actual problem is, so the Brain isn't able to fix it.
- Sweet and Sour Grapes: Averted. Jane comes home and tells Arthur that she ended up not needing her computer immediately, so she offers to let him play to reward him for waiting. Unfortunately Arthur already disobeyed her and seemingly broke the computer.
- You Are Grounded!: After using his mom’s computer without permission, Arthur is forbidden from using it for a week at the end.
Arthur and the True FrancineAt a slumber party, Muffy takes offense when Fern asks her if she's told a lie. Francine then reminds her what happened when Muffy first moved to Lakewood Elementary.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Anti-Villain: The Mighty Mountain baseball team. They do win, fairly, as Francine admits. Yeah they laugh at Muffy for holding the bat wrong, but could anyone blame them when it's clear she doesn't know how to play baseball and is being snooty?
- Apathetic Teacher: The teacher hosting Francine's detention is good and asleep during her session.
- Bittersweet Ending: While Francine had her name cleared and was able to score two runs in the game, she couldn't save the game in time. Still, she and Muffy go back to being friends, on the principle that the latter came clean about cheating.
- Break the Cutie: Francine's practically in tears when Muffy tries to explain herself.
- Break the Haughty: Muffy learns that she can't cheat, lie, or boast. The hard way.
- Cheaters Never Prosper: Muffy cheating off Francine's test and making her take the blame leads to Francine ending their friendship and refusing all the apology gifts.
- Consummate Liar: Muffy lies about being good at math and winning "blue ribbons" for softball. Naturally, she gets busted on both.
- Death Glare: Mr. Marco has one for Buster when he makes noise sharpening his pencil while he's trying to discipline Muffy and Francine. When Buster amicably tries to assure him he's just sharpening his pencil, Mr. Marco doubles down with a silence that clearly says "get the fuck out".
- Didn't Think This Through: Muffy copied Francine's test word-for-word, line-for-line, and even copied the spare scratch marks that she made. Naturally, Mr. Marco notices it immediately.
- Drives Like Crazy: A humorous variant: Muffy offers Francine to join her in doing wheelies, but Francine didn't bring her bike. But Muffy didn't mean bikes; she meant riding in her limo as her chauffeur makes it do wheelies!
- Early-Installment Weirdness: In this episode, the Crosswire family's butler/chauffeur is named James. In subsequent episodes (including within this season), his name is Bailey. It's unlikely that in the past it was a different butler/chauffeur, because "James" and Bailey have the exact same character design.
- Establishing Character Moment: In-Universe, Muffy's first impression was to brag (through a VHS presentation) about her father and how he created his car company. It takes up the better part of class just to finish. ...only that was just the first chapter of what Muffy wants to tell about herself. The next chapter? Her birth, a la a home video of herself as a newborn in the hospital. Yep, this about sums up everything we need to know about Muffy Crosswire, though probably not with the first impression she thought she wanted.
- Foregone Conclusion: Since the Cold Open starts out with Francine pointing out to Muffy that she has indeed lied once before, we can guess what the lie is when (in-story) Muffy claims she didn't cheat on the test.
- Heroic BSoD: Francine is so shocked by Muffy’s betrayal that she can’t defend herself, and is forced to take the blame.
- Humiliation Conga: The day of the softball game, Muffy humiliates herself by holding the bat wrong and striking out. The entire Mighty Mountain team laughs at her.
- It's All About Me: Muffy is self-absorbed to an unhealthy degree and when Francine confronts her for throwing her under the bus, she insists that her family's reputation comes first.Muffy: I didn't mean to get you in trouble, but I can't let people think I'm some kind of...cheater. I'm a Crosswire.
Francine: So I'm supposed to take the blame? Is that why you pretended to like me? - Laser-Guided Karma: Muffy makes a fool of herself against Mighty Mountain after bragging that she could win the game in Francine's place. Then when she confesses the truth to Mr. Marco, he puts her in detention for two weeks instead of one, since she not only cheated but also lied about it and allowed an innocent person to be wrongfully punished.
- Non-Indicative Name: Despite the title, Arthur doesn't play much of role in this episode. It’s also much more about Muffy having to redeem herself and stop lying and boasting about herself than the “true Francine”.
- Panty Thief: The episode begins with Francine breaking into Arthur's room rummaging through his drawer and is disgusted when she pulls out his underpants, and tosses them. She then takes out two socks, one white and one black and brings it back to the other girls in a game of truth or dare.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Crossed with Small Name, Big Ego. When confronted by Mr. Marco, Muffy breaks into a big show about how as a Crosswire she would never cheat; and later claims to Francine that she can’t afford her reputation to be harmed by anything.
- Tastes Like Disdain: Muffy gives Francine a fruit basket and a balloon that says "From Your Friend Muffy" as an attempt to apologize for letting her take the fall for cheating on the test. Francine pops the balloon and throws the fruit in the trash.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Francine gives Muffy this multiple times; she tells Muffy they need to study for the test, she tells off Muffy for letting her take the fall for cheating, and pops the balloon Muffy sends because it's a bribe.
- Whole Episode Flashback: While the Cold Open takes place in the present, the main episode takes place in second grade.
