Night Sting, a future version Karen who travels to the series' present day, warns Karen that if she fails to find a displaced item belonging to her, it would bring about the end of Karen's world.
Tropes
- Book Ends: The episode starts with the girls watching a part of Show Within a Show "Just Before Dusk" in which a girl tells her boyfriend that if he doesn't stand up for himself, no one else will. At the end of the episode, this turns out to be the episode's lesson.
- Bottle Episode: The entire episode takes place in the girls' hideout.
- Cardboard Pal: The episode starts with the girls watching an in-universe movie, but Karen is upset that they started without her. They then turn to Karen's seat on the couch, and everyone realizes they had mistaken a brown teddy bear wearing a bee costume for Karen.
- Disappointed by the Motive: Night Sting tricked the girls into thinking the world was ending in order to raise Karen's assertiveness. When she admits it was less about helping her past self and more about making her future self even more badass by having more years of practice being assertive, Karen calls her out.
- Exact Words: At the beginning, Night Sting said that Karen not finding her missing item (which turns out to be "her backbone") would be the end of her world. Everyone assumed it meant the world would actually end, mainly because Night Sting used an apocalyptic movie backdrop when giving her warning. Night Sting actually meant that specifically Karen's world would end, as she would spend her whole life being a pushover before reaching her Rage Breaking Point and becoming Night Sting.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!:
- The other girls don't initially realize that they'd taken something from Karen, stating that it's just something they found...and then realize they had found it on her desk (the Running Gag with Kara), or in a bag with her name on it (Jessica and the others eating her lunch).
- Karen's "The Reason You Suck" Speech is interrupted at the end by the teddy bear everyone mistook for her falling over, revealing that the other girls had left a gift basket in her seat and causing her to realize they do care about her after all.
- Failed a Spot Check: The girls were so busy watching "Just Before Dusk" they failed to notice Karen wasn't actually watching with them.
- Future Badass: Night Sting, Karen's future self, is far more assertive and ruthless. She's also capable of immobilizing the others with her tech instantly.
- Future Me Scares Me: Karen isn't very fond of Night Sting's motivations, calling her out at the end of the episode.
- Grew a Spine: This was Night Sting's actual intent by going back in time and telling Karen her world will end in 24 hours unless she finds something the other girls took from her. She meant they took her backbone. Unfortunately, it works too well and Karen takes exception to Night Sting putting her through so much distress after beating up all her friends, so she vows to never become like Night Sting.
- I Resemble That Remark!: Kara's attempt to say she'd never misuse Karen's stuff is undermined by the fact she is using one of them as a toothpick while she's saying this. And she keeps doing it.
- Jerkass Realization: At the end all of her friends realize that they should be more considerate of Karen's feelings and they promise not to disrespect her or her things anymore.
- Later-Installment Weirdness: In-Universe; the "footage" of the apocalyptic future Night String showed the girls was actually from a later installment of the "Just Before Dusk" series that Karen likes. The franchise apparently "Goes into some strange directions."
- Long List: Karen's written a list of items that Kara took without asking, which reaches the ground and down the stairs.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: Kara misunderstands the idea of the Butterfly Effect a little.Kara: So you want us to smash the butterfly? Kinda mean, but a'right.
- Ominous Message from the Future: The episode is kickstarted by Night Sting giving Karen a message about the future.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Karen gives one to the rest of the girls, calling them out for their various flaws.Karen: Well, since the world is going to end, how about I take a crack at fixing your personalities?
Zee: Not sure that's the best use of time...
Karen: Okay, Zee, let's start with you. You have it all. You're beautiful, smart, popular, plus, you're great at magic!
Zee: Oh, well thank you, I-
Karen: So here's a thought! Why not see if that book of yours has a spell that can whip up a sense of humility!
Kara: Boom, haha! Not so fun, is it?
Jessica: Karen! I understand you're upset, but in my opinion-
Karen: Wow, what do you know? Jessica Cruz has an opinion! I'd ask you to share it with the group, but what's the point? You're gonna do it anyway!
Kara: Ha! Jess does have a lot of opinions.
Babs: Ooh, do me, do me, do me!
Karen: Oh, Barbara! You're a living, breathing run-on sentence with no punctuation! Why not come up for air and let someone else spout gibberish a bit!
Babs: Woah, you got me good!
Kara: Yeah she did!
Karen: And you, Kara!
Kara: Me? You got me already!
Karen: Did I, Kara? Did I really? Did you actually learn anything?
Kara: Yeah, you're right. Probably not.
Diana: I will face head on whatever comes.
Karen: And you, Diana, you say I should be more assertive. Well I say you should be a little more thoughtful! I'm not some cutesy little adorable teddy bear! - Ret-Gone: After Karen tells Night Sting off and says she'll never be like her, Night Sting disappears.
- Ridiculous Future Sequelization: By Night Sting's time, there are now seventeen "Before Dusk" movies.
- Running Gag: Kara keeps mistaking one of Karen’s high-tech devices for a toothpick.
