Based on The Haunted Mask II, book #36 of the original Goosebumps series.
A year after Carly Beth's experience with her haunted mask, she ends up having to face it again. Meanwhile, her bully Steve Boswell acquires a mask of his own with similar powers.
The episode provides examples of:
- Adaptational Alternate Ending: The ending is changed to Steve's dog burying the mask, with no one realizing the Haunted Mask didn't actually burn and allowing it to try again next Halloween.
- Adaptation Expansion: A lot is added to the plot, most notably having the Haunted Mask return and attach itself to the Shopkeeper, becoming the main antagonist.
- Adaptational Heroism: Holding true to his portrayal from the first book's episode, this episode has the Shopkeeper be seen burning all the masks, and he actively attempts to stop Carly Beth's old mask from coming back from the dead to get revenge on her (although he ultimately fails and ends up possessed). None of this happened in the book.
- Adapted Out:
- All of the first-grader soccer members are absent.
- Likewise, neither Steve's father isn't seen nor mentioned in the episode.
- Aesop Amnesia: Subverted. The opening scene looks like they're settng up Carly Beth to still be "scarable" just like last year, but she turns the tables on Chuck and Steve to demonstrate how she's changed.
- Ambiguously Absent Parent: While we do get to see Steve's mother, we don't hear from his father and his mothers is implied to be single.
- Armor-Piercing Response: When talking about Steve looking for a costume, Chuck has one that sends shivers up Carly Beth's spine.Chuck: We found this old party store.
- Bait-and-Switch: After the kids leave the room, the mask proves resistant to the fire and only Sparky sees this. A close-up of the dog suggests he will be overtaken next. Instead, the dog simply chews on the mask outside and buries it.
- Batman Gambit: With the Shopkeeper as its host, the mask wanders into view of Chuck and Steve and points in the direction of the old novelty store. It correctly banks on at least one of them wanting a creepy mask and putting it on.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Steve worries he'll be too old for Halloween and pranks next year, so he wants one last night of scares and thrills. He gets it in the worst way.
- Dark Secret: Carly Beth kept quiet about the full extent of what happened last year. It's unlikely anyone would've believed her (as evidenced by the skepticism she receives in the second part), but she just wanted to forget the whole thing ever happened.
- Disappeared Dad: Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Boswell. See Adapted Out or Ambiguously Absent Parent above.
- Dramatic Irony: Once it's clear that Steve got a hold of a cursed mask, Carly Beth's first instinct is to seek out the Shopkeeper. She's unaware the original mask returned and possessed him before doing anything else.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Sparky growls at the pillowcase containing the Old Man Mask.
- Evil Is Deathly Cold: The mask watches Carly Beth, as the three kids are locked out of the old novelty store. Carly Beth says she suddenly feels very cold.
- Evil Is Hammy: The mask when barking orders at Steve and confronting the other kids.
- Fate Worse than Death: The mask threatens to leave Steve stuck in the mask and feeling like a withered old man for eternity. When Steve starts questioning handing over the plaster mold as ordered, the mask threatens a variety of prolonged suffering, such as making him know what it's like to feel spiders crawling under his skin.
- From Bad to Worse: The kids are frantically searching for Steve, but once in the cemetery, Carly Beth sees the hole where she buried her mask and realizes it has returned.
- Halloween Episode: Just like its predecessor, with Steve wanting one last scary hurrah before he's too old for Halloween. This two-parter also received a primetime airing as part of the season.
- Hope Spot: The Shopkeeper makes a valiant effort to take down the mask before it can harm anyone, but he is quickly overtaken and becomes its new host.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Had the Haunted Mask been satisfied with using the Shopkeeper as a host, it could have won and been free to do anything it wanted. But since it wanted to take over Carly Beth again, it had to release the Shopkeeper... and then was stopped a second later by The Power of Love from getting Carly Beth, leaving it with no host and no power.
- No Sympathy: As Steve begs for help from anyone nearby, one trick-or-treater just dismisses him as an old drunk and wants to leave.
- Noodle Incident: Carly Beth briefly alludes to having to get the mask off of Noah, saying he was very, very lucky it came off.
- Police Are Useless: Discussed. When Chuck suggests that they go to the police for help, Carly Beth responds that the police can't help them with the supernatural.
- The Power of Love: The plaster mold of Carly Beth's head keeps the mask from going after her. It can't even be too close to the mold without being adversely affected. The mask tasks Steve with stealing and destroying the mold, but Steve trying to sacrifice himself to protect her provides an effective substitute.
- Promoted to Love Interest: Steve gets his mask off through The Power of Love when he makes a Heroic Sacrifice to save Carly Beth from the first mask, as saving her is his symbol of love. His attraction to her was stated in the first episode and it is expanded upon here. This wasn't even implied in the book.
- Properly Paranoid:
- When faced with the original mask, the Shopkeeper says he knew this moment was coming.
- Steve wants to go into the closed novelty store, but Chuck is weirded out by the place and thinks they should leave. He outright refuses to go into the basement, leaving by himself.
- While checking out the closed store, Sabrina briefly glimpses the original mask and says she saw a shadow. Carly Beth misses it, but she certainly feels something is watching them.
- After bringing the plaster mold to the cemetery, Steve seems to suspect the mask won't make good on its promise to release him. Steve wants to be freed before doing anything else, but the mask forces his compliance.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Steve does this while unaware that the mask has fused with his skin and a fellow trick-or-treater can't remove it for him:Steve: It's just... a MASK!
- Race Against the Clock: The mask gives Steve until midnight to deliver the plaster mold to the cemetery or else he'll be stuck as an old man forever.
- Same Plot Sequel: Due to the soccer kids being written out, Steve's motivation is rewritten to basically that of the first Haunted Mask. The only difference being that while Carly Beth had to learn to accept her own flaws, Steve had to learn to not take his young age for granted.
- Sequel Episode: Taking place one year after the original two-parter.
- Ship Tease: Steve saves Carly Beth from being taken over by the mask. The shop owner later explains that this was a "symbol of love", implying that Steve may have feelings for Carly Beth.
- Shout-Out: Chuck goes out as a gangster from The Godfather.
- Spiders Are Scary: Chuck observes the new mask's spiders look so real. To his later horror, Steve finds out they are. The original mask also causes Steve to feel what it's like to have spiders under his skin.
- Tempting Fate: Carly Beth assures Sabrina that she buried the mask and that it's gone for good. Guess what rises from the ground in the very next scene.
- This Cannot Be!: Carly Beth over the mask being back to torment her once again.Carly: I buried you.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Carly Beth over Chuck saying Steve's been acting weird ever since he got a creepy mask.
