Air date: May 11, 2002
Rhonda is going around school using a cootie catcher to predict who her classmates will marry—and one of these predictions is that Arnold and Helga will get married as adults. Both dream about what their married life will be like with Helga’s being the most idealized while Arnold’s is a nightmare.
Tropes used in Married:
- Distressed Dude: Arnold gets abducted in Helga’s dream and she goes off to save him herself.
- Duck Season, Rabbit Season: Helga tricks Arnold into marrying her by switching around “I don’t” and “I do” in his dream.
- Happily Married: Helga’s dream is centered around her and Arnold living happily together as husband and wife with Arnold being supportive of Helga being president of the United States.
- The episode concludes with Phoebe having an Imagine Spot of Arnold and Helga watching a sunset together, contentedly holding hands before kissing.
- Selective Obliviousness: This is one of the episodes of the final season where it's implied that, subconsciously at least, Arnold's fully aware that Helga has feelings for him (but simply chooses not to say anything). In his dream, Helga's about to confesses that she's in love with Arnold, but his alarm clock cuts this revelation short.
- Shipper on Deck: Towards the end when Rhonda thinks predicting Arnold and Helga getting together is unlikely, Phoebe imagines Arnold and Helga happily married.
- Tsundere: In Arnold’s dream, Helga is still mean to Arnold even when they’re married. When Arnold has had enough of Helga’s behavior, she shyly starts to open up and almost confesses her feelings for him before his alarm clock wakes him up.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: The bulk of the episode follows Arnold and Helga each dreaming at the same time about what it would be like if they were married, and the plot repeatedly transitions between their respective dreams.
- What If?: The premise of the episode centers around the question “what if Arnold and Helga were married?” Both characters have different ideas of what might happen.
- Yandere: In Helga’s dream, she imagines Lila has grown desperate for Arnold’s affections that she follows him and Helga and begs for him to come back. She later kidnaps him and tries to kill Helga so that she can be with Arnold.
