After thwarting Drakken's latest plan that resulted in him becoming a Plant Person, Kim and Ron look forward to graduating from Middleton High...at least until Ron begins to worry what the future will hold for his relationship with Kim. Meanwhile, strange marks are appearing all over the world and power surges occur frequently. Things come to a head the night of graduation when a familiar foe returns with a new friend, with revenge in mind.
This episode provides examples of:
- Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: This is Ron's main concern about his relationship with Kim, as with her getting so many college acceptances, he's worried they'll be separated.
- Alien Abduction: The Lowardians abduct Drakken and Kim, against whom Warmonga wants revenge for the events of "Mad Dogs and Aliens", with Ron and Kim's family watching in horror.
- Ambiguous Situation: It isn't made exactly clear if it was just a Contrived Coincidence for the Lorwardian walker to hit the Possibles' house, or if Warhok and Warmonga had found Kim's home and deliberately attempted to crush her, only for the timing to be off.
- Ambiguous Syntax: This exchange between Kim and Ron when Ron freaks out about Graduation:Ron: Kim, we're breaking up and we're graduating!
Kim: (Flatly) No, we're not.
Ron: So, wait, we're not graduating?! Oh, I knew I should've taken another P.E class! - Anti-Climax:
- Drakken's first use of his Super High Pollinator. At first, it looks like its working like Drakken wanted, complete with ominous music. Instead of monster plants, however, it ends up producing flowers.
- The tense moment leading up to the final school bell ends with the power going completely out before the bell can sound. Barkin lampshades it.
- Arc Words: "It's not the end of the world."
- Back for the Finale: Six instances: Kim's Nana and her Uncle Slim, Felix Renton, Zita Flores, Ron Reager, and, unfortunately, Warmonga.
- Call-Back: While feeding the animals in the pet department, Ron is heard whistling the "Naked Mole Rap".
- Cardboard Box of Unemployment: A variation. Everything that was in Kim's locker since the start of the series is unceremoniously stuffed in a box by Barkin.
- Collapsing Lair: Averted for once, as Drakken's Super High Pollinator doesn't cause his lair to explode, but instead fills it with flowers.Kim: Do you realize we're actually leaving a lair intact for once?
Ron: Yeah, you know, I kind of miss the explosion. - Crop Circles: Prior to their attack, Warhok and Warmonga mark several parts of the world with the Lorwardian symbol. The purpose behind this is never explained.
- Didn't See That Coming: When Drakken begins mutating after getting drenched in his High Pollinator formula, a surprised Shego comments "This is new".
- Emerging from the Shadows: This is how Drakken's plant mutation is revealed. Played for Laughs since it initially looked like Drakken was mutating into a monster in the shadows.
- Evil Laugh: Drakken let out a pretty impressive one as he was mutating.
- Foreshadowing:
- Early on, Ron comments that the basic black gown worn at graduation doesn't fit his "dare to be different" lifestyle and he contemplates wearing something else.
- Sensei appears to tell Ron he will soon discover he is ready.
- Gilligan Cut: After Kim consoles Ron that graduation is nothing to be afraid of, it then cuts to her mother doing the same thing for her.
- Grand Finale: And this time for real!
- I'll Take That as a Compliment: Ann said this to Slim when he said she looked "fresher than a heifer in love".
- Improvised Jetpack: When Rufus tied a knot in the spritzer of Drakken's back hoisted tank of mutagen, it started to build up pressure, then when Kim and Shego's fight knocked the hose off the tank, the high pressure ended up sending Drakken flying around his lair before he crashed and the tank spilled on him.
- Jerkass to One: Mr. Barkin may genuinely be at his worst and pettiest in this episode. For reasons that boil down to Ron being in a good mood at work, he goes out of his way to tell Ron that the future will be unkind to him. Ron isn't going to be around Mr. Barkin for much longer, so he likely makes up a Noodle Incident about saving the world to give himself more credibility in Ron's mind about the future being bad.
- Last Episode, New Character: Warhok, Warmonga's comrade.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Ron's line "Why does it have to end?!" can also be seen as End-of-Series Awareness.
- Man-Eating Plant: Drakken's Super High Pollienator was supposed to make these kind of plants. It ends up producing overgrown marigolds instead.
- Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot: The appearance of strange marks on lawns and gardens is merely the prologue to the most dangerous threat to the world.
- Mysterious Past: Barkin alludes to having one during his speech to Ron.
- Noodle Incident: Supposedly, Mr. Barkin saved the world, if his speech to Ron about graduation is to be believed;Barkin: Ah, Senior Year, I remember it well. Best two years of my life; big man on the football team [...] dated the most popular girl in school [...] I even helped save the world a time or two.
Ron: Right on- wait, what?! You?
Barkin: 'Need-to-know' basis.- Though, he is probably lying here about saving the world. He's probably only saying that as to get into Ron's head and get himself more credibility from Ron and make Ron freak out about how supposedly "it's all downhill from here" and "the center cannot hold" as bullying Ron is basically Mr. Barkin's M.O. and he won't get to do that anymore without Ron around Middleton High or Smarty Mart.
- Which makes Ron receiving his diploma in his spacesuit in part 2 as his way of getting back at Mr. Barkin, knowing how much Ron's "unconventional ways" annoy Barkin.
- Though, he is probably lying here about saving the world. He's probably only saying that as to get into Ron's head and get himself more credibility from Ron and make Ron freak out about how supposedly "it's all downhill from here" and "the center cannot hold" as bullying Ron is basically Mr. Barkin's M.O. and he won't get to do that anymore without Ron around Middleton High or Smarty Mart.
- Not Me This Time:
- Kim and Ron pay Duff Killigan a visit to investigate outbreaks of golf-course vandalism. Killigan denies involvement and tells them that his own green has been targeted.
- During the last day of school when the lights flicker, Barkin thinks that Ron is doing it as a Senior prank. Ron, who is nowhere near the light switch, tries to tell him he's not doing it, but Barkin yells at him to be quiet.
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore:
- Ron worries about the end of high-school life and whether everything is headed downhill from here.
- A big moment that happens is when Kim's locker, which usually functions as her Mission Center, is cleaned out by Barkin.Wade: I tried to stop him, Kim!
- There's also the fact Drakken has become a mutant marigold, which according to
Word of God, he's stuck as for life.
- Oh, No... Not Again!: From Barkin's comment as the Seniors leave for the last time:"Oh, every year! It's like opening a barrel of rabid monkeys!"
- On the Next: For The Stinger, scenes from the next episode are shown. Thankfully, the clips don't do anything to spoil the plot.
- One-Winged Angel: After being drenched in his plant mutagen, Drakken underwent a mutation that initially made it look like he was turning into a monster, only to reveal that he grew yellow petals around his neck that keep growing back each time he pulled them out.Drakken: I look like a kid playing a flower in the school play!
- Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: After the school bell anti-climaticly doesn't go off due to the power being taken out, Barkin says "Ring!" out loud with a rolling "R" in its place.
- "Shut Up" Kiss: Kim gives one to Ron to get him to stop freaking out over graduation.
- Spit Take: Kim ends up inadvertently doing on in Ron's face when he shakes her shoulders during his Freak Out about everything changing.
- Spy Satellite: Jim and Tim build one for themselves in order to spy on Kim and Ron's dates. Much to Kim's chagrin, they use her stuff in the construction.
- Stand-In Portrait: Killigan hides from Kim and Ron by putting on a fake beard and standing in a picture frame, looking like one of his ancestors. When Ron calls him creepy, he pinches Ron's nose.
- The End of the World as We Know It: After Kim is abducted, a riot began with Barkin screaming this line.
- To Be Continued: Not counting the time A Stitch in Time was split into three episodes, this is only episode in the series to have this.
- Trash the Set: The Possible home is destroyed by an alien tripod crashing into it.
The family escapes unharmed, though.
