After a long session in the OR, Klinger's nose is broken and B.J. is hit in the arm by an exploding autoclave (instrument sterilizer). Charles, whose life Klinger probably saved by tackling him out of the way, feels responsible for Klinger's broken nose, and resolves to wait upon him to pay back the debt, which Klinger proceeds to abuse almost immediately. Meanwhile, B.J. insists that his injury isn't serious and resists any attempts to examine his arm, even when Potter calls in an expert to replace B.J. until his arm heals. The replacement doctor ruffles Hawkeye's feathers, insulting the camp and Hawkeye's abilities. B.J. finally admits his injury is serious when someone bumps his arm accidentally and he almost passes out from the pain, and Hawkeye insists the replacement doctor operate on B.J., because, much as he hates to admit it, Hawkeye isn't as experienced in this kind of injury.
Attention all personnel! As part of his new duties as temporary company clerk, Charles Emerson Winchester III will be taking care of the following tropes:
- A Taste of Their Own Medicine: As long as Charles is feeling guilty, Klinger might as well make him do the menial tasks that Charles had criticized him for not doing properly.
- Body Horror: Downplayed, but B.J.'s hand becomes eerily pale and painful.
- Career-Ending Injury: Narrowly averted with B.J.. If he'd waited much longer to get treatment, he could have lost the use of his hand, effectively ending his career as a surgeon.
- Continuity Nod: Unintentionally by B.J at the end of the episode, who jokes he should have died on the table. Hawkeye has experience with having to watch his best friend die in front of him, and the mood quickly goes down for both of them.
- He's Okay: Charles is worried Klinger is dead or seriously wounded, but Col. Potter examines him and proclaims him okay - just stunned and a broken nose.
- I Can Still Fight!: B.J. insists on helping with triage, even though he's been ordered to rest by Col. Potter.
- I Owe You My Life: Charles toward Klinger, after Klinger tackles Charles out of harm's way when the autoclave explodes. Especially as Charles had been castigating Klinger for leaving a bin in the walkway immediately beforehand.
- Injured Limb Episode: For B.J., whose injury doesn't seem that serious at first, but it becomes more and more painful over a couple days, and is eventually revealed to be a compartment hemorrhage. note
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: One of the handful of times Charles calls Klinger "Max" rather than "Corporal" or "Klinger" is when he realizes Klinger may have hurt himself while saving Charles' life.
