The episode begins with Orel praying to God in " The Best Christmas Ever", saying he has faith in god. It then fast forwards through the year that happened in between then and now, when Orel's finally getting the cast from his hunting injury removed. He's happy that he'll only need the crutch a couple more days, but less happy that he'll be limping the rest of his life.
At Forghetti's, Clay is telling Coach Stopframe about the bear he 'shot', claiming that Orel had gotten between the bear and him. He offers to show Stopframe the bear before Ms. Censordoll comes in and Clay confronts her. Stopframe sees through the mirror that Clay has started making out with Ms. Censordoll and goes outside to throw up, lamenting that he thought he was done with emotions. As he heads home, he can't help but keep seeing Clay everywhere, and realizes he has a problem.
Orel tries to talk to Clay, only for Clay to talk to the stuffed bear that he should remember one of the Ten Commandments: 'honor thy father' (with 'and mother' crossed out). Orel shuts the door, realizing he doesn't honor Clay at all. He talks to Rev. Putty about it, who advises him to talk to someone who likes Clay as much as women like jerks, emphasizing that he should talk to Coach Stopframe, much to Orel's confusion.
At school, Stopframe is apathetic toward his students, making them play 'hurtball'. When Orel comes to talk to him, he's exasperated that his son came, until he realizes that he sees Orel as himself, and not as Clay. Orel asks if there's something Stopframe sees in Clay that makes him honor him, so Orel can honor him again. Stopframe decides to talk to him after school. He then receives a call from Clay, who ignores Stopframe's protests and decides to come over and bring the bear.
After school, Stopframe and Orel drink hot chocolate and Orel talks about how Clay had shot him, and asks why Stopframe likes him. Stopframe tries to put off answering by suggesting they go ice skating, and helps Orel around, getting him to ditch the crutch. As Clay spies on them, Stopframe again delays answering Orel by suggesting they go wassailing.
Clay proceeds to spy on them as they sing Christmas carols to Rev. Putty and Stephanie, and then buy a Christmas tree and decorations for it, before losing his temper and dragging Bloberta, Shapey and Block out for Christmas caroling.
At Stopframe's apartment, they're busy decorating the tree when Orel finds a picture of Clay and Stopframe getting cozy. He asks if Stopframe loves Clay like Bloberta loves Clay. When Stopframe could only ask if Bloberta really does love Clay, a depressed Orel declares there's nothing honorable about Clay. Stopframe says there's one honorable thing Clay has done: for better or for worse, he made Orel who he is today. This gets a smile out of Orel.
Outside his door, Bloberta's asking why they're caroling at this place, why the stuffed bear is here, and where Orel is. Clay confronts Stopframe and Orel, declaring that Stopframe was just using Orel to get to Clay, before declaring his love for Stopframe in front of a horrified Bloberta, who declares they should go. Orel tries to get Clay to leave, but Clay refuses, only for Stopframe to finally reject him. The family finally go home, leaving the bear with Stopframe.
As they enter the house, Rev. Putty is heard giving a sermon on family. Sometimes family is just random people forced to be together because they came out of each other. But sometimes...
And Orel starts aging up to adulthood...
A miracle happens and a loving happy family exists. In this case, it's a now adult Orel, who's married Christina and has a son, a newborn daughter, and a dog. Pictures on the wall show that Clay and Bloberta are still together (if unhappily) and Block and Shapey have grown up to be a fireman and policeman respectively.
As Orel happily celebrates Christmas with his family, Rev. Putty asks how a family such as this can happen: is it belief in God, a strong moral structure, or plain blind luck? He then chuckles and says that they can't get answers from him: he's just a puppet for the Big Guy.
The final scene is of Orel packing up his beloved Stop Motion animation kit to give to Shapey and Block for Christmas.
Tropes present:
- Anguished Declaration of Love: In a fit of jealousy from seeing Stopframe and Orel being together, Clay gave a out Freudian Slip of him wanting to be with Stopframe infront of Bolberta and the kids. He then tries to make it look like he was talking to Orel, but he then desperately confesses how much he loves Stopframe... while making it seems like he talking to Orel. In the end, nobody is fooled, and Clay is still rejected.Clay: (to Coach Stopframe) I... love you! I love you. I love you. I love you… (BARELY looks at Orel) …Orel.
- Characterization Marches On: While we do briefly see Shapey and Block being their usual-selves at the Puppington home, we do see them singing "Holy Night" elegantly and in harmony at Stopframe's apartment complex... only to have Clay yell at them to "Can it"; and when they come home at the end, they seem nervously silent about everthing.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: After everything he gets put through in the span the show occurs in, Orel more than deserves the happy family he gets.
- End-of-Series Awareness: Because this is the last episode, Orel packs up his Stop Motion animation kit & gives it to Shapey & Block as a Christmas present.
- Everyone Has Standards: What cemented Coach Stopframe's decision to finally be done with Clay was Orel telling him what had really happened on the hunting trip, making him realize that Clay was lying when he said he shot Orel by accident.Orel: And then he told everyone that I accidentally shot myself, or the bear shot me.
Stopframe: (disgusted) Or that you got between the bear and him…
Orel: Oh… a new one, I guess…
Stopframe: (sympathetic) He's got a million of them, kid. - Heel–Face Turn: Coach Stopframe's an apathetic individual who had affairs with both of the Puppingtons and practiced Satanism, but after realizing how loathsome Clay truly is and legitimately bonding with Orel he seems to start developing an actual conscience.
- In Mysterious Ways: When Rev. Putty comments on how such a happy family like Adult!Orel's can exist in a crapsack town like Moralton, he concludes that he wouldn't know the answer, as he's merely the Lord's puppet.
- Not Helping Your Case: The fact that Clay tried to shamelessly hide his confession of love to Stopframe by trying to pretend he was telling his son he loves him was just pissing on the ashes of a burned down building.
- Pet the Dog: In one of the few moments of legitimate concern she's ever shown, Bloberta asks Clay why Orel isn't with them when he dragged them out "caroling," not knowing Orel's at Stopframe's apartment.
- Time Skip: Happens in the final few minutes of the episode, with Orel now an adult, Happily Married, and having a wonderful family.
- You Are Too Late: Stopframe says this word for word to Clay. They are never going back together again now that he knows what a monster Clay is.
