Recap / Sponge Bob Square Pants S 3 E 16 Born Again Krabs I Had An Accident

Nobody likes a cheap penny pincher except for Davy Jones.

Born Again Krabs

Original air date: 10/4/2003 (produced in 2002; first aired in Canada on 11/12/02)^note "Born Again Krabs" and "I Had an Accident" were also both released on the Tales from the Deep DVD set on 1/28/03.

Mr. Krabs is near death after eating a spoiled Krabby Patty that he tried to serve out of petty greed, but after an experience with the Flying Dutchman, he changes his ways...

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"Born Again Krabs" contains examples of:

• Actor Allusion: In the German dub, during the hospital scene, Krabs claims his true name to be "Benjamin Blümchen". This is actually the name of a character from German kids' television who is also voiced by Jürgen Kluckert, Krabs' German VA.
• Ambulance Cut: Double subverted. When Krabs goes to take a bite of the spoiled patty, it cuts to an ambulance. Then it cuts back to Krabs commenting on the ambulance, then eating the patty. And then it cuts to Krabs being rushed to the ER on a gurney.
• Bad Boss: Mr. Krabs. Read Ungrateful Bastard below.
• Beyond the Impossible: When Mr. Krabs is reclaiming all the things he initially gave out for free, he goes as far as making a customer unwatch the free movie Krabs had on in the Krusty Krab. As in, rewinding all of the imagery right out of the customer's eyes.
• Bizarre Dream Rationalization: Mr. Krabs believes that his encounter with the Flying Dutchman, and everything he's done since leaving the hospital has all been a dream, and that he's still in the hospital sleeping. This explains why he was so comfortable doing so many nice things without expecting payment in return.
• Break the Cutie: SpongeBob is in tears after being informed by the doctor that Mr. Krabs isn't coming back. He also has a very minor one at the beginning when it's closing time.
• Comically Missing the Point:
  • At the beginning of the episode, the Krusty Krab lost business for weeks because Mr. Krabs was trying to sell the rotten patty to everyone. Krabs wondered if it was because of the new placemats.
  • When Squidward calls Mr. Krabs out for selling SpongeBob's soul for 62 cents, Krabs asks, "You think I could've gotten more?"
• Cutaway Gag: When Mr. Krabs comes into work, he asks SpongeBob where Squidward is. SpongeBob explains "he's taking one of those break things". Cut to Squidward sleeping in Mr. Krabs' office on a fancy bed.
• Didn't Think This Through: Mr. Krabs tries to trick the Flying Dutchman by saying he's someone named "Harold Flower", but he did not take into account that the Dutchman might ask the hospital receptionist where he is, thus exposing his ruse.
• Easily Forgiven: SpongeBob forgives Mr. Krabs for selling him out to the Flying Dutchman, although he does point out that he would not have sold out Mr. Krabs if their roles were reversed.
• "Everybody Laughs" Ending: The episode ends with everyone having a good laugh about the whole thing.
• Everyone Has Standards: Squidward, who usually considers SpongeBob the bane of his existence, is downright repulsed with Mr. Krabs for selling SpongeBob to the Flying Dutchman for 62 cents after he put his life on the line for him.
• Face Death with Dignity: Subverted with Krabs when he's about to be sent to Davy Jones' Locker; he hysterically cries, begs for his life, and calls for his mother. The Flying Dutchman even tells Krabs, "Come on, show a little dignity." Played straight later when Krabs breaks his deal with the Dutchman, he calmly says "a deal's a deal, let's go" and agrees to return to the locker until SpongeBob intervenes.
• Fate Worse than Death: Said word for word when the Flying Dutchman decides that Mr. Krabs having to listen to SpongeBob's rambling will make a far more excruciating fate than being stuffed into Davy Jones' locker.
• The Food Poisoning Incident: Mr. Krabs ends up in the hospital after eating the rotten patty, and Squidward thinks Mr. Krabs is going to die.
• Freeze-Frame Bonus: Patrick briefly appears on the "the next day" time card, but nowhere else in the episode.
• Friend-or-Idol Decision: The idol in this case being the money, and SpongeBob being the friend.
• Gone Horribly Right: Mr. Krabs vows to give up his cheap ways as ordered by the Flying Dutchman. He does, but this ends up bringing Krusty Krab into debt, which horrifies Krabs himself upon figuring his out:
  Mr. Krabs: You mean, I'm awake!
• Grim Reaper: The Flying Dutchman serves this purpose in this episode.
• Gross-Up Close-Up: The bad patty gets one when Squidward picks off the top bun to see why it smells so bad.
• Hypocritical Humor: When Mr. Krabs is reclaiming all the free stuff he gave out, he calls the kids he snatches the free toys from "freeloaders" and when he forces a patron to "unwatch" a free movie, he remarks "Show's over, cheapskate!", even though what Krabs is doing is exactly what he's accusing them of doing.
• I Can't Believe I'm Saying This: "But how could you sell SpongeBob for 62 cents?".
• Instantly Proven Wrong: SpongeBob sticks up for Mr. Krabs against the Flying Dutchman, wagering his own soul that Krabs is generous and not a cheapskate. Within seconds, Krabs sells SpongeBob to the Dutchman for all of the change in the latter's pocket (62 cents) without hesitation. Luckily, the Dutchman returns SpongeBob minutes after, not because he felt sorry for the sponge, or because Eugene had a Heel Realization. It was because of SpongeBob's Motor Mouth.
• It Came from the Fridge: The bad patty.
  Mr. Krabs: Why is it in a cage?
  SpongeBob: Because it growled at me.
• Ironic Echo Cut: Done at the beginning of the episode.
  Squidward: Closing time: The happiest time of the day!
  [Cut to SpongeBob in the kitchen in tears]
  SpongeBob: Closing time: The saddest time of the day!
• I Want My Mommy!: When the Flying Dutchman sends him to Davy Jones' Locker, Mr. Krabs cries out, "Mommy!" at one point.
• I Will Tear Your Arms Off: This threat from Mr. Krabs during his breakdown when he spots a fish picking up a penny. Very shortly after the Flying Dutchman reappeared, Squidward lampshades this when Mr. Krabs is at the Flying Dutchman's mercy.
  Mr. Krabs: I'm not cheap, I'm generous!
  Squidward: You almost tore a man's arm off for a penny.
  Mr. Krabs: Thanks, Squidward, I knew I could count on you.
• Kick the Dog: Mr. Krabs sells SpongeBob, his most loyal employee who just stood up to the Flying Dutchman, for 62 cents.
• Kids' Meal Toy: An In-Universe example; when Mr. Krabs decides to stop being greedy so he doesn't have to spend an eternity in Davy Jones' Locker, he gives away free action figures of the citizens of Bikini Bottom. Once he realizes he's awake, Mr. Krabs takes them back.
• Line-of-Sight Alias: When the Flying Dutchman approaches Mr. Krabs for his soul, he claims he has the wrong room by claiming he's "Harold Flower" after looking at the vase of flowers on his bedside table. He excuses himself only to approach a nurse looking for him, which gives up the act.
• Lint Value: The Flying Dutchman offer Mr. Krabs whatever is in his pockets in exchange for SpongeBob's soul. This turns out to be 62 cents. Mr. Krabs accepts.
• Literal Metaphor: "Going to Davy Jones' Locker" is an old nautical phrase that simply means drowning from being lost at sea or by shipwreck. In the SpongeBob universe, it's a literal gym locker and appears to serve as their version of Hell. It's also full of Davy Jones' used socks, which let out a foul smell.
• Morton's Fork: It's implied Mr. Krabs' cheap ways had some sort of value of keeping him in business, and the Flying Dutchman unknowingly forced him to face either Davy Jones' Locker for being cheap, or bankruptcy by being generous as promised.^note Though, one could argue the Dutchman never said Krabs had to be exceedingly generous, so much as simply not a cheapskate.
• Motor Mouth: It actually saves SpongeBob from Davy Jones' Locker.
• My God, What Have I Done?: Mr. Krabs goes through this after Squidward calls him out for selling SpongeBob to the Flying Dutchman for 62 cents.
• Nausea Dissonance / Failed a Spot Check: Mr. Krabs fails to comprehend just how horrible that bad patty smelled or looked!
• Never Say "Die": Squidward reminds SpongeBob that they were told by the doctor that Mr. Krabs wasn't going to be coming back.
• Nice to the Waiter: The Flying Dutchman is perfectly kind and courteous to the nurse outside Krabs's room.
• Non-Indicative Name: The Pinch-O-Matic machine uses a fishing hook to grab items, rather than pinching them with anything (of course, given that Mr. Krabs installed the machine, it may be a Pun on "penny pinching").
• Noodle Incident: The Dutchman instantly switching from Large Ham to apologizing for having the wrong room – coupled with the nurse's reaction – implies he's materialized in the wrong room of the hospital before and had to ask for directions.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Squidward usually hates SpongeBob with a passion, which is all the more shocking when he becomes outright appalled at Mr. Krabs selling SpongeBob's soul for only 62 cents. Squidward himself even says "I Can't Believe I'm Saying This" as he's about to tell off Mr. Krabs.
• Out-of-Character Alert: SpongeBob and Squidward become concerned when Mr. Krabs isn't the least bit fazed when he gets a Shockingly Expensive Bill and doesn't have any money in the register to pay for it.
  SpongeBob: Squidward, I'm worried about Mr. Krabs.
  Squidward: Me too. How are we gonna get paid?
• Pet the Dog: When he's tricked by Mr. Krabs into thinking he's actually haunting a "Harold Flower", the Flying Dutchman politely apologizes and leaves. He then is Nice to the Waiter, asking the nurse for Krabs's room.
• Read the Fine Print: It turns out that apparently every Krabby Patty has a fine print on it declaring that customers are legally responsible for whatever happens to their burger after they receive it. It's written in ketchup.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Squidward gives one to Mr. Krabs for selling out SpongeBob, especially when he knew that SpongeBob defended him.
• Restrained Revenge: The Flying Dutchman eventually decides that leaving Mr. Krabs to deal with SpongeBob's annoying idiocy is punishment enough.
• Rhymes on a Dime: This exchange between Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob over selling the rotten patty:
  SpongeBob: But it's old, and cold, and so very full of mold!
  Mr. Krabs: You're not to make another patty until that one is SOLD!
• Shut Up, Hannibal!: SpongeBob when he calls out the Flying Dutchman and sticks up for Mr. Krabs:
  SpongeBob: Wait just a burger-flipping second!
  Flying Dutchman: Who dares back-sass the Flying Dutchman?!
  SpongeBob: That would be me: SpongeBob Back-SassPants! I say you got the wrong crab! This Mr. Krabs is the most generous, big-hearted, non-skinflinted crab in the whole sea!
  Flying Dutchman: He'd sell your soul for a couple of bucks!
  SpongeBob: I'd bet my soul he wouldn't!
• Snarking Thanks: Mr. Krabs sarcastically thanks Squidward for telling the Flying Dutchman that he threatened to break a customer's arm if he doesn't hand him a penny he found on the floor.
• Split-Screen Phone Call: The Stinger, which has SpongeBob yakking on the phone, much to the Flying Dutchman's annoyance.
• The Stinger: After everyone has a good laugh about the whole thing, we cut to the Dutchman at home, receiving a call from SpongeBob, who continues to talk his ear off.
• That Was Not a Dream: Mr. Krabs thinks he's dreaming when he returns to work and begins splurging on his employees and customers. Once SpongeBob tells him he left the hospital that morning and Squidward hands him the hospital bill, he finally snaps.
• This Is Gonna Suck: The Flying Dutchman falls for the Line-of-Sight Alias and leaves, but then he asks a nurse which room Mr. Krabs is in. Mr. Krabs gets increasingly nervous and sweaty, as the nurse tells the Flying Dutchman the exact room and questions who Harold Flower is.
• Tomato in the Mirror: Mr. Krabs, knowing his obsession with money, has absolutely no reaction to a $10,000 bill, let alone an empty cash register. Turned out it was only because he thought it was all a nightmare and was still resting at the hospital. When SpongeBob and Squidward tell him he checked out this morning, Mr. Krabs snaps upon this realization.
• Too Dumb to Live:
  • Mr. Krabs telling SpongeBob to wrap up the spoiled patty so he can finish it later, even while he's being carried into the ER on a gurney due to having taken a bite out of said patty.
  • Yes, Mr. Krabs had a right to be upset after discovering he was bankrupt, but also failed to remember what would happen to him if he returned to his cheap lifestyle when he instantly reclaimed all of the free items he had given to his customers and nearly tore a man's arm off for a penny. If not for SpongeBob, Krabs would been taken to Davy Jones' Locker in an instant.
• Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth: The Flying Dutchman takes SpongeBob in exchange for Mr. Krabs, but returns him immediately because...
  Flying Dutchman: Heard what you said? I couldn't hear myself think with this one around! I only had him for thirty seconds, and it's jellyfishing this and Mermaid Man that... Why, not giving him back is a Fate Worse than Death. He's your problem now!
• Ungrateful Bastard: SpongeBob stuck up for Mr. Krabs and put his life on the line to prevent the Flying Dutchman from taking him to Davy Jones' Locker. How does Krabs repay him? By selling SpongeBob's soul to the Dutchman for a mere 62 cents without hesitation; this was such a bad move that Squidward, who hates SpongeBob, is absolutely disgusted with Krabs and gives him a scathing What the Hell, Hero? over it.
• The Unreveal: We never know the diagnosis Mr. Krabs has after recovering from the spoiled patty, but it was enough to drive away the doctor and summon the Flying Dutchman. Later, Squidward and SpongeBob are shocked to see Krabs alive and back at the Krusty Krab, with the former going through Krabs' belongings and the latter grieving.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: When Mr. Krabs tricks the Flying Dutchman into thinking he's a different person, the Flying Dutchman (who is fooled at first) goes to see the nurse, who (offscreen) is apparently unfazed to see a giant green ghost in the room with her.
• Visual Pun: Davy Jones' Locker is a gym locker, full of his stinky old socks.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Mr. Krabs sells SpongeBob's soul for pocket change. Even Squidward was horrified by this and calls him out on it.
  Squidward: He stuck up for you, and you sold him out. You should be ashamed of yourself!
• Who Dares?:
  Flying Dutchman: Who dares backsass the Flying Dutchman?
  SpongeBob: That would be me, SpongeBob BacksassPants!

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"Ooh, that's gotta hurt!"^note "Do it again! I wasn't looking!"

I Had an Accident

Original air date: 10/4/2003 (produced in 2002; first aired in Canada on 11/12/02)^note "Born Again Krabs" and "I Had an Accident" were also both released on the Tales from the Deep DVD set on 1/28/03.

After experiencing a sandboarding accident and a near miss at living with "the iron butt", SpongeBob becomes afraid to go outside, while Sandy and Patrick try to show him the fun of the great outdoors.

"I Had An Accident" contains examples of:

• Armor-Piercing Question: "What's a gorilla doing underwater in the first place?"
• Bad "Bad Acting": Patrick wasn’t being intimidating in the slightest as a gorilla, but Sandy's stilted and flat reaction didn’t help either.
• Butt-Monkey: Patrick gets hurt quite a lot in this episode; he crashes into a mountain (both in a game and in real life), gets his head punched in by Sandy, zapped by a jellyfish, and beaten up by a gorilla. And yet it's SpongeBob's accident that was serious.
• Break Them by Talking: SpongeBob inadvertently does this to the gorilla by pointing out that he shouldn’t be underwater. Said gorilla is unable to explain and bails out on a pantomime horse.
• Cast as a Mask: When the gorilla disguises as Patrick, he perfectly imitates Patrick's voice by Bill Fagerbakke, but the gorilla's real voice (once revealed) is by Frank Welker.
• Companion Cube: SpongeBob makes friends out of a potato chip, a penny and a used napkin, which he calls Chip, Penny and Used Napkin.
• Dramatic TV Shut-Off: The end has a gorilla riding off into the sunset on a horse. The camera then jumps to viewers watching the show, exchanging a dumbfounded look, then turning it off.
• Enraged by Idiocy: Hilariously, nobody has any patience for Patrick in this episode.
  • Sandy expresses her frustrations towards his stupidity a couple of times, with her even punching his head in at one point.
    Sandy: Don't you have to be stupid somewhere else?
    Patrick: Not until four.
  • He actually manages to get on SpongeBob's nerves for once during the "Never ever" scene, to the point where he lets out an exasperated sigh and yells at Patrick to stop.
• Expospeak Gag:
  Dr. Fish: Well, Mr. SquarePants, it appears your gluteus maximus has made a complete recovery.
  SpongeBob: My what has a what now?
  Dr. Fish: Your butt's all better.
• Face Your Fears: SpongeBob does this near the end when he goes outside to help Sandy and Patrick. When he's torn in half by the gorilla, he tells Sandy and Patrick that he's no longer afraid of going outside — but he's terrified of gorillas. Sandy assures him that it's okay since they are also terrified of gorillas now.
• Fake Danger Gambit: Sandy has Patrick dress as a gorilla and pretend to attack her in a ploy to get SpongeBob out of his house. SpongeBob sees through the ruse, but then a real gorilla appears (in a subversion of Mistaken for an Imposter, the gorilla comes dressed as Patrick, while the real Patrick has on the gorilla costume), and SpongeBob has to come save them.
• Furry Reminder: SpongeBob doesn't need to go out to eat, since he's a filter feeder.
• Gainax Ending: As the gorilla has SpongeBob in his grasp, he wonders out loud what a gorilla is doing underwater. The gorilla then tries to stammer out an explanation before shouting "George, they're onto us!" and riding out on a pantomime horse. The camera then pulls back into the living room of a live-action family, who are clearly just as confused as we are, before the father shuts the TV off.
• Giant Space Flea from Nowhere: The live-action gorilla comes out of nowhere with no foreshadowing whatsoever.
• Half the Man He Used to Be: SpongeBob gets vertically torn in half by the gorilla, but remains alive and conscious. The two halves even seem to have minds of their own, as they carry on a brief dialogue with each other.
• Happy Birthday to You!: "Three cheers on your birthday, SpongeBob! Three cheers for you!"
• Humiliation Conga: The spanking line that SpongeBob fled.
• If I Do Not Return: Just before stepping outside to save Patrick and Sandy, SpongeBob says, "If I don't return, Chip, take good care of Gary." (and then Gary eats it)
• Incredibly Lame Fun: While attempting to convince SpongeBob to come outside, Sandy and Patrick list various fun activities. One of Patrick's suggestions? Washing an old person.
  Sandy: Patrick, that's not fun!
  Old Man: It is for me!
• Irony: Sandy wants to convince SpongeBob that going outside isn’t dangerous at all. In fact, it’s fun! Then she gets savagely beaten up by a gorilla.
• I Warned You: SpongeBob proceeds to lecture Sandy and Patrick about how he was right about the outside world being dangerous. While they’re being beaten up by a gorilla.
• Killer Gorilla: The gorilla that appears out of nowhere violently beats up Sandy and Patrick, and then tears SpongeBob in half.
• Lampshade Hanging: The live-action family seen watching the episode as the gorilla and George race off into the sunset. They all stare with disgust at the randomness of what we have just witnessed and quickly turn off the TV.
• Literally Shattered Lives: When SpongeBob gets into a sand boarding accident, the entire lower half of his body shatters into tiny pieces. It takes the doctors 20 hours to piece him back together with staples and glue.
• Medium Blending: The gorilla that attacks SpongeBob is a live-action gorilla - or rather, a live-action man in a gorilla suit. As is the pantomime horse he rides, and the human family watching at the end.
• Mistaken for an Imposter: Sandy's plan to lure SpongeBob outside is to have Patrick in a gorilla costume pretend to attack her, thus spurring SpongeBob to come to her rescue. SpongeBob doesn't fall for it, but then Patrick shows up, and Sandy asks who is in the gorilla costume. Turns out Patrick is in the costume, and the other Patrick is a real gorilla in a Patrick costume.
• No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: The gorilla viciously beats Patrick and Sandy up by trapping them in a bag that he then mercilessly throws around, punches, and body slams.
• Not Helping Your Case:
  • A variation that almost happened.
    Sandy: Don't worry, Patrick. We'll get SpongeBob to come outside, and then he'll see there's nothing to be afraid of.
    Patrick: (Holding up his fist in a boxing glove) And that's when I punch him, right?
    (Sandy gives him a flat, annoyed look)
  • SpongeBob's paranoia about his accident pretty much reached its peak when a male fish informed him about the 7 mile spanking machine.
  • Sandy and Patrick try to coax SpongeBob out by jellyfishing outside his house. It’s a fun activity, until Patrick sticks his face in his net after catching a jellyfish and gets stung.
• Not So Above It All: Squidward, of all people, seems to be interested in trying out the spanking machine.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • Sandy, when "Patrick" turns out to be a real gorilla.
  • SpongeBob panics while watching the gorilla beating up Sandy and Patrick.
  • The gorilla's face when SpongeBob asks what it's even doing underwater.
• Pac-Man Fever: Inverted For Laughs: in the intro, Patrick is playing a video game on a Gameboy-like portable console, and the graphics look exactly like the "real" Bikini Bottom.
• Pain to the Ass: The plot is kicked off when SpongeBob breaks his butt in a sand boarding accident.
• Riding into the Sunset: Played for Laughs in the ending, with the gorilla riding George the horse while SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy look on.
• Safety Worst: SpongeBob makes himself a shut-in after the accident, afraid to go out to avoid getting hurt again.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: The gorilla and George would rather run away rather than explain what they're both doing under the sea.
• Security Cling: In a blink-and-you'll-miss it moment, Patrick and Sandy clutch at each other before the gorilla seizes them.
• Shaking the Rump: Patrick does this when he dances around in his gorilla suit.
• Ship Tease:
  • SpongeBob has his accident because he was showing off to Sandy.
  • Sandy's plan to get SpongeBob out of his house is to pretend to be attacked by a gorilla (actually Patrick in a costume), prompting him to rescue her.
• Spoof Aesop: The lesson that the episode explains is about how it's not a risk to go outside, unless there is a gorilla attacking your friends. As the episode increasingly gets more Off the Rails by the climax, the original implied lesson is lost in the hilarity.
• Suddenly Speaking: The gorilla, who when questioned on why he was underwater at all starts speaking in clear English as he tries to explain himself, before choosing to flee the scene.
• Surrounded by Idiots: SpongeBob makes fun of Squidward's belief of this at the beginning.
  SpongeBob: [imitating Squidward] Everybody's an idiot except for me.
  Squidward: Well, it's true.
• That's Gotta Hurt: Sandy says this word-for-word during her reaction when SpongeBob literally shatters his butt.
• The End: These words appear on the screen as part of the Gainax Ending.
• Truth in Television: SpongeBob appears to have developed the real-life anxiety known as "agoraphobia", which is a fear of wide-open spaces or long distances.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Squidward is busily watering his garden while Patrick and Sandy are getting beaten to a pulp by a live-action gorilla right behind him, as seen when SpongeBob finally comes out to try to save them, Keep in mind that Squidward is one of the cowardliest characters in the show, and will run away at the drop of a hat from anything dangerous. Then again, one must recall he doesn't really like any of them.
• Watch Out for That Tree!: Sandy warns SpongeBob about a pine tree (wearing scuba gear) that was in his path. SpongeBob took notice of this and swerves around the tree.
• Wham Shot: After Patrick confirms that he is in the gorilla suit like Sandy planned, the Patrick that just showed up unzips his own head, revealing himself to be a real gorilla in a Patrick suit.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Penny, Chip and Used Napkin inaudibly chew SpongeBob out for initially refusing to help Sandy and Patrick, and saying they brought their plight on themselves. It’s their reminder that Patrick and Sandy are his dearest friends and wouldn’t even think about not rescuing him that snaps him out of it.
• Worst Aid: The Doctor Fish's description of the operation to fix SpongeBob's broken butt doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the man's medical expertise.
  Doctor Fish: We actually ran out of staples and had to use a glue stick.
• Yellow Snow: SpongeBob warns Patrick not to eat the yellow sand. He does anyway.

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