Original air date: 10/13/2008 (produced in 2007)
When SpongeBob runs away after ending up as a nuisance to his friends, he ends up with amnesia and becomes the mayor of New Kelp City.
"Whatever Happened to SpongeBob?" contains examples of:
- Adapted Out: The book adaptation leaves out a number of things such as the scene with the mailman getting hurt, SpongeBob being called "Idiot boy" and the newscast at the end, simply having SpongeBob go back to work like nothing happened.
- Advertised Extra: The Bubble Poppin' Boys are only in the episode for a few minutes, but appeared in all the promotional material, mostly to hype the guest appearance of Ray Liotta.
- Amnesia Episode: The premise of the episode is that SpongeBob runs away, hits his head, forgets his identity, and becomes mayor of New Kelp City while his friends look for him.
- And Call Him "George": SpongeBob hugs Gary so hard that he accidentally breaks his shell, angering the snail.
- An Aesop:
- Moderate your behavior towards other people.
- Don't be mad at someone who means no harm to you and is trying their best to be good to you.
- If someone is angry at you because of an accidental mistake you made, you shouldn't think they hate you, and running away from home will only worry and/or sadden your friends. When someone is angry, they may say harsh things, but true friends always love you regardless of your mistakes.
- The Atoner: SpongeBob's friends (except for Squidward) try to bring him back home out of remorse for calling him "idiot boy".
- Arc Words: SpongeBob's friends calling him "idiot boy" throughout the first act hammers in SpongeBob's shame.
- Bait-and-Switch: After several failed attempts to find a new job, SpongeBob encounters two fish who appear to have the same problem standing next to a barrel fire. One fish then explains that he and his friend are just waiting in line for a new video game.
- Bait-and-Switch Compassion: Sandy and Patrick feel horribly guilty for having yelled at SpongeBob, as this is what caused him to run away, and Mr. Krabs is also sad about it. Squidward also appears to be worried about SpongeBob at first, but then he brightens up and says he just wishes he had slammed the door in SpongeBob's face even harder before laughing it off.
- Balloon Belly: Happens to Gary after he ate his year's supply of Snail Food.
- Big "NO!": Done by Sandy when water from SpongeBob's helmet splashes onto her robot, and later by Squidward when he drops the jeweled egg.
- Bindle Stick: SpongeBob carries one when he runs away from home.
- Blatant Lies: Squidward purposefully destroys Sandy's Sponge-Tracking device with a mallet. Mr. Krabs and the others don't buy his lie for an instant.Squidward: (holding the mallet while panting heavily like a maniac) Oops, I dropped it.
- Break the Cutie: Happens to SpongeBob after his friends call him an "idiot boy" for screwing things up. Later happens to Patrick and Sandy after they found out that SpongeBob ran away from home because they called him an "idiot boy".
- Call-Back: The Bubble Poppin' Boys may be a call-back to the Thug Tug from the first movie, whose patrons also tried to beat up SpongeBob (and Patrick, who was there too) for being "bubble-blowin' babies".
- Casting Gag: Ray Liotta is cast as a gang leader as a reference to his work in GoodFellas.
- Cats Are Mean: Gary gets mad at SpongeBob for breaking his shell and starts attacking him. Then when SpongeBob decides to leave Bikini Bottom, he hisses at him. He regrets it shortly after SpongeBob leaves, however.
- Chekhov's Gun: The egg Krabs promises Squidward. After Squidward receives it, he slips (on a greasy spatula SpongeBob drops, no less) and the egg hits SpongeBob, causing him to regain his memory.
- Continuity Nod:
- When Sandy cries, her helmet fills up with her tears, just like in "Texas".
- When SpongeBob leaves Bikini Bottom, he first approaches a desert-like area that is similar to the location him and Patrick flee to in "Life of Crime."
- Contrived Coincidence:
- SpongeBob just so happens to come across situations with most of the others that he fumbles in, from accidentally ruining the cake Patrick was making into himself to knocking back Mr. Krabs and sending the money he just so happened to be carrying in his claws into the deep fryer, all so they can get mad at him, even when they were all accidents.
- Everyone (sans Gary, if you don’t think he was doing so in his angry hissing) calling SpongeBob “idiot boy,” which while fitting Squidward like a glove and arguably Mr. Krabs, is not something you’d expect from Patrick or Sandy to say. All the more noticeable is that Patrick is the first one to say so, no less in a Tranquil Fury manner hardly, if ever seen from him.
- Couch Gag: The opening theme song’s usual “Sponge! Bob! Square! Pants!” chant is replaced with “Who! Bob! What! Pants!”
- Curse Cut Short: This happens with the construction fish from New Kelp City in the end:Construction fish: If I ever see Mayor BrownPants again I'm gonna grab his little, yellow head and literally rip his!—
(screen changes to "[[We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties]]. Please Stay Tuned.") - Deconstruction: Of SpongeBob's usual Idiot Houdini role. Unlike other cases, he actually notices the trouble he causes and how frustrated he makes everyone, and leaves town feeling guilty about it.
- Description Cut:SpongeBob: Isn't life great, Gary? Oh, what a beautiful day. I have the best friends...
(at Squidward's house)
Squidward: Ah, stay away! Oh, another SpongeBob nightmare.
SpongeBob: The best job...
(at the Krusty Krab)
Mr. Krabs: He's already 10 seconds late! I'm docking him a month's pay for this.
SpongeBob: And, of course, the bestest pet.
Gary: Meow.
(SpongeBob squeezes Gary in a hug, which causes Gary's shell to break, which makes him angrily attack SpongeBob) - Easily Elected: SpongeBob traps the Bubble Poppin' Boys in a bubble, which sends them off. The people of New Kelp City are overjoyed that the gang is gone and the mayor gives SpongeBob the position of the new mayor even though SpongeBob has no idea what a mayor is (as he admits in his speech), and he's lost his memory as well.
- Easily Forgiven: After regaining his memory, SpongeBob doesn't show any hard feelings toward his friends for their harsh scoldings.
- Easy Amnesia: The main plot of the episode relies on SpongeBob hitting his head on rocks and getting amnesia.
- Either/Or Title: This episode is also entitled "WhoBob WhatPants", which was the title used in advertising and the original episode premiere (the original airing cuts out the title card).
- Even the Dog Is Ashamed: Gary was technically the first to call SpongeBob "Idiot Boy" for breaking his shell, though it comes out as an angry hiss.
- Everybody Cries: Subverted. After Patrick and Sandy show SpongeBob's runaway note to Mr. Krabs and Squidward, the former two begin to cry, regretting having been mean to their friend for the accidents he caused. It seems like Squidward is about to cry too, but he resorts to his typical joy over SpongeBob being gone. The only other character who doesn't cry is Mr. Krabs, who is also sad and regretful, but then he hastily shoves out the customers and closes the Krusty Krab until SpongeBob is found.Mr. Krabs: (panicked) What am I gonna do without me fry cook?
Patrick: What am I gonna do without my best friend? I never should have been mean to you! (sobs)
Sandy: I should have never kicked you out of my house! (cries, with her tears filling up her helmet)
Squidward: (near tears) If I knew that was the last time I've seen SpongeBob— (happily) I would have slammed the door in his face even harder! (laughing) - Exact Words: Squidward only agrees to bring SpongeBob back after Mr. Krabs offers him a rare Faberge egg he needs to complete his collection. When Sandy, Squidward and Patrick bring a still amnesiac SpongeBob to the Krusty Krab, he decides to leave again but Squidward still claims his prize because he did bring SpongeBob back. Mr. Krabs sadly agrees. It promptly backfires on Squidward when he then slips on grease, causing the ornamental egg to fly out of his hands and hit SpongeBob on the head, making him regain his memory.
- The Extremist Was Right: The Bubble Poppin' Boys turn out to be right about bubbles being dangerous.
- Eye Awaken: When SpongeBob wakes up with amnesia.
- Eye Scream: The leader of the Bubble Poppin' Boys gets bubble liquid in his eyes to show why his gang doesn't like bubbles being blown on their turf.
- The Film of the Book: The episode is based on the Tie-In Novel For the Love of Bubbles
. - Finger-Snapping Street Gang: The Bubble Poppin' Boys are a group of Greaser Delinquents clearly modeled on the Jets from West Side Story. They're first seen walking side-by-side and snapping their fingers, and after stopping to introduce themselves to SpongeBob, they start right back up again as they close in on him.
- Here We Go Again!: New Kelp City is seen having problems with bubbles again at the end of the episode, with a construction fish saying they intend to hurt "Mayor BrownPants" if he sees him again. SpongeBob decides he's not going back to New Kelp City after seeing this on the television in the Krusty Krab.
- Heroic BSoD: SpongeBob after unintentionally angering every one of his friends (and even his pet), tearfully comes to the conclusion that they’d all be better off without him and leaves town so they won’t have to put up with him anymore.
- Greaser Delinquents: The Bubble Poppin' Boys (the leader being voiced by Ray Liotta).
- Gross-Up Close-Up: "Look at me, Mister, look at me! Is there something wrong with me?!" Arguably the scariest example in this series.
- Growling Gut: Happens to SpongeBob while in New Kelp City.
- Hypocritical Humor: Patrick calls SpongeBob an idiot boy, which is pretty ironic considering his stupidity throughout the series.
- I Am Not Weasel: SpongeBob calls Sandy an "underwater talking weasel" when she interrupts his acceptance speech.
- Identity Amnesia: After SpongeBob loses his memory, the two robber fish name him CheeseHead BrownPants, and he later becomes the mayor of New Kelp City under that name.
- Is That a Threat?:Mr. Krabs: If you don't find him, you'll be out of a job forever.
Squidward: Is that your version of a threat? - Jerkass:
- Unlike Patrick, Sandy, Gary, and Mr. Krabs, Squidward feels no remorse for cruelly driving SpongeBob away and is instead delighted that he's gone. He goes far enough to sabotage the search efforts and even purposefully destroy Sandy's Sponge-Tracking device, proving how much he utterly hates the yellow sponge and would do anything to be rid of him short of flat-out murder. In fact, he only agrees to bring SpongeBob back because Mr. Krabs promised to give him a rare jeweled egg if he did.
- Most of the citizens SpongeBob meets in New Kelp City are this. For example, one citizen who SpongeBob runs into yells at him for bumping into him, then accuses him of trying to pickpocket him, and lastly calls him a jobless deadbeat.
- The Bubble Poppin' Boys. They beat up people just for blowing bubbles.
- Jerkass Ball: SpongeBob's friends are all pretty unreasonable in the first part of the episode, yelling at him for causing trouble and calling him "idiot boy", despite the trouble he caused were all just accidents.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Squidward was nearly going to cry with remorse for driving SpongeBob away... right before happily saying that he would have slammed the door on his face even harder.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Squidward acts like a jerk for pretty much all the episode, not only calling SpongeBob "idiot boy" and not regretting that after he ran away from Bikini Bottom, but he even destroyed Sandy's gadget for finding him and refused to help them look for him until Mr. Krabs bribes him with an ornamental egg as a reward. After they bring SpongeBob back, Squidward gets his reward, only to slip on a spatula and lose it, as it breaks on the sponge's head, restoring his memory.
- Malicious Misnaming: SpongeBob being called "idiot boy" by his friends, who become guilt-ridden when reminded of this in his farewell letter.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Patrick, Sandy, Gary, and Mr. Krabs have this after finding out SpongeBob has left Bikini Bottom forever because of their behavior towards him. Squidward, on the other hand, simultaneously subverts and inverts this trope.
- Ocular Gushers: SpongeBob after all of his friends yell at him. Later, Patrick and Sandy after finding out that SpongeBob ran away because of their scoldings.
- "Open!" Says Me: Sandy uses her karate chop to get herself and Patrick into SpongeBob's house after finding out Patrick's been knocking on SpongeBob's door for three hours...to ask him to borrow some hot sauce for Patrick's milkshake. Patrick gets flattened when Sandy falls on top of him.
- Or My Name Isn't...:SpongeBob: While I am wearing the mayor's hat, it will always be safe to blow bubbles on the streets of New Kelp, or my name isn't CheeseHead BrownPants!
- Persona Non Grata: By the end of the episode, SpongeBob can no longer return to New Kelp City because his undoing the bubble-blowing ban caused mass chaos and destruction.
- Post-Stress Overeating: Gary binge eats his entire supply of Snail Food in depression from snapping at SpongeBob, causing him to leave.
- Robbing the Dead: SpongeBob is nearly robbed by two travelers who mistake him for dead. After he comes to, they initially claim that they were just organizing his clothes for him, then, once they realize he has no memory, try to capitalize on the situation by telling him that his name is CheeseHead BrownPants and that the clothes do not belong to him.
- Series Continuity Error: Bikini Bottom's population is shown to be 538 on the sign, but in "Patty Hype," it is implied that there are at least 46,853 residents.
- Serious Business: The reason Bikini Bottom is in deep chaos is because customers are not getting their Krabby Patties with SpongeBob running away.
- Blowing bubbles, for the Bubble Poppin' Boys and New Kelp City as a whole. SpongeBob lifting the bubble-blowing ban causes a city-wide riot.
- Shout-Out:
- The title of the episode is a parody of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?.
- New Kelp City is an obvious parody of New York City.
- The Bubble Poppin' Boys snapping their fingers as they enter the city is a reference to West Side Story.
- Special Guest: Ray Liotta as the Bubble Poppin' Leader.
- Squashed Flat: Happens to Patrick after Sandy falls on top of him after she karate chops SpongeBob's door open.
- Tears of Remorse: Patrick and Sandy break down in tears due to making SpongeBob run away. Squidward on the other hand averts this without guilt.
- The Unapologetic: Played with. While Patrick feels bad for yelling at SpongeBob, he doesn't really apologize to him. Sandy and Mr. Krabs do apologize, the latter albeit sheepishly. Squidward, however, plays the trope straight.
- Torso with a View: "Well, I guess if I want to fill the hole in my gut, I'll need to fill a job somewhere."
- Voice for the Voiceless: The leader of the Bubble Poppin' Boys speaks for his gang, who don't speak at all.
- Was Too Hard on Him: Everyone, except Squidward, feels bad for driving SpongeBob away.
-
The Woobie: While SpongeBob’s obliviousness and tendency to cause mayhem can be pretty grating depending on the episode (especially in the later seasons), this episode establishes from the beginning that, despite his flaws, he genuinely means well and only ever wants to make his friends happy. The setup for the plot begins with SpongeBob talking about how happy he is to have such a great job, friends, and pet (with each part of this juxtaposed by Mr. Krabs complaining about him being late, Squidward waking up from a nightmare about him, and Gary’s shell being broken from Sponge hugging him too tight), then shows him being slowly worn down throughout the day as his friends keep getting upset with him over the accidents he causes, culminating in him bursting into tears and deciding to leave town because he sees himself as a burden and thinks nobody wants him around, eventually leading to him getting amnesia after he runs away from strange figures in the dark and hits his head in the process. Even after he loses his memory, he struggles to find his place in New Kelp City as everyone he encounters seems to get upset with him for seemingly no reason until he runs the Bubble Poppin’ Boys out of town. Overall, while he really can be a nuisance in some episodes, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him in this one.
