Sam has Bugs "outnumbered" one-to-one.
"Captain Hareblower" is a 1954 Merrie Melodies short starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam. It was directed by Friz Freleng.
This is the third cartoon to portray Yosemite Sam as a piratenote . In it, he spots and threatens an unprotected trade ship for his own twisted amusement. The horrified crew and captain abandon ship, but Bugs (who is lounging in a crate of carrots aboard the ship) doesn't see "Pirate Sam" as much of a threat. Thus, he actively defends the trade ship from Sam, who is attempting to board and steal it. Tons of cannon blasts and explosions follow. All of which are, of course, directed at Sam. However, in an unusual twist, the cartoon ends with both Bugs and Sam ultimately losing.
"Captain Hareblower" provides examples of:
- Anachronism Stew: The cartoon appears to take place during 1600s to 1800s, but Bugs still manages to pull out an electric fan, and Sam at one point dons a more contemporary pair of flippers and Old-Timey Bathing Suit.
- Ash Face: Just about every scene in the cartoon ends with something exploding in Sam's face. In some instances, he remains covered in soot even after the scene transitions!
- Attack! Attack... Retreat! Retreat!: Sam, in an attempt to board Bugs' ship, swings on a rope yelling "Chaaaarge!" He lands inside a cannon and yells "Retreaaat!" as he scrambles to escape; it fires before he can.Sam: Prepare to defend yourself, rabbit! 'Cause I'm a-boardin' your ship! Chaaaarge! (ends up landing in a cannon) RETREEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAT! (cannon fires just as Sam tries to escape)
- Big "NO!": Several on Sam's part. After Bugs throws a lit match into Sam's gun powder storage room, Sam frantically runs down while letting out a big "Oh no!". When Bugs does it a second time, Sam stalls and waits for Bugs to retrieve it. Soon, he panics and lets out another big "Oh no!" and rushes to retrieve the match. Unfortunately, he's too late. He lets out one final big "Oh no!" after he realises Bugs is not going to retrieve the match from his ship's powder room after Sam tosses a match in there.
- Black Comedy: At one point, Sam tries to ambush Bugs by diving into the ocean and covertly boarding his ship with a bomb. Sam is swallowed by a fish, the bomb explodes, and all that is left of the shocked fish is his skeleton.
- Crew of One: Both Bugs and Sam seem to be running their respective ships all by themselves. It's justified for Bugs, since all the other men left in a panic after Sam appears.
- Did Not Think This Through: Sam's refusal to retrieve the third match Bugs threw into the gunpowder room just to spite him was never going to work in his favor. Even if it did annoy Bugs (which it didn't), it would just result in Sam's ship blowing up. For that matter, pulling the same trick on Bugs afterward was also poorly thought-out, since it would destroy the only ship they had left if Bugs didn't comply.
- Downer Ending: The cartoon ends with both Sam and Bugs having their respective ships blown up.
- The Dreaded: Just the sight of Sam is enough to get the entire crew (except for Bugs of course) to abandon ship without even trying to put on a fight, even though they were armed with plenty of cannons and had more people to fight him.
- Empty Swimming Pool Dive: Bugs escape Sam's ship by diving into the ocean below. Sam follows, but hits his head on a reef instead.
- Everything Explodes Ending: The cartoon ends with both Bugs' and Sam's ships exploding. Plus, they both get caught in their respective ships' explosions.
- Large Ham: Sam's declaration of stealing Bugs's ship is, naturally, done in the most hammy and over-the-top manner possible.
- Non-Fatal Explosions: The cartoon is stuffed with these! Even Bugs is the victim of one at the very end.
- Oh, Crap!: Sam has this reaction whenever he's about to be either blown up or blasted by a cannon.
- One-Man Army: Sam appears to see himself as one, considering he's the only man aboard his own ship and he's able to strike fear into the hearts of all other sailors. He also views himself as having the numerical advantage against Bugs even though he's all by himself.Sam: Surrender, rabbit! I've got you outnumbered one to one!
- Pop-Culture Pun Episode Title: On Horatio Hornblower.
- Pyrrhic Victory: Bugs manages to prevail and gets Sam to give up the fight and swim away in a mad panic just moments before his own ship blows up.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When Pirate Sam announces that he's about to board the trade ship, the entire crew literally jump ship rather than face Sam. Only Bugs remains to defend the vessel from Sam.
- Happens again at the end when a panicked Sam jumps off Bugs' ship and frantically swims away.
- Tempting Fate:
- After Sam retrieves a lit match from his ship's powder room, he tells Bugs that he won't go after the next one should Bugs do it again. When Bugs does so, Sam stubbornly does exactly what he said - stand and wait. By the time he changes his mind, Sam is too late.
- After Sam's ship has been blown to smithereens, Sam taunts Bugs by tossing a lit match into his ship's "Powder Room." Bugs refuses to retrieve it, because the powder room is literally a ladies' powder room, he himself believing talcum powder is not flammable. He turns out to be mistaken.
