Sandy removing her suit and helmet just to prove she can survive underwater, until she realizes she's thousands of feet below the surface with no oxygen. When she begins to suffocate, we are treated to the image of her lungs shriveling up into nothingness, and she narrowly avoids drowning by sticking a pickle jar over her head. Her growing panic in that moment is very unsettling. The fact that her friends laugh at the fact that she could've died does not help alleviate things at all.
The seagulls. Granted, one might assume that they were feral and relying on instinct, but the fact that they could talk at the end implies that they were attacking SpongeBob and the gang out of complete malicious intent. The menacing Aside Glance that the first one gives to the camera after SpongeBob introduces everyone (if one doesn’t find it more a humorous "seriously?" look) and the four's abject terror when being attacked by them only makes them seem even more frightening.
Though Patrick getting arrested is often cited as another example of Bikini Bottom police's uselessness, he was also investigating the case illegally, which may have drawn their suspicion to him.
Speaking of, some have suggested that Patrick figured out that SpongeBob was the one who threw the peanut, but let himself be arrested to spare his best friend.
Harsher in Hindsight: "The Smoking Peanut" stars a giant oyster named Clamu who is kept in captivity and trained to do tricks, like Shamu and the orcas at SeaWorld. The plot in which Clamu goes on an angry rampage attacking others comes off as considerably more disturbing after that incident in which the SeaWorld orca named Tilikum killed his trainer and the controversy that prompted afterwards about the ethics of orcas in captivity.
The plot point involving Mr Krabs stealing Clamu's egg comes across as extra awkward in this light, as SeaWorld has been accused of separating Orca calves from their mothers.
Memetic Mutation: The "Ight Imma Head Out" meme started here. But while the image implies SpongeBob is getting out of the chair, the episode shows that SpongeBob is actually sitting down to watch TV.
SpongeBob spends the whole episode fearing of being called an animal abuser for something harmless and afraid he'll be a pariah if he admits the truth.
" meme started here. But while the image implies SpongeBob is getting out of the chair, the episode shows that SpongeBob is actually sitting down to watch TV.