History Recap / PennyAndAggieCelebrityPokerShowdown

Meanwhile, Michelle tries to get in a dig about Karen's weight, but it fails. The real challenge to Karen comes when Penny herself shows up. Penny's and Karen's cliques circle the wagons as Penny presents Karen with the ''{{Peanuts}}'' book ''Happiness Is a Warm Puppy'' as a gift, in case, Penny explains, Karen forgot to be happy while asking for (i.e., ''requiring'') Penny's help in remaking herself. She also blasts Karen for attempting to copy Penny's style and status. Eventually Marshall steps in and defends her, claiming that Karen's ambition and drive are precisely what inspire him about her. As girls from both cliques swoon over him, the confrontation ends in a stalemate.

** Penny, playing poker with Duane, quotes (however unlikely she'd know it) the [[TheEighties 1980s]] NintendoEntertainmentSystem slogan, "Now you're playing with power!"

* ObfuscatingStupidity: Although, as revealed in [[Recap/PennyAndAggieTheRaceCard The Race Card]], Penny is one of the school's top students, she sometimes acts this way in front of her peers, enabling herself to beat the unsuspecting Bob and Elmer at [[{{Poker}} Texas Hold 'Em]]. Also, this line of Penny's later in the arc:

--> Watch out for ambition, girls. Sooner or later everybody gets tired of being number two.

* ShoutOut: The arc title is taken from the Bravo GameShow of the same name.

* YouWatchTooMuchX: When Samantha suggests cutting holes in Penny's blouses to humiliate her, Meg points out that everyone's seen ''MeanGirls'', and that the prank backfired in the movie as well.

* AlphaBitch - Karen is a straight example, in contrast to LovableAlphaBitch Penny.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn - Katy-Ann, in her debut appearance here, is portrayed a couple of times at the party, along with Penny's other friends, as a catty SmugSmiler at Karen. This differs from her depiction in subsequent storylines as a kind, pleasant and mature SaintlyChurch Christian who tries to stay above teenage politics.
* ChickMagnet - Marshall. Nearly all the girls at the party, including three from Penny's clique, swoon over him at one point or another during the evening. Even the [[spoiler: closeted lesbian]].
* DoubleEntendre - Karen, watching a guy flip burgers at Penny's party, says, "You're good at that. Might want you to flip ''mine.'' At ''my'' party. Flip my...meat."
* GirlPosse - Penny's: Sara, Michelle, Katy-Ann, Brandi and (in this arc only) Helen, a [[FormerFriendOfAlphaBitch former childhood friend]]. Karen's: Meg, Samantha and Charlotte.
* GoodAngelBadAngel - [[SubvertedTrope subverted]]. When Aggie learns that Marshall believes Karen's claim to have climbed the social ladder by herself, she's tempted once more to pursue him. She turns to her shoulder angel for guidance, but the angel says only, "I got nothin'. Go get 'im."
* InVinoVeritas - the normally quiet and unassuming Jack turns belligerent and boastful when drunk.
* JustFriends - Penny and Duane. They're now hanging out in this arc, but platonically.
* ObfuscatingStupidity - Although, as revealed in [[Recap/PennyAndAggieTheRaceCard The Race Card]], Penny is one of the school's top students, she sometimes acts this way in front of her peers, enabling herself to beat the unsuspecting Bob and Elmer at [[{{Poker}} Texas Hold 'Em]]. Also, this line of Penny's later in the arc:

* ParlorGames - Penny and Karen play an impromptu, abbreviated version of Truth or Dare during their confrontation.
* SelectiveObliviousness - Marshall, with regard to Karen's mean-spirited side. This will be a recurring trope in their relationship.
* ShoutOut - The arc title is taken from the Bravo GameShow of the same name.
* ThatCameOutWrong - Marshall manages it in [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=228 this strip]].
* ThoseTwoGuys - Bob and Elmer.
* TheVamp - Karen, revelling in her newfound ability to arouse men, in [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=221 this strip]].
* WildTeenParty - Jack's drunkenness causes a minor altercation between him and his friends Stan and Rich who try to restrain him. The later arc [[Recap/PennyAndAggieBehindClosedDoors Behind Closed Doors]] [[{{Flashback}} flashes back]] to this party and reveals there were also "shenanigans" going on.
* WillTheyOrWontThey - An in-comic example with Brandi's [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=230 understated impatience]] regarding Penny and Duane.
* YourHeadAsplode - Happens, metaphorically, to [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=221 this fellow]] Karen flirts with.
* YouWatchTooMuchX - When Samantha suggests cutting holes in Penny's blouses to humiliate her, Meg points out that everyone's seen ''MeanGirls'', and that the prank backfired in the movie as well.

* GirlPosse - Penny's: Sara, Michelle, Katy-Ann, Brandi and (in this arc only) Helen, a [[LibbyMyOldFriend former childhood friend]]. Karen's: Meg, Samantha and Charlotte.

The feud between Penny and Karen heats up. Karen attends one of Penny's parties and gathers intelligence from Penny's mother Lynda, who explains that she and her husband allow Penny to throw open-invite parties, with the stipulation that they be held at home and under their supervision, so that there are no drugs, alcohol or "[[IfYouKnowWhatIMean shenanigans]]." Karen uses this information to throw a birthday party of her own, at a childhood friend's beach house, away from parental eyes and thus including alcohol. However, her party is also open to all, meaning that Penny and her friends, as well as Aggie, receive invitations. Penny isn't keen on going, but relents when her friends insist because they'll "look like the bad guys" if they snub Karen.

* WildTeenParty - Jack's drunkenness causes a minor altercation between him and his friends Stan and Rich who try to restrain him. The later arc [[Recap/PennyAndAggieBehindClosedDoors Behind Closed Doors]] [[{{Flashback}} flashes back]] to this party and reveals there were also "[[IfYouKnowWhatIMean shenanigans]]" going on.

--> I think the point is that math is fundamental, 'cause you never know when you'll get stuck on an island and surrounded by weird numbers that don't mean anything!

* TheLibby - Karen is a straight example, in contrast to LovableLibby Penny.

* WildTeenParty - Jack's drunkenness causes a minor altercation between him and his friends Stan and Rich who try to restrain him. The later arc "Behind Closed Doors" [[{{Flashback}} flashes back]] to this party and reveals there were also "[[IfYouKnowWhatIMean shenanigans]]" going on.

* TheLibby - Karen is a straight example, in contrast to LovableLibby Penny.

* ThoseTwoGuys - Bob and Elmer.

As the party winds down, Karen's acquaintances Samantha (who still believes Penny to be racist) and Meg (the former queen bee whom Penny took down) talk revenge on Penny, with Karen offering a less-than-sincere objection, thus setting the stage for the later arc "The Popsicle War." Meanwhile, Penny tells her friends she realizes now that Karen hates her not because she's jealous, but because "I did something I don't think she'll ever forgive. I helped her."

* JustFriends - Penny and Duane. They're now dating in this arc, but platonically.

* WillTheyOrWontThey - Brandi's [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=230 understated impatience]] regarding Penny and Duane.