History Recap / RecessS1E12SpeedyWeHardlyKnewYe

--->'''Gretchen:''' Speedy's not meditating, he's...he's...!\\

--->'''Gretchen:''' Speedy's not hibernating, he's...he's...!\\

** The kids discover Speedy never ate his croutons over the weekend and is not producing a heartbeat; Mikey then delivers the worse:
--->'''Mikey:''' SPEEDY'S DEAD!

* KazoosMeanSilliness: The Junior Crossing Guards play "{{Taps}}" on kazoos during Speedy is universally-loved by every character that appears in this episode. Even Spinelli, who was shown to be disdainful of him at first, is revealed to have loved him just as much as everyone else.

* OneHundredPercentAdorationRating: Speedy is universally-loved by every character that appears in this episode. Even Spinelli, who was shown to be disdainful of him at first, is revealed to have loved him just as much as everyone else.

%%* EverybodyCries:

* KazoosMeanSilliness: The Junior Crossing Guards play "{{Taps}}" on kazoos during Speedy's funeral.

* DeathIsASadThing: The gang takes Speedy's death pretty hard, so much so that they're too sad to play kickball. It's later revealed that the school has been replacing Speedy over the years with a new hamster every time the previous Speedy dies, precisely because they thought the kids couldn't handle the death of a beloved pet. In the end, the main message is that it's much healthier to grieve for someone's death and honor their memory than just keep it a secret.

* CryCute: Everyone at the funeral when the kazoos start playing.

* EverybodyCries: See CryCute above.

* HatedByAll: Inverted. Speedy is universally-loved by every character that appears in this episode. Even Spinelli, who was shown to be disdainful of him at first, is revealed to have loved him just as much as everyone else.

* AdultFear: Your classroom pet dying when you're away for the weekend. Alternatively, realizing that you never got to mourn on learning that the pet in ''your'' class died decades ago.

** When Ms. Grotke overhears that Speedy has died, she freaks out and sounds more frantic than her usual demeanor when speaking with the kids. This is because she forgot to replace the hamster over the weekend.

** The scene where the kids realize that Speedy died. Namely, they get worried about seeing that Speedy is lying in his pile of shavings, not moving when Mikey taps the glass or shakes the tank. Ms. Grotke tries to avoid this moment by shooing the class away and lying that he's probably meditating, but then Gretchen picks up Speedy to check on him. She can't hear a heartbeat and goes OhCrap. She blurts out while cuddling his body, "Speedy's not meditating! He's-he's!" Mikey then screams that Speedy died.

** Ms. Grotke is more frantic than usual when the kids suspect and eventually realize Speedy is dead. It's because she realized that she missed the chance to replace the hamster over the weekend.

* PleaseWakeUp: Mikey taps Speedy's cage when he thinks the hamster is asleep. He gets worried on seeing Speedy lying there, and the class gathers around the cage. Ms. Grotke tries to lie that Speedy is hibernating, then meditating. Gretchen busts her on those because hamsters don't hibernate, and then she picks up the hamster and can't hear a heartbeat. Gretchen then realizes Speedy didn't eat his hamster pellets, coming to the conclusion the hamster died.

** Ms. Grotke is more frantic than usual when the kids realize Speedy is dead. It's because she realized that she missed the chance to replace the hamster over the weekend.

** The kids discover Speedy never ate his croutons over the weekend and is not producing a heartbeat; TJ then delivers the worse:
--->'''TJ:''' SPEEDY'S DEAD!

-->'''TJ:''' SPEEDY'S DEAD!

-->'''Gretchen:''' They're not the same hamster!

** "SPEEDY'S DEAD!"
** "They're not the same hamster!"

* ShoutOut:
** The episode title is a reference to Irish anti-war song "Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye".
** Spinelli leaping into Speedy's grave to be buried with him evokes Laertes at his sister Ophelia's funeral in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''.
** King Bob declares Speedy's grave as "The Tomb of the Unknown Speedy" which is a reference to The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

* DeathIsASadThing: The gang takes Speedy's death pretty hard, so much so that they're too sad to play kickball.

* PleaseWakeUp: Mikey taps Speedy's cage when he thinks the hamster is asleep. He gets worried on seeing Speedy lying there, and the class gathers around the cage. Ms. Grotke tries to lie that Speedy is hibernating, then meditating. Gretchen busts her on those because hamsters don't hibernate, and then she picks up the hamster and can't hear a heartbeat.

* AnAesop: As T.J. puts it, "It's never too late to say goodbye." You can honor the dead, even if they've been dead for a long time, and (as Spinelli learns the hard way) it's healthier to grieve rather than lie to others that you didn't care.

* SophisticatedAsHell: After trying to give a meaningful eulogy, King Bob says, "just bury the little fluffball".

* AnAesop: As T.J. puts it, "It's never too late to say goodbye." You can honor the dead, even if they've been dead for a long time, and it's healthier to grieve rather than lie to others that you didn't care.