History Recap / SpongebobSquarepantsS1E19FoolsinAprilNeptunesSpatula

* ImpactSilhouette: [=SpongeBob=] leaves a himself-shaped mark on the wall of the Krusty Krab at one point during Squidward's prank.

* CannotSpitItOut: Squidward has a hard time apologizing to [=SpongeBob=] because 1). he's not a very nice person, and 2). he hates [=SpongeBob=] more than anything else. After several unsuccessful attempts to apologize, Squidward says his apology with his head in a bubble. Of course, it's too muffled for [=SpongeBob=] to even hear, but Squidward insists that his conscious is clear regardless. It isn't until he remembers his ''own'' shaming that he finally gives [=SpongeBob=] a proper apology.

* MetaphoricMetamorphosis: One of Squidward's failed attempts to apologize to [=SpongeBob=] has him braying as his head morphs into that of a donkey--in other words, he feels like a jackass.

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Downplayed and played with. Squidward is genuinely confused and dismayed that no one else found his prank funny because he thought it was hilarious...at first. But when he actually looks around at the damage to the restaurant and realizes that his prank was cruel and meant to hurt and humiliate [=SpongeBob=] so that ''he'' could laugh at him, whereas [=Spongebob's=] were harmless, funny and meant to make ''other people'' laugh. Once the difference sinks in, he goes through such a JerkassRealization that even he couldn't find the prank funny anymore.

* DisproportionateRetribution: Upon being receiving a prank call from [=Spongebob=] and Krabs, Squidward attempts to quit his job, only for [=Spongebob=] to convince him otherwise by assuring that he won't play any more pranks on him again. [=SpongeBob=] keeps his word as he plays a series of playful and harmless pranks on other people while leaving Squidward alone, but Squidward cannot stand the laughter and plays one on [=Spongebob=] that consists of putting him through a RubeGoldbergDevice designed to injure and humiliate him.

* KarmaHoudini:Downplayed as while Neptune doesn't receive any immediate comeuppance for tormenting [=SpongeBob=], as well as the damage caused to Patrick, he ''is'' being forced to take orders from [=SpongeBob=] at the end of the episode while serving as his "trainee" fry cook.

* KarmaHoudini: Neptune doesn’t receive any comeuppance for tormenting [=SpongeBob=], as well as the damage caused to Patrick.

* AnAesop:
** Doing something horrible to someone for your own amusement is not the same as pulling a prank or making a joke.
** Pulling a prank on someone is fine as long as the person you're pranking is enjoying it too, and if it's a prank that ends up hurting that person so ''you'' can laugh at them, then you're ''definitely'' crossing the line.

* AnAesop:
** Quality over quantity.
** Even famous people aren't good at everything.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Squidward after he realizes just how mean his prank on [=SpongeBob=] was.

* AlteredCatchphraseInflection: Normally, Spongebob's "I'm ready!" catchphrase is shouted in a happy, upbeat way to show how optimistic he is. But when Neptune challenges him to a cook-off with his career as a fry cook on the line, he says it in a quieter, more serious way to show that he understands the stakes of the challenge, but refuses to back down anyway.

* ArtisticLicenseAnimalCare: While [=SpongeBob=] is pulling his first prank on Gary in thinking they're moving, he gives him scalloped clam shells and adds salt to them. Salt is extremely dangerous to snails in real life as it could kill them in an instant; Gary started crying when [=SpongeBob=] added the salt, likely alerting this.

* ImpactSilhouette: [=SpongeBob=] often leaves a himself-shaped mark on the wall of the Krusty Krab throughout Squidward's prank.

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Downplayed and played with. Squidward is genuinely confused and dismayed that no-one else found his prank funny because he thought it was hilarious...at first. But when he actually looks around at the damage to the restaurant and realizes that his prank was cruel and meant to hurt and humiliate [=SpongeBob=] so that ''he'' could laugh at him, whereas [=Spongebob's=] were harmless, funny and meant to make ''other people'' laugh. Once the difference sinks in, he goes through such a JerkassRealization that even he couldn't find the prank funny anymore.

* ImpactSilhouette: [=SpongeBob=] leaves a himself-shaped mark on the wall of the Krusty Krab at one point in Squidward's prank.

* OhCrap: [=SpongeBob=] and the old lady both have this reaction after clouds from above [=SpongeBob=], signifying Neptune's arrival.

* OutOfFocus: Although Squidward is not relevant to the plot of the episode, he does not even appear at the end in the Krusty Krab, as [=SpongeBob=] is running the cash register.

* MovingTheGoalposts: When it becomes clear to Neptune that [=SpongeBob=] is indeed the one who pulled out his spatula, he begins adding in and changing requirements to be qualified as his royal fry cook. He must be left-handed ([=SpongeBob=] has ''two''), and wear red-- no, blue underwear (He has ''both'' for some reason). Eventually, Patrick interrupts the gag, only to be smited.

* VocalDissonance: The old lady at the beginning gains a scratchy baritone.
-->'''Old Lady:''' [[OhCrap HOLY SMOKES!]]

-->'''[=SpongeBob=]''': Wait, Neptune! I have another idea!

** After learning that everyone was listening to his apology to [=Spongebob=] as their own April Fools joke, he's simply left LaughingMad and claims in his insanity that he was joking too.

'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' What would we do without Squidward.

** Luckily, [=Spongebob=] assures him he asked [[ExactWords for a couple of ice cubes, but he only gave him one]]; it was all [[EveryoneHasStandards just a harmless prank for April Fools Day]]. Realizing this, Tom calms down and happily admits that it was ActuallyPrettyFunny.

* ShoutOut: Neptune's Golden Spatula is a parody of {{Excalibur}}.

** Doing something nasty to someone for your own amusement is not the same as pulling a prank or making a joke.
** Pulling a prank on someone is fine as long as the person you are pranking is enjoying it too, and if it's a prank that ends up hurting that person so ''you'' can laugh at them, then you're crossing a line.

* DisproportionateRetribution: Upon being receiving a prank call from [=Spongebob=] and Krabs, Squidward attempt to quit his job, only for [=Spongebob=] to convince him otherwise by assuring that he won't play any more pranks on him again. [=SpongeBob=] keeps his word as he plays a series of playful and harmless pranks on other people while leaving Squidward alone, but Squidward cannot stand the laughter and plays one on [=Spongebob=] that consists of putting him through a RubeGoldbergDevice designed to injure and humiliate him.