"I only need to fail fifty-seven more tests to complete my answer bubble ode to da Vinci's Last Supper."
Production Code: 214
Receiving the first-ever perfect score on a standardized test in the history of Millard Fillmore Middle School leads to Spud being sent to a genius institute. However, unbeknownst to anyone, the school is really just a front for a dastardly plot cooked up by evil wizard Eli Pandarus.
Tropes
- Big "NO!": Spud does a silent one (as part of his mime act) when Mr. Rotwood reveals he's the one with the highest score in the exam, to his shock. He then reiterates that he's doing one of these.
- Both Sides Have a Point: In the end, Jake admits it was wrong of him to trick Spud into getting the highest score (especially when it lead to Pandaras nearly exploiting Spud). But Spud also admits that it felt fulfilling using his intelligence to its fullest.
- The Bus Came Back: Eli Pandarus makes his first appearance since season one's "Eye of the Beholder".
- Call-Back: Monty Hall, the host from Pandarus' pageant in "Eye of the Beholder", makes a come back. Only he got the short end of the stick when his former boss fired him.
- Comically Missing the Point: Spud gives a speech to the other smart kids on why he doesn't want to prove himself as a genius. At one point, he rhetorically asks them who in their right minds wants to be a friendless know-it-all who's forgotten how to be a kid, to which an oblivious smart kid eagerly says "I do!"
- Everyone Hates Mimes: Spud decides to train to become a mime in this episode. Jake and Trixie aren't impressed, leading to Jake trying to trick Spud into better applying his intelligence.
- Famous Ancestor: It seems as though Pandarus is a descendant of Pandora.
- Forced into Evil: Mrs. Grumplestock, as a result of Pandarus taking control of the Manhattan Genius Institute, has no choice but to serve him and get him the results he wants, unless she wants to be permanently turned into a toad.
- Forced Transformation: Pandarus threatens the dean that if she doesn't find the genius to open Pandora's box, he will change her into a toad and leave her as such.
- Fantasy-Forbidding Father: Spud's dad is a no-nonsense accountant who tried to bring up his son from birth to be smart and educated. Ironically, it was his father's strict guidance that made Spud decide to be the goofball he is today.
- Hidden Depths: The episode's premise is how Spud has so much potential to be a genius. As it turns out, he's so smart that he outdoes the other genius kids in solving the puzzle of Pandora's Box.
- Inkblot Test: See The Stinger.
- Jerkass Has a Point: When Spud makes his giant speech about how he doesn't want to be a robotic machine that never gets to play, one of the kids who's been mean to him points out that they don't even know if Spud is a genius because he's been failing class all day. Spud concedes and proves he can solve the Pandora's Box equation.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Zigzagged. Jake was only trying to get Spud to spread his wings as a genius when he tricked him into getting high scores on a school exam. He didn't know at the time the school Spud would be sent to was run by Pandarus as part of an evil scheme. On the other hand, he wouldn't have known about Pandarus's plot if not for doing that.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Deconstructed. Spud is actually a genius but thinks that trying to be smart is a great way to become a boring shut-in for the rest of your life, so he prefers to be a goofball and pursue brainless hobbies. The problem is it means that everyone sees Spud as a clown and not for who he really is, motivating Jake to intervene.
- Offscreen Teleportation: Pandarus uses this to always stay behind Trixie as she tries to keep Pandora's Box away from him. Justified in that he's a powerful sorcerer.
- Outside-Context Problem: This is the solution to the code for Pandora's Box; everyone was doing complicated equations on the chalkboard. They end up all failing the exam except for Spud. When challenged to prove that he is a genius, Spud says that you have to view the code in three dimensions and then solve for it, otherwise it doesn't make sense. Mrs. Grumplestock is actually shocked that looking at it from a different angle is the solution.
- Personality Blood Types: Spud describes all the other kids at the Genius Institute as Type As.
- Public Domain Artifact: Pandora's Box, which is revealed to be a sort of family heirloom to Pandarus.
- Retired Monster: Monty Hall spends his time drinking milkshakes at a magical diner after being fired by Pandarus. He tells Jake and Fu Dog what Pandarus is up to not out of the goodness of his heart, but over hard feelings from his firing.
- Shout-Out:
- The title of the episode is a reference to A Beautiful Mind.
- Jake and Trixie storm Pandarus' lair in a similar fashion to The Wizard of Oz, right down to Jake hiding his tail like the Cowardly Lion did.
- Spanner in the Works: While it put Spud in danger, Jake convincing Spud to show off his genius ends up cluing them into Pandarus's plan. They all end up foiling it in time.
- Springtime for Hitler: Subverted. Due to the high standards of the institute, Spud very nearly gets himself expelled on his first day on purpose. Pandarus only goes after him when Spud actually solves the equation before he walks out the door.
- Status Quo Is God: Spud returns to their regular middle school and decides to continue seeking random hobbies for fun. He does compromise, however, by taking the genius kids out to play at the skating park and says he will expand his genius on his terms when not being a goof.
- The Stinger: Mrs. Grumplestock shows Spud some inkblot tests. He sees a monkey riding a unicycle in two random images, but when one is clearly a monkey riding a unicycle, he's stumped.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: After the captive Spud cracks the code to open Pandora's box, Pandarus tries to kill him with a circular saw.
