Produced 2006, aired in U.S. on 8/20/07
Production order: 38 (3-1)
Danny and Vlad's game of revenge against each other begins with childish pranks. Unfortunately for Danny, it ends when Vlad decides to run for mayor of Amity Park.
Tropes found in this episode:
- Escalating War: The episode begins with Danny and Vlad using their powers to embarrass each other with childish pranks. Vlad then takes it a step further by becoming mayor to make Danny miserable.
- Everyone Has Standards: A Freeze-Frame Bonus shows Jack is one of the people angry at Vlad after he's tricked into shooting Danny.
- Evil Is Petty: Danny attempts to bury the hatchet with Vlad so things don't get out of hand any further, but Vlad refuses since he feels he hasn't made Danny suffer enough. For good measure, he shuts down any of Danny's further attempts for negotiations by pointedly remarking how any place restricted of teenagers also include ghost teenagers like Danny.
- Hypocrite: This is also a demonstration of Vlad's hypocrisy. Keep in mind Vlad is the one always pushing his ageism in Danny's face, yet ironically, he's the one acting like a child when the teenager is trying to be the bigger man.
- Handshake Refusal: When Danny offers a truce with Vlad in the form of a handshake, Vlad rejects the offer.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: In the climax of the episode, Vlad clones himself and has it go on a rampage against Danny so he can look like a hero by stopping it. This backfires when Danny overshadows the clone. When it's zapped, Danny gets hurt himself, making it seem like Vlad shot an innocent kid.Danny: What!? He's gonna zap his own clone to make himself look good! [Gets struck by an plan] Unless...it does just the opposite!
- Idiot Ball: Danny decides to prank Vlad!? Danny, what kind of idiot pranks their worst enemy, especially one with the power to overshadow others!?
- Jerkass Has a Point: While supposed to be a Kick the Dog moment, Vlad isn't wrong Danny's only sorry because Vlad retaliated after he basically did the equivalent of SWATing him. What's more, Danny should've picked his battles a little more carefully than starting a prank war with a man rich enough and petty enough to do his worst.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The whole mess starts due to Danny sending the Guys in White to raid Vlad's manor, saying he was hosting spectral activity, which ended up destroying it. Granted, Danny is right, but this was an unprovoked action done as a prank. Not surprisingly, Vlad doesn't take that laying down.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Vlad gives one to Danny when he refuses his offer for a truce.Vlad: How nice. A gentleman's handshake...but you forget...Where you and I are concerned.....I AM NO GENTLEMAN!
Danny: OH, COME ON! Can you even pretend to have a heart!? I'm making an effort here!
Vlad: I KNOW! And even though the apology is a welcome departure from your usual childish arrogance, it belies a greater truth! [Points] YOU HAD THIS COMING!
Danny: But-
Vlad: NO BUTS! Trust me when I tell you that your life has just begun to become a relentless nightmare beyond your feeble IMAGINATION! AND ONE THING FURTHER, when I said this place was off limits to teens, that includes ghost teens!! - Sequel Hook: The episode ends with Vlad forced to remove his anti-ghost restrictions after Danny outsmarts him in order to save his public image. Sam states that, all in all, it's a draw between them, but Danny states the only problem with that is "Whenever there's a draw, there's bound to be a rematch..."
- Villain with Good Publicity: Zig-gagged with Vlad. After he becomes mayor, he enacts several anti-ghost restrictions that he claims are to protect the town. While the adult population quickly become supportive of him (with the exception of Maddie), the kids all grow to hate him for his restrictions and making their lives miserable. Vlad manages to direct their wrath towards Danny by claiming Danny was the one who inspired him in the first place. At the end of the episode, Danny outsmarts Vlad and uses his plan to make himself look good against him, by overshadowing Vlad's clone before he zaps it, and making it look like Vlad recklessly shot Danny instead. This causes Vlad's good publicity to take an instant nosedive, and he can only recover it by removing all his anti-ghost restrictions.
- Vote Early, Vote Often: Vlad wins the election by using his duplication power to overshadow the voters and have them vote for Vlad, essentially rigging the election in his favor.
- Wham Episode: While Danny has found a way to make Vlad rescind all his previous acts, Mayor Vlad is here to stay.
- Would Hurt a Child: How Danny is able to get the adults of Amity Park to turn on Vlad, by tricking him into shooting a defenseless teenager.
