The fifteenth episode of the fourth season of Hey Arnold!.
Monkeyman!
Arnold is saved from two teenage thieves by Monkeyman, the mysterious local superhero.
Buses, Bikes, and Subways
Helga and Harold try to find their way back home after missing the bus on a class field trip to the Yahoo chocolate factory.
"Monkeyman!" provides examples of:
- 10-Minute Retirement: Monkeyman decides to stop being a superhero after he fails to save Sid (as he was out on the town) from being mugged. A talk from Arnold brought him back.
- Badass Normal: Monkeyman is obviously not really a superhero, but he nevertheless saves Arnold from being mugged by scaring away his attackers.
- Brought to You by the Letter "S": Monkeyman wears a big red "M" on his shirt.
- The Cowl: Monkeyman strives to fight for the good of all.
- "King Kong" Climb: When Gerald tells the other children the legend of Monkeyman, Monkeyman can be seen at the top of a building, swatting at planes that fly around him.
- Gone Horribly Right: Arnold teaches Monkeyman to be a sophisticated member of society, but this results in Sid being mugged.
- Jabba Table Manners: Monkeyman gobbles down his food with his bare hands and makes a mess every time.
- Lessons in Sophistication: Arnold gets Monkeyman to act more sophisticated so he'll be seen as more civilized. However, this results in Monkeyman giving up crimefighting and not saving Sid when he gets mugged by thieves.
- Police Are Useless: Monkeyman assumes that the police can take care of any crimes in the city, but he turns out to be wrong.
- Post-Robbery Trauma: Sid does not take the theft of his boots well.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Sid gives one to Monkeyman after he gets mugged as a result of Monkeyman not saving him:Monkeyman: Sid, what's wrong? What happened?
Sid: What happened? I got mugged!
Monkeyman: Mugged?
Sid: Yeah, you know, mugged. Right in front of the stinking opera house!
Monkeyman: Opera house?
Sid: Yeah. I looked around and thought "Hey, where's Monkeyman? He should be saving me about now." But no, you were too busy going to the opera with the Mayor! You are not a superhero at all! You're just some kind of selfish, caviar-eating, opera-going tuxedo boy! Yeah, that's what you are! - Something Person: Monkeyman.
- Super Hero Origin: Monkeyman became a superhero because he was bullied as a child for his love of monkeys and the bullies stole his stuffed monkey.
- Third-Person Person: Monkeyman always refers to himmself by his name.
- Verbal Tic: Monkeyman randomly says his name mid-sentence.
"Buses, Bikes, and Subways" provides examples of:
- Big Eater: Harold. He looks forward to visiting the Yahoo chocolate factory for the purpose of eating chocolate num-nums until he pukes. This results in him and Helga missing the bus when Mr. Simmons cuts the field trip short.
- Clown Car: After Harold and a reluctant Helga steal their bicycle, the clowns chase after them in one of these. Of course, the gag of many bigger clowns emerging from a small car is shown.
- Disappointed in You: Mr. Simmons tells Chocolate Boy how disappointed he is in him for skipping school to come on the field trip without asking permission, which resulted in him having to cut the field trip short.
- Frothy Mugs of Water: Averted; Mr. Simmons' class sings the "explicit" version of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall."
- Parental Neglect: Miriam. When Helga calls her to tell her that she and Harold are lost, Miriam is asleep.
- Pop-Culture Pun Episode Title: This episode's title is a reference to the 1987 film, Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Helga delivers a scathing one to Harold when he gets them lost:Helga: Everything that happened today is your fault! You can't do ANYTHING right. Take the bus for example. Why do you think we missed it, Harold? Oh, let's see. Hmmm...maybe was it because you were too busy eating twice your body weight in chocolate num-nums! Oh, how about this one? "Let's take the subway! I think it goes to Lincoln." Oh, wait! No, it doesn't! It goes straight to the bowels of the underworld. Population? Homicidal, toothless midget clowns! I know, "Let's steal their bike. They won't mind!" Now you'd think that would be enough to fill any moron's day, but you're not just any moron, are you, Harold? You're the KING, your day's just getting started. So, because of your AMAZING curiosity about the world around us, YOU PULLED THE PLUG OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF OUR GETAWAY BOAT! (sighs) You idiot...
- Reed Snorkel: While hiding out from the clowns in the swamp, Helga and Harold breathe through reeds.
- Something We Forgot: On their way home, Harold tells Gerald that he has the feeling they forgot something. He soon realizes that Helga and Harold are missing.
