Ash Face: Willie's face is covered with ash after a failed attempt at replicating Gambini's cannonball stunt, only for it to literally blow in his face (along with his mother's hat he used for the stunt).
Circus Brat: What Gambini's sons – Stefano and Marco – are, and not by their own choice. They'd rather be normal children, enrolled in school and striving to achieve other careers than stunt performers.
What Nancy – and surprisingly, Albert – want to be once hypnotized by Gambini's daredevil heroics. Averted with Willie; he also wants to replicate one of the stunts, but otherwise shows no real interest in the circus.
Circus Episode: The second episode to involve a circus arriving at Walnut Grove after Season 6's "Annabelle", though this one has a far more tragic conclusion.
Downer Ending: Gambini dies as a result of his own stubbornness, and after disowning his eldest son, whom he never gets to make amends with. Albert, who had showed interest in showing Gambini's footsteps, is devastated by the tragedy, and Gambini's family will probably be haunted by ot for a long time.
The Fool: While Gambini is undoubtedly intelligent, it is his stubbornness that makes him fit this trope. He is in his early 60s and no longer in the same, peak physical condition that he was when younger and able to complete the "escape from the burning box" stunt with ease … and as a result he puts himself in grave danger when he tries his act. It eventually kills him.
Heroic Wannabe: Gambini, who has become a hero simply because of his amazing daredevil acts. Behind the scenes, he has a very bad relationship with his sons, disowning eldest son Stefano when he announces his decision to discontinue the act when it passes to his generation. (Stefano wants to be a doctor, which his father scoffs at.)
I Have No Son!: What Gambini screams to eldest son Stefano – and in a manner that he hoped would shake him to the core – when he announces to his father that he intends to pursue another career instead of being a circus daredevil.
I Just Want to Be Normal: What Stefano and Marco want to be, rather than circus performers. Sadly, they can never get through to their father.
No Animals Were Harmed: Willie tries to recreate one of Gambini's stunts by shooting what appears to be Nancy's cat, Pepper, out of a cannon at one point. However, when the feline later emerges safe and unharmed elsewhere, it's revealed that Willie actually performed the stunt using his mother's fur muff, much to Harriet's chagrin.
Pet the Dog: Or cat, but after Nancy is led to think Willie blew up her cat in an attempt at reproducing one of Gambini's stunts, she's devastated, in a rare moment of compassion for her.
Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Gambini's fate. Had this episode been written in a more stock manner, the expected outcome would be that the magician manages to get out of his final deadly stunt by the skin of his teeth and learns his lesson that he's grown too old to push his luck any longer, and the aesop about what really matters is being respected as who you are and not having to put yourself on the line to prove it is given in a childish and idealistic manner. Not so. Gambini burns to death. End of story. No free pass from danger, no gentle spoon-feeding of the lesson this time. It hits you over the head like a freaking anvil.
Tonight, Someone Dies: Titular character Rodolfo "The Great" Gambini, as described above.
