Happy Birthday, Adrien
"Hawk Moth is my name and Bubbler is now yours. I will help you with these horrid adults, and all you have to do in return is help me get something from Ladybug and Cat Noir."
—Hawk Moth
It's Adrien's birthday. Unfortunately, Mr. Agreste has no intention of allowing him a birthday party. Adrien's friend Nino tries to change Mr. Agreste's mind, but his efforts are fruitless. Armed with his magic bubble-wand, Nino becomes the Bubbler and plans to rid Paris of all the parents who prevent children from having fun.
Tropes:
- A Birthday, Not a Break: Not helped by the fact that your best friend turned into a supervillain, and that only one person remembered to get you a present.
- As You Know: A less obvious example than most, as the exchange is brief and doesn't call attention to the exposition.Tikki: You know what happens when you use Lucky Charm. You only have minutes before...
Marinette: ...I turn back, I know. - Attack Reflector: Bubbler manages to send Ladybug's yoyo right back at her.
- Birthday Episode: Adrien's, to be exact.
- Comes Great Responsibility: Ladybug wastes her first transformation by using her Lucky Charm to get Chloé away from Adrien, instead of stopping the Bubbler. She has to feed Tikki to recharge, and Tikki calls her out for being irresponsible.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Several future Akumatization victims are among the guests at Adrien's party: Mylène, Juleka, Alix, Max, Ivan, Kim, and Nathaniel.
- Early-Installment Weirdness:
- For the second and final time, Cat Noir's Transformation Sequence has a silver background instead of a green one.
- After breaking Bubbler's bubble sword, Ladybug says "get out of here, you nasty bug", same as in the previously aired episode "Stormy Weather", making it seem like it's going to be part of the standard sequence of catchphrases— but she never says it again in any future episode.
- Nathalie forgets about Adrien's birthday and has to pretend Marinette's present was from his father, something which is unlikely to happen in future episodes to due her being a Hyper-Competent Sidekick.
- Both Marinette and Adrien act completely irresponsibly. In later episodes they would immediately transform and fight the villain the moment they discover them instead of letting them run wild.
- Oddly, Max doesn't have his glasses on in this episode.
- Later on, whenever Gabriel causes someone to get Akumatized, note they (minus Volpina) try to take revenge on him. Bubbler, however, does no such thing.
- Establishing Character Moment: Gabriel's Kick the Dog moment below and rude treatment of Nino definitely cement him as a neglectful, emotionally abusive parent who cares more about his son's obedience than happiness.
- Foreshadowing: If you pay close attention on a Rewatch Bonus, you'll notice that Gabriel is not seen among the adults captured by Bubbler's bubbles, despite the fact that we see Nathalie and Adrien's bodyguard...
- Not to mention that Gabriel should've been the main target, considering his stubborn and rude behavior towards Nino caused his Akumatization.
- Floating in a Bubble: The fate of Bubbler's victims, including Cat Noir and Ladybug, after they think they have successfully deflected all his bubbles.
- Get Out!: Gabriel's response towards Nino after calling him a bad influence on Adrien and banishing him from his home.
- Happiness Is Mandatory: If the kids don't have enough fun, Bubbler traps them in bubbles, just like adults. For not being free enough.
- Innocuously Important Episode: While mostly a standalone episode, Nathalie's actions at the end foreshadow a huge revelation much later on; her decision to pass off Marinette's gift to Adrien as Gabriel's shows how little she cares for anyone outside of the Agreste family.
- Kick the Dog: Gabriel couldn't even bother to get his own son a birthday gift and laid such a responsibility on Nathalie, going as far to scold her for forgetting.
- Moment of Weakness: Adrien takes a few minutes to enjoy the party that the Bubbler has thrown for him, since he's never been to a party, and Marinette in Ladybug form uses her Lucky Charm to get him away from Chloé, then takes time to sign a birthday present she gave to Adrien. As both heroes realize, they gave the Bubbler an opening to start spiriting away dissenting partygoers.
- Motive Decay: Despite Gabriel being the main cause of his Akumatization, Bubbler never seems to bother trying to attack or get retaliation on him.
- Motive Rant: The Bubbler gives one when he traps Ladybug and Cat Noir in a bubble, talking about how adults are oppressive and don't care about their children having fun.
- My New Gift Is Lame: Plagg gifts Adrien camembert cheese at him, but due to the smell, he rejects it. Luckily, the kwami eats it himself. At the end of the episode, when Adrien wears the scarf Marinette made, he mentions how his father gave him a pen for the last few birthdays he had.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Nino arguing on Adrien's behalf for a birthday party leads to him getting corrupted and turned into an Akumatized villain. note
- Pet the Dog: Subverted. Adrien thinks the handmade scarf he received was from his father, but it was actually from Marinette.
- Stepford Smiler: The kids being forced to dance and be happy at the party.
- Strictly Formula: Averted, being so far the only episode where Marinette uses her Lucky Charm for Mundane Utility, as well as using another one to defeat the villain later. More unusual in regions where it was the first released episode. Marinette and Adrien are also much more grave during their transformation sequences considering what occurs in the episode.
- There Are No Adults: The Bubbler tries to enforce this.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Yes, kids are forced to go to the party, but Chloé still takes the opportunity to hit on Adrien and Alya still helps Marinette sign her gift. Marinette and Adrien decide to follow the lead as detailed above.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Tikki chastises Marinette for using her power for selfish reasons.
- What You Are in the Dark: Marinette lets Adrien think her present is from his father because of this.
