Gretchen has a top secret project for this year's science fair. However, a certain second grader named Becky Benson steals her idea.
Tropes:
- Artistic License – History: Gus builds a volcano that "recreates the eruption that helped us defeat the British at Bunker Hill." In reality, the Battle of Bunker Hill was not fought near a volcano, and it was technically a British victory, but at the cost of 1,054 Brits. This is in fact an In-Universe Factoid Failure.
- Another In-Universe Factoid Failure occurs in TJ's motivational speech to Gretchen:
TJ: Did Albert Edison give up when they stole his theory of regularity? Did Benjamin Franklin give up when the Germans shot down his kite? - Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Becky Benson at first. When Gretchen guilts her about how she lied about liking science, Becky gets a Jerkass Realization and confesses to the judges.
- Easily Forgiven: After Becky Benson steals her project, Gretchen decides not to get revenge, but to help Becky explain what the project is supposed to do. Because for Gretchen, busting Becky would ruin the glory of the invention, and mar the scientific discovery. Becky confesses to the judges about what she did.
- Et Tu, Brute?: Gretchen's reaction to finding out that Becky Benson has stolen her project.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Becky assumed that Gretchen was competing every year because she liked winning. She's dumbstruck when Gretchen helps explain the stolen project, and realizes that Gretchen's love of science is real, more so than the joy of winning.
- Heroic BSoD: After Becky's betrayal, Gretchen is reduced to a melancholic "once-bitten-twice-shy" mindset, to the point where the tries to invent a robotic facsimile of Becky that won't betray her.
- Pink Means Feminine: The Ashleys' model volcano is pink and purple, and spews pink "lava."
- Science Fair: And it's established that only Gretchen ever bothers to do anything but volcano models. This time, TJ, Vince, Gus, Mikey, and Spinelli hook up all their volcanoes to go off at once in a ring of fire and end up winning due to the spectacle and the judges looking for a winner. Gretchen, on the other hand, doesn't even get to compete because Becky Benson steals her project, resulting in an automatic disqualification for Becky.
- Shout-Out: In one scene, Menlo is whistling the "Rescue Aid Society" song from The Rescuers.
- What You Are in the Dark: Rather than bust Becky to the judges as her friends wish, or let her fail on her own, Gretchen helps explain the idea. She tells Becky that she never entered to win but to spread knowledge about science, but if Becky is okay with a dishonest victory, then go ahead. Becky gets a Jerkass Realization and confesses that she stole Gretchen's project, giving back her trophy.
