Darwin: Then why do I feel so bad about it?
Gumball: Oh. It’s because we violated the laws of nature, as well as the laws of mankind, without any regard for our friend’s feelings!
After Anton miraculously recovers from turning to mush during a CPR lesson in swimming class, Gumball and Darwin discover the secret behind Anton's immortality and decide to try it themselves...and end up creating clones, including an evil burnt one named Ant-One.
Tropes:
- Ambiguous Clone Ending: Double Subverted: The Anton that survives is unambiguously Ant-Two, not the "real" Anton. However, The Reveal comes in the very last seconds of the episode and isn't addressed in any future ones, so what this means isn't explained at all: the "real" Anton's parents will presumably be able to tell Ant-Two apart and make another clone, not to mention there are dozens of witnesses to everything.
- Aside Glance: The last shot of the episode sees Gumball and Darwin looking at the camera in shock after it's revealed that the "Anton" that survived to the end was actually Ant-Two.
- Behind the Black: Gumball and Darwin wait until Anton walks off before talking about they cloned him. However, Anton heard the whole thing because he was only offscreen and didn't actually leave.
- Big Eater: When Richard smells the burnt remains of the first Anton clone he rushes to the trash with the intent of eating food out of the garbage can.
- Black Comedy:
- Anton's Amusing Injuries turn out to actually be killing him, only for him to be replaced by a clone. Then they're still played for laughs.
- One of the Anton clones coming out lightly toasted, which is similar to being born intellectually disabled.
- Book Ends: The episode begins and ends in the school natatorium, with a version of Anton falling into the water on both occasions.
- Brick Joke: When Gumball says that to create an Anton, they need to make the same as his parents did, Darwin ask if he need to put a moustache and kiss Gumball. Gumball says that's not what he meant, and that he would be the one with the moustache. Later Ant-One refers to Gumball as Dad, and that he only wants to be with him and Mom.
- Continuity Nod: One of Anton's deaths in the montage is getting devoured by crows, just like he was in "The End".
- Carnivore Confusion: Richard finds the hoard of Anton clones in the tool shed and clearly plans to eat them in spite of their obvious sentience.Don't worry, you're safe now—until it's time to make a sandwich!
- Chekhov's Gunman: Gumball and Darwin's first Anton clone (Ant-One) comes out burnt. They assume he's dead and throw him away, but he comes back as an Evil Twin and convinces the other Antons to rise up against the original.
- Creating Life Is Bad: Darwin and Gumball realize making "Ant-Two" was probably a bad idea, even believing they could get tried for crimes against humanity.Darwin: (happily) And now there are two of him! It throws out all sorts of moral issues way beyond our comprehension!
Ant-Two: Moral issues!
Darwin: Then why do I feel so bad about it?
Gumball: Oh, it’s because we violated the laws of nature, as well as the laws of mankind, without any regard for our friend’s feelings!
Darwin: Huh, oh, yeah. That’s why.
(Gumball and Darwin see the rest of the family pulling in with groceries)
Gumball and Darwin: What have we done?! - Crime After Crime: To avoid getting in trouble for making one clone of Anton, Gumball and Darwin make dozens of them, most of which they get killed.
- Darker and Edgier: Easily one of the most bleakest episodes in the show. What with the many Cruel and Unusual Deaths, the mass murders of all the Antons (who for all intents and purpose, are just innocent, fragile kids) and the Downer Beginning and ending.
- Death Montage: Anton is shown being killed by Darwin and Gumball eleven times in as many different ways, with even more being implied by Gumball's comment thereafter ("we iced him fifty times in a row"). These deaths include being crushed under a bowling ball triggered by pulling a note of "read me", having a Hollywood Heartattack from a Screamer Prank, being eaten by Tobias when put on his sandwich, and playing a slide-whistle then exploding.
- Disney Villain Death: Ant-One falls victim to this in the climax, when he scratches Gumball, causing him to drop him by accident. He falls into the school's pool, and, being a piece of toast, promptly drowns.
- Downer Ending: Ant-One and the army of Anton clones have been defeated and Gumball and Darwin are now aware that playing God is wrong... but Anton didn't make it. Ant-Two (unintentionally) took his place.
- How Is That Even Possible?: Gumball drops the name of this trope as he becomes the first person to actually notice Anton coming back to life.
- Informal Eulogy: The charred first attempt at making an Anton clone in a toaster is given a "righteous farewell"—tossed into the garbage can.
- Literal-Minded: The Anton clones under Darwin's command were implied to have killed themselves after he told them to "split up to cover more ground".
- Lookalike Lovers: Lampshaded when Gumball sees Anton's parents, who are implied to look like him but with Tertiary Sexual Characteristic, and think they're clones of Anton kissing each other.
- Mirror Routine: This occurs briefly when Anton runs into Ant-Two in the school hall.Anton: Since when do we have a mirror here?
Ant-Two: A mirror here!
Anton: Oh my gosh! This mirror has an echo! - Mistaken for an Imposter: Twice.
- The real Anton returns greetings from several people at school, making Gumball and Darwin think he's Ant-Two, who always repeats everything other people tell him.
- The ending reveals the one Anton saved from Ant-One was actually Ant-Two, while the real Anton was the first one he killed.
- Negate Your Own Sacrifice: When Darwin, Gumball, and Ant-Two are being chased by the army of Anton clones, Darwin stays behind to hold them off. When they catch up to him, the clones are so pathetic at fighting that Darwin isn't even hurt by them.
- Never Say "Die": Gumball makes a point of remarking that he and Darwin "iced" Anton 50 times. He also explains to Darwin that Anton died by telling Darwin "You know when you're born, right? Well, he did that in reverse."
- Reactive Continuous Scream: The disintegrated remains of Anton's body are fished out of the swimming pool, causing Tobias to scream then everyone in class but Coach and Gumball join in.
- Rhetorical Request Blunder: Gumball's Anton army overhear him talking about how they would jump in a lake if he told them to. They immediately get on doing just that and are disappointed when Gumball tells them to stop.
- Sadistic Choice: Ant-One claims Gumball has to decide between saving him or Anton when they're both hanging over a pool in each hands, because Gumball's only strong enough to lift up one. Gumball points out he can easily save both of them—he's lifted a sandwich before. Ant-One then scratches up Gumball's hand, causing the latter to drop him into the pool.
- They Killed Kenny Again: Basically the plot for the episode. Gumball and Darwin talk about how Anton has died many times, even counted deaths, and they wonder how he is still alive. That drove the plot.
- We Need a Distraction: Gumball tries to delay Nicole, Anais, and Richard then Anton, but both times tells them something that makes them go faster (the oven being left on and Anton being late for class, respectively).
- We Will Meet Again: Ant-One yells to Gumball that he'll be back as he sinks to the bottom of the pool. Immediately therafter, he's sucked into a drain, tearing him to pieces and it turns out Gumball couldn't hear a word he was saying.
- Visual Pun: As Darwin and Gumball find out the Awful Truth of Anton's recovery, their minds are literally blown—their brains pop out and fly into the background.
- Wham Line: The last few second of the episode reveal which Anton actually survived:Gumball: (to "Anton") Look man, I’m so sorry for what we’ve done. We played with life and didn’t think of the consequences. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us and we can still be friends.
"Anton"note : Still be friends! - You Shall Not Pass!: Parodied when Darwin stays behind to delay the Anton army, but Gumball leaves when his Final Speech lasts too long and the army eventually proves too weak to harm Darwin anyway.
- You Have Failed Me: Ant-One turns the fire sprinklers on when he realizes how useless the Anton army are, turning them to mush.
