When the Wattersons think Darwin misses his original habitat, they try to make him feel more at home. When that doesn't seem to work, they decide he needs to be returned to the wild.
Tropes:
- Arson, Murder, and Admiration: At first, Darwin's family looks extremely disapproving at him for attempting to manipulate them into buying him a larger tank, they actually hug him and conclude that he really is a part of their family.
- Bait-and-Switch: When the parrot at the pet store calls Richard "Richard Butt-Ugly Watterson", the latter gasps for a second before laughing as he thought the parrot was referring to him but assumes it was referring to another person due to the 'Butt-Ugly' part of the insult.
- Bowdlerise: On Cartoon Network's Polish channel, the scene of The Wattersons screaming and freaking out over the thought of letting Darwin return to the wild was cut to remove Richard ripping his ears off his head and front teeth out of his mouth.
- Berserk Button: Poor Gumball has to find out the hard way what happens when someone tries to take Darwin away from Nicole, Richard, or Anais.
- Crazy Enough to Work: Gumball suggests the "rational" solution of setting Darwin into the wild, which enrages Nicole, Richard, and Anais. He then proposes they try alternate, "irrational" solutions, causing them to calm down and listen him out.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The Wattersons trying to reconnect Darwin with his fish roots bears a striking resemblance to a White family trying to connect an adopted child of color with their roots.
- Embarrassing Browser History: When Nicole mentions she's looking at Darwin's browser history, the others are suddenly outside destroying their electronic devices in a panic.
- Furry Confusion: At the pet shop, Gumball sees a live-action cat on a cage and looks confused. His mother tells him not to think about it too much.
- Given Name Reveal: Richard's middle name is revealed to be Buckley.
- Got Me Doing It: When Darwin is yelling at the rest of the family to get out after the fish pun scene, he ends up dropping a few himself.
- Heartbreak and Ice Cream: The Wattersons decide to get ice cream to "cheer themselves up" after releasing Darwin, much to his anger.Darwin: YOU ABANDON ME, THEN GO FOR ICE CREAM?!!
- Hurricane of Puns: At one point, the Wattersons try to speak to Darwin using words he can understand, which means a lot of painful fish puns.
- Hypocrite: Anais criticizes Gumball and Darwin for not knowing how the zoo works, and yet seems to think all zoos contain "depressed, out-of-shape creatures going around in circles".
- Hypothetical Fight Debate: The episode opens with Gumball and Darwin arguing about who would win if a crocodile fought a bear (then conclude that the crocodile would win after see Alison beat up Phillip/Mowdown over a discount TV).
- I'm Standing Right Here: Gumball's response after Anais tells Darwin that he is her favorite brother in front of their entire family. She nervously says she was just kidding, then doubles down on her original statement by nodding to Darwin to say she wasn't kidding.
- Invisible Holes: After Richard eats fish hooks and drinks salt water, it comes out of his chest.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: A familial example, the Wattersons agree to willingly release Darwin into the wild after being convinced its the only way to make him happy, even though they're all absolutely crushed.
- "No. Just… No" Reaction: Darwin after seeing Gumball dressed as a mermaid, Richard as a diver, Nicole as a treasure chest, and Anais wearing a duck inner tube.
- Out-of-Character Moment: Gumball wants his family to be "rational" but his entire family, including Nicole and Anais, reject the notion in favor of being "irrational".
- Outrun the Fireball: Darwin jumps off a truck just before it crashes and explodes.
- Shoo the Dog: The Wattersons try to force Darwin into a pond and driving off.
- Take That!: Anais mistakes the zoo for the mall because both have "depressed, out-of-shape creatures going around in circles". Richard also mistakes the discount aisle for Wall Street because both are a "cutthroat pit where men tear each other apart for a dime."
- Unwanted Assistance: Of the unaware variety as the rest of the family (due to a misunderstanding) try to make Darwin feels like he's home and only cause him to get very annoyed with them.
