Tropes seen in this episode:
Teachers never die. They live in your memory forever. They were there when you arrived, they were there when you left. Like fixtures. Once in a while they taught you something. But not that often. And, you never really knew them, any more than they knew you. Still, for awhile, you believed in them. And, if you were lucky, maybe there was one who believed in you.
— Kevin Arnold
- Hidden Depths: Mr. Diperna, seen almost exclusively beforehand as a stern disciplinarian, gets emotional as he reveals that Mr. Collins had suffered a heart attack in his sleep and never woke up. This showed that for all the grief he seemed to give his students, he truly cared for both them and the teachers who sought to teach them and make a difference in their lives.
- Meaningful Echo: After Kevin took his first test in Mr. Collins' math class and gave clearly incorrect answers, he told Mr. Collins "You don't have to grade it. It's an F." After re-taking his test after Mr. Collins dies, he says, confidently, "You don't have to grade it. It's an A."
- Tearjerker: When viewers learn Mr. Collins had passed away.
Kevin: Good job, Mr. Collins.
