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Tear Jerker / The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

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"This feels like it really is... the end."
  • Behind the scenes example: When Santiago Ziesmer, the German voice of SpongeBob, was interviewed, he discussed Eberhard Prüter, the original German voice of Squidward, who died before he could start recording for Sponge Out of Water, and Nickelodeon's search for a replacement voice actor. Ziesmer admitted sadly, "The show must go on", in Gratuitous English.
  • It's a brief moment, but Mr. Krabs is visibly distraught when he thinks that SpongeBob has betrayed him.
  • SpongeBob being turned against by everyone he knows, including Patrick (rats out SpongeBob to the angry mob because he wants Krabby Patties) and Gary (drives SpongeBob out of his own home by siccing other snails on him).
  • The riot in Bikini Bottom and SpongeBob's reaction - sitting on a cliff overlooking the town unable to help.
    • Props to Tom Kenny's acting here — the poor guy sounds absolutely crushed at what's happening. You just want to give him a hug and tell him it'll be okay.
  • When SpongeBob and Plankton are run out of town, Plankton attempts to look for the formula in SpongeBob's brain. When he fails, SpongeBob finds out and calls him out on it. During this scene, it's implied that Plankton's evil personality stems from his negative view on life.
    SpongeBob: W-..were you in my brain?
    Plankton: What? No! That's crazy talk!
    SpongeBob: Then why is there cotton candy on your antenna?
    Plankton: Becau-Because I...okay, fine, I was in your brain!
    SpongeBob: [shocked] What were you doing in there?
    Plankton: What do you think I was doing? Looking for the secret formula!
    SpongeBob: What?!
    Plankton: Oh, don't act so innocent. You knew what I was up to, that's why you're pretending not to know the formula!
    SpongeBob: B-but I'm not pretending! I can't believe you thought I was lying!
    Plankton: Hey, don't take it personally. I just assume everyone is lying.
    SpongeBob: That is a horrible way to live your life.
    Plankton: [walks off] Whatever.
    SpongeBob: It is! And if we're going to be on the same team—
    Plankton: MAYBE I DON'T WANNA BE ON A TE-AM!! YA THINK OF THAT?!!
  • Plankton is genuinely saddened by having to shut down Karen to get the time machine working.
  • SpongeBob's Heroic BSoD, caused by Plankton, who calls him a bad teammate and questions his ideals. This is especially heartbreaking once you've seen the two develop throughout the film and act like genuine friends towards each other.
  • SpongeBob's Heroic Sacrifice of himself to "appease the sandwich gods" and restore order to Bikini Bottom. Unfortunately, right after, we get a Mood Whiplash with Squidward acting like his usual Jerkass self & telling the Bikini Bottomites to go ahead with the sacrifice in a joyful voice.
    SpongeBob: ...Look at me. I've become like all of you! Savage, fear-ridden, selfish. An entire town of formerly good citizens turned into heartless FREAKS, bent on their own self preser, persev—
    Background Fish: Preservation?
    SpongeBob: Yes! We've become alienated from each other, each one of us an island onto themselves, concerned only for ourselves. And in the name of all fish-hood, I am not about to let this happen. [rips of part of a fish's shirt and uses it as a bandanna]. And so, if a sacrifice is needed to restore Bikini Bottom to its former glory, then I am willing to take one for the team.
    (everybody stares numb with grief until...)

    Squidward: You heard him!
  • At the very end of the credits, it reads, "In Memory of Ernest Borgnine" (The voice of Mermaid Man on the show, who died in 2012).

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