For this episode, the whole Cartographers for Social Equality storyline is set up as a "LOL look at these Cloud Cuckoolanders and their maps," comic subplot, only for the reveal that they actually make total sense, captivate CJ and Josh, and convince them to use the Peters Projection throughout the rest of the series. I feel like there must be a trope for this scenario, as in, an element set up as comic relief only to turn surprisingly earnest and serious, but not quite in a Knight of Cerberus or Mood Whiplash way. Maybe "surprisingly serious subplot" or something. Is that a trope that already has a page?
For this episode, the whole Cartographers for Social Equality storyline is set up as a "LOL look at these Cloud Cuckoolanders and their maps," comic subplot, only for the reveal that they actually make total sense, captivate CJ and Josh, and convince them to use the Peters Projection throughout the rest of the series. I feel like there must be a trope for this scenario, as in, an element set up as comic relief only to turn surprisingly earnest and serious, but not quite in a Knight of Cerberus or Mood Whiplash way. Maybe "surprisingly serious subplot" or something. Is that a trope that already has a page?