SpongeBob SquarePants: Difference between revisions

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[[File:spongebob_happy_place_3678.jpg|frame|<small>''"I'm ready! I'm ready!"''</small>]]

{{quote|''"Are you ready kids?"''

''"Aye aye, captain!"'' }}

A [[Nickelodeon]] [[Animated Series]] about a highly energetic sea sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. Absorbent and yellow and porous is he. And if nautical nonsense be something you- ok, you probably get it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{{tropenamer}}

* [[I've Heard of That! What Is It?]]

* [[The Ugly Barnacle]] (not exactly a trope, but a [[Just for Fun]] page)

 

{{tropelist}}

* [[Abnormal Limb Rotation Range]]: Happens every once in a while to random characters.

'''Warden''': What is going on here?

'''Mermaid Man''': ''(Talking to the warden, pointing at SpongeBob)'' You may kiss the bride!

'''Patrick''': ''(SpongeBob is thrown out of Shady Shoals and rolls home, where Patrick is waiting for him)'' Did you reunite our heroes?

'''SpongeBob''': No. But I'm married. }}

** In the episode "Boating School", when SpongeBob is asked to act natural, he gets on all fours and starts grazing like a cow.

** In addition, nearly anything technological that SpongeBob or Squidward buy is bound to work wrong in some manner, like Le Spatula or Squidward's house security system.

* [[Alliterative Title]]

* [[Alternative Foreign Theme Song]]: Rip Slyme wrote a new ending theme song for the Japanese version. You can find it [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eMyzohXUmQ here].

{{quote|'''Patrick''': Maybe it's your voice.

'''SpongeBob''': Dahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaa!... [[Sarcasm Mode|good one, Patrick.]] }}

* [[Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?]]:

{{quote|'''Flying Dutchman''': Who dares disturb the Flying Dutchman?

* [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking]]: Plenty of times.

{{quote|'''Mr. Krabs:''' You can beat up me employees, you can destroy me restaurant...but NOBODY TOUCHES ME THERMOSTAT!}}

{{quote|'''SpongeBob''': It was big. Scary! AND PINK!}}

{{quote|'''Plankton''': It's evil! It's diabolical! IT'S LEMON SCENTED!}}

2. I want to be called "Barnacle ''Man''".

** When Mrs. Puff is stealing SpongeBob's new boat, he's not letting go for giant clams, cheese graters, and... EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION!? OH NO! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

** In "Graveyard Shift";

* [[Art Evolution]]: Season one looks very different. It was the only season to use hand-painted traditional animation cels, and some character designs are slightly different. With season two, the series abandoned cels in favour of the newer digital ink-and-paint process. The series evolved slightly more after [[The Movie]], in which the animation is more fluid and a little closer to that of the movie.

* [[The Artifact]]: Recent seasons just barely acknowledge the fact that Bikini Bottom takes place underwater. Some episodes contain underwater ''thunderstorms'', for example.

* [[Author Appeal]]: The show was created by a former marine biologist. In all honesty, could you imagine anybody else creating a cartoon about a talking sea sponge?

* [[Autobots Rock Out]]: At the climax of [[The Movie]].

* [[Bad Guy Bar]]: [http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/rr15/Acedude55/SaltySpitoon.jpg The Salty Spitoon.] Also mocked in [[The Movie]].

** Even more so in the the video game version of Truth or Square, where when SpongeBob called Patrick tubby, Patrick turns into a huge one-eyed robot intent on crushing SpongeBob with a mace. {{spoiler|1=Though the battle apparently only happened in SpongeBob's head as SpongeBob was in Plankton's machine the ENTIRE time.}}

** Don't mess up his name tag either.

** In Sandy's case, don't talk smack about Texas, or you ''will'' die.

*** Or rip all of her fur off (she will make you into bikinis), or even kick her in the butt, Patrick does this (responding to SpongeBob's previous comment about kicking), and she ends up clobbering him with a trombone.

** Don't touch Krabs's thermostat.

*** Or refer to his hands as Big Meaty Claws

** Apparently, you should never use Krabby Patty meat as any footwear around SpongeBob, or he will hurt you. (Episode: Battle of Bikini Bottom).

** Gary's undercarriage.

* [[Bigger on the Inside]]:

** SpongeBob's house.

** In the movie, Plankton lets one loose when SpongeBob began zapping the mind-controlling helmets off of the Bikini Bottom residents using [[The Power of Rock]].

* [[Big Ol' Unibrow]]: Squilliam Fancyson.

'''Squilliam''': [[Insult Backfire|It's big and valuable.]] }}

** In "House Fancy", he has a giant sculture of his unibrow made of [[Brick Joke|gilded doornobs.]]

* [[Bilingual Bonus]]: In "Pizza Delivery", SpongeBob hallucinates actual Korean words on the gearshift of the boat, which really mean "forward" and "reverse".

* [[Biting the Hand Humor]]:

'''SpongeBob''': Why not? *The TV explodes*

'''Stanley''': That's why. *runs off* What's that?

'''SpongeBob''': Oh, it's okay. There's nothing good on television anyway.*turns to camera* Nothing. }}

** "The Krusty Sponge" may be this, regarding the series' wild success and Nickelodeon's subsequent milking.

** "Keep Bikini Bottom Beautiful". Squidward manages to one-up Squilliam, but get a littering ticket for the umpteenth time.

** Well, most of the important buildings follow a sort of a theme, in that they're the sort of things that might appear as decor in fishtanks. Moai, rocks, treasure chests, etc.

* [[Black Comedy]]: This show, especially in its earlier seasons, contains a surprising amount of dark humor. For example, the entire comedy of "Nasty Patty" comes from SpongeBob and Krabs believing that they've killed the health inspector (he was just unconscious).

* [[The Blank]]

* [[Blind Driving]]: SpongeBob had to learn a driving course blindfolded as part of a [[Drill Sergeant Nasty]]'s [[Training from Hell]]. Unfortunately, he can't drive ''without'' being blindfolded afterwards.

* [[The Blind Leading the Blind]]: "Your Shoe's Untied", where Patrick buys shoes, but doesn't know how to tie them. SpongeBob tries to teach him how, but realizes he's never learned himself.

** Since they're both mentally six, they're occasionally known to do this to themselves-devoid of anyone to provide them with questionable advice, they'll attempt to deduce the proper course themselves and arrive at exactly the wrong answer through some of the unsoundest logic it's possible to come across.

* [[Bloodier and Gorier]]: After the movie.

* [[Blowing a Raspberry]]: One episode, SpongeBob goes to Rock Bottom, where everyone speaks in raspberries. When he asks for directions, a Rock Bottomite can't understand his "accent" until SpongeBob starts adding raspberries between words.

* [[Boot Camp Episode]]: When SpongeBob gets Mrs. Puff fired after failing the boating exam once again, her replacement is a drill instructor named Sarge. A drill instructor who just so happens to be [[Mass Effect|Zaeed Massani]]

** And "The Inmates of Summer" where SpongeBob and Patrick get on the wrong ship and end up in Boot Camp. Complete with a character voiced R. Lee!

'''Squidward''': No.

'''Squidward''': No.

* [[Break the Cutie]]: This happens to SpongeBob quite a bit. For example:

* [[Brick Joke]]: In what is possibly a parody on the [[Trope Namer]], "The Two Faces of Squidward" has a fish gain the ability to fly out of seeing handsome Squidward, and then proceed to lose his untied shoe. Later in the episode, the shoe falls through the roof of the Krusty Krab, causing SpongeBob to push Squidward into a pole to save him from being hit on the head with it.

** "The Great Snail Race" has one. SpongeBob, who's training Gary, calls him a lady to "humiliate and demean him". Cut to Sandy, who says "I don't know why, but I think I'll kick SpongeBob's butt tomorrow.". The next day, at the end of the episode, Sandy comes out of nowhere, kicks SpongeBob off screen and yells "That's for yesterday SquarePants!".

** In the beginning of The Smoking Peanut, Mr. Krabs is seen abusing the concept of Free Day, taking everything he can. At the end of the episode, it's revealed that the oyster got upset because her pearl was stolen. Guess who stole it?

* [[Broken Smile]]: Mr. Krabs at the end of "Squid on Strike", when he sees that SpongeBob destroyed the Krusty Krab.

* [[Butt Monkey]]: Most of the cast have their share of bad luck, but [[Chew Toy|Squidward]] and [[Big Bad|Plankton]] are the most consistent examples.

** Entire episodes revolve around Squidward trying desperately to get away from SpongeBob and Patrick. He also has had houses land on him, had a shrunk submarine grow back to normal size while inside his body (with SpongeBob and Patrick in it), had a NUCLEAR BOMB thrown directly in his face (which promptly exploded), had his house repeatedly destroyed... well, you get the idea. And these only the instances invoked by [[Fan of the Underdog|people who LIKE him]]. Outside of that generally [[Everything Trying to Kill You|a large amount of Bikini Bottom's residents, animals and inanimate objects seem to bear an instant grudge towards Squidward]], usually expressing it in somewhat violent or hurtful ways. At least the majority of abuse SpongeBob and Patrick inflict is completely accidental.

* [[Christmas Episode]]: "Christmas Who?" and the upcoming "It's A SpongeBob Christmas!"

* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]

'''SpongeBob''': ''(Glowing)'' Am I a ''pretty'' girl? }}

** Patrick too, though to a lesser extent.

* [[Cluster F-Bomb]]: The episode "Sailor Mouth". Complete with [[Sound Effect Bleep|dolphin squeaks]].

** At the end of "Krusty Love", SpongeBob lets out a stream of...gibberish that is obviously intended to be interpreted as cursing.

'''Mr. Krabs:''' ... ''(Gaping in shocked silence with his jaw on the ground)'' }}

* [[Cobweb of Disuse]]: In "Pretty Patties", the Krusty Krab is covered in cobwebs when business gets slow. SpongeBob tries to clean one, a spider makes another one. Later, Mr. Krabs himself is seen covered in cobwebs.

* [[Comic Trio]]: Variant between SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward.

* [[Congruent Memory]]: Be the crane!

** "Missin Identity" had him forget where he put his nametag. So he repeats his morning routine ad infinitum, exactly, hoping that this'll help him remembers.

* [[Conjoined Twins]]: Has happened several times: in the movie, we meet two conjoined twins in a bar. In "SquidBob TentaclePants", SpongeBob and Squidward are conjoined because of one of Sandy's experiments. And then there's this infamous quote:

* [[Conspicuously Light Patch]]: Although the ones in older episodes could be attributed to the fairly small budgets at the time, the newer, more [[Nickelodeon]]-backed episodes have no such [[Hand Wave|(weak) excuse]].

* [[Continuity Nod]]: One of the thugs that wants to enter the Salty Spitoon tells about how he ate a bowl of nails for breakfast. "Without any milk!". In [[The Movie]] one of the thugs in the bar is shown eating a bowl of nails. And yes, without milk.

** In the April Fools episode, Patrick mistakenly says a depressed SpongeBob was "impressed" by Squidward's [[Comedic Sociopathy|prank]]. In Squidward's Tiki Land, Patrick mentions a time he was feeling "impressed".

** In "Chum Bucket Supreme", Patrick gives the Chum Bucket a slogan. Said slogan is later seen on a billboard in "SpongeBob's Last Stand".

** In "Rock a Bye Bivalve", Patrick is always seen watching a show where someone gets hit in the head with a coconut with music playing. In "The Thing" Patrick and SpongeBob are watching TV and the music for the show plays again, with Patrick saying he thinks he seen this before and this part is real funny.

** In "Whelk Attack", SpongeBob remembers the time that [[Sick Episode|he got "suds".]]

* [[Convection, Schmonvection]]: Averted when Mr. Sun lights the room on fire.

* [[Courtroom Episode]]: "Plankton vs. Krabs"

* [[The Cover Changes the Gender|The Cover Changes The Species]]: For the movie, [[Motorhead]] re-recorded one of their older tracks, "You Better Run," with new sea lyrics as "You Better Swim."

* [[Cowboy Episode]]: "Pest of the West"

* [[Crap Saccharine World]]: [[Depending on the Writer]], but Bikini Bottom definitely fits the bill in certain episodes.

* [[Crazy Consumption]]: Squidward eats Krabby Patties until he blows up.

* [[Cross-Popping Veins]]: Squidward does it towards the end of both "Tentacle-Vision" and "Squid's Visit".

* [[Cut Lex Luthor a Check]]: Plankton. He is a scientific genius, capable of creating time machines and the like, (among other things that could be tweaked to benefit all ocean life) and yet he insists on working his way up to the top by running a dingy restaurant whose food is [[Human Resources]]. Oh, and trying to steal the Krabby Patty recipe, despite the fact that as long as Krabs is also in business, he'll get all the customers because of the aforementioned dinginess of his restaurant. This was worked around in Plan Z, which [[You Meddling Kids|would have worked if he had tried this ingenious plan from the beginning, before Krabs hired]] SpongeBob, instead of using countless plans that were doomed to fail.

* [[The Danza]]: In "Mermaid Man Begins", the real names of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are revealed to be Ernie and Tim. Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are voiced by [[Ernest Borgnine]] and Tim Conway, respectively.

* [[Dark and Troubled Past]]: Implied for Mrs. Puff.

** The series as a whole starting in season four.

* [[Dead Man's Chest]]: "The Nasty Patty".

* [[Delayed Reaction]]: Happens a lot.

** From 'The Great Snail Race':

'''Patrick:''' Sunday?

'''SpongeBob:''' Well, I guess I can't enter Gary in that. [[Comically Missing the Point|Sunday's Laundry day!]]

** Also in 'Ghost Host', where a customer falls asleep on a mattress being sold to him. The Flying Dutchman comes in and tries to scare the sleeping dude, but no matter how much he tries, he won't wake up. Only when The Flying Dutchman gave up and the salesman has come back already [[Crowning Moment of Funny|did the customer wake up and scream in terror.]]

* [[Delicious Fruit Pies]]: Parodied in "Mermaid Man vs. SpongeBob", with the "Krusty Kids Meal" commercial at the beginning of the episode.

** [[Lampshaded]] in one episode:

'''Patrick:''' It varies. }}

** Whether [[Earn Your Happy Ending|Squidward]] or [[Downer Ending|Squilliam]] wins at the end of their episodes also varies.

** Usually the character interpretations fall on who the character in focus is. If the focus is Squidward's life being ruined, then SpongeBob and Patrick will have nothing bad happen to them, while when the focus is instead SpongeBob having a problem, everything bad will instead happen to him, usually caused by Patrick.

* [[Deranged Animation]]: Most episodes at some point.

* [[Detached Sleeves]]: SpongeBob.

* [[Disney Dog Fight]]: SpongeBob thinks that Gary had left him forever to live with Patrick, but at the end he comes back to SpongeBob.

* [[The Ditz]]:

** SpongeBob, though [[Genius Ditz|he is good at math]].

* [[Does This Remind You of Anything?]]: From the second season and onward.

** The episode "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve" where [[Has Two Daddies|SpongeBob and Patrick raise a baby oyster to adulthood.]]

** In "Gary Takes a Bath", SpongeBob paints the bathtub like a treasure chest, which he leads Gary to as if on a treasure hunt. SpongeBob hands Gary bars of soap, calling them doubloons, then promptly warns Gary not to drop them.

** This exchange in "Grandma's Kisses":

'''SpongeBob:''' Patrick, we didn't say that. }}

** The ending of "The Fry Cook Games":

* [[Downer Ending]]: Quite a few episodes, [[Played for Laughs|for the laughs.]]

* [[Dreadful Musician]]: Squidward, at least according to everyone in Bikini Bottom.

* [[Driving Test]]: SpongeBob's taken the test countless times.

* [[Drunk on Milk]]: In [[The Movie]], where SpongeBob and Patrick get drunk off sundaes.

* [[Dumb and Drummer]]: Patrick is the drummer for SpongeBob and the Hi-Seas.

* [[Dumbass Has a Point]]: One particular episode, where Squidward gets his clarinet reed stuck in his throat, Partick actually says something smart, and everybody is surprised.

* [[Earn Your Happy Ending]]: The movie, ([[Word of God|which is said to be]] the [[Grand Finale]] of the series) features this for the main characters.

* [[Earpiece Conversation]]: Patrick coaches SpongeBob through his boating test with a walkie-talkie hidden under a cowboy hat. Mrs. Puff compliments SpongeBob on his improvement, joking that it's as if someone were telling him all the answers. But when she mentions that that would be cheating, SpongeBob freaks out and confesses... and crashes the boat, failing the test once again.

* [[Efficient Displacement]]: Quite a few times, but Patrick has done this more than once, especially combined with [[There Was a Door]].

* [[Either or Title]]: All episodes have title cards, but some are presented within Patchy specials, most of which have titles themselves: "Shanghaied" is part of "You Wish" or "Patchy's Pick", "Party Pooper Pants" is part of "SpongeBob SquarePants House Party", "Ugh" is part of "SpongeBob SquarePants B.C. (Before Comedy)", "The Sponge Who Could Fly" is part of "SpongeBob SquarePants Lost Episode", and "Truth or Square" is part of "Patchy the Pirate's SpongeBob SquarePants Fan Club Big Time Impressive Celebratory Television Extravaganza!" Similarly, two episodes have [[Special Edition Title]]s that rename the show: "Christmas Who?" is ''The SpongeBob Christmas Special'' and "What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?" is ''WhoBob WhatPants''.

* [[Everything Is Big in Texas]]: Sandy.

* [[Everything's Better with Chocolate]]: Taken to aN all-time extreme.

* [[Evil Is Dumb]]

* [[Evil Versus Evil]]: Krabs versus Plankton (in newer episodes).

* [[Expanded Universe]]

* [[Extra! Extra! Read All About It!]]: "Maniac strikes Bikini Bottom! City paralyzed with fear!"

* [[Eye Scream]]: Crops up a number of times.

'''SpongeBob''': I'm trying-- '''BUT MY CLEATS ARE STUCK IN YOUR CORNEAS!!!''' ...Six hours later... }}

** Also in the episode where the krusty Krab gets a claw machine (which squidward fails at) and therefore cant pick anything up- so while watching tv- and cant pick up the remote- he changes the channel WITH HIS EYE- then proceeds to scream.

* [[Fan of the Underdog]]: SpongeBob and Patrick seem to be the only entities in Bikini Bottom that actually like Squidward and consider him as wonderful and talented a being as he himself believes he is. Unfortunately their stupidity and clinginess still manages to cause him [[Stop Helping Me!|as much suffering and pain]] as everyone else's harshness.

* [[Fantastic Racism]]: Played for laughs when SpongeBob became a lifeguard:

'''Shark''': Hey! That's my family you're talking about! }}

** Also parodied in "Squirrel Jokes"

* [[Fantasy Twist]]: SpongeBob fantasizes about what his life would be like if he had muscles. It turns out to be exactly the same as it is now, but with muscles.

* [[Far Side Island]]: On the surface.

* [[The Film of the Book]]: The episode "What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?" is based on the [[Tie-in Novel]] ''For the Love of Bubbles''.

* [[Fire-Breathing Diner]]: Patrick launches hot marshmallows on Squidward when camping.

** Another thing that has been flanderized about Patrick is his snaggletoothed grin, in the early seasons he very rarely used it, in the later episodes he does this all the time to the point where it's practically his default smile.

*** Any and all aspects of Sandy's older "tough cow-girl" traits seem to have been completely removed until the episode "Rodeo Daze" in favor of her knack for building inventions...something she did ONE TIME in the first season.

* [[Flat Character]]: Princess Mindy in [[The Movie]]. If you think about it, she's really not much more than a plot device. Her only contributions to the story were to be a love interest for Patrick, stop her father from killing Mr. Krabs, give SpongeBob and Patrick their [[Magic Feather|"mustaches"]], and stall her father long enough for SpongeBob to come back with the crown.

* [[Flashback Cut]]: In "The Bully"

(later)

(cut)

* [[Flaying Alive]]: Surprisingly frequent.

** In the same episode, Plankton flays ''himself''.

* [[Flexing Those Non-Biceps]]: Anchor Arms, [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|which look nothing like balloons worn over SpongeBob's arms.]]

* [[Gainax Ending]]: In-universe: "I Had An Accident"'s ending results in a family staring through their TV at you in disbelief, shaking their heads, and [[Breaking the Fourth Wall|turning it off.]]

* [[Geographic Flexibility]]: Bikini Bottom is shown to be this. In most episodes it's a typical small town, but other episodes have shown that it contains a mall, a racetrack, and an Olympic stadium, among other things.

* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]: An [[SpongeBob SquarePants/Radar|ENTIRE PAGE WORTH OF IT!]]

* [[Giftedly Bad]]: Squidward is not as good at music as he thinks he is.

* [[Gilligan Cut]]: In the episode "Idiot Box", Squidward doesn't understand why the cardboard box will make noises for SpongeBob and Patrick.

* [[Go-Karting with Bowser]]: You shouldn't be surprised if SpongeBob invites ''even Plankton'' to one of his parties.

** Mr. Krabs and Plankton have also played poker every Tuesday night for years.

* [[Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow]]: Squidward.

* [[Hair-Trigger Temper]]: Patrick's sister, Sam. The episode even gives us this exchange:

'''Patrick''': Umm......umm.....it's about your temper, sis.

'''Sam''': No have temper! [[Hypocritical Humor|This make Sister Sam...SOOO MAAAD,]] Sister Sam...[[Nightmare Face|PUT ON MEAN FACE.]] }}

** In "FUN", he hid the Krabby Patty (which is bigger than his body) in his pocket.

* [[Hands Go Down]]: From "Band Geeks":

'''Squidward''': No, Patrick. Mayonnaise is not an instrument.

''(Patrick raises his hand)''

** Subverted with other characters however, particularly in the [[Sadist Show|later more sociopathic episodes]]. Mr. Krabs in particular has committed numerous [[Karma Houdini]]s, however often the odd occasions he shows compassion he is [[Kafka Komedy|put through hell]].

* [[Hard Work Montage]]: One such montage actually gets an introduction.

* [[Healing Factor]]: SpongeBob can repeatedly rip off his own arms, and they will sprout back in the same scene with no problems and no pain. May also explain the various [[Amusing Injuries]]. In fact, considering the supporting cast includes a starfish, a crab and a(n alleged) squid, this trope is [[Justified Trope|Justified]].

** [[Word of God]] confirms that Squidward is in fact an octopus. In a commentary on [[The Movie]] DVD, he says that calling him "Octo-ward" didn't sound right, it was too difficult to animate him with eight legs, and early drafts that gave him the ability to produce ink...[[Does This Remind You of Anything?|just didn't look right]].

** Squidward also gets one near the end of "Squid's Visit".

** SpongeBob gets one in ''Krusty Dogs'' when Mr. Krabs removes Krabby Patties from the menu.

* [[Hook Hand]]: Patchy the Pirate.

* [[Hypocritical Humor]]: Uses this from time to time.

** From 'Hooky':

'''SpongeBob:''' [[Lampshade Hanging|Umm...]] }}

** From 'Pressure', while SpongeBob and the others were laughing at Sandy's failed attempt to breathe underwater:

'''Patrick:''' Airhead... ''(Laughs. The top of his head deflates like a balloon)'' Huh? ''(Puts thumb in mouth and blows. His head becomes round at the top.)'' }}

** Same episode, while Sandy is telling the other four to go on dry land already :

'''SpongeBob:''' Actually, you know, but...

'''Squidward:''' We can't, uh...because...

'''Patrick:''' Our fitting!

'''Sandy:''' Oh, you mean for your chicken costumes?

'''Patrick:''' ''(Holding and eating popcorn)'' Hey, we are not chicken! ''(Drops popcorn) (Gasps)'' My popcorn! ''(Begins pecking at it like a chicken)'' }}

** From "Party Pooper Pants", while Patchy remarks that he hopes SpongeBob received his invitation for his party:

'''SpongeBob:''' I'd sure like to go to this party, but I can't read the invitation! ''(Shows close-up of the invitation revealing that the print is sogged and ruined)''

'''Patrick:''' Me neither.

'''SpongeBob:''' ''(Examines invitation)'' Whoever sent this obviously has no idea about the physical limitations of life underwater! Well, might as well throw these in the fire. ''(Scene zooms out revealing a bonfire between SpongeBob and Patrick. Both throw their invitations in the fire)'' }}

** From 'Squilliam Returns', when Squidward told SpongeBob to empty his mind and his mind has various SpongeBobs emptying his mind literally:

'''SpongeBob # 2:''' [[Lampshade Hanging|You don't pay me. We don't even exist. We're just a clever visual metaphor used to personify the abstract concept of thought.]]

'''SpongeBob # 1:''' One more crack like that and you're outta here!

'''SpongeBob # 2:''' ''(Down on his knees and begging)'' NO! Please! I have three kids! }}

** Patrick in "I'm With Stupid", after trying to convince his parents that SpongeBob is an idiot to [[Straw Loser|outshadow his own idiotic tendencies]], only for his own stupidity to convince him that SpongeBob really ''is'' an idiot, leading him to insult and talk down on him in the most condescending manner, ultimately leading to:

** From "The Camping Episode"

'''Patrick''' Well maybe it is stupid, but it's also dumb. }}

** From "Mermaid Man Begins":

'''Squidward:''' Go away! I've got better things to do than watch grown men prance around in ridiculous outfits. (Cut to a man dancing ballet on Squidward's TV) }}

** There was also one from the episode " Big Sister Sam". Go above to see it.

* [[If I Had a Nickel]]: "If I had a dollar for every brain you don't have...I'd have one dollar."

* [[I'm Not a Doctor But I Play One on TV]]: Parodied in "All That Glitters":

* [[Impossibly Delicious Food]]: Krabby Patties, to the point where [[Deus Ex Machina|conflicts can be resolved merely by eating one]].

* [[Incessant Music Madness]]: In "Jellyfish Jam", SpongeBob and a jellyfish keep Squidward up all night playing loud music. When more jellyfish show up and play the music even louder, Squidward has had enough and counterattacks by playing his clarinet. This angers the jellyfish, and when SpongeBob's pleas to stop result in Squidward playing even louder, the jellyfish goes over to Squidward's and stings him.

** And have you seen [[Ernest Borgnine|Mermaid Man]]?

* [[Inner Monologue Conversation]]: In "Big Pink Loser", Patrick is imitating everything SpongeBob says and does. SpongeBob thinks ''(At least I'm safe inside my mind)'', then hears Patrick thinking the same thing.

'''Squidward:''' Wha?...There weren't any loose notes!!! }}

* [[Insistent Terminology]]: King Neptune is ''not'' bald, he is thinning.

* [[Insufferable Genius]]: Sandy and, [[Flowers for Algernon Syndrome|in one episode,]] Patrick.

* [[Invisible Streaker]]: In "Pranks a Lot," SpongeBob and Patrick.

* [[Iron Butt Monkey]]: Squidward and Plankton.

* [[Ironic Echo]]: In One Krab's Trash. Krabs goes to the cemetery to find Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen's grave and take back his hat. He sees Squidward laying down flowers on a grave, which reads "Here Lies Squidward's Hopes and Dreams." Krabs remarks "what a baby." Later, when Krabs finds out that the hat is now worthless, he breaks down in tears, and a flower carrying Squidward walks in the background, pausing to say "what a baby."

* [[It Tastes Like Feet]]: When Squidward is subbing for SpongeBob at the Krusty Krab grill.

'''Customer #2:''' My sandwich ''is'' a fried boot! }}

** And in "Whale of a Birthday", when Pearl's friends drink from the punch bowl...

'''Squidward:''' It ''is'' dishwater. }}

* [[Its Pronounced Tropay]]: "I love kara-TAY!"

* [[Jerkass Gods]]: Neptune, usually

** Especially in "The Clash Of Triton" where he traps his son in a cage for wanting to meddle in the lives of mortals instead of smiting them, but he gets better.

* [[The Jimmy Hart Version]]: The techno song from "Jellyfish Jam" is ''very'' similar to the NBA song "Get Ready For This." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr-XGEzGgf8 Here's a comparison of the two.]

** Lampshaded by one Krusty Krab customer, who, upon hearing a Jimmy Hart Version of a song, said, "I hated the REAL version of this song".

** The depressing song, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwePGV289tY Daytime Drama] in the episode "Dumped" is in comparison with this more [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCwwRO3Fitk upbeat counterpart.]

** The title card for "Hall Monitor" has similarities to the theme for the late '60s/early '70s action show ''The Mod Squad''.

* [[Jump Scare]] '''''"Hi, mailman!"'''''

** Sandy's official biography states that she "is the only thing under the sea that SpongeBob likes better than his job at the Krusty Krab."

* [[Keep Circulating the Tapes]]: The uncut version of "Just One Bite", featuring Squidward catching on fire (twice) when underestimating the deceptively primitive Krusty Krab security system. Only the edited version made it to DVD, with this scene removed.

** Then there's the infamous episode where SpongeBob breaks his butt and becomes agoraphobic. After several attempts to get SpongeBob outside, a gorilla suddenly attacks Patrick, Sandy, and SpongeBob, who points out the absurdity of having a gorilla underwater. Unable to explain itself, the gorilla rides off on a zebra into the sunset. The last shot is a family watching the episode, being just as confused as we are.

** In "Squilliam Returns" SpongeBob has to forget everything he knows except fine dining. This is visualised by little SpongeBobs in his brain shredding documents, burning them, etc. One of them asks his boss why he should work harder, as they're just "...a clever visual metaphor used to personify the abstract concept of thought." When the boss then threatens to fire said worker he's begging for him not to, because he has wife and kids. Which kind of qualifies as a lampshade hung onto a lampshade.

* [[Laughably Evil]]: Dennis, Plankton's Assassin from [[The Movie]], is downright sadistic and threatening. He's also very entertaining to watch due to his over-the-top nature and constant [[Evil Laugh]].

* [[Laugh with Me]]: A variation. The Flying Dutchman take SpongeBob and Patrick onboard as his crew. When he demands that they "howl with me, that we might set the seven seas, '''ABLAZE''' with fear!", they comply with various ridiculous noises, until he finally gives up on making them scary.

* [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall]]: Squidward complains, "Why must every 11 minutes of my life be filled with misery?"

** From "Nature Pants":

'''Squidward:''' I give him 11 minutes. }}

** "Normal" SpongeBob: "One more thing, Squidward, you don't wear pants."

** Squidward: "Why must every 11 minutes of my life be filled with torture."

** From "Planet of the Jellyfish":

'''narrator:''' Eleven minutes later...

* [[Let Me Tell You a Story]]: Mr. Krabs' story to SpongeBob about spending a dollar on a soda to persuade SpongeBob to let his seahorse go.

* [[Let's Have Another Baby]]: Patrick says this to SpongeBob after they take care of a baby scallop.

* [[Light Bulb Joke]]: The basis of many of SpongeBob's "squirrel jokes" stand-up.

'''Audience''': ''BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DARN STUPID!!!'' }}

* [[Line-of-Sight Name]]: When the Flying Dutchman comes for Mr. Krabs' soul in the hospital, Mr. Krabs insists that he is "Harold Flower", after the flower on the end table.

* [[Make-Out Point]]: "Ah, makeout reef. Good times. ''Gooood times.''"

* [[Marshmallow Dream]]: SpongeBob dreams of eating Krabby Patties and wakes up chewing on his pillow.

* [[Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy]]: Sandy and SpongeBob.

* [[Massive Multiplayer Crossover]]:

* [[Mirror-Cracking Ugly]]: SpongeBob thought he was this, but it was just his reflection reacting to his smelly breath.

* [[Mismatched Eyes]]: Lord Royal Highness, the ruler of Atlantis, has one blue eye and one green eye. (This is a reference to his [[David Bowie|voice actor's]] [[wikipedia:anisocoria|anisocoria]].)

* [[Mock Cousteau]]: The Narrator.

* [[Mock Millionaire]]: Double subverted when Squilliam Fancyson pretends to be a [[Mock Millionaire]] to bait Squidward... only to finally reveal he actually ''is'' rich.

* [[Mondegreen]]: "Sweet Victory" from the episode "Band Geeks" has a few lyrics that are often misheard, specifically "the world closing in" being heard as "the wind closing in", "be on the attack with your wings in the wind" being heard as "the only attack with their wings in the wind", and "the games will begin" heard as "the daydream begins"

* [[Money Fetish]]: Mr. Krabs

* [[Morning Routine]]: Many an episode begins with Songebob getting up to his blasting foghorn alarm clock and ready for work.

* [[Moving the Goalposts]]: Kevin's treatment of SpongeBob in "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic". SpongeBob is trying to get into the Jellyfishers' Club, but their leader Kevin keeps stringing him along with increasingly difficult tasks, at which SpongeBob succeeds with ease. When they finally come up with something sufficiently impossible, it winds up in Kevin being [[Hoist by His Own Petard]] as the fake "queen jellyfish" he creates attracts a real king jellyfish, and SpongeBob saves the day, revealing Kevin as a complete loser.

* [[Mr. Imagination]]: SpongeBob and Patrick create a world of scenarios with only a cardboard box in "The Idiot Box", much to Squidward's disbelief.

* [[Mr. Vice Guy]]: Mr. Krabs pre-[[Flanderization]].

* [[Multiple Endings]]: "Shanghaied" has three (depending on whether SpongeBob, Patrick, or Squidward gets the third of [[Three Wishes]]), which viewers got to call in and choose between during the episode's premiere. Reruns of the episode show only the winning ending, though all three endings are available on some home video releases.

* [[My Master, Right or Wrong]]: SpongeBob, despite his occasional disgust at Mr. Krabs's actions and sympathy for the people he victimizes, ([[Go-Karting with Bowser|even Plankton]]), generally follows through with his plans blindly, either due to his blind idolization of his boss or the fact his dream job may be at stake otherwise.

* [[Naked People Are Funny]]: Pranking the town as ghosts with no clothes on, among other instances.

* [[The Napoleon]]: Plankton.

* [[Negative Continuity]]: Hoo boy. Except for ''Krusty Krab Training Video'' and ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'' being first and last in the series respectively (confirmed by [[Word of God]]), there's no revealed order or canon for ''any'' of the other episodes. ''Spongehenge'', despite being in season five, must come before many other episodes because SpongeBob specifically says that he's never been late for work when in fact he has been in earlier episodes. ''Just One Bite'' (a season three episode) also must happen after many episodes in the series due to Squidward remarking multiple times that he doesn't eat at or like the food at the Krusty Krab.

* [[No Dialogue Episode]]: "Reef Blower", aside from one brief caption reading "You!".

* [[No Fourth Wall]]: Any episode involving Patchy the Pirate acknowledges that SpongeBob is a just a show. Other episodes do this as well, such as showing a live family reacting to the [[Mind Screw]] ending to the episode and shutting off the TV.

* [[No Hero Discount]]:

'''Squidward:''' This is a restaurant, not a lending library. [[Hypocritical Humor|And who are you calling bignose, bignose?]] }}

* [[No Matter How Much I Beg]]: [[Trope Namer]]

* [[Noodle Incident]]:

** "And that's the story of how I got my head stuck in the fry bed!"

** Whatever SpongeBob did at the Christmas party mentioned multiple times in the episode about Patrick's box.

** The time Mr. Krabs left SpongeBob alone at the Krusty Krab with a [[Noodle Implements|welding torch and rollerskates]]. This somehow ended with the Krusty Krab on fire.

** Apparently, one time Patrick forgot how to eat and needed to be fed with a funnel. Another time, he ended up somehow choking on his remote control.

* [[No Party Like a Donner Party]]: Played with in "To Save A Squirrel".

* [[No Sense of Personal Space]]: SpongeBob (target: Squidward)

** This is even worse since he DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT CLAUSTROPHOBIA IS:

'''Patrick''': What does that mean?

'''SpongeBob''': It means he's afraid of Santa Claus. }}

* [[Ominous Music Box Tune]]: SpongeBob's "whistly holes".

* [[Ominous Pipe Organ]]: Heard in "Something Smells" when SpongeBob, convinced he's ugly, played a pipe organ in his house. Pipe organ motifs are also heard throughout "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost".

* [[One-Scene Wonder]]: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPlAagCXYeI&feature=related The "DEEEUUAGH" fish, who shows up for about five seconds in "Something Smells",] has spawned a [[Memetic Mutation|meme]].

* [[The One Who Wears Shoes]]: SpongeBob himself. Sandy's diving suit could also count.

** {{spoiler|Gary wears little sneakers under his shell, as seen in "Your Shoe's Untied".}}

* [[Onion Tears]]: Three times in "My Pretty Seahorse".

** Also seen in "Something Smells" when SpongeBob chops onions for his sundae.

* [[Opening Shout-Out]]: Used in "Truth or Square". "Who lives in a rock on the sea floor? PATRICK STARFISH!"

* [[Opposite Day]]: The eponymous episode from season 1.

* [[Overly Long Scream]]: Plankton did it once in the episode where he and Mr. Krabs switch places.

** Squidward's scream when SpongeBob and Patrick walk in on him during his bath, in a scene from "Have You Seen This Snail?" that has been subjected to [[Memetic Mutation]].

* [[Parental Bonus]]: And how! Nosferatu, Dune and so on.

** And Flats the Flounder, if you know that it's Biff Tannen voicing him.

** A musical bonus: In the episode where Patrick becomes smart when he switches his brain with brain coral, he mentions a clarinet piece by "Cornelius Bumpfish". Someone on the writing team must like Steely Dan, whose clarinetist was a man named Cornelius Bumpus.

* [[Parents for a Day]]: SpongeBob and Patrick in "Rock-A-Bye Bivalve". SpongeBob was [[Gender Bender|the mother]]. Patrick wanted to be the mother, but SpongeBob said he shouldn't because he doesn't wear a shirt.

* [[Party of One]]: "I Had an Accident".

* [[Perfectly Cromulent Word]]: Patrick invents the word "wumbo" in one Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy episode.

** This happened to the Flying Dutchman TWICE. Once was when he tried to enslave Patrick and SpongeBob (they made horrible minions) and another time was when he bought SpongeBob from Mr. Krabs (SpongeBob was too annoying for him to keep).

* [[Please, I Will Do Anything!]]: SpongeBob gets Squidward to try a Krabby Patty.

* [[Pooled Funds]]: Squidward does this on a pile of Krabby Patties after he becomes addicted to them. Mr. Krabs does this with money.

* [[The Power of Rock]]: In [[The Movie]] and an early episode, "Band Geeks".

* [[Rapid-Fire Comedy]]

* [[Raw Eggs Make You Stronger]]:

* [[Reading the Stage Directions Out Loud]]: Patrick.

'''Patrick:''' (whimpering) Why, thank you, Sandy. I would love one. Take patty. ''(Takes patty)'' Too bad SpongeBob isn't here. These are his favorites. I sure wish he'd come home. Take...bite...out of patty ''(Bursts into tears)'' }}

* [[Real After All]]: The Sea Bear.

** Santa in "Christmas Who?".

* [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]]: Patrick gives one to SpongeBob near the end of "Dumped":

* [[Rebus Bubble]]: "Sponge... + Starfish = ...Scallop???"

* [[Recursive Adaptation]]: The [[Tie-in Novel]] ''For the Love of Bubbles'' was [[The Film of the Book|adapted into]] the episode "What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?" which was in turn [[Novelization|adapted into]] the [[Tie-in Novel|Tie-In Novels]] ''WhoBob WhatPants?'' and ''My Name is CheeseHead''.

* [[Red Oni, Blue Oni]]: SpongeBob and Squidward.

* [[Repeat What You Just Said]]: In "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost":

'''SpongeBob''': Patrick, say that again.

'''Patrick''': That again.

'''Patrick''': Nevermind, I have an idea! }}

* [[Repetitive Name]]: Dr. Gill Gilliam.

* [[Riddle for the Ages]]: The secret formula of the Krabby Patty.

* [[Ridiculympics]]: The Fry Cook games, including events such as patty throwing, artistic ice cream diving, bun wrestling...

* [[Roger Rabbit Effect]]: SpongeBob and Patrick with [[David Hasselhoff]].

* [[Rousing Speech]]: In "Band Geeks":

'''Evelyn:''' A fireman.

'''SpongeBob:''' And Larry, when your heart gave out from all those tanning pills, who revived you?

'''Harold (in German accent):''' Yeah, for the fireman!

'''All:''' Hooray! }}

* [[Rubber Forehead Aliens]]: Man Ray

* [[Ruined FOREVER]]: Mocked [[In-Universe]]. Patchy's reaction upon seeing "just a bunch of cheap walk cycles", thinking it was the [[Missing Episode|lost episode]] he was excitedly counting down to. He threw out all of his SpongeBob stuff, even his [[Goofy Print Underwear]] by ripping it ''out of his pants.''

'''Potty:''' Sheesh, what a hothead! }}

* [[Rule of Funny]]: Laughbox

* [[Rule of Three]]: In the first season episode "Jellyfishing", Patrick helping an injured Squidward hold a jellyfish net.

* [[Running Gag]]: "My leg!"

* [[Sadist Show]]: There has been an awful lot of [[Comedic Sociopathy]] in the later seasons.

* [[Safety Worst]]: In "I Had an Accident", after getting a "broken butt" after a sandboarding wipeout, SpongeBob takes a doctor's orders to be more careful too far and becomes a shut-in.

* [[Scenery Censor]]: Mermaid Man in one episode, with Gary blocking his crotch until he can get a towel on; spoofed with SpongeBob in the episode "Nature Pants", as he has nothing to hide and in fact spent some...er, most shots without his crotch obscured

* [[Schmuck Bait]]- Would anyone care for a bon bon?

* [[Screwed by the Network]]: On their Nicktoons channel, as it only airs when most people are asleep. You were probably confused when you saw this trope on this page if you don't get Nicktoons. (That's probably because they don't ''need'' to air it on Nicktoons.)

** Might just be me, but is this this show leaning towards this trope on their main channel? I mean seriously, this show seems to be suffering [[Schedule Slip]].

* [[Seldom-Seen Species]]: Sponge. Also squid and plankton.

* [[Sensitive Guy and Manly Man]]: SpongeBob and Patrick.

* [[Shaped Like What It Sells]]: Glove World is made of many different buildings shaped like gloves.

** The Chum Bucket is in the shape of a giant bucket.

* [[She Is Not My Girlfriend]]: Patrick had to go undercover (because he thinks someone is going to kick him out of town), so he dressed up as "Patricia". SpongeBob had to tell a few folks "she" wasn't his GF.

* [[Ship Tease]]: SpongeBob and Sandy (occasionally).

* [[Shout-Out]]:

** Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy reference both the [[Batman (TV series)|Batman TV series]] and [[Aquaman|Aquaman and Aqualad and Manta Ray is based off of Black Manta]].

** At one point in the Flying Dutchman's failed attempt to scare SpongeBob, he takes the form of a horrible, worm-like monster with the head of J. R. "Bob" Dobbs, complete with pipe.

** "King needs food badly!"

** "Look, SpongeBob! [[Dune|Wormsign!]]" ''[[Visual Pun|*Cue a shot of a picket sign reading "Worm".*]]''

** In Rule of Dumb, "[[Spider-Man (film)|With great power comes great responsibility.]]"

** In the episode “Sailor Mouth”, there is a shoutout to [[George Carlin]]’s [[Seven Dirty Words]] routine in this exchange:

'''Squidward''': Don’t you mean they’re only seven?

** In "New Student Starfish", Patrick's climb up the mountain of light bulbs has a brief shout out to [[The Price Is Right]]'s Cliff Hanger Game, complete with yodeling and lederhosen.

** During the tenth anniversary special, [[Robin Williams]] asked Patchy if he knew [[Hook|Captain Hook]]. Granted, this is [[Robin Williams]] we're talking about, so that line was likely to have been ad-libbed, but still...

** In "Squidbob Tentaclepants," Sandy's teleportation device bears a striking resemblance to [[The Fly|Brundle's telepods.]]

* [[Shrine to Self]]: Squidward, who only recreates himself in art.

* [[Signature Laugh]]: Most of the characters have distinctive laughs:

** SpongeBob's dolphin giggle

* [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]]: Interestingly this is a concept that slowly drifted from one to the other. The show was originally cheerful and vaguely sentimental, but has nowadays become harsher and darker in its comedy.

* [[Slobs Versus Snobs]]: "Battle of Bikini Bottom"

** The newer seasons are by no means immune. One early post-movie episode, ''Wishing You Well'' ended with Mr. Krabs being wished away and ''almost eaten''. He was fine in time for the next episode.

* [[Snarky Non-Human Sidekick]]:

* [[Snow Means Cold]]: During wintertime, it always snows in Sandy's treedome.

* [[Somebody Doesn't Love Raymond]]: Both SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs refuse to accept anyone can hate Krabby Patties (the plot device for ''Just One Bite'' and arguably ''Plankton's Regular'').

* [[Sorry I Left the BGM On]]: Used several times, first when Plankton pulls out a tiny record player from [[Hammerspace]] to provide musical accompaniment for his [[Evil Laugh]].

** The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX-DB7JaNPM second time he does this] is a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]].

** The episode ''Clams'' an ominous tune starts up, Krabs takes notice. He discovers a full orchestra playing the song.

* [[Sound Effect Bleep]]: "Hey, Patrick, how the [DOLPHIN CHIRP] are ya?"

** This has been a ''very'' popular source of parody on [[YouTube]], most involving editing cuss words in.

** Subverted with "Krusty Love." SpongeBob's cursing is filtered into nonsense vocal noises.

* [[So Unfunny It's Funny]]: The show had this, especially in the earlier episodes. The real king is this gem:

* [[Special Edition Title]]: "Christmas Who?" (done as ''The SpongeBob Christmas Special''), "Whatever Happened to SpongeBob?" (done as ''WhoBob WhatPants''), and "Truth or Square" (done with a remade version of the theme song and stop-motion animation).

* [[Sphere Eyes]]: SpongeBob himself.

* [[Split-Screen Phone Call]]: Parodied in "Jellyfishing" as well as many other episodes.

* [[Spotlight-Stealing Title]]

* [[Springtime for Hitler]]: It's theorized that all episodes after [[The Movie]] are this, as it was Stephen Hillenburg's intention to end it after the aforementioned movie.

* [[Stock Audio Clip]]: SpongeBob's signature laugh, as well as the offscreen guy shouting "My leg!"

* [[Straw Loser]]: It takes a [[Butt Monkey]] to make SpongeBob and Patrick look like winners, Squidward apparently fills that role.

* [[Stupid Crooks]]: SpongeBob and Patrick deliberately attempted to rob a bank in order to try and break Mrs. Puff out of jail from the inside. For masks, both characters wore socks over their heads, which covered their eyes and didn't allow them to see where they were going, and the bank teller treats the entire ordeal as a normal exchange, asking SpongeBob for his name and ID (which he gladly hands over), pulling up his checking and savings accounts, and bluntly informing SpongeBob that he has no money in either account.

* [[Stupid Sexy Flanders]]: In "Squilliam Returns":

* [[Suckiness Is Painful]]: Patrick's self-composed song in "Sing A Song Of Patrick", which is so awful that it [[Brown Note|actually]] ''[[Brown Note|kills]]'' the band that records it.

** [[Giftedly Bad|Squidward's clarinet skills...]]

* [[Suddenly Voiced]]: In "The Secret Box", SpongeBob asks Gary if he thinks his plan is good. Gary replies with, "Hmm... ''NO''."

* [[Suddenly Fluent in Gibberish]]:

* [[Sue Donym]]: In "Fear of a Krabby Patty", Plankton gives his name as "Peter Lankton". It is later shortened to "P. Lankton".

** "Hey, wait a second... is this a prank call?"

* [[Supreme Chef]]: Jim

* [[Surrounded by Idiots]]: Squidward -- ''[[Bigtime]]''.

* [[Synchronized Swarming]]: Plankton rallies his extended family to aid him in finally stealing the Krabby Patty secret formula.

* [[Talk Like a Pirate]]: Krabs, SpongeBob, and Patrick do this in "Aargh!" Sponge and Patrick take it to an absurd degree, though:

'''Krabs''': Out with it, man, aargh!

'''Patrick''': I think, aargh, he's trying, aargh, to say, aargh... (crashes the boat) Land.

* [[Team Rocket Wins]]: Plankton in Wishing You Well and the movie

** Squilliam in Squilliam Returns

* [[Teeth Flying]]: SpongeBob has to impersonate Mr. Krabs at his Navy reunion. One of Krab's buddies asks to punch him in the "armor abs", resulting in one of his teeth coming loose. The others are disappointed that he only lost one tooth, until he spits out a few more, and then ''his skeleton'' and the others declare, "Now that's manly!"

* [[Tempting Fate]]: A textbook example occurs in "Wet Painters," when SpongeBob and Patrick have to paint Mr. Krabs' house of valuable collectibles. Cue Murphy's Law, involving a giant paint bubble:

'''Patrick:''' Ooh! I know! ''(produces a bubble wand, dips in into the paint, and blows another giant paint bubble)'' ''Two'' giant paint bubbles!

'''SpongeBob:''' NOOOOOOOOOO!

'''Patrick:''' Nonsense! ''(produces a bike pump to hook up to the paint bubble, inflating it further)'' }}

** Also, in "Can You Spare a Dime?":

'''Narrator:''' Three weeks later...

'''SpongeBob:''' He's just having a hard time getting his confidence back.

* [[That Cloud Looks Like...|That Cloud Looks Like A Flower]]: SpongeBob watches the clouds go by with Sandy, who then reminds him they are all flowers.

* [[Theme Tune Cameo]]: SpongeBob hums the show's credits theme (usually not heard due to Nickelodeon's [[Credits Pushback]]) in "Krabs vs. Plankton".

* [[They Plotted a Perfectly Good Waste]]: A lot of post-movie episodes don't seem to rely much on a plot as they used to. One notable example is the episode "The Splinter", where SpongeBob gets, well, [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]. This particular episode had no plot whatsoever and instead of some fancy way to get it out, we are treated to 11 minutes of [[Nausea Fuel]], and near the end, Mr. Krabs simply pulled it out in a way too predictable fashion to simply end it. Apparently, the creators believed [[Squick]] was hilarious and played out this episode to expect some [[Played for Laughs|laughs]] from viewers, but [[Epic Fail|epically failed]] in doing so.

* [[The Thing That Would Not Leave]]:

** Squidward, when he loses his job in 'Can You Spare A Dime?'.

** SpongeBob when he has to take a vacation.

** [[Berserk Button|My Name's! NOT! RICK!]]

** BIG! MEATY! CLAWS!

* [[Three Wishes]]: At the end of "Shanghaied".

** {{spoiler|Squidward}} receives one at the end of {{spoiler|''Love That Squid''.}}

* [[Tie-in Novel]]

* [[Tomato in the Mirror]]: {{spoiler|"Wait a minute, Patrick... ''I'm'' the maniac!"}}

* [[Tom Kenny]]: In his most iconic role to date.

** Not just Pat and SpongeBob, the entire cast, including random extras, tend to do incredibly stupid things.

* [[Took a Level In Dumbass]]: SpongeBob and Patrick after the movie.

** Sandy to an extent following the second season.

* [[Troubled Fetal Position]]: Played for laughs with Squidward in "Band Geeks", after another screw-up by his slapdash marching band.

* [[Two-Timer Date]]: Averted; you see, SpongeBob had ''three'' appointments booked for the same time, not two.

* [[Umpteenth Customer]]: A customer gets this for giving Mr. Krabs his millionth dollar earned. He gets no prize; he and the others just get thrown out so that Krabs can enjoy the dollar in peace. He does reward his workers, though... with a fishing trip.

** In ''Krabby Road'' we are given a brief glimpse at the formula. However the ingredients are [[Unusual Euphemism|nonsense words comprised of random letters]] akin to something a frustrated person might type when banging on a keyboard.

** A book detailing the series claimed to have the secret formula at the end. {{spoiler|All it read was, in .5-point font, "Congratulations! You know how to use a magnifying glass!"}}

* [[Unsound Effect]]: Plankton makes habit out of saying these.

* [[Unstoppable Rage]]: Patrick was tearing up the carnival in the Valentine's Day episode after he only got a handshake (while SpongeBob got other people roses, a box of chocolates, and a bike).

* [[Unusual Euphemism]]: "Fishpaste!" "Barnacles!" "Tartar Sauce!" etc.

* [[Vague Age]]: SpongeBob lives on his own and holds down a job, yet is considered a "kid" by some. However, a few episodes give his DOB. Possibly justified when considering his mental age, or the long lifespan of actual sponges.

** And he has HUNDREDS of employee of the month awards by the time The Movie takes place. Employee of the month awards that would take 37 years and two months just to win.

** His drivers license says he was born in 1986. So [[Word of God]] is he's twenty three putting the series in 2009.

* [[Valentine's Day Episodes]]: "Valentine's Day".

* [[Verbal Tic]]: In Rock Bottom, you actually need to raspberry between words (i.e.: '''JUST''' * PPPTPTPTP* '''LIKE''' * PTPTPT* '''THIS''') in order for you to be understood.

* [[Villain Song]]: The pirate ghosts from "Ghost Fools" get one.

* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Type 1 with SpongeBob and Squidward.

* [[Vocal Evolution]]: [[Tom Kenny]]'s SpongeBob voice was somewhat deeper and nasal in earlier seasons, before becoming higher pitched and childlike later on.

* [[Watching the Sunset]]: With Squidward.

* [[Water Is Air]]: Most noticeable in the episode involving a wind storm that causes SpongeBob's holes to whistle.

** SpongeBob and friends are also perfectly capable of falling off cliffs, taking baths...

** Mermaid Man. "To the meatloaf... AWAY!"

* [[What Do You Mean It's Not Heinous?|What Do You Mean, It's Not Heinous?]]: SpongeBob tends to overreact whenever he makes a single mistake during his job, like being late by a minute, accidentally giving a customer a large-sized soda instead of a medium one, being out of napkins...

* ~What Do You Mean, It Wasn't Made On Drugs?~: "Squidward in Clarinet Land" is a possible example.

** Karate Island maybe.

** ''"Welcome to Squidward's Tiki Land..."''

** The Fly of Despair from "Shanghaied".

* [[Who's on First?]]: "Good Ol' Whatshisname", in which Squidward tries to find out the name of a mystery customer.

* [[Who's Watching the Store?]]: Only three people operate the Krusty Krab, and all three are not always at work at the same time.

* [[World of Cardboard Speech]]: SpongeBob performs one at the end of [[The Movie]]. [[Crazy Awesome|Then]] [[The Power of Rock|after that...]]

* [[Worlds Smallest Violin]]: In a scene from "Squilliam Returns" in which Mr. Krabs plays the World's Smallest Violin as a variant of this trope.

'''Squidward''': This is serious!

'''Mr. Krabs''': I know. This really ''is'' the World's Smallest Violin. See? (camera focuses on his claw to show World's Smallest Violin) }}

* [[Wrong Genre Savvy]]: Mr. Krabs in ''Born Again Krabs''.

* [[Xtreme Kool Letterz]]: The Krusty Krab.

* [[Yank the Dog's Chain]]: Some episodes tend to do this to both Squidward and Plankton. Used so often in the later seasons that it's almost the show's signature trope.

** SpongeBob whenever he tries to get his driver's license.

* [[Your Television Hates You]]: In "Idiot Box", Squidward is trying to forget about SpongeBob and Patrick playing in their box, but everything on TV is about boxes, even [[Visual Pun|boxing]].

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{{reflist}}

[[Category:The Nineties]]

[[Category:The Renaissance Age of Animation]]

[[Category:Animal Title Index]]

[[Category:Western Animation]]

[[Category:Nickelodeon]]