SpongeBob SquarePants: Difference between revisions

** Based on the number of times Spongebob won the Employee of The Month in the movie, he is somewhere around thirty, which is young for a sponge.

*** Spongebob's age was revealed in a dream sequence once. His birthday was listed as July 14, 1986, making him 24. Still very young for a sponge, explaining his behavior.

** 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]]

** When SpongeBob gives Patrick a pedicure in Battle of Bikini Bottom. [[It Makes Sense in Context]], they were fighting in a [[Slobs Versus Snobs|battle between clean and dirty]] after seeing a re-enactment.

* [[April Fools Plot]]: "Fools in April"

{{quote| '''Flying Dutchman''': Who dares disturb the Flying Dutchman?<br />

'''SpongeBob''': That's it! This ship belongs to the Red Baron! }}

** Mr. Krabs in "Krabs a la Mode":

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

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

* [[Art Shift]]: Many in "Truth or Square": The opening is redone in really trippy stop-motion (with a new theme by Cee-Lo), a sequence [[Retraux|made to look like an old 1950's-esque TV commercial]], and another [[Retraux]] sequence made to look like an old 1920's [[Mickey Mouse]] cartoon that shows SpongeBob going to work, and ''every single thing has a face.''

* [[Ascetic Aesthetic]]: Squidward time travelling into [[Ironic Hell|the middle of nowhere]].

* [[Ass Shove]]: Implied. While Patrick is wearing a pair of shorts with a built in pay-phone/walkie-talkie.

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

* [[Bad Job Worse Uniform]]: When Pearl turns the business into the Kuddly Krab.

** It's notable that this is rather Karmic, as it was a fight over the treasure (Patrick and SpongeBob wanted their shares, Krabs wanted it all) that woke up TFD in the first place.

* [[Beach Bury]]: SpongeBob buries a beach goer, Scooter, and then asks Bubble Buddy, his [[Companion Cube|inanimate friend]], to unbury him before the tide raises. We later see him as an angel.

* [[Camp]]: Squidward.

* [[Cannot Tell a Joke]]: Squidward

* [[Can't Stand Them Can't Live Without Them]]: Subverted in ''Nature Pants''. Patrick tearfully tells SpongeBob, "Even Squidward misses you!"; cut to Squidward celebrating the fact that SpongeBob's gone.

** Played straight in Squidsville. Squidward is initially delighted to live in a neighborhood where everyone lives and acts like him, but eventually is bored by it and starts playing with a reef blower like SpongeBob.

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

** Patrick too, though to a lesser extent.

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

{{quote| '''Mrs. Puff:''' I had no idea Spongebob had such a colourful vocabulary!<br />

* [[Cringe Comedy]]: The later seasons tend to rely on this.

* [[Crossover]]: Patchy the Pirate appears in the ''[[Big Time Rush (TV)|Big Time Rush]]'' special "Big Time Beach Party".

* [[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.

* [[Dance Sensation]]: "The Sponge".

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

{{quote| '''Man Ray''': How can I be evil with flavors this good?}}

** [[Lampshaded]] in one episode:

{{quote| '''Squidward:''' Patrick, just how dumb are you?<br />

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

** Patrick is more extreme. For example, he can short-circuit his brain at random. Taken ''past'' the logic extreme in one episode where he FORGETS HOW TO BREATHE!. "I'm With Stupid" mentions [[[[Noodle Incident]] Patrick also forgot how to eat at one point.

{{quote| '''Spongebob:''' ''(To Squidward, referring to a paper figure of them playing leapfrog)'' "This time you're on the top and I'm on the bottom!"}}

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

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

** Spongebob orders "A shot...[[Frothy Mugs of Water|of milk, two percent"]] at the Krusty Kantina, to which Squidward replies, "Think you can handle it?"

* [[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.

* [[Everything Explodes Ending]]: "Dying For Pie" ends with the exploding pie completely destroying Bikini Bottom, using [[Stock Footage]] from the Bikini Island nuclear tests to represent said explosion.

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

{{quote| '''Tom''': '''CHOCOLATE!? Did you say...CHOCOLATE!? [[Chewing the Scenery|CHOCOLAAAATTTTE!!!! CHOCOLAAAATTTTE!!!! CHOCOLAAAATTTTE!!!!''']]}}

* [[Evil Is Dumb]]

* [[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.

* [[Fat Best Friend]]: Patrick.

* [[Faux Horrific]]: A few times, like with Wormy.

* [[Flanderization]]: Most of the main characters since [[The Movie]]. SpongeBob has gone from a naive [[Genius Ditz]] to a frequent carrier of the [[Idiot Ball]], Patrick has become an extreme example of [[The Ditz]], Mr. Krabs's obsession with money has become his only defining trait and Squidward's [[Butt Monkey]] status has become full-blown [[Disproportionate Retribution]] (though Squidward himself hasn't been Flanderized, since he was a [[Jerkass]] since day one...)

** 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.

'''Spongebob''': Hi, I'm Spongebob! }}

* [[Flaying Alive]]: Surprisingly frequent.

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

** Advertiser selling Anchor Arms: [[Crowning Moment of Funny|"Now I'm a jerk and everybody loves me!"]]

* [[Flintstone Theming]]: Nearly everything is replaced by its underwater equivalent.

* [[Forgot to Pay The Bill]]: Subverted. SpongeBob thinks Gary did this when the electricity goes out, but it was actually caused by the Blue Jellyfish cutting the wires.

* [[For Inconvenience Press One]]: During a robot invasion.

* [[For the Evulz]]: "One Coarse Meal"

** May be more a case of [[Knight Templar]] or [[It Amused Me]], since Krabs often sees Plankton as far more evil than himself and deserving of whatever torture he gives him (even when it's unprovoked).

** SpongeBob: Sanguine

** Patrick: Phlegmatic

* [[Ha Ha Ha No]]: Mrs. Puff in ''Wishing You Well'', when SpongeBob asks if he can take a ride in her new hot rod.

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

{{quote| '''Sam''': What Patrick doing? Why Patrick talk to meanies?<br />

'''Patrick''': Umm......umm.....it's about your temper, sis.<br />

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

* [[Halloween Episode]]: "Scaredy Pants".

* [[Hammerspace]]: In episode "Fear of a Krabby Patty," a frantic, delusional SpongeBob gives Plankton just enough time to squeak out, "Hey where'd you get that piano?" Just before, [[Amusing Injuries|well, you know]].

'''Squidward''': Horseradish is not an instrument either.<br />

''(Patrick puts his hand down)'' }}

** Subverted with other characters however, particularly in the [[Sadist Show|later more sociopathic episodes]]. Mr. Krabs in particular has committed numerous [[Karma Houdini|Karma Houdinis]], 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.

* [[Hates Baths]]: An episode is devoted to Spongebob trying to get Gary to take a bath and failing.

* [[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]].

** SpongeBob's healing factor is so powerful that there are several gags involving [[Spong Bob]]'s arms or legs being ripped or broken off. One hilarious example is in the episode "The Graveyard Shift", where Mr. Krabs decides that the Krusty Krab will be open 24 hours a day. So Squidward and SpongeBob are stuck there all night. To pass the time, Squidward tells a scary story about the "Hash-Slinging Slasher". SpongeBob bites his nails...then chews his fingers off...then his arms are being fed into his [[Buzzsaw Jaw]] as soon as they regenerate...[[Overly Long Gag|and then he eats a bucket of his arms like a bucket of popcorn.]]

*** [[I Thought Everyone Could Do That]]: When Squidward gets to the part where the Hash-Slinging Slasher cut off his own hand, SpongeBob doesn't react. In fact, he even demonstrates. Then Squidward explains that it didn't grow back, and suddenly SpongeBob is terrified.

{{quote| '''SpongeBob''': How come it takes more than one squirrel to screw in a lightbulb?<br />

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

* [[Literal Junk Food]]: In the episode "Just One Patty", Squidward is desperately trying to get a Krabby Patty without anyone finding out, going so far as to say that he'll even eat one off the garbage. Sure enough, a customer throws away his patty and Squidward dives right in. [[Funny Moments (Sugar Wiki)|He ends up eating everything except the patty]].

* [[Lost Him in A Card Game]]: Mr. Krabs lost SpongeBob to Plankton.

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

** Also referred to on "Sleepy Time". When [[SpongeBob]] meets Gary in the dreamworld, the now erudite Gary tries to explain to him the concept of dreams as a view to another world. When an [[Emily Dickinson]] poem goes over SB's head, Gary recites one more his speed: "There once was an old man from Peru; Who dreamed he was eating his shoe; He woke with a fright; In the middle of the night; To find that his dream had come true".

* [[Massive Multiplayer Crossover]]:

** The ''[[Nicktoons Unite]]'' series of video games. It's subject to the [[The Problem With Licensed Games|rule]].

* [[Meat O Vision]]: Subverted in "Fear of a Krabby Patty", where SpongeBob develops a fear of Krabby Patties, and sees Mr. Krabs and the customer as them.

* [[Medium Blending]]: Above the surface of the water, everything's in live-action.

* [[The Millstone]]: Patrick fits more than the usual. Whenever SpongeBob or anyone has a plan, Patrick is sure to screw it up, or do something stupid to make it worse.

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

* [[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.

* [[Mundane Wish]]: The episode "Shanghaied" had Patrick waste the first wish the Flying Dutchman gave him and SpongeBob on wishing that he knew about the wishes earlier. In one of the alternate [[Multiple Endings]], Patrick used the third and final wish on a pack of gum.

* [[Musical Episode]]: "Atlantis SquarePantis". It's [[Justified Trope|justified]] (partially), though, in that Atlantean technology is [[Disco Tech|powered by singing]].

* [[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.

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

* [[Obstacle Ski Course]]: (While snowboarding, on a sand mound, using his ''tongue'' as board.)

* [[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 Mans Trash Is Anothers Treasure]]:... but for Mr. Krabs, ''all'' trash is treasure.

** Probably one of the only shows to feature this for a ''location''; Rock Bottom has only been visited in one episode in the first season (of nine), but a level based on it appears in almost ''every'' video game based on the series and has a roller coaster themed around it in the Mall of America.

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

** The Tattletale Strangler's reaction to SpongeBob.

** 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).

* [[Plot Sensitive Latch]]: In the episode "Krabs Vs. Plankton", Mr. Krabs is sued by Plankton for slipping in the Krusty Krab, and his lawyer is indisposed, giving SpongeBob his briefcase, which he claims contains everything necessary to win the case. Unfortunately, the lawyer neglects to tell SpongeBob the combination to the lock, so he spends most of the trial struggling to open it. At the last possible moment, the briefcase opens, revealing {{spoiler|a Krabby Patty, which is used to lure Plankton out of his ruse and lose the trial.}}

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

** One episode has a giant clam behaving this way. Everyone thinks it was because a peanut had been thrown at it; turns out Mr. Krabs stole its egg.

** There was also one episode in which Gary is entirely unruly and goes around biting people. Turns out it was from a piece of Squidward's makeshift security fence, almost making this example a parody.

* [[Raw Eggs Make You Stronger]]:

** In the episode "The Great Snail Race", [[SpongeBob]] puts Gary through Training from Hell to win the titular race. At one point, he maxes Gary an "energy drink" which includes raw eggs, simply "because it's a cliche!"

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

** Santa in "Christmas Who?".

{{quote| '''Patrick:''' I'm sorry, SpongeBob, but Gary's with me now. You had your chance and you failed. You have to stop living in the past. Face it SpongeBob, you're only hurting yourself. It's what Gary wants, and what Gary wants is me!}}

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

* [[Removable Shell]]: Gary has sometimes, depending on the episode. Sometimes the shell lifts up to show something hidden inside; sometimes the shell is Bigger on the Inside and [[SpongeBob]] is able to crawl into it; and sometimes cracking the shell exposes Gary's veiny, throbbing innards.

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

{{quote| '''Patrick''': He [Squidward] really needs to get up to the great beyond.<br />

* [[Shout Out]]:

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

*** From that same episode, when Squidward observes the creepy occurrences in the Krusty Krab, he ends with: [[The Amityville Horror|"And the walls will ooze green slime!]] ... Oh wait, they always do that."

** Mr. Krabs (shouting in response to Sandy about why there's only one fast-food restaurant in Bikini Bottom) "...There can be only one, drylander!" (Mr. Krabs is Clancy Brown, who played The Kurgan in ''[[Highlander (Film)|Highlander]]'').

** 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.

{{quote| '''Squidward:''' Why couldn't the 11-year old go to the pirate movie? It was rated [[Incredibly Lame Pun|Aaaarrrrrgh.]] }}

* [[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).

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

* [[Spoiled Brat]]: Pearl.

* [[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.

** Just look at the list of episodes on the ''[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SLEDHY/ref=pe_5140_16854490_snp_dp 10 Happiest Moments]'' DVD. Only ''one'' of them is from a season above season three...

* [[Throw the Dog A Bone]]: Squidward in 'Band Geeks', 'House Fancy', 'Enchanted Tiki Dream' and 'Suction Cup Symphony'. Plankton and Mrs Puff in 'Wishing You Well'.

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

* [[Toilet Humor]]: Patrick's Stomach in Something Smells. SpongeBob cleaning a toilet as an actor for a sponge in a commercial.

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

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

** Sandy to an extent following the second season.

** The Flying Dutchman gave Spongebob and Patrick up as slave crewmen in "Shanghaied" because they were incredibly bad at it. In a subversion, rather than letting them go, he planned to eat them, but they escaped. Then the Dutchman catches them, but he offers them three wishes before they're eaten. After accidentally using up two of their wishes, they use their final wish to turn the Dutchman into a vegetarian. But then they appear in a blender, somehow transformed into fruit, with the Dutchman preparing to eat them.

** In a third Flying Dutchman example, namely "Scaredy Pants", Spongebob is shaved down by Patrick to make him rounder for a sheet he uses as a Flying Dutchman costume to try to scare everyone in the Krusty Krab for Halloween. He fails miserably, but as the entire restaurant is laughing at him the real Dutchman arrives, angered by Spongebob's insulting costume and about to steal everyone's souls. He takes a moment before doing so to explain the concept of being scary to Spongebob, then removes the sheet... and flies away screaming when he sees the sponge had been shaved down to facial features, a brain, and a "spinal cord".

** One episode had Kevin the Sea Cucumber sits in a fetal position and cry for his mommy and blankie when attacked by a King Jellyfish. The other Jellyspotters join in shortly until Spongebob saves them all.

* [[Three Shorts|Two Shorts Format]]: There are occasional episodes containing a third short -- namely, the [[Pilot]] and five of the fifth season's episodes.

* [[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.

* [[Unreadably Fast Text]]: In "No Free Rides", SpongeBob's date of birth is given as 14 July 1986.

** 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!"}}

* [[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...

** '''[[Memetic Mutation|"CHOCOLATE?! CHOCOLATE!!!!"]]'''

** In the episode "Procrastination". As the name implies, SpongeBob grapples with his denial for hesitation in writing a 800-word essay. In one of his many time-wasting gimmicks, he spends an implied ludicrous amount of time and effort writing the "The" at the start of the paper, so the sequence ends up just looking "awesome" instead of being the [[Hard Work Montage]] it initially appears to be.

** And in one of the "Legends of Bikini Bottom" episodes, SpongeBob is unconscious due to his Krabby Patty meter being empty. Mr. Krabs gets him to eat one. He then blasts up, explodes into pieces, then regenerates after all of them land together, and then... '''[[Chewing the Scenery|"OHHHHHHHHH, YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"]]'''

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

* ~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".

{{quote| '''Mr. Krabs''': ''(Angrily)'' Smooth, [[SpongeBob]]. VERY smooth!}}

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

** Sometimes Squidward can cook when SpongeBob's not around, although he's not very good at it.

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

* [[X Must Not Win]]: While usually fine defending his own business, Mr Krabs is sometimes shown to have an unsettling grudge towards any minor success his rival Plankton gains, even so much as gaining ''one'' customer is enough for him to start on an obsessive vendetta in stealing Plankton's "business".

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

* [[Yes Man]]: The Jellyspotters