Nature Pants

Spoiler warning! This article contains plot details about an episode you may not have seen. Read with care!

 

Nature Pants is the 18th episode of the Nickelodeon series, Spongebob Squarepants. The episode begins with Spongebob imaging himself and the Krabby Patties he is cooking transforming into Jellyfish and flying away from the Krusty Krab to Jellyfish Fields. Mr. Krabs enters the actual room, which is filled with smoke from burnt Krabby Patties. When the Patties catch fire, Spongebob then incorrectly uses a fire extinguisher to put it out, before a fire man uses Spongebob to put out the blaze. Mr. Krabs meets with Spongebob in his office, where he scolds him for being distracted. Spongebob tells Mr. Krabs his plan to live in the wild with the jellyfish, and Mr. Krabs immediately begins to try to talk him out of it to no avail. Spongebob leaves the Krusty Krab, and heads to his front yard, where he gives his possessions to his friends. Spongebob gives Squidward his can opener, and Patrick a large jar of mayonnaise, several old phone books, and his prized jelly fishing net, Ol' Reliable. Sandy walks up to the scene and also tries to talk him out of living with the jellyfish to no avail. Spongebob then walks across the street, removes his clothes, and runs away buzzing, leaving the others in anguish. Walking away from the scene, Sandy only gives Spongebob a week to remain in the wild, while Squidward tosses down the can opener and gives him only eleven minutes, leaving Patrick alone with Ol' Reliable. Spongebob is then seen in Jellyfish Fields, where he unsuccessfully tries to blend in with the jellyfish.

He then smells the wondrous scent of a Krabby Patty, and happens upon Sandy and Patrick, who are having an scripted picnic. Patrick tries to convince Spongebob to return home in his lines, which he poorly acts. After breaking character, Patrick says that he missed Spongebob, that Sandy missed Spongebob, and that even Squidward missed Spongebob. Spongebob explains that he was happy in the wild, and that he wasn't coming home. After this, Sandy drags a sullen Patrick out of Jellyfish Fields.

Spongebob then returns to the jellyfish before quickly being interrupted by a crazed Patrick, who tries to kidnap Spongebob by catching him in Ol' Reliable, and putting him in the mayonnaise jar to be placed on Patrick's mantle. He chases Spongebob around Jellyfish Fields, before Spongebob finally is able to hide in a nest. Patrick then breaks Ol' Reliable and leaves, quite saddened. Spongebob feels no remorse for Patrick's depression and begins to eat the jelly that is inside the nest. The jellyfish arrive, and run Spongebob out of the nest by stinging him on multiple occasions, forcing him into a cold cave. While in the cave, Spongebob then begins to feel itchy and he finds that he is being attacked by poisonous sea urchins and he leaves the cave.

Spongebob begins to walk back to Bikini Bottom, and he walks by the Krusty Krab, Sandy's House, and back up to his front door, where he admits that he made a mistake in giving up all his friends for the wild. He walks in to find Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Patrick, Sandy, and Gary throwing him a welcome home party. Mr. Krabs gives Spongebob his job back and Squidward returns him his pants. They all hug, before everyone except Spongebob begins to itch of the urchins Spongebob had attack him to end the episode.

Triva

• 18th appearance of Spongebob Squarepants.
• 4th appearance of Sandy, first since Sandy's Rocket.
• 15th appearance of Squidward, 4th straight. 
• 12th appearance of Patrick, first since Sandy's Rocket.
• 7th appearance of Mr. Krabs, 3rd straight.
• 11th time Plankton doesn't appear since his debut, 11th straight.
• 9th appearance of Gary, 4th straight. 
• This episode marks the debut of Ol' Reliable, which would later appear in Best Day Ever and The Pink Purloiner.
• Squidward breaks the fourth wall by saying eleven minutes on his estimate of Spongebob's time in the wild, as eleven minutes is the typical run time of an episode. This would occur on several other occasions in the series as well. 
• This episode was released on the Spongebob Goes Prehistoric (DVD). 

Characters Present

• Spongebob
• Patrick
• Sandy
• Mr. Krabs
• Squidward
• Gary
• Jellyfish
• Sea urchins

Quotes

• (Spongebob gives away his possessions in his front yard)
• Spongebob: "And Squidward, I want you to have my can opener!" 
• Squidward: "And I thought this friendship would never pay off." (walks away) (Patrick walks up)
• Patrick: (holds up jar of mayonnaise) "Are-are-are-are you sure you want to give me this mayonnaise?"
• Spongebob: "It's all yours." (Patrick puts down the mayonnaise, and picks up several large, old phone books)
• Patrick: "And these old phones books." (Spongebob walks away)
• Spongebob: "All yours old friend." (Spongebob walks back up with Ol' Reliable in hand) "Patrick, there is one more thing I want you to have.
• Patrick: "Oh!! (tosses the phone books away and takes Ol' Reliable out of the case) O-O-Old Reliable! (begins crying)
• (Sandy walks up)
• Sandy: "Howdy, Y'all! Hey Spongebob, ya having a garage sale?"
• Spongebob: "No Sandy, I'm giving up my material possessions to live in the wild with the jellyfish."
• Sandy: nick is crazy schemes! Why would you want to live with the jellyfish?! They cold and mean and none-too-bright." (Spongebob pats Sandy's air helmet)
• Spongebob: "Oh ho Sandy! That's exactly the response I would expect from someone who lives the sham of a live that I once lived. I'm going to prove that I don't need all this stuff to be happy." (begins to walk across the street) "Maybe someday, you'll wise up and join me. Goodbye!" (moves behind a bush and removes his clothes) "I won't be needing these." (makes buzzing noises as he runs away)
• (back to Sandy, Squidward, and Patrick)
• Squidward: "He took off his pants."
• Sandy: (shakes her head) "I'll give him a week."
• Squidward: (tosses down can opener) "I give him eleven minutes."
• (They both walk away, leaving Patrick)
• Patrick: "Patrick SAD!!!!"
• (Spongebob sees Patrick and Sandy having a picnic in Jellyfish Fields)
• Sandy: "Here Patrick, have a Krabby Patty." (they see Spongebob) "There he is Patrick, say your line!"
• (Patrick turns and poorly acts out his line)
• Patrick: "Why thank you, Sandy. I would love one. Take patty." (grabs patty) "To bad Spongebob isn't here, these are his favorites. I sure wish he'd come home. Take bite." (attempts to take bite but breaks character) "I can't do it!" (turns toward a bewildered Spongebob) "Spongebob! Come back!"
• Spongebob: "Patrick, I'm not coming home."
• Patrick: "I miss you! Sandy misses you! (Sandy waves) Even Squidward misses you! (Squidward is seen throwing a party at his house)
• Spongebob: "I'm happy here. This is my home now." (walks away)
• (Sandy drags Patrick out of Jellyfish Fields)
• Patrick: "No!!!!! Spongebob!!!!!"

Air Date

September 11, 1999

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