"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season one. In this episode, SpongeBob wins a conch shell in a contest to summon his heroes.

Characters

Synopsis

One Saturday morning, SpongeBob is watching his favorite show, The Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, while eating Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy Bran Flakes. He has entered a competition and is listening to see if he has won the mystery prize. The announcer pronounces the winner as "SpringBoob SquirePin," for his life-sized Krabby Patty mannequins of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. SpongeBob calls out that "SpringBoob SquirePin" stole his idea before the announcer announces that he has made a "slight" error in pronunciation and that the real winner is indeed SpongeBob SquarePants.

Within seconds, SpongeBob's prize is delivered to him. SpongeBob has won the conch signal, a conch which has a noise that is a signal which Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy respond to. SpongeBob blows the shell and Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy hear it from Shady Shoals, springing into action. When they arrive at SpongeBob's house, Mermaid Man at first think that he has been disfigured before Barnacle Boy recognizes him and points it out to his friend. He explains to them that he won the Conch Signal in a contest and that there is no danger. They then explain to him the importance of the signal and tell him that he must only use it for major emergencies.

Later on, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy hear the conch once again and rush to SpongeBob's house, where he appears to be dead on the floor. However, he then reveals that he simply is having trouble opening a jar of mayonnaise. Barnacle Boy is annoyed by this, but Mermaid Man reminds him that emergencies do not come around as often as they used to, and he tells SpongeBob that he can blow the conch "every once in a while." However, SpongeBob constantly calling Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy to help with normal everyday tasks. Eventually, the two heroes are exhausted and Barnacle Boy takes the item away and yells at SpongeBob who is in tears and apologizes, explaining that he just wanted to spend time with them. Barnacle Boy ignores his pleas and attempts to destroy the conch signal, but cannot bring himself to do so out of weariness.

Mermaid Man stops him from scolding SpongeBob and tells SpongeBob that the conch signal isn't good for him. As a result, they let SpongeBob join them on their daily patrol, with SpongeBob dressed as a superhero.

They do various activities, such as keeping lookout from on top of a tall building, and in the street, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy see an old man, who was once the Atomic Flounder. The two joke about how he could possibly return to villainy before SpongeBob attacks the old man, taking the joke seriously. They stop him as he explains his reason, not understanding that the man is no longer a villain or threat. Angered by this revelation, the Atomic Flounder pushes SpongeBob off of him as he yells at the heroes and blows atomic breath in Barnacle Boy's face before his head explodes. The fumed old man then storms off from the heroes.

At the diner, SpongeBob asks Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy what they will do the next day before they ask SpongeBob to find their theme song on a jukebox. As he tries to find it, they both remark he's a good kid but a pain and decide to "ditch" SpongeBob. Outside, however, they are attacked and trapped by their nemesis, the Dirty Bubble. When SpongeBob finally finds the song, which is the special dance mix version, he comes outside to tell them and sees their predicament. He asks the Dirty Bubble for his autograph, saying that he is his favorite super villain, and "accidentally" pops the Dirty Bubble with the tip of the pencil, saving the day.

The trio rides off in the invisible boatmobile, singing a Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy-themed version of "Jingle Bells" as the episode ends.

Production

Art

Music

( ‣ ) Associated production music

( • ) Original music

( ◦ ) SpongeBob music



‣

‣ Hawaiian Link (b) - Richard Myhill [opening]

‣ Arizona Fanfare - Jack Shaindlin [TV show starts]

‣ Caped Crusader - David Farnon [knocking down cardboard cutouts]

‣ Life on the Wild Side - Sam Spence [contest winner announced]

‣ ? - Gary Kettel [Timpani as the winner is announced]

‣ Timpani Glissando (b) - Gary Kettel ["SpringBoob SquirePin."]

‣ Life on the Wild Side - Sam Spence ["For these life-size Krabby Patty mannequins of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy."]

‣ ? - Gary Kettel [Timpani as the real winner is announced]

‣ Life on the Wild Side - Sam Spence ["SpongeBob SquarePants!"]

‣ Hymn of Achievement - Gregor F. Narholz [SpongeBob's prize]

‣ Caped Crusader - David Farnon [SpongeBob blowing the conch signal]

‣ Bat Stabs - David Farnon [Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy stop in midair]

‣ Caped Crusader - David Farnon [looking for invisible boatmobile]

‣ The Lineman - Sam Spence [Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy drive the invisible boatmobile to SpongeBob's house/Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy arrive at SpongeBob's house]

‣ Mourners D - Zsofia Taller ["He's been horribly disfigured!"]

‣ Exciting Action B - Mladen Franko ["All right, where's the danger, son?"]

‣ Vibe Link (b) - Richard Myhill ["No danger?"]

‣ Facing the Challenge [#13] - Gregor F. Narholz ["The conch signal is an awesome responsibility."]

‣ The Lineman - Sam Spence ["The conch signal!"]

‣ Beautiful Moonlit Night - Carl Maria Von Weber, George Wilson ["Oh, youth... cut down in its prime!"]

• SpongeBob Closing Theme - Steve Belfer, Nicolas Carr [opening a jar of mayonnaise]

‣ Secret Service - Syd Dale [conch signal montage]

‣ Hawaiian Cocktail - Richard Myhill [SpongeBob cries]

‣ South Pacific Island II - Victor Cavini ["Don't squash his enthusiasm."]

‣ The Lineman - Sam Spence ["To the Invisible Boatmobile!"]

‣ World in Action - Laurie Johnson [origami]

‣ Life on the Wild Side - Sam Spence [patrolling the city/"...just like that."]

• Seaweed - Steve Belfer [Atomic Flounder]

‣ Hawaiian Link (a) - Richard Myhill [exterior of diner]

‣ Hawaiian Hula - Terry Day [Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy ditch SpongeBob]

‣ Dramatic Encounter - Gregor F. Narholz ["What's the matter?"]

‣ Triumphant Return 2 [#28.02] - Gregor F. Narholz ["But I can't let my heroes down!"]

‣ House of Horror - W. Merrick Farran [Dirty Bubble introduced]

‣ Police Car - Sam Spence [Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy trapped inside Dirty Bubble]

‣ Dangerous B - Mladen Franko ["Oh no, you fool, stay back!"]

‣ Moloka'i Nui (a) - Kapono Beamer ["You saved us, son!"]

‣ Police Car - Sam Spence [sting at end]



Release

Trivia

General

This episode was originally titled "Twenty-five Words or Less" [2] or "25 Words or Less." [3]

or "25 Words or Less." Upon meeting with SpongeBob again, Barnacle Boy says, "It's just that sponge kid again," referring to when he and Mermaid Man met SpongeBob in the first "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" episode.

The scene where Barnacle Boy attempts to destroy the conch signal with his sulfur vision has become a popular internet meme.

In this episode, the Atomic Flounder appears as an actual flounder. However, in "The Bad Guy Club for Villains," he appears as a mutant.

This is the first episode to be a sequel to another episode.

It looks like Dirty Bubble died at the end of the episode, but he later returns in "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V."

This is the first appearance of the Mermalair.

Cultural references

The conch signal is a reference to the conch trumpet used by Triton in Greek mythology. It is also a reference to Batman's Bat-Signal.

The "Jingle Bells" song is a parody of a Batman and Robin-themed version of "Jingle Bells," of whom Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are respective parodies.

The Atomic Flounder's radioactive breath is a reference to the Japanese film character Godzilla.

Barnacle Boy’s exploded face resembles the great Gonzo from The Muppets.

Errors

When Mermaid Man tells SpongeBob that the conch signal is too much responsibility for him, the television in his house shows a red screen instead of a black screen or a moving picture.

In one frame, SpongeBob's superhero costume has the headband covering up his eyes. This also happens in the dining scene when the headband covers up the edges of SpongeBob's eyes. Plus, his eyelashes are missing.

Towards the end of the episode, when SpongeBob, Mermaid Man, and Barnacle Boy are singing the "Jingle Bells" parody, the latter's mouth does not move when they turn past the rock, even though he is singing.





Running gags

Barnacle Boy getting burnt, mainly by the invisible boatmobile.

SpongeBob blowing the conch signal for non-emergency purposes.

Video

Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy II YTV