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Encyclopedia SpongeBobia
This is the page about the episode. For other uses, see Lost in Time (disambiguation).

"Dunces and Dragons" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season 4. In this episode, SpongeBob and Patrick end up traveling to the Middle Ages, and have to go on a quest to defeat Planktonamor.

Characters[]

Synopsis[]

Act 1[]

Dunces and Dragons 012

SpongeBob and Patrick inside Medieval Moments

In the beginning of the episode, SpongeBob and Patrick are running up to the Medieval Moments stadium/restaurant to watch the jousting tournament. Upon their arrival, Morrie announces the tournament of The Horse Fight and asks for two volunteers to take part in the jousting, choosing SpongeBob and Patrick. Unaware that they are actually going to be in the tournament, and not just watching up close, they are forced to mount seahorses and start jousting against each other. They are both launched off of their seahorses into the air and land in a small field in 12th Century Bikini Bottom.

A large group of knights on seahorses surround the duo. They lock SpongeBob and Patrick in the dungeons, because they think they are evil. There they see an octopus playing a clarinet and failing. He expresses displeasure at this and promptly curses his descendant should he continue to fail. They think it is Squidward, but the octopus' name is actually Squidly. In the meantime, SpongeBob and Patrick still think this is part of the Medieval Moments tournament, until Squidly tells them about a dragon jellyfish zapping around the village, making SpongeBob and Patrick realize they went back in time.

Dunces and Dragons 098

SpongeBob and Squidly being released from the dungeon

Later, SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidly are sent to King Krabs, who orders them to be executed because of an insulting song they sing in front of him. However, Princess Pearl reminds her dad of a prophecy in a stained glass window, which says that two brave knights will fall from the sky and will be sent by the king and defeat the dragon controlled by the evil wizard Planktonamor that is destroying the kingdom. Just then, the dragon jellyfish smashes through the wall with the prophecy on it.

Under Planktonamor's orders, it kidnaps Pearl in order to kill her and effortlessly flicks King Krabs into the guillotine, smashing it just before SpongeBob can be executed. The dragon flies away, and King Krabs, who realized they are the chosen ones, begs SpongeBob and Patrick with forgiveness and tells them to rescue his daughter, treating them like royalty, and Squidly comes along as well after orders from King Krabs.

Act 2[]

Dunces and Dragons 317

SpongeBob running up the stairs

On the way, they stop off at the Blacksmith's shop to get some armor and weapons, only to find that all of the weapons are too heavy except for the jellyfish net. As they reach the bridge to Planktonamor's tower, they are attacked by a Dark Knight, who guards the bridge. The Dark Knight is revealed to be none-other than a medieval Sandy. A duel ensues, and although SpongeBob becomes stripped of his armor after the Dark Knight destroys it, he still ends up winning due to his karate prowess. After the battle, SpongeBob decides to spare her life. Amazed, the Dark Knight decides to follow SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidly on their quest and learn a trifle of karate, according to her.

Back at the King's castle, Krabs receives a note saying that Princess Pearl will die if he does not hand over the village and his throne. SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidly, and the Dark Knight climb an absurdly long flight of stairs to the top of the tower. Planktonamor battles SpongeBob, but his spells have almost no effect, while Patrick, Squidly, and the Dark Knight rescue Pearl. However, the dragon soon arrives and incapacitates everyone with its zaps except SpongeBob, who subdues the dragon with his jellyfish net, only for the dragon to zap itself free. Just as the dragon is about to finish off SpongeBob, he pulls out a Krabby Patty he had been saving for lunch. The dragon eats it (which Patrick thinks it's scary, but SpongeBob tells him that it's a good thing) and likes it so much that it becomes obedient to SpongeBob, zapping Planktonamor. The heroes return to the village to have their victory celebrated, and King Krabs is seen cooking Krabby Patties for the dragon. However, as soon as Squidly starts playing his clarinet, everybody hates it and they heckle him, and someone throws a rock at him. He bumps into the seahorses behind him, scaring them and launch SpongeBob and Patrick into the air.

Dunces and Dragons 400

Try telling that to Squidly.

They land back at the jousting tournament in the present, where SpongeBob wakes up and tells Patrick that all of this was just a dream. However, Patrick sits up revealing he had squashed Squidly, who is accidentally sent to the present as well, hinting they actually did travel through time, as the episode ends.

Production[]

This episode's plot was confirmed during April 2005 by Tom Kenny: "SpongeBob somehow travels back to the Middle Ages, where he meets Squidward's ancestor, the world's worst minstrel."[2]

This episode was in production on June 13, 2005.[3]

While the exact date is unknown, this episode's title was confirmed as early as July 12, 2005, being mentioned as "The World's Worst Minstrel" and "Squidward's Ancestors."[4]

This episode's final title and plot were confirmed on October 19, 2005.[5]

The episode would be completed at some point during said year, as Sherm Cohen mentioned that the press art he drew for Nick Magazine was done after the episode was finished (still in 2005) but before it aired (2006.)[6]

Promotional art[]

Storyboards[]

Deleted scene[]

In the animatic version featured on the Season 4 Volume 1, The Complete Fourth Season, 2-Season TV Pack, and The Third & Fourth Seasons DVDs, there's a deleted scene where SpongeBob and Patrick make sure they are okay after falling out of the sky. Another deleted scene involves a scene in which human-like "doppelgängers" of SpongeBob and Patrick appear. Patrick's doppelgänger wears a pointed hat and SpongeBob's doppelgänger has a neat, square-trimmed haircut. These scenes were cut for unknown reasons.

Art[]

Paintings[]

Model sheets[]

Music[]

 ) Production music
 ) Original music
 ) SpongeBob music

  Dunces & Dragons Cue 1 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Title card]
  Lap Steel - Nicolas Carr [opening]
  Whats This Sting - Nicolas Carr [SpongeBob and Patrick stop running]
  Dunces & Dragons Fanfare 1 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [fanfare]
  Dunces & Dragons Cue 2 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony ["Welcome to Medieval Moments."]
  Barbarian Fanfare - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [in the stadium]
  Dunces & Dragons Fanfare - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [fanfare]
  Tavern Tales - David Snell [jousting tournament announced]
  March to Battle - Laurie Johnson [SpongeBob and Patrick on seahorses]
  French Horns Gliss - Nicolas Carr [seahorses start galloping]
  Chariot Race - Helmuth Brandenburg [seahorses charging toward each other]
  Tymp Accent - Nicolas Carr [Patrick lands next to the pile of hay]
  Chariot Race - Helmuth Brandenburg [SpongeBob falls on Patrick]
  Entry of the Heroes A - Gregor F. Narholz [SpongeBob and Patrick surrounded by knights]
  Mounting the Scaffold 1 - Gregor F. Narholz [SpongeBob and Patrick locked in the dungeon]
  Squiddy Clarinet 1 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing clarinet]
  Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Dost thou talketh to me?"]
  Dunces & Dragons Cue 5 - Nicolas Carr ["Scoff not, young squire."]
  Squddy Clarinet 2 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing a clarinet note]
  Squidwerd's Lament - Steven Banks, Zeus Cervas, Andy Paley [Squidly sings]
  Squddy Clarinet 3 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing a clarinet note]
  Dragon is Here - Steven Banks, Andy Paley [Squidly sings again]
  Transformer Malfuction - Nicolas Carr [SpongeBob realizes they went back in time]
  The Wicked Witch - John Fox, Otto Sieben ["The king wants a word with you two."]
  Squiddy Clarinet 3 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing clarinet]
  Military Snare Transition - Nicolas Carr [Dungeon master takes SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidly outside]
  Dunces & Dragons Cue 3 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Krabs crying]
  Gong Of Doom - Nicolas Carr [Planktonamor's castle is shown]
  Slave Caravan 2 - Gregor F. Narholz ["It's that wretched wizard, Planktonamor!"]
  Dance Macabre - Keith Mansfield [SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidly sent in]
  Squddy Clarinet 4 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing a clarinet note]
  The King's To Blame - Steven Banks, Andy Paley [Squidly's song]
  Unknown Trumpet Fanfare - ? [King Krabs calls guards]
  Floating Fortress A - Gregor F. Narholz [guillotine]
  Death Bell - Nicolas Carr [Krabs makes a beheading gesture]
  Dunces & Dragons Cue 4A - Nicolas Carr [Choir]
  Dunces & Dragons Cue 4B - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Pearl explains the prophecy]
  Rescue - Cecil Milner [dragon kidnaps Pearl]
  Wargames Linking Section (G) - Keith Mansfield [SpongeBob at the guillotine]
  Hawaiian Cocktail - Richard Myhill [SpongeBob and Patrick crying]
  Conflict Link 2 - Richard Hill [Krabs crashes into the guillotine]
  Anguish - Richard Hill [Pearl screaming for help]
  Parting of the Clouds Sting - Nicolas Carr [Choir]
  Big Bad Giant - Paddy Kingsland ["You two! My apologies!"]
  Idea Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Huh? What's this?"]
  Steel Licks 22 - Jeremy Wakefield [lost piece of the prophecy]
  The Merry Hunters - Paddy Kingsland [SpongeBob and Patrick kick themselves out]
  Squddy Clarinet 5 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing clarinet]
  The Merry Hunters - Paddy Kingsland [SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidly leave the castle]
  Dunces & Dragons Cue 2 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [blacksmith]
  Final Resolution [#30.2] - Gregor F. Narholz ["I'll have the rent when I have it!"]
  Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Hmm..."]
  FlexTone Sting - Nicolas Carr [Blacksmith snaps his fingers]
  Hunting Rescue Call - Nicolas Carr [Patrick's helmet]
  Trumpet Call 1 - Sam Fonteyn [SpongeBob in a suit of armor]
  Retreat - Sam Fonteyn [Blacksmith gives SpongeBob a sword]
  Tymp Accent - Nicolas Carr [Sword lands in blacksmith's chest]
  Retreat - Sam Fonteyn [Blacksmith looking through weapons]
  3 Trumpets Overdub - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Blacksmith gives SpongeBob a jellyfish net]
  Dunces & Dragons Cue 2 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [SpongeBob packed a lunch of Krabby Patties]
  Death Bell - Nicolas Carr [Bell overlays "Pure Evil"]
  Gong Of Doom - Nicolas Carr [Gong overlays "Pure Evil"]
  Pure Evil - Larry Hochman ["This be the legendary prophecy?!"]
  Entry of the Heroes D - Gregor F. Narholz [The dark knight.]
  Oh Dark Knight - Steven Banks, Zeus Cervas, Erik Wiese, Andy Paley [Squidly sings]
  Final Resolution [#29.2] - Gregor F. Narholz ["Dark Knight?!"]
  Shock - Cornelus Bolten [Medieval Sandy reveals herself.]
  Wacky Gongs - Nicolas Carr ["With a little karate!"]
  Dark Knight Battle - Nicolas Carr [SpongeBob swallows Medieval Sandy and spits her into a rock/Medieval Sandy destroys SpongeBob's armor/"But can you handle my feet of fury?"]
  The Final Chop - Nicolas Carr [Sandy covered in SpongeBob's dust]
  Entry of the Heroes E - Gregor F. Narholz [Sandy defeated]
  Love Sting - Nicolas Carr ["I don't understand a word you just said!"]
  Mystery Chime - Nicolas Carr ["I don't understand a word you just said!"]
  Final Resolution [#29.2] - Gregor F. Narholz ["Medieval Sandy? You don't look so good."]
  What the Vibe Hit - Nicolas Carr [Sandy wakes up]
  Fanfare of Rome - David Farnon ["Thou hast spared me, kind and noble sponge."]
  Wacky Gongs - Nicolas Carr ["Yeah, karate!"]
  Big Bad Giant - Paddy Kingsland [back at the castle]
  Gong Of Doom - Nicolas Carr [Shot of Planktonamor's castle]
  Hark the Princess - Steven Banks, Zeus Cervas, Erik Wiese, Andy Paley [Squidly sings]
  The Wicked Witch - John Fox, Otto Sieben ["Doth we all remember thy plan?"]
  Death And Destruction 2 - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin [Pearl screams]
  Dramatic Cue (G) - Ronald Hanmer [running up the stairs]
  House Of Horror - Larry Hochman ["Soon the king's village will be mine!"]
  Fatigued Fanfare - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [SpongeBob weakly arrives]
  Dramatic Impact (2) - Ivor Slaney [SpongeBob gasps]
  Thrust and Parry - John Hawkins ["Prepare to be vanquished!"]
  Whats This Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Huh?"]
  Thrust and Parry - John Hawkins [Planktonamor zaps SpongeBob]
  Dangerous C - Mladen Franko ["Sicceth them, boy!"]
  Clarinet Note - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing a clarinet note]
  Handsome Dragon - Steven Banks, Zeus Cervas, Erik Wiese, Andy Paley [Squidly's limerick]
  Invincible Armada [#31.02] - Gregor F. Narholz [dragon zapping everyone]
  Knight Errant - Sam Fonteyn [SpongeBob uses jellyfish net to capture the jellyfish dragon]
  Death And Destruction 2 - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin [the jellyfish dragon zaps the jellyfish net]
  Harp Ding Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Yay!"]
  Lap Steel - Nicolas Carr [the jellyfish dragon eats Krabby Patty]
  Romantic Ending [#31] - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin ["No, no, no! The horror, the horror!"]
  MailboxTensionBuild NC2 - Nicolas Carr ["Destroy them!"]
  Dramatic Encounter - Gregor F. Narholz [the reformed jellyfish dragon zaps Planktonamor]
  Royal Celebration Fanfare - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [fanfare]
  Ring the Bell - Steven Banks, Zeus Cervas, Erik Wiese, Andy Paley [Squidly's song]
  Sherwood Green (B) - Richard Myhill [Krabs cooking patties]
  Medevil Percussion On Parade Clarinet - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidly playing clarinet]
  Medevil Percussion On Parade - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [drums while Squidly plays clarinet]
  Six Powerful Cues D - Wilfred William Burns [SpongeBob and Patrick thrown into air]
  Tavern Tales - David Snell [SpongeBob wakes up in the present day.]
  Last Gasp Clarinet - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [The ending.]

Release[]

Reception[]

  • "Dunces and Dragons" was ranked #3 during the Best Day Ever event from November 9–10, 2006.
  • Vincent Waller did not enjoy the episode, and felt that it would have been better as an 11-minute episode.[9]

Trivia[]

General[]

  • This episode was originally called "The World's Worst Minstrel" and "Squidward's Ancestors."[4] The old titles mainly focused more on Squidly, which lines up with Tom Kenny's original description of the episode. It was also known as "Lost in Time" when promoted by Nickelodeon.
  • Despite being packaged between two episodes that were copyrighted in 2005, this episode was copyrighted in 2006, being the first one to do so.
Burger-king-spongebob-squarepants-lost-in-time-promo-297382-adeevee
  • This episode had 8.56 million viewers during its premiere, making it the second most-watched episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, with the most-watched one being "Atlantis SquarePantis."
    • It is also the 6th highest viewed premiere of a Nickelodeon episode.
  • Burger King released a promotional toyline based on this episode in 2006. It consisted of 20 different figures and rolled out a global promotional sweepstakes called "Lost in Time With SpongeBob SquarePants," which offered customers a trip to one of the countries visited by SpongeBob in the episode.[10]
  • This is the first episode for a few things:
    • The first episode where "Parting of the Clouds Sting" plays.
    • The first episode to be aired simulcast in the United States and Latin America on the same date, as it was promoted as a "world premiere."
    • Robertryan Cory's first episode as the character designer.
    • The first special to not be written by Paul Tibbitt.
    • The first double-length episode where Gary does not appear.
  • Unlike her descendant, medieval Sandy can breathe underwater without an air helmet.
  • King Krabs' castle looks like the Krusty Krab in design.
  • It is revealed that Mr. Krabs and Pearl are related to royalty.
  • It is revealed that Squidward was cursed by his ancestor to be terrible at playing the clarinet.
  • Most of SpongeBob's friends have an ancestor, but neither SpongeBob or Patrick have a medieval relative, besides those who only appear in a deleted scene.
  • There is an online game of the same name based on this episode.
  • A clip from this episode was seen in the Attack of the SpongeBob DVDs promo from 2008-2009.
  • This is the second episode for a few things:
  • In the French dub, some screams, laughs, etc. are undubbed and left in English.
Dunces and Dragons Credits Doppelganger Proof

SpongeBob doppelgänger voiced by Rodger Bumpass.

Dunces and Dragons reference in Fun & Done

Sponge and Pat's outfits in this episode vs. the ones they wore in "Fun & Done." The major difference that can be seen is the completely different color schemes between each set of clothing.

CosmicS6
Dragon Jellyfish in SpongeBob Simulator
Medieval SpongeBob in SpongeBob Simulator
  • The dragon jellyfish from this episode would later appear in SpongeBob Simulator.
    • SpongeBob's medieval is planned as an upcoming buddy in SpongeBob Simulator as well.
  • SpongeBob does not appear to know how to ride a seahorse, despite being able to do so without issue in "My Pretty Seahorse."
  • This episode was later adapted for a comic in 2013's Issue #11 of SpongeBob and his Friends in Russia.


Episode references[]

Cultural references[]

  • The title of the episode is a parody of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. One of the characters in this episode is the Dungeon Master, which is also a reference to the game.
  • The name of the stadium/restaurant, Medieval Moments, is a reference to the real-life dinner theater chain Medieval Times.
  • Bikini Bottomshire is a parody of the names of British lands that formed during the Middle Ages, known as Shires.
  • Planktonamor's tower resembles the Eye of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings, besides the fact that the eye is not in between the spikes.
  • Squidly's song "Dragon is Here" is sung to the tune of the Irish march Lilliburlero. He also plays the opening notes of the march proper just before he, SpongeBob, and Patrick are taken to meet King Krabs.

Errors[]

DaD Error

One of the scenes where Patrick's cheeks' outline is black instead of pink.

  • Patrick's cheeks' outline turns black multiple times throughout the episode.
  • Before the Dark Knight rubs SpongeBob against the rock, Squidly and Patrick are behind it. However, they immediately disappear out of nowhere once Sandy reaches the spot.
  • One of SpongeBob's eyelashes gets torn off, but it later comes back.
  • In the end credits to this episode, Doug Lawrence, who played Planktonamor, is not credited as a cast member.
  • When SpongeBob and Patrick returned to the jousting tournament, as they took Squidly with them, it is impossible that Squidly is left behind in the past when the villagers throws a rock at the seahorse while they kicked SpongeBob and Patrick out in the air.

Videos[]

Names in other languages[]

Language Name Meaning
Russian Остолопы и драконы
Ostolopy i drakony
Dimwits and Dragons
Spanish (American) Tontos y dragones Fools and Dragons
Spanish (European) Perdido en el tiempo Lost in Time

References[]

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