"Something Narwhal This Way Comes" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season 13. In this episode, two familiar faces from SpongeBob's past visit Bikini Bottom, but they bring a big problem along with them.
Characters[]
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Narlene (series debut)
- Nobby (series debut)
- Gary the Snail
- Sea mule (series debut)
- Sea bear
- Hans
- WillyBob (single appearance)
- Hillfolk (single appearance)
- Mustache narwhal (single appearance)
- Small yellow narwhal (single appearance)
- Head nearwhal (single appearance)
- Patrick Star
- Squidward Tentacles
- Realistic Fish Head
- Mrs. Puff (name only)
- Plankton family
Synopsis[]
SpongeBob meets Nobby and Narlene.
The episode starts with a rocket flying through space. It lands on a planet and someone in a spacesuit exits the rocket. It is revealed to be SpongeBob as he plants a flag with a Krabby Patty on it. It turns out that it was just a dream. He then wakes up to hear some noise in his house, so he thinks that he has intruders. He and Gary then go downstairs, and SpongeBob opens the door so Gary can scare away the intruders. It turns out to be SpongeBob's friend from Kamp Koral, Narlene Narwhal, whom he has not seen since he was a kid.
SpongeBob and Narlene hug as they look back at a memory of them at camp. Nobby is riding a sea bear as it is chasing SpongeBob and Narlene, who are holding sausages. Back in the present, Narlene sees how much SpongeBob has grown since they were kids. Narlene came to visit SpongeBob because of a promise that she could always come to him if she were ever in Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob is sad that her brother Nobby is not with her, but soon thereafter, he shows up from the kitchen, holding his fridge. Nobby grabs SpongeBob and gives him a hug. Nobby had gotten a lot bigger since they were kids. Nobby is then hungry, so SpongeBob lets him take what he desired from the fridge. He proceeds to devour the entire fridge as SpongeBob reminisces about the memories at camp. Nobby's sea mule shows up and starts to eat a part of SpongeBob's head.
The next morning, the sea mule brays on top of SpongeBob's house. SpongeBob wakes up, pets Gary, then goes into the bathroom to get ready for the day. He covers his eyes and shrieks as he sees Narlene in his toilet. Narlene thinks it is a whirlpool bathtub and joyfully spins around in it. SpongeBob tries to hand her a scrub brush; however, she grabs SpongeBob instead. Patrick is outside the bathroom wrapped in a towel waiting to get in. Afterwards, Nobby cooks' pancakes for breakfast and flings copious amounts to SpongeBob, Narlene, and Gary.
Narlene, Nobby, and SpongeBob sit on chairs outside of SpongeBob's house. Narlene uses a knife to shave a wood log into a toothpick. She then passes the knife to Nobby, who shaves a wood log into a turkey. SpongeBob is handed the knife and ends up shaving himself into a banjo. He joyfully jumps out of his chair and moves toward Squidward, who runs away screaming.
SpongeBob's house is rebuilt out of wood and medal scraps, which Narlene considers to be "hillified." SpongeBob is thrilled as Hans changes his outfit and Narlene's cousin WillyBob shows up at the front door. SpongeBob and WillyBob are introduced to each other. WillyBob starts wrestling with Nobby until Narlene shows up and joins the fray. A large band of narwhals storm the house and make sweeping changes. They also set up camp outdoors and extend onto Squidward's property. Squidward has trouble sleeping until he ultimately decides to move out. When he walks outside, Patrick grabs him and starts to square dance.
"Nearwhals!"
A news report brings breaking news of narwhals ravaging Bikini Bottom. Citizens are warned to lay low to avoid any further complications. The reporter is turned into a hillbilly as the broadcast is cut off. SpongeBob tries to get what he thinks is Narlene's kin to leave. However, Narlene and Nobby reveal WillyBob is their only other relative and come to the realization that they are not even real narwhals, they are actually nearwhals. With SpongeBob's suggestion, they go to Plankton for help. He agrees to contact his family as they had been feuding with the nearwhals for many years. His family swiftly reacts at hearing the word "nearwhals." They come out of the phone and storm out of the Chum Bucket ready to drive the nearwhals out of Bikini Bottom. They fight the nearwhals in various locations throughout the town and are successful in their mission.
Nobby packs many of SpongeBob's belongings into the wagon. SpongeBob, Narlene, and SpongeBob say their final goodbyes as Narlene promises to visit again soon. Nobby pulls the wagon to Squidward's house, where him and Nobby enter. Narlene thinks Squidward welcomed her to his house anytime, which he instantly denies. The sea mule shakes Squidward's house as the episode ends.
Production[]
On both December 13, 2020 and January 24, 2021, Dave Cunningham said in interviews with both the Encyclopedia SpongeBobia and The Art of SpongeBob Discord servers that a main character's relatives would return in a new season 13 episode.[4][5] Plankton's family would return in this episode, helping SpongeBob, Narlene and Nobby defeat the nearwhals. Cunningham also said that he and Sherm Cohen supervised a few episodes prior to moving on to an at-the-time unannounced spin-off (The Patrick Star Show).[6] This episode was one of them, as it was directed by him and was scripted and storyboarded prior to that series' announcement, which was in August 2020.
This episode was confirmed by Cartoonlounge.de on August 24, 2021[7] and by Dave Cunningham on August 25, 2021.[8]
This episode was added to the US Copyright Office on September 27, 2021,[9] alongside its sister episode.
Promotional art[]
Art[]
Character design[]
- Rough drawings of the hillfolk by Chris Tabares,[1] cleaned-up designs of the other hillfolk by Joann Chang.[14][15]
Background design[]
Storyboards[]
- Directed by Vincent Waller and Dave Cunningham, "gorgeously" boarded by Piero Piluso,[3] with "[the] superstar village of [a] plussing team" comprised of Mike Dougherty, Simon Edwards, Heather Martinez, Jared Morgan, Gregg Shcigiel, Christian White, Benji Williams, April "Pinkie" Davis,[17] Chris Tabares,[18] and Brad Vandergrift.[19]
Production notes[]
Dave Cunningham
- Cunningham said that the episode was one wouldn't "want to miss" when it premiered in the United States.[3]
Chris Tabares:
- Tabares called this episode "a fun one!"[1]
April "Pinkie" Davis
- Pinkie said that she loved working on this episode, as it "brought [her] favorite character Narlene over from Kamp Koral to the main show!"[17]
Sterling Ritcher:
- Ritcher said that this episode "was a wild experience because this was the first episode [she] worked on[,] so throughout the time [she made these [she] was in disbelief over how I was actually drawing it." Ritcher said that at the time, she still felt that way.[2]
- Ritcher said she "basically went nuts on hillbillifying the interior" when creating layouts for the insides of SpongeBob's new pineapple shack.[20]
Music[]
| ( ‣ ) Production music |
| ( • ) Original music |
| ( ◦ ) SpongeBob music |
• Hill Folk Jamboree NC 2 Full Mix - Nicolas Carr [Title card.]
‣ Into The Unknown 8 - Alan Wynn [Opening in space.]
‣ Eight Dramatic Bridges - Ronald Hanmer [SpongeBob hears shaking.]
‣ Terrified - Hubert Clifford ["Gary, I think there's someone in the house."]
• SpongeBob Flashback Vibes - Nicolas Carr [SpongeBob's dream ends.]
• Blue Acres 1 Alternate Mix - Nicolas Carr, Jeremy Wakefield, Sage Guyton [SpongeBob sees Narlene/Nobby enter the living room.]
• Nude Sting - Nicolas Carr [Sea mule.]
• Hot Steel and Slide Licks 19D - Jeremy Wakefield [They all laugh.]
• Hawaiian Slide - Nicolas Carr, Jeremy Wakefield [Transition to morning.]
• A Fishy Conversation - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [SpongeBob and Gary wake up.]
• A Short Fishy Conversation - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Narlene taking a bath in the toilet.]
• Hillbilly Chase - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Nobby making pancakes/Narlene and Nobby carving various objects.]
• Hgliss & Bell - Nicolas Carr [Narlene carves a toothpick.]
• Hillbilly Chase - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Narlene and Nobby still carving.]
• Banjopants - Nicolas Carr [Banjo music playing while SpongeBob is a banjo.]
• Lap Steel - Nicolas Carr [Transition to next scene.]
• Bikini Bottom Hillbillies - Nicolas Carr [Nobby transforms SpongeBob's house.]
• Skipping to Hillbilly School - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Cousin WillyBob arrives.]
• Blue Acres 2 Alternate Mix 2 - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Nobby and WillyBob wrestle.]
• Hillbilly Party - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Other cousins appear.]
• Bikini Bottom News Theme - Nicolas Carr [Breaking news.]
• Hillbilly Tension Build - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Realistic Fish Head hillbillified.]
• Down in Davie Jones Locker - Nicolas Carr ["Yikes."]
• Who Said That- Jolly Good Fellow 2 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony ["They're not my kin."]
• Whats This Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Nobby's right."]
• Who Said That- Jolly Good Fellow 2 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony ["The rest of 'em ain't even narwhals."]
• Hill Folk Jamboree NC Light Mix - Nicolas Carr ["Kin or no kin, we gotta hogtie this hoedown."]
• The Fruitcake Vendor 2 - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [At the Chum Bucket.]
• Stupid Fueding Families - Nicolas Carr ["Their stupid family has been feuding with my stupid family for years."]
• Hgliss & Bell - Nicolas Carr [Plankton gets an idea.]
• Stumbling Tumbleweeds - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Plankton calls Clem.]
• Hill Folk Jamboree NC 2 No Fiddle - Nicolas Carr [Plankton's family emerge from the phone.]
• Jug Band Bounce NC 2 - Nicolas Carr [Overlays "Hill Folk Jamboree"]
• I'm a Flower - Nicolas Carr ["I think someone deserves a little kiss."]
• Hot Steel and Slide Licks 22A - Jeremy Wakefield [SpongeBob kisses Plankton.]
• Hippy Hillbilly Huckster No Mandolin - Nicolas Carr [Narlene and Nobby leave.]
• Bikini Bottom Hillbillies - Nicolas Carr [Ending.]
Release[]
- This episode is available on SpongeBob SquarePants Vol. 21 digital release and The Complete Thirteenth Season DVD.
Trivia[]
General[]
- The title card background is similar to "Club SpongeBob"'s but in widescreen and a lighter color palette.
- The background also shares similarities with the title card of "Wet Painters," except the color palette is light gray instead of brown.
- When this episode aired in Southeast Asia, its sister episode aired instead.
- This episode was originally going to air on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland on April 26, 2022, but it was pulled and replaced with a rerun of "Squeaky Boots."[citation needed]
- This episode suggests Narlene met Gary sometime during the events of Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years. However, they have yet to appear in any episode together.
- This episode marks the return of Plankton's family since "Plankton's Army" and "One Coarse Meal," and Clem in the video game Plankton's Robotic Revenge.
- This episode reveals that Plankton's family live in a shack in the woods.
- It is also revealed they have been feuding with nearwhals for years.
- This episode marks the first of several things:
- The first appearances of Narlene and Nobby in the main SpongeBob SquarePants series, having previously appeared in Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years. It is also their first appearance, major role, and speaking role in the franchise since "Wise Kraken."
- The first time Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years was referenced in the main series itself.
- The first appearance of Kamp Koral in SpongeBob SquarePants, though it only appears in a flashback.
- The first appearance of Ma Angler since "Trenchbillies," but her design is repurposed as one of Plankton's family members.
- The first episode of SpongeBob SquarePants to be storyboarded by Piero Piluso, who previously storyboarded episodes for Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years and The Patrick Star Show.
- The first episode directed by Vincent Waller, along with another supervising director; that is to say with Dave Cunningham, without Marc Ceccarelli this time; and equally it was not credited here.
- This was Alan Smart's last episode as an animation director before he completely left the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise in late 2021.[21]
Episode references[]
Patrick's hillbilly design.
- Patrick's hillbilly design is similar to Pecos Patrick, who appeared in "Pest of the West."
- Patrick wanting to square dance with Squidward is a reference to the episode "Just One Bite."
Cultural references[]
- This episode's title is a reference to the 1962 novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes.
- Nobby's tornado-like movements were written to be similar to the Tasmanian Devil's from Looney Tunes.
Errors[]
SpongeBob's house is missing a window.
- When SpongeBob is heading towards Squidward, SpongeBob's house is missing a window.
- Gary gets thrown out when the nearwhals enter SpongeBob's house, but in the next scene, Gary is back inside the house.
Videos[]
References[]
- ^ a b c Chris Tabares on Twitter - "Here's some of the designs..."
- ^ a b c Sterling Ritcher on Twitter - "Background designs from the Spongebob..."
- ^ a b c Dave Cunningham on Twitter - "Something Narwhal This Way..."
- ^ File:271hint2.jpeg
- ^ File:271hint1.jpeg
- ^ File:Kk13 overlap.jpeg
- ^ Something Narwhal This Way Comes - Episode 271a - SpongeBob SquarePants | Cartoonlounge.de
- ^ File:271confirm.jpeg
- ^ SpongeBob SquarePants : 271. - Catalog.org - Public Catalog
- ^ SpongeBob on Facebook - "so much nautical nonsense..."
- ^ SpongeBob on Instagram - "3 shows, 1 night..."
- ^ Patrick Star on Instagram - "can you see..."
- ^ Patrick Star on Instagram - "3 shows, 1 night and..."
- ^ Character Design | Joann Chang
- ^ Joann Chang on Instagram - "Some fun character designs..."
- ^ Backgrounds and Props - The Art of Rebekie Bennington
- ^ a b April "Pinkie" Davis on Twitter - "Something Narwhal This Way..."
- ^ Chris Tabares on Twitter - "Here are some of..."
- ^ Dave Cunningham on Twitter - "This one had a superstar..."
- ^ Sterling Ritcher on Twitter - "teh boards i was..."
- ^ Vincent Waller on Twitter - "You are correct. Alan has..."
