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This is the page about the season 3 episode. For other uses, see Robot Krabs (disambiguation).

"Krab Borg" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season 3. In this episode, SpongeBob and Squidward think Mr. Krabs is a robot.

Characters[]

Synopsis[]

One night, SpongeBob and Gary watch a scary movie called Night of the Robot, which is about robots that take over the world, and it shows a live-action robot chasing a live-action human. Gary tells SpongeBob that he should not watch it, as scary movies freak him out, but SpongeBob denies this. He is then shown laying in bed shaking in fear, wondering if everyone he knows is a robot. After asking Gary if he is a robot, SpongeBob decides he has nothing to worry about and tries to get some sleep. Unfortunately, he has a nightmare about the same robot from the movie chasing him, and the next day at the Krusty Krab, he has become very paranoid and believes that robots are "everywhere" (one turning out to be a trolley with cleaning equipment and a sack of Sea Potatoes, and another being a red light which was actually the warning light for the deep fryer).

Meanwhile, Mr. Krabs is in his office, listening to Bikini Bottom's number one hit song on his portable radio, titled "Electric Zoo." Mr. Krabs likes the song and hums to it. SpongeBob later walks past Mr. Krabs' office and overhears him saying he feels "completely recharged." He then witnesses Mr. Krabs talking to his radio, talking in a "robot" language over the phone, and doing a bizarre robot-like dance to the song.

Krab Borg 062

Mr. Krabs dances like a robot.

This convinces SpongeBob to believe that Mr. Krabs is a robot imposter, and he relays this information to Squidward. Squidward does not believe him, so SpongeBob tries several tests to prove that Mr. Krabs is a robot. First, he tests Mr. Krabs' sense of humor by having Squidward tell a joke, but Mr. Krabs does not laugh. SpongeBob says that this is because he is a robot, as robots do not laugh, but Squidward says that "he's obviously heard it before."

SpongeBob then tests Mr. Krabs' emotions by telling him that Squidward's father never hugged him to see if he will cry. Mr. Krabs says that although it is a little sad, Squidward can hug himself during his break. This further worries SpongeBob, but Squidward says that this is ridiculous and that his father loved him very much. This reminds SpongeBob of the third and final test: the love test. SpongeBob tells Mr. Krabs that Squidward loves him, but he simply tells him to get back to work. Back in his office, Mr. Krabs' radio breaks and he decides to give the batteries to Pearl for her Christmas present. A timer rings, and he grabs a pair of tongs and removes his hard-boiled egg from a pot of boiling water, ready to eat it. But just when Mr. Krabs is about to put some salt on the egg, he is startled when SpongeBob calls out his name a fourth time, and he accidentally tosses the full salt shaker into his eyes, causing him to scream in pain.

Squidward then asks SpongeBob what the robots in the movie looked like. SpongeBob says that they had red eyes, metal pinchers for hands, and ran on batteries. Squidward then asks if Mr. Krabs looks anything like that, and this is (seemingly) answered when Mr. Krabs barges out of his office screaming in pain with glowing bloodshot eyes, the tongs he used to hold the egg, and the radio batteries in his pocket. As Mr. Krabs runs to the bathroom, Squidward finally believes SpongeBob, and tells him to call the Navy, but due to their automated phone service, SpongeBob thinks that the robots have taken over the Navy. Squidward then announces over the microphone that robots are taking over the world, causing all the customers to flee the Krusty Krab.

Krab Borg 164

"What?! You think I'm a robot?!"

Mr. Krabs then emerges from the bathroom, relieved that his eyes are not hurting anymore, and goes back to his office, not noticing that the Krusty Krab is now empty. Squidward then wonders how they will find out what happened to the "real" Mr. Krabs, and SpongeBob says that the main character in the movie teamed up with a buddy and they got the poop on, or collected information from, the robot. After reading a book on how to torture, the two go into Mr. Krabs' office and tie him up, demanding to know where the "real" Mr. Krabs is. After getting no answers and Mr. Krabs insisting that he is the real Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob and Squidward decide to interrogate his machines, which include a blender, a toaster, a food processor, and a coffee maker.

These, of course, do not give any answers either, so Squidward destroys them with a baseball bat. This greatly upsets Mr. Krabs, as he paid good money for each of them, and he finally breaks down crying when SpongeBob brings in his cash register. He also mentions laughing with it and loving it, revealing that he is not a robot. Squidward then asks SpongeBob how the movie ended. SpongeBob, while thinking the ending was great, remembers that the ending revealed the robot invasion was just in the characters' imagination and that there were no robots after all.

Realizing his mistake, SpongeBob declares that it is time to feed Gary and runs off, leaving Squidward to take the heat from Mr. Krabs. As a nervous Squidward grabs a broom and begins sweeping, a furious Mr. Krabs growls and screams "Squidward!" which ends the episode there.

Production[]

Art[]

Model sheets[]

Music[]

 ) Production music
 ) Original music
 ) SpongeBob music

  Nicks Ambient - Nicolas Carr [Overlays "Electric Zoo"]
  Electric Zoo - Paul Tibbitt [Title card]
  Saw Theme - William Trytel [SpongeBob watching TV]
  Savage Episode - Len Stevens [Robot movie]
  Unease - Dick Stephen Walter ["What if Gary is a robot?"]
  Savage Episode - Len Stevens [SpongeBob's nightmare]
  Hawaiian Link (A) - Richard Myhill [The next morning]
  Vibe & Harp Hits - Nicolas Carr ["Robot, oh my gosh!"]
  Electric Zoo - Paul Tibbitt [Plays on radio]
  The Tip Top Polka/The Cliff Polka - Chelmsford Folk Band [Number 17's order]
  Stealth by Night - Jack Coles [Krabs talking to his radio]
  Dramatic Impact (6) - Ivor Slaney ["I'd say he was... a robot!"]
  Stealth by Night - Jack Coles [Krabs on the phone]
  Dramatic Impact (6) - Ivor Slaney ["Could it be that he's a robot?"]
  Dramatic Cue (D) - Ronald Hanmer [SpongeBob gasps]
  Electric Zoo - Paul Tibbitt [Krabs dancing]
  Stand-Up Comic C - Sammy Burdson, John Charles Fiddy [Squidward's joke]
  Stealth by Night - Jack Coles ["Not even a chuckle!"]
  Dramatic Impact (6) - Ivor Slaney ["...a robot!"]
  Lonely Violin - Dick Stephen Walter ["Isn't that sad?"]
  Hercule Poirot - Gerhard Trede ["Squidward can hug himself during his break."]
  Electric Zoo - Paul Tibbitt [Krabs' radio dies]
  Dramatic Impact (5) - Ivor Slaney [Krabs gets salt in his eyes]
  House Of Horror [#10.5] - W. Merrick Farran [Squidward convinced that Krabs is a robot]
  Sweet and Lovely - Alan Braden ["You've reached the Navy's automated phone service."]
  House Of Horror [#10.5] - W. Merrick Farran ["Squidward, the robots are running the Navy!"/Customers run out the Krusty Krab]
  Dramatic Climax - Mike Sunderland ["We need to find out what that robot did with the real Mr. Krabs."]
  Mambo Fantastico - Gerhard Narholz [getting supplies for interrogation]
  Danger Zone - Mike Sunderland ["Why did you lock the door?"]
  Against The Law (B) - Wilfred William Burns [Krabs tied up]
  Crime Time 2 - Gerhard Trede [Interrogating Krabs]
  Crime Time 3 - Gerhard Trede [Interrogating Krabs' blender]
  Botany Bay (b) - Robert Alexander White [Krabs cries]
  Tympup A - Sammy Burdson, John Charles Fiddy [SpongeBob laughs nervously]
  Drunken Sailor (B) - Robin Jeffrey, Tim Laycock [Ending]

Release[]

Trivia[]

General[]

  • According to SpongeBob, the robots in the movie:
    • Say they are recharged
    • Make beeping sounds
    • Make robotic movements
    • Cannot laugh
    • Cannot cry
    • Cannot love
    • Have piercing red eyes
    • Have metal pincers for hands
    • Run on batteries
    • Do not really exist since they are just pure imagination
  • SpongeBob claims that robots cannot laugh, cry, and love, but robot characters in the series like Karen can express said emotions.
  • Episode writer and series executive producer Paul Tibbitt wrote the song "Electric Zoo."[2]
  • This is the only episode where Squidward's father is mentioned.
    • The SpongeBob SquarePants book Hooray for Dads!, however, shows that Squidward's father is, in fact, alive and well.
    • According to SpongeBob, Squidward's father never hugged him. It is unknown if this is real or if it was made up as part of the "test" to see if Mr. Krabs was a robot.
  • The music "Electric Zoo" is featured on The Yellow Album.
  • Several scenes from this episode have become popular memes, such as Squidward's pirate joke, Mr. Krabs dancing to "Electric Zoo," Mr. Krabs talking to the guy on the phone, and Mr. Krabs yelling at SpongeBob and Squidward due to the fact they thought he's a robot.
  • This is a rare instance in which SpongeBob and Squidward are shown working together, meaning the most helpful side of Squidward is exposed.
  • Mr. Krabs was previously accused of being a robot in "Imitation Krabs." However, in that episode, the other Krabs actually was a robot controlled by Plankton.
  • When Squidward takes a hammer and saw out of a shed, a Krusty Krab calendar can be seen and it says that it is September, meaning that this episode takes place in that month.
  • Squidward telling Mr. Krabs a joke alludes to his actor Rodger Bumpass being a famous comedian.
  • During Mr. Krabs' interrogation, Squidward destroys at least $160.12 worth of appliances.
  • In various other countries, Squidward's joke is changed, due to the fact that many countries do not use the American television rating system (for example Germany uses the FSK rating system).[citation needed]
    • In the Korean dub, Squidward's joke was "Why did the idiot die?" and the answer was "Because he forgot how to breathe."
    • In the German dub, Squidward's joke was "Why do Chinese not like pirate movies?" and the answer was "Because they can't say Arr!"
    • In the Brazilian dub, Squidward's joke was "Why did the pirate only watch half of the movie?" and the answer was "Because he was wearing an eyepatch."
    • In the Polish dub, Squidward's joke was "What's the name of Santa Claus' wife?" and the answer was "Renifer Lopez." ("renifer" means "reindeer"), a pun on singer and actress Jennifer Lopez.[3]
    • In the Indonesian dub, Squidward's joke was "Why couldn't the 4-year-old get into the pirate movie?" and the answer was "Because he hasn't got his report cards yet."
    • In the Latin Spanish dub, the answer to the joke is "Because it was forbidden for cabin boys."
    • In the Greek dub, Squidward's joke was "Why does a chicken want to cross the road?" and the answer was "To pass across the street."
    • In the former Turkish dub, Squidward's joke was "What item gets more wet at the time you use it?" and the answer was "A towel."
    • In the Croatian dub, Squidward's joke was "Why pirates have eye patch on one eye?" and the answer was "Because if they had two eyes, they wouldn't see anything."
  • In the Croatian dub when SpongeBob tells Squidward that robots have taken over the navy, Squidward says "So what kind of navy is!?"[citation needed]
  • When Squidward and SpongeBob barge into Mr. Krabs' office, they beat up Mr. Krabs. When they are beating him up, it shows a picture of the Krusty Krab. In the picture, there is a fish at the door.
  • The man that the robot was chasing in the movie is Dee Bradley Baker, who was one of the SpongeBob SquarePants voice actors.
  • According to this episode, salt hurts Mr. Krabs' eyes even though he is a salt water crustacean.
  • At the beginning of the episode, SpongeBob wonders: "What if Uncle Sherm is a robot?" Uncle Sherm is named after Storyboard Supervisor Sherm Cohen; the line was improvised by Tom Kenny.[4]
  • Comcast/Xfinity descriptions call this episode "Krab-Borg!."[citation needed]
  • During the Bikini Bottom's Most Wanted, this episode was paired with "Plankton!"[5]
  • In the EU print, on the "Created by" card at the end of the intro, there is some text that reads "Nederlandse versie Wim Pel Productions BV" and "Techniek Hoek & Sonepouse Facilitair BV." This happens in most dubs that are either not localized or the ones that use the US print. The reason why this appears only on this episode and not the others is unknown.
  • Mr. Krabs' line "I'm not paying you to do stand-up, Mr. Squidward! Now get back to work!" is mentioned on the March 6, 2023 episode of Jeopardy!.[7]
    Vlcsnap-2022-04-04-19h24m19s065
Big Top Flop 150

Mr. Krabs' dance in "Big Top Flop."

Krab Dance

Mr. Krabs' dance in SpongeBob Simulator.

Cultural references[]

  • KRUM, the radio station Mr. Krabs listens to, is a parody of local Los Angeles rock station KROQ.
  • Squidward's answer to his joke asking why the 11-year-old could not get into the pirate movie is because "It was rated 'Arrgh!'" This references the R rating of the Motion Picture Association of America, a rating used for movies with mature content that children under 17 are prohibited from seeing in theaters without the presence of an adult.
  • The title of this episode is a pun on the word "cyborg."

Errors[]

  • When Mr. Krabs has salt in his eyes, one is bigger than the other is, but in the close up, it is the same size.
  • When SpongeBob yells "I surrender!," the Krabby Patties are gone, but when SpongeBob's Krusty Krab employee hat flies through Squidward's nose, the Krabby Patties are back.
Krab Borg Spongebob Error

SpongeBob's shirt sleeve and pant leg error.

  • There is a small error present in a couple of the animation frames for the scene when SpongeBob is talking to Squidward shortly after having his nose covered with SpongeBob's hat. This error is most noticeable on the top line of SpongeBob's left shirt sleeve, which overlaps onto the rest of SpongeBob, and the left line of SpongeBob's left pant leg, as it overlaps onto the tray that SpongeBob is holding.
  • When SpongeBob is shown in bed, shivering over the potential of his relatives being robots, his alarm clock is nowhere to be seen, but once Gary is shown to be sleeping, it appears. It disappears again once he touches Gary's eye. It reappears when Gary sighs, but it disappears again when SpongeBob went back to sleep.
Krab Borg 017

The Help Wanted sign is seen.

  • A Help Wanted sign is seen in the right window the first time the Krusty Krab appears in this episode and when Mr. Krabs is screaming at the end of the episode, despite the fact that there are already enough employees working at the place.
  • When SpongeBob calls for Mr. Krabs the fourth time and Mr. Krabs spills the salt in his eyes, the supposedly "hard-boiled" egg breaks and splatters like a raw egg.
  • When Squidward slaps Mr. Krabs and says "We can do this all night if you want," a part of the chair is missing behind Mr. Krabs.
  • When the salt flies into Mr. Krabs' eyes, it is near the top of his eyes, but as he bursts through the door, the salt has collected into small piles at the bottom of his eyes and eyelids.
Krab Borg 063

The cash register is not there.

  • In the beginning, there is no cash register, but when Mr. Krabs goes to the bathroom, the cash register is back.
  • The door to Mr. Krabs' office, for the most part of this episode, has a window. But in the scene where Mr. Krabs runs for the bathroom, his door has an anchor on it.
  • When SpongeBob and Squidward fight to get a hold of Mr. Krabs, the shot of the Krusty Krab is just a paused frame of the scene when the customers run out.
Vlcsnap-2020-06-27-14h24m44s615

Frank Weiss is credited as an animation director instead of Tom Yasumi.

Polish 20200227 152924828

The fish are frozen inside the Krusty Krab.

  • When SpongeBob and Squidward tie up Mr. Krabs, the second shot from the Krusty Krab is reused, and even the fish are frozen.
Krab Borg 158

When the camera is not zooming in on Mr. Krabs, the lamp's light path casts shadows on the top of Mr. Krabs' eyes.

Krab Borg 160

When the camera is zoomed in on Mr. Krabs, the lamp's light path encapsulates Mr. Krabs, leaving no major shadows on the top of Mr. Krabs' eyes.

  • There is a small inconsistency with the lamp's light in the scenes where Mr. Krabs is tied up. When the camera is further away from Mr. Krabs, the lamp's light appears to only shine on a portion of Mr. Krabs' eyes, resulting in the upper half of Mr. Krabs' eyes to be shaded/darker. However, when the camera zooms in on Mr. Krabs, the lamp's light illuminates all of Mr. Krabs' eyes, leaving no portion of his eyes to be in the shade. This error repeats itself whenever the camera zooms in on Mr. Krabs and out.



Video[]

Friday_Nights_On_Nick_Promo_(2002)

Friday Nights On Nick Promo (2002)

Promo

References[]

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