Krab Borg

Template:Episode/49a

Characters

• Creepy Time Theater narrator ^(debut)
• SpongeBob SquarePants
  • Dream SpongeBob
• Human in movie
  • Dan Povenmire
• Live-action robot ^(debut)
  • Dream Live-action robot
• Gary the Snail
• Margaret SquarePants ^{(mentioned as "mom")}
• Sherm SquarePants ^(mentioned)
• Eugene H. Krabs
• DJ ^(debut)
• Squidward Tentacles
• Thaddeus
• Pirates ^(mentioned)
• Jeff Tentacles ^{(mentioned as "father")}
• Pearl Krabs ^(mentioned)
• Fred
• Archie
• Cara
• Evelyn
• Francis
• Franco
• Harry
• Gus
• Dave
• Fish on the Comedy Record
• Davy Jones ^(mentioned)

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 shouldn't 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 a robot 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 a red light which was actually the warning light for the deep fryer).

File:Krab Borg 024.jpg

SpongeBob asks Thaddeus if he is a robot.

Meanwhile, Mr. Krabs is in his office listening to Bikini Bottom's number one hit song on his 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 (he wanted it to play the song again), talking in a "robot" language over the phone (he called the radio station to ask if they could play the song again and was arguing with the DJ over the tune of the song), and doing a bizarre robot-like dance to the song.

This convinces SpongeBob 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 says "Get back to work, Mr. Squidward."

Krabs with red eyes

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, and he accidentally tosses the full salt shaker into his eyes, and he screams 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.

Mr. Krabs then emerges from the bathroom relieved that his eyes aren't hurting anymore and goes back to his office (for some reason, he does not seem to notice 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 poop 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.

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

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 them, and he finally breaks down when SpongeBob brings in his cash register. He also mentions laughing with it and loving it, revealing that he is not a robot. Squidward asks 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 it's 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!" at the top of his lungs as the episode ends.

Production

Music

( ‣ ) Production music

( • ) Original music

( ◦ ) SpongeBob music

 • 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 Q Sting - 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 - 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 - 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

• This episode is available on The Seascape Capers, Complete 3rd Season, First 100 Episodes, Complete Third Season, and Robot Invasion DVDs.

Reception

• As of June 10, 2019, The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives this episode a rating of 9.0/10 based on 447 ratings by users. TV.com users give this episode a rating of 9.0/10 based on 155 votes.

Trivia

General

• This episode premiered in Canada on October 18, 2002.
• 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 pinchers for hands
  • Run on batteries
  • Do not really exist since they are just pure imagination
• The title is a pun on "Cyborg," or a being part human and part robot.
• SpongeBob claims that robots can't laugh, cry, and love, but robot characters in the series like Karen can express said emotions. SpongeBob may have specifically been talking about the robots in the movie he saw, though.
• Episode writer and series executive producer Paul Tibbitt wrote the song "Electric Zoo."
• 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.
• The music "Electric Zoo" is featured on The Yellow Album.
• In the "Friend or Foe" marathon, this episode aired with "Dying for Pie."
• After SpongeBob and Squidward evacuate the customers, Mr. Krabs comes out of the bathroom and goes back into his office. He does not seem angry or surprised that there is no one in the Krusty Krab, but, in most episodes, he gets angry or upset if he finds out there are no customers in the restaurant.
• 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.
  • In that episode, Mr. Krabs is accused of being a robot by everyone in Bikini Bottom whereas, in this episode, he is accused of being a robot by SpongeBob and Squidward.
• 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.
• During Mr. Krabs' interrogation, Squidward destroyed $120.12 worth of appliances.
• In "Imitation Krabs," SpongeBob thinks a robot is Mr. Krabs.
  • In this episode, it is the other way around: SpongeBob thinks Mr. Krabs is a robot.
    • His suspicions lead to him and Squidward accusing Mr. Krabs of being a robot.
• In other countries, Squidward's joke is changed, most likely due to the fact that many countries do not use the MPAA's "R" rating in movies:
  • In the Korean translation, Squidward's joke was "Why did the idiot die?," and the answer was "Because he forgot how to breathe."
  • In the German translation, Squidward's joke was, "Why do Chinese not like pirate movies?" And the answer was, "Because they can't say Arr!"
  • In the Brazilian translation, Squidward's joke was "Why could the pirate only watch half of the movie?" and the answer was "Because he was wearing an eye patch."
  • In the Polish translation, Squidward's joke was "What's the name of Santa Claus' wife?" and the answer was "Renifer Lopez." ("renifer" means "reindeer")
  • In Indonesia, the answer of the joke is "Because he hasn't got his report cards yet."
  • In Latin America, the answer to the joke is "Because it was forbidden for cabin boys."
• 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. If one looks closely at that picture of the Krusty Krab, there is a fish at the door.
• When shown on October 24 (unknown year) at 7:00 pm, on YTV, the episode starts at the Krusty Krab.
• The man that the robot was chasing in the movie is either Dee Bradley Baker (the man's screams are at least voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) or Dan Povenmire, a storyboard director, writer, and assistant storyboard artist for a few episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, known most widely for being one of two creators of the Disney Channel animated TV series Phineas and Ferb, along with Jeff "Swampy" Marsh.
• This episode premiered on Amy Sedaris' 41st birthday.
• According to this episode, salt hurts Mr. Krabs' eyes even though he is a salt water crustacean. This happens again in the episode "Tutor Sauce."
• This is Fred's 50th episode appearance.
• In the Indonesian airing, Squidward's line "Hilarious. Just deliver the food." was changed to "Just deliver the food. Hurry!"

Cultural references

• KRUM, the radio station Mr. Krabs listens to, is the name of a real radio station.

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.
• 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.
• 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 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.
  • As he bursts through the door, the salt has collected into small piles at the bottom of his eyes and eyelids.
• Time Warner Cable incorrectly lists this episode as "Krab-Borg!" The season 3 re-release DVD also lists this episode as "Krab Borg!," adding an exclamation mark to the title.
• When Mr. Krabs "pleads" with his radio to play "Electric Zoo" again, there is no sound (i.e. another song or the DJ's voice) coming from the radio, despite the fact that the volume on the radio would need to be on in order for Mr. Krabs to hear the song.
• It is unknown why the DJ and/or Mr. Krabs did not just say the name of the song instead of beeping because the DJ said that the song was named "Electric Zoo" right before it played.
• In the beginning, there is no cash register, but when Mr. Krabs goes to the bathroom, the cash register is back.
• When Mr. Krabs is leaving his office because of his burning eyes, Squidward and SpongeBob notice that he has batteries in his back pocket, but Mr. Krabs is far away from them.
• Even though Mr. Krabs is a saltwater animal, his eyes are still burned by salt.
• When SpongeBob and Squidward fight to get hold of Krabs, the shot of the Krusty Krab is just a paused frame of the scene when the customers run out.
• In the French dub, Frank Weiss is credited as the animation director rather than Tom Yasumi.

Running gags

• SpongeBob's face zooming in every time he says "a robot" and then saying "Nah!"

Video

File:I Surrender! (Original Scene)