SpongeBob-Plankton relationship

The SpongeBob-Plankton relationship is an interaction between SpongeBob SquarePants and Sheldon J. Plankton.

Overview

SpongeBob and Plankton have a love-hate relationship. When SpongeBob first met Plankton, he tries to befriend him, but as Plankton told him that he wants a Krabby Patty (and by extent, the formula) for his birthday, SpongeBob refuses. From that point on, whenever Plankton tries to steal the formula or a Krabby Patty, most of the time, SpongeBob tries to stop him and always succeeds. However, despite this, they have been friends a few times.

Episodes as enemies

• "Plankton!": Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob to stay away from Plankton, as he tends to try to steal the formula. As Plankton tells SpongeBob of his ambitions, SpongeBob tells him that he will never get a Krabby Patty. Plankton then hijacks his brain and controls him to the Krusty Krab to get a Krabby Patty and haul it to the Chum Bucket. As SpongeBob is controlled into dropping it into the analyzer, he apologizes for his actions to describing the tasty qualities of the Krabby Patty, causing Plankton to exit him and attempt to gain the patty, only to be dropped into the analyzer. As SpongeBob leaves the Chum Bucket with the patty, Plankton yells at SpongeBob to come back with it.
• "F.U.N.": Plankton pretends to be in a friendship with SpongeBob as a scheme to get a Krabby Patty. Mr. Krabs warned SpongeBob about this, but SpongeBob wouldn't listen thinking that he has changed. Eventually, SpongeBob broke down in tears when he found out that Plankton was hiding a Krabby Patty. Plankton reveals that it was all a trick to get the Krabby Patty formula at the end of the episode.
• "Sleepy Time": Plankton, along with many others become angry at SpongeBob and demand him to stay out of their dreams.
• "Walking Small": Plankton manipulates SpongeBob into becoming assertive by telling him they are acts of kindness, causing everybody to leave the beach. Plankton later reveals that it was a trick to get everyone to leave so he could build another Chum Bucket. SpongeBob realizes that Plankton took advantage of him, and does several acts of kindness, bringing everyone back, much to Plankton's disgust.
• "Imitation Krabs": Plankton disguises himself as Robot Krabs in an attempt to get the secret formula. Plankton is outraged when SpongeBob makes him do many ridiculous things and still refuses to tell him the formula thinking he said that he should never discuss the formula. SpongeBob later inserts a penny in the "self destruct" slot, realizing that it was Plankton and not Mr. Krabs.
• "Welcome to the Chum Bucket": Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob he has to work for Plankton now because he lost a card game with Plankton and he mistakenly bet his contract. SpongeBob refuses and begs Mr. Krabs not to make him work for Plankton, but he is forced to. Plankton immediately threatens to put SpongeBob's brain in a robot version of him if he refuses to obey his orders. SpongeBob is reluctant to make a Patty but Plankton tries making SpongeBob's job more comfortable by letting him have anything he wanted, including a grill and replica of the Krusty Krab kitchen. Despite this, SpongeBob still refuses to make a Krabby Patty for him and makes a bunch of selfish demands. Plankton gets fed up and he puts SpongeBob's brain inside the robot, only for the robot to become bratty and refuse to make a patty due to it having SpongeBob's brain. Plankton has had enough and pleads Mr. Krabs to take back SpongeBob.​
• "The Fry Cook Games": Plankton convinces Patrick that SpongeBob is not his friend and that he's evil, and forces him to fight SpongeBob.
• The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: As Plankton frames Mr. Krabs for stealing King Neptune's crown, SpongeBob and Patrick try to retrieve the crown. Plankton then hires Dennis to assassinate the two. SpongeBob is not aware of Plankton's schemes until Dennis accidentally tells them. During the climax, SpongeBob then confronts Plankton, only for Plankton to mind-control King Neptune. As SpongeBob lays defeated with Plankton mortifying him as a "stupid kid," he agrees with Plankton. However, he is motivated from his adventure and uses his Goofy Goober guitar to free everyone, and after being stomped on, Plankton gets arrested.
• "Fear of a Krabby Patty": Plankton makes Mr. Krabs open his restaurant 24 hours a day by making the Chum Bucket open 23 hours a day, causing SpongeBob to get overworked. He also puts an order of 10,000 Krabby Patties as an attempt to make him crack.
• "Krabs vs. Plankton": After Plankton fakes an injury to get the formula, SpongeBob proves to the jury that Plankton's "injury" was a scheme to get the formula.
• "Friend or Foe": SpongeBob stops Plankton from stealing the formula and later chases after him and Karen after Plankton steals the formula again.
• "Krabs à la Mode": SpongeBob stops Plankton for stealing a Krabby Patty, and Plankton also freezes SpongeBob with the thermostat.
• "Goo Goo Gas": When Plankton spouts out his plan out loud, SpongeBob shouts for the police to arrest Plankton, who arrive instantly afterwards. Later, Plankton turns SpongeBob into a baby.
• "Mermaid Man vs. SpongeBob": SpongeBob ruins Plankton's plan by turning Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy back to normal after Plankton hypnotizes them.
• "Banned in Bikini Bottom": Plankton calls the police on the secret Krusty Krab, which almost gets SpongeBob arrested.
• "Krabby Road": Plankton pretends to be in a band with SpongeBob to get the secret formula. When going to a gig at the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob finds out it was a trick to get the formula and the police arrive and arrest Plankton.
• "Spongicus": SpongeBob ruins Plankton's gladiator show by saving Patrick from the lion.
• "Plankton's Regular": SpongeBob does multiple attempts to get Nat to eat at the Krusty Krab instead of the Chum Bucket, and later breaks into the Chum Bucket with Mr. Krabs to get his secret formula.
• "The Krabby Kronicle": SpongeBob writes a lie about Plankton in the newspaper, which gets his restaurant shut down, although SpongeBob only did this because Mr. Krabs ordered him to.
• "Greasy Buffoons": SpongeBob calls the health inspector on Plankton and Mr. Krabs for feeding people too much grease, and Mr. Krabs and Plankton shove SpongeBob in a trash can and throw him down a cliff.
• "SpongeBob's Last Stand": SpongeBob successfully stops Plankton's Super Shelly Highway from getting built by tearing it down at the end of the episode.
• "The Great Patty Caper": SpongeBob and Patrick chase Plankton and try to stop his train to get the key to the safety deposit box that has the secret formula.
• "The Other Patty": Plankton, along with Mr. Krabs are furious at SpongeBob and intend on harming him for making another burger restaurant to get them to work together.
• "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!": Plankton gives SpongeBob his jerktonium fruit cake to turn him into a jerk. When that doesn't work, he makes an evil robot SpongeBob and frames him of doing all of its evil deeds, only for SpongeBob to destroy it at the end.
• "Salsa Imbecilicus": He makes SpongeBob, along with everyone else as dumb as Patrick.
• "Mimic Madness": Plankton and Squidward plan to harm SpongeBob for copying them.
• "Bottle Burglars": After Plankton steals the formula, SpongeBob and Squidward try to get it back.

Episodes as friends

• "F.U.N.": As the townsfolk run him out of town, SpongeBob feels bad for Plankton and decides to befriend him. While he is reluctant at first, Karen tells him of the mission as to where Plankton changed his mind. Plankton refuses to join along with SpongeBob's jolliness at first but eventually agrees. Mr. Krabs sought sight of this. The next day, Plankton goes into the Krusty Krab for SpongeBob, but Mr. Krabs tries to tell SpongeBob that Plankton is not his friend. SpongeBob refuses to believe Mr. Krabs and leaves with Plankton, but after getting a Krabby Patty out of Plankton's pocket, SpongeBob languishes from this and begs Plankton the truth. Afterward, Plankton leaves with the patty, stating that being evil is too much fun.
• "Valentine's Day": SpongeBob gives Plankton a tiny Valentine's Day heart on Valentine's Day.
• "Walking Small": Plankton gets SpongeBob to be more assertive, and SpongeBob listens to his advice which pleased Plankton until finding out he was using him for land development.
• "Band Geeks": Like the rest of the Bikini Bottom Super Band sing "Sweet Victory," there is a scene where both SpongeBob and Plankton sing together.
• "The Algae's Always Greener": When Plankton switches lives with Mr. Krabs, he becomes SpongeBob's boss. SpongeBob gives him Krabby Patties for "Inspection" and Plankton gives SpongeBob a promotion. SpongeBob also prevents Mr. Krabs from stealing a Krabby Patty, which is his motive much like Plankton's.
• "Party Pooper Pants": Plankton attends SpongeBob's house party.
• "SpongeBob Meets the Strangler": Plankton goes to two parties for SpongeBob.
• "Bucket Sweet Bucket": SpongeBob and Patrick volunteer to paint the Chum Bucket and rebuild it.
• "Single Cell Anniversary": SpongeBob helps Plankton give Karen the best anniversary gift, not knowing he was going to get the formula.
• "The Krabby Kronicle": SpongeBob felt sorry for Plankton when the Chum Bucket got shut down from his fake news story.
• "One Coarse Meal": SpongeBob pities Plankton and tells him about Mr. Krabs' fear.
• "Sweet and Sour Squid": SpongeBob tells Plankton how to impress Squidward.
• "Plankton's Pet": SpongeBob agrees to help Plankton find a pet, eventually finding Spot in the process. Soon, as Plankton loses Spot, SpongeBob agrees to help find him. As they search at the animal shelter, SpongeBob accidentally opens the pens. Plankton then thanks SpongeBob for helping him, and as they are about to get mauled, SpongeBob notices Spot hiding in Plankton's eye. As Spot saves them, SpongeBob is proud of this, with Plankton stating that he taught him everything he knows.
• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water: SpongeBob and Plankton team up to retrieve the Krabby Patty formula and battle Burger Beard.
• "Plankton Gets the Boot": SpongeBob happily allows Plankton to take residence in his house after the latter gets kicked out by Karen, and later tries to help him win back Karen's heart.
• "Plankton Paranoia": Since Mr. Krabs' mentally insane behavior is ruining the restaurant business, SpongeBob and the gang secretly team up with Plankton to help put it to a stop. To do that, they plan an anniversary party of when Plankton first tried to steal the secret formula, which turns out to be a success.
• "Appointment TV": Plankton forces SpongeBob to change some light bulbs at the Chum Bucket despite his objections. Later in the evening, he, along with Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs, Larry, Sandy, Gary, and Mrs. Puff, see how sad SpongeBob is after he misses the lost episode of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, and realizes that he took advantage of his kindness. To make it up to him, he and the others put on a play in a recitation of the lost episode.
• "Karen's Virus": SpongeBob assists Plankton in helping get a computer virus out of Karen.
• "Plankton's Old Chum": SpongeBob helps Plankton hide his rotten chum around town.
• "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout": Plankton helps Sandy and the others decorate SpongeBob's house for his birthday party. After he returns, SpongeBob finds the house destroyed and everyone asleep from the party planning. Nevertheless, SpongeBob is excited that his family and friends would do so much for him. SpongeBob lists Plankton and the other wonderful friends and how he's grateful to have them. When Patchy the Pirate arrives and sings the birthday song, Plankton along with everyone else wakes up and properly celebrates a happy birthday to SpongeBob.
• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run: Plankton sends SpongeBob and Patrick on a risky mission to also get Gary from the Lost City of Atlantic City, to get rid of him forever. Later, he goes alongside Squidward, Mr. Krabs, and Sandy to save SpongeBob and Patrick from King Poseidon and getting executed, as well as to save Gary too.
• "Something Narwhal This Way Comes": Plankton helps SpongeBob, Narlene, and Nobby chase away the narwhals in Bikini Bottom with his family.
• "The Flower Plot": SpongeBob is sad to see Plankton leave. When Plankton reveals himself and an angry mob gang up on him, SpongeBob saves him out of relief to have him back.
• "Delivery to Monster Island": SpongeBob and Plankton team up to survive on Monster Island, starting their own coconut restaurant and working well together.
• "Single-Celled Defense": SpongeBob helps Plankton learn self-defense by acting as his sparring partner. He also wears foam boots to not injure Plankton.
• "Kitchen Sponge": SpongeBob works at Plankton's canteen.
• "The Switch Glitch": SpongeBob teams up with Plankton and Sandy to help switch Patrick and Karen's minds back to normal.