Tropes
- Book Ends: The episode begins and ends with sinister narration on the nature of fear, as read by Clancy Brown.
- Bowdlerise: The original storyboard has Fear Feaster coming out of Finn's butthole. It was revised to make him come out of Finn's belly button.
- Compressed Vice: Finn's fear of the ocean hasn't come up previously, apparently because Finn never knew he was travelling across the ocean in those instances.
- Cool and Unusual Punishment: "Poots on newts!" is what Jake gives a giant fire newt for stealing boots. So it's poots on newts for stealing boots.
- Double Take: Finn has one when he temporarily overcomes his fear of the ocean to rescue Jake. When he realizes he's at the bottom of the sea, Finn freaks out and hastily surfaces with his buddy.
- Hand Wave: At the end, a group of spirits come out of Finn's belly button in a spiritual limousine to tell him Fear Feaster is wrong, being afraid of the ocean doesn't mean he can't be a hero, and even the greatest heroes have flaws.Finn: So why'd you guys wait so long to tell me?
Spirit: Because the limo driver's flaw is being late! - Humanity's Wake: Jake's submarine goes through a destroyed city, with a brief glimpse of two corpses sitting next to one another on a sofa. Neither Finn nor Jake comment on it.
- Rhymes on a Dime: Jake makes Finn vow to speak in rhyme. After extracting the promise Jake also joins in for fun.
- Running Gag: Finn beating the crap out of Jake's face whenever he freaks out about getting out of the ocean.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: When the Fear Feaster tells the hero spirits "You know nothing!", they retort "Silence, Fear Feaster! We know a lot!"
- Toilet Humor: The episode opens with Jake trying to deliver "poots on newts" to a thieving giant newt.
- Trauma Button: Jake tries exposing Finn to the ocean to help him get over it, but his methods just terrify Finn even further, and Finn reacts as any kid will in a situation terrifying the spit out of them - he freaks out, repeatedly.
- Unusual Euphemism: Jake tells Finn that they're going to kick his fear in the "sea cucumber"
- Worst Aid: Psychological version; Jake attempts immersion therapy to desensitize Finn to his fear of the ocean, but instead of pulling back whenever Finn freaks out, Jake just moves on to the next step of more exposure. Needless to say, this doesn't help Finn overcome his fears in the slightest.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Finn's fear of the ocean, which only applies to oceans. Rivers, lakes, puddles, any other body of water is fine, but the ocean reduces him to a screaming, panting mess.
