And she hasn't even gotten the half-troll face yet.
Production Code: 230
In order to be able to enjoy his middle school graduation in peace, Jake purposefully gets himself suspended from the Dragon Order and his dragon chi removed. Haley is left to step up to the plate, but can she really handle all the responsibility, which includes dealing with a vengeful Chang?
Tropes
- Aesop Amnesia: After the events of "Family Business" and "Switcheroo", one would think Haley would have a better scope by now of how difficult being the American Dragon is. Nope, it takes nearly one week's worth of pressure (and temporary disfigurement via troll potion) for her to get the point. Jake was counting on that and told her she'd have a chance to prove herself.
- Afraid of Blood: The final component to resurrect the Dark Dragon is either the American Dragon’s chi or a drop of blood. Fu implies this trope is the reason Chang opted for the former even if getting a drop of blood would be easier.
- Armor-Piercing Question: Haley starts her "The Reason You Suck" Speech by asking Lao Shi and Sun, "When's the last time either of you were the American Dragon?" They're so stunned that she proceeds to lay into them about how hard it is.
- Bittersweet Ending: Jake's gotten his dragon powers back and he's come to find a deeper appreciation in the position of the American Dragon, Haley's found a new appreciation for her brother, Lao-Shi has come to better empathize with his grandson's struggles, Jake's patched things up with Danika, and Jake and Rotwood have seemingly put their enmity to rest. On the other hand, unbeknownst to all of Team Dragon, they've failed to prevent Chang and Bananas B from bringing the Dark Dragon back to life.
- Blood Magic: The Dark Dragon's revival spell requires either the American Dragon's chi or blood. It's Jake's blood that brings the Dark Dragon back in the end.
- Bookends: The episode opens and closes with Jake narrating about his week where he wasn't the American Dragon.
- Call-Back:
- One to Jake and Danika's not-so-smooth attempt at a relationship in "Siren Says".
- When Haley calls out her grandfather and Sun, she makes one to Jake losing Rose in "Homecoming".
- Spud and Stacey's Secret Relationship continues to be acknowledged, with him claiming to have set up a "hilarious scheme" to trick her into being his graduation partner in order to cover for her.
- Calling the Old Man Out: Haley does this to her grandfather and Sun when they try criticizing Jake for getting himself suspended from the Dragon Order so he could have some time off.Haley: HEY! When's the last time either of you were the American Dragon? Well as the little troll girl currently filling the position, let me tell you it's stinkin' hard! I can't imagine doing it two more days, let alone two more years! And to think about everything Jake's gone through? He's had to save magical creatures on a daily basis, lie to his own dad about who he is, say goodbye to the girl he loved, all to protect a mystical world that nobody knows about. He may be the American Dragon, but he is also a 14-year-old kid who just wanted a couple of days off. If that makes him immature, fine, but self-serving? With all due respect to both of you, STEP OFF!!
- Cerebus Retcon: All of the previous filler episodes that featured Jake trying to find easier ways to balance his normal life and dragon duties? It shows he was barely clinging to a healthy routine when Haley takes dragon duties and has a breakdown after only a few days.
- Chained to a Rock: Chang does this to Jake after she kidnaps him so she can use him for her resurrection ritual for the Dark Dragon. Jake takes it pretty well, actually.Jake: Okay, not a bad show, but the ending's not really living up to the hype. Can I go now?
- Character Development: After having to endure the duties of the American Dragon in Jake's absence, Haley comes to a better understanding of all of Jake's struggles and sacrifices, leading to her awesomely speaking up on his behalf near the end of the episode.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot:
- Haley laments that Jake wouldn't have been kidnapped, or at least would have been better able to fight off Chang if she hadn't agreed to his plan of getting suspended.
- Likewise, Lao Shi admits that he started the whole situation by not giving Jake the few days off that his grandson desired. He makes amends by cutting Jake's dragon training in half for the summer and promising to listen to him.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Halfway through the episode, Councilor Chang rapidly defeats both Sun Park and Haley via her Magic Staff without either of them being able to fight back very well against her at all, allowing Councilor Chang to subsequently capture an enfeebled Jake for his Dragon chi.
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: Spud sings along to part of the opening theme song in the Cold Open.
- Distressed Dude: Councilor Chang captures Jake and uses him in a resurrection ritual for the Dark Dragon via draining and obtaining his dragon chi, forcing Sun Park and Haley to rescue Jake once they find him again.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Referenced by Fu Dog; Chang would prefer to take Jake's chi because blood has an "ick factor" to it.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Given her nervous expression, she's already figuring it out, but Haley asks why Chang didn't kidnap her when she had the chance to use her chi for the spell. Fu spells it out: Chang didn't know that Haley is the American Dragon temporarily, which means she's going after Jake.
- Gagging on Your Words:
- Haley does this when admitting she failed her test at school that day.
- Fu Dog similarly gags while attempting to lie that a troll-faced Haley is still cute.
- Getting Suspended Is Awesome: After Brad gets suspended for pranking Professor Rotwood with an exploding cake, Jake, who is seriously struggling under the weight of his responsibilities, is inspired to do the same to the Dragon Council so he can get some time off.
- Gilligan Cut:
- Brad telling his classmates that he'll never get caught for pranking Rotwood with an exploding cake "as long as you potty squatters keep your traps shut." It then cuts to the main trio talking about how Brad got suspended because someone was mad enough at being called a potty squatter to rat him out.
- When Haley offers to help Jake deliberately get suspended, he replies that he has it covered. The scene cuts to the Dragon Council talking about how nice it was of Jake to send them a cake. The cake is the same kind of exploding cake that Brad pranked Rotwood with.
- Jake tells his grandfather that he'll spend his suspension in deep reflection. The scene cuts to Jake doing a mocking impression of Rotwood at a party.
- Heel Realization: The frown on Lao Si's face during Haley's Calling the Old Man Out speech, shows that he's realized that he has been putting too much pressure on Jake and not understanding his struggles. Or the struggles Haley's had to face now for that matter.
- Hidden Depths: Jake proves himself to be an apt rapper and Rotwood impressionist when he finally gets a chance.
- Internal Deconstruction: This whole episode serves as one for the show's premise and Jake's Wake Up, Go to School & Save the World routine. He gets really frustrated when it's the last week of middle school and he has no photos in the yearbook thanks to dragon duty and training, while Lao Shi interrupts his attempts to make up for being AWOL all year. Jake decides the only way to get a break is to convince the council he's irresponsible so Haley is put in charge for a week. Haley thinks it will be a cinch, only to break down after several days of arriving late to school, doing intense training, failing tests, and performing menial labor. She ends up snapping at Lao Shi and Sun for how they don't appreciate that Jake is a kid that only wanted a few days off because even she can't handle regular American Dragon duties and her brother's seeming laziness is actually exhaustion. Lao Shi takes this to heart and promises Jake that he's cutting dragon training during the summer and overall.
- It's All My Fault: Haley feels this way when Chang kidnaps Jake.
- It Sucks to Be the Chosen One: Most of the episode plays this trope straight, with Jake being the most relaxed he's been throughout the series and Haley blatantly being on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to all of the pressure being put on her shoulders. However, it's subverted by the end of the episode, where the break he took makes Jake truly realize just how rewarding being the American Dragon is.
- Just Between You and Me: Heroic example; Jake lets in Haley onto his plan so that she can help him look up the rules exactly on dragon suspension. When she asks why she shouldn't tattle on him, Jake points out that she would be the American Dragon for a week.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall:
- Jake says it feels weird to finally be graduating, and Danika responds that in a way it is nice to finally be closing the current chapter of their lives and moving on to something new.
- Jake comments on how Chang's attempt at kick-starting the series' Grand Finale is looking pretty anti-climatic after her resurrection spell fails.
Jake: Okay, not a bad show, but the ending's not really living up to the hype. - Look Behind You: Subverted. After Chang kidnaps Jake, Haley accidentally lets slip that she knew Jake got his dragon powers suspended on purpose, and attempts this. Needless to say, Lao Shi and Sun don't buy it.Haley: This is all my fault! I had the chance to stop him from pulling that prank on the Council, and now— (realizing what she just said) Oh, look! Azaleas are in bloom.
Lao Shi: Prank?!
Sun: Jake ditched his American Dragon duties on purpose? - Madness Mantra: A variation. When Haley can't handle the stress of being the American Dragon, she copes by continually hugging Madge the Motivational Unicorn, who says "You're special" every time it's squeezed.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- When Haley starts failing tests, arriving late to school, and clinging to the toy that Sun gave her, both of her parents get worried. Susan is even more so since she knows what's going on.
- Likewise, Jake's dad notes that it's unusual for Jake to be relaxed. Jake is certainly happy.
- Opening Narration: Jake begins the episode by narrating what his usual life is like before transitioning to the week where he didn't have the responsibilities of being the American Dragon.
- Opening Shout-Out: When Jake bribes Haley into pulling a prank on the Dragon Council to get a week off, she imagines part of the opening sequence with her and Jake's positions switched as American Dragon: Haley Long. Spud also sings a bit of the theme song during the Cold Opening.
- Overused Running Gag: Trixie's description of Kyle Wilkins has grown so tiring that the rest of the student body is able to complete it for her.Trixie: Have I mentioned that he is fine—
Other Students: "Like lemon-lime in the summertime."
Trixie: (nervous giggle) - Poor Communication Kills: Granted, Lao Shi wasn't in a mood to listen but Jake described wanting to graduate like a normal middle-schooler as "chilling" making it sound like he was lazy. Haley does better when reading the riot act to her grandfather and Sun on how he never allows Jake to be normal or have a life.
- Rage Breaking Point: Haley has been trained to the bone, assigned to do gross tasks, disfigured by a troll potion, and forced to miss important schoolwork. But what sets her off? Lao Shi disparaging Jake for getting suspended on purpose.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Haley lays an epic one on her grandfather for how much he and Sun pressure Jake. She says that Jake has never been allowed to be normal, has to lie to his own father about who he really is, had to give up Rose, and has been put through the wringer for years on end.
- Rouge Angles of Satin: The yearbooks misspell Millard Fillmore's name as "Filmore."
- Serious Business: Jake, Spud, and Trixie are willing to stage an entire heist on a delivery truck while it's still in motion just to get an early peek at that year's edition of the school yearbook.
- Shout-Out: The Dark Dragon's resurrection, what with Jake being held prisoner during the ceremony and his blood being an ingredient, is rather reminiscent of Voldemort's rebirth in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
- Shut Up, Kirk!: A heroic example. Hayley interrupts Lao-Shi and Sun's typical bad-mouthing of Jake's actions by letting them know how insanely hard they've been pushing him to the point that he's had practically no social life for the past year.
- The Stinger: Fu Dog discloses his own deepest, most personal thoughts through voice-over, but they mostly amount to his "Oo-goo-goo" catchphrase.
- Strange Minds Think Alike:
- Much to Haley's horror, she starts agreeing with Jake that some of the "dragon emergencies" that Sun calls her for are equivalent to useless menial labor.
- After Rotwood's prank cake exploded, Spud expressed sympathy for him, saying that who knew cake could do that to a man's face. When Jake does the same thing to the Dragon Council, Councilor Kulde expresses the same sentiment.
- Tempting Fate:
- Brad does this after telling the whole class about his prank on Rotwood.Brad: And as long as you little potty-squatters keep your traps shut, he'll never find out it's me!
(Cut to Jake, Trixie and Spud in the cafeteria)
Trixie: So Brad's suspended?
Jake: You call the whole class "potty-squatters", someone's bound to rat. - In Jake's closing narration, he says that he's sure he can face anything life throws at him so long as he has his friends and family for support. The scene then shifts to his blood reviving the Dark Dragon.
- Likewise, Haley says that, unlike Jake, she won't crack under the pressure of being the American Dragon. She ends up doing so by yelling at Lao Shi and Sun for how they've treated her big brother.
- Brad does this after telling the whole class about his prank on Rotwood.
- Theme Tune Cameo: Twice, first when Spud sings some of the intro in the prologue and again when Hayley imagines herself as the American Dragon.
- Title Drop: Jake does this in his closing voice-over, stating that "Being human was a wake-up call".
- Trailers Always Spoil: The promo
for this episode ends by revealing that the Dark Dragon comes back. Fittingly enough, the Dark Dragon's return is also the very last shot of the episode. - Two-Faced: Haley ends up with half her face green and deformed after Bananas B pours Essence of Troll on her.
- Unishment:
- Invoked. Jake sends the Dragon Council an exploding cake, knowing that they will suspend his powers and by extension the responsibility that comes with those powers.
- At the end of the episode, Lao Shi says that Jake's new punishment for setting the prank on purpose is doing half of his dragon training during the summer. Jake is fine with that.
- What Have I Become?: Trixie solemnly admits in the opening that she's become as much of a Butt-Monkey as Spud.
