Finally on the road to Newtopia, the kids are excited to be outside the valley for the first time, but Hop Pop's rules of the road make having any fun impossible.
Anne and Sprig trick Hop Pop into making a quick stop as they flee the Fwagon with Hop Pop in pursuit. Anne quickly pulls out her phone, and together they pose in front of one of the doors to take a picture; however, as soon as Sprig places his hand on the doors they fly open sending them both tumbling down a sloped passageway. Anne and Sprig enter one of the ruins and come across a technological structure which a surprised Anne identifies as a computer.
Against Hop Pop's wishes who followed them in, Sprig pulls the lever revealing the structure to be a factory as blue lights begin to flash as the arms and mechanics of the production line begin creating an unknown object. Hop Pop ends up on the assembly line as Anne tries to rescue him while Sprig tries shutting off the machine. Using Hop Pop's book, Sprig shoves it into the disc slot of the computer, which causes the computer to go haywire and attack Sprig; forcing the three to flee as the entire place around them blows up.
Hop Pop is furious over them disobeying, and is further incensed when Polly took Bessie and the fwagon out for a joyride while they were away. Sprig apologizes and claims he understands now what those rules were for before sadly entering the Fwagon. Hop Pop realizes that he has been suppressing all the enjoyment of the road trip for the kids, and admits that he was wrong. He decides to let up on the rules and promises to make a few stops for the kids to enjoy.
Later they head back to get ice cream from the diner they had passed up earlier. As Sprig and Anne question what the factory was about, a robot emerges from the ruins, unseen by the group.
Tropes provided in the episode are:
- Advanced Ancient Acropolis: Unlike Wartwood, the ruins are very technologically advanced by at least a few hundred years, at least to the Amphibians. Averted from Anne's perspective as she is easily able to recognize the machines as computers and the ruin itself as a factory. In fact, to Anne, the factory is about 20 years out of date.
- Boring, but Practical: Some of Hop Pop's rules border on this, such as never shouting because it can attract marauders and highwaymen.
- Both Sides Have a Point: Hop Pop's rule book and his enforcement of it seem overly strict, but some of the rules make perfect sense considering the world they live in. At the same time though, Anne and Sprig are somewhat entitled to feel smothered by said rules since some of them range to delusional.
- Call-Back: Sprig's inability to resist pulling levers from "Family Shrub" makes a comeback.
- Chekhov's Gun: Hop Pop's rule book, which Sprig uses instead of a disk to insert into the computer to stop the assembly line.
- Conveyor Belt of Doom: Hop Pop ends up in the factory's assembly line, where he risks getting crushed to death by the machinery.
- Five-Finger Fillet: Polly briefly appears to play this game with a pencil while Sprig is expressing frustration with Hop Pop's rules. Given that she doesn't have fingers, her version of it doesn't seem too difficult. She afterward stabs the pencil into the kids' books as though it were a knife.
- Foreshadowing:
- Once Sprig accidentally activates the factory's computer, the silhouette of a robot is shown on the screen. In fact, several robotic parts are shown, such as an eye and an arm. At the end of the episode, an actual robot emerges from the rubble.
- The fact that Amphibia used to have all this advanced technology will become vital at the end of the season.
- Going Native: Anne happily eats her cricket-filled ice cream, noting that there was a time when she would pick off the bug bits.
- I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder: A variation. Anne justifies not knowing what a computer disk is by pointing out she's "from another dimension, not the 90s!".
- The Nudifier: When the factory grabs Hop Pop, it passes him through a laser field which slices off his clothes. His boxers, mercifully, are spared. Anne vaults over it when she goes to rescue him.
- Say Your Prayers: The sign leaving the valley advises travellers "May frog help you".
- Schmuck Bait: One of the rules is "Don't pull levers". Three guesses as to how that goes.
- Sequel Hook: One of the factory robots made it out of the explosion. It will continue to follow the Plantars throughout the season.
- Tempting Fate:
- Lampshaded. "Rule 98: Never strike a heroic pose on the fwagon. It's a sign of hubris that invites disaster."
- Rule 2 states not to celebrate until you're positive you're out of danger. When Sprig asks why, the factory explodes.
- Wham Episode: It's revealed that Amphibia used to have technology a long time ago, which changes everything we know about the show, and hints at a possible explanation for why the music box is called the Calamity Box...
- What Are Records?: The computer demands you "insert a disk" for any orders, but Anne has no idea what a disk is.Sprig: "Anne, what the heck's a disk?!"
Anne: "I don't know! I'm from another dimension, not the 90s!" - You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Sprig's reaction when the computer brings out a buzzsaw to attack him with.
