After drinking an experimental tonic of Neil's creation, Nikki is suddenly not feeling well and is diagnosed with a case of Death. How will Nikki spend her last day alive?
Tropes:
- Aesop: A three-fer.
- If you are not feeling well, have a doctor or adult check you out, instead of jumping to conclusions.
- Even if you don't think the situation is that bad, show someone who's ailing sympathy, or you'll come off as cruel and apathetic.
- Finally, don't dance around uncomfortable truths you have to tell kids. You might needlessly confuse them and make things worse.
- Beware the Nice Ones: For the first time in the series, we see what happens when Nikki gets furious, and it's far more terrifying than either Max or Neil.
- Continuity Nod:
- Space Kid calls himself Neil in his internal monologue, after it was established last season that his name is, indeed, Neil Armstrong.
- Nikki previously mentioned that she wanted a Viking funeral. Sure enough, when finally asked what she wanted, she prepares herself for one.
- While watching the horror film, Max is the only one not to scream. It was established back in episode 5 of Season 1 that Max doesn't scream. (With the exception of seeing Quartermaster taking part in weird kinky sex in a dungeon)
- Fate Worse than Death: After Gwen figures out what's really going on, she reassures the campers that Nikki isn't dying, just growing up.Nikki: Awww! That's even worse!
- Foreshadowing:
- The symptoms of Nikki's "poisoning" include mysterious stomach cramps, ravenous appetite, food cravings, mood swings... and bleeding.
- The serum Nikki drank at the beginning of the episode was Neil's attempt to give himself a lower voice, probably by accelerating the onset of puberty.
- The show has previously established that Nikki has no sex ed whatsoever, and her mom is woefully negligent. No wonder she didn't recognize a period the first time she experienced one.
- Last Day to Live: The general idea of the episode: Nikki has been poisoned and has one day left to enjoy camp.
- Ignored Expert: At the beginning, Max suggests that they take Nikki to be looked at by a grown-up. Neil balks at that, believing that he'll be sent to jail for making the tonic Nikki drank. So they take Nikki to Dolph.
- Mistaken for Dying: The campers, save for Max, believe that Nikki is dying, and resolve to throw her the best day ever first.
- Mood-Swinger: During her Beware the Nice Ones moment, she starts sobbing controllably, then angrily screams in Max's, then goes back to normal.
- Noodle Incident: According to David, this is not the first time someone's tried to set Nikki on fire.
- No Periods, Period: Subverted again, as this is what's really causing the symptoms of Nikki's "poisoning."
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- Nikki actually screams at Max when he keeps insisting that she isn't dying. He doesn't change his mind, but the shock does make him realize how badly he's been treating her all day.
- When watching Preston's play about Nikki's death, Max's expression goes from annoyed to downcast as he realizes what a low opinion his fellow campers have of him.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- First Nikki loses her temper with Max when he won't sympathize with her, and then Preston puts on a dramatic reenactment of Nikki's death that paints Max as an uncaring asshole.
- After realizing how selfish he's been, Max in turn gives his own version of the speech to the rest of the camp, pointing out that all of them planned activities without considering how Nikki wanted to spend her last day on earth.
- Viking Funeral: How Nikki wants to die. Thankfully Gwen and David step in first.
