Written & storyboarded by Lamar Abrams & Charmaine Verhagen
Craig helps Wildernessa track down a missing Cheesesticks, only to discover that he's suddenly friends with Brigid.
Tropes:
- Accidental Hug: When Craig agrees to help Wildernessa find Cheesesticks and she happily hugs him, she releases Craig, and they awkwardly take a step back in embarrassment.
- Ambiguous Situation: The moment Kelsey and J.P. leave the Stump, Craig immediately gets a text message from Wildernessa saying they need to talk alone. After Wildernessa tells Craig that Cheesesticks ran away and Craig is about to text Kelsey and J.P. for their help, Wildernessa quickly stops him because she believes they look up to her and she's worried they'll think less of her for losing Cheesesticks, which makes Craig very skeptical. Did Wildernessa want only Craig to help her because of her crush on him and she didn't want his friends getting in the way, or was the timing of her text message merely a coincidence and she truly believes Kelsey and J.P. see her on a pedestal?
- Backwards-Firing Gun: Carl tries to freeze Craig with his Freeze Ray but it literally backfires on him and sends him flying back over the fence while freezing his own face.
- Broken Pedestal: Discussed. The reason why Wildernessa declines to have Kelsey and J.P. help search for Cheesesticks is because she believes they see her as a champion to wildlife and the idea of Cheesesticks running away from her would make them think she knows nothing about animals. Craig is very skeptical to her claim but nonetheless agrees to not get his friends involved.
- Call-Back:
- Despite Wildernessa's love confession to Craig from "Capture the Flag Part 5" being cut short after she was frozen, Craig still remembers what she said and understood what she meant. And Craig reveals that was the last time they both talked with each other.
- The body-swapping machine from "Body Swap" returns. Craig's silhouette has been replaced by Brigid's, while Kelsey and J.P.'s are crossed out.
- Continuity Nod: When Craig gets a text message from Wildernessa under her real name Vanessa, Craig was confused at first until he remembers that's her real name after he heard it from her back in "Breaking the Ice".
- Crush Filter: Craig has this when looking at Wildernessa (in a reversal from "Breaking the Ice").
- Delayed Reaction: Craig is initially confused when he gets a text from "Vanessa" before remembering that it's Wildernessa. Only for him to become shocked a second later upon realizing that SHE'S the one texting him.Craig: What? Message from Vanessa? Who's Vanessa? OH, right. Wildernessa. (Beat) Wait. WILDERNESSA?!
- Double-Meaning Title: The title refers to two things: Wildernessa's bond with Cheesesticks, and, as the trope suggests, the growing attraction between her and Craig.
- Failed Attempt at Drama: When Craig and Wildernessa arrive to stop Brigid's plan, Wildernessa jumps the fence while Craig ends up falling over while he announces to Brigid they're here to stop her.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: After Craig stops Brigid's plan and she runs past Craig, he recognizes a familiar scent from her. When Cheesesticks tries biting through Brigid's costume, Craig realizes the reason why Cheesesticks is following her is because she wrapped herself in bacon under her dog costume.
- Food and Animal Attraction: Brigid had wrapped herself in bacon under her dog costume so that Cheesesticks would be attracted to her.
- Food as Bribe: Brigid gets Carl to work for her by giving him a suitcase full of bacon.
- "Freaky Friday" Flip: Brigid's plan is to trade bodies with Cheesesticks so she can finally be a real dog.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: When Kelsey gets a message from Stacks, the latter's contact has a heart next to it, reflecting their Relationship Upgrade in "Fire and Ice".
- Funny Background Event: Mortimor, who had been lying down in Kelsey's hair, can be seen getting tossed around during her inner monologue.
- I "Uh" You, Too: How Wildernessa finally confesses to Craig.Wildernessa: Uh, b-by the way, Craig, I uh-uh... Ch-Cheesesticks likes you.
Craig: Uh... I, um... I like you guys, too.
[both respond by giggling and howling] - Insane Troll Logic: Wildernessa believes that Cheesesticks running away from her would make people believe she knows nothing about animals, despite not knowing the reason why he ran away.
- Laugh of Love: How Craig and Wildernessa react after the confession, along with howling.
- Love Confession: Wildernessa finally admits out loud to Craig that "Cheesesticks" likes him, but Craig correctly knows what she means and lets her know he likes "them", too. They both laugh and howl together, with Cheesesticks joining them.
- Love Revelation Epiphany: When Craig sees Wildernessa's text about wanting to meet him alone, he realizes that they haven't really spoken since the Capture the Flag game, which then makes him recall the last thing she said after stopping him from getting tagged out. Despite her getting interrupted by becoming frozen, he still realizes how that sentence was likely going to end and immediately becomes nervous about what'll happen once they meet up.
- The Nose Knows: Wildernessa is able to find Cheesesticks by sniffing areas where he has been.
- The Only One I Trust: When Cheesesticks goes missing, Wildernessa only contacts Craig and wants to talk to him alone to tell him Cheesesticks is missing because she trusts him and she's worried Kelsey and J.P. would think less of her for losing Cheesesticks.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Craig goes to meet Wildernessa alone and he sees her without Cheesesticks, he believes their meeting is so important that she left Cheesesticks behind to tell him something. But it turns out Cheesesticks isn't with Wildernessa because he's missing and Wildernessa needs Craig's help to find him and wants to leave his friends out of it.
- Out of Focus: Kelsey and J.P. leave at the beginning of the episode to be with Stacks and Maney, respectively, leaving Craig alone when he gets called by Wildernessa. Craig did plan on texting them for help when Cheesesticks goes missing, but Wildernessa stops him and doesn't want their help because she's worried they'll think less of her for losing Cheesesticks.
- Pretty Butterflies: These appear whenever Craig finds Wildernessa at her meeting spot.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Just as Brigid has Wildernessa pinned down, Craig frees Cheesesticks from his cage, and once he's out he stares at Brigid with red eyes while drooling because she wrapped herself in bacon and he pulls Brigid off of Wildernessa to eat the bacon on her.
- Rule of Three: With Kelsey and J.P. each leaving the Stump to assist their respective love interests, this is used to lead into Craig getting a text from Wildernessa and him realizing the implications after seeing that she wants to talk alone and remembering what happened the last time they met.
- Running Gag: Whenever Craig sees Wildernessa at their meeting spot, a few butterflies would show up to emphasize Wildernessa's beauty to Craig. When Wildernessa leaves after giving up on Cheesesticks and Craig remains behind, a butterfly lands on Craig's face and he tells the butterfly Wildernessa is already gone and doesn't need to be here anymore.
- Selective Obliviousness: Wildernessa doesn't recognize Brigid as a human girl in a dog costume; to her, Brigid is just another dog. Even when Craig tells her Brigid is wearing a costume, she still doesn't believe him and tries to stop Brigid by trying to give her orders you would give to a dog.
- Sinister Shades: Carl is seen wearing these to emphasize the fact that his association with Brigid is a bad thing.
- Small Name, Big Ego: When Craig is about to text Kelsey and J.P. to help find Cheesesticks, Wildernessa stops him because she believes Kelsey and J.P. look up to her as a champion of wildlife, and if they find out Cheesesticks ran away from her, she believes they'll think she knows nothing about animals. She even views them as two dopes wearing blue dunce caps. Craig is skeptical of her claim, but respectfully accepts her request.
- Tropey, Come Home: Cheesesticks has run away and Wildernessa needs Craig's help finding him. He has been taken by Brigid as part of her plan to become a dog.
- Villain: Exit, Stage Left: After Craig and Wildernessa foiled Brigid's plan and revealed Cheesesticks only followed her because she wrapped herself in bacon, Brigid gives up and runs away with Craig and Wildernessa letting her go.
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: After remembering Wildernessa's real name is Vanessa, Craig ends up calling her by her real name when he tries to warn her about Cheesesticks being in danger.
