The long lost encryptor chip, the only computer component that can restore Motherboard to full power, unexpectedly appears on the popular cyberauction U-WANT, U-BID! To make matters worse, Hacker is the top bidder – and if he gets it, Motherboard is doomed! The CyberSquad and their friend Slider get jobs in Cyberspace, and figure out how much they need to save per day to outbid Hacker. They succeed in winning the auction, but are totally unprepared for what happens when they install the chip in Motherboard… Hacker takes over Cyberspace!!
To find the chip, the CyberSquad and Slider have to find parts for a tracking device. They have to buy them with Digit's big allowance from Hacker. Meanwhile, Hacker is planning to throw the encryptor chip containing Motherboard into the black hole while Wicked began spending huge amounts of money they collected from Cyberspace for decorations and herself.
Tropes in this episode:
- Assembly Line Fast-Forward: The CyberSquad get jobs to earn enough Snelfus to get the encryptor chip to cure Motherboard from Hacker's virus. Jackie gets a job packing chocolate candies into boxes, but she quickly gets overwhelmed when the speed picks up and winds up covered in a mountain of chocolate.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Hacker successfully dupes the kids into purchasing the encryptor chip that had secretly been loaded with an even more powerful virus allowing Hacker to completely take over Motherboard and gain control of Cyberspace.
- Batman Gambit: Hacker knows the CyberSquad will save a lot of money to buy the Encryptor Chip. He rigs an auction and gives them every opportunity he can to let them place the last bid while putting on the act that he wants it. With the tampered chip, the CyberSquad compromises Motherboard for Hacker, putting him in charge. And he gets all their hard-earned Snelfus.
- Big "WHAT?!": Hacker lets out an exaggerated "WHAT?" when Digit outbids him for the chip...right before chuckling ominously.
- Broke Episode: Part 2 has the kids and Digit trying to get parts to fix Slider's tracking device, but they lost the Snelfus they earned from the bid. Thankfully, Digit had some secretly stashed by Hacker's headquarters when he used to work for him.
- Convection, Schmonvection: Multiple episodes involve entering lava-filled volcanoes. Sometimes the characters bother wearing protective gear, but there's no time for Digit to do even that in Part 2.
- Distressed Dude: Dr. Marbles has been captured before, but unlike previous episodes, this one doesn't reveal it until the very end of Part 1. With the rest of the squad joining him in captivity during episode two. He's the only one who doesn't manage to escape until the very end of the two-parter.
- Evil Laugh: After his exaggerated initial reaction, Hacker gives an ominous chuckle after being outbid for the chip. Also doubles as Five-Second Foreshadowing.
- Foreshadowing:
- The auctioneer refuses to explain who the Encryptor Chip's seller is. The seller is in fact Hacker.
- Hacker expresses annoyance, anger, and even fear whenever somebody bids for a higher auction price. During the final leg of the auction he goes so far as to silence Wicked before she raises the final bid price of 495 Snelfus, and then he goes on a long-winded rant on Digit when he drops the 500 Snelfu offer while "conveniently" ignoring the auctioneer calling for final bids, right before he chuckles ominously before leaving. This is all because this is his Failure Gambit to get the CyberSquad to take the Encryptor Chip.
- The episode's Cold Open has Dr. Marbles finally finding the chip in what appears to be a mountain canyon, only for him to disappear after that and the main episode to reveal that it's up for auction on a completely different cybersite. Turns out Hacker stole the chip from Marbles and locked him up, and the chip being up for auction was to trick the Cybersquad into buying it.
- Slider's garage gets ransacked likely by Hacker at the start of Part 2. While it's likely a coincidence due to the fact that Hacker knows Slider as working with the kids, it's even worse when we find out next season that Hacker knew about Slider before as he worked with his dad and tried to blackmail him prior to the start of the series.
- Help, I'm Stuck!: Overlaps with Drama-Preserving Handicap. Although Dr. Marbles helps the kids escape from Hacker's prison at the beginning of Part 2, he gets stuck in the hole Didgit cut in the wall when he tries to follow them out. Since they're already heading down the garbage chute, they can't go back for him. He isn't freed until after the kids find and retrieve the chip, which would have been a lot easier with his brain and resources.
- It's All My Fault: Digit blames himself for what happens to Motherboard in "The Snelfu Snafu", since he was the one who put in the Encryptor Chip.
- Multi-Part Episode: "The Snelfu Snafu" was one of three double-length episodes that are each split into two parts.
- Musical Spoiler: When the Encryptor Chip is retrieved at last, it should be a cause for celebration. The protagonists are appropriately happy about it. So why is the music a tense, hanging violin note, which then yields to sinking bass piano the moment the chip is inserted?
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The group enters an auction to win a copy of the Encryptor Chip that will fix Motherboard's virus. It turns out that the contest was actually set up by Hacker who reprogrammed the Encryptor Chip. Once inserted into Motherboard's computer she is overwritten and replaced by Hacker, allowing him to take over Cyberspace for the first time!
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: While he's gotten a Near-Villain Victory in some episodes, this is the first episode that has Hacker outright succeed in conquering Cyberspace. It is even more impressive that he factors the Cybersquad's victory into his plan.
- "Oh, Crap!" Fakeout: In a case of Five-Second Foreshadowing, after the kids outbid him for the chip, Hacker gives a Big "WHAT?!" and then immediately switches to an Evil Laugh before leaving with a smile on his face.
- Rewatch Bonus: At first glance, Hacker bullying other bidders and expressing worry and horror at the rising bid price seems to be typical Hacker behavior. With the twist at the end, however, it becomes clear what he was actually worried about was the CyberSquad failing to earn the money to win the Encryptor Chip and thus ruining his whole gambit.
- Rushmore Refacement: Hacker has made a "Mount Hackermore" out of one of the mountains on cybersite Nowhere.
- To Be Continued: Part 1 ends with this caption.
- Trash Landing: Part 2 has the kids and Digit escaping prison using the garbage chute. They get covered in trash as it doesn't go until next Tuesday.
- Wham Episode: After three seasons of the CyberSquad and Dr. Marbles trying to retrieve the Encryptor Chip and fix Motherboard, they finally succeed in doing so, only for Hacker to reprogram the chip to replace Motherboard with himself, allowing him to finally conquer Cyberspace. Part 2 is equally whammy. After being captured by Hacker and losing the chip, the kids manage to escape, relocate it, and get it back. But in order to fix the damage Hacker did, they have to destroy the chip, bringing Motherboard back but leaving her stuck with the virus permanently.
- Wham Line:
- Part 1: "Surprise Cyberworld! I'm your new ruler. The Hacker has won!"
- Part 2: "I can unzip Motherboard and reboot her through a back door, but the Encryptor Chip will be destroyed in the process."
Tropes in "For Real" segment:
- Rain, Rain, Go Away: Harry was working as a life guard to save money for a trip to Mexico, but the final week has the pool closed due to the rain and he couldn't get to earn money for that week. Luckily, he saved about 500 dollars worth of savings in his jar to make up for the loss.
