Rolf holds a celebration in honor of his dearly departed Nano (grandfather) and his family's journey from the Old Country to America, and invites the Cul-De-Sac to partake. However, while most of the kids are corteous enough to indulge him, even if they aren't crazy about the dubious "fish balls" being offered, Eddy ends up mortally offending Rolf's family honor when he tries hitting a hole in the fence with one of the balls. While Rolf is just depressed over this first offense, an accidental second one drives him past the brink, and Rolf challenges Eddy to a duel.
Tropes:
- Animation Bump: The duel between Eddy and Rolf utilizes a much wider colour scheme than the rest of the episode, and is better-animated to boot. Edd naturally lampshades it.Edd: Oh dear. Rolf's customs have a frighteningly high budget!
- Animorphism: Ed's eel allergy causes him to turn into a fish.
- An Aesop:
- Be respectful of people’s cultures and practices.
- Recognize when your actions hurt others, or you'll just dig yourself deeper.
- Apology Gift:
- Double D gets a potted plant and forces Eddy to give it to Rolf as an apology. Sadly, in Rolf's country, this is the Potted Shrub of Ridicule.
- Ed suggests that Eddy simply make some cupcakes, and Double-D advises Eddy to offer one to Rolf to act as one of these. Hilariously, Rolf reveals during the actual duel that this could have actually worked.Rolf: If this is true, have you brought the Cupcake of Sorryness?
(Eddy fearfully looks to Ed and Double D, who just shrug.)
Eddy: (sweating bullets and about ready to piss himself) N-No?
(Cue Curb-Stomp Battle) - Rolf's Eels Of Forgiveness seem to be a celebratory reward that he shares with the Eds for their participation in the duel. Double D suggesting they roll with it ends up saving them the trouble that Kevin apparently now has to go through when he turns them down.
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: After the duel, Double D offers to finally bake Eddy the cupcakes they discussed, only for Rolf to give a loud cry of "Too late!" as if he is still angry at the Eds. However, he then immediately switches to a happy tone, inviting the Eds to share the "Eels of Forgiveness" with him instead, showing he means the "Cupcakes of Sorryness" are only an option before a duel, and the eels are the only way to properly restore good friendship after a duel.
- Berserk Button: Apparently it doesn't take much to insult Rolf's customs. While Eddy throwing the sea cucumber ball gets Rolf understandably sad due to the blatant rudeness of it, other instances like giving him a potted plant and declining to join in the eels of forgiveness are also apparently massive insults to him.
- Beware the Nice Ones: There's a good reason why you should never insult Rolf's customs and Eddy now knows better...
- Body Horror: Ed's allergies causes him to morph into a hideous fish man due to his allergy of eels.Eddy: FISH FACE!!! AAAAHHHHHH!!!!
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Edd lampshades the Animation Bump that occurs during Eddy and Rolf's duel.
- Brick Joke: Ed suggests that Eddy simply make cupcakes, and Double-D follows that he should offer one to Rolf as an apology. During the duel, Eddy tries to apologize, prompting Rolf to ask him if he's brought the "Cupcakes of Sorryiness" to prove it. After the duel ends, they almost consider baking those cupcakes until Rolf informs them that it's now time for the "Eels Of Forgiveness" instead.
- Buried Alive: Played for Laughs; while Rolf is mourning being dishonored by Eddy, he is shown to have buried himself in his backyard when the Eds come to see him and give him a potted plant. Though Rolf is shown with both his arms sticking out and using a funnel as his only source of oxygen. When Rolf feels the potted plant though, he rises out of the ground angrily, which makes him look like some undead monstrosity rising from it's grave.Ed: IT LIVES!! Hey, Rolf!
- The Cloudcuckoolander Was Right: Ed's random suggestion of cupcakes are revealed to be the main source for Rolf's forgiveness to Eddy.
- Continuity Nod: Eddy can be seen leaning against the giant piggy bank scam from "Fa La La La Ed" while he's moping in the junkyard.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Rolf easily defeats Eddy without the latter managing to land a single blow because Eddy was pathetically trying to apologize and back out, but to no avail.
- A Day in the Limelight: Sort of. While the Eds are again the main stars especially Eddy, this episode focuses more on Rolf. In fact, this is one of the very few episodes where Rolf is given a major role.
- Discreet Dining Disposal: When Rolf gives Double D a sea cucumber ball, Double D smiles awkwardly and the moment Rolf turns his back, Double D hides it under his hat.
- Dude, Not Funny!: When Eddy offers Jonny kung fu lessons at the beginning of the episode, Jonny seems interested until Plank advises him to "make like a rocket and take off". Eddy is irritated by the stinginess, and so tries to make Jonny pay in a different way; swapping him for a fender Ed was attempting to break with his head. While Edd pulls him out of the way in time, Eddy still laughs uproariously at Ed nearly smashing Jonny with his head. Neither Edd or Jonny are amused.Jonny: (bitterly leaving) That was so funny I forgot to laugh.
Eddy: (equally bitter and clenching his fist at Jonny) Let me remind ya, ya wood-lovin'— - Easily Forgiven: After the duel is finished, Rolf appears to completely forgive Eddy for dishonoring him, inviting him and his friends to partake in the Eels of Forgiveness with him and even calls Eddy his friend when pouring the eels into his pants. Also, Rolf claims that simply giving him the Cupcakes of Sorryness before the duel would have also been an appropriate apology. Justified as he did win the duel by a longshot, so he has no more scores to settle.
- Empathic Environment: Rolf's sudden fury towards Eddy right before the duel elicits an ominous storm cloud up ahead, which instantly dissipates after Rolf reverts back to his cheerful self after his victory in the duel.
- Foreign Queasine: Rolfs traditional "fish balls", which are basically Mystery Meat made from seafood. They might have been more palatable if they hadn't been kept outside in an open container in the middle of summer.
- Fumbling the Gauntlet: Double D forces Eddy to give Rolf a flower as an apology for insulting his customs... but it turns out that said plant is "the Potted Shrub of Ridicule," and an even greater insult in Rolf's country. Rolf is so pissed at this that he challenges Eddy to a duel.
- Hit Me, Dammit!: Rolf isn't satisfied with the one-sided duel he has with Eddy, who hasn't made any attempt to even fight back, demanding that as a duel, Eddy should be at least trying. It's then spoofed when Rolf only allows Eddy enough time to swing his fish back before Rolf smacks him off the log into the pit.
- Here We Go Again!: After the duel, Rolf and his traditions are once again insulted, this time by Kevin instead of Eddy.
- Hope Spot: During Eddy and Rolf's incredibly one-sided duel, Rolf offers the heavily-beaten Eddy a free shot at him. Eddy prepares to strike back, but Rolf effortlessly knocks him into the pit and wins the duel.
- Jerkass:
- Kevin, as per usual. He goes so far as to film Eddy and Rolf's duel, smiling as Eddy is beaten senseless.
- Eddy is no better, since he insults Rolf’s customs by throwing his sea cucumber ball just because, which kicks off the main plot of the episode. He also fails to apologize to Rolf properly and not just by the standards of his customs.
- Laser-Guided Karma:
- Eddy's stubborn insistence that he didn't do anything wrong and his insincere attempts to formally apologize to Rolf for throwing the sea cucumber ball inadvertently enrages Rolf to challenge Eddy into a duel for his honor with Kevin forcefully dragging Eddy to the duel when the latter tries to avoid it. When the duel starts, it was then now that Eddy begs for forgiveness only to realize too late that one of the options suggested by Double D would have averted the crisis... if Eddy hadn't brushed it off in the first place and thus is then given a merciless but well-deserved beatdown by Rolf in response.
- Kevin films Rolf beating Eddy senseless. In the end, he himself ends up offending Rolf by refusing to partake in the Eels of Forgiveness with him, with the implication that Rolf is going to beat him up now.
- Literal-Minded: After Edd tells Eddy to show some respect after tossing the sea cucumber ball, Eddy asks what his problem is. Ed takes this as a literal question and begins to explain all of Edd's character flaws to Eddy.Ed: It's his hat, Eddy. He always wears it and he talks forever about stuff, not to mention his obsession with cleanliness. Big problem.
- Never My Fault: Eddy drives Rolf into depression when he throws one of his sea cucumber balls at the fence, shaming him. When Edd and Ed nag him to apologize to Rolf, Eddy insists he didn't do anything. This enrages Rolf to challenge Eddy to a duel.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Double D's forcing Eddy to give Rolf a plant as an apology backfires, as doing so is an even greater insult in Rolf's country which results in Rolf challenging Eddy to a duel. Eddy even lampshades this as he calls out at Double D in the van for making things even worse for him.Eddy: Mister Give-Rolf-a-Plant.
- Nightmare Face: FISH FACE! AUUUUGGHHH!!!Ed: Can somebody scratch my scales?
- Oh, Crap!: Eddy and Edd's reaction to Ed transforming into a fish!
- Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: Tony Sampson's Canadian accent slips out when Eddy says "I'm sorry, okay?"
- Ordered Apology: Eddy inadvertently disgraces Rolf's honor by throwing a sea cucumber ball. Double-D then makes Eddy give Rolf a potted plant as a way to apologize. Unfortunately, in Rolf's country, it's seen as the Potted Shrub of Ridicule and Eddy ends up getting challenged to a duel by an angry Rolf. Nice job, Double D. Although in Double D's defense, he did suggest giving Rolf cupcakes first, which as it turns out would have qualified as the Cupcakes of Sorryness and Rolf would have forgiven him then and there.
- Pet the Dog:
- Sarah calls Eddy out for hurting Rolf's feelings ("Way to go Eddy!"). She's also seen choking down Rolf's sea cucumber ball, despite clearly not enjoying it.
- The kids all do as requested when Rolf tells them to step on his face as they leave due to having been dishonored by Eddy, but Jimmy and Nazz both sympathize to Rolf while doing so, with the latter apologizing.
- Minor example: Upon seeing Rolf digging the giant dueling pit by himself, Kevin offers to help unprompted and without even asking why. Rolf declines on the grounds that tradition demands he do the work himself, but it's the thought that counts.
- Pun: Rolf demands that Eddy at least attempt to fight back in their duel, as it requires two "dual" parties to be a proper fight.
- Power Echoes: Rolf's voice echoes when he calls "Bring me the Ed boy!"
- Properly Paranoid: After the duel, Rolf invites the Eds to join him in the traditional "Eels of Forgiveness" and Double D suggests they just do what Rolf says, out of fear of opening old wounds. This turns out to have been the correct call, as Rolf becomes enraged when Kevin declines joining them, and is presumably beat up by Rolf similar to how Eddy was.
- Rejected Apology: Eddy FINALLY attempts to apologize to Rolf but its only because he is forced to fight Rolf and knows he will be beaten, however since he failed to bring the Cupcakes of Sorryness, Rolf then proceeds to beat Eddy senselessly while ignoring his "apologies", knowing that they're just empty and insincere from Eddy's mouth.
- Running Gag: Ed's allergies once again make themselves known, this time because it turns out he's allergic to eels.
- Shamu Fu: The weapons used for Rolf's traditional duel are a pair of large fish. While this might not sound very intimidating, whole fish are a lot heavier than they look.
- Squirrels in My Pants: Exaggerated example; the "Eels of Forgiveness" custom involves tipping a bucket full of live eels down the participant's pants.
- Stronger Than They Look: Despite being wiry, Rolf is able to dig a large pit by himself (Kevin asks to help, but Rolf insists that he needs to dig the dueling pit himself) and pull a tree out of the ground to put over the pit.
- Suddenly Obvious Fakery: The episode begins with Jonny apparently surrounded by multiple versions of Eddy dressed up in kung-fu attire, only to realize it was just an effect by a bunch of mirrors that weren't initially onscreen.Jonny: I think I'm reliving that expired tofu, Plank...
- They Wasted a Perfectly Good Sandwich: Eddy throwing one of Rolf's sea cucumber balls against the fence is considered a great insult that triggers his depression.
- Throwing Down the Gauntlet: After the plant incident, Rolf challenges Eddy to a duel.
- Trampled Underfoot: After Eddy throws the sea cucumber ball, Rolf dresses in mourning clothes and a wooden frame around his head, then lies on the ground and asks the others to step over him as they leave. Ed wants to step on Rolf as well, but Edd drags him and Eddy out the other way.
- The Unapologetic: Eddy repeatedly refuses to apologize to Rolf for the sea cucumber ball incident. It isn't until Rolf is about to beat him up during the duel that he does because he doesn't want to fight, but since he hasn't made the "Cupcakes of Sorryness", it falls on deaf ears.
- Very Special Episode: About cultural sensitivity.
