"Odd. Isn't that the boomerang Sarah had earlier today?"note
Strange things begin to happen as a mysterious boomerang flies into the cul-de-sac, reversing the kids' personalities. Its effects cause Jimmy to become a rough-and-tough muscle-man, Sarah to become disturbingly nice and touchy-feely, and Rolf to become an opera singer. The Eds are after the rest to be affected by the boomerang's supernatural powers, as it causes Ed to become a genius, Double D to become a sweating nudist and Eddy to become motherly.
'Hand-Me Down Ed' contains the following tropes:
- And I Must Scream: Downplayed—Rolf is the only one who remains fully aware both during and after being affected by the boomerang.
- Bait-and-Switch: With the boomerang's first victim being Jimmy, turning him muscular and violent, one could be led to believe that when Sarah finds it, it will only make the thrashing she gives the Eds that much worse. Only once she's affected does it become clear that the boomerang doesn't give a person Super-Strength but inverts their personality.
- "Flowers for Algernon" Syndrome: When Ed holds the boomerang, he suddenly becomes articulate, mature, and even smarter than Double D. When he lets it go, he returns back to his usual goofy self.
- Gale-Force Sound: Though unintentional, under the boomerang's effect, Rolf sings so loudly that standing in front of him when he does it is equivalent to a strong wind. He's quite relieved when the boomerang is gone.
- Getting Hot in Here: Double D, of all people, turns into a laid-back hippie when the boomerang is in his hold and starts stripping, complaining about the heat as he does so. When he first holds it he goes down to his underwear, then when he's stuck to a tree with Ed and Eddy, he decides to remove his underwear as well.
- I Just Want to Be Badass: When Kevin mocks Jimmy for crying over his toy animals getting squashed, Jimmy complains he'd show Kevin what for if he only wasn't a weakling. The boomerang seems to grant this wish.
- Magnetic Plot Device: The boomerang — why it has mystical powers or why it affects each kid who holds it in the way it does is unknown, but people do seem compelled to pick it up when they see it lying around, though Rolf is the only one who seems aware it's the boomerang making him continuously yodel.
- No Ending: The episode ends with all three Eds pinned by the boomerang and hanging on a tree. Having their personalities changed yet again with no resolution in sight.
- Not in Front of the Kid: At the end of the episode, when all three Eds are simultaneously under the effects of the boomerang, Edd strips off his underwear, leaving him completely naked, much to Eddy's horror (invoking the trope) and Ed's disgust.Edd: I'm getting the need to feel the breeze between my knees. (takes off his underwear) That's the ticket.
Eddy: Not in front of the baby, please! Casey, you cover your eyes!
Ed: Distasteful dullard! - Only Sane Man: Rolf is the only one who remains aware of the boomerang's effects even when under its influence. He even thanks the Eds for relieving him of it.
- Personality Swap: Of a sort. The boomerang doesn't specifically swap two people's personalities, but it does invert a person's.
- Punny Name: Eddy calls his suitcase "Casey"
- Screams Like a Little Girl: Edd squeals when he sees himself wearing nothing but his hat and his underwear.
- Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Ed, of all people, when he's holding the boomerang.
- Ship Tease: Between Eddy and Sarah — in her lovey-dovey boomerang mode, Sarah hugs Ed affectionately and calls him "Big Brother", indicating she does care about him, really, really deep down. Eddy, thinking Sarah's pulling something, picks her up by the seat of her pants and tells her to get lost. Sarah's response is to say, "Aww, does little Eddy want a hug too?" and glomps him. Eddy is so shocked he doesn't put her down until Sarah starts chasing after Double D.
- Shout-Out: Motherly! Eddy names his suitcase "Casey Jr."
- Smart People Wear Glasses: Ed inexplicably materializes glasses whenever he's under the boomerangs's effects.
- Team Mom: The boomerang's effect on Eddy — he's usually the bossy, demanding Team Dad but holding the boomerang makes him treat the suitcase like his baby.
