Anachronism Stew: Jenny is seen looking at a picture of her parents, who are shown smiling at the camera. People didn't smile for pictures in the 19th century, as the process to take a picture recquired them to stay still for several seconds, and pictures were seen as akin to portraits where people were shown with neutral expressions.
Bus Crash: Royal's wife has died since we last saw her. It's also possible a light Retcon is in effect, as the version of Royal and his wife we saw as well as their kids was totally different. They had two boys and no Jenny, and the actor playing Royal was blonde and a lot younger. Or, one could take the more cynical route and claim frontier life wreaked havoc on the family after Jenny was born and three of them (the brothers and the mother) got sick and died, leaving only Royal and Jenny alive, the former of which is also sickly.
Cousin Oliver: Newcomers Jenny Wilder and brothers Jeb and Jason Carter. Nancy Oleson (herself a Cousin Oliver) remained in the limelight, but of the only two underage characters to have been with the show since the beginning, Laura Ingalls Wilder was now an adult and Willie Oleson was almost 16 (and not given much time in the spotlight until the last few episodes of the season).
Driven to Suicide: Jenny Wilder is so wrought with grief over the death of her father, Royal, that she decides to drown herself. Fortunately, Jeb Carter – who had an extreme fear of water beforehand – is able to save her.
Face Your Fears: Jeb Carter is extremely afraid of water and never learned to swim. He faces his fear to rescue Jenny as she tries suicide.
Heart Warming Orphan: Jenny Wilder, who is now living with Laura and Almanzo and being raised alongside her cousin, Rose.
Put on a Bus: Charles makes his final regular appearance as he makes the final arrangements to move from Walnut Grove for good. He'd return for "Home Again" and two of the TV movies.
Schoolmarm: Etta Plum replaces Laura as the school teacher.
Time Skip: A harsh winter has passed since we last saw the Ingalls family, and it took a big toll on poor Charles, whose hair has gone entirely grey.
Title Drop: Laura says the episode title twice, both as a response to Charles and Mr. Edwards' surprise to the fact that the town will have a newspaper, owned "by a woman no less". She says "times are changing", to which they respond "That they are".
Tough Love: Laura's reaction to Jenny's suicide attempt. After the girl wakes up and doubles down on how she wanted to die, Laura reminds her that she should think about what her late parents would have wanted for her, and points out how Jeb Carter nearly drowned in his effort to rescue her.
Tropes specifically associated with the ninth season and the name changing to Little House: A New Beginning:
Promotion to Opening Titles: Melissa Gilbert is now given top billing. Four co-stars that had formerly only been listed in "The Town" are moved, along with their photos, to the opening credits for each episode and follow-up movie: Dean Butler, Richard Bull, Katherine MacGregor and Victor French, as Almanzo Wilder, Nels Oleson, Harriet Oleson and Isaiah Edwards, respectively.
Retool: The new name, and with the departure of Charles and Caroline Ingalls as series' leads, the brunt of the storylines focus on Laura and Almanzo Wilder, the Olesons or Mr. Edwards, with a few also on the Carters.
Through-the-Years Credits: Season 9 episodes and the final "Season 10" movies saw its opening begin with a shot of Melissa Gilbert from the first season, which was then replaced by a then-current photo of the adult Gilbert.
