Joe returns from the school pageant and declares it was dumb to his ailing, aging father. He acts out at home because he lives with his senile father and his half-sister, who's unable to control him.
Meanwhile, Nurse Bendy, having found out about the pageant from Joe's sister, talks to her "hubby" teddy about how proud they are of Sonny being in the school play.
He sees Orel, shopping before his hunting trip, and reveals that he doesn't know who his mother is because she died in childbirth. He also reveals that he had a fear of growing old, due to seeing his father age.
He goes to see his uncle, Coach Stopframe, who reveals that his mother is alive after all, and directs him to the hospital, where he sees Bloberta leave. He asks Nurse Bendy if she's his mom, and she at first denies it, before revealing she did have a son years ago. She takes Joe to her home (where, showing this happened post-Alone, the "Hubby" teddy is tied up), and shows him her "Sonny" teddy, who has a lot of Joe's characteristics, right down to his tendency to stick out his tongue. Nurse Bendy and Joe realize that they are indeed mother and son, and that Joe's father lied about her being dead. When she says that he needs a lesson, Joe leaves.
Joe gets home and starts beating up his father for lying about Nurse Bendy, only to find out that Nurse Bendy was one of the first things he forgot about when he started going senile. When Joe asks his sister why she never told him about Nurse Bendy, she simply says that 'she's not his mom', and they bond.
Joe sees that Nurse Bendy had thrown out Sonny and goes to the hospital, where he sees Clay push Orel out in a wheelchair, claiming a bear shot him. He confronts Nurse Bendy, and she explains that she doesn't need Sonny anymore now that Joe is back in her life, and was hoping that he could do what Sonny used to do. Joe, understanding what she means, starts sticking her tongue out at her. She sticks her tongue out back as they bond.
Tropes present:
- Asshole Victim: Joe delivering a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown to his elderly, Alzheimer's-stricken father would be horrific...except for the heavy implications that Dr. Secondopinionson impregnated Nurse Bendy when she was barely older than her son's current age. Sadly, Joe's beatdown of his dad is the closest thing to Laser-Guided Karma the latter will ever get, something even Joe's half-sister seems aware of.
- Bait-and-Switch: Two different times, both of them Miss Secondopinionson's failed attempts at disciplining Joe. The first time, she tells him "Please don't cook that fish!" Cut to Joe sticking a goldfish (bowl and all) into the oven. Later, she tells Joe to "get those filthy shoes off the couch." As in, Joe has put a pile of dirty shoes on the couch.
- Bookends: The episode begins and ends with The Choir Practices' cover of "Failsafe", originally by The New Pornographers.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Nurse Bendy doesn't have to use her pretend family anymore since she reunited with Joe, and Joe is with his mom.
- Ironic Echo: Throughout the episode, all of Miss Secondopinionson's attempts to discipline Joe are met with him declaring "You're not my mom!" Near the end of the episode, Joe finds out the truth about his mom, and asks his older half-sister why she never told him the truth. Miss Secondopinionson's response?Miss Secondopinionson: Why should I tell you anything? I'm not your mom.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Joe beats the hell out of his father for lying about his mother's whereabouts.
- Professional Voice Dissonance: This episode confirms that Miss Secondopinionson disguises her voice by holding her nose when talking to other people that aren't her immediate family. Her disguised voice is nasally and feminine, while her natural speaking voice is deep and masculine.
