After Baljeet announces that he is no longer Buford's nerd, a heartbroken Buford accepts Dr. Doofenshmirtz's proposal to help win over the Tri-State Area. The new partnership causes a problem for Perry since he can't reveal himself as Agent P to Doofenshmirtz without Buford seeing him.
Meanwhile, over at the Flynn-Fletcher house, Baljeet is thrilled with the freedom to live his own life. With all his new-found energy, he enlists the boys to help him climb Danville Mountain...without building anything.
This episode contains examples of:
- Accidental Misnaming: Before going back to Baljeet, Buford apologizes to "Dr. Doofinazer".
- Added Alliterative Appeal: When Doof is impressed by Buford's bullying, he is surprised that all he needed to take over the Tri-State Area was "a grammar school goon, a ham-handed half-pint, a knee-high ne'er-do-well, a pint-sized palooka, a pushy prebubescent."Buford: Are you done?
Doofenshmirtz: No, I got one more. A pipsqueak pugilist. Okay, now I'm done. - Complexity Addiction: Phineas and Ferb are LITERALLY addicted to building inventions. As they scale the mountain, Phineas goes through heroin-like withdrawal symptoms, constantly wanting to build something to scratch the inventing itch. When they reach the top, Phineas builds an ice chalet as fast as he can in order to feel normal again, while Ferb manages to hold it in throughout the journey, but admits that it was extremely difficult for him to do so:Ferb: If we hadn't been able to invent something soon, I was going to scream.
- Continuity Cavalcade: Some of the still shots during "Big Honking Hole" is the "shark wedgie" sequence from "The Belly of the Beast", the "thing with two heads" from "Phineas and Ferb Interrupted", Buford fishing while using Baljeet as bait from "Magic Carpet Ride", and Baljeet riding in Buford's baby carrier from "Suddenly Suzy".
- A Day in the Limelight: For Buford and Baljeet.
- Distant Duet: Between Buford and Baljeet as they miss each other.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?:
- Phineas going through invention withdrawal is a parallel to someone getting over drug withdrawal.
- Buford and Baljeet having an argument that follows similar beats to a hasty divorce between two lovers that want to get back together after missing one another. In Baljeet and Buford's case, their nerd-bully dynamic becomes unfair for the former, and both pine for one another after time apart because of the impact they had on each others' lives.
- Everyone Has Standards: Baljeet is able to put up with all of Buford's bullying, but he draws the line at Buford's preference for plastic bags over paper ones, and this is what causes their breakup.
- Genre Savvy: Doof and Perry are just going through the motions by this point.Doofenshmirtz: Who would've guessed? [The mountain's] back to normal. And explosion now. (KABOOM!) Yep. Just like that. Curse you, Perry the Platypus. Whatever!
- Idea Ding: Doofenshmirtz happens to be eavesdropping on Buford bullying the store clerk, and when the latter tells the former he could possibly bully the entire Tri-State Area, this is heard, along with a heavenly choir.Doofenshmirtz: I'm getting tingly!
- Improvised Parachute: When the top of the mountain crumbles, the kids use Buford's underwear (which had already been stretched out from the wedgie) as a large makeshift parachute. Isabella does note she'll need to wash her hands twice over.
- Irony: Phineas and Ferb made some double-layered ice cups that don't melt when they're filled with hot cocoa.
- Lonely at the Top: Doof assures Buford he won't need friends anymore once they rule the Tri-State Area, and even uses this trope word-for-word. This is what makes Buford regret leaving Baljeet.
- Model Planning: Doofenshmirtz creates a not-to-scale model of the Tri-State Area (the height of his building is exaggerated) to show Buford his new scheme. Buford assumes that he uses it to play with dolls.
- Noodle Implements: At the "Stor", Buford purchases a pack of Tuff Gum and a cheese grater. Baljeet asks him what the cheese grater is for, and Buford simply answers, "You'll see."
- Oh, Crap!: Perry reacts this way when he sees the assistant that Doof hired is Buford, so he stays out of sight until Buford disappears, since Buford might recognize him.
- Rope Bridge: Baljeet has to cross one to get to the side of the mountain. It breaks... but he manages to use it as a rope swing, swinging himself to the other side and then swinging back to pick up Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella.
- Sanity Slippage: Phineas becomes a little unstable as not being able to build a big flashy invention wears down on him.
- Shout-Out: One of the shots during the Good-Times Montage during "Big Honking Hole" is of Buford pulling a football away from Baljeet.
- Troubled Fetal Position: When Baljeet free climbs Danville Mountain, Phineas keeps suggesting all kinds of inventions to help him, but Baljeet keeps refusing. When he is pulled up, he is in the fetal position.
- Verbal Backspace: Isabella says, "New Baljeet rocks!", but when the rope bridge he is crossing snaps, she quickly says, "Rocked".
- Wedgie: Baljeet gets a wedgie from Buford at the beginning of the episode, which becomes one of the last straws to break their bully-nerd relationship. When Buford comes back and reunites with him at the end, Baljeet gives Buford a wedgie to show him what it feels like, and Buford admits that, without any sarcasm or teasing, he never realized how uncomfortable it was and apologizes sincerely.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: First episode in which Candace doesn't appear.
