After a disastrous failure at attempting to brainwash all children at Halloween, an extremely frustrated Brain declares he’s tried everything to take over the world, short of selling his soul—unwittingly summoning a supernatural “Proprietor of Wayward Souls” named Mr. Itch. While Brain resists his desire to be helped by the devil, Pinky sells his own soul so that Brain can take over the world. With all humans, as well as archenemy-turned-jester Snowball at his disposal, Brain has to decide whether to rescue Pinky from Hades or enjoy his dictatorship.
Tropes:
- Actually Pretty Funny: The demons find Pinky’s sayings to be hilarious.
- Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?: With Pinky stuck in hell with Mr. Itch, Brain tries this bit with Snowball but he doesn’t play along very well.
- As Himself: As a nod to him providing commentary during the gymnastics events at the 1996 Olympic Games, John Tesh guest stars as the commentator for the rhythmic gymnastics competition between Brain and Mr. Itch.
- Berserk Button: Pinky’s wacky words are each this for Mr. Itch, especially when the demons start saying them.
- Big "YES!": Brain over gaining entry to Hades, only to realize that actually isn’t something to celebrate.
- Brick Joke: Early in the episode, Mr. Itch mentions how Brain trained rigorously for a rhythmic gymnastics competition but wasn’t allowed in due to not meeting the height requirement. Brain later challenges Mr. Itch to a rhythmic gymnastics challenge in order to win back Pinky.
- Chekhov's Gun: The “radish rose whatchamawhozits” Pinky asks for at the beginning of the episode ends up being what gets him out of his contract with Mr. Itch, as he can’t fulfill his end of the bargain because he has no idea what a “radish rose whatchamawhozits” is.
- Cool and Unusual Punishment: One of the ways Mr. Itch tries desperately to torture Pinky is by putting him in a paint shaker.
- Covered in Gunge: Chocolate splattering on Brain’s Jack-o-Lantronic Transmitter causes all of the pumpkins to explode, including the ones surrounding the two mice. They both get covered in pumpkin guts.
- Curse Cut Short: Shortly after Brain tells the clerk in front of the infernal entrance that he's a recently deceased Rush Limbaugh...Brain: Yes! I made it to Hades! Wait a minute, why am I celebrating if I'm in He— [Trap Door opens]— EEEEEEEEEL!
- Deal with the Devil:
- Sick of all his plans to take over the world failing, Brain is tempted to make a deal with Mr. Itch in exchange for his soul. He decides not to, but then Pinky ends up selling his instead in order to make Brain happy and so he no longer feels like a burden to his friend.
- To get Pinky back, Brain challenges Mr. Itch to rhythmic gymnastics and states his terms. After Brain signs this contract, however, Mr. Itch points out the fine print specifies that no matter the outcome, he will be forbidden from even trying to conquer the world again (though Mr. Itch does offer him a chance to back out before the competition). After Mr. Itch effortlessly wins, he then says that the deal was for a competition, not a “fair” one.
- Department of Major Vexation: Snowball, who knows “people in low places”, gives Brain a map to Hades. The entrance to Hades turns out to be a Trap Door in front of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Evil Laugh: Mr. Itch does one paired with Dramatic Thunder as he’s about to manipulate Pinky into signing his contract.
- Evil Lawyer Joke: Mr. Itch, the devil, apparently loves lawyers.
- Exact Words:Mr. Itch: If you review the contract, you’ll see that it provides there be a competition. It doesn’t say anything about a “fair” competition.
- Fire and Brimstone Hell: Except they call it Hades.
- Fireball Eyeballs: When trying to get Brain to sign the contract to sell his soul, Mr. Itch’s pupils turn into flames to show his true devilish nature.
- Game Show Appearance: The devil turns Brain’s decision about whether or not to save Pinky into a game show, complete with a Lovely Assistant and a Studio Audience.
- Got Me Doing It: Mr. Itch’s demons start picking up Pinky’s “Narf!” catchphrase. Mr. Itch gets so irritated by this that his face turns red and steam comes out of his ears.
- Halloween Episode: Pinky and the Brain try to take over the world yet again... but this time, on Halloween!
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Brain deeply misses Pinky and wants him back, but he insists it’s only because Pinky knows where the food pellets are.Snowball: Then, Brain, why don’t you go to Hades?
Brain: What?
Snowball: Uh... to ask Pinky where the food pellets are. - Hulking Out: Mr. Itch turns into a Big Red Devil when Pinky and the Brain outsmart him and get out of his contract.
- I Got a Rock: Three kids are trick-or-treating and one of them ends up getting a bowl of soup. He’s even dressed up in Charlie Brown’s classic Bedsheet Ghost costume from It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
- Literal Metaphor: Pinky’s response to Snowball saying he’s going to have a talk with the devil after his plans to overthrow Brain as ruler of the world fail:Pinky: I’ll bet he doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance in—[Beat] Hades!
- Lonely at the Top: After Pinky sells his soul, Brain gets everything he’s ever wanted. However, he realizes that he misses his best friend, though he won’t admit it.
- Magically-Binding Contract: Mr. Itch’s contracts, with Pinky selling his soul so that Brain can be ruler of the world. Brain later signs another contract to try to save Pinky, but the deck is stacked against him. However, Pinky’s original contract included a provision that he receive a “radish rose whatchamawhozits” as part of the deal, and it turns out that Mr. Itch doesn’t know what it is and thus can’t provide one. Pinky’s contract is rendered null and void, which in turn means Brain’s no longer applies.
- Mind-Control Eyes:
- The kids listening to the Brain’s message being transmitted through jack-o-lanterns get swirling blue eyes.
- Brain gets the same ones later when Mr. Itch is trying to convince him to sign his soul contract.
- Mundane Wish: For his trial wish from Mr. Itch, Pinky wishes for “one of those neat little whatchamawhozits you can make radish roses with”.
- My Card: The devil gives Pinky and the Brain his card, which says “Mr. Itch, Proprietor of Wayward Souls.”
- Never My Fault: Brain blames Pinky for getting chocolate on the Jack-o-Lantronic Transmitter, even though Brain was the one who threw the candy at Pinky, and at the transmitter in the process.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Mr. Itch almost manages to woo Brain into signing the contract, but then he describes him as a failure. Brain gets so irritated by this that he rips up the contract and storms out.
- Oh, Crap!: Brain, upon realizing that Pinky sold his soul for him.
- Outrun the Fireball: Once he transforms into a monster, Mr. Itch tries to use his fire Breath Weapon on Pinky and the Brain. They just manage to outrun the flame, then get blown out of the DMV as it explodes.
- Parting-Words Regret: Before getting caught up talking to Mr. Itch, Brain blames the pumpkin failure on Pinky and denounces him as an incompetent hindrance. Pinky later reminds Brain of this after it’s revealed he made a deal with Mr. Itch to help him. Brain is quite remorseful in response.
- Pet the Dog: For the closing tomorrow night line, Pinky asks if they’ll be getting a “radish rose whatchamawhozits” this time. Brain says they’ll look into it.
- Pyrrhic Victory: Brain finally gets to rule the world, like he’s always wanted, but it’s cost him the soul of his best friend.
- Read the Fine Print: Mr. Itch gives Brain a magnifying glass so he can read the fine print of the contract, which states if he wins Pinky back, he can never try to take over the world again.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder:Brain: Why do I even bother getting up in the morning?Pinky: To prevent bed sores?
- Right on Queue: To get into Hades, there’s a super long line leading to an Obstructive Bureaucrat secretary.
- Running Gag: Mr. Itch calling in his lawyer correspondents to explain to the mice the terms of his multiple contracts.
- Shout-Out:
- One of the trick-or-treaters seen in the beginning is dressed as Fred Flintstone.
- Three others are dressed as Yakko, Wakko and Dot.
- Three others are dressed as a lion, a witch and a wardrobe.
- Brain’s reaction to chocolate splattering on his transmitter (“No! Pinky, you got chocolate on my Jack-o-Lantronic Transmitter!”) and Pinky’s response (“You got Jack-o-Lantronic Transmitter on my chocolate! Yummy!”) is a reference to an old advertising campaign for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
- The name "Mr. Itch" is based on one of many euphemisms for The Devil, “Old Scratch”.
- The statue of Brain made upon him ruling the world is based on the statue of Michael Jackson from the album cover of HIStory: Past, Present, and Future -- Book I.
- The rhythmic gymnastics tournament is held at Mile Down Stadium, which is a parody of Mile High Stadium.
- Special Edition Title: The ending theme is sung by the demons from Hades, followed by Pinky’s various catchphrases—much to Mr. Itch’s annoyance.
- Take That!: The entrance to Hades is at the DMV.
- Too Kinky to Torture: Mr. Itch tries subjecting Pinky to various tortures (e.g., shoving him in an ant hill, putting on the rack, burning him alive), but it all makes Pinky laugh himself silly.Pinky: I must say, you really know how to spoil a guest. I mean, that sauna with the really hot rocks was to die for.
Mr. Itch: [frustrated] That was a barbecue. - Torture Is Ineffective: Mr. Itch tries to torture Pinky, but he just ends up having fun.
