Gelman's longtime punching bag, George Stemple, has moved away, so he wants another victim. That victim comes in the form of Gus, who tries everything he can to solve this problem.
Tropes:
- Actor Allusion: This is now the fourth time in a row, where Justin Shenkarow has voiced a bully.
- Adults Are Useless: Zigzagged: Gus' friends suggest telling an adult. Said adult is Miss Finster, who angrily warns Gelman to stop bullying Gus under threat of a trip to the principal's office. Unfortunately, not only does Gelman ignore this warning without a second thought, Miss Finster seems to have been completely forgotten about it for the rest of the episode.
- Advice Backfire: Spinelli tries convincing Gus that the only way to stop the bullying is to fight Gelman. Once the climax occurs, she realizes this was a bad idea and begs him to get him to back off.TJ: Okay, Gus, you proved your point! Just fall down!
Spinelli: Yeah, I was wrong! Okay?! Just take the fall, will ya?!
Gus: No way! See, I figured it out. The worst he can do is beat me up. After he's done that, there's nothing to be scared of anymore. - Artistic License – History: Lt. Griswald's story about World War I starts by saying that "Germany liked to pick on little countries like Poland and Luxembourg, until finally Belgium stood up to them." However, Poland did not exist until after the war; the majority of its territory had been held by Germany (more specifically Prussia) and Russia for centuries. Also, Belgium was attacked by Germany as part of their offensive to defeat France. Not to mention that this completely ignores the complex chain of events at the start of the war.
- Battle Discretion Shot: During Gelman's No-Holds-Barred Beatdown; we just hear Gus grunting in pain. We do, however, see the horrified expressions of literally every other kid on the playground as it happens.
- Big "WHAT?!": Gus' mother gives the "You told him what?!" variant towards Gus' father at the end of the episode when she realizes he basically told their son to go out and get his ass kicked.
- The Bully: Gelman is a bully looking for a new target and he found it in Gus.
- Bully Brutality: As much as a Disney cartoon will allow, at least, but nevertheless Gelman beats the everliving crap out of Gus when Gus tries to confront him and we see all of the other students react in horror. He also only backs down from attacking all of the other students when they decide to defend Gus because they have the numerical advantage.
- The Dreaded: Gelman is this to everyone else on the playground. Even the Ashleys duck and cover in terror when he comes looking for a new victim.
- Everyone Has Standards: Even the Ashleys were horrified at the sight of Gelman beating up Gus.
- For the Evulz: Gelman bullies and tortures George Stemple and later Gus just for his own sadistic amusement.
- For Want Of A Nail: The whole plot is kicked off by Gelman needing a new punching bag and the reason Gus is stuck being the new punching bag is all because the latter went to the bathroom at the wrong time.
- I Have This Friend: Gus asks for advice from his father by asking, "hypothetically," what a little country being bullied by a big country should do. Should it fight back or never go to the UN again?
- Karma Houdini: Gelman basically gets a slap on the wrist after spending the entire episode bullying Gus. Even though the entire student body manages to prevent him from whaling on Gus even further, he's never seen facing any punishment from the school faculty and later episodes show him to continue bullying other children. You think Randall would've snitched on him.
- Machiavelli Was Wrong: Initially, no one wants to stand up to Gelman because they all fear him. But after he gives Gus a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown at the climax, all the other kids are so enraged that they no longer fear him, but hate him. Thus, they all declare that Gelman will have to fight them too and this causes him to finally back down.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Gelman nearly totals Gus in the climax of the episode.
- Not Afraid of You Anymore: Subverted. Gus makes clear that he is not afraid of Gelman. Gelman instantly settles for breaking Gus in half (a thing he can do with tremendous ease). When the other kids in the playground show they are not afraid either, Gelman only relents because of the huge number (when it begins with only Gus' friends, Gelman is very sure he can kick their asses too).
- Oh, Crap!: Gus' reaction to Gelman coming at him with a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown.
- Papa Wolf: When his father finds out that Gus wasn't asking for a history lesson but dealing with a real bully, he goes Oh, Crap! and drives to school immediately with his wife asking What Were You Thinking?. Lt. Griswald makes it clear that Gelman was lucky to be dealing with the other kids on the playground, rather than him.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Another one of Gus' attempts to evade Gelman is by dressing up like an old man playing tetherball. His disguise involves only a fake gray beard and a cane. Gelman doesn't buy it.
- This Is Reality: When Gus' father tells him about how Belgium resisted against Germany in World War I:Gus: Gosh! Who'd have thought? Little Belgium winning over big Germany!
Lt. Griswald: Winning? Ha! They got the stuffing kicked out of them! - Remember the New Guy?: George Stemple, Gelman's original victim.
- Robo Cam: In one scene where Gelman is looking for Gus.
- Rousing Speech: Gus' father gives an inspiring one, complete with an American flag draped behind him."Just because a country is outmanned or outgunned doesn't mean they don't stand a chance! Did we back down at the Battle of the Bulge? You bet your boots we didn't, Private! We don't back down to bullies! If we did, they'd walk all over us! Battles may be lost on the road to victory, Private, but we always keep fighting until we've won the war!"
- Subverted when the actual war is not letting them intimidate you. We find out he would never want his son hurt for real and thought Gus was actually asking for a history lesson about world wars. At the end of the episode, he drives to school immediately and gets Gus medical attention, as well as an ice-cream cone. He's extremely apologetic if dignified.
- School Bullying Is Harmless: Decidedly averted. This is a more-or-less accurate depiction of bullying, which not only shows that Gus is too traumatized to go out on the playground but, during the climax, has Gus severely beaten by Gelman. Gus is clearly in pain!
- Shown Their Work: This episode is a fairly realistic portrayal of school bullying, to the point where it took Paul and Joe nearly a month to get the episode's script approved, due to the ABC executives not liking violence in their kids' cartoons.
- Stalker without a Crush: Gelman becomes obsessed with bullying Gus.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- At one point, Gus tries to evade Gelman by putting on a disguise (an old-man beard). This kind of disguise often works in this show, even when it is obvious who the heck is wearing it. So to Gus' surprise, Gelman sees through it immediately.
- Gus gives a defiant speech to Gelman about how he's not going to let Gelman pick on him anymore. Gus' attitude surprises Gelman who notes that nobody's ever stood up to him before but that's not going to stop him from beating the living tar out of him. Then Gus puts on some boxing gear, which makes it seem like they're going to have an even fight, only for Gelman to then completely trash Gus while everyone watches. Most after school cartoons at the time would have adopted a Talking the Monster to Death outcome or even having Gus suddenly put up an incredible fight, but not here.
- Women Are Wiser: Mothers are, at least. Mrs. Griswald heard about Gus's I Have This Friend offscreen, went Oh, Crap!, and told her husband they need to get to school immediately.
- Would Hit a Girl: Since Spinelli, Gretchen, Swinger Girl and the Ashleys are all seen scattering when Gelman looks for a new victim, it's implied that gender is no obstacle to him.
- You and What Army?: When T.J. tells Gelman he's stopping the beat down, Gelman says this in response. The rest of the gang joins T.J., but Gelman declares he'll just beat up all six of them. Then everyone else on the playground joins in saying he'll have to fight them too, to which an overwhelmed Gelman decides to leave.
