Jack's Shoes
Episode numeral: XXVI
Original air date: 10/11/02
While he is dipping his feet in a riverside one day, a gang of robot bikers destroy Jack's precious wooden sandals. Jack pursues the robots to a nearby city, where they are causing chaos for their amusement. However, Jack's lack of footwear means he can't fight without hurting his feet, so he tries to find a replacement. With the help of a grateful shoe salesman, he just might find the right fit.
Tropes
- Advertised Extra: The cool looking Combat Stilettos he wore were all over the commercials, but, in the episode proper, they're disposed of as quickly as any other non-sandal pair because he was embarrassed after learning he's wearing women's shoes.
- Agony of the Feet: When Jack kicks one of the bikers barefoot, he injures his feet. He hurts them even more after landing on a hot pipe and then landing on broken glass.
- Badass Biker: The episode's Villain of the Week are a trio of these. Exaggerated in that they're actually robots who can turn into bikes.
- Berserk Button: Jack is frequently shown to be an actual pacifist and the last person to pick a fight. But mess with his sandals and he will kick your ass.
- Breather Episode: Following the intense "Jack and The Spartans," this episode sees Jack dealing with what is, for all intents and purposes, an inconvenience.
- Clothes Make the Superman: Some of the shoes actually give him special abilities. The Giant boots gives him a Goomba Stomp, the Combat Stilettos allow him to run up walls, and can be used as knives, and the last pair of sneakers allows him to run fast, and increases his ability to "jump good" after he gets used to them.
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: The mechanic's son sings one chorus of the theme song while their family is fawning over Jack.
- Fangirl: The mechanic's two teenage daughters fawn over Jack the second he steps in the house. During the montage they even ask him to autograph his wanted poster.
- Good Old Ways: Despite living in a dystopian future, the mechanic and his family still practice a lot of Japanese traditions. Jack, being from Japan himself, greatly appreciates getting to spend time with them since it reminds him of home.
- Jive Turkey: The shoe store owner (humorously enough, played by a black actor).
- Leg Focus: A male example. Jack tries on a pair of Combat Stilettos with absurdly sharp blades for heels, but while they serve their purpose, the villains only tease him with catcalls when he tries to attack.
- Mugging the Monster: The shoe store owner does this to the bikers. He verbally berates them for riding their bikes recklessly, and destroying property in the process. When he sees the bikers transform into robots a-la "Transformers" style, you can see the store owner obviously being scared.
- Not Worth Killing: The bikers declare Jack not worth their time upon seeing him repeatedly hurt his feet due to his sandals getting destroyed by them, more so when Jack tries out other shoes to wear that don't suit him.
- Oh, Crap!: The bikers realize they are in BIG trouble when Jack confronts them in the finale wearing his new sandals.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Jack really likes those sandals.
- Overly Long Gag: The two boys who argue over a bike being able to crush a car. Their "nuh-uhs!" and "uh-huhs!" keep going back and forth for about fifteen seconds and the only thing that breaks the monotony is when their father shouts (not to tell them to stop, but in shock at seeing one of the bikers approaching).
- Pet the Dog: This is arguably the first time someone else is willing to help Jack before he has a chance to help them: the shoe store owner lets Jack try on every shoe in his store and is willing to let him take one for free, while the mechanic invites Jack to stay with his family for dinner and is gracious enough to make him a new pair of sandals.
- Shout-Out
- The episodes villains are robots who can transform into vehicles.
- One of the biker villains, upon seeing Jack in women's shoes, says "Hey Good Lookin', we'll be back to pick you up later!" A line from the commercial for Mr. Microphone By Ronco, featuring a cruising kid trying to pick up girls, famously parodied on The Simpsons.
- The running shoes Jack tries on allows him to run fast a'la the Roadrunner, complete with a Wheel o' Feet. Likewise, the fact that they're blue and fast is reminiscent of Sonic the Hedgehog.
- In keeping with the Looney Tunes gags, Jack's pump-up sneakers cause him to ricochet off of several buildings, with each window he hits lighting up like a pinball game.
- The shoe store owner resembles the logo for Foot Locker. Likewise, the store is called Foot Chalet.
- Status Quo Is God: Thanks to a traditionally Japanese family that treasures the old ways, Jack eventually gets a new pair of traditional Japanese Geta.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Jack getting to spend the evening truly feeling at home with another Japanese family in their traditional house. He happily remarks that it's the real time machine he's looking for.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: The shoe store owner is never seen again after Jack finds the mechanic who builds him a new pair of sandals.
