Original air date: 4/4/2007
Determined to get the real story behind why eggs are decorated for Easter, Stan falls in with an eccentric society that guards a legendary secret.
Fantastic Easter Special contains examples of:
- Air Quotes: When Bill Donohue has the boys and the rabbit in his clutches, Pope Benedict tries to reason with him, saying, "Bill, we have the rabbit, it's all we need." Bill's response? "Don't be soft, Your Holiness! These... 'whores'... must be punished in front of everyone!" With the air quotes on "whores" (a Take That! reference, no less!).
- Ancient Order of Protectors: The Hare Club for Men, charged with protecting the secret of Easter since the Last Supper. And what is the secret? That Saint Peter, the first pope of the Catholic Church, was in fact Peter Rabbit. Jesus knew that no man could run His church because men are corruptible while rabbits are pure. But the Catholic Church, viewing it as an act of sacrilege, covered up the truth and portrayed Saint Peter as a man. Ever since, the Hare Club for Men paints eggs as a symbol of the truth of Easter. One of its members happened to be Leonardo da Vinci, who hid clues in his painting The Last Supper to show who Saint Peter really was.
- Back from the Dead: Jesus, which he attributes to his power of resurrection.
- Big Bad: At first, Pope Benedict was believed to be this as he employed Donohue and the American Catholic League to capture and imprison the Hare Club for Men, as he considers their belief of Saint Peter of being a rabbit as blasphemy. However, Benedict is appalled by Donohue's fascist nature, and when he proves willing to listen to Jesus's pleas, Donohue takes up the mantle by having both Benedict and Jesus locked up while taking the position of the Pope for himself.
- Big "WHAT?!": Uttered by the Pope when Donohue commands that Jesus be killed.
- The Bus Came Back: Jesus returns after his death in Iraq.
- Corrupt Church: The Catholic Church, particularly under the influence of Bill Donohue. Subverted in the end as Benedict willingly steps down to allow Snowball to become the new Pope under Jesus's orders.
- Dirty Coward: Randy makes it pretty clear he's willing to sell out the Hare Club for Men to save his own ass.Pope Benedict: Where is the rabbit?!Randy: I don't know! And even if I did know... well, I'd probably tell you, because I don't wanna be here anymore.
- Also Bill Donohue; when he sees that Jesus has whipped a razor-sharp glaive at him, he turns tail and starts running. Doesn't stop the glaive, though.
- Easter Episode: The episode revolves around Stan trying to find out the true reason Easter Eggs are celebrated for Easter.
- Egocentrically Religious: When Jesus himself shows up to call out Bill Donohue for his actions, he decides to overthrow the Papacy and has Jesus locked up just to maintain power.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Jesus when he realizes he can resurrect outside the cage's bars.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Although Pope Benedict and the Catholic Church want the Hare Club for Men dealt with, they feel that the actions Donohue is advocating are too extreme, such as torturing the Hare Club members and using them as live bait for rabbit stew. Pope Benedict is also appalled of the fact that Donohue is willing to double-cross Stan and Kyle after they surrender Snowball, implying that he's willing to honor the boys' promise to spare Snowball and let the Hare Club members go free. He is even willing take Jesus' word that Saint Peter was a rabbit, as he is outraged when Donohue urges him to kill Jesus for this.Bill Donohue: (after hearing from Jesus that Saint Peter was a rabbit) Kill him!Pope Benedict: (shocked) WHAT?!Bill Donohue: He goes against the Church, he must die!Pope Benedict: (angrily) Alright, that does it, Bill! I'm pretty sure that killing Jesus is not very Christian!
- Even the church clergymen count this as well as they too find Donohue's methods to be extreme. Even one of them expresses his dear remorse towards Snowball as he is forced to lower the rabbit into a giant pot a hot water on Donohue's orders.
Clergyman: (feeling discomforted holding Snowball over the giant pot) Sorry, little bunny. - Evil Laugh: Donohue after pulling his double-cross.
- Good Is Not Nice: While The Hare Club for Men are a Benevolent Conspiracy, it seems that they actively hunt down anyone who questions secular Easter traditions under the idea that they are "onto them", Stan being hunted by their agents until Randy calls them all off.
- Gratuitous Ninja: Donohue has ninjas in his employ for no apparent reason.
- Half the Man He Used to Be: How Jesus finally dispatches Donohue.
- Several of the Hare Club's members get cut in half by the ninja when their meeting place is raided.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Upon witnessing several of Donohue's Ninja mooks breaking into Professor Teabag's mansion, rather than escaping away, Teabag's butler instead warns his master and his boys to escape, right before he is stabbed in the face by one of the Ninja mooks.
- Using marshmallow peeps in a microwave, Professor Teabag blows up his mansion, killing both himself and the rest of Donohue's Ninja mooks, all just to buy Stan and Kyle time to escape.
- Jesus also allows himself to be killed by Kyle so he can reincarnate outside their cell to stop Donohue for good.
- Humans Are Bastards: Jesus' reasoning for making the title of Pope meant for rabbits is because humans are easily corrupted by power and authority.
- Hypocrite: Donohue is focused on upholding on the beliefs of Catholicism, up to the point where he willingly defies Jesus and wants him executed for not agreeing with his extremist methods. Even an appalled Pope Benedict lampshades this, as he points out that Donohue's actions are antithetical to Christianity itself.
- Hypocritical Humor: A cowardly Randy pleads with Stan to hand over the rabbit. Once released, Randy chastises Stan for handing over the rabbit and insists he would've gladly died instead. When Stan points out what just happened, Randy insists they'll be remembering it the way he prefers.
- I Cannot Self-Terminate: Kyle and Jesus are imprisoned in a cage, and there's not enough time to cut the chains. Jesus can resurrect outside of the bars, but he can't simply kill himself, as suicide is considered a sin. The task falls to Kyle, who really doesn't like the implications here but has no choice. His one condition is that Cartman never find out about this.
- I Lied: Bill Donohue and the Pope swear on the cross to spare Snowball and set the Hare Club free if Stan and Kyle turn themselves in. As soon as they get to the Vatican, they're seized; even the Pope himself is discomforted by this.Pope Benedict: (discomforted to see Donohue's ninja arresting Stan and Kyle after they surrendered Snowball) Bill, we have the rabbit, it's all we need!Donohue: Don't be soft, Your Holiness. These whores must be punished in front of everyone!Kyle: You swore on the cross, fatso!Donohue: Yeah. Too bad for you... it was a double-cross! [he holds up a pair of crucifixes] Hahahahaha!Pope Benedict: (discomforted) Bill, I'm not sure that double-crossing people is very Christian!
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Why Jesus wanted a rabbit to be Pope in the first place, because men would be so easily corrupted by the allure of power.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: In his prayer, Stan notes they haven't talked to Jesus "in a long time."
- Living MacGuffin: Snowball the rabbit, direct descendant of St. Peter.
- "Lesson of the Day" Speech: Spoofed. At the end when Randy notes how much Stan learned during the episode, Stan tells him he learned that in the future he's not going to ask any questions about Easter and just paint eggs like he should have.
- Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Kyle is very insistent Cartman can never find out about him killing Jesus. Jesus understands completely.
- Mood Whiplash: Stan makes a solemn prayer for Jesus to intervene and help them. As Stan waits for something to happen, Kyle suddenly complains about the rabbit crapping on his jacket.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Benedict learns that he has made a horrible mistake employing the corrupt Donohue and the American Catholic League to help him deal with the Hare Club, and when he finally puts his foot down after being fed up with their extreme methods, he ends up being locked up in cells alongside Jesus and Kyle by the League while Donohue declares himself as the new Pope. In his cell, Benedict voice his dear remorse to Jesus for the entire ordeal, pleading forgiveness.Pope Benedict: Forgive me, Jesus!
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Bill Donohue is so anti-semitic that he refers to Jesus Christ as a "Jew" derisively.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner:Bill Donohue: (angrily) Enough of this blasphemy! I'm the Pope now! That means I am the voice of God!!Jesus: (angrily) Not anymore! I'm removing you from your position!
- Self-Serving Memory: Randy all but begs Stan to hand over Snowball to save his own life. As soon as Stan has...Randy: Stanley, why did you do that? I would have proudly died for that rabbit.Stan: You said, "Hand over the bunny!"Randy: No! That is NOT the way we're remembering it!
- Shut Up, Kirk!: Upon Jesus' arrival and his speech of why men are corrupt to run the Catholic Church as opposed to rabbits, Donohue angrily orders him arrested; even doing to the same to Benedict when the latter angrily objected this.Donohue: (after arresting Jesus and Benedict) You are no longer able to fulfill your duties to the Lord! (seizing Benedict's hat) The Easter vigil will go on as planned! Every Hare Club member, young and old, will watch as their precious savior DIES!!
- Shout-Out: Jesus deals with Bill Donohue using the Glaive from Krull.
- Spoof Aesop: After the Hare Club for Men fulfill their obligation and put Snowball in the seat of the Pope, Stan learned to "dye the eggs and keep [his] mouth shut." Randy finds this to be a satisfactory answer.
- Subbing for Santa: Cartman essentially demands that the guy dressed like the Easter bunny do this. Rattling off a large list of gifts like he's Santa then ordering him to bring him the gifts he wants or he'll kill him.
- Take That!: To Bill Donohue, after he called Matt and Trey "little whores" after seriously failing to get the joke from "Cartoon Wars: Part 2".
- Tempting Fate: After Donohue betrays the group and fully intends to have them publicly tortured, Pope Benedict says this is all very un-Christian-like.Bill Donohue: IT IS WHAT CHRIST WOULD'VE WANTED!
Jesus: [off-screen] Who are you to say that?! - They Killed Kenny Again: A non-Kenny example. Jesus is killed again in this episode, after just returning from his death in "Red Sleigh Down." However, unlike last time, he resurrects himself later in the same episode, just in time to take out Bill Donodue.
- Tyrant Takes the Helm: Bill Donohue gets fed up of Pope Benedict's prevaricating and seizes the position of Pope for himself.Bill Donohue: (furious at Benedict for refusing to kill Jesus) You are SOFT!! WEAK!!! YOU LEAVE ME NO CHOICE! TAKE THEM!!Jesus: (gets arrested by Donohue's ninjas) What are you doing?!Pope Benedict: (gets arrested by Donohue's ninjas as well) I am the Pope!!Bill Donohue: You are no longer able to fulfill your duties to the Lord! The Easter Vigil will go on as planned! Every Hare Club member, young and old, will watch as their previous savior DIES!!
- Unknown Rival: To an extent. After Donohue decides to seize power, Jesus asks "What is your problem, guy?", which implies Jesus had no idea who Donohue even was to begin with.
- Walk-In Chime-In: How Jesus makes his return.Pope Benedict: Bill, I'm not sure that double-crossing people is very Christian.Bill Donohue: It is what Christ would have wanted!Jesus: Who are you to say that?!
- Whole-Plot Reference: To the Da Vinci Code.
- Why Won't You Die?: Invoked by Donohue after Jesus returns from death.Bill Donohue: Why won't you go away?!
- Would Hurt a Child:
- The Hare Club for Men were more than willing to kill Stan to stop their secret getting out, only relenting when they learn he's the son of one of their members.
- The Catholic Church are also not above trying to kill Stan and Kyle for being in possession of Snowball, and try to assassinate the boys multiple times.
- "You!" Exclamation: After waking up in the cage, this is Randy's reaction to seeing who their captor is.
- You Monster!: How Randy denounces Pope Benedict from inside the cage.
