Cartman thinks Tolkien should go out with the new black girl because they are two of the same race, but when she says she likes Kyle, Cartman plays matchmaker to make her and Tolkien into the perfect couple.
"Cartman Finds Love" contains examples of:
- Abhorrent Admirer: The episode ends with Cartman running away from the unattractive Stacy (the poster child for Halitosis Kidz) after Cupid Me makes her fall in love with Cartman.
- Amicable Exes: Wendy and Tolkien. She tells Nichole that he's really nice and even points to her previous relationship with him to encourage her to go out with him.
- As Himself: Brad Paisley voices himself in this episode.
- Black Gal on White Guy Drama: Downplayed. When Nichole reveals her crush on Kyle, the only one who takes issue to this is Cartman.
- Boomerang Bigot: Nichole's dad disapproves of Nichole dating Token because Token is black. Guess which race Nichole and her family is. However, it's downplayed he doesn't hate black people. He's just concerned that Nichole might believe that she can only date people who are the same race as her.
- Call-Back: Wendy mentions that she once dated Tolkien.
- Cutting Back to Reality: Cartman talks to and plays with a little cherub version of himself that he calls "Cupid Me", and the show occasionally cuts to people watching Cartman talking to nothing and jumping around like an idiot.
- Friendly Tickle Torture: Tolkien does this to Nicole affectionately while pushing her on the swing, which Cartman finds adorable.
- Gay Best Friend: It's implied the girls were hoping Kyle would be this for them.
- Inner Thoughts, Outsider Puzzlement: All throughout the episode Cartman has visions of a tiny, cupid version of himself that he dubs "Cupid Me". At one point he sees himself playing with and trying to catch Cupid Me, who is flying just out of his reach. His mom walks by and just sees Cartman dancing oddly and talking to himself.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: Cartman tends to get away with a lot in modern seasons, but surprisingly, not here. Near the end of the episode, Cartman's racist belief that people should only date their own kind comes back to bite him in the butt when Cupid Me sets him up with a fat girl who has an awful case of halitosis.
- Mistaken for Gay: Kyle by the female students, thanks to a rumor spread by Cartman that the two are lovers. If Tolkien is any indication, the lie spread to some of the male students as well.
- Never Trust a Trailer: The episode's synopsis says "Now, to make sure nobody gets in the way of true love, it is time for Cartman to finally let someone know exactly how he feels." The "true love" was initially meant to trip the audience up, and make them believe he was in love with Nicholenote (when he really wants her to end up with Tolkien). So, that special "someone"? Kyle, apparently, although not sincerely.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: While definitely not a hero, Cartman jeopardizes Tolkien and Nicole's relationship by putting "because blacks belong together" on the latter's teddy bear.
- On the Rebound: Kyle immediately jumps at the opportunity of dating Nicole after confirming with Tolkien that they broke up.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: Cartman sets Tolkien and Nichole up out of the racist belief that people should only be with their own kind. It's only by coincidence that Token and Nichole happen to make a great couple.
- Second-Act Breakup: Nicole breaks up with Tolkien because she thought he believed that people should only date those of the same race.
- Shipper with an Agenda: Cartman hooks up Tolkien and Nicole because of the racist belief that lovers should only be the same race.
- Stop Being Stereotypical: Deconstructed. The aesop of the episode is that you shouldn't stop doing something you love just because it is expected of you. Tolkien and Nichole realize that just because people think they belong together for being black, that's not a reason to break up.
- Token Minority Couple: The episode is a Decon-Recon Switch of this trope. Tolkien eventually becomes one with the new black girl, Nichole, due to Cartman's manipulation.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Kyle disappears after seemingly running off to confront Cartman for lying about their relationship to the entire basketball stadium. Instead, Cartman meets his retribution by way of Abhorrent Admirer.
- You Need a Breath Mint: The Halitosis Kidz and their poster child Stacy Muleburg, whose breath is so bad that people flee when she opens her mouth.
