Mom?! You're gonna be... a MOM?!
— Marco
Marco returns to Echo Creek to discover that his mom is pregnant. He also discovers a downside to his last-minute baby shower gift.
Tropes:
- Art Shift: The change in art style of Marco's disfigurement that reflects the painting.
- Body Horror: Marco's magical painting alters Marco's body to reflect itself, causing him to slowly mutate into a disfigured cardboard cutout.
- Both Sides Have a Point: Inverted. In the end, each party admits they were in the wrong in their own way. Marco's parents admit they should've spent more time with Marco, given they know so little about his life at this point. Marco then points out it was partially his fault they don't know much about him, since he spends so much time on Mewni that he doesn't give them much opportunity to get to know him.
- Breather Episode: The first episode that isn't lore-heavy or related to Mewni's issues since season 3A, and brings back Marco's parents' funny antics.
- The Bus Came Back: This episode marks the reappearance of Rafael and Angie Diaz in this season since "Sophomore Slump". Gustav (Charlie Booth) also visually returns for about a second, his first time seen since in the background of "Freeze Day" in Season 1.
- The Cameo: The horrifying monster woman who tried to buy one of Ludo's minions in "Quest Buy" reappears as the subject of Cobalt's next painting.
- Comically Missing the Point: It doesn't occur to Marco that his own mom might be the one who's expecting a baby until he sees her pregnant stomach.
- Call-Back:
- Star suggests getting the baby a Quest Buy gift card. A nearly expired one threatening a shopper reminds Marco why that's a terrible idea.
- Marco's Emergency Cash Stash makes another appearance when he offers Cobalt Ferrero "$650 cash" for a fast portrait.
- When filling out Marco's personality quiz, Star notes that his favorite bike is a dragoncycle, he's technically 30 years old and he has worn a dress before.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction: Cobalt Ferrero tells Marco that he takes weeks getting to know his clients before painting them, and insists "I never compromise my work!" Marco, who doesn't have that kind of time, offers him all the money in his emergency cash stash for the painting, and Ferrero just gives him a personality quiz to fill out.
- Let's Have Another Baby: Marco's parents said they actually decided to have another child because they were lonely from his absence.
- Literal-Minded: Rafael, in response to Star telling him his answers would not capture the "Marco of today":Rafael: Of course not, the Marco of today is very frightening (looks at Marco's disfigured self).
- Locked Out of the Loop:
- As a result of spending a lot of time on Mewni, Marco was not aware of his mother's second pregnancy until right now.
- It turns out Marco didn't keep his parents updated on what was going on even while he was living with them. They have no idea what a dragoncycle is, much less that he owns one, and are very confused when Star lists his age as "twenty-five to thirty-five."Star: You guys have a lot to catch up on.
- Mix-and-Match Critters: Cobalt Ferrero. He resembles a small, purple-skinned human with wings (similar to a pixie), but he also has a unicorn-like horn, and a green lizard tail.
- No Ontological Inertia: Averted. Destroying the painting doesn't stop Marco's transformation, since the ash retains the enchantment. Star has to fill in the personality quiz for him to change the enchantment so that it accurately reflects Marco, turning him back to normal.
- One-Steve Limit: Rafael and Angie want to name their upcoming baby "Marco Jr." after their other son. Marco (Sr.) obviously protests against this.
- Parental Neglect: Downplayed. While Marco's parents obviously love their son, they find that they don't really know much about him as he grew into a teenager and started going on adventures with Star. They are quite upset when they realize this.
- Ship Tease: When Marco is restored to normal, Star hugs him, saying that he's "beautiful again". Marco briefly holds her hands while thanking her.
- Stylistic Suck: Because he didn't properly fill out the "essence test" that came with the painting, Marco's portrait came out terrible. Unfortunately, that quickly proves to be the least of his worries.
- Tinkle in the Eye: Rafael tells the story of when Marco peed on him as a baby while changing his diaper.
- Tranquil Fury: When Angie asks Marco for a hug, and he gives her a one armed hug. She has this reaction.note Angie: [with scary music] I spent thirty-seven hours squeezing you out of my body, and this is what I get?
Marco: Oh, oh, I just didn't...
Angie: [deadly serious] Give your mother a hug. - Wacky Cravings: Angie excuses herself to go eat an entire bag of grapes.
- Wham Episode: Very downplayed, but Marco becomes a big brother after this episode.
