Airdate: Monday, April 16, 2007
Sender: Malinko
A sender named Malinko wants to draw "a few comics" about Strong Bad and The Cheat, and wants to know the "promblems" they would deal with in doing so. They offer to show Strong Bad a "rough copy" as soon as possible, and sign off with "I hope you interested!"
Apparently, Homestar's attempt to sell "Strong Bad Flavored Water" ("Bottled at the source! Pure as a mountain goat!") was shut down quickly by Strong Bad and The Cheat "suing" him... by pelting him with a briefcase full of water balloons. Strong Bad boasts that The Cheat is "the best lawyer soft tacos can buy" and can hit someone with a waterbomb from "three football fields away", as demonstrated when Strong Sad gets pegged over "custody of his Not-So-Thin Mints".
Right on cue, The Cheat shows up with "an unmarked manila envelope" containing the promised rough copy of Malinko's comic... and it's a very rough copy indeed, being just two crude scribbles labelled "Strong Bad" and "The Cheat" on a stained piece of paper.
The Cheat: (The Cheat noises)
Strong Bad: You're a genius, The Cheat! Now that's what I pay you for. Open up! (pulls out a soft taco as The Cheat opens his mouth) Up. Ah! Ah! Ah! (tosses it in The Cheat's mouth) There you go.
The Cheat: (opens his mouth again and claps his hands together while making The Cheat noises, reminiscent of a seal)
Strong Bad: Okay, okay. One more. (tosses another taco in The Cheat's mouth)
A few soft tacos later, and Strong Bad and The Cheat have wrapped themselves in loose balls of barbed wire so as to better resemble Malinko's dubious art. Noting how tough he feels, Strong Bad is briefly inspired to star in an "action-packed credits sequence" with The Cheat. Strong Bad's fun doesn't last long, as Strong Sad shows up with an over-sized notebook, wearing both reading glasses and a smug expression.
Strong Bad: You gotta be joking! There's nothing intellectual abou— (gets hit by snowballs) Ow! Eech! Ooh! Agh-where did you get snowballs this time of year?! How did you fit them in that notebook?
Strong Sad: I've been saving these in the freezer since I was eight! (continues throwing snowballs at Strong Bad and The Cheat)
Homestar: (popping in with a bottle of "Malinko Drinko") Drinko some Malinko! Crystal clear like domestic beer!
Strong Bad decides he can't live with his "non-existent friendship" with Malinko being destroyed by "all this hot legal action", and decides to settle out of court... which apparently involves sitting around eating Zagnut bars.
(The Paper comes down)
Tropes:
- Brick Joke: Strong Sad is seen early on writing the Note to Self "get bigger... note boo... k." He later shows up with a notebook that's almost as big as he is.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Homestar gets pelted with water balloons for selling Strong Bad flavored water, he cheers "Hooray! The orders are violently flying in!"
- Continuity Nod: Strong Bad notes his disgust with Homestar selling Strong Bad "flavored water" by typing the phrase in wobbly blue-green text, much like his reaction to Homestar's "bread sing-alongs" in "origins".
- Crazy-Prepared: How did Strong Sad get snowballs in April? "I've been saving these in the freezer since I was eight!"
- The Dog Bites Back: Strong Sad "sues" Strong Bad and The Cheat by throwing snowballs at them.
- Evil Lawyer Joke: "Lawsuits" in Free Country, USA are little more than pelting the defendant with water balloons/snowballs, followed by a brief mugging. What's more, The Cheat, acting as Strong Bad's lawyer, deliberately inflates the charges as much as possible (even if he is being paid in soft tacos).
- Fanwork Ban: Done in-universe, as Strong Bad threatens legal action against Malinko if he makes any comics about him and The Cheat. Although the motivations appear to be little more than pure pettiness - Strong Bad's "lawsuits" actually involve mugging someone and/or pelting them with water balloons.
- Hilarity Sues: Strong Bad threatens to sue Malinko for drawing "a few comics" about him and The Cheat. His plans to make this work backfire hilariously.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Strong Bad and The Cheat dress up as Malinko's "rough copy" so they can sue him, only for Strong Sad to point out that they're now infringing on Malinko's "highly intellectual property".
- Our Slogan Is Terrible: "S-B-two-oh. Bottled at the source. Pure as a mountain goat!" Later Homestar's "Malinko flavored water" has the slogan "Crystal clear like domestic beer!"
- Running Gagged: An Easter egg includes one last "DNA evidence" reference, provided by a weary Homestar. After this Easter egg, the DNA evidence gag was retired with a big toon revealing what happened with it.
- Shout-Out: The "action-packed credits sequence" seems to be inspired by the "pleasantly understated credit sequence" from Sam & Max Hit the Road and the opening credits to the first season of Telltale Games' Sam & Max adventure games.
- Take That, Audience!: The "rough copy" of Malinko's art is just a couple of scribbles labelled "Strong Bad" and "The Cheat".
Homestar: (sighs) DNA evidence...
