Airdate: Monday, October 13, 2003
"Sender": Seb, The Lodge MN note
Strong Bad, singing a tune to himself, strolls through the computer room. He stops only to bluntly announce to the viewers that he isn't doing an e-mail this week. Fortunately for the audience, The Cheat seizes an opportunity to do something about that.
Cue a brand new Strong Bad Email... done entirely in "Powered by The Cheat" style.
"Strong Bad" gets an e-mail from "Seb" asking him if he can run a mile.
"Strong Bad" proceeds to cartwheel away, passing through the TV room as a "TV show about The Cheat in a Trans-am" plays, jumping over some of "Bubs'" buses ("A New Record!! 19 Buses!!"), getting randomly cheered on by "Marzipan" and "Homestar" (the latter of whom Strong Bad trips), and busting through a brick wall on his way to "win the mile".
"Coach Z", holding an interview with "Strong Bad", wants to know "How did- what's your secret?". Since this is a PBTC cartoon, Strong Bad naturally attributes his success to The Cheat, who for some reason is a millionaire who gets a parade in his honor.
Tropes:
- Accidental Misnaming: At the end, Strong Bad addresses Seb with "So yes, Jimmy-Jimmy..."
- Barrier-Busting Blow: Strong Bad has to "break through this brick wall" about halfway through "the mile".
- Breaking the Fourth Wall:
- Right from the get go, Strong Bad flat out states he isn't doing an email this week to the audience, only for the Cheat to make his own email video.
- At the end of the "email", Strong Bad announces that he has to "go to [his] next show" directly to the audience.
- Book Ends: Strong Bad and "Powered By the Cheat" Strong Bad both speak directly to the audience to announce them leaving.
- Coconut Superpowers: Strong Bad inexplicably decides to do the mile challenge through cartwheels instead of running. This is most likely because these "cartwheels" consist of rotating the model, while running would require a full walk cycle.
- The Determinator: When he encounters a brick wall half way through the mile, Strong Bad just bursts through it no problem.
- Her Code Name Was "Mary Sue": "The Cheat is a millionaire! A parade for The Cheat!" Though The Cheat doesn't hesitate to suck up to the boss by depicting Strong Bad as able to jump 19 buses, break through a wall, and win a one-mile race while doing cartwheels.
- In-Joke: According to the DVD commentary, Powered by The Cheat Homestar shouting "Kick it out, Beehan!" is a reference to a friend of the Brothers' Chaps older brother, Donnie Chapman, from track team. Their mother would cheer him on at track meets by shouting "Kick it out, Beehan!"
- Ramp Jump: Strong Bad cartwheels over nineteen buses, which is apparently "a new record".PBTC Bubs: Hey, Strong Bad, you jumped over some of my buses!
- Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: Like in many Powered by The Cheat cartoons, the sound effects in this cartoon (except for some fireworks sounds near the end) are done by Mike Chapman.
- Shout-Out:
- Strong Bad says "Here I go again, on my own" while jumping Bubs' buses.
- The fireworks at the end of the parade are a reference to the fireworks from the original Super Mario Bros., right down to the sound effects used.
- The parade being followed by the Poopsmith with a push-broom might be a nod to the opening of the "Peabody's Improbable History" shorts on Rocky and Bullwinkle, with a lone street-cleaner sweeping up after a parade.
- Stylistic Suck: And how! The cartoon is done entirely in The Cheat's own dodgy animation style, including text so crudely-drawn there's no room for it on the Compy's monitor, forcing The Cheat to use initials instead.
