The Bad Guy
Wander and Sylvia run out of the juice they use to make the space-bubbles they travel in, and are stuck in a planetoid feared for its bandits! They decide to pretend to be bad guys themselves while they negotiate, but Wander gets a little too much in character and gets them both into trouble.
The Bad Guy provides examples of:
- An Aesop: You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not, even to fit in.
- All There in the Script: The leader of the Motorhogs is named Oink, according to the credits.
- "Awkward Silence" Entrance: The instance Wander and Sylvia throw open the door to the Doomstone bar, all the thugs in there stop what they're doing and look at them in silence.
- Bad Guy Bar: In Doomstone. Subverted when it turns out the townspeople aren't "real" bad guys.
- Flock of Wolves: It turns out that nobody in Doomstone was actually a bad guy, but they were all pretending to be because they were worried everyone else was.
- Noodle Incident: So why were Wander and Sylvia falling in the beginning? Well...Sylvia: You don't have to say it. Shortcuts through asteroid fields? Not the best idea.
- "Not So Different" Remark: As Sylvia points out after the Doomstone residents reveal they're not bad guys.Sylvia: Wait a flarpin' second. You're all a bunch of fakers, aren't you?! Just like Wander was!
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Wander's bad guy disguise is just a simple mustache.
- Secret Identity Vocal Shift: While Wander is pretending to be "Wild Wooly Wander", he deepens his voice by several decibels and fakes a slight rasp.
- Stealth Pun: The bartender has a wormy apple for a head. He's a bad apple.
- The Don: Wander and Sylvia are led to a crime-lord's mansion to buy space-bubble juice.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: The bartender is the only resident not seen when everyone reveals they faked their badness, possibly meaning they're bad after all.
The Troll
Wander and Sylvia are guests at a feast of the Baaal-Halla Warriors, which is interrupted by a Troll that keeps growing in size! Why is Sylvia willing to help fight it, but not Wander!?
The Troll features examples of:
- An Aesop: Although it's difficult in real life and case-to-case problems, ignoring the person insulting you is one of the only ways to stop them.
- Big Shadow, Little Creature: The troll is introduced in this way. He doesn't stay little for long, though.
- Comically Missing the Point: While the Baaaaa-halla warriors are punching the troll, he begins insulting them saying their punches are like kisses. Their comebacks are based on how kissing is serious and they would never kiss him.
- The Cuckoolander Was Right: Wander was the only one who knew how to defeat the troll: by sitting out and ignoring everything the troll says.
- Emotion Eater: The troll feeds on the anger of those who respond to his insults. The more anger he feels, the bigger he gets; he shrinks when those ignore him.
- "Eureka!" Moment: When Sylvia realizes the troll shrinks when Wander ignores him.
- Fat Bastard: The bigger the troll grows the fatter he gets as well.
- Food End: The episode ends as everyone celebrates the defeat of the troll with a feast.
- Foreshadowing:
- Whenever Wander ignores Sylvia, she leaves. Turns out ignoring is the only way to shoo off the troll.
- What's more, one of the first times the troll grows in response to the reaction of someone he's just insulted, Wander smirks and rolls his eyes wryly, as though he recognizes what not to do.
- Genius Ditz: Wander refuses to help the sheep fight the troll and instead lazes out in front of the fire. The audience at first thinks he's crazy (just as Sylvia points out), but it all changes once the troll comes upon him and Wander ignores him all the way through, revealing he knows the troll's weakness.
- Glowing Eyes: The troll's eyes glow pink whenever he changes size.
- Just Ignore It: What ultimately turns out to be the troll's weakness; if he insults someone and they don't respond, he shrinks and loses power.Sylvia: Dude, just ignore the guy! You getting all upset just makes him stronger!
- Make My Monster Grow: The troll gets bigger as it feeds on people's reactions to his insults; he shrinks if someone ignores him.
- Oh, Crap!: The troll's expression when he realizes he’s shrinking in response to Wander ignoring him.
- Only Sane Man: Wander was the only one who sits out of the fight lazily, which in turn was how to defeat the troll in the first place.
- Power Makes Your Voice Deep: The troll's voice gets gradually deeper the bigger he gets. When he shrinks, it gets high-pitched.
- The Power of Hate: The troll gets his growing power from anyone who responds to his insults.
- Powering Villain Realization: In "The Troll", a troll attacks the fortress of Baaaaa-halla. As the Baaaaa-hallans attack, Wander just curls up by the fireplace. Sylvia at first thinks he's just being lazy, but as it turns out, the troll is an Emotion Eater; it taunts the Baaaaa-hallans, and their angry reactions make him bigger and stronger. When he gets to Wander and starts taunting him, Wander does nothing... and the troll starts shrinking. Sylvia sees this and realizes what Wander is doing, and convinces the Baaaaa-hallans to also ignore the troll, until it shrinks down to a few inches small.
- Rewatch Bonus: Viewers upon later viewings will know Wander is not kidding when he says "I am helping!" even though he's sitting out of the fight — it's how to defeat the troll.
- Rousing Speech: The Baaaaa-halla leader gives one to his warriors once he figures out the troll's weakness.
- Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: Sylvia goes, "Ding!" when she sees the troll shrinking when Wander does not say a word to his insults and ignores him, revealing his weakness.
- Sheathe Your Sword: Turns out giving the troll attention and giving into his insults gives him more power that strength alone can't beat. But once the Baaal-Halla warriors realize this, they cease their attack and just ignore him. He loses power as a result till he's nothing but a tiny speck desperately shouting for attention.
- Stealth Pun: The Troll attacks the Baaaaa-hallans by getting their goats.
- This Is No Time for Knitting: While everyone goes out to fight the troll, Wander just curls by the fireplace and takes a nap, ignoring the cries of Sylvia to come and help, who assumes he's being lazy; Wander counteracts by saying he is helping. When the troll comes inside and insults Wander, he continues resting and ignores him, revealing the troll's weakness.
- Very Special Episode: The episode is based on cyberbullying and internet trolls.
- The episode even includes word-for-word reference to the saying, "Don't feed the troll," which is used online in response to trolls looking for attention.
- Villainous Glutton: The troll intends to get to the Baaaaa-hallans' stash of food so he can devour all of it and they'll starve as a result.
- Wham Shot: The troll shrinking when Wander does not respond to his insults, which causes Sylvia to realize the troll's weakness.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: The Baaaaa-halla leader lets his people know that they are more worth-while than any petty insult or nasty name the Troll can throw at them, prompting them to ignore the Troll's empty words.
