Spongicus — spongebob

If you were looking for the article about the DVD, then see Spongicus (DVD).

"Spongicus" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season 6. In this episode, Plankton builds a coliseum and holds a gladiator show.

Characters

Squidward Tentacles
SpongeBob SquarePants
Sea slug ^(mentioned)
Eugene H. Krabs
Sheldon J. Plankton
Incidentals
- Fred
- Incidental 2
- Incidental 4
- Tom
- Suzy
- Incidental 8
- Incidental 10
- Incidental 12
- Incidental 13
- Incidental 14
- Incidental 15
- Incidental 16
- Incidental 17 ^(teal)
- Incidental 18
- Incidental 20
- Incidental 22
- Incidental 23
- Incidental 24
- Incidental 25 ^(orange)
- Incidental 27
- Incidental 28
- Incidental 30
- Incidental 31
- Incidental 34
- Incidental 36
- Incidental 37A
- Morty
- Scooter
- Harold
- Incidental 41
- Incidental 42
- Judy
- Incidental 46
- Incidental 47
- Incidental 48
- Incidental 49
- Incidental 60 ^{(normal; purple)}
- Incidental 63
- Incidental 64
- Incidental 65
- Incidental 67
- Incidental 68
- Incidental 69
- Incidental 73
- Incidental 81
- Old Man Walker
- Incidental 90
- Incidental 92
- Incidental 102
- Incidental 103
- Incidental 104
- Incidental 105
- Incidental 106
- Steve
- Incidental 108
- Incidental 114
- Incidental 115
- Incidental 119
- Incidental 150
- Incidental 151
- Incidental 153
- Mr. Mailman
- Incidental 155
- Sandals
- Popeye fish ^(blue)
- Finback fish ^(purple)
- Angry Jack
Karen Plankton
Mama Krabs
Lion fish ^(debut)
Patrick Star
Seahorses
Jellyfish ^(mentioned)
Pearl Krabs ^(mentioned)

Synopsis

In the beginning of the episode, Plankton decides to destroy the Chum Bucket and turns it into a coliseum, announcing to Bikini Bottom on a jumbotron that there will be free entertainment, promising guts, and glory available to everyone in now what is called the Chum Coliseum. The coliseum is a spoof of the Roman arena with its battles and gladiatorial games, complete with Plankton in the Emperor's chair and a toga. Soon, the Krusty Krab is devoid of its loyal customers, and Mr. Krabs and the crew go to the coliseum to find out what Plankton is up to. When they sit down, a giant lionfish is released and SpongeBob is excited about who will get mauled until he realizes the prisoner that will be going up against the lionfish is Patrick. To entice the lionfish into chasing Patrick, Plankton orders blood sausages to be placed around Patrick's throat. SpongeBob decides to help Patrick and turns into a gladiator, complete with armor and a chariot pulled by seahorses.

He soon catches up with Patrick and rescues him, but now the entertainment has turned into a chase scene that does not contain the blood and guts Plankton promises, even when Mama Krabs wants to see "body parts." Meanwhile, Plankton is trying to sell chum to the crowd who are getting hungry waiting for the guts and glory. One of the spectators agrees to buy a chum stick, but is angered when Plankton tells her it will be $10. She angrily asks why she should pay $10 when Krabby Patties are only a single buck, which the overhearing Mr. Krabs agrees to. Plankton angrily tells her "You can't get entertainment like this at the Krusty Krab!" and states that the fight will be off unless she pays $10. She agrees and immediately gets sick from eating the chum stick, while the rest of the crowd, having had enough, get up to go. Plankton traps all of the customers by blocking off all the exits when they try to leave. He claims to have waited 20 years to see the number of customers Mr. Krabs sees every day and demands everyone to sit back down and buy his chum. They sit back down grumbling and the entertainment continues.

Going back to SpongeBob and Patrick, SpongeBob discovers that the lion fish is chasing the blood sausages around Patrick's neck, not him, after witnessing the lion fish eat a sausage that was thrown on the ground. He throws the rest of the blood sausages and they land in a pile on Plankton. He freaks out, now realizing the lion fish is charging towards him. He quickly escapes out of a secret door he had placed in the coliseum, taunting the Sea Lion and calling it a "prissy feline." The lion fish smashes through the wall and chases Plankton, who runs for his life. After Plankton's failed plans, the Krusty Krab is back in business, but Mr. Krabs has raised the price of a Krabby Patty from $1 to $10. When a customer complains about it, Mr. Krabs points to the lion fish and tells him he can talk it up with his new "financial advisor." The scared customer then complies and orders the patty.

Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward laugh altogether and then leave rather awkwardly one by one, as the episode ends with the lionfish roaring at the audience/viewers.

Production

Art

Model sheets

Music

( ‣ ) Production music
( • ) Original music
( ◦ ) SpongeBob music

‣ Roman Legion - David Farnon [Title card]
• How Much Chum Can a Sea Slug Chug Song - Nicolas Carr [SpongeBob singing.]
• Steel Licks 40 - Jeremy Wakefield [SpongeBob dialing phone.]
‣ Dramatic Impact (6) - Ivor Slaney ["Mr. Krabs, you gotta get out here!"]
‣ Dramatic Impact (5) - Ivor Slaney ["It's a code blue situation!"]
‣ Zelle 503 - Gerhard Trede [Chum Bucket demolished]
‣ Keel Row - Brian Peters ["Plankton's destroying the Chum Bucket?!"]
‣ Battle March Link (4) - Keith Mansfield [Chum Bucket replaced with coliseum]
‣ Ancient Fanfare [#51] - Harry Bluestone ["Greetings, citizens of Bikini Bottom!"]
‣ Ancient Fanfare [#51.04] - Harry Bluestone ["I vow to introduce to this fair city culture!"]
‣ Ancient Fanfare [#51.05] - Harry Bluestone ["I intend to enrich your lives culturally."]
‣ Fighting Legions - Gregor F. Narholz [everyone rushes in]
‣ Dramatic Impact (6) - Ivor Slaney [Plankton laughs evilly]
‣ Wooden Bear - Gil Flat, Tony Tape, Florian Voelxen ["Even though you're just a frigid machine, your circuits must be welling up with emotion."]
‣ Hawaiian Link (B) - Richard Myhill [Krabs and SpongeBob get up off the ground]
‣ Tripping Upstairs - Brian Peters ["Let's serve 'em up a burger they tell their grand-guppies about!"]
‣ Drama Link (E) - Hubert Clifford [Krusty Krab empty]
• Tension Bits - Nicolas Carr, Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Krabs gets angry]
‣ Roman March - Robert Sharples ["Gentlemen, to the coliseum!"]
‣ The Tale of Ben Hur 1 - Gregor F. Narholz ["Patrick?!"]
‣ Mounting the Scaffold 1 - Gregor F. Narholz [sea lion roars at Patrick]
‣ Armed Attack 1 - Mladen Franko [sea lion chases Patrick]
‣ Entry of the Heroes D - Gregor F. Narholz [SpongeBob jumps into a chariot]
‣ Chariot Race - Helmuth Brandenburg [SpongeBob pulls Patrick into the chariot]
‣ Entry of the Heroes A - Gregor F. Narholz ["This is ridiculous!"]
• Plankton's Ballpark - Nicolas Carr [Plankton selling chum]
• Steel Licks 78 - Jeremy Wakefield ["That was appalling!"]
‣ Mounting the Scaffold 1 - Gregor F. Narholz [Plankton traps everyone in the coliseum]
• Steel Licks 22 - Jeremy Wakefield [they go back to their seats]
‣ Chariot Race - Helmuth Brandenburg [SpongeBob and Patrick still being chased]
• Whats This Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Huh?"]
‣ Chariot Race - Helmuth Brandenburg ["That's it, Patrick!"]
• Plankton's Ballpark Organ 3 - Nicolas Carr [sausages land on Plankton]
‣ Armed Attack 1 - Mladen Franko [sea lion roars at Plankton]
• Grass Skirt Chase - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [sea lion chases Plankton]
‣ The Tip Top Polka/The Cliff Polka - Chelmsford Folk Band [back at the Krusty Krab]
• Nude Sting - Nicolas Carr [Patrick's butt]
‣ The Tip Top Polka/The Cliff Polka - Chelmsford Folk Band [Krabs charges $10 for a Krabby Patty]
‣ Captain Lenoe's - The Folk Players [everyone stops laughing]
• Lap Steel - Nicolas Carr [ending]

Release

Broadcast

On some TV guides, this episode was accidentally listed to premiere on March 6, 2008 at 5:00pm, instead of "Suction Cup Symphony."^[4] This is likely due to the fact that it originally had the packaging number of 103b,^[5] which is the number "Suction Cup Symphony" currently holds.^[6]
This episode was paired up with "Nautical Novice" during its original American airing, but has since re-aired with "Suction Cup Symphony."^[7]
- This episode and "Nautical Novice" also premiered on the same day as the 2008 Kids' Choice Awards, serving as a lead-in, and the premiere of the Nickelodeon series Dance on Sunset.

Distribution

This episode is available on the Spongicus, Season 6 Volume 1, SpongeBob Pack: Volume 1, SpongeBob's Legendary Adventures, The Ultimate SpongeBob Box Set, Kids Double Pack: Volume 6, SpongeBob SquarePants Vol. 9, Mighty Sporting of You, Complete Sixth Season, The SpongeBob SquarePants Collection, 3 DVD Value Pack Volume 2, Music Festival, The SpongeBob SquarePants 8 Season DVD Collection, Time Travel, Next 100 Episodes, The Best 200 Episodes Ever, The Fifth & Sixth Seasons, and The Best 300 Episodes Ever DVDs.

Reception

"Spongicus" was ranked #76 during the SpongeBob's Top 100 event in the UK and Ireland from June 4-8, 2012.

Trivia

General

This episode originally packaged as episode 103b,^[5] but was swapped around with its sister episode, becoming 103a.
With a production code of 193-601, this is the first produced episode of season 6.
- The production code of this episode was originally #151-601, as seen in a piece of production art available on the Spongicus DVD.^[1] This indicates that season 6 episodes were going to have the same production tag as episodes from season 5, but as seen in production art for "Krabby Road," it was changed to #193.
The title card is a parody/reference to Ancient Greek text, but the "U" in "Spongicus" is not shaped like a "V" like it would have been back then.
The title card background for this episode is similar to that of "Artist Unknown."
On the Season 6 Volume 1, Complete Sixth Season, Next 100 Episodes, The Best 200 Episodes Ever, The Fifth & Sixth Seasons, and The Best 300 Episodes Ever DVDs, this is the first episode even though it is not the first episode in season 6.
Angry Jack, whose name is revealed in the episode "Shell Shocked," can be seen in the audience of the coliseum.
SpongeBob is shown eagerly waiting for a stranger to get mauled by the sea lion before he discovered it is Patrick, which is a rare time where he wants harm on someone.
SpongeBob uses a payphone in the beginning to summon Mr. Krabs; however in "Lost in Bikini Bottom," it is shown that he doesn't know what a payphone is.
This was Mama Krabs' last physical and speaking appearance until "Momageddon."
When SpongeBob gets in the chariot, his clothes transform into Roman gladiator armor.
Chumsticks come in two shapes: square and corndog-shaped.
According to this episode, Krabby Patties only cost a dollar.
According to this episode, the secret formula for Plankton's chum is whale blubber, jellyfish squeezings, seahorse snout, and just a sprinkle of anchor rust. That means Plankton's chum is different from common chum.
- In a much later episode, "Jailbreak!," Plankton uses an alternate way of creating chum.
In airing order, this is the 200th episode segment.
This is the first episode where chumsticks appear.
According to Plankton, the Chum Bucket is implied to have been open for 20 years.

Dub facts

The German title card has the episode title capitalized instead of all caps.
- The DVD does have it in all caps, however.
- The German title is also nearly identical to the English title, albeit the letter C is replaced with the letter K.

Storyboard director Aaron Springer instead of Casey Alexander in the French opening credits.

In the French opening credits, Aaron Springer is credited as a storyboard director instead of Casey Alexander.
In Bahasa Indonesia version, the opening scene featuring Plankton destroying his Chum Bucket and replacing it with coliseum along with Mama Krabs throwing a tomato in coliseum was omitted due to time constraints.

Episode references

Like the sea bear from "The Camping Episode," the lionfish is portrayed as a fish with a predatory animal's head and claws on the tips of its pectoral fins.
- However, unlike sea bears, lionfish exist in real life, but they do not look anything like in the episode.

Cultural references

This episode's title "Spongicus" is a play on words on the name of famous Roman gladiator Spartacus.
The coliseum that Plankton made is similar to the Colosseum of Rome.
The lionfish is a parody of the Nemean Lion from Greek mythology and a visual pun on real-life lionfish.
- The lionfish also resembles Merlion, the national symbol of Singapore.

Errors

One of the frames where SpongeBob's tooth is yellow instead of white.

When SpongeBob gasps while cleaning the window, one of his teeth flicker from white to yellow.
At the beginning of the episode, SpongeBob warns Mr. Krabs about Plankton through a payphone in the Krusty Krab. However, the payphone disappears in later scenes and is not seen for the rest of the episode.
After Plankton destroys the Chum Bucket, part of Mr. Krabs' shirt becomes transparent.
When the people leave the Colosseum, they wind up in the area of the arena. Plankton is also in the arena when vending chumsticks. In reality, they could not go from the bleachers to the arena; corridors would lead from the bleachers to the outside of the Colosseum.
- Also, the chariot and the lionfish are not there.
Incidental 49 is forced to eat a chumstick, but when everyone is not allowed to leave and forced to eat chumsticks, Incidental 49 can be seen with another chumstick.
When SpongeBob throws the sausages away, there are 6 of them. But before they land on Plankton, there are 9 of them.

When Mr. Krabs says, "I think that it's safe to say that no matter how diabolical Plankton's plans may be, he'll never have the loyalty of me good customers," Patrick's lips are pink instead of black.
The cash register is not at the counter at the end of the episode when everyone is laughing around it.
At the end of the episode when the lionfish roars and it shows the Krusty Krab, the clam sign is not there.

Erroneous non-inclusion of copyright information on the Nickelodeon Productions logo.

Along with its sister episode "Suction Cup Symphony," there is no year or copyright information anywhere in the end credits. However, the episode was produced and registered under copyright in 2008, via the United States Copyright Catalog.^[2]

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Dutch	Spongicus	-
French	Grand tournoi de gladiateurs	Gladiator Tournament
German	Spongikus	Spongicus
Greek	Το Κολοσσαίο του Πλαγκτόν To Kolossaío tou Plan'któn	Plankton's Coliseum
Hungarian	Cirkuszt a népnek!	The People Want Circus!
Italian	Spongicus	-
Polish	Kanciastoportus	SquarePantus
Portuguese (Brazil)	Esponjicus	Spongicus
Portuguese (Portugal)	Spongicus	-
Russian	Губикус Gubikus	Spongicus
Spanish (Latin America)	Bob Esponjus	SpongeBobicus
Spanish (Spain)	Esponjicus	Spongicus