Season 3: 2008
| # | Total | Title | Original airdate | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 31 | "Grounded" | April 1, 2008 (2008-04-01) | 302 |
| Episode 2 of 13: Grounded immediately follows the events of the episode "Innocence". Orel is grounded for holding a neighborhood kids' bloodletting in the upstairs bathroom. We're informed that this episode takes place four weeks before the hunting trip. After the incident, Clay grounds Orel from church for a month. After only a few days, Orel appears to be going crazy, jonesing for church. He manically draws a church on his bedroom wall in an attempt to get closer to church. On the second Sunday, Orel is banned from church, with Clay telling him that going to church gives people insurance from going to Hell. Locked in his room, Orel builds a model church, which Clay takes away from him. On his family's next trip to church, a deranged Orel leaves the house, finds his church by the garbage, and wears it like a Halloween costume. Running down the street, crazed and calling himself a church, he slams into Doughy. They search for a cross for the top of his steeple. They find a metal cross in the form of a plus sign on the roof of the "Morbidly Plus-Sized" clothing store. Immediately after placing it atop Orel's steeple, Orel is struck by lightning. Orel finds himself floating in an endless nothingness. He expects to meet God, but he is merely alone...nowhere. He suddenly sees a tiny light that might be God, but he is violently yanked back into the living world where he's being revived in the emergency room. After coming back, Orel becomes obsessed with dying again to get closer to God, because he still cannot go to church. He engages in suicide twice more—once by electrocuting himself in a light-bulb socket, and once by having Doughy apply electrified defibrillator paddles to him. After his third near-death experience, a bizarre nightmare of familiar and prophetic visions with the song "Airetaina" by the High Priestess playing—including seeing himself say "I am a church" backwards—Orel wakes up and tells the six people around his bed that he saw Heaven and it looked nothing like it was always described to him. Clay attempts to silence Orel, and when they get home he hits him with his belt until the enlightening experience has been beaten out of him. The episode ends where the episode "Nature (Part One)" begins, with Orel saying that he'll "never do THAT with THOSE in THERE for that LONG ever again!", only this time we know he's talking about "flat-lining" to meet God. After Orel's punishment, Clay asks him if he'd like to go on a father-son outing. The end credits include pictures from previous episodes, including "Nature (Part One)" and "(Part Two)". This episode aired on April 1 as an April Fools prank where Adult Swim showed new episodes of upcoming show seasons without announcing it. | ||||
| 1 | 32 | "Numb" | October 9, 2008 (2008-10-09) | 301 |
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Episode 1 of 13: "Numb" opens and closes with the song "No Children" by The Mountain Goats playing, and takes place during the events of "Nature (Part One)" and "Nature (Part Two)", showing what Bloberta had been doing while Clay and Orel were away on their hunting trip. It starts with Clay waking up to take Orel away, with Bloberta unenthusiastically watching from the window. She later masturbates with a small power drill in bed before returning it to her collection of hardware tools she uses as dildos, in the process pulling out a photo album, filled with pictures of her and Coach Stopframe together, as well as a few pictures of Shapey. After examining the picture for awhile, she realizes that Block isn't Shapey, and proceeds to try to get Shapey back "for sentimental reasons." After taking Block back to the Posabules', both Block and Shapey show love to Bloberta, and Mrs. Posabule slams the door on the scene, leaving Block with Bloberta. After taking both of them back home, with Block and Shapey forming a quick bond, Bloberta heads to the pub to meet up with Coach Stopframe. After trying to start another relationship with him, Stopframe completely shuts her down, saying that he only built a relationship with her to get close to Clay. After his refusal, Bloberta desperately seeks love, or at least an affair from Reverend Putty, who has a sexual climax from her pleas, then tells her to leave. Distraught, and desperate to feel something, Bloberta then goes to Nohammer's Hardware, where she buys a large jackhammer with the intention of using it as a vibrator. After taking it home, she mutilates her vagina, prompting her to go Dr. Potterswheel. After examining her, he prescribes powerful painkillers. After using them, she proceeds to use the power tool again, further injuring herself, yet numbing the pain to a pleasurable experience, and sending her back once again to Potterswheel. While examining Bloberta's more severe injuries, it is shown that Dr. Potterswheel has a sexual fascination with his patients' physical pain. Potterswheel sends her home again with an even stronger dosage of painkillers. Bloberta also ends up taking Dr. Potterswheel's handkerchief home with her. When Bloberta arrives home to her bed, the combination of desperation and physical sensitivity gives Bloberta an orgasm simply at the thought of Dr. Potterswheel. Excited by her discovery and new feelings of completeness, Bloberta returns to the clinic later that day, only to be rejected by Potterswheel when he sees she isn't injured any differently. After refusing to so much as look at Bloberta, he receives a call from Clay, who tells him that he shot Orel in the leg, while Bloberta, only slightly affected when Orel's name pops up, gazes distantly at the wall. The episode ends from Clay's point-of-view, stumbling, drunk, through the house, up the stairs. He stops outside of Orel's room, where he overhears Bloberta and Orel's conversation from the end of "Nature (Part Two)" about why Bloberta married Clay. Bloberta momentarily breaks down after she leaves his room, only to become cold and stiff upon seeing Clay. The two climb into their separate beds as the credits roll, both looking completely cold, almost as if waiting to die. Note: This is actually the first episode of Season 3. However, the real second episode, "Grounded" was aired as the first. |
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| 3 | 33 | "Innocence" | October 16, 2008 (2008-10-16) | 308 |
| Episode 3 of 13: The show is four weeks and a day before the events of "Nature", specifically picking up directly from "School Pageant". With the townspeople realizing that the song Orel sang in the school musical is blasphemous, and conclude that God wants to punish Moralton as a result (citing various signs, such as how Orel raised the dead in Season 1). However, Reverend Putty makes the (for Moralton, surprisingly realistic) analysis that maybe Orel does so many zany and blasphemous things because the townsfolk give him bad advice, which he then misinterprets. At Putty's urging, they agree to avoid giving him advice altogether. This is quickly challenged as a guilt-stricken Orel seeks to make amends for making the song so popular. First, Orel goes to his father, but Clay avoids him and directs Orel to Reverend Putty. Putty tries to make it clear to Orel that he doesn't need to atone, that God understands that he was innocent. Putty, however, soon gives up as well and sends Orel to Miss Sculptham. Orel informs her that children are always innocent—so says Putty. Miss Sculptham tells Orel that everyone is innocent until the age of 18 and tells Orel about the children's crusade and how children are innocent and pure. Miss Sculptham then sends Orel to the Christeins. After Orel tells Mr. Christein that God is angry with him, the Christeins respond by painting lamb's blood on their door frame, citing how it keeps away plagues and the wrath of God, and then remarks that the markings show God that they are innocent. Orel leaves with a directive—find some innocent blood. Orel first heads to the blood bank, only to find it closed. Orel then runs into Coach Stopframe outside of the bar next door, where he and Clay had been drinking together. Orel proceeds to tell Coach Stopframe everything he has learned but Coach Stopframe takes issue with the painting of blood, calling it a "waste of perfectly good virgin blood." Stopframe tells Orel that if he bathes in virgin blood, he can stay young. Orel runs off in search of virgin kids while Stopframe informs Clay that everything is all right. Soon, the townspeople watch with alarm as Orel leads his friends (Doughy, Billy, Tommy, and Maryenetta) back to his house, all wielding knives and other cutting tools. The next morning, Orel goes to a tired and inebriated Clay for clarification. Clay asks if Orel has been listening to his "elderlies" and upon receiving the affirmative, tells Orel that he is doing everything right. It ends with Orel bathing in blood he has collected from the town's children and provides the background for the beginning of the episode "Grounded". | ||||
| 4 | 34 | "Alone" | October 21, 2008 (2008-10-21) | 303 |
| Episode 4 of 13: This episode is unique in that Orel does not actually even appear in it—though he can be heard on an in-show radio broadcast. The story takes place the evening before Orel heads out for a wilderness outing with his father as depicted in the episode "Nature (Part One)". The story revolves around three female members of the Moralton community that each live a life of isolation. They are Nurse Bendy, Miss Sculptham, and Ms. Censordoll. The story reveals that Miss Bendy is mentally disturbed; she plays house with teddy bears and calls them her "family" because she suffers from emotional loneliness stemming from the fear that people only care about her for sex. She suffers a breakdown when a teddy bear falls and lands on her back in a suggestive position, making her think that her proxy for a loving husband is only interested in sex as well. The story also reveals that Miss Sculptham was previously raped and impregnated by Mr. Creepler. She subsequently gave herself an abortion—as strongly implied by the bloody coat hanger she fixes—but remains infatuated with him due to having experienced sexual gratification through him. Finally, the story reveals that Ms. Censordoll's obsession with chicken eggs is due to the fact that she does not possess human eggs herself: when she was an infant, her mother had her sexual organs surgically removed. It is suggested that her immaculacy has given her a god complex and that she might be plotting something sinister as evidenced by her keeping a scale, model replica of the town with everyone in it. | ||||
| 5 | 35 | "Trigger" | October 23, 2008 (2008-10-23) | 304 |
| Episode 5 of 13: This episode happens before "Nature (Part One)" and "Nature (Part Two)". Doughy is first seen playing baseball with himself. After an injury, he asks his parents for a bandage, only to be shoved away. Seeing various fathers bonding with children, Doughy becomes more depressed. When seeing a father and son squirrel, he throws a rock at them and claims he feels no remorse for his actions. Upon walking, he hears gunshots and runs to see Orel and Clay practicing at shooting a handgun. Orel's poor marksmanship is scolded by Clay. Doughy tries his hand at shooting, doing much better than Orel. He claims that because he feels unimportant and invisible, he is able to focus, and shows little remorse at the idea of killing something. Since this happens before the eventful hunting trip, Clay insists Orel keeps the gun twenty-four hours a day until he learns to use it and tells Doughy to help him. Doughy wants Clay's approval and craves attention, so he happily takes the task. Doughy sees that Orel's nervous tic, caused by sadness, makes him a terrible shot. Seeing this as a means to get more praise from Clay, Doughy sets out to upset Orel. Eventually Orel is phased out of the family as Doughy takes his place, with Clay even showing Doughy how to smoke. Depressed as Doughy once was, Orel is able to shoot easily; he is no longer bothered by Doughy's attempts to upset him. Clay is overjoyed that Orel can now shoot a gun properly, and has no more use for Doughy. When Doughy attempts to take Orel's place on the hunting trip, Clay tells Doughy that the offer was simply a ploy to get Orel to learn to shoot better. It ends with Doughy once again being ignored. | ||||
| 6 | 36 | "Dumb" | October 29, 2008 (2008-10-29) | 306 |
| Episode 6 of 13: This episode tells of Joe, the resident bad kid in Moralton. The episode takes place right before and slightly after "Nature". Joe is the son of Dr. Secondopinionson, who is unable to participate in his son's life due to his rapidly increasing age and senility. This lack of parental authority damages Joe and he acts out in order to receive attention; he constantly derides everything around him as dumb, eats only sweets, and does outrageous things because no one in his house has the authority to stop him. His only real parental figure is a woman with a monotone, masculine voice who claims to be his half-sister, whom Joe verbally abuses every time they interact. Joe has a morbid fear of aging because he resents his father for being too old and arthritic to be able to do anything with him, and is still angry over his mother's death—of "old age"—in childbirth. After seeing Orel going on the hunting trip with his father, Joe attempts to find a father figure in his uncle, Coach Stopframe, who informs him that his mother didn't die in childbirth, shooing him off with a reference to Nurse Bendy. Nurse Bendy reveals that she dyes her black hair blonde, and had a child "like, twenty years ago"—Joe corrects her and says twelve, his age. She invites him to her apartment, where she describes her teddy bear son as having Joe's characteristics, like having recently been in a play. It mirrors his actions as he sticks his tongue out and mocks it. The two of them realize that they are mother and son and that Joe's father had been lying about his mother's death. Nurse Bendy peevishly says that somebody should teach Dr. Secondopinionson a lesson. Joe returns home and brutally beats his father. His half-sister explains that the identity of Joe's mother was the first thing that his father forgot when he started to lose his memory and that is why he thought Joe's mother was dead. Joe then demands to know why his half-sister never told him that his mother was alive. She replies, "Why should I tell you anything? Like you said—I'm not your mom." Joe accepts this as his sister tenderly cleans the blood from his face. When he returns to the hospital, carrying a suitcase and intending to move in with Nurse Bendy, he sees "Sonny" Bear in the trash outside. When he asks why she threw away the bear, Nurse Bendy explains that she'd rather have Joe as her son than a bear. The episode ends with the two of them affectionately sticking their tongues out at each other as "Failsafe" by The Choir Practice plays. | ||||
| 7 | 37 | "Help" | November 4, 2008 (2008-11-04) | 309 |
| Episode 7 of 13: This episode is a flashback that Bloberta has when Orel asks her why she married Clay. It begins with a group of women showing off their engagement rings; everybody is getting married except for Bloberta. Principal Fakey's future wife is seen here, assured that their marriage will be a success (however, in the present, Fakey has an affair with Nurse Bendy and treats his wife very poorly). The women of Moralton gather in Miss Censordoll's basement to make protest signs. Bloberta insists on helping, trying to prove how clever she is. Censordoll is not impressed with her abilities and promptly shoos her away. Bloberta is seen going home where her mother, younger brother, eldest sister, and father are all singing. She tries to join in the choir but is abruptly stopped. Her mother appears to be very domineering, praising her other children yet neglecting Bloberta. She is especially harsh on her husband, who cowers in fear. Bloberta is told by her mother to make herself useful and clean her room. Her father comes in, nervously, to speak with her, telling her how he tries to include her in family things but her mother won't have it. In these moments alone, she is seen to have a flask, pointing to a drinking problem. Later on, she is at Fakey's wedding and she notices Clay, who admits that he thought the wedding was a "regular service" and didn't leave as he thought it would be awkward. Clay is very pure of heart, handsome, and, of course, a bachelor. Bloberta assumes he will be a good choice for a husband, and asks him to go the reception with her. They order apple juice and sit down to talk. Bloberta questions why Clay doesn't "'drink' drink" and assures the righteous Clay that "Jesus drank a lot" and he should, too. Clay overindulges and becomes very drunk. Bloberta asks him to dance and pressures him into proposing, wanting to be accepted. Clay refuses, unsure and unready for marriage. At this point, Clay is much like Orel: his is a kind, decent person who mostly wishes to study his Bible at home. A few drinks later, Clay has lost most of his inhibition and is leering at the women passing by. Bloberta promptly leaves him to go to the bar, announcing to the bartender she has given up drinking. She begins to furiously clean the bar while Clay flirts with women around him. Annoyed with Clay's actions, Bloberta gets up and punches him, knocking him out. She is seen the next day tending to his wounds and explaining how much she "helped" him and how much he "should need" her. Stumbling across words, Clay agrees to marry her. It's a rushed decision, made without knowing much about one another and the two seem unhappy from the start. The wedding ensues and their usual habits begin; Clay drinks through the whole wedding and Bloberta angrily watches and cleans obsessively. The credits roll with pictures of the wedding. A song is rolled in the opening and closing sequence "Old College Try" by The Mountain Goats. | ||||
| 8 | 38 | "Passing" | November 6, 2008 (2008-11-06) | 305 |
| Episode 8 of 13: This episode, mirroring "Help", is a flashback which explores Clay's relationship with his mother and father. The episode begins with Clay giving Orel "Ol' Gunny" before flashing back to Clay as a child. It is revealed that when Clay was around Orel's age, his mother doted on him endlessly, much to the chagrin of his uninterested father. Clay's father seems completely unaffected by the religious extremism of his wife and the other people of Moralton, often expressing doubts and taking the name of God in vain (at one point even claiming "there are no miracles"). While looking through old photo albums with his mother, Clay discovers pictures of his mother, presumably pregnant with him. It is revealed that Mrs. Puppington actually miscarried ten times before successfully bearing Clay and it is hinted this is due to her smoking, drinking, and engaging in strenuous activities such as jumping on a trampoline or riding roller-coasters during her other pregnancies; she says she was too busy praying while pregnant with Clay to do any of these things. After being devastated by the news that he is not indeed his mother's "precious only-ever" child, Clay pretends to shoot himself with "Ol' Gunny". Clay's father eventually discovers the ruse, and when he forces Clay to cease the charade, his mother has a heart attack due to the stress and dies, crying out to God to take her life instead of her son's. Clay's father blames him for the death of his wife, frequently hitting him to express his frustration. Clay actively seeks his father's punishment, finding it the only source of attention he can get from his emotionally distant parent. At the end of the episode, Clay's father gives "Ol' Gunny" to Clay, insisting that he can no longer bear to have it since it is "tainted with blood." Clay attempts to defend himself from his father's blame, but when he looks up, his father is gone. The final shot of the episode comes in the form of Clay staring into his drink. The song that plays throughout the episode and during the closing sequence is "Love Love Love" by The Mountain Goats. | ||||
| 9 | 39 | "Closeface" | November 11, 2008 (2008-11-11) | 307 |
| Episode 9 of 13: This episode is about the Annual Arm's-Length dance at Orel's school. It begins with a quick recap of "The Lord's Prayer" before showing Principal Fakey introducing the chaperon Reverend Putty. In a flashback, we see Kim and Stephanie kissing as a younger Reverend Putty makes the same speech. Kim cheerfully claims that she's not interested in the opposite sex and kisses Stephanie. After getting a good laugh, she insists they go to the dance together and kiss in front of Reverend Putty. Stephanie, having visibly enjoyed the first kiss, agrees. In the present, Orel is shown working in Stephanie's store part-time when Doughy's parents come asking for some nonsensical sex toys before laughing and making out, much to Stephanie's annoyance. Another flashback shows Kim and Stephanie in a room, where Kim insists that she and Stephanie "practice" kissing more. Stephanie, not realizing that Kim merely thinks of the act as a joke, eagerly agrees. When Kim leans in to Stephanie, Stephanie's eyes cross, showing Kim as a one-eyed smiling version of herself, which Stephanie dubs "Closeface". In the present, Orel realizes he has no crush to take to the dance and explains his problem to Stephanie. Another flashback shows Kim and Stephanie waiting in a hallway; Kim repeatedly attempts to kiss Stephanie whenever Reverend Putty or Carl walks past, laughing hysterically every time the two men react and reacting negatively to Stephanie's request for a real kiss. Stephanie realizes that Kim was only pretending to have feelings for her. In the present, Orel prays in his room for God for help and a sudden interruption from Block reminds Orel that he does have a crush—Christina Posabule. Orel goes to take Block back to the Posabules an excuse to visit Christina, but claims Block ran off upon arrival. When Orel and Christina begin to kiss, Orel sees a "Closeface" version of Christina. The moment is cut short by her father slamming the door in his face. A saddened Orel returns to the shop, where Stephanie explains that Orel saw his own "Closeface". Determined that Orel have a better time at the dance than she did, Stephanie helps him sneak Christina away to the dance. Outside, Reverend Putty reveals that he knows that Stephanie is a lesbian, and dismisses Kim, citing that they never would have worked out: not because they are both women, but because Kim was insincere and never really cared about her. The episode ends with Orel and Christina dancing happily—holding each other while the rest dance at arms length—as Reverend Putty joins Stephanie in singing "Closeface". | ||||
| 10 | 40 | "Sundays" | November 13, 2008 (2008-11-13) | 310 |
| Episode 10 of 13: "Sundays" takes place throughout the entire series and is named as such because each scene takes place on a Sunday. The episode follows the lives of two Moralton women, Florence and Dottie. Both are recently divorced single mothers with limited visitation rights to their kids. While Dottie is attractive and stuck-up, Florence is fat and frumpy. The two strike up a tenuous friendship and move into an apartment together. Florence's attraction to Reverend Putty grows, despite Putty's clear disgust at her and attraction to Dottie, which Dottie callously brings to Florence's attention again and again. As events from previous episodes take place in the background (such as Orel raising an army of zombies), Florence eventually grows tired of Dottie's haughty attitude and ends their friendship, devastating Dottie. Later, Florence finds herself alone at an all-you-can-eat buffet with Putty, and manages to drag him back to her apartment. Though very reluctant, Putty eventually succumbs to having sex with Florence, only to shout out Dottie's name as he climaxes. He leaves, ashamed, as Florence cries over the humiliation. Listening in through the door, Dottie is initially pleased to hear Putty cry out her name instead of Florence's, but is immediately saddened by Florence's crying. The final scene takes place after the events of "Nature", with Putty preparing to deliver a sermon on hope, only to notice his entire congregation is depressed and lost. He searches the pews for Orel, looking for one last ray of hope, only to find him with his leg in a cast, looking as dejected as everyone else. Clay is not present. The episode concludes with Putty seemingly giving up as well, changing the title of his sermon from "Hope" to "Hopeless". | ||||
| 11 | 41 | "Sacrifice" | November 17, 2008 (2008-11-17) | 311 |
| Episode 11 of 13: This episode starts with a flashback to the episode "Numb", which shows how Clay has found Dr. Potterswheel's handkerchief at home. The rest of the episode takes place very shortly after the conclusion of "Sundays". Reverend Putty, as dejected as the rest of the congregation, delivers a quick Easter sermon about how nothingness can mean hope, as when the tomb was opened after Jesus' death. Clay, who has skipped church, goes to Forghetty's to drown his sorrows. Reverend Putty, Officer Papermouth and Potterswheel later join him, with Putty breaking up with Florence as he enters. Clay launches into a series of alcohol-fueled despondent rants, threatening that he will kill someone if he has to go into work and claiming to make repeated sacrifices for his family. He also mocks Papermouth for Florence sleeping with another man (hinting that it's Putty) and implies that Potterswheel gave his wife an overdose of painkillers when she was sick. Clay rants about relationships and tries to goad everyone into hitting him, but instead the bartender and three men walk out of the bar. Clay fumes that the town's role-models have made Orel "sensitive". At home, Orel tries unsuccessfully to call Clay at the bar and Bloberta searches frantically for Potterswheel's handkerchief. Shapey says his first complete sentence ("When I'm thirsty, it feels how I feel when I'm alone."), leading Orel to remark how things have changed. The episode ends with Clay going into the nature reserve and coming back with a bear (presumably the same bear killed in "Nature (Part Two)") strapped to the roof of his car. | ||||
| 12 | 42 | "Nesting" | November 19, 2008 (2008-11-19) | 312 |
| Episode 12 of 13: This episode begins with a flashback to when Orel was picketing eggs during the episode "Offensiveness". Clay walks in complaining of his dead-end job while it is revealed that Bloberta is knitting a picket blanket for Orel. Orel is still picketing, revealed before he gets the ban on them, he decides to go to the mayor. Upon walking in, he discovers his father, Clay, is indeed Mayor of Moralton. Enthralled, Orel is assured he can get the eggs banned, since Censordoll is reluctantly picketing for the sake of picketing. Clay is reluctant to ban the eggs, claiming Censordoll has a lot of power in the town and that banning eggs would be wrong. He pulls out a drawer, revealing a threat-letter written by Censordoll claiming Clay's days in office would be numbered if he dared banned her eggs. Clay then goes on speaking about how people don't always say what is on their mind. During this, he has a somewhat erotic vision, this including his mother as a giant chicken and he as an egg, desperately trying to reunite with his mother. This reveals he has a Oedipus Complex for his dead mother. Fearful of this realization, he quickly bans the eggs. Three months later, after the Easter sermon, Orel is seen in Figurelli's store where he runs into Censordoll. She is briefly compassionate and speaks of how Clay only wants death and how she desires life. Mesmerized by the tenderness, Orel agrees with her and becomes her campaign manager for her race to become mayor. Clay sees a rally with Orel and Censordoll, and after her speech, he tells Orel to see him in his study. Orel now seems to be completely numb to Clay's threats and pleas to keep his job. In the fall, the two are having a debate. Clay gives his opening speech to the town about what he'd do to help. Again, he has another fantasy about his deceased mother. Obviously flustered, he finishes his speech quickly. After hearing his speech, Censordoll quickly concedes the race and leaves. Frustrated, Clay goes to Orel, apologizing (albeit half-heartedly) for being a poor father and shooting him and demands to know her plans. Orel admits he does not know. Clay doesn't believe him and becomes angry and leaves after taking back all he said and exclaims he was happy to shoot Orel. The present is now seen at Christmas. At Forghetty's, we see Clay leaning in to kiss Daniel Stopframe, but quickly stops to "tend to business" with Censordoll. He vents to her how hopelessly pathetic and powerless he is and how he wishes to release the tension without the fear of making another child. Speaking to his inner need for a mother, Censordoll promises to mother him and assures that her barren body will be all the tension release he needs, if only he listens to her. Promptly the two begin to passionately make out as they fondle a chicken egg. | ||||
| 13 | 43 | "Honor" | December 18, 2008 (2008-12-18) | 313 |
| Series Finale—Episode 13 of 13: The episode begins with a brief flashback to the end of "The Best Christmas Ever", with Orel professing his absolute faith in God. A rapid-fire montage shows scenes of all the events since, culminating at Forghetty's with Clay and Coach Stopframe nearly kissing before being interrupted by Miss Censordoll. After seeing she and Clay make out, Stopframe leaves, vomits, and becomes angry and despondent as a result. Stopframe starts to see Clay's face everywhere in town and realizes he still has feelings for Clay. Meanwhile, Orel's cast finally comes off, but he is informed by Dr. Potterswheel that he is going to be crippled for the rest of his life due to the shooting. A despondent Orel heads home, trying to find a way to talk to his father. He finds Clay drinking in his study, pretending to instead lecture the stuffed bear Orel shot about the Fifth Commandment ("Honor thy father and thy mother," or as Clay phrases it, "Honor thy father. Not mother, just thy father."). Conflicted, Orel asks Reverend Putty for advice on how to honor his father, and Putty suggests asking someone who likes Clay as much as "women like jerks". Orel does not know who such a person could be, and the reverend directs him to Coach Stopframe. Stopframe, meanwhile, has become completely apathetic towards everyone except Orel. After having a conversation, Orel and Stopframe begin to forge a father-son relationship over Christmas caroling, much to the chagrin of Clay, who has been trying to spend time with Stopframe. Clay eventually becomes so angered that he storms into the house and declares that he, Bloberta, Shapey, and Block are going caroling. In the meantime, at Stopframe's apartment, Orel finds a picture of Stopframe and Clay and figures out the truth about Coach Stopframe's attraction to Clay. However, he still is depressed because he still cannot figure out how to honor his father. Stopframe points out that Clay did do one honorable thing: he created Orel. Clay bursts into the apartment and starts loudly accusing Coach Stopframe of using Orel the same way he used Bloberta to get to him. He makes several thinly-veiled attempts to declare his love for the coach, but cannot commit completely, outing himself to Bloberta and making her suggest the family should leave. Coach Stopframe tells Clay "it's too late" (for their relationship) after Orel tries to get his father to leave with the family, and the Puppingtons go home after Clay gives up on mending his relationship with Stopframe. The series concludes with Orel slowly morphing into an adult as Putty gives a radio address about family, noting that while most of the time we are simply stuck with them, occasionally a "miracle" happens and there is a family that truly loves one another. As Putty wraps up his sermon, we are shown a final scene of an adult Orel in his own home, happily married to Christina with two children—a girl, about three-years old, and a boy, about twelve-years old—and a puppy. On the wall behind them are photos of an adult Shapey and Block, who have become a policeman and a fireman respectively, and the still (presumably) unhappily-married Clay and Bloberta. The credits roll over the young Orel in his room with the stop-motion camera making a movie, and when he finishes, he packs up the equipment and figures, puts them all in a box, and places it under the Christmas tree as a gift for Shapey and Block. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Moral Orel Episodes
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