The Way of the Sponge

The Way of the Sponge  is a  SpongeBob SquarePants  episode from  season eight. In this episode, SpongeBob tries to earn the black belt for karate.

Characters

 * SpongeBob SquarePants
 * Sandy Cheeks
 * Gary
 * Fuzzy Acorns
 * Harold
 * Squidward Tentacles (1 and 2 Cameos)
 * Nat Peterson (Piano Man)
 * Krusty Krab Customers:
 * Fred
 * Harold
 * Scooter
 * Lenny
 * Debbie Rechid
 * Billy
 * White Fish

Synopsis
It starts with SpongeBob walking over to Sandy's place to show her a new karate move. He arrives and sees her with someone else. He thinks she is being attacked. He walks in to defend her, but gets stopped by the stranger's smelly feet. Sandy introduces SpongeBob to Fuzzy Acorns, the greatest karate master ever. Sandy tells him that Fuzzy is here to see her karate skills. She is trying to earn a blacker belt, the highest belt in karate. SpongeBob wishes he had a belt. Fuzzy hears this and tells SpongeBob if he wants a belt, he has to earn it. He offers to train SpongeBob so that he can earn a belt. SpongeBob tries all the tests that Fuzzy gives him, but he fails. Fuzzy has had it and tells SpongeBob that he will face against Sandy tomorrow. If SpongeBob passes he will get a belt, otherwise he gets nothing. SpongeBob runs home to train himself. He comes back and spars with Sandy. He does very poorly and is sad. Fuzzy said if he lasted longer, he would have rewarded SpongeBob with the clear belt. But says SpongeBob is not even worthy enough to wear the belt that keeps his pants up. He also takes Sandy's black belt away for wasting his time with SpongeBob. He leaves and Sandy tries to talk Fuzzy into giving SpongeBob another chance. But Fuzzy never gives 2 chances and wishes to find food. Sandy then gets an idea. She convinces Fuzzy to come to the Krusty Krab to see SpongeBob in action. He goes (without an air helmet) to see SpongeBob. He watches, and is still not impressed by SpongeBob's agility. He is only amazed when SpongeBob manages to slice Sandy's burger in twelths with his hand. He starts to think SpongeBob is more skilled than he thought. He tries to attack SpongeBob, but he is so busy he doesn't notice Fuzzy sneaking up on him. He keeps managing to land some blows. Fuzzy decides he has had enough and tries to finish it. But SpongeBob bends over to get a dropped ketchup bottle, dodging Fuzzy's kick, sending him over to the door of the Krusty Krab. He looks terrible, but Sandy says Fuzzy just needs an air helmet. She gives him one, and he admits that SpongeBob is a worthy karate fighter. He gives SpongeBob a black belt. He also gives Sandy his blacker belt for proving SpongeBob does know karate. Without his belt, Fuzzy's pants fall down, revealing his underwear.

Trivia

 * This is the first appearance of Fuzzy Acorns.
 * There is a gold belt seen in Fuzzy Acorns's hand in one scene.
 * This is the second time only main characters Sandy, Squidward and Gary appear in an episode. The first was in Karate Island.
 * The episode title is a reference name to the 1970's film "Way of the Dragon ", starring Bruce Lee.
 * Also a red belt can be seen in Fuzzy's hand.
 * Title card is similar to Good Neighbors.
 * When Fuzzy calls SpongeBob a "kung fu charlatan", it's a playful jab against Kung Fu Panda, which had recently debuted on Nickelodeon. It also makes sense since Karate is a Japanese martial art, while Kung Fu is a Chinese martial art.
 * Fuzzy constantly replies whenever someone questions him "No try, only do!". This is a reference to Yoda's quote "Do or do not, there is no try," when he is training Luke in Star Wars.
 * SpongeBob's training is a reference to the movie "Rocky ".
 * The Slug Buddy appears again in Squid Defense.