Neptune's Spatula

Neptune's Spatula is a  SpongeBob SquarePantsepisode from  season one. In this episode, SpongeBob is challenged to a cooking competition with King Neptune.

Characters

 * SpongeBob SquarePants
 * King Neptune (debut)
 * Patrick Star
 * Nat Peterson
 * Tom
 * Harold
 * Fred
 * Larry the Lobster
 * Lou
 * Mr. Krabs
 * Audience at Poseidome
 * Tom Kenny (cameo)

Plot
SpongeBob and Patrick are visiting the Fry Cook Museum, where they see a greasy griddle with a golden spatula embedded in the grease. On it is a plaque, which says "Many have tried to pull this spatula out of this ancient grease, but all have failed. Larry the Lobster then attempted to pull it out but failed, Spongebob then read, only a fry cook whos worthy of King Neptune himself can wield the golden spatula". SpongeBob, while posing for a photo, accidentally and effortlessly pulls it out, and King Neptune appears. He asks who pulled out the spatula, and everyone says SpongeBob. King Neptune refuses to believe this, and asks for proof. Patrick shows him the photograph he took, but Neptune still refuses to allow such a lowly being as SpongeBob to become the royal fry cook. He challenges SpongeBob to a patty-making competition. If SpongeBob wins, he will stay at Atlantis forever and become a god. If he loses, he has to give up fry-cooking forever. Patrick continually brags about SpongeBob's skills, and says that he could complete up to 500 challenges. He is repeatedly zapped by Neptune, until all that is left of him is a burnt mark on the floor. SpongeBob asks Neptune to revive Patrick, which he does (but with Patrick's face now on his butt). In the Poseidome, King Neptune makes 1000 burgers, in the time it takes SpongeBob to make just one, winning the challenge. However, when Neptune shares his patties with the audience, they find that they taste terrible. Neptune is angered by this, and asks why they would think that SpongeBob's would be any better. He tastes SpongeBob's patty, and finds it to be delicious. SpongeBob is declared the winner, but when he finds out that his friends can't come with him to Atlantis, he refuses to go, and instead arranges for King Neptune to be a trainee under SpongeBob at the  Krusty Krab.

Original music

 * We're Going to Atlantis!

​APM music

 * Tale of Ben Hur 1 - Title card.
 * Honolulu Lula - Opening
 * Roman Legion - The golden spatula
 * Heavenly Voices (b) - Choir
 * Gates of Troy - Neptune appears.
 * A Dangerous Affair (b) - "A fine jest, boy."
 * The Black Death - Hot dog vendor
 * A Dangerous Affair (b) - "It is even funnier a second time!"
 * The Black Death - Neptune compliments Larry.
 * Sunset Strip - Reg Owen (making poses)
 * Brave and Bold - "This joke has gone far enough!"
 * In the Taverna - A photo of SpongeBob is shown holding the spatula.
 * Wargames Linking Section (h) - Patrick is zapped.
 * Wargames Linking Section (g) - Neptune issues a challenge.
 * Salute to Caesar 1 - "You will face me in... the ultimate cook-off!"
 * Hawaiian Link A - Neptune restores Patrick.
 * Happy Jose - "My beloved home of Atlantis."
 * Wargames Link (d) - SpongeBob has to give up fry cooking if he loses.
 * Timpani Signal 1 - "Very well, then. To the Poseidome!"
 * Roman Legion - The ultimate cook-off
 * The Tip Top Polka/Cliffs Polka - "Don't worry, lad. I have total confidence in you. Put it all on Neptune!"
 * Whisper from the Past - Patrick encourages SpongeBob to go forward with the challenge.
 * Entry of the Heroes A - Heard throughout the challenge.
 * Time for Bed - "Once upon a time..."
 * Caesar's Entry - Neptune wins.
 * Short Fanfare - "Free patties for everyone!"
 * The Oracle - Neptune eats SpongeBob's patty.
 * Historical Fanfare - The audience cheers.
 * Vibe Link B - "You mean Patrick can't come?"
 * Short Fanfare - The bicycle appears.
 * Hawaiian Cocktail - Patrick and Mr. Krabs cry.
 * Power and Glory - Gregor F. Narholz (Neptune turns SpongeBob into a god)
 * The Twin Sisters - Chelmsford Folk Band (ending)

Trivia

 * The Poseidome is named after Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. ([Neptune being the Roman).
 * The spatula in the grease is a parody of the Arthurian legend of Excalibur, or the sword in the stone, in which whoever pulls the sword from the stone would become the King of England.
 * This is one of few times SpongeBob is seen working the register.
 * List of "qualities" that a royal fry cook must have, which Neptune makes up as excuses to deny SpongeBob his rightful place as royal fry cook are:
 * Being left-handed (SpongeBob has two left hands)
 * Must wear red underwear (SpongeBob is, then gets changed to blue underwear, and SpongeBob has that requirement too)
 * The Poseidome and King Neptune appear in the video game "Battle for Bikini Bottom".
 * A completely different King Neptune appears in "SpongeBob SquarePants (movie)", and yet another different Neptune appears in the live-action segment of "Party Pooper Pants (aka SpongeBob's House Party)". However, the Neptune from this episode makes a brief reappearance in "SpongeBob vs. The Patty Gadget". In "Krusty Towers", Squidward mentions King Neptune XIV, which would explain that there are multiple incarnations of Neptune. Also, The same Neptune from this episode appeared in "The Clash of Triton".
 * The man taking a shower is actually Tom Kenny himself.
 * This is the first episode to have computerized picture-shaking effects. They occur when Neptune laughs heartily, and when he body slams with Larry the Lobster. The second episode to use these effects isWelcome to the Chum Bucket.
 * 8th time Squidward doesn't appear.
 * Neptune has a real-life human hand when SpongeBob asks him to fix Patrick.
 * 20th time SpongeBob cries.
 * This the first time Atlantis was shown, the second time was in Atlantis SquarePantis, where SpongeBob actually goes to Atlantis but looked pretty much different.
 * The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie references this episode when Patrick says that SpongeBob can do less than 10 days to get King Neptune's crown back, and get attacked by SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs. In this episode, Patrick does something similar. Patrick says Neptune isn't giving SpongeBob enough challenges, and Neptune zaps Patrick.
 * Plus, both Mr. Krabs and Patrick get revived at one point. Mr. Krabs is revived at the end of the movie, Patrick is revived after SpongeBob accepts Neptune's challenge.
 * The only people who cried in this episode were Patrick, Mr. Krabs, and Spongebob.
 * This is the first episode to feature Larry without Sandy. The next would be "Patty Hype".
 * This is the first appearance of King Neptune.
 * Just like "I Was a Teenage Gary" and "The Paper", this episode is never broadcast as much on TV, because it is paired with a holiday episode.

Goofs

 * In every other episode, the grill is right outside the window in the kitchen. In this episode, the grill is on a different wall.
 * Neptune appears to change size throughout the episode.
 * Unlike most of the characters, like SpongeBob, who have four fingers, Neptune has five fingers on each hand. However, he has four fingers in The Clash of Triton.
 * When Patrick takes the picture of SpongeBob holding the spatula, he has his mouth wide open and there are clouds above him. However, when Patrick shows Neptune the picture, SpongeBob is smiling and there are no clouds, just light.
 * When SpongeBob was showing Neptune his blue and red underwear, he lets go of the golden spatula. It was supposed to fall onto the ground, but it stays there instead.
 * When Neptune says SpongeBob needs to be "left handed" SpongeBob says he has 2 left hands, but later, his hands are normal. Plus, in a future episode, he is ambidextrous.