The Cruel Giggling Ghoul

"The Cruel Giggling Ghoul" is the twenty-third episode of the third season of Teen Titans Go!, and the one-hundred-twenty-seventh overall episode of the series.

Summary[]

The Titans go to the Whack-A-Doodles Amusement Park to watch LeBron James but no one is there. The Titans find out what's going on.

Plot[]

One night, a two-headed ghoul watches the Teen Titans driving across a mountain road. In the T-Car, Robin expresses hope that the Titans are as eager as he is to see LeBron James' dribbling exhibition at Whack-A-Doodles Amusement Park. Starfire says she'd be more excited if it wasn't so late, but Robin claims they would have arrived sooner if Beast Boy and Cyborg hadn't urged on stopping for food so much. Beast Boy sees that Raven, unhooded, is wearing glasses and asks what's up. She says that she lost her contacts and Beast Boy praises her appearance, causing Raven to blush. Robin asks the Titans to look for the exit as he can't see through the fog. Starfire pokes her head out the window, but gets hit in the face with a road sign saying that Whack-A-Doodles is one mile away. The other Titans laugh as they see this as another incident of "Safety-Hazard" Starfire and Robin continue driving.

After arriving at Whack-A-Doodles, Robin rushes the Titans to the exhibition, but notice that no one else is there. LeBron James comes out on the stage, dribbling a ball, but sputters when he notices the empty chairs. The Titans greet him and he thanks them for coming out, but asks where everyone else is. Suddenly, the manager appears beside them and tells them that they're all gone. LeBron James, unsettled, chooses to dribble somewhere else. The manager explains to the Titans that all the visitors left the moment the two-headed ghoul showed up. Beast Boy and Cyborg run off, terrified, but Robin halts them and says they aren't going anywhere until they solve the mystery. The manager tells them that no ghoul is terrifying than the two-headed ghoul and claims the only people left are him, the owner, and two guests: Batman and Commissioner Gordon, who are on the bumper cars. The manager tells them that he'd ask the owner for help, but the owner would make millions from the insurance if Whack-A-Doodles shuts down which Raven says makes no sense. Robin volunteers and tells the Titans to split up and look for clues. Cyborg starts to refuse, but Beast Boy catches the smell of the snack shack and the two head there. Robin, Starfire, and Raven decide to check the owner's office for clues and fail to notice the two-headed ghoul spying on them from behind the bushes.

Beast Boy and Cyborg are eating giant sandwiches when LeBron James approaches them and claims that he can eat a sandwich his size. Cyborg doubts it, but LeBron James swallows the sandwich whole. Beast Boy and Cyborg eat their sandwiches, but their stomachs begin to hurt. Disappointed, LeBron James decides to go dribble somewhere else. Cyborg suggests washing the food down with ice-cold pop and is handed a bottle by the two-headed ghoul. The two run off, but are chased by the ghoul throughout the amusement park. At one point, Cyborg disguises himself as the owner of a booth and goads the ghoul to play the game and win a prize. Beast Boy, disguised as Beast Babe, claims that his man will win. The two-headed ghoul wins, but Beast Boy's wig falls off when he kisses the ghoul's cheeks. Cyborg slams the ghoul with the prize and he and Beast Boy run off.

At Whack-A-Doodles Management Office, Robin, Starfire, and Raven are looking for clues. Raven finds something, but Starfire slips over a trash can. Raven reports that attendance has gone up since the bumper cars were installed which Robin says must have enraged the owner if he wants to shut down the amusement park. The owner enters the office and demands that the Titans leave. Robin says the owner is acting like he's hiding something. Starfire agrees, and leans on the wall, activating a secret revolving door. Robin, distressed over Starfire's disappearance, tries to find the secret switch. Raven presses a rock that opens the revolving door and reveals stairs leading into a series of tunnels. As Robin and Raven navigate the tunnels, Raven theorizes that the access tunnels are being used by the two-headed ghoul to travel around the amusement park. Robin finds Starfire resting beside a pillar while a figure in a mascot costume approaches them. The mascot reveals himself to be LeBron James, who took the mascot costume from the nearby lockers because he always wanted to be one. He decides to dribble somewhere else. Robin notices that the lockers all have costumes, except for one and Raven spots four footprints leading to the empty locker. She states that she knew the ghoul had two heads, but not four feet.

Above ground, Beast Boy and Cyborg are wary of the ghoul when they bump into Robin. He demands to know where they were and they say they were running away from the two-headed ghoul. Robin tells them that they could use them to lure and trap the ghoul. Beast Boy refuses to be bait, but Raven goads him with a burrito. Cyborg says he'll do it for a burger, irritating Raven as they have to go to two different locations. At the bumper cars, Beast Boy and Cyborg loudly exclaim they're lost while Robin, Starfire, and Raven hide nearby. Cyborg calls the plan dumb when the ghoul approaches him. Beast Boy stutters while trying to alert him to his presence, but eventually says the word ghoul. The Titans gather around the ghoul, but it runs into the bumper cars.

Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg chase after the ghoul, but Starfire trips and Raven trips over her, losing her glasses in the process. She blindly enters the bumper car with the two-headed ghoul and it drives out of the attraction, followed by the Titans. Raven realizes that she is beside the ghoul and exits the car through a portal. The ghoul bumps into Robin, knocking him in front of Starfire's way. Beast Boy and Cyborg pursue the ghoul when it turns around and drives toward them. They look sadly at their food and throw their burrito and burger at the ghoul's faces. It veers off course and crashes.

Outside the Whack-A-Doodles Management Office, Robin unmasks the two-headed ghoul: revealing it to be James Gordon and Batman. Raven reveals she suspected she had heard the ghoul's laughter before while Cyborg asks why they would dress up as the ghoul. Robin explains that their favorite rides were the bumper cars and that it was becoming too popular. He says that if they scared the guests away from their favorite ride, then they would never have to wait in line. Raven suggests that, since they're both tied up, they should unmask Batman. Robin takes off the cowl, revealing Batman to be Bruce Wayne. He believes that the mystery goes deeper and unmasks Bruce Wayne, revealing LeBron James. LeBron James, dribbles past, and unmasks the fake one, revealing another James Gordon. Robin unmasks the first James Gordon, revealing Batman. LeBron James says they would have gotten away with it if it weren't for the meddling kids. The Titans, owner, manager, LeBron James, Batman, and James Gordon laugh while Beast Boy transforms into a dog and howls.

Characters[]

Robin
Beast Boy/Beast Babe
Cyborg
Starfire
Raven
LeBron James (debut)
Amusement Park Manager (debut)
Amusement Park Owner (debut)
Batman
Commissioner Gordon
Two-Headed Ghoul (debut)

Trivia[]

This is the tenth episode to be leaked before its official air date.
LeBron James is seen dancing with the Titans in the intro.
LeBron James is the second major celebrity to appear in the series, the first being a non-speaking cameo of Michael Jackson in "Real Boy Adventures".
LeBron James is also the first NBA all-star and sports celebrity to appear in the series.
This episode reveals that Raven wears contacts.
When LeBron appears in this episode, there's another NBA player named Shaquelle 'O Neal, who has also guest starred in the Uncle Grandpa episode "Perfect Kid".
- Even more NBA players guest starred in the CN shows. Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Paul George and Charles Barkley in We Bare Bears and Chris Paul in Scooby-Doo! and Guess Who?
LeBron guest stars in this Teen Titans Go! episode because he once mentioned at a press interview that he enjoys watching the show, which caught the attention of the voice actors of the Titans and the producers of the show.
This isn't the first time the Teen Titans have spoofed the characters from Scooby-Doo, which they also did so in the New Teen Titans short "Turn Back the Clock" where they each parodied the same Mystery Inc. characters they do here.
This episode aired with a We Bare Bears episode called "Charlie Ball" on NBA All Star Jam instead of the usual New Thursdays.
This is the second time that Batman's real name (Bruce Wayne) is displayed. The first time was in "Real Boy Adventures".
This is Commissioner Gordon's first appearance in Season 3.
Music from "Uncle Jokes", "Animals, It's Just a Word!", "The Return of Slade", and "Salty Codgers" is reused.
This is LeBron James's first time appearing in an animated project from Warner Brothers Animation since his next one is Space Jam: A New Legacy released 5 years later.
- Coincidentally, a poster of Teen Titans Go! to the Movies cameos in the film.

Continuity[]

Raven is seen unhooded for the 35th time.
- This is also the first time that she is unhooded for the entire episode.
This episode shows Raven wearing glasses for the fifth time. The other times were in "In and Out", "Super Robin" (as an old lady), "More of the Same" (as an old lady), and "Two Parter" (as an old lady in Part 2).
- In "Orangins", she wore them when she was in her mock origin story, portraying Peter Parker.
Beast Boy makes Raven blush for the fourth time. The other times were in "Waffles", "Man Person", and "Cool School".
The sound when Raven blushes from Beast Boy's comment is the same exact sound from when she blushed in "Man Person".
The Wacka Doodles Amusement Park reappears in this episode. Its previous appearances were in "Girl's Night Out" and "Cool School".
This is the fourth time that Beast Boy's liking for burritos and Cyborg's liking for burgers are mentioned. The first times were "Burger vs. Burrito", "Baby Hands", and "Black Friday".
Batman and James Gordon's laughs and theme are heard for the fourth time in this episode. The first times were in "Girl's Night Out", "Sidekick", and "Slumber Party".
Beast Boy's disguise as Beast Babe is shown again. The first time was in "You're Fired".
- The only difference is that Beast Babe has blonde hair.
This is the second time that the laugh track can be heard. The first time was in "Dog Hand".
Robin learns how to drive after passing his driver's test in "Driver's Ed".
When Beast Boy sees the ghoul behind Cyborg, one of the things Cyborg guesses is Gregory, which is, of course, Beast Boy's voice actor Greg Cipes's real name.

References[]

The entire episode is a parody of the Scooby-Doo franchise.
- All the Titans parody a member of Mystery Inc., with Robin as Fred Jones, Starfire as Modern Daphne Blake, Raven as Velma Dinkley, Cyborg as Shaggy Rogers, and Beast Boy as Scooby-Doo.
- The T-Car serves as the Mystery Machine.
- All the "Safety-Hazard Starfire" jokes are based on "Scooby-Doo"'s "Danger-Prone Daphne" jokes.
- The two-headed ghoul is based on "The Creeper" from the Scooby-Doo franchise.
- Raven dropping her glasses references Velma's running gag.
- Cyborg, playing as Shaggy, constantly says "Like", which is the latter's catchphrase.
- Starfire plays the role of Daphne, because Robin is her love interest, similar to Fred and Daphne's relationship.
- When The Two-Headed Ghoul chases Cyborg and Beast Boy, the music playing is a homage of every Scooby-Doo music chase scene.
- The Titans play the role of the Scooby-Doo characters again. The first time this happened was in the New Teen Titans short "Turn Back the Clock."
- LeBron states Batman and Gordon would’ve gotten away with it if it weren't for the Titans, referred to as meddling kids. This is what happens in most Scooby-Doo endings.
  - Scott Menville is no stranger to the Scooby-Doo franchise. He was the voice of Red Herring and the Boogey Biker in A Pup Named Scooby Doo and Shaggy in Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! Same with Hynden Walch who voiced Alice May in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.
Whenever a mask is taken off the culprit, the sound effects that play during the sequence come from the horn sound effect Hanna-Barbera used in shows like Flintstones and Jetsons, as well as a 1994 H-B closing logo (Comedy version), most notably featured after every short in The What-A-Cartoon Show.
The hero depicted on the Snack Shack is based on Steel, specifically the 1997 film version portrayed by Shaquille O'Neal.
When Beast Boy and Cyborg are being chased by the ghoul, the song that plays is a parody of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."
Whenever the Ghoul laughs during the chase scene at the end of the episode, the voice line that can be heard is the laugh of the pink-haired character "Joker" from the 1999 video game "Custom Robo".

Errors[]

When Beast Boy turns into a dog in the beginning of the episode, his eyes have pupils, but later on, his eyes are pupil-less.
- This happens again towards the end.
Oddly enough, Beast Boy's Beast Babe wig is blonde in this episode, instead of being green like it was in "You're Fired".
After Raven drops her glasses in front of the bumper car area, she goes into the bumper cart ride area, but when she returns, the glasses are gone.
Robin has worked with Batman for years, so Bruce Wayne's secret identity should be no shock to him.
On the Cartoon Network App, this episode is switched with " Secret Garden".
Why does Beast Boy transform into a Bulldog when he parodies Scooby-Doo? Shouldn't he transform into a Great Dane, since that's Scooby's species?
- Beast Boy actually turned into Scooby-Doo in "The Date".

Running Gags[]

The two-headed ghoul scaring the Titans.
The ghoul chasing Beast Boy and Cyborg.
Robin, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy laughing at Starfire and calling her a "safety hazard".
LeBron saying "I'm a go dribble over there" then runs off and dribbles away saying "dribble, dribble, dribble", prompting canned laughter to play.
The Titans acting like Mystery Inc.
Beast Boy turning into a dog
Beast Boy and Cyborg getting burgers and burritos.
Batman and Commissioner Gordon laughing.
The Titans pulling masks off of the Ghoul.