Bubble Trouble

Bubble Trouble is the third and fourth episodes of Mermaid Man: The Aquatic Avenger. It aired February 2, 2013. The previous episode was Mask of Terror. The next episode will be Kelp Thing. The episode was separated into two parts.

Plot
A group of thugs led by the Dirty Bubble rob the Bikini Bottom Bank. Will Mermaid Man defeat the bubble and his treacherous henchmen?

Part One
(We open with a shot of the Bikini Bottom Bank. An army of gunman march out the bank's doors with sacks of money in their hands.)

Gunman 1: Our boss will be pleased with this haul.

Gunman 2: Yes. One of us might even get a promotion!

Mermaid Man: (offscreen) Not if I have anything to say about it!

Gunmen: (gasps) Mermaid Man!

Mermaid Man: (jumps onscreen) In the living flesh!

(Mermaid Man punches one of the gunmen, knocking him out. The rest of the gunmen shoot at Mermaid Man, but he dodges the shots and uses his heat vision to burn their hands, causing them to drop their guns.)

Gunman 3: Let's get out of here!

(Mermaid Man summons a Raging Whirlpool, which spins the gunmen around and around until they fall to the ground unconscious. Just at that moment, several police cars drive onto the scene. Commissioner Johnson steps out of one of the cars and gives Mermaid Man a dirty look.)

Mermaid Man: Don't worry, I took care of the robbers for you. No need to thank me.

Commissioner Johnson: Thank you? Oh, on the contrary. We're going to arrest you. Cuff him, boys!

(One of the police officers put handcuffs around Mermaid Man's wrists.)

Mermaid Man: What?

Commissioner Johnson: We can't have people taking the law into their own hands. It would cause anarchy!

Mermaid Man: Well, that's something we disagree with, commissioner.

(Mermaid Man breaks his handcuffs effortlessly and flies away.)

Commissioner Johnson: We'll nab that vigilante one of these days.

(The theme song plays.)

(Cut to an abandoned warehouse. One of the gunmen from before tiptoes in front of the warehouse and knocks on the door.)

Voice: Who is it?

Gunman: It's Sal.

Voice: Sal! Did you and the others get what I requested?

Sal: Yes, but Mermaid Man stopped us before we could bring it to you.

Voice: (growls) I see.

(The door opens to reveal none other than the Dirty Bubble.)

Dirty Bubble: Well, what are we gonna do about it?

Sal: Teach him a lesson?

Dirty Bubble: I knew I raised you boys right! Where are the others?

Sal: They're in jail now. Mermaid Man did a number on them. I managed to sneak away before the cops could notice.

Dirty Bubble: I guess I'll have to leave it up to you, then. Find and kill Mermaid Man, and your reward will be most pleasant.

Sal: (bows) Yes, boss.

(The Dirty Bubble laughs maniacally, and Sal reluctantly joins him. The invisible boatmobile speeds past the warehouse.)

Dirty Bubble: Did you hear that?

Sal: It was probably the wind.

Dirty Bubble: I'm not sure. Go outside and check it out.

(Sal walks out of the warehouse and notices tire tracks under him. He follows the tire tracks to the Reef Cinema movie theater and sees Mermaid Man just as he goes in.)

Sal: (smiles) Jackpot.

(Sal storms into the movie theater, guns blazing, and terrified fish dive under tables. Mermaid Man is purchasing a bag of popcorn when this happens.)

Mermaid Man: (drops a 20 on the counter) Keep the change.

(Mermaid Man avoids Sal's bullets and grabs a bottle of ketchup and mustard from a nearly table. He leaps over the table and squeezes the bottles with all his strength, sending the ketchup and mustard right into Sal's eyes.)

Sal: (covers eyes) AUGH! I'll get you for this!

(Sal shoots randomly across the theater, and Mermaid Man kicks the blinded gunman in the face)

Mermaid Man: My condiments to the chef!

Sal: WHO WRITES THIS STUFF?

(Sal, eyes watering, continues to fire at Mermaid Man, but the hero kicks the guns out of Sal's hand and puts him in a chokehold.)

Mermaid Man: Who do you work for?

Sal: I'll never tell you!

(Mermaid Man holds him tighter.)

Sal: You think you're so grand, but the mob, the mob's bigger than you, bigger than everyone!

Mermaid Man: So that's it? You work for the mob? Is that it?

(Sal passes out, and Mermaid Man drops him to the floor.)

Mermaid Man: Whatever this is, I'm getting to the bottom of it.

(To Be Continued)

Part Two
Narrator: Previously on Mermaid Man: The Aquatic Avenger...

Commissioner Johnson: We can't have people taking the law into their own hands.

Mermaid Man: Well, that's something we disagree with. (flies away)

(Cut to the abandoned warehouse.)

Dirty Bubble: Did you and the others get what I requested?

Sal: Mermaid Man stopped us before we could bring it to you.

Dirty Bubble: Well, what are we gonna do about it?

Sal: Teach him a lesson?

Dirty Bubble: I knew I raised you boys right!

(Sal storms into the Reef Cinema movie theater and shoots at a surprised Mermaid Man. Mermaid Man kicks the guns out of Sal's hand and puts him in a chokehold.)

Mermaid Man: Who do you work for?

Sal: You think you're so grand, but the mob, the mob's bigger than you, bigger than everyone! (passes out)

Mermaid Man: Whatever this is, I'm getting to the bottom of it.

(The theme song plays.)

(Cut back to the abandoned warehouse. The Dirty Bubble is watching television when the phone beside him rings. The Dirty Bubble forms a hand and uses it to pick up the phone.)

Dirty Bubble: Hello?

Sal: (one the other end of the line) Bad news.

Dirty Bubble: Let me guess. Mermaid Man defeated you, and you're calling from prison.

Sal: (sighs) Yes, sir.

Dirty Bubble: (grunts) If you want something done right, do it yourself.

Sal: You mean you're going after him? With no help? You can't be serious!

Dirty Bubble: I've never been more serious about anything in my life. Mermaid Man will pay for crossing me!

(The Dirty Bubble hangs up the phone and grabs a small box from under his couch. He opens the box and takes out a rusty pistol.)

Dirty Bubble: Old Reliable, you've never let me down.

(The Dirty Bubble kisses the pistol and leaves the warehouse.)

Dirty Bubble: (exhales) Alright, Mermy-boy! Prepare to take a dirt nap!

(Cut to the police station. A detective walks into Commission Johnson's office and drops a pile of folders on his desk.)

Detective: Here's everything you need to know about your recent haul.

(Commissioner Johnson goes through the folders and smiles.)

Commissioner Johnson: Thank you. It's nice to get help from someone who actually works for the force.

Detective: I hope you don't mind me asking, but what's your problem with Mermaid Man, anyway? He takes care of criminals better than most of the guys you hired.

Commissioner Johnson: I do mind you asking.

Detective: Fair enough.

(The detective notices Mermaid Man watching them from the window behind Commissioner Johnson. Mermaid Man puts a finger to his mouth, and the detective nods.)

Commissioner Johnson: So, it seems that all of these thugs have one thing in common.

(Commissioner Johnson opens one of the folders to reveal a grainy photograph.)

Commissioner Johnson: Him. The most notorious mob boss in Bikini Bottom. The Dirty Bubble.

(Mermaid Man's eyes widen. He turns around and heads for his invisible boatmobile, but he finds the Dirty Bubble floating over it.)

Dirty Bubble: It seems that your invisible boatmobile has a not-so-invisible gas leak.

Mermaid Man: (growls) The Dirty Bubble!

Dirty Bubble: That's my name! (pulls out his pistol) Don't wear it out!

(Mermaid Man dodges the Dirty Bubble's gunshots and pushes a picking pin out of his glove. The Dirty Bubble looks at the pin in horror and shoots Mermaid Man's wrist so that he drops it.)

Mermaid Man: Ouch! Neptune's Beard!

Dirty Bubble: You aren't getting out of this that easy!

(Commissioner Johnson, hearing the gunshots, runs onto the scene.)

Commissioner Johnson: What the halibut is going on?

(The Dirty Bubble shoots at Commissioner Johnson, and he barely avoids getting hit.)

Dirty Bubble: Stay out of this, commissioner! This is between me and the superhero!

Commissioner Johnson: You're in no position to make demands of me! Frankly, you'll be a much more valuable prisoner than that vigilante!

(Mermaid Man sifts through the grass below him and finds the picking pin he dropped.)

Mermaid Man: (thinking) Great job stalling, commish!

Dirty Bubble: It looks like we're gonna have two dead bodies today!

(The Dirty Bubble aims his pistol at Commissioner Johnson, but before he can shoot, Mermaid Man's picking pin penetrates his back, causing him to explode.)

Commissioner Johnson: Thank you. (points a handgun at Mermaid Man) Now, you have the right to remain silent.

Mermaid Man: Oh, commissioner. Will you ever learn?

(Mermaid Man flies off with Commissioner Johnson blasting away from under him.)

Mermaid Man: (while fleeing) You're welcooooome!

(The End)

Trivia

 * This is the first appearance of Commissioner Johnson.
 * This is the first appearance of the Dirty Bubble.
 * This is the first two-part episode of the series, even though the parts aired in separate weeks.