Arnold's bus pass says "NAME: ARNOLD", "BORN: YES".
There are a few strange things in Grandma's purse, especially an object which appears to be a case of bullets.
A young, blond-haired woman can be seen inside Mrs. Vitello's flower store.
Caesar appears along the crowd that confronts Arnold's problematic behavior.
Production Notes[]
The man who is scared off by Arnold sounds and looks similar to a boy who stole Arnold's ball in "The List" named Steve, voiced by Craig Bartlett, and it is possible that he voiced him here too.
Cultural References[]
Throughout the episode, Gerald compares Arnold to martial arts film hero Bruce Lee.
Grandma's test involving taking a fly from her palm is an homage to the 1970’s TV series Kung-Fu.
"You talkin' to me?" is a popular quote delivered by Travis Bickle, a character played by Robert De Niro in the 1976 movie Taxi Driver.
As with Arnold, Bickle is also talking to himself when he says the line and wants justice to be served, but is not looking in a mirror when he says the line and has an even more extreme breakdown of his mental state which involves him pulling out a handgun.
Continuity[]
Two of the teenage thieves that Arnold saves Eugene and Brainy from later reappear in "Monkeyman!" where they try to mug Arnold and later Sid.
Story Analysis[]
The episode appears to be inspired by the 1976 film Taxi Driver. Protagonist character Travis Bickle witnesses moral wrongs of society through his job as a taxi cab driver, went looking for justice on his own hands and took his frustration too far, but would learn to stabilize himself more as time progressed.
In contrast though, Bickle was a Vietnam War veteran with apparent PTSD and his revenge plot involved more extreme targets than someone who simply mugged him.
Arnold's attitude problem, his misuse of his martial arts training, and his unwarranted assault on the innocent man who was asking for bus fare, bears resemblance to the incarnation of the powers of the Satsui no Hado found in the Street Fighter series; notably, how Arnold's signature attack comes at frightening, lightning fast speed in an instant with malicious intent is similar to the Shun Goku Satsu wielded by users of the Satsui no Hado.
The thug who mugged Arnold may have a drug problem, which would explain his unusual yellow eyes and red-ish iris, and also why he mugged Arnold as addicts are capable of anything to get easy money.
Although not confirmed, it can be presumed that the martial art that Grandma teaches Arnold is Karate: Because of the uniforms that Grandma and Arnold wear, and the appearance of Grandma's Training Room.
Additionally, when Arnold gives up on his new lifestyle, he refers to it as "Bruce Lee karate".
Use martial arts, and any form of force, for self-defense purposes only.
Never go looking for trouble, but be prepared when it comes to you.
You can also use force to protect/save others, but make sure to get a complete understanding of the situation before intervening.
Learn to evade, escape and de-escalate. The best fight is the one that never happens.
Never let an incident, especially getting mugged, get too personal.
Be careful and stay aware of your surroundings. Paying attention can save you from being surprised by bad actors.
Learn to not be triggered by hostile words. Muggers rely on verbal abuse to intimidate/trigger their victims.
If physical force is needed, use only the necessary to stop the attack. Break contact with muggers as soon as possible.
At the end, your life and well being are more important than material possessions.
Think before taking justice on your own hands. Consider all your options and take into account any social and legal aspects, as these can vary between territories.
