Encyclopedia SpongeBobia
Encyclopedia SpongeBobia

"Enemy In-Law" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from Season 4. In this episode, Plankton falls in love with Betsy Krabs.



"This delectable creature is your mother?"

In the beginning of the episode, a giant robot is rampaging through Bikini Bottom, capturing the citizens and taking them to the Chum Bucket, where they complain when Plankton reveals he only wanted them to eat here and they leave, possibly to the Krusty Krab. After that, Plankton gets into an argument with his computer wife, Karen, and he eventually spots Mr. Krabs' mother, Betsy, walking out of the Krusty Krab. Plankton falls in love with Betsy upon seeing her for the first time. Karen gets mad upon hearing that Plankton's apparently in love with another woman, but after Plankton discovers that Karen has an off-switch, he turns her off.

Plankton and Betsy eventually start dating, and Mr. Krabs greatly disapproves of the relationship, convinced that Plankton is just trying to find out what the Krabby Patty secret formula is. He does his best to break up the relationship, but only gets scolded by his mother.

Eventually, Mr. Krabs confronts Plankton at the Chum Bucket and accidentally gives Plankton an opportunity to find out the formula: as it would seem, Betsy actually does know the Krabby Patty secret formula, as it's an old family recipe. Krabs claims that Plankton will never know since he's not part of the family. Mr. Krabs leaves, and Plankton gets an idea and laughs to himself.

At the restaurant, Betsy confronts her son on his actions as he explains his reasons before Betsy revealed that Plankton never asked her about the formula and didn't know she knew. Mr. Krabs then realizes in his rage, he let this info slip needlessly and becomes nervous. Betsy sends him to his office as punishment and he complies.

Plankton arrives at the Krusty Krab and proposes to Betsy Krabs as Mr. Krabs begs his mother not to marry his enemy as Plankton gloats. However, Betsy turns him down, explaining that she's flattered, but not ready for that kind of commitment. In addition, the robot Plankton created shows up, and it's revealed that Betsy is dating the robot. Plankton gets mad and asks Betsy for the formula to call it even. Betsy realizes that Plankton was using her to be able to learn the formula and punches him back into the Chum Bucket.

After being blasted in the restaurant, Plankton hits the on-switch for Karen, turning her back on, and they get into another argument. When Plankton insults Karen, she immediately threatens him with a laser as he tries correcting himself. However, Karen, who is still mad at him for turning her off before, zaps him anyway, as the episode ends.



 ) Associated production music
 ) Original music
 ) SpongeBob music

  Dancing The Hula - Kapono Beamer [Title card]
  Monster Bug A - Gregor Narholz [Chumbot kidnapping everyone]
  Hawaiian Link (B) - Richard Myhill ["You little twerp!"]
  Wooden Bear - Gil Flat, Tony Tape, Florian Voelxen [Plankton and Karen argue]
  Spanish Ladies (B) - Robin Jeffrey, Tim Laycock ["Oh, money, you're always there for me."]
  Hawaiian Cocktail - Richard Myhill ["Why did I ever buy that computer wife?"]
  Dream Of Tomorrow - Trevor Duncan [Plankton falls in love with Mama Krabs]
  Wooden Bear - Gil Flat, Tony Tape, Florian Voelxen [Plankton shuts Karen off]
  Lap Steel - Nicolas Carr ["And now to woo that beloved creature."]
  King Kong Coming - Gregor Narholz [Chumbot kidnaps Mama Krabs]
  Arnold Is Back 1 - Gregor Narholz [Chumbot kidnaps Mama Krabs]
  Parting of the Clouds Sting II - Nicolas Carr [love note]
  House Of Horror [#10.5] - William Merrick Farran [Mama Krabs screams]
  Love Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Am I really that pretty?"]
  In Vogue - Syd Dale [Plankton on the phone with Mama Krabs]
  Funeral Parlor Music - Nicolas Carr [funeral]
  Spanish Ladies (B) - Robin Jeffrey, Tim Laycock ["Someone to spend money... I mean time with you?"]
  Cocktail Lounge - Dick Stephen Walter [that night]
  Ascending Soapy Drama - Nicolas Carr ["Plankton!"/"Krabs!"/"Eugene!"/"Mommy?"]
  What's This - Nicolas Carr ["Mommy?!"]
  Ascending Soapy Drama - Nicolas Carr ["SpongeBob!"]
  Comic Walk - Sidney Torch ["This delectable creature is your mother?"]
  Steel Licks 1 - Jeremy Wakefield [Plankton, Mama Krabs leave]
  Cellar Search - Philippe Pares ["You!"]
  Glissando (G) - Skaila Kanga, Richard Myhill ["And all it took was the love of a beautiful woman."]
  Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Your mother knows the Krabby Patty formula?"]
  Sponge Burgler Revisited - Nicolas Carr ["Not family, eh? Well, I can fix that."]
  The Dreadnought Tea Clipper (B) - Tim Laycock, Robert Alexander White [Krabs' mom sends him to his office]
  Rio Rhythm - Mark Winter [Plankton appears]
  Waltz Elegante [#27] - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin [Plankton proposes to Mama Krabs]
  Heraldic Call 4 - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin ["It's time to act like a man!"]
  Big Baby Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Please don't marry him, mommy."]
  Six Powerful Cues (D) - Wilfred William Burns [Plankton laughs evilly]
  Lap Steel - Nicolas Carr [Krabs laughs]
  Bittersweet Memory - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin ["What is this? There's somebody else, isn't there?"]
  Frankenstein's Niece A - Gregor Narholz [Chumbot appears with flowers]
  Fates [#62] - Gregor Narholz ["I don't believe this! You led me on!"]
  Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["The formula?"]
  Mailbox Tension Sting - Nicolas Carr [Plankton nervous]
  Military Threat - Nicolas Carr [Mama Krabs flexes her muscles]
  Puka A - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [ending]



  • "Enemy In-Law" was ranked #87 during the SpongeBob's Top 100 event in the UK and Ireland from June 4-8, 2012.



  • This is the second episode where SpongeBob has been a waiter as well as the second time the Krusty Krab was turned into a five-star restaurant for just one night. The first for both of these events is "Squilliam Returns."
  • The title card for this episode is similar to those of "Welcome to the Chum Bucket" and "Skill Crane."
  • Betsy Krabs has a Scottish accent, whereas Mr. Krabs has an entirely different accent altogether.
  • The Chum Bucket appears to be on a hill in the beginning.
  • Ironically, Betsy Krabs prefers a relationship with a machine, just as Plankton goes for Karen, a computer.
  • When Plankton calls Betsy, Plankton shows Betsy Krabs' number: 791347.
    • Betsy Krabs' phone number isn't a proper one.
  • This episode was originally called "My Worst Friend's Wedding."[4]
  • In the Bahasa Indonesia dub, Plankton doesn't kidnap the people to be his customers, but to become the ingredients so that it could be cannibalism.﻿[citation needed]
    • However, eyeballs are seen in Plankton's food, which means that Plankton does kill other people.
  • This is the first episode where Betsy Krabs is voiced by Sirena Irwin.
  • Similar to "Imitation Krabs," Mr. Krabs and Plankton are angrily saying each other's names, only for SpongeBob to butt in and say his own name.
  • Plankton calls Karen a Wired Integrated Female Electroencephalograph. An electroencephalograph is a machine used to conduct electric activity in the brain.
  • This episode proves that Plankton is technically single since he states Karen is a machine.
  • Mr. Krabs does a Tarzan yell.
  • On the November 6, 2009 airing, this episode was paired up with "The Pink Purloiner."[5]

Cultural References

  • Mama Krabs' fighting muscle arm with the battle ship guns is similar to the Popeye cartoons.
  • The ship in Mama Krabs’ muscle arm resembles the Iowa-class battleship. They were the last battleships that were commissioned by the U.S. Navy. They were in service with the U.S. Navy from the mid-1940’s to the early 1990’s.


  • When Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob to work late for Betsy's date, the street in front of the Krusty Krab is replaced with sand.
  • When Mr. Krabs barges into the Chum Bucket in anger, some scenes show red pipes on the wall, but some don't.

Plankton's phone is missing a zero, # and *.

  • Plankton's phone is missing the number zero (0), the number symbol (#) and the star key (*) in this episode.
  • Plankton asked SpongeBob if his tie is on straight, yet he is not wearing a tie; he is wearing a bow tie.
  • When Plankton walks into the Krusty Krab with the rose, there is a burger sticker on the window. However, once he is inside, it is no longer there. This happens a few seconds later when Mrs. Krabs walks in.
  • When Plankton complains that he cannot reach the table, he is visibly smaller in the close-up shot of him then when it zooms out right after.
  • When the Chumbot picks up the citizens, Mevis is not one of the citizens that the Chumbot picks up, but he appears at the Chum Bucket when the citizens are thrown into it.



SpongeBob - "Enemy In-Law" Official Promo


Spongebob TurboNick REPLAY Promo 2005 RARE

