War of the Worms

Summary
Brain is always taking the fun out of Fern's storytelling by correcting her facts. She plans to teach him a lesson by spinning a tall tale that he can't help but believe.

Plot
Fern is telling a story about an explorer in a forest. She tries to find water, and she spots a waterfall. All of a sudden there is a giant beast (a giant gorilla) that says "NOT SO FAST!", and the ground starts to shake. The gorilla says that it's going to eat the explorer. She runs away, screaming, and the beast chases after her crushing the trees in its path. Just when the gorilla is about to grab hold of the explorer, the story comes to a pause. Brain says that Everybody says that he "wrecked" Fern's story.
 * 1) There's no such thing as a giant gorilla.
 * 2) Gorillas don't eat people.
 * 3) Gorillas don't talk.

--WAR OF THE WORMS--

Fern says that Brain also ruined Fern's story about goats with wings. Arthur says this is true, but Francine says that a story is supposed to be fun. She imagines what one of the Brain's stories would be about: "Once upon a time there were three little pigs. They did not build houses, because pigs lack useable thumbs, which is necessary to hold tools. Instead, they lived in the woods and fed on grasses, leaves, and roots. They were not disturbed by any wolves. The end." Francine thinks that the story is boring by just imagining it. Everybody walks away, except Fern. She comes up with a mischievous idea: If Brain wants a realistic story that is what he will get. All she doesn't know is what to base it upon. In Mr. Ratburn's class they are learning about worms. He tells the students to guess what is in a box. Of course they all come up with guesses, mostly based upon their interests. Buster thinks it is a mummified platypus, Muffy thinks it is designer shoes, and Binky thinks that it is worms. Binky's guess is correct. He gets extra credit for the answer. (Note: Pretty obvious, there was a banner that said "WORMS" in the classroom.) 

Ratburn explains to them it's a vermiculture box, where worms are kept. You put your trash in it, and the worms compost it and turn it into soil. Fern wants to know if the worms get bigger if they eat more. Fern thinks that maybe if they eat a lot, they'll become too big, and take over Elwood City. Brain calls this idea nonsense, and Mr. Ratburn quotes Carl Sagan. She says that there is no evidence... yet, that is. She whispers to Binky asking him if he would want to help her make one of "the greatest hoax of all time." Binky is in on it.

They go to a fishing bait store, Menzel Bait Shop, where they buy 800 worms. They say that they are going to use it to make a story that Brain HAS to believe. They walk away. They sneak into the Community Garden at night. And goes to the section with all of Buster's tomatoes in it. They release all 800 worms into the garden so they will feed on the tomatoes.

The next day at school, Fern sits down alongside Brain, Arthur, and Buster. She asks Buster if he brought any tomatoes, and he did not. He said that he was going to, but there were worms all around them. They start to think that maybe worms are taking over Elwood City, because what other explanation is there?

Fern and Binky go to the soccer field. They have shovels, and they start to dig. The next day Brain, Muffy, Buster, Binky, Arthur, Francine and Fern are playing soccer. Francine sees holes in the field. They think it is giant worms. Brain states that it is impossible. He is stumped.

At Fern's house, she is sewing a costume that looks like a giant worm. It scares Binky. Binky says that it could use some more mint jelly.

Outside of the library, Brain and Fern are talking. Fern tells Brain to take a photo of her. She says that it's for the newest story that she's written. He takes the picture, and then Fern takes a picture of him. He looks at the picture, and the giant worm is in the background! He runs off, and the spot where the worm was is a hole with slime in it (Note: The hoax is working). Brain is freaked out. They go into the library to read about worms. All of the books about worms are gone. There's a note in their place, which reads "From the National Secret Anti-Worm Squad: make sure to remove all worm books from the local library to keep people from discovering the truth of the giant worm invasion of Elwood City." Brain runs off screaming.

The Brain is brushing his teeth, and in the hallway he sees something that looks like a giant worm. It is just the vacuum cleaner Mrs. Powers is using. Fantasy: When the Brain is in bed he tries to convince himself that there are no giant worms. He falls a sleep. He has a dream where he is in his room, opens his blinds, and they are covered in slime. He runs downstairs and yells for his mother, or father. He turns on the TV and it is a story about the worm invasion. The worms suddenly eat the news studio, and the reporter is covered in slime. He drops the remote, and the battery compartment falls off. He runs out of his house, and his house and everything else is covered in slime. A worm sees him, and chases him. He wakes up. Finally, he is convinced that giant worms are coming.

Meanwhile, at Fern's house, she is talking to Binky on the phone. She then gets a call from Brain. They go to the Tree House with various weapons such as rolling pins. They say that they're going to stop the giant worms from invading. Binky acts like he is scared, but Fern whispers to him that there are no giant worms. They charge towards school. They go into Mr. Ratburn's class. They think that Mr. Ratburn is being eaten by worms, so they run towards him.

He ends up in the school nurse's office. Mr. Ratburn questions Brain by asking him what made him think that there were giant worms. The Brain replies that the evidence. The worms in the garden, the worm holes, the worm in the photo, and the National Secret Anti-Worm Squad. Fern admits to doing it all. Mr. Ratburn then teaches them about how worms help the environment.

Major

 * Fern Walters
 * The Brain
 * Nigel Ratburn

Minor

 * Arthur Read
 * Buster Baxter
 * Francine Frensky
 * Binky Barnes
 * Muffy Crosswire

Cameo

 * D.W. Read
 * Rodentia Ratburn
 * Jack Weasel
 * Alex
 * Maria Pappas
 * 3rd Grade Female Cat (Number 2)
 * Jenna Morgan
 * Brian
 * 3rd Grade Male Rabbit
 * John
 * Otis
 * Helen
 * Nancy
 * Norman Hedgehog
 * Prunella Deegan
 * 3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 2)

Trivia

 * This episode is Rodentia Ratburn's (Mr. Ratburn's sister) latest appearance. She is seen in the library when Brain runs off screaming. She hasn't been seen since "Arthur's Substitute Teacher Trouble".
 * The News Reporter in Brain's Dream Sequence is a charicature of Greg Bailey.
 * Binky and Fern visit the "Menzel Bait Shop", named after writer Gentry Menzel.

Cultural references

 * When Fern and Binky are leaving the bait shop, they pass a banner that says "" and "".
 * This episode's title is a parody of H.G. Wells' novel, The War of the Worlds. A radio broadcast of the story caused a similar panic when people believed it was real.

Episode connections

 * Brain mentions in "Arthur's First Sleepover" that he used to be afraid of a movie with a giant worm.

Errors

 * Towards the end where the Brain and everyone is running towards Mr. Ratburn with the bats, pitchforks, etc. There are a few animation errors. Mr. Ratburn wasn't far from the door but when it shows everyone charging at him, it looks like they're far away as in 20 feet away. Also Binky screams as he is running, but his mouth doesn't move!

Production notes

 * Uncle Wormy's design is based on the giant worms in Brain's dream.