Arthur Loses His Marbles (episode)

Arthur Loses His Marbles is the first half of the tenth episode of Season 6. It aired on November 26, 2001 with Friday the 13th.

Summary
When Arthur discovers that Grandma Thora is a marbles champion, he trains with her so he can beat all his friends. And though Thora teaches Arthur everything he knows, she doesn't teach him everything she knows ... and it's Read versus Read in the first-ever Elwood City Marbles Tournament.

Plot
Opening

Arthur discusses how talented and nice his Grandmother is. Such as cheering up DW, fixing her toys, taking care of them when they're sick. Then he states that there is one thing he wishes she wasn't good at...

Episode Outside of School, Muffy is showing Arthur and friends the gifts she had recently been given for her birthday, such as cards, new polly locket vehicle, and a special singing doll. She stops short upon finding a sack of marbles and comments on how she doesn't really like them and Arthur likes them, so she lets him keep them. Buster comments on how they resemble planets when Muffy decides she'd rather keep them, thinking she can make a profit online.

Later, Arthur and Buster purchase marbles and try to play the game. Buster seems like a natural while Arthur plays badly. Frustrated by his loss, Arthur and D.W. Sit Grandma Thora's table as she wishes to try a new dish with them. So they quickly claim someone was at the doorbell and then feed it to Pal. She goes to give them more until seeing that Arthur has a pretty blue marble in his fingers. She then takes the two of them to the attic and shows Arthur her most favorite marbles and then gives the bag to Arthur.

The following day, Francine is playing against Arthur when Buster points out that they'll lose heavily should he mess up. Suddenly Grandma Thora shows up! She asks if she can take Arthur's shot and proceeds to do so once Muffy and Francine confirm it. She shoots and it looks as if she lost! When it suddenly rolls Francine's marble over the line and Arthur wins! However, Grandma Thora takes the won marbles and gives them back to Francine while offering her advice.

As the two of them leave, Arthur asks Grandma Thora to teach him everything she knows. To which she agrees eagerly. Once Arthur snaps out of his daydream the two of them begin. First she gives Arthur many "finger drills" such as typing, holding glasses of water, balancing the marble along his fingers, and waxing the floor (due to needing a good wax...)

A few days later Arthur shows his skill and when Grandma Thora suggest that he could probably show his friends a thing or two, Arthur is then inspired to try to have other children sign up for a "Marble league". After a few rounds of winning, Arthur is then convinced he'll easily win the final rounds when Buster points out that he has a few more competitors when suddenly Grandma Thora leaves the Sugar Bowl, stating she only taught him what he knows, but there's a lot she's left to teach him.

That evening Arthur nervously tries to practice but its no use. So he decides to go to bed and ends up having a terrible nightmare involving big ants, a blueberry, and "Cannonball". It ends just as he is about to be run over by the marble.

That morning Arthur is awaiting his turn when he reveals to Buster he's going to lose. Not wanting to embarrass his grandmother. He then makes Buster promise not to tell anyone... of course Buster doesn't listen and throughout the game, Grandma Thora is becoming very suspicious that Arthur is purposely cheating to lose. She confront him but he lies, and so she sticks her foot into the marbles ring and claims she is now disqualified. Arthur asks why that is and she explains its a rule. And so Arthur wins automatically, but he doesn't feel too happy about it, stating that he was only fake-losing so that he wouldn't lose in front of his friends.

He then mentions he did have his grandmother and she fails to believe him and he begins to show her where she "messed up" according to him with the candies in his sundae as the episode comes to an end...

Trivia

 * This is one of the few episodes that feature references to Star Wars.
 * When Buster said "Oh, the humanity!," that is referencing something the reporter Herbet Morrison said when he witnessed the Hindenburg Blimp crashed.
 * The name of the famous marbles player "Lefty" Raposo may be referencing the writer Nick Raposo from the show.
 * The Stinkachu card pokes fun at the original Pikachu from Pokemon.

Goofs

 * When Buster is telling Arthur there are seven different types of candy on the prize, Buster is holding up eight fingers instead of seven.
 * D.W. is at the marbles tournament despite not having signed up.

Characters

 * Arthur
 * Buster
 * Binky
 * Francine
 * Muffy
 * D.W.
 * Grandma Thora
 * Brain (does not speak)
 * George (does not speak)
 * Pal (does not speak)
 * Fern (cameo)