The Feud

Synopsis
Just about the entire third grade class chooses sides when Arthur and Buster argue over a video game.

Plot
While driving in the car, Arthur asks his parents to change the radio station, although D.W. comments that she likes it. Arthur comments that some people argue about everything, and is reminded of an instance where he and D.W. argue over salad dressing. Arthur thinks that nobody will remember the argument, and decades into the future, Arthur, D.W., and even their droids still disagree on the subject.

The Feud

Arthur and Buster play a Dark Bunny video game, which crashes. Buster unplugs the console, even after hearing Arthur's objections, who then accuses him of doing it on purpose because he was losing.

Arthur and Buster are still mad at each other when they arrive at school the next day. Arthur tells Muffy his version of the incident, while Buster tells Francine that Arthur crashed the game on purpose.

The story continues to spread around the school, and when Buster arrives to a snowball fight, he learns that he and Arthur have opposing teams. The teams argue over who gets to build a barricade.

In the cafeteria, Binky is told that he has to pick a side before being able to sit down at a table. He flips a coin, which lands leaning against a lunchbox, and creates "Team Binky."

Arthur has a fantasy sequence involving him as Dr. Aardvarkian and Buster as Dark Bunny, fighting each other. Binky points out that their fighting only makes the Lob-Monster stronger. Buster asks Arthur if they're on Team Arthur or Team Buster and which snow fort they should use, and Arthur responds that it doesn't matter. Buster breaks a part of the snow barricade while leaning on it, and Arthur helps him repair it.

During lunch, Buster tells Arthur that he ate his lunch during snack time and has nothing to eat, so Arthur shares his sandwich. Francine and Muffy get mad, and Arthur and Buster move to sit with Binky.

While Team Arthur and Team Buster are still arguing, Arthur, Buster, and Binky inform them of a snow fort-building contest judged by the mayor, with the winners getting milkshakes at the Sugar Bowl. The teams still refuse to work together, and start destroying each other's forts after Muffy accuses Francine and Sue Ellen of "using their [Team Arthur's] snow."

Brain suggests that both teams rebuild a singular snow fort and work on it together. Once the fort has been completed, he notices that the poster misspells "mayor" and has a drawing of a wrestler. Binky, Arthur, and Buster then admit that there is no contest, and they just wanted the teams to stop fighting. Team Arthur and Team Buster then join together and continue building the fort.

Some time later, after winter, Buster and Arthur reminisce about the snow fort. Buster compares arguments to a sandwich he's eating, and when Arthur asks why, Buster answers that he doesn't know.

Major

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

Minor

 * Brain
 * D.W. Read
 * Dark Bunny
 * Arthur's droid
 * D.W.'s droid
 * Lobmonster
 * Dr. Aardvarkian
 * Sue Ellen Armstrong
 * Ladonna Compson
 * Fern Walters

Background

 * David Read
 * Jane Read
 * Kate Read
 * Jenna Morgan
 * Prunella Deegan
 * George Lundgren
 * Beulah McInnerny
 * Maria Pappas
 * Mary (3rd grader)
 * Alex

Mentioned

 * Mayor Hirsch

Cultural references

 * A poster for Lord of the Flies can be seen in the library.

Episode connections

 * Binky is late to Arthur and Buster's feud. In "The Squirrels," he is the last one to rent The Squirrels.