Desk Wars

Desk Wars is the first half of the seventh episode of Season 8. It first aired on December 23, 2003, along with "Desperately Seeking Stanley."

Summary
On a hot day, Arthur and his classmates argue about sitting closest to the fan. Then, Mr. Ratburn makes them switch desks. When they break into each others' desk, will it turn up the heat?

Plot Outline
Arthur starts off by looking (unsuccessfully) through his classmates' desks. They all debate why he's allowed to start the show; because it's his show. They all want it to change, including the Binky Barnes Variety Hour. Then Mr. Ratburn claims that the teachers don't blow things out of proportion, but in the teacher's lounge, we can see that they do.

One morning, it's a hot day and all are sweating in the classroom. The Brain calculates that his seat's getting the most cool air. But then arguing breaks out on desk over Muffy's stickers and dust ruffle, meaning that he's sent to the 2nd hottest spot in the room (behind Binky's desk) by Mr .Ratburn. Arthur, Buster, and Francine have an argument which eventually leads to Arthur being sent to Brain's desk, and Binky seizes Arthur's desk. Arthur messes with the Brain's desk-sorting pencil thing, which angers him.

Mr. Haney comes in and calls Mr. Ratburn into the office to take a call, and Ratburn tells the kids that he has to go and to work on their assignments while he's gone. The Brain plots to try to get his desk back, after discovering the gum from George's (who's absent) dinosaur model. Muffy moves to the sharpener after her pencil breaks.

This is Brain's chance to get back to a cooler spot! But Muffy sees this and scrambles back to her seat. George returns early to discover his seat is missing, and he can't sit anywhere. George is duped into sharpening Muffy's pencil.

Then a lot of threats start off - if George doesn't give the pencil to Brain, then his gummy dino is squashed; if this happens, then Sue Ellen will throw Binky's rubber band ball out the window, Brain's desk will get covered in judo kitten stickers by Muffy if she doesn't get the pencil, this isn't fair on Francine, who was promised these, so she'll cut the dust ruffle in half, Buster's comic book will be shredded by Fern if the ruffle is cut, despite saying "Cut up that dusk ruffle and, Arthur's comic book gets shredded, then Buster will eat Arthur's cookies.

The pressure builds on George, The pencil keeps snapping, if these continues, then Sue Ellen's UN report is history, according to Brain. A book falls onto the dinosaur, so all threats are carried out, which leads to mass destruction of the classroom. Mr Haney comes in to warn them, but he'll let them off so long as they tidy up. All refuse to do the hard jobs as none of them believe they're at fault.

George cleans - he doesn't mind. They all muck in and clean up and Brain rewrites Sue Ellen's UN report. Ratburn returns and gives the good news - he's an uncle. Everyone is invited back to Muffy's pool to cool off (Sharky can be seen, though there's no D.W.). They debate what started the fight, but no conclusion is reached. Then Binky's rubber band ball bounces through the pool, so it's chased.

Trivia

 * In this episode, Mr. Ratburn gets a call from his sister, and he tells the class that he became an uncle, which meant that she'd given birth to a kid; even though in her exclusive appearance in "Arthur's Substitute Teacher Trouble," she was single and she wasn't pregnant, nor did it reveal whether or not she had kids. This may be a continuity error - or Ratburn's sister was only just pregnant and it didn't show, or maybe he may have another sister. Given the time that has elapsed between the two episodes, it's likely just a new addition to the ongoing continuity, which is not always consistent.
 * The students wear different clothes in this episode because it's almost summer vacation.
 * Muffy's Judo Kittens appear to be a parody of The Powerpuff Girls.
 * This episode seems to be an allusion to World War I and II, regarding the fact that one thing led to another, until it got chaotic. The students were also studying about the United Nations, an international organization that was established after World War II, which aimed for world peace.