Binky vs. Binky

Summary
Binky overcomes his fear of competition within athletics when he takes up biking, and finds out that winning isn't everything, but rather, the courage to continue in the light of failure.

Plot
The episode opens at Binky's house where Binky is putting on a shirt and closes the door while dressing. He then comes out and is wearing a light purple shirt with dark purple polka dots. He tells the viewers everyone has something that they are proud of like Brain who has a collection of Blues records. Buster who ate a pizza that could never be eaten by one person. He then tells the viewers he is proud of this shirt.

Binky vs. Binky

The episode starts off during a soccer game against Mighty Mountain team, team Lakewood has to get passed the Mighty Mountain defense and Francine chooses Binky and tells him to run in front of her. The plan works until Francine trips on the ball and Binky soon has the ball.

Binky then stops just short of the goal and his conscience tells him to kick it, but also tells him not to miss the shot. Binky then turns around and kicks the ball towards Francine, but one of the players from Mighty Mountain gets the ball and scores a point. After the game Francine scolds Binky for not kicking the ball into the goal and Binky subsequently tells her to keep her mouth shut next time.

Everyone is wondering why Binky didn't take the shot and Arthur then says that Binky might have been under pressure and he gives an example when they were playing baseball and Brain gives another example during the swim meet. At home as Binky is watching t.v. his mom is holding his swimming trophy that he won, which she found in the closet. The trophy had been cleaned and she placed it on the shelf.

While sleeping Binky has a dream and in the dream his friends are looking at the trophies he has won in the past. His mom shows his friends the "Being Binky" award and his friends laugh. Binky wakes up and takes the swimming award off the shelf and was going to throw it in the trash, but then he reconsiders knowing his mom would look there and he instead places it in his backpack and leaves his house on his bike. As Binky is biking up a hill he sees Oliver Frensky struggling up the hill and so he speeds up and passes by Mr. Frensky.

Binky arrives at the Elwood City Dump followed by Oliver. Oliver is surprised that Binky was able to make it up the hill and Binky replies that he likes hills, much to Oliver's surprise. Binky then tells Oliver all he has to do is peddle hard enough and change gears at the right moment when going up hills.

Oliver tells Binky about Vance Legstrong and about a biking race. Binky gets a sign up sheet for the race, but tosses it into the trash while at home. The poster of Vance Legstrong soon starts talking to him and after talking to the poster he picks up the trashed sign up sheet and completes it.

The day of the race Binky shows up on his bike and the race starts and Binky is in the lead until he runs over a branch, loses control, and crashes into a bush. He gets back on and keeps going and he wins the race. He also wins a pink shirt with purple polka dots.

Major

 * Binky Barnes
 * Mrs. Barnes
 * Vance Legstrong
 * Francine Frensky
 * Arthur Read
 * Buster Baxter

Minor

 * Oliver Frensky
 * The Brain
 * Sam Scarborough
 * 3rd Grade Male Bear
 * 3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 7)
 * 3rd Grade Female Bear (Number 3)
 * 3rd Grade Male Aardvark
 * 3rd Grade Female Bear
 * 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 5)
 * 3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 5)

Cameo

 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Fern Walters
 * Jessica
 * 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 3)
 * George Lundgren
 * Helen
 * D.W. Read
 * David Read
 * Jane Read
 * Millicent Crosswire
 * Laverne Frensky
 * Alex
 * 4th Grade Male Rabbit

Trivia

 * Reruns of this episode are rare following the Lance Armstrong doping case.
 * Binky is shown to be 10 years old in this episode.
 * This is one of the four episodes that focus on bikes. The other two being "D.W. Rides Again", "Arthur Changes Gears", and "Stolen Bike".

Cultural references

 * Vance Legstrong's name may be a parody of Lance Armstrong.
 * The latter would go on to guest star in some later episodes.


 * Loop d'Italia, which Vance Legstrong won four times, alludes to the Giro d'Italia which Lance Armstrong never won.

Errors

 * Despite his intense aquaphobia seen in "Water and the Brain", the Brain is shown participating in swimming practice.

Home Video
DVD:
 * D.W., Bossy Boots
 * Arthur: Season 10

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