Pyramid Scheme

"Pyramid scheme" is the twenty-fifth episode of the third season of Teen Titans Go!, and the one-hundred-twenty-ninth overall episode of the series.

Summary

Not being able to buy a present for Cyborg, Beast Boy enlists in a pyramid scheme run by a mummified boss. But when he and the other Titans can't afford to pay up, they're forced into hard labor building pyramids.

Plot

The episode starts at when Robin, Raven (who's reading a book), Cyborg, and Starfire are all sitting on the couch. A sad and depressed Beast Boy emerges from behind the couch and slouches next to Starfire. She asks him why he's sad, and the reason is that Beast Boy can't afford an expensive gift for Cyborg birthday. Raven mentions they have been through this before, and Cyborg also points out that his birthday isn't even close to coming up. Beast Boy tells Starfire as they both hold hands if he doesn't give Cyborg an expensive gift, their friendship is ruined, as Beast Boy sulks in sorrow as Starfire greatly comforts him. Cyborg say that not even true, Raven say this definitely happened before, BB then say Cyborg loves expensive stuff, but Cyborg trying to say Beast Boy was making him look bad, the latter say that he has to get a job to buy him the gift, the former says that he don't have to, Robin gestures that Beast Boy have to work at the Pie Shop, Beast Boy denies and gives Robin a pamphlet and say its a Pyramid Scheme, the Titans confuse this for mummies and Robin explains this to the Titans, they now get it, Robin then say the only way you can make money is hard labor. BB say labor for pregnant ladies and criminals and Beast Boy (in dolphin form) leaves and Cyborg yells to give him a card.

Later in the kitchen, Beast Boy eating a "cash salad", which is a bowl of money, Robin then crashes through the window and attacks him for the money, the others see this and ask what he doing to Beast Boy, Robin then say he refuses to see get money wasted, Cyborg ask if it was good, Beast Boy say no and has more money he can spend and explains this in a song and the others praise him as Robin didn't, the expensive gift that Cyborg get is a gold crown, much for his and Starfire amusement, Raven ask where he get all this cash and he say its the Pyramid Scheme, he signed up and he a "Money Sheriff", Starfire ask what that and Beast Boy he a leader with a badge, this convinces Raven, Starifre, and Cyborg to join him and BB tells them to pay $100 dollars, but Robin stops them and they give him the money anyways. The three of them are now his money deputies and he gives them badges and act like cowboys.

Later, Raven and the others recruit more people to join the Pyramid Scheme for money. They the three of them eat "Money Salads" around a fire, Cyborg offers some to Robin, but he refuses and scolds them for it, Beast Boy frantically takes the money form Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven and explains that the boss wants his cut of the money, this shock the titans and a giant pyramid emerges from the ground and the Boss Mummy appears and ask for the money and BB gives him the suitcase, inside was a few dollars and coins, along with a barely eaten sandwich, this enrages the Boss Mummy to force the titans to work for him, as they do hard labor in the hot sun, Beast Boy admits he was wrong for doing the Pyramid Scheme and Starfire angrily blames Cyborg and he can claim himself innocent, saying that he would be happy with a hug. Robin says that he is also wrong for his stupidity and selfishness, believing that pyramid schemes are really because of mummies. Then he says the only way to get out of this is with hard labor, but Raven say they're already doing that.

The Titans hide behind the huge stone block and tells Raven the other kind of hard labor, Beast Boy transforms into a heavily pregnant chicken and gives birth to an egg and a chick emerges, Robin only wants the egg, not the chicken and shake a lot of stuff out of it and use hedge clippers to free the titans and BB asks what about the mummies, the others say he still the sheriff and they are still their deputies, as Robin joins. The titans then defeated all the mummies and Beast Boy engages a duel with the Boss Mummy and he wins. The titans hang at a saloon, speaking with western accents, have to learning their lesson about Pyramid Schemes, and the Titans rode on horses into the sunset as the episode ends.

Characters

Beast Boy
Robin
Cyborg
Raven
Starfire
Boss Mummy (debut)
Mummy Henchmen (debut)
The Joker (cameo)
Batman (cameo)
Billy Numerous (cameo)
Dr. Light (cameo)

Song

Pyramid Mummy Money

Trivia

This episode aired on the same day as "How 'Bout Some Effort".
- This is the first time in Season 3 that two new episodes have aired back to back.
This is the second time an episode plot revolves around money (the first being "Two Bumble Bees and a Wasp".
This is the first time that Billy Numerous appears without any of his Hive-mates.
This aired as part of the "Night of New" time slot on Cartoon Network.
In real life, a "pyramid scheme" is an illegal form of investment which each payment participant recruits two further participants, with returns being given to early payments using money to later contributed participants.
Boss Mummy's revolver appears to be in the shape of an ankh, which, ironically, is the ancient Egyptian symbol for life.

Continuity

Beast Boy's liking towards money returns from "Two Bumble Bees and a Wasp".
Raven is seen unhooded for the thirty-fourth time.
Beast Boy mentions wanting to raise money to buy Cyborg a birthday present, like in "Pie Bros". Raven even mentions that it had happened before.
This is the second time that the other Titans say "OHHH!" at the end of Beast Boy's rap song. The first time was in "Books".

References

While being a cowboy, Cyborg says "Reach for the sky", a line originally said by Sheriff Woody from the Toy Story franchise.
The music playing during the fight scene is similar to the surf music from the movie Pulp Fiction, specifically "Miserlou", by Dick Dale and the Deltones.
There are many common Western movie clichés present in this episode:
- The pyramid is a saloon, packed with poker playing mummies. One is even tending to the bar.
- Starfire is shown fanning her hand in a way similar to how movie cowboys fanned the hammers on their revolvers.
- Cyborg dispatches two mummies by tossing them out the saloon window.
- The Titans ride off triumphantly into the sunset.
The last scene, in which Beast Boy and the Boss Mummy have a duel outside the saloon, is a parody of the final gunfight in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly film between Blondie, Angel Eyes, and Tuco.
- Beast Boy himself is dressed up as Blondie (played by Clint Eastwood), with a low-brimmed hat, poncho over shoulder, and a piece of twig (representing Clint's cigarette).
- The phrase that Beast Boy says in the fight, "This pyramid ain't big enough for both of us" is a slight alteration of the popular western movie saying, "This town ain't big enough for both of us".

Errors

Beast Boy (as a chicken) lays an egg. This is impossible, as Beast Boy is clearly a male.
- Beast Boy also refers to himself as a "mama", which can't work out either.
  - However, this may just be Beast Boy being his normal, foolish self.

Running Gags

The Titans (except Robin) eating money.
The mummies constantly moaning "Mummy Money".
The Titans (except Robin, only in the end) speaking in western accents.
Cyborg saying that Beast Boy doesn't have to buy him a present.
- And saying random things he would have been satisfied with.
Robin mentioning the word, "Pyramid Scheme" in a deep tone.
Beast Boy and the others thinking that pyramid schemes involve mummies.