A Legend Concludes

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A Legend Concludes is the nineteenth and twentieth episode of the fourth season of Basket Sponge. This episode is the 79th and 80th episode overall and the final episode of the series.
It was written by SBCA, making it his first solo episode on the series after five years working as co-head writer.
==Production==
===Development===
thumb|right|300px|A Legend Concludes trailer.Production for the finale was planned since 2019, however due to multiple delays, the series was put in limbo. However, it was decided on May 3, 2020 by both SBCA and TheJasbre202 to finally conclude the series.
It was then decided to entitle the episode A Legend Concludes, alluding to the first episode of the series, A Legend Begins.
On May 8, 2020, the trailer was launched on the LTV YouTube channel and along with it, the release date for the episode.
==Plot==
Welcome to the final game, it's winner-take-all, do-or-die, win-or-go-home. The Bulldogs have one last shot at basketball supremacy and to conclude their last dance with their final championship.
==Transcript==
In Loving Memory of Kobe Bryant.
[Scene fades in]
Bob Costas: Welcome to the POBA Finals on BTV. Bulldogs versus Giants. Dynasty versus Destiny, next.
[Intro plays]
Bob Costas: This is Game 7 of our best-of seven series. The Giants tied the series last game to make it 3-a-piece. But first, we have to know how we even got here.
Marv Fishbert: The Bulldogs were up and gunning all season long, breezing through the playoffs, first beating the Manchester Mermen 80 to 79 then blowing out the Harlem Globetrotters in the quarterfinals 75 to 49 just before advancing to the finals by absolutely obliterating the Denver Dolphins, 125 to 25 in the semis.
Bob Costas: But who’s their biggest challenge yet? The Chicago Giants. They entered the season following an abysmal last place finish the year prior. But how did they make it to the finals this season? Their star player Trae Claxton, the standout rookie from Bikini Gulch. He averaged more than Larry Lobster this season.
Marv Fishbert: These two teams are in it for the title, but who will reign supreme?
[Meanwhile at the Bulldogs dugout]
Kobe: Okay guys, this is the last chance to bring home the title.
SpongeBob: Wait, what are you saying coach?
Kobe: After this game, no matter what happens, this will be my last game coaching you guys. It’s been a wild ride, but we can’t stop now!
[Camera cuts to Patrick bawling in the corner.]
Patrick: (surprised as the camera pans on him, gets up immediately) Wumbo?
Larry: Come on, Patrick. You barely averaged a point this season. Why should you care?
Patrick: I….. I don’t like goodbyes, reminds me of my parents again.
Lexi: But weren’t those imposters or… whatever, never mind.
Kobe: Anyway, I’m trusting you, Larry. You were completely outplayed last game. We had the chance to win it all!
Larry: Sorry coach but with seven hot cheerleaders by the bench, how could you not be distracted?
Sandy: Jeez Larry, what the–
Lexi: Nah, he’s got a point. When they start flirting with you on the court, it takes you out of the game from a hundred to zero.
Plankton: (runs to the court and fires at all the cheerleaders with his raygun) uh, oops?
Larry: (sees Plankton enter the locker room again) why do you have a raygun with smoke still coming out?
Plankton: it’s my… personal vape pen?
SpongeBob: Okay, whatever, guys we have to win this for coach Kobe! All in guys, one, two, three…
Everyone: Bulldogs!
[Everyone leaves except for SpongeBob and Kobe.]
Kobe: Yo, Sponge, why are you still here?
SpongeBob: uHmm, coach, why are you really leaving?
Kobe: What do you mean?
SpongeBob: Well, you told us leaving was not gonna be on your agenda for a long time.
Kobe: Okay, actually, the general manager told me I had to leave after this season, regardless whether we win or not.
SpongeBob: General manager?
Kobe: Yeah, name was Ash or something?
SpongeBob: Wait, we don’t have–
Kobe: Get some rounds in, man, get out there already. I just need to lace up my kicks.
[SpongeBob goes to talk to Sandy about the truth he heard from Kobe.]
SpongeBob: Sandy!
Sandy: Hey what’s up, SpongeBob?
SpongeBob: We need to win this game.
Sandy: Well, duh of cour–
SpongeBob: For Coach Kobe.
Sandy: Wait, why? What’s happening?
SpongeBob: It’s all or nothing, this will be our last dance. This will be Coach Kobe’s last game.
Sandy: (sees Lexi crying in the corner) What’s wrong, Lexi?
Lexi: Brittany said she was gonna watch me tonight, but she didn’t pull through.
Sandy: Sometimes friends–
Lexi: She was more than that.
Sandy: (pauses) I see, everything will be alright, I promise. (hugs Lexi)
[Sandy goes and gathers the team and tells them the news about Kobe, they all then huddle up for one last time before tip-off. Sandy tells everyone about Lexi’s story and everyone then goes to hug her and comfort her.]
Larry: Alright guys, what time is it?
Everyone: Game time!
Larry: 1, 2, 3…
Everyone: Bulldogs!
[Shook Ones, Pt. II by Mobb Deep begins to play in the background.]
Bob Costas: It’s tip-off here live from the Golden Arena in Bikini Bottom. Game 7, let’s go!
[SpongeBob pulls a hezi and dishes the ball out to Larry for the quick slam dunk as the crowd goes wild.]
Kobe: Let’s keep it rolling!
[Larry dishes the ball out to Lexi who hesitates taking the jumper, but she sees someone in the stands. Someone oddly familiar.]
Brittany: Let’s go Lexi!
[She doesn’t hesitate and pulls up for the quick jumper, Bulldogs go up 4-0.]
Sandy: (to Lexi, running down on defense) I guess she did pull through, after all!
Lexi: That’s love for you, there.
[Many flashy plays later, we see the Bulldogs up, 13-6.]
Adam Smith: You have it ready?
Venice: Don’t I always?
[We see the Toon Tomahawks have planned to interfere and take over the Chicago Giants to have one last match against the Bulldogs.]
Giants’ Coach: Timeout.
Marv Fishbert: Giants call timeout and the Bulldogs seem to be pulling away early here in Game 7.
Giants’ Coach: (gets dragged out of the bench and gets taped in duct tape) Wait, who the fuck are these guys?
Sun Jeong: トマホークの時間です!
Giants’ Player 1: Any of you speak hentai?
Sun Jeong: ああ、これをあなたの変態ファンタジーに変えたいですか？
Giants’ Player 2: Korean, I presume?
Sun Jeong: Grrrr….
Giants’ Player 3: You sick fuck I think he’s gay.
Giants’ Player 1: Wait, what are you saying– (sees Sun Jeong staring at him) *shudders*
[The whole arena goes dim and when the lights return, it’s the Tomahawks on the Giants bench with the players nowhere to be seen.]
Larry: Holy shit.
Squidward: Hey, this reminds me of season one–
Lexi: Hey Patrick, what’s season one–
Adam: Crush them!
[Game resumes.]
Bob Costas: After a sudden blackout, it seems as though the Giants have brought in the entire Tomahawks lineup?
Marv Fishbert: Is this even legal?
Bob Costas: Anything’s legal as long it fits the narrative.
[Hit ‘Em High by Busta Rhymes and Coolio plays]
Sandy: This is stupid, now this is personal.
[With the Bulldogs up by seven, the Tomahawks begin their onslaught. Led by Michael Clownfish and Nebuchadnezzar Jones, their rough physical play drained the Bulldogs for the next 24 minutes of play. Tactics including pushing and punching go ignored by the lone referee after the two others suddenly vanished after the Tomahawks arrived onto the scene.]
Bob Costas: We’re at the end of the second quarter, the… uhm… now Tomahawks have absolutely obliterated the Bulldogs, 108-13. Let’s go to Luis Antonio who’s interviewing Coach Kobe Bryant.
Luis: Here I am, live at halftime of the Bulldogs vs. Tomahawks game! This is the Bulldogs' last chance to take the title! (turns to Kobe) Kobe, how do you feel about your team's performance so far, scoring 0-102 after 24 minutes?
Kobe: Meh...heh heh meh keh shme pleh flehthejfdfdbgyhyyjydffedddjnmklopk blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Luis: Korean, I presume?
Kobe: (faints)
Luis: Okay, so the Tomahawks are still up by 95 at the end of the second. However, they won't be winning for long. This is probably some kind of secret strategy from the Bulldogs. They're playing psychological games with the opponent, trying to catch them off-guard. But at the right moment, BAM! The Bulldogs will steal the game!
Kobe: Uh, Luis… I have a confession to make.
Luis: You’re playing some tactical mind game by not scoring and once you catch them slacking, you’ll get them and take the game home?
Kobe: No, uhm.. I don’t think we have even the slightest chance of winning this.
Luis: What? That’s impossible, you’re the Kobe Bryant!
Kobe: If I was on the court, then yes we'd be kicking ass. But I'm just a coach. Coaching is not my gift. I just feel hopeless.
[Kobe then heads back to the dug-out.]
SpongeBob: (sees Kobe sulking in the corner) Hey, coach. What’s wrong?
Kobe: It’s our last game of the season, we’re down by 95 with only two quarters left. What do you think is wrong?
Larry: This is unfair. You see there’s only one, literally blind, like I mean he can’t see anything and still has a fucking eyepatch under his sunglasses, typa dumb shit referee out there, right?
Kobe: I wanted to win this game for you guys.
SpongeBob: I remember this exact situation back when we played the Tomahawks the first time ever with coach LeBron. Uhm, what did he say back then?
Patrick: I remember.
---flashback to their first practice for their first ever game against the tomahawks---
LeBron: You know why you're horrible? Because you keep TELLING YOURSELVES THAT!!! 
The team grew silent. 
LeBron: You think I've spent my whole life telling myself that I'm horrible? 
The team continued to be silent. 
LeBron: I've worked with each and every one of you, and I KNOW the potential you all have!!! 
Nobody said a word.
LeBron: Now GO home and get some rest! And come to the game tomorrow, feeling CONFIDENT! You NEED to win this game! You CAN win this game!
---flashback ends---
SpongeBob: Kobe, you’ve taught us so much more than LeBron did. But what even LeBron knew was to never give up.
Larry: And you taught us about Mamba Mentality. 
Lexi: You taught us to never give up, work your heart out. I believe we can do this.
Mr. Krabs: But we can’t do this without you, coach.
Kobe: (stands up) Then let’s crush these sons of bitches.
[Sirius (Chicago Bulls Theme Song) by The Alan Parsons Project plays.]
Bob: And welcome back, it’s the start of the third quarter here at Game 7 of the POBA Finals!
[With no clear referee, the Bulldogs use this to their advantage. They combat with their own cartoon style of play, reminiscent of Space Jam and the Toon Squad. Larry uses his brute force to get through the opposing defense and within no time, the lead is cut down to just nine.]
Kobe: Timeout!
Larry: Keep the momentum going, guys.
Kobe: Okay guys, look at the clock. Three minutes. Three minutes to either tie or win this game. We’re down by nine but it isn’t over. Krabs, kick the ball out to Lexi. Look for the open man and keep the inside game. We’ll win through the paint.
Larry: Claws and tentacles in, let’s go.
Sandy: Keep that confidence, it’s gut-check time.
[BIK 109 - TTT 118, 3:17, 4th Quarter]
Bob: Okay, here we go. Krabs inbounds the ball, dishes it out to Flynn. Dime to the inside and Squidward with the acrobatic finish!
Marv: And the Bulldogs cut the lead down to just seven!
Kobe: Keep that flow going!
Bob: Clownfish inbounding for the Tomahawks--
Marv: And it’s stolen by Cheeks! Kick out to SquarePants for three….
Bob: Bang! It’s 114-118!
[SpongeBob steals the ball from Nebuchadnezzar and passes it to an open Larry in the corner.]
Marv: Another steal by the Bulldogs!
Bob: Corner three??
[Larry pump fakes, and fakes out the opponent, he fires for three.]
Marv: That’s good! It’s now just a one point game!
[We see side by side huddles in the timeout from both coaches]
Adam: Timeout!
Kobe: Great job guys, we’re nearly there.
Adam: What the fuck were you guys doing out there? I thought we were blowing them out? Jones, you fucking dumbass! Get your fucking head in the game!
Kobe: We need to play good defense and get a quick bucket. The lead is all we need.
Adam: Michael, crush them!
[BIK 117 - TTT 118, 1:22, 4th Quarter]
Bob: Welcome back to the ball game, the Tomahawks lead by one. They dish it out to Clownfish.
[Michael thinks about passing but sees he’s wide open, he fires for three.]
Marv: Lights. Out. Shooting. What a shot from Michael Clownfish! Probably the clutchest basketball game!
[BIK 117 - TTT 121, 59 seconds, 4th Quarter]
Larry: (talks to SpongeBob) Just give me the ball, I have a plan.
Marv: SpongeBob passes it out to Larry, he gets double teamed!
[Larry’s plan is in effect, it leaves a wide open Sandy for the go-ahead alley-oop dunk.]
Bob: Oh my goodness! What a play from Larry Lobster!
Marv: A magnificent alley-oop to cut the lead down to just two!
Kobe: Pressure defense, guys!
[The Toon Tomahawks try to inbound the ball but are smothered by the Bulldogs’ defense.]
Marv: And that’s a five-second violation from the Tomahawks, the ball goes back to Bikini Bottom!
[Kobe calls timeout.]
Kobe: Guys, it’s now or never. We only have ten seconds left in the ball game. This will be my last game. We need to close out with the victory.
Larry: What’s the game plan, coach?
Kobe: First, we need an actual referee in case the Tomahawks plan to play any of their dirty tactics on you.
Larry: Who did you get?
(An unknown theme song begins to play)
Theme Song: ...yyaaoooOOO MING, YAO MING, YAO MING, YAO MING, YAO MING, YAO MING!
Squidward: How did you even get– nevermind.
Kobe: Yo, what’s up Yao!
Yao: Yehee Yao very happy, Yao want fair game!
Kobe: Anyway, so in case Yao doesn’t catch the fouls, I’ve brought in another capable man.
Theme Song: sssshaaaQUILLE O’ NEAL, THE BIG DIESEL IS HERE
Squidward: Again… I won’t even ask anymore.
Shaq: Yo, what’s up Kob’
Kobe: I swear if you bust out there rapping about how your ass tastes instead of calling fou–
SpongeBob: So you’re relying on them to foul us?
Kobe: No, SpongeBob. I NEED them to foul you. I’ve been noticing that the entire game, they’ve been heavily relying on their no-calls to keep their players in game. But what they don’t know is that their star player is only one foul away from fouling out. This is why I need… Plankton.
Plankton: Me?
Kobe: You’re fresh meat. They’ll foul you instantly, but don’t lose handle of the ball!
Larry: Alright guys, let’s go for the win. 1, 2, 3…
Everyone: Bulldogs!
Bob: SpongeBob inbounds to Plankton, and erm.. 
Marv: Yao Ming’s playing with the Chinese fans in attendance but… after a shove, a foul is called by referee Shaquille O’ Neal on Michael Clownfish. He’s out of the game!
Kobe: Let’s go!
[With only four visible players left on the Tomahawks, SpongeBob gives the ball to a wide open Larry Lobster.]
Marv: A three wins the championship…
Bob: It’s with Larry….
Marv: He fires…
[One second left, Bulldogs 119, Tomahawks 121.]
Both Bob and Marv: HE SCORES!!
Marv: Larry Lobster is now Larry Legend!
Bob: The Bulldogs win the championship! 122 to 121!
Kobe: YES!!
Larry: YOU FUCKERS WE DID IT!!
[Larry can be seen visibly giving the middle finger to Tomahawks coach, Adam Smith.]
SpongeBob: WOOHOO!!
Bob Costas: Here I am to interview Coach Kobe, uh Coach, how does it feel to have won your first ever POBA championship?
Kobe: It’s incredible! I always knew these guys could do it and they played their hearts out to prove that they are the best team out here. Forever will be. I’m truly grateful for this group of young and fresh talent. It’s been an honor coaching them.
Bob: Thank you Coach Bryant. Now, that’s all from Game 7 of the POBA Finals. The Bulldogs are champions and it’s time to wrap it up. It’s back to the studio from here!
Adam: (to the Tomahawks) You bloody losers!
Michael: Coach, you have to give it to us for the bare fact that we ACTUALLY played.
Fat Jessie: Where the hell is Sun Jeong, anyway?
[We cut to the parking lot where Sun Jeong and the Giants player are both at the backseat of a car.]
Sun: You know what else I think is giant?
Giants Player: Holy fuck…
[Cut to Brittany and Lexi post-game]
Lexi: You called and...
Brittany: You dummy, of course I wouldn’t fail to surprise you on your last game!
Lexi: I love you so much.
Brittany: Win or lose, babe.
[Cut back to the Bulldogs]
Mr. Krabs: (to the team) Come on guys, after we get doused in champagne, let’s go out and celebrate! Drinks are on me!
Everyone except for Kobe: Yeah!
Lexi: (intently stares at Patrick) Oh you know what’s next.
Patrick: (nervously chuckles) Well, I mean…
Larry: Wait, where are Lexi and Patrick.
Sandy: I swear they were here a minute ago.
Mr. Krabs: How about you, coach?
Kobe: Guys, it’s time for me to go.
SpongeBob: C’mon coach, just one drink!
Kobe: Even though I did find out that fake general manager was actually someone in the Toon Tomahawks organization, it did make me think about hanging it up already. My time's been wonderful here.
Larry: Yeah, I was wondering since when did we ever have a general manager.
Lexi: Come on coach, one last for the road!
Kobe: I wish I could but I need to do one last thing. But, before that I must say one last thing… to you guys.
Patrick: uhhhhh can someone hand me the tissues??
Kobe: Guys.
Kobe: I love you all. It’s been an honor coaching you all side by side.
Everyone: Awwww..
Patrick: okay how has no one given me any tissues…
Larry: Same here, coach. Thanks for everything.
SpongeBob: We’ll still ball out some time, right?
Kobe: Of course. But for now, I need to do something I needed to do a long time ago.
[A few days later.]
[Present Tense by Pearl Jam plays]
Kobe: Hey, MJ.
[We then find out he is talking to the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan.]
Michael: What’s good, brother?
Kobe: I guess it isn’t hard transitioning from playing to managing a team eh? (flexes his POBA championship ring)
Michael: Okay, just because my Hornets aren’t winning doesn’t mean I’m not the best player of all time anymore.
Kobe: Yeah, but you need to rebuild your squad soon. Time flies fast, man.
Michael: How would you know?
Kobe: I just… know. Life’s too short to live in the past, man.
Michael: Okay damn, I’m rebuilding already.
Kobe: For the last three years?
Michael: Fuck you man, it’s been three years since you last hit me up.
[The two then go on to hug each other. Their brotherly comradery is still present.]
[We transition back to Bikini Bottom where Lexi and Brittany’s wedding is taking place.]
Minister: I pronounce you both, Brittany Fischer and Lexi Flynn, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.
[Brittany and Lexi kiss for much longer than expected…]
Brittany: Uhh, we should just finish this later…
Lexi: Agreed.
[We go fast forward to the wedding reception.]
SpongeBob: Guys, I know Coach Kobe already said this before. But, I fucking love you all.
Larry: I think it’s time for us to hang it up as well.
Mr. Krabs: Larry’s right, we’ve been through LeBron and Kobe already. We’ve accomplished more than we ever hoped we could.
Sandy: Well, if this is the last time we’ll all ever be together, just like what SpongeBobby boy here said, I’m gonna miss you all.
SpongeBob: but i said---
Sandy: Hey, of course, I fucking love you all!
[Everyone laughs]
SpongeBob: But of course, we’re here to celebrate the love of Brittany and Lexi.
Squidward: Yeah! Congrats to you both---- well I never even thought Patrick had it in him when we first started our first season.
Larry: Well, it’s been a wild ride, man.
Squidward: But I’m really happy for you both. Really caps off everything, don’t you think?
Lexi: (looks at Brittany) Weeeellll….. not everything. 
Brittany: (chuckles) Oh, you know it.
Lexi: But joke aside, if this is the last time we’ll all be together, then I’m also very happy it’s because of this.
Patrick: Well, unless Squidward and Sandy get married, am I right?
Squidward and Sandy: (nervous laughter)
Patrick: Haha, just kidding. Well if we do ever meet again, I hope we won’t have to play another game. 
Lexi: Well, you did average a point all season.
Larry: It’s been a great season, and a great couple of years with you all.
SpongeBob: Should we do it one last time?
Larry: Bulldogs! On three, one, two, three…
Everyone: Bulldogs!
[Scene fades to black as we fast forward to an unknown time in the future, at the local Bikini Bottom Gymnasium.]
???: Hey, who’s there?
[We see an unidentifiable figure playing basketball alone.]
???: Let me take you on, one-v-one. I may not be in my prime anymore, but. Uh, maybe way out of my prime. But, I won the last ever championship we had in the POBA.
Unidentifiable: Oh yeah? Well, I was the starting point guard for that team.
???: Larry?
Larry: Who are you?
???: It’s the guy who passed you the ball for the game winning shot.
Larry: SpongeBob?
SpongeBob: It’s been a while, man.
[The two then hug]
Larry: Well, I don’t think I can go one-on-one. I have company coming.
SpongeBob: Me too.
[Two groups open opposite doors. We see the people entering the court are Sandy, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Plankton, and Lexi.]
Larry: Four-on-four?
Everyone: Let’s do it!
[They begin to play a game of pick up basketball. Smiles all around as the old squad is now back to play one last fun game of pick up. Just like in their final alley-oop in Game 7 of the finals, SpongeBob lobs the ball to Larry for an alley-oop dunk. And despite his age now, he successfully completes it. As he dunks the ball, the ending theme, Fly Like An Eagle by Seal begins to play as the credits roll.]
[We think this is the ending as the scene fades to black after credits, but a secret post-credits scene then begins to play.]
---
We cut to February 24th of 2020.
We see two separate clips put together.
One is Kobe Bryant’s interview on how Michael Jordan affected his career,
The other one is Michael Jordan’s speech at Kobe Bryant’s eulogy.
Michael: What Kobe Bryant was to me was the inspiration that someone truly cared about the way either I played the game or the way that he wanted to play the game.
Kobe: I’d have fans saying, “Kobe, you’d beat Michael one-on-one.”
Kobe: --and I’d feel like, “Yo, what you get from me is from him.”
Kobe: I wouldn’t have my five championships without him. ‘Cause he guided me so much.
Michael: But you have a sense of love for him and the way that he can bring out the best in you. And he did that for me.
Michael: He was like a little brother to me.
Kobe: He was like a big brother to me.
Michael: I promise you from this day forward, I will live with the memories of knowing that I had a little brother and I tried to help in every way I could.
Michael: Please, rest in peace, little brother.
[End]
==Soundtrack==
The soundtrack for the final episode was leaked a day before release, on May 23, 2020.
Track Listing
*Slam by Onyx (Intro)
*Roundball Rock by Josh Tesh (NBA on NBC Theme used for POBA on BTV intro)
*Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem) by B-Real, Coolio, Method Man, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes
*Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project
*Present Tense by Pearl Jam
*Fly Like an Eagle by Seal (Outro)
*Dear Basketball by John Williams (Post-Credits)
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