The Tick vs. Brainchild

*Don't worry, Charles! There's someone in this big, crazy world who's willing to help! Who's willing to **hug**!*
— **Tick**

**"The Tick vs. Brainchild"** is an episode of the animated television series *The Tick.*

## Synopsis

Tick and Arthur have to stop a maniacal child from smashing the moon into the earth.

## Plot

The episode opens with a robotic dog with a glass dome on its head, showing its brain flying through the air, towards a maximum security facility, guarded vigilantly (for the most part). Two lazy guards are chatting inside, when the dog bursts through the ceiling and steals a device. The guards shrug it off. Meanwhile, Tick and Arthur are trying to heat up a pizza, but their microwave is broken (and even more so when Tick crushes it). The dog arrives at a treehouse, and is greeted by its master Charles, and his assistant Amelia. Charles reveals to us his nearly-complete Mega-Multi Devastator Cannon, which requires only a microwave oven. Charles, irritated by his sibling's innocence, lectures her on super-villainy, and what is most important: Brains, and he reveals his glass dome head, and the pulsing brain under it.

Tick and Arthur are shopping in a gigantic electronics store for a microwave, and they manage to locate the last microwave, but the dog, Skippy, is determined to retrieve it, as it is the last piece needed for Charles' cannon. They fight over the microwave, and Charles, in an attempt to stop Tick, uses his cannon to animate the appliances. Arthur wrestles with the appliances while Skippy snatches away the microwave and flees. Tick manages to tie a "mondo" extension cord to get a hold of Skippy, and fights off the appliances. Unfortunately for Tick, the extension cord catches his ankle and Skippy pulls him away, and drops him on a sandy beach. They follow Skippy to a suburban home, and Charles' mother invites them in. She and his father explain that Charles is an evil genius, and Skippy was Charles' dog that was run over, but Charles' rebuilt his body.

An eavesdropping Amelia warns Charles of the heroes, and they go out to his treehouse to confront him. Tick tries to make an emotional connection with him, but Charles comes up with an evil plan: smash the moon into the earth. but he unleashes Skippy on them. Charles activates the cannon, and laughs maniacally at his scheme. Charles' parents come to the conclusion that they have to do something, and they go outside to do so. They cannot convince him to stop, so due to their new-age parenting style, they allow him to work it out on his own. Skippy pounces on Tick, and grabs Arthur with his tail. Tick is able to reach Skippy's chew toy, and throws it off into the distance, but Arthur is pulled along with him.

Tick comes up into the treehouse, and tries to therapize Charles more, but Charles continues to be cynical, so Tick tries to use force. Skippy returns, and lunges at Tick, but Tick ducks, causing Skippy to hit a wall of electronics, and blow up the treehouse. Tick, Arthur, Amelia and Charles were safe, but Skippy was destroyed. Charles manages to save Skippy, but he is confronted by his parents, who inform him that the cleanup of the treehouse will come out of his future allowance. Tick gives a speech about family, but Charles has more evil ideas up his sleeve.

## Characters

### Main Characters

* Tick
* Arthur

### Supporting Characters

* Amelia (first appearance)
* Charles' father (first appearance)
* Charles' mother (first appearance)

### Antagonists

* Charles (first appearance)
	+ Skippy (first appearance)

### Other Characters

* Store employee (only appearance)
* Guard #1 (first appearance)
* Guard #2 (first appearance)

## Locations

* The City
	+ Angry Hank's Technorama (only appearance)
	+ Arthur's apartment building
		- Arthur's apartment
	+ Charles' house (first appearance)
		- Charles' treehouse (only appearance)
* Turbo-Cyber-Dyno-Tronic-Research and Development Laboratories (only appearance)
* Moon

## Notes

* Despite the title, Charles is never referred to as "Brainchild," and the phrase is never heard nor seen in the episode (excluding the title screen).
* **Ending Line**: "Ah, yes, *grateful.* Grateful because the family unit is the glue, the mucilage, the very safety-tested adhesives that keep the fabric of our society together. Bless that big sticky quilt that blankets this land of ours in caring and sharing!"
* This episode was pulled from Hulu in 2022 for unknown reasons.