"Shaketopia" is the first episode of the 12th season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force and the 140th episode overall. It is the first new episode since 2015, following Aquadonk Side Pieces and Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm.
Plot[]
Master Shake has been in the house using a virtual reality headset for two months, and Frylock is upset that he has to keep Shake alive while feeding his body, which is motionless and in an altered state of consciousness and unhealthy. In the game world, Shake is the leader of the titular Shaketopia where he rules over the citizens like a dictator. Shake forces the citizens to always compliment him, perform sexual acts for him (particularly licking his buttocks), never question him, etc. Shake puts on a control helmet to play an app in which he assembles shapes, but Shake is only able to assemble a rectangle from two squares over and over.
After having what he deems as a "sex orgy," Shake is displeased to discover that Meatwad purchased the previous model of the VR headset from Carl who has been selling models that allegedly fell off a truck. Meatwad insults Shake by drawing a "dick" on his chest, which is actually a series of squiggles. Shake is greatly upset at the prospect of Meatwad causing glitches in Shaketopia due to the outdated model Meatwad is using ("KÜL WORLD 3.0") and hates the idea of Meatwad ruling alongside him. He challenges Meatwad to a game of "Fantasta-Splooge," but Meatwad proves far more talented at the game on his first try than Shake ever was. This enrages Shake, so he attempts to find another place in the virtual world for Meatwad to rule over.
Shake attempts to get Meatwad to set up his kingdom in "St. Meatersburg" (which appears to be a mountain of feces), but Meatwad is obviously not willing to settle for it and still wants to rule alongside Shake. Meatwad argues with Shake until the latter challenges the former to a battle to the death.
Shake uses virtual powers, but Meatwad proves particularly adept at using them, summoning hotdogs to attack Shake and defending himself with an igloo energy shield. After Shake taunts Meatwad about the latter's tendency to only transform into a hotdog or igloo, Meatwad turns into a blade-wielding Wesley Snipes with his shape-shifting ability, and nearly kills Shake with it. Shake agrees to let Meatwad rule alongside him and even to agree on a name change.
Back in the Aqua Teen House, Frylock is upset that he has to take care of both Meatwad and Shake, and Carl speaks about how they are not active while himself turning on the living room TV to watch American football, which annoys Frylock. Frylock then inquires if Carl has any more VR headsets, so Carl attempts to sell him the "KÜL WORLD 2.0" helmet (which Carl notes is so much older than the current model that it is much buggier than Meatwad's "KÜL WORLD 3.0" unit).
As Shake and Meatwad announce their peace treaty to the kingdom, Frylock (represented by pixel art) intervenes with his VR headset. Master Shake and Meatwad ask Frylock to leave but allow him to hand out "Sluggy Buggy" sleeved blankets for the citizens of the kingdom to wear before leaving. This spreads a computer virus to destroy the virtual world, and Shake and Meatwad finally return to the real world. Shake naturally berates Frylock for destroying Shaketopia, but his head detaches from his spine (presumably due to muscular atrophy associated with the lack of exercise and nutrition). Shake is initially angry that Meatwad drew on his cup before deciding that he likes it.
Trivia[]
- This episode features the full remixed theme song made for Season 12. It is a bit longer than the version used in "A Quiet Shake."
- It's not clear if Carl received the VR headsets from illegitimate means (such as his cousin Terry who appeared in "She Creature" and "Bookie") or if they literally fell off the back of a truck for Carl to find and then not return. Regardless, it's safe to assume that Carl is selling them unlawfully.
- This is the first episode since "Monster" to not have the subtitles in all caps.
- The "Sluggy Buggy" is a spoof of the Snuggy brand sleeved blankets.
- Shake's "cream dream" attack could be a different take on his "Shake Power" which was originally seen in "Rabbot" "Balloonenstein" and "Rabbot Redux",."
- Meatwad's "Wesley Snipes" transformation resembles his "Samurai Lincoln" transformation first seen in "Circus" from Season 1.
- Additionally, Meatwad takes on a "Meat bridge" transformation from "Rabbot" as Shake attacks him with an earthquake-causing stomp.
- Before Meatwad uses the Wesley Snipes transformation, he asks if Shake wants "a snipe hunt?" A "snipe hunt" is a farce in which one group (often consisting of children) is sent to capture an imaginary creature called a snipe. Contrary to this belief that snipes are fictional creatures, snipes are a genus of birds found in real life.
- This is one of the many episodes to suggest that Shake does not have a penis and knows very little about what sexual intercourse is. Other examples include "Ezekiel" and "Freda."
- This episode, Shake really liked being called sire by Glorf and all of his slaves when he ruled Shaketopia with Meatwad as his co-ruler. Season 1, Balloonenstein, Shake gets mad at Meatwad for making him call him sire and forcing him to go to the store to get him popsicles and shooting him with his electrocuted powers.