American Goth is the sixteenth episode of season 2 of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!, and the forty-second overall.
Premise[]
Shaggy turns goth to impress an old crush, then has to prove himself in her cult while a plant monster is on the loose.
Synopsis[]
Mystery Inc. visits Shaggy's old friend, Amelia, whom Shaggy has not seen in several years. However, they find that Amelia has become a goth and joined a local group of fellow goths, the Night Shadows. They visit the Night Shadows' party at an abandoned hospital, but find they are about to lose the site as it is being sold. They meet fellow Night Shadow, Dorbin, and find that the hospital is haunted by a monster, so Fred, Velma, and Daphne investigate while Amelia shows Shaggy and Scooby the goths' various rituals.
Fred, Daphne, and Velma find mud and leaves at the site of the initial attack, and Velma finds records showing that a mad scientist created a monstrous plant in a botched experiment. Meanwhile, as part of an initiation ritual, Amelia locks Shaggy in a mortuary cabinet. However, the plant monster appears and chases them, causing them to reunite with Fred's group. After escaping the monster, they find Jeff the security guard, who suspiciously claims the monster has never attacked him before.
To continue their investigations, they change into goth attire so they can better interact with the goths at the party. However, Dorbin confronts Amelia for allowing Mystery Inc. into the party, bringing them to the leader of the Night Shadows, Lord Morlack. Morlack allows them to stay after Amelia convinces them they have truly become goth. However, Amelia then guides Shaggy in a "union ritual," which was a marriage ceremony, unbeknownst to Shaggy. After the plant chases them away, Morlack expels Amelia from the Night Shadows for participating in the union ritual without his permission.
Shaggy apologizes to Amelia, realizing he should never have tried to become a goth to impress her. As the only way to reenter the Night Shadows, Shaggy challenges Morlack for leadership over the group. Participating in a "goth-off," Shaggy and Morlack are subjected to affectionate animal pictures and are challenged to show no emotion. However, when the plant monster appears, Morlack expresses fear, losing the challenge. The plant monster chases Mystery Inc. around the party area, but Fred captures it in a curtain. He brings the monster outside and unmasks the monster when the police arrives.
The monster turned out to be Dorbin, who wanted to prevent the hospital's sale so the Night Shadows could keep using it. Using a pre-existing legend about a mad scientist and a monstrous plant, Dorbin attacked those that threatened to take the hospital, including the businesswoman who attempted to buy it. He also attacked Mystery Inc. because he saw them as a threat to the goths' power structure. As Dorbin is handed to police, Shaggy parts ways with Amelia before returning to his old self with Scooby.
Characters[]
Supporting characters:
- Amelia (only appearance)
- Jeff (only appearance)
- Lord Morlack (only appearance)
Villains:
- Plant Monster (only appearance)(no lines)(Dorbin's disguise)
- Dorbin (only appearance)
Other characters:
- Business woman (only appearance)
- Hospital owner (only appearance)
- Amelia's father (only appearance)
- Amelia's mother (only appearance)
- Night Shadows (only appearance)(miscellaneous speaking)
- Mad doctor (only appearance)(no lines)(flashback only)
- Police officer 1
- Police officer 2 (no lines)
Locations[]
- Hospital
- Amelia's house
Objects[]
- Pizza
Vehicles[]
Suspects[]
| Suspect | Motive/reason |
|---|---|
| Dorbin | He doesn't like outsiders. |
| Jeff | If no one buys the hospital he can keep his job. |
| Lord Morlack | He also doesn't like outsiders. |
Culprits[]
| Culprit | Motive/reason |
|---|---|
| Dorbin as the Plant Monster | To scare away potential buyers so the goths could stay at the hospital. |
Cast[]
Notes/trivia[]
- This episode aired in a death slot on Boomerang in the US.
- Lord Morlack was written as a Trent Reznor parody, but ended up becoming a child.
- Amelia was supposed to be more friendly and down-to-earth.
- This episode's airdate marks Freddie Prinze Jr.'s 42nd birthday.
Miscellaneous[]
- Disguises:
- The Gang as goths.
- Shaggy and Scooby-Doo as horticulturalists.
- The Gang and Amelia as operating theater staff (Scooby as the patient)
- Traps: Fred traps the plant monster in a curtain (impromptu; succeeded)
- Clues: Mud and leaves at the crime scene and hospital records.
- "Zoinks" count: 1
Cultural references[]
- The episode title refers to the famous Grant Wood painting American Gothic.
- Lord Morlack saying "there can only be one" when challenged by Shaggy is a reference to the 1986 movie Highlander (starring Clancy Brown).
- The mention of a three-eyed raven is a reference to Game of Thrones.
Animation mistakes and/or technical glitches[]
- None known.
Inconsistencies/continuity errors and/or goofs/oddities[]
- None known.
Quotes[]
Shaggy: (Upon seeing Amelia dressed as a Goth) Wow, Amelia. I can only imagine your parents' reaction to all this. |
Amelia: Shaggy, this purple potion is from the ritual decanter of the Night Shadows mantle of unthinkable terrors. It's the blood of a dragon mixed with the tears of a three-eyed raven and fluid from the pancreas of a black widow spider. Drink it if you dare, but I must warn you, it may be the last thing you consume! |
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| Greece is the Word | Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! Season 2 |
Omelettes Are Forever |