To Heck and Back is the second segment of the fifth episode of Rocko's Modern Life from the first season.
Summary[]
Rocko's best friend Heffer chokes on a chicken rib cage at a Chokey Chicken and has an after-death experience with Peaches in "Heck".
Plot[]
The episode begins with a chicken named Karen getting the job at Chokey Chicken after a job interview. A few moments later, a vacuum-packed chicken is seen accelerated on a conveyor belt and put into the truck, which is headed to said restaurant. Rocko and Heffer are also there and Heffer orders a prolific amount of food, spending a grand total of $37.58. While Rocko is discussing Heffer's eating habits, the steer virulently chokes on a chicken rib cage when he swallows it. As Rocko attempts to perform the Heimlich on his lifeless friend, Heffer's spirit emerges from the body and flies to heaven. He tries to fly to a big sandwich in the sky, only for his wings to melt, and an anvil sprouts on his back, causing him to fall down to the ground into "Heck" (a euphemism for the word "hell").
Peaches captures him and explains to Heffer that he is guilty of one of the 7 deadly sins: gluttony. Back at Chokey Chicken, Rocko attempts to grab the chicken rib cage lodged in the lifeless steer's throat, only to fall into his body. Heffer watches a show on TV (offered by Peaches) of his voracious eating habits in the past, which upset and angered others, such as Grandpa Wolfe, whose birthday cake Heffer swallowed whole (the cake is later seen within Heffer's stomach in pristine condition including lit candles). When he sees that Rocko has entered the inside of his stomach on TV, Heffer is contrite of his gluttony, and Peaches sends him to an opening light, where he sees Rocko walking through. Peaches laughs malevolently and removes his black hood to reveal his udder-shaped head, which has milk squirting out of it. Rocko, however, switches on the light of Heffer's heart and Heffer is quickly resurrected as his spirit takes a fishing line with the bait being a drumstick (which Heffer tosses aside, remembering the trouble his gluttony has caused for others in the past), much to Peaches' disappointment.
Heffer is later seen at Chokey Chicken spitting Rocko out as the wallaby has retrieved the chicken rib cage out of the steer's throat. Heffer and Rocko walk out to attend the movies and Heffer asks if the two could stop at the Beef Barge to eat again (Clearly not learning anything from his trip to heck), only to find that the wallaby is disguised as no other than Peaches once again.
Later, Heffer wakes up in his bedroom to find that it was only a dream. But Peaches returns once again. Heffer then wakes up believing he had been buried alive, but he was really sleeping with his head in the pretzel box. Heffer goes with Rocko to attend the comic book sale (but not before he asks if he and Rocko stop to Chokey Chicken first) when Karen (from earlier in the episode) comes around and tells him that she has a job interview at Chokey Chicken. and Peaches appears playing with a paddle ball at the end, having to start from scratch, to his dismay (since he just missed 666 by a number).
Characters Present[]
- Rocko Rama
- Heffer Wolfe
- Peaches (debut)
- Karen Chicken (debut)
- Grandpa Wolfe (Cameo)
- Virginia Wolfe (Cameo)
- George Wolfe (Cameo)
- Cindy Wolfe (Cameo)
- Peter Wolfe (Cameo)
- Spunky (cameo)
Trivia[]
- Martin Olson described "To Heck and Back" as one of his favorite episodes.
- When Heffer enters Heck, the sign says Hell crossed out and says Heck on top of it. Heffer was also about to say the word Hell himself when he asked if heck was supposed to be called that, but was stoped by Peaches due to censors. This could reference the fact that the word Hell is considered swearing in television and video games.
- Goof: Rocko and Heffer were classmates in the third grade (when Rocko talks to Heffer about friendship in the restaurant, give and take), while it's established that Rocko came from Australia to O-Town after finishing school.
- Even though Hell is crossed out (but still readable) there's another episode where it's prominent and uncensored, that being "Carnival Knowledge".
- Also, when Heffer said "Isn't it supposed to be...", Peaches interrupted him saying censors, which not only is considered an innuendo, but also a fourth wall break.
- Rocko screaming "Have you learned NOTHING?" at the end in Peaches' voice has become an Internet meme.
- The false ending where Rocko removes his face, revealing he is Peaches, and then Heffer waking up only to find he is having a nightmare is a nod towards Freddy Krueger and A Nightmare on Elm Street film series.
Quotes[]
- Heffer: You know, there's something about restaurant ketchup.
- Rocko: Heffer! He's choking! He's really choking! Is there a doctor in the house?!
- (Cut to reveal several doctors on their lunch break in the restaurant, but continuing their meals.)
- Heffer: Wow, I got big hips.
- Heffer: (reading a sign) "Welcome to Heck: A Friendly Community."
- Peaches: I am the Dark Underlord! The Prince of Doom! The King of Eternal Torment! I am Fear! I am Evil! They call me... Peaches!
- Heffer: "Peaches"?
- Peaches: ("normal" voice) Would ya let me finish? (dark voice) You will rot in torment forever! (laughs)
- Heffer: "Peaches"?
- Peaches: ("normal" voice, sarcastically) Okay. "Heffer"! Pfft! Oh. That's a good name, Iā (slaps himself) What was I saying? I... (gets rid of the fiery background) Just forget it.
- Heffer: But wait, I thought thatā
- Peaches: Ah, that's for the tourists.
- Peaches: This is a 1974 Nexspirit Tube-o-Vision 3000. And it belongs to me. Do you know what that makes it?
- Heffer: Um, I give up.
- Peaches: It's the TV from Heck!
- Heffer and Peaches: (laugh)
- Heffer: Hey! Wait a minute. "Heck?" Isn't that supposed to beā
- (Peaches slaps Heffer's mouth shut.)
- Peaches: ("normal" voice) Censors. And there's the lamp from Heck and here's the pineapple from Heck and...
- Heffer: (laughs) I love it when people say that!
- Peaches: You are guilty of one of the Seven Deadly Sins. GLUTTONY!! Ya still with me?
- Heffer: Hey, Peaches, you got anything to eat around here?
- Peaches: You don't get it, do ya?
- Peaches: Now turn to channel three.
- Heffer: Sure. Where's the remote?
- Peaches: (chuckles) You poorfool. Still don't know where you are, do you?! THERE IS NO REMOTE!!
- Heffer: (screams)
- Peaches: You think that's scary? Well, how about this?! (plays paddleball as Heffer continues screaming)
- Rocko: Oh, no, Heff! You have X's for eyes! What in the blazes does that mean?!
- Peaches: Prepare yourself for your ETERNAL PUNISHMENT!!! You will watch your friend slowly waste away! And when it is over, you will watch it in RERUNS!!! AGAIN AND AGAIN!! FOR! ALL! ETERNITY!!!
- Peaches: (playing paddleball) Six-six-two, six-six-three, six-six-four, six-six-five... (drops the ball) Grrrr. One, two, three, four, five...
References[]
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