009a - Nature Pants

At the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob daydreams of living with the jellyfish in Jellyfish Fields. He accidentally starts a fire, and a fireman runs in and turns on the hose. SpongeBob though is in the way, thus fills up with the water and falls on the fire, putting it out. Mr. Krabs asks SpongeBob why he was not concentrating, and SpongeBob explains that he wishes to live in the wild. He moves to Jellyfish Fields, and gives Patrick mayonnaise, old phone books, and his special jellyfishing net, "Ol' Reliable."

He even takes off everything he's wearing, except his shoes. SpongeBob tries to fit in with the jellyfish, but he just can't get the hang of it. Meanwhile, Patrick and Sandy have a set-up picnic to try to trick SpongeBob into coming back. They eat Krabby Patties, as an attempt to bribe SpongeBob, but he resists. A crazed and heartbroken Patrick then tries to catch him with Ol' Reliable while jellyfishing, but fails when SpongeBob jumps into the jellyfish hive, where he takes to eating the jelly inside. Upon the swarm's return, SpongeBob greets them in a friendly manner, but is then repeatedly stung and chased into a cave by them. Disheartened, but not giving up yet, SpongeBob tries to sleep in a cave, using a fern as a blanket, but ultimately ends up getting covered in poison sea urchins.

Finally deciding that the wild isn't as good as he thought, SpongeBob returns to Bikini Bottom and, after seeing Sandy's Treedome and the Krusty Krab, realizes his mistake; he had a great life and friends, and gave it all up. Upon his return to the pineapple, he is greeted with a massive "Welcome Home" party, the others apparently having been expecting him. All is forgiven, SpongeBob puts his clothes back on as a favour to Squidward, and everyone group-hugs. However, the poison sea urchin bacteria spreads, and everyone except SpongeBob becomes itchy.