"Smell of Victory" is the sixth episode of the Disney Channel show That's So Raven and aired on January 31, 2003. It was written by Laura Perkins-Brittain and directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel.
Summary
Raven has been paired with Ben "Stinky" Sturkey for a science project. However, his unbearable body odor poses a big difficulty when it comes to completing their DNA model. Meanwhile, Eddie tries to charm a girl at his school, which proves hard when he wakes up with a massive zit on his chin.
Plot
At school, Raven approaches Eddie, who is staring and drooling at a pretty girl nearby. Raven encourages Eddie to talk to Crystal, and ask her to the school's charity carnival on Saturday. But when Crystal walks towards them, Eddie turns away and faces a locker. Then, Raven and Eddie smell something foul in the air. The source of the smell, Ben Sturky, makes his way down the hall. People run away and hold their breath as he passes, but Ben is too busy reading a book to notice. Raven and Eddie both make comments about Ben's smell, and Raven adds that she has to share a science class with him. Raven then has a horrifying vision: Ben wraps his arm around her.
Raven goes to science class, where Mrs. Depaulo is pairing the students up to work on their science projects. Raven tries to get another partner, but is ultimately paired up with Ben. Ben is overjoyed, and, as Raven predicted, puts his arm around her. Later, at lunch, Raven tries bribing her other classmates with brownies to get them to switch partners with her, but everyone refuses. Eddie points out that one person might be able to withstand Ben's smell: "Head Cold" Kenny, who is chronically sick. Raven goes to talk to him. Kenny agrees to be Ben's partner, and Raven is grateful. Eddie spots Crystal, and tries to gather the courage to talk to her, but he slips on some discarded pudding and falls into a bully. The bully throws Eddie across the table, and he lands in front of Crystal. He nervously asks her out to the carnival, and she accepts.
Eddie happily walks to his locker, gloating to passersby about his success. He meets up with Raven, but she has a vision: Crystal is pointing out something disgusting on Eddie's face. Raven tells him what she saw, and he begins to worry. At that moment, Kenny is being led out of the school by his mother. His fever has gotten worse, and he will need to miss school for the rest of the week. Raven decides to confront Ben directly and say that she does not want to be his partner. She finds him walking down the hall, and tries to talk to him. Ben says that he is excited to be partnered with the prettiest girl in class. Raven is flattered, and starts to feel guilty. After Ben leaves, Mr. Lawler approaches, asking Raven if she has a problem(and covering her with spit as he talks). She says it is science related, and Lawler advises that she speak with Mrs. Depaulo.
Raven enters Mrs. Depaulo's room, and after some tiptoeing around the subject, Raven flat-out says that she cannot work with Ben due to his smell. Depaulo begins to offer an alternative solution for grading Raven's project, but Raven has another vision. She and Ben present the project, and Ben happily says that they got an A. He raises the completed project over his head, knocking out the front row of students with his armpit stink. Raven, happy that she will get an A, bails on her plan and tells Mrs. Depaulo she will continue working with Ben.
A few days later, Ben is at Raven's house working on their project, a DNA model. Raven sneakily sprays Ben with air freshener when he is not looking. The rest of the Baxters try holding their breaths and subtly plugging their noses when they walk through the living room. Eddie rings the doorbell, and when Raven answers, he tells her that he knows what disgusted Crystal in Raven's vision. The two of them quickly enter the kitchen, and Eddie shows Raven the bandage on his chin, which is covering a big zit. Raven tries various remedies to get rid of the zit, including a giant pore vacuum and a mud mask. Later, Raven enters the kitchen, and announces to her parents that she and Ben are done with their model, but need to burn the couch after Ben has sat on it. Cory enters with the leaf blower, saying he will blow the stink out of the house. He turns it on, and Raven has a vision: The DNA model falls to the ground and shatters to pieces. Raven stops the leaf blower, and tries to run to the living room to protect the model. But, when she opens the door, it hits Ben, who was carrying the model toward the kitchen. The model shatters, and Ben enters the kitchen to let Raven know. He offers to come back to the Baxter house after the carnival, and is willing to stay overnight to fix the model. The Baxters aren't too thrilled about this development.
The following day, it is time for the school carnival, where the students and faculty run booths and games. Raven and Ben are working the dunk tank, with Raven as the barker, and Ben as the semi-unwilling victim. When Ben isn't looking, Raven dumps a bunch of powdered soap into the tank. She tries to encourage the patrons to hit the tank's release button, but everyone misses, including Victor. Meanwhile, Eddie is hiding from Crystal, because his zit has not gone away. He is ready to give up and leave when Raven suggests one more idea. She applies makeup to Eddie's chin, covering the pimple up seamlessly. Eddie goes to hang out with Crystal. They are having a good time when Eddie gets some mustard on his chin. Crystal wipes it off, and with it, the makeup. As Raven predicted, Crystal points and voices her disgust.
Raven overhears and confronts Crystal. She tells Crystal that Eddie's pimple shouldn't be the deciding factor in whether they hang out or not. Raven points out that several people around them are flawed but have many redeeming qualities, like the spitting Mr. Lawler, and the bracefaced track star. Raven points out Ben, saying that even though he smells bad, he is intelligent and kind...and deserves to be treated better. Raven goes off to talk to Ben. Crystal clarifies to Eddie, that she does not mind the pimple; she was weirded out by the fact that he had makeup on. Eddie and Crystal agree to start over with a clean slate and no hiding flaws.
Raven comes back to the dunk tank, and Ben comments that he hasn't gotten dunked yet. Raven asks him to come out of the tank. But, before she can explain why, she leans against the tank's release button, and Ben falls into the water. Raven apologizes, and Ben questions why there is soap in the water. Raven responds, "Because I'm a jerk." Ben refutes this, and says she is a friend. Raven decides that since she is a friend, she needs to be honest. She flat out tells him that he stinks. Ben did not seem to realize this, saying that the only person who ever commented on his smell was his mother. Despite this, he isn't offended, and says he will shower more frequently. Raven is glad, but, says he does not have to if he doesn't want to. Ben says, in that case, that he won't shower. Raven gives Ben a scrub down in the soapy water anyway.
Later, Mr. Lawler has taken Ben's place in the dunk tank. Lawler lectures Ben on how people must be honest with each other to gain perspective, and how Ben could stand to use some antiperspirant. Ben, tired of all the spittle from the "P" words, presses the lever on the tank, making Lawler fall in. Lawler calls this behavior "pathetic."
Cast
Starring
- Raven-Symoné as Raven Baxter
- Orlando Brown as Eddie Thomas
- Kyle Massey as Cory Baxter
- Anneliese van der Pol as Chelsea Daniels (absent)
- T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh as Tanya Baxter
- Rondell Sheridan as Victor Baxter
Guest Starring
- Wesley Mann as Mr. Lawler
- Amy Hill as Mrs. Depaulo
- Joshua Harto as Ben Sturky
- Christel Khalil as Crystal
- Shane Lyons as Kenny Brookwell
- Marcy Goldman as Mother
- Joseff Stvenson as Student #1
Trivia
- When Crystal is wiping the mustard off Eddie, you can tell she wiped in the middle of his chin on purpose, because the mustard stain is on the side of his chin.
See Also
