Jerktonium is a toxic chemical-filled element featured in both the SpongeBob SquarePants season 8 episode "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" and the 2012 videogame It's a SpongeBob Christmas!.
History
Plankton discovered the material and planned to use it on people in Bikini Bottom to make himself look good compared to them. His first victim to use it against was SpongeBob SquarePants. He made Spongebob try it but it never worked on him making Plankton discard the machine. Shortly after that SpongeBob (unknowingly) gives fruitcakes contaminated with Jerktonium to everybody in Bikini Bottom after obtaining the machine from Plankton.
Seeing that the Jerktonium worked on other people in Bikini Bottom except SpongeBob, Plankton constructed his ToyBob to wreck havoc in Bikini Bottom which ruined SpongeBob's reputation.
Later SpongeBob realizes that people in Bikini Bottom were acting like jerks so he decided to ask Sandy Cheeks for help. After getting help, SpongeBob sings the song "Don't be a Jerk" to cure everyone, as they join in. When Santa arrived around the Krusty Krab, he prepares to give everyone (except Plankton) coal and he not only gives Plankton the Secret Formula from Mr. Krabs.
Shortly after, ToyBob arrives to wreck havoc, but SpongeBob defeats him with the fruity cake machine in time to save Bikini Bottom causing Plankton's plan to get the Secret Formula to fail due to Santa looking at the remains of the ToyBob (stating that it is the property of the Chum Bucket). After that Plankton is put back in the Naughty list, and everyone gets a present while Plankton surrenders the formula and gets a bag of coal.
Powers and Abilities
Jerkonium in a glass cannister.
It can make people act mean and change them into jerks. They also gain big black bushy eyebrows, black baggy eyes and five o'clock shadow.
Weakness
It cannot infect pure-hearted persons, even those with small brains like SpongeBob, due to his complete kind nature and big gullibility. The antidote for it is the song "Don't Be a Jerk (It's Christmas)".
Trivia
- In real life, there are no elements with a "J" on the periodic table.
- Even though Plankton is said to have discovered Jerktonium, Sandy possesses knowledge of it as well.
- It does not affect those who are pure of heart, as seen with SpongeBob. However, it is unknown what effect it has on those who are already cruel as Squidward did not seem affected.