"Friend-Off" is the second segment of the ninth episode of the first season of The Ghost and Molly McGee, and the eighteenth episode overall.
Synopsis
When Libby and Scratch struggle to be friends with each other, Molly sends them on a scavenger hunt in an attempt to force their friendship.
Plot
Immediately after waking up from fainting, Libby is trying to process Scratch's appearance; finally confirming her belief in ghosts. Molly is excited as she now believes that this means that the two of them can be friends with her. However, Scratch openly states his distaste for some of Libby's habits and mannerisms and Libby already finds Scratch is rude and annoying. They tell Molly that just because they know each other, it does not mean that they will be able to get along. Molly thinks otherwise and sets up a game by inviting the two of them to the softball field for a surprise. Libby and Scratch reluctantly go along with it, just so they can make her happy.
Scratch and Libby begin to find clues, many of which are supremely obvious, and acknowledge that Molly is watching them in terrible hiding places. They head to the ice cream parlor before going to the theater at the school. At this point, Libby comes to the realization that Scratch has been with Molly the whole time and thus knows everything about her. Infuriated, they begin to argue with each other over being Molly's best friend and bring up past adventures where each of them either helped Molly or did something heroic for her. They soon turn their game into a competition to see who Molly's real best friend is, and they fight and fight, but they get so tired eventually, but they fight again.
While out in a turnip field, things gets worse when Molly witnesses the two arguing and realizes her game is a disaster.
Libby and Scratch accidentally cause a chain reaction that results in Molly accidentally ending up in a compost machine. As Libby prepares to leave angrily, Scratch is called to Molly and cannot pull her out of the machine; forcing him to go and get Libby and convince her to help him. Now with Molly's life on the line, Scratch uses his powers to hold Molly from getting sliced while Libby uses her intellect to open up the compost machine and free her. Molly is happy to finally see her two friends getting along with each other, but soon they begin to mock some of Molly's habits.
The three best friends.
She chases after her two best friends who took a selfie together.
Cast
Main article: Scratch the Surface and Friend-Off/Credits
- Ashly Burch as Molly McGee, Ice Cream Lady
- Dana Snyder as Scratch
- Lara Jill Miller as Libby Stein-Torres
Mentions
Songs
Titles in other languages
| Language | Title | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Spanish (Latin America)
|
Fuego amigo | Fire Friend | |
 Spanish
|
Duelo de amigos | Duel of friends | |
 Japanese
|
スクラッチ対リビー | Scratch vs Libby |
Trivia
- Morals:
- You can't force friendship; it's best to let it grow naturally.
- Put your differences aside and work together.
- It is possible for someone to have multiple best friends.
- The title card features Libby instead of Molly. This is the first episode not to feature Molly in the title card, making Scratch the only character to appear in every single title card, not counting Molly's face visible on the clue card in the middle.
- This episode reveals that Scratch can appear in a photo even while he's invisible, but while he's invisible he appears as a glowing blur. This is no doubt based on actual ghost/spirit photography that's been happening since the 19th century, in which a blurry image of another person... more often than not, a dead one... intermingles with the solid image of other people. Some of the ghost images in them are usually glowing orbs, though whether or not these ghost photos are genuine had been up for debate.
- Instrumentals of "The Ballad of Ezekiel Tugbottom", "Abraham Lincoln", "Who's Got the Goods?", and "Orange Dreams" are used as background music in the scenes referencing their respective episodes.
- This episode (so far) holds the record for having the smallest voice cast in the entire series, with only three voice actors.
Revelation and significant events
- This episode references the events of "Howlin' Harriet", "The (Un)natural", "The Greatest Concert Ever", "Not So Honest Abe", "Mazel Tov, Libby!", "Monumental Disaster", and "Talent Show".
- Scratch just told Libby that she has a terrible singing voice.
- Libby reveals that she had a sleepover with Andrea in 3rd grade, which she drinks too much water in bed which led to peeing.
Continuity
- This episode continues right after the previous episode.