The following article is based on a subject that has no agreed upon name; the current title is merely a placeholder and is subject to change. DO NOT HESITATE TO ADD THE PROPER NAME IF AVAILABLE.
Ricky first appeared at the beginning of the comic's main story in episode 18 after crashing through a guardrail while texting Spencer, resulting in him falling into the sea. His last message to his friend before the accident was "omw", as "on my way". Ricky is later rescued by a mermaid named Tidy, who had pulled him back to a shore. They would later develop a friendship which steadily grew as he began helping her and seeing her plight.
Ricky shows a photo of Spencer to Tidy.
The younger boy would later introduce Spencer to Tidy showing her a liked post of him on his phone, as Ricky scratches his nose, blushing amorously. The mermaid suddenly dives back underwater to get a package of hamburger, showing it to him. The boy looked at it in confusion, and is shocked to see something shiny in it between the dirt. However it turned out to be a stay-on tab. He gives her an awkward thumbs up in order not to disappoint her (since she excitedly thought she had helped on his progress), but what he does not notice is that there was in fact a ring in the now tumbled box behind him.[1]
Bringing Spencer along to show him to Tidy.
One day Ricky brings Spencer along to show him Tidy, and when he sees her, he is surprised by the fact she is a mermaid. Tidy also seemingly knows him, outright mentioning the memory of when Ricky showed her a photo of him, and then shows Spencer a handful of tabs (hearts popping on), but Ricky intervenes to plunge her in the sea, looking at his friend in embarrassment while the brunette-haired boy looks in confusion at the scene. Tidy would then put one of the tabs on Spencer's finger, doing a thumb-up to Ricky, who was covering his face with his wrists once again, flushed. Spencer doesn't get the meaning of it.[2] At the background, Ricky can be seen panicking possibly due to the events ensued priorly, while Spencer takes off a large string of waste from Tidy's hair, dumbfounded after removing all of it.[3]
Spencer would later join the duo of friends and often hang out with them, also having to deal, alongside Ricky, Tidy bringing trash out of the ocean due to the pollution underwater, but in most part it's a memorable experience for the two human friends and the mermaid.
In a short extra, noticing his hair has gone in most part black after accidentally washing with black shampoo, Spencer is into thought trying to figure out what to do. He adds more black shampoo on his hair to the same color as Ricky's and also disguises as him, and when this latter finds Spencer, they both look and point at each other (like the Spiderman meme) until Ricky washes out the shampoo while Spencer only laughs moving his arms rapidly on the sides, enjoying it.[4]
Ricky falls on top of Spencer...
One day, the two of them plan to place a seagull nest on its respective place: a high spot. However, despite knowing this, Spencer and Ricky weren't enough people, so they had to rely on Tidy's trash found underwater, in order to reach it. Spencer had to still carry Ricky on his shoulders as he stood up on them, both startled at the fact they were standing on an unstable pile of furnishings. In the end, though, they managed to return the nest safely.[5]
...and accidentally kiss due to the force and speed which the seagull nest fell.
However, Ricky's jacket is hooked with a fishing rod, and in his attempt to take it off, he makes the two fall on the sand, positioned above his friend while placing his hands on Spencer's sides in order not to crush him, looking at him in awkwardness while Spencer is paralyzed and staring back. To finish off, the nest once again falls but this time over Ricky's head, and due to the speed and force which the nest fell with, it prompted his face and Spencer's meet and end up kissing by accident. Tidy spectates the moment as she holds some tomatoes between her fingers to the level of their now red faces, contrasting their color with the vegetables'.[6]
In the afternoon, they're still flustered about the events happened earlier, but they're currently making the seagull a new home with a car wheel and plan to place a small hand-made wooden pergola, but Tidy had gone ahead with a larger shielding. Ricky is seen frustrated as his work it's placed at the top of Tidy's, having done it for nothing, and Spencer only places a calming hand on his arm. They seemingly have forgotten about the kiss.[7]
Ricky's in-love face looking one of Spencer's magic tricks.
The mermaid wants to help her merman friend taking off a pipe clamp, so when she once views how Spencer performs a magic trick, Tidy goes to him again in order to find out a way to remove the choker from her friend's neck. Obviously, Spencer doesn't really know what she meant, since she couldn't talk, and had to use instead a merman doll as an example. However, Ricky takes Spencer's place and practically "decapitates" it and easily takes the shutter off, making Spencer giggle. They end up chatting about magic, Ricky bragging about his skill in magic tricks while Spencer laughs, without noticing a traumatized Tidy near the shore.[8] Later, Tidy would pull Spencer underwater, with Ricky trying to reach him in horror. When they arrive, Tidy shows him what she was trying to explain about, but she is unaware that Spencer couldn't see at all, only blurriness.
Spencer tries to gesture what he saw underwater.
At the surface, a worried Ricky is confused about Spencer's narration of having met a "monster" undersea (having been placed Ricky's jacket on his shoulders), trying to gesture the possible form with his hand, although in reality it was the blurry shape of Tidy and her friend. The mermaid pulls her hair from the sides in frustration.[9] Ricky would harshly lecture Tidy due to her having pulled Spencer without warning at the ocean, plus that he could have caught a cold. He would turn to Spencer to scold him about the mermaid's actions, and how he had tagged along, the latter trying to calm him down.
Embarrassed Ricky unable to look at his left side.
Tidy arrives to the surface again with a pair of pipes and a string, which would be used as a clothes hanger. The three of them sit on the shore looking at the hanging wet wearings, Ricky's jacket hung near Spencer's clothings, the taller boy half-naked while resting his arms on his knees as Ricky embraces his own legs in embarrassment unable to look at Spencer.[10]
The moment had already arrived for Tidy's friend to show up to Ricky and Spencer, having set a "trap" in order to bring him to the surface. They are surprised to see another familiar of Tidy, but are terrified by his scary smile (showing his sharp teeth).[11] Tidy would make her friend familiar to the two guys, patting Spencer's friend as an example, inviting him to do the same.
Head-patted by the trashboy.
He gains confidence and head pats the two of the boys. Though, he would offer and force some cigs in Ricky's mouth and present some to Spencer after having become friendly with them, the brunette declining his offer in nervousness.[12] They finally notice the choker on the merman's neck, and Spencer began to show him some magic tricks, Ricky being his assistant, and applies the trick on the shutter, succesfully taking it off as Ricky claps in joy. They are moved by the merman's tears in relief, and join in a group hug with Tidy too.[13]
Tidy takes out a photo of Spencer inside Ricky's pack of cigarettes.
After Tidy saved Ricky's belongings from falling in the sea, Spencer notices a pack of cigarettes between his things, and asks Ricky about him still sticking with his bad habits, but he shrugs in false ignorance. Tidy snatches the box, but when she opens it, she takes off a photo of Spencer (and another one of Tidy, but it's smaller, with a note behind it which can be interpreted as "do it for them"), and a flustered Ricky angrily snatches the package back, running away from the scene, leaving the three behind. However he trips and falls in his hurried departure.[14]
Spencer would be temporarily absent as he's seen recovering from a fever, so instead Ricky spends most of the time with Tidy.
A worried and angry Spencer carrying a passed out Ricky.
When he's totally recovered, Spencer is looking for Ricky in worriness at the usual place, and when he notices him from the distance he's momentarily relieved but a second later is horrified at him having passed out due to, apparently, an excessive alcohol intake, and angrily sermons him, carrying him by his arm on his shoulders while scolding him despite he was unconscious, lecturing about the harms of alcohol on his health. However, the real reason of his fainting was due to inhaling plastic fumes on accident, resulting to be toxic, which was fortuitously caused by Tidy who was trying to heat Ricky's sandwich impaled on a branch still inside a plastic envelope.[15]
Ricky adds a band-aid on Spencer's finger, as Tidy watches.
As they're hanging out in the sea, Spencer notices a glass bottle floating near him, and tries to grab it, injuring his finger in the act since it turns out to be a broken container. Ricky notices it and hurriedly reaches him in concern. He takes off some bandages from his pockets, some falling on the act, offering them to Spencer, whom stretches out his finger while smiling, allowing him to apply some band-aids on the wound. Tidy watches the scene in astonishment.[16]
During the time when Tidy disappears, Spencer and Ricky used to leave a plate of tomatoes on the shore waiting for them being received by the mermaid. However, one day they notice the bridge was destroyed and the plate of tomatoes and vegetables was floating on the water, the note also teared off to pieces, and are shocked by this. While Ricky is very angered by it, to the point it affected his attitude and ended up doing nothing about it, Spencer, on the other hand, had been working in some temporal jobs to earn money and thus, in the end, buy more boards for the dock, showing his efforts to a downed Ricky, both smiling.[17] On their progress in building the place, Ricky began to wail much to Spencer's unawareness as he sees Tidy back again greeting him.
Spencer barely manages to stop Ricky from falling into the ocean.
Without thinking twice Ricky jumps to hug her while Spencer is also happy to see her back; however, the younger boy falls in the ocean and Spencer barely manages to save him by pulling his leg.[18] Tidy brings and shows a salad spinner to Ricky when he tries to dry his jacket by aggressively spinning it in circles, Spencer awkwardly smiling trying not to get wet. They see it actually worked, and are relieved while Spencer shows a thumb-up.[19] Spencer and Ricky are almost finishing the bridge, and the two had to leave to bring a saw to make holes for the pillars. Tidy brings the board underwater and makes her father, the King, break through the marked point where they would do the cavity. The two arrive at morning to look in surprise how the board was placed, although the gap was irregularly done.[20]
Buying screws.
Ricky and Spencer leave the shore to get some screws and other tools to ensure its stability, but at night are greeted with a small trace of blood and a teeth on a board, looking in bewildereness.[21] In the afternoon, Ricky holds the teeth while the two try to figure out where it came from, leaving the dock once again without supervision. When they arrive the day after, they see it was destroyed once more and spray paint was scattered around, smoke rising from the burnt boards.[22] Tidy and Neat notice some waste like a lighter and empty gas tanks plus spray paints, and pick them up from the sea, furthermore going back to surface, but Spencer and Ricky look at them in suspicion. They're later lectured by the boys about these things being flammable.[23] Tidy and Neat collaborate acting as an alive chain of passing the boards to each other, starting with Tidy up to Neat. Ricky entrusts Spencer on accident too many broken boards, to the point they overweighed his arms. Ricky is confused to see him carrying a load of boards, and both see that Neat was busy organizing them correctly, from bigger/larger and thicker to shorter/smaller and thinner.[24]
The quartet of friends sitting without knowing what to do with the dock.
Sitting down on the sand they're reflexing about buying more boards, but they were expensive. So Tidy goes once again underwater and manages to bring wooden boards as a replacement. However, Spencer notices these weren't normal ones, rather ones from a boat (having seen some white letters on a plank), and angrily yells at Tidy to put them back from where those belonged, her reluctantly agreeing by trying to rebuild a fisherman's boat.[25] To see their progress to gain money for repairing the dock, go to the Moments' section starting from episode 130 onwards.
Ricky and Spencer's blueprint.
After a lot of work, Ricky and Spencer manage to reach the profit goal to repair the dock, and they're individually discussing on the designs, Neat and Tidy involved too. After reaching an agreement, Ricky and Spencer head to a wood carpentry to show the workers their blueprint; however, they go into a shock when they see that the dock included fictional drafts, and upon seeing the kids' excited faces, the workers agreed, with Spencer and Ricky inmediately leaving as they thanked them with gestures. At the end of the episode, the workers, who turned out to be a couple, had pinned Spencer and Ricky's artwork on a cork board, which had different drawings of their kids.[26] In the next chapter, they manage to have the dock rebuilt again, but into a normal one instead of the one they had initially drawn in the blueprint, being the only minimal change a 'Ricky's Realm' flag placed at the end of the dock and a recycling bin on the other side. The two boys celebrate alongside Tidy and Neat during the sunset, and wrap their arms onto everyone's shoulders like a chain, Ricky and Spencer placing theirs on each other.[27]
Moments[]
Ricky shows Spencer his "face trashing tune" compilation.
Spencer is led to the discovery that Tidy cannot speak, yet she could sing. Upon chanting a melody, it captivates Spencer while Ricky squats next to him, phone on hand. Her face is suddenly trashed with a plastic bag by the wind in the middle of the tune, interrupting the moment. Ricky shows Spencer a compilation of face-trashing tune, meaning it wasn't the first time that happened, and being the reason he was recording.[28]
Spencer introduces Ricky and himself to Tidy with a notebook, their names written on it while pointing at the respective owner of them.[29]
Ricky pounces on Tidy from cutting Spencer's cast with some scissors.[30]
Ricky sits next to Spencer on the shore as the latter relates how he broke his arm to Tidy.[31]
Having unsuccessfully cut all of the tangles on Tidy's hair, plus going depressed, Ricky and Spencer dye their hair so the mermaid wouldn't feel out.[32]
Both have fun disposing the litter of the sand on a trashbin.[33]
They fix Tidy's hair with beauty tools via an online tutorial, and are happy with the result once finished at night. However they're horrified and run to Tidy when they visit her the next day and find that she's dried out because of air exposure during all night till morning, due to the amazement of having a new hairstyle.[34]
Ricky looks in relief at Spencer when he shows off his healed arm, being able to now move it correctly, demonstrating it to Tidy.[35]
They're depicted in the extra Back to School collab, teaching Tidy about "going back to school" while showing her illustrative books.[36]
Ricky smugly smiles at Spencer when he reaches him and slightly blushes at Spencer after taking a photo of Tidy stuck with a seagull's nest on her face, furthermore tangled with a cord.[37]
They're initially against the idea to wear plastic bags as Tidy's petition, but they finally relent and use them after they have been moved with Tidy's pleading eyes, the three now wearing matching tops.[38]
Ricky and Spencer buy a gift for Tidy, and when it's given to her, she mistakes the cardboard bag being the present instead of the content inside, and Ricky snaps showing her a Little Mermaid top while Spencer stops him from getting aggressively closer to the mermaid. A moment later they're received with an unpleasant surprise gift by Tidy: a crab and a fish (similar to the original tale's characters: Sebastian and Flounder), and could barely look at her because the crustacean was stretching her eyelid, Tidy not minding at all.[39]
They stay up in the night to show Tidy the Little Mermaid movie as their offer.[40]
Perplexed Ricky and Spencer holding a tablet about to play the Little Mermaid 2 movie upon seeing Tidy's messed appearance after having fought with a "kraken" (a pile of trash) who mistakenly thought of Ursula.[41]
Spencer and Ricky are curious about Tidy's familiars, the former asking about them, so then she brings plastic cups of Starbucks from underwarter due to their mermaid logo, possibly having misinterpreted of what Spencer meant, leaving both puzzled although Ricky seemed annoyed.[42]
They show off their own custom shirt designs made from an eco-friendly page after finding out that more than 10 million tons of clothes are thrown away per year, and also after Ricky also wondered on reusable clothes and suggesting a mermaid stamp on it (being reminded of Tidy).[43]
Having brought lunch for themselves and tomatoes for Tidy.[44]
Their faces are covered in tomato after Tidy had crushed them with her bare fists.[45]
Spencer laying down next to Spencer's sand castle, resting, in one of the scenes from the music video "Just Wonderin' (The Little Trashmaid)".[46]
A lovestruck Ricky applauding at one of Spencer's magic tricks, but however are freaked off by Tidy's attempt to repeat it.[47]
As Spencer shows another of his magic tricks to Tidy, at the background Ricky is seen picking up a manual of "Magic for Dummies".[48]
Ricky giggles at Spencer's hair being patted by Tidy, who was inviting her merman friend to do the same. Their heads are palmed by the merman, having gained trust towards them.[49]
The merman sends a gift to Ricky and Spencer on the shore, which are souvenirs (mostly tomato-related) wrapped in a plastic bag, and they're surprised to see it there.[50]
The photo in question.
In one of the panels it's shown on a wall from Spencer's house a photo of him and Ricky.
Ricky taking a selfie of him, Spencer and the merman. However this latter is ashamed of his neck marks, the two friends noticing and worrying about his problem, and a panel later they're shown wearing neck accessories (Spencer a tie, Ricky a bandana scarf and the trashboy, a bowtie), being taken another photo by Tidy (however she doesn't know how to use a cellphone, and doesn't focus it on them but her hair).[51]
Ricky and Spencer are afraid to see the former's phone almost touching water when Tidy is using it.[52]
For New Years, Ricky sets off a firework with the help of a glass bottle brought by Spencer to conmemorate the festivity, making their respective wishes (Tidy included).[53]
On a snowy afternoon, the two boys make a snow figure of Tidy, and when she sees it in surprise, she does the same but with their shapes. The next day the guys brought more items to complete their work and notice their respective snowmen next to Tidy's. But those weren't actually made of snow, but with waste which was covered in snow.[54]
Ricky and Spencer notice the carrots forming Tidy and the trashboy's noses were gone, being eaten by the two sirens.[55]
Just as with Tidy, Ricky and Spencer introduce themselves with a notebook to her new friend, whom would form his name with some letter tiles as "Neptaan", which Ricky would then rearrange it to "Neat" as his nickname, along with "and Tidy".[56]
The two notice a load of trash with what appears to be a fin sticking out, and both, in fear, think it was Tidy trapped under it and hurriedly begin to clear the waste in order to help "her". Much to their "surprise", she's actually crawling behind them in the sand wrapped with some ropes alongside Neat.[57]
They show their respective scars to Neat after his bowtie was accidentally cut by Tidy, her included, so he wouldn't feel out and instead feeling acceptance. The four then take a group selfie showing their marks.[58]
After having an argument with his family, Ricky packs up his things and looks for Spencer at his house, but is instead received by his mother who tells him that her son is sick, so he couldn't stay at his home for sleepover.[59]
Unable to find Tidy.
During "Sorrow", Ricky and Spencer look for Tidy since she was nowhere to be found at their usual place after the other mermaids had taken revenge on the humans for the pollution in the seas which caused Tidy's dad, the King, lose his tail due to it being tangled in strings that couldn't been removed on time for saving it, leaving in disappointment as Spencer places his hand on Ricky's arm as to comfort him. It's revealed at the end of the episode they left a plate of tomatoes with a note saying "For Tidy".[60]
In "Foreign flavor (part 2)", another plate with more tomatoes is placed on the shore by them, with another note saying "We miss you, Tidy :(".[61]
Ricky and Spencer clean the shore after it has been "re-built" with trash by Tidy, keeping it in plastic bags and taking them away.[62]
On chapter 130, they stop by a dejected Neat and the two friends decide to stay with him while Spencer offers him an apple. The two boys panic and try to console the merman when he loses a fang after trying to take a bite of the fruit. A panel later, Ricky uses it to brag it off as a necklace to his amazed classmates falsely claiming to have belonged to a shark.[63]
Spencer angrily glares at Ricky after he offers another apple to Neat (upon discovering he could gain profit by selling his teeth).[64]
Noticing Ricky maliciously attempting to lure Neat into eating another apple, Spencer scolds him by yelling him that the mermain would lose another fang and cry. Ricky nervously explains his true intentions: gaining enough money to repair the shore. Unable to refute his logic, in the end Spencer had reluctantly agreed to his idea, as a delighted Ricky could be seen with a wad of bills in hand and Neat happily eating an applesauce (in the background, the taller boy facepalms in apparent regret).[65]
Following up on the profit-making plan, Spencer holds a large wood board while Ricky vigorously traces the current amount of money obtained with a chalk on it (nearly enough to rebuild the dock) to demonstrate to Tidy their progress. Of course, it also implied that more "shark" teeth were required in order to gain more money.[66]
When Tidy attempts to help one of "The Flare" members to get a teeth treatment by going to the surface to meet Ricky and Spencer, the boys are seen happily chatting, Spencer laughing at something that Ricky told him.[67]
Following the incident, Tidy asks the two boys for help in dealing with this problem in some way, and Spencer shares a look with Ricky as he held the savings box for the dock funds, while the other stared back in annoyance, knowing what it entailed. In the end he ends up agreeing and together they go to buy supplements for the other merman while Ricky, with what seems a miserable groan, erases some of the major progress from the budget they had for the reconstruction.[68]
The merman repays the favor to Ricky and Spencer by rebuilding the dock with plastic bottles. They were initially amazed at first sight, but upon taking a closer look to it, the two boys are confused at the result.[69]
Bringing the bottles to sell them.
Taking a look at one of the plastic bottles, Spencer has an idea, apparently explaining it to a confused Ricky. The two of them are seen going to a recycling stall carrying tons of bottles due to having dismantled the dock. Thanks to their recycling, they managed to sell everything and raise money, and, pleased with the outcome, the plan is once again followed when they put Tidy and Neat in charge of collecting bottles underwater to clean the ocean and to make profit at the same time.[70]
In the episode cover, it's seen a joyful Spencer sharing glances with a grumpy Ricky.
The next part Spencer's smile widens.
The following episode both are smiling.
In 'Garbage disposal', Spencer and Ricky dispose trash in the new bin of the dock, at different times.[71]
In 'Bubblegum', the boys are seen spending time together alongside Tidy and Neat in the shore, with Spencer chewing a gum as he looks at Ricky. When Neat notices that the taller boy might to float in the air by blowing enough bubblegum to form a balloon, he decides to pop it, causing the product to cover Spencer's face and a distraught Ricky to stare at the two.[72]
The next chapter is related to the previous one. Spencer is seen glancing at Ricky while chewing gum, and they both attempt to blow bubbles but fail. Tidy decides to provide a proper demonstration, but the two boys are concerned because she blew a latex bag and actually worked out.[73]
In 'Balloon part 2', both spectate in confusion at the two unconscious marine friends floating on the water. Ricky then pokes Tidy's body with a branch, much to Spencer's chagrin, and this worsens when Ricky whispers him about flushing Tidy down the toilet, getting pushed by a furious Spencer to the sand.[74]
Spencer comforts Ricky.
In "Out for adventures", Ricky and Spencer are shown sitting on the shore, with the latter fishing with a tomato bait while looking in worry a decayed Ricky who inquires about Tidy's whereabouts. Spencer consoles Ricky by placing a hand on his shoulder as he offers words of comfort, prompting him to flush. To cheer Ricky up, Spencer narrates the possibility of Tidy having breathtaking underwater adventures, which effectively calms Ricky down and they chill together while watching the sunset.[75]
Spencer and Ricky eating popsicles at the shore.
In "Painful lesson part 2", Ricky and Spencer are seen eating popsicles together on the shore, with their hands close enough to almost touch each other's. Suddenly, Ricky notices something unusual at the sea and grimaces in response. He tries to get Spencer's attention, but Spencer is still distracted. Ricky takes Spencer's popsicle and uses it to hand it away to the strange sight, leaving Spencer dismayed and confused. It is then revealed that Tidy is using the popsicle to apply cooling relief to some blisters that have appeared on her torso.[76]
Fanon[]
Ever since their introduction, fans have been shipping the two boys thanks to the fact Ricky has a canonical crush on Spencer (who in turn seemingly harvors too) and this being shown throughout the chapters released per two weeks. It has a lot of focus especially on Youtube videos and Tik Toks. The pairing is considerably supported by media like Tumblr, and the creator also is aware of its popularity, which is the ship is fueled and explored more during the series' trajectory. Having also a canon supporter, Tidy, the main protagonist, is what excited people since they could reflect themselves on her as in supporting in any way their relationship, often involving the two of them in Ship Tease.
There are currently only 4 fan fictions available on AO3 for the ship and the fandom.
Their birthdays are only 4 months apart, on March and September 6th respectively, Spencer being older than Ricky.
Spencer is a much more calm friend when compared to Ricky, shown to be patient around Tidy and stopping Ricky from becoming too aggressive at times towards her or others.
Ricky and Spencer have pets, a cat and a dog respectively.
He was initially designed to be very tall, but eventually became shorter to fit into the comic panels with Ricky.
“I was worried [Spencer] would be too boring, but he is a good addition to Tidy's and Ricky's personalities.”
— s0s2.
Ricky and Spencer's favorite meals are homemade tarte flambée (or Flammekueche) and spaghetti respectively.
The original creator acknowledges the ship, answering a fan's question (2 years ago) if their relationship would be explored more throughout the series, his reply being: "There will be more of the two eventually. Since the main focus of the comic is the environmental pollution any kind of relationship comes secondary. That’s why it takes a bit longer to further establish anything in that matter. But stay tuned~".[77] Not to mention he kept his word with the often moments between the two guys in recent chapters.
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