Tonsil Trouble

"Tonsil Trouble" is the first episode of the 12th season of South Park. It originally aired on March 12, 2008 in the US and March 28, 2008 in Canada.

Synopsis
Cartman is diagnosed with HIV AIDS. When the support Cartman is counting on falls short, he has to take matters into his own hands.

Plot
While having his tonsils out, the doctors at Hell's Pass Hospital conduct a one in a billion fluke and accidentally give him blood infected with HIV instead of donor's blood.

At South Park Elementary, Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Butters are warned of Cartman's disease and that they should not treat him any different. Upon discovering this, Kyle finds the irony of it hilarious, to the anger of Cartman.

Deciding to get revenge, Cartman, (assisted by Butters) breaks into Kyle's house with a seringe of his HIV infected blood, and squirts it into Kyle's mouth, who consumes it.

Upon taking a trip to Hell's Pass Hospital, Dr. Doctor informs Kyle and his mother that he has HIV. Realising it is Cartman he attacks him at school and engages in a fight, but it is broken up by Mr. Mackey. Principal Victoria makes Cartman apologise for giving Kyle HIV and then asks Kyle to apologise for being a "tattle-tale". Leaving the Principal's office, Cartman believes they are even now, but Kyle does not agree and races to Cartman's house where he destroys Cartman's toys and pulls Clyde Frog's head off. He is then about to break Cartman's Xbox but Cartman convinces him to stop, telling him he knowns how he can cure the virus. Intrigued yet still angered, Kyle agrees to listen to what Cartman has to say. He says that they should ask Magic Johnson as he has had AIDs for "50 years".

Visiting Magic Johnson, it soon comes to them that money is the cure for HIV. Money repels the virus as Magic has slept with his money for years, not trusting any banks.

Cartman and Kyle are cured by having vast ammounts of money injected into their bloodstream. They are congratulated for it, but Kyle decides he is still going to break Cartman's Xbox.

Trivia

 * This episode features a new opening sequence. It begins with the camera zooming out of Stan's eye as the characters fall into place like in the original version. Then various clips from past episodes are played out like in the Season 6 - 11 opening. As the boys sing their lines they move about across the screen while minimized clips are played out mirrored. The crowd scene is also redesigned and includes future atheists, the Lollipop King and Jesse Jackson amongst others.
 * Cartman acknowledges how he has broken into Kyle's house many times before.
 * Cartman's Xbox was previously seen in "Tsst".
 * Cartman's Philadelphia Baseball Cap and Scarf worn during the majority of the episode is a reference to the movie Philadelphia in which Tom Hanks plays a man infected with AIDS.