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VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu WRITTEN BY: Spencer Sher
For this list, we'll be breaking down the craziest theories put forth by fans throughout “SpongeBob SquarePants'” decade plus run.
Even the most beloved children’s cartoons aren’t immune to intense Internet speculation. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 SpongeBob SquarePants Fan Theories.
For this list, we’ll be breaking down the craziest theories put forth by fans throughout “SpongeBob SquarePants’” decade plus run.
#10: It’s All About Drugs
This theory has been making the rounds on a handful of websites for years; and for good reason. The theory supposes that SpongeBob, with his vast imagination and wild emotional swings, is on schrooms, or some other form of hallucinogenic; Squidward, constantly moody and deceptive to the bone, is on heroin; Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff, with their edgy, paranoid personalities, are taking cocaine; and Patrick, a laidback optimist who’s constantly hungry, is obviously smoking the reefer. All in all, this theory appears pretty solid. Then again, you could probably slap the same generic personality traits on the characters of any cartoon and say they’re on drugs. So, we’re not exactly sold.
#9: One Episode Was a Metaphor for Sex
One of the best parts about re-watching a childhood show is realizing just how many of the jokes were aimed at adults, not kids. With that being said, if this theory is to be believed, we feel bad for anyone who recently re-watched the season one episode “Karate Choppers.” In the episode, SpongeBob and Sandy become obsessed with doing karate together. They do it at home, they do it in public, and they even do it over the phone. See where we’re going with this? The theory postulates that karate is simply a metaphor for sex and that SpongeBob and Sandy are basically doing the dirty the entire episode. Let’s hope this one isn’t true…
#8: The Characters Are Stand-Ins for Marxist Philosophies
According to one Reddit user, “SpongeBob SquarePants” is really all about Marxism, an ideology propagated by philosopher Karl Marx in the 19th century and that sparked the rise of communism in the ensuing years. Well, that and how capitalism totally sucks. Mr. Krabs, a greedy business owner who exploits his workers, is bourgeoisie to a tee; Squidward is the union man, galvanizing the workers to go on strike; and SpongeBob is your everyday working man, following in the boss’ footsteps and hoping to one day take over his position. Whether or not any kids have picked up on this remains to be seen.
#7: Squidward’s Penis Is on His Face
“SpongeBob” would not be “SpongeBob” without Squidward. The show’s resident curmudgeon, he basically sucks the fun out of everything by being a total dickhe*d; and according to one Redditor it might be because his penis is literally on his face. Creator Stephen Hillenburg has stated that despite his name, Squidward is actually an octopus; and an octopus’ reproductive organs are actually near their heads. Others have even suggested that the reason old Squidy doesn’t wear pants is because he’s got nothing to hide down there. Because, you know, his penis is on his face. Sorry, we just like saying that.
#6: SpongeBob Is a Prodigy
Anyone who’s watched the show and/or the movies knows that SpongeBob is special. In various episodes, he can be seen mastering a variety of complex skills that range from sculpting to the development of a series of intricate bubble blowing techniques. Well, according to one Reddit user, it’s because SpongeBob SquarePants “is arguably the most gifted, yet underachieving, creature shown on TV." Their reasoning for this bold claim is that Bikini Bottom’s resident sponge can pick up just about any skill on the fly, master it and go on to produce something extraordinary with it. At worst, SpongeBob is extremely lucky and at best, he’s a freaking god.
#5: SpongeBob Died or Got Amnesia in Season 3
Between Seasons 3 and 4, SpongeBob went from being a clever, albeit slightly inexperienced creature, to a bumbling doofus who constantly makes irrational and/or dumb decisions. Some have pointed to the Season 3 episode, “Squilliam Returns,” as the reason for this, claiming he suffered amnesia at the hands of Squidward. Others have put forth the theory that the character actually died in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” which came out between Seasons 3 and 4; and that because SpongeBob is asexual he simply birthed a new version of himself, aka a child. This would explain why he’s so different from Season 4 onward.
#4: Mr. Krabs Is a Cannibal
One question that has lingered over “SpongeBob SquarePants” since the very beginning is what Krabby Patties are made of. Well, one fan theory suggests that it’s crabs, which by default would make Mr. Krabs a cannibal. The theory postulates that the reason Mr. Krabs and his mother are pretty much the only crabs viewers ever see is because he’s using the rest of them to feed his customers. Yikes! If that wasn’t bad enough, another theory suggests that Krabby Patties are actually made from Pearl’s mother! And that once Mr. Krabs has used up all of her meat, he’ll kill Pearl and begin serving her to the residents of Bikini Bottom. Disturbed yet?
#3: All the Characters Names Refer to Female Genitalia
Once you start to break down this theory, put forth by Cracked.com, it actually starts to sound pretty legit. First off, the show is set in Bikini Bottom, nuff said. Second, the lead character is a sponge, and what do sponges do? They soak things up… like a tampon. Then there’s Patrick the starfish, which is another way of referring to someone’s butthole. We can’t forget Mr. Krabs, whose name is slang for a sexually transmitted disease found in pubic hair. Finally, there’s Sandy Cheeks. You know, like what happens to a Bikini Bottom? Convinced?
#2: The Main Characters Personify the Seven Deadly Sins
This theory supposes that many of the characters on “SpongeBob SquarePants” are actually personifications of the seven deadly sins. Squidward, Patrick, and Mr. Krabs are clearly wrath, sloth, and greed respectively. Sandy is pride – always getting high on her own gains - and Plankton is envy thanks to his bitterness towards Mr. Krabs and his thriving restaurant business. Meanwhile, both Gary the Snail and Mrs. Puff are total gluttons and SpongeBob and Pearl are both filled with lust, one for life, the other for boys! Whether it was intentional or not, this theory is certainly an interesting one!
#1: Bikini Bottom Is the Result of Nuclear Testing
Bikini Bottom is situated beneath the infamous real-life location of Bikini Atoll, which was used by the United States as a nuclear test site in the 1940s and 50s. As such, there are those that theorize SpongeBob and his friends are the way they are because of the high levels of radiation in their city, using it as an explanation for why they can talk and why they act so strange! Pretty much everyone has shot down this theory, from creator Stephen Hillenburg to the voice of SpongeBob himself, Tom Kenny. But despite its constant rebuking, the theory continues to persist, thanks in part to how sensible it seems!
