As a kid, watching cartoon characters on television was the most amazing time ever spent. Watching Bugs Bunny outsmarting Elmer Fudd and Power Puff Girls saving the day before bedtime always brought smiles to the faces of millions of children worldwide. Over time, it turns out that conspiracy theories are not only limited to World Wars and assassinations but their hands have very well grasped even the most famous cartoon shows too. Have you ever come across any of the popular creepy stories behind cartoons? Get ready to ruin your childhood as the following list takes a look at some of the most bizarre cartoon conspiracy theories ever concerning the most recognizable cartoon characters of all time:
15. Scooby-Doo Takes Place in Post-Economic Depression
Ever noticed every time those meddling kids catch a monster, the unmasking never revealed a low-life crook but rather a smart respectful individual?
It is implied that the events of the original 1969 Scooby-Doo show Scooby-Doo! Where Are You? Takes place in a post-economic depression world where prolific authority figures decided to steal valuables by scaring people away.
Apart from the revelation of museum curators, scientists, doctors, professors, and actors as the men behind the masks, the presence of abandoned warehouses, buildings, and factories heavily supports the theory.
Real or not, if Scooby-Doo truly taught us one thing then it is the fact that the members of the human race are the real monsters roaming on the face of the Earth.
14. The Smurfs Are The Ku Klux Klansmen And Nazi
It is a great shame that the adorable creatures from the world of the Smurfs are even associated with the barbaric groups of the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazis but it is a great surprise how their similarities suggest that this preposterous theory makes a ton of sense and that is no exaggeration.
Considering the Smurfs as a metaphor for Nazis is highly likely because their enemy Gargamel has a big nose, loves gold, and is bald – a few of the many Jewish stereotypes. Not only that, but he owns a cat as well who has the Jewish name of Azrael.
Coming to the hypothesis of the Smurfs being members of the Ku Klux Klan, their dresses and leader Papa Smurf certainly make the theory believable.
The Smurfs wear white clothes and long hats just like the Klan but above all, both their leaders wear red clothes and long red hats. Not only that, but their comic strips have also shown that the blue creatures are antagonistic against black-colored Smurfs; another quality shared with the Klan.
13. The Jetsons And The Flintstones Live in The Same Society
Some fans have the wildest imagination. The impression of the futuristic family Jetsons and the Stone Age family Flintstones living not only in the same period but also in the very same society may be very well enough for any Hanna-Barbera fan to cause his head to spin but its possibility has a considerable amount of chances.
The title sequence of The Flintstones did suggest that they were a “modern stone-age family” but not everyone had given a thought about how modern they can truly be.
Divided into two societies, the futuristic world is a home to the modern Stone Age due to the result of countless wars while the ones lucky enough to escape the wrath made homes in space; explaining the possibility of the two families having entirely different civilizations backgrounds.
Apart from the explanation of dinosaurs, the biggest supporting aspect of the theory is the fact that all of the technological equipment present in the world that had not been available in the Stone Age civilization such as vacuum cleaners, bathroom showers, record players, cars, etc.
12. Characters From Winnie The Pooh Are on Drugs
What may seem utterly crazy to many can be incredibly possible to a few who dare to think about the possibilities. No doubt that the show Winnie the Pooh is one of the most loved cartoon characters by millions of children around the world but conspiracy theorists have deemed its characters.
Who all show symptoms of particular questionable medications – to be on drugs while titling Owl, the only normal character on the show, as their drug dealer?
Taking a closer look, it sounds plausible that Christopher Robin, whose conversations with animals can be his hallucinations, possibly takes hallucinogens, and the energetic Tigger takes ecstasy.
The joyful Gopher drinks alcohol, the sluggish Eeyore takes marijuana, the needy Rabbit takes cocaine, the fainthearted Piglet takes mushrooms and the hungry Pooh bear takes LSD.
11. Courage The Cowardly Dog Imagines His Villains
Abandoned as a pup, Courage the cowardly dog was found by Muriel who lives in the middle of Nowhere with her husband, Eustace Bagge.
At least that is what the title sequence says about the show but taking a deeper look, things cannot be what they appear in the comedic horror animated show because conspiracy theorists have suggested that Courage does not encounter the terrifying villains, monsters, and ghosts throughout the how. He imagines them.
Considering the fact Courage was still in his diapers when he was found by Muriel before being separated from his parents, it is safe to assume that his nervousness skyrocketed, and became insanely hysterical to the point of seeing normal people as monsters and frightening creatures.
It is a fact that dogs are color-blind but the same cannot be said about their imagination.
10. SpongeBob SquarePants Characters Are Based Upon 7 Deadly Sins
It is safe to assume that the popular show SpongeBob SquarePants was certainly created with the best intentions. It has made children and even adults all over the world smile due to its comedic nature as showcased by the unique and one-of-a-kind characters of the show.
If you take the comedic traits of the show’s main characters, it would be a huge surprise that each of them will be a reflection of the seven deadly sins.
Fans of the series have been wondering about it for quite a while and most believe that it might have the possibility of being true as Squidward Tentacles represents wrath, Sheldon J. Plankton represents envy, Mr. Crabs represents greed, Sandy Cheeks represents pride, Garry the Snail represents gluttony, Patrick Starfish represents Sloth while the energetic SpongeBob represents lust; a metaphor for his love for life.
9. Samurai Jack is Professor Utonium
This one theory was bound to erupt because of the striking resemblance that Samurai Jack from the show of the same name shares with Professor Utonium from the Power Puff Girls despite having separate ethnic backgrounds; the former being Japanese and the latter being American.
Before taking a look at this false yet fascinating theory, it is interesting to note that the creator of Samurai Jack Genndy Tartakovsky served as one of the directors of Power Puff Girls; not only explaining the occurrences of the few buildings of the later show in the former but also making the theory more thought-provoking.
The theory suggests that Jack was finally able to travel back to the 20th Century and defeat the shapeshifting master of darkness, Aku; reducing him back to the black fluid he once was. Curious about the watery state, Jack began to study it and named it Chemical X.
Over time, he became a renowned scientist in the city of Townsville and took the alias of Utonium. While experimenting on creating a life form – like his father accidentally created Aku and in his case, three perfect little girls – Professor Utonium mistakenly spilled Chemical X in the concoction and gave birth to the Power Puff Girls.
8. Ed, Edd n Eddy Are in Purgatory
If there is one show that knows no bounds for the laws of physics, it is Ed, Edd N Eddy. The show had it all and is one of the longest-running television series on Cartoon Network.
The show was enigmatic in its own right as it made the fans wonder many questions about the cul-de-sac such as why the show is limited to just a small amount of characters being kids, why they behave so oddly, and why they have different colors of skin and tongue?
The possible answer to those questions is that all of the characters of the show are dead and are in a state of purgatory.
That explains the peculiar behavior, and abnormal variations in shapes, skin, and tongue colors of most of the characters; each of the characters being from a different period and the Kanker Sisters being the demons of hell to torment them and their cul-de-sac being the graveyard in which they are buried.
7. Shaggy And Scooby-Doo Are Addicted to Marijuana
The very idea that Norville “Shaggy” Rogers and his faithful dog Scooby-Doo are addicted to the drug marijuana is an accusation that has been thrown at the creators by countless fans since the show became mainstream. While the duo has never been seen smoking weed on screen, there have been several hints throughout the series that would prove otherwise.
It has been considered that Scooby’s ability to engage in conversation is nothing more than hippie Shaggy’s hallucination due to heavy smoking of marijuana; further explaining why the Mystery Machine always left a lot of smoke at the time of its ignition.
The concept became more notorious when in the 2002 theatrical film of the same name, Shaggy falls in love with a girl named Mary Jane – slang for Marijuana. Furthermore, the word “doobie” is not only Scooby-Doo’s middle name but is also another word for weed.
6. The Genie is The Sales Merchant
After setting him free from the lamp, Genie plans to explore the world. With a slight change in plan, Genie thought about blending into human society as a sales merchant but not just any sales merchant.
The very same peddler at the beginning of the 1992 Aladdin animated movie breaks the fourth wall and tries to sell a bundle of artifacts – including the very lamp he was trapped in – to the viewers.
The possibility of the Genie being the same sales merchant as his human form is extremely uncanny since the latter’s blue robes match the former’s bodies, both have the same curly beard, both have a red band around their waist, and both are on the same lamp and both are the only characters from the entire trilogy to have three fingers. Above all, both characters are voiced by Robin Williams.
5. Charlie Brown is Dying of Cancer
When you have cancer, your life is more or less an hour clock which serves as a continuous reminder that time is running out fast.
Your hair begins to fall until you are bald along with all the dreams and desires you had in life in a deep dark pit of sadness. That description very well suits the cartoon character Charlie Brown from Peanuts.
The comic strip-turned-animated show is not only about a shy child with anxiety, it is about the life of a cancer patient who cannot find any happiness in his life knowing that his existence is not going to last very long.
Having only three strands of hair and frequently dreaming to make his world a better place but to no avail, Charlie Brown is a metaphor – if not a patient – for Cancer disease.
4. Tom And Jerry is War Propaganda
From small toddlers to elderly people, everyone is aware of perhaps the best cat-and-mouse rivalry on television: Tom and Jerry. The duo is a cultural icon and has never failed in creating comedy because their actions truly speak much louder than their words.
With almost every battle ending with small Jerry outsmarting and defeating the big Tom, one has to wonder if the show has a subliminal message for the viewers – particularly about positively highlighting the German Army.
This may not seem as ridiculous as it sounds because in their very first episode “Puss Gets the Boot”, the cat and mouse duo were known as Jasper and Jinx respectively but changed to the famous names they are now known by in their second episode “The Midnight Snack”.
Created in 1940, the same year when the Battle of Britain started involving the British Army (known as “Tommy”) and German Army (known as “Jerry”), one has to wonder if the names of the cartoons were changed for a much higher purpose or was merely a coincidence.
3. Donald Duck Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
If there is one iconic cartoon character whose uncontrollable rage is even close to that of the X-Men comic book character Wolverine then it is none other than Donald Duck.
Created in 1934 by Walt Disney as an anthropomorphic white duck with a gentle heart, the lovable cartoon character took a swift change in personality during its World War II propaganda episodes.
Donald Duck was never the same again as he soon began to exhibit furious anger multiple times and his short temper became a permanent part of his character.
The Journal of Cartoon Overanalyzations suggests that his reluctant time in the war is responsible for his violent impulsiveness and occasional outbreaks as he has been suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ever since.
2. Characters From SpongeBob SquarePants Exist Due to Nuclear Testing
Image Courtesy: AP Photo/Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon owes a great deal to former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg for creating the popular show SpongeBob SquarePants.
Exploring the adventures of an enthusiastic sponge and his weird sea friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom, the show has been airing since 1999 and is about to hit its tenth season because of its continued success and giant fanbase.
Seeing how eccentric and even abnormal almost all of the characters of the show are, they may be manipulated that way due to the radiation of nuclear testing.
If the fictional city of Bikini Bottom corresponds to the actual Bikini Atoll in the Marshal Islands where the United States tested its nuclear devices from 1946 to 1958, the theory is certainly an interesting one.
1. Aladdin Takes Place in a Post-Apocalyptic Future
What may seem like a setting in the ancient past of Saudi Arabia, the tales of Aladdin may very well take place in the future, and that too a post-apocalyptic one.
When the Genie – who says he has been trapped inside a lamp for ten thousand years – is about to give Aladdin a make-over to make him look like a genuine prince, he claims that his clothes are “much too third century” – meaning the setting of Aladdin must take place at least in the year 10,300.
While the Genie makes numerous intimidations of big star Hollywood actors such as Jack Nicholson, Groucho Marx, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, it very well implies that the Genie must have been aware of all of them; meaning that the events of Aladdin are not set in the past but take place in very distant post-apocalyptic future where all of the technology has been destroyed possibly due to several more World Wars.
Did we miss any of the popular dark and disturbing cartoon theories out there? Let us know in the comments below!
