As we pack our bags for college, we find ourselves reminiscing about our childhood, the way things used to be, our life as we knew it, and how everything is going to change now. For some reason, I cannot stop thinking about the cartoons that were an extremely integral part of our lives in the early years of the 21st century. While old cartoons, like “Scooby Doo Where Are You” and ‘”Powerpuff Girls,” that marked a glorious and spectacular era in the world of cartoons, are no longer aired on television, they continue to live on through fantastical cartoon conspiracy theories that have been circulating the Internet. Everyone loves a good cartoon conspiracy theory, and although these theories are a figment of a fan’s imagination, and most of them are a not quite plausible stretch, a few of them, are nearly convincing. And regardless of whether or not they are true, they are almost always fun to read.
So here are a few of my favorite conspiracy theories:
#1. “Aladdin” is set in the future.
This one is for all the “Aladdin” fans out there, who are prone to breaking into dramatic renditions of “Prince Ali-fabulous he-Ali Ababwa,” from time to time, still laugh every single time Genie bursts out of his lamp, turns his head around to fix it comfortably on his neck and pretends to be a game show host, and still feel a chill rush down your spine every time the title track proudly drawls and declares, “ Araaabian Niiiiights!”
Genie tells Aladdin that he has been locked in the lamp for 10,000 years. He also exclaims that Aladdin’s clothes are “so third century,” which means that the film must be set in at least 10,300 AD. The theory explains the flying carpets and magic as technology of the future, and Iago is viewed as a genetically engineered creature, who understands human speech instead of simply imitating it. The theory justifies why Genie was able to perform impressions of famous people like Jack Nicholson and Groucho Marx.
“We are witnessing a post-apocalyptic wasteland where some Arabic culture managed to survive.”-thoughtcatalog.com
Although, I don’t know if it is Arabic culture that seems to have survived in the show, according to the theory, or certain highly stereotypical notions and oriental ideas of it.
#2. Ed, Edd, Eddy and all the other characters in Peach Creek Estates are in purgatory.
Although this theory is pretty old, it is one of my favourite cartoon conspiracy theories. As a kid, I always thought that “Ed, Edd n Eddy” was a hilarious and slightly disturbing show.
According to Aaron Wong (from cartoonconspiracytheories.in), the theory states that all the children in the neighborhood actually died in different time periods and were sent to roam the cul-de-sac of Peach Creek Estates, where they lived in their former life. This theory also provides a detailed and ghastly explanation of the dark and morbid past life and death of each of the kids, who seem to go about life in the midst of a lazy summer vacation in a seemingly innocent cul-de-sac, that is actually grim purgatory. The theory justifies the corpse-like complexions of the characters and their coloured tongues. It also goes on to add that the Kanker sisters in the show are she-demons sent to torment the children in purgatory, and that in the episode in which you see Eddy’s, not very nice older brother, the Ed's are simply visiting him in hell.
How delightful!
Source of conspiracy.
#3. The Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack are a part of the same universe.
(Whaaaaaaaaat…?)
This theory stems from the fact that the two shows are created in similar styles, using limited animation, by the same people. Samurai Jack’s aim in life is to travel back in time and inflict a crushing defeat on the demonic shape-shifting wizard, Aku. The Powerpuff Girls were three little girls with superpowers, who had been created by Professor Utonium, and lived in a town named Townsville.
The theory goes that professor Utonium is a descendent of Samurai Jack, who has been given Jack’s sword as a family heirloom. The sword carried a smidgen of Aku’s blood on it, and the professor used the blood to concoct chemical X, which eventually gave rise to the Powerpuff Girls. But in doing so, the professor also accidentally releases Aku, who seeing what the professor has made with his blood, grows enraged. In a fit of anger, he travels back in time, and sends Samurai Jack into the future, thereby preventing him from having any descendents and also preventing the creation of the Powerpuff girls. So when Samurai Jack travels to the future, he witnesses a ruined and devastated version of Townsville, meaning Aku, was probably successful.
*tuneless singing in the background: “fighting crime, trying to save the world..Here they come just in time, the Powerpuff girls…POWERPUFF!”*
Source of conspiracy:
#4. The show, “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” is set in the time of an economic depression.
As someone who continues to watch this show online, I want to believe this theory. Several episodes of this show involve failed businesses and old crumbling infrastructure. The gang solves mysteries in abandoned mansions, castles, warehouses, golf course, ski resorts and amusement parks, and the criminals are often people involved in distinguished professions, such as lawyers, professors, museum curators and even celebrities. The fact that people in such high profile careers are desperate enough to execute extremely intricate schemes just to get their hands on money, hints at an economic depression. One episode features a walking robotic dog, but the dog isn’t treated as a world changing invention.
”The fact that it is being used at an amusement park, suggests that technology is common enough, and maybe responsible for displacing workers in other industries”-fantheory.net
This may be further contributing to the economic distress.
Source of conspiracy.
#5. “The Magic School Bus” kids grew up to be the characters in “Captain Planet”
As a former loyal fan of Captain Planet who used to watch every single episodes of the show with her cousins, I have to say that I did not see this coming.
According to flavorwire.com, the theory states that, Gaia kidnapped a bunch of children and relocated them to a secret island, where she brainwashed them into thinking that they were at school, and that she was their teacher, Miss Frizzle. But in reality, she was influencing them to create the perfect pollution fighters at an indoctrination camp by inculcating in them a love for science and ecology. Once her class was ready, Gaia wiped their memories and sent them out as eco friendly sleeper cell units. Years later, when she needed them, Gaia gave them power rings and sent them off on a series of ecological adventures.
The theory goes on to explain that two of the children in “The Magic School Bus” who do not appear in Captain Planet, escaped the island and were driven mad by their memories, only to return as the villains, Hoggish Greedly and Dr. Blight, while others went missing.
Source of conspiracy/
Other nearly convincing conspiracies that did not make it to this list were that Pinky is actually the genius one, in “Pinky and the Brain,” and that Dr. Claw is the real detective. Inspector Gadget, who after a terrible accident, grew bitter and disillusioned, and vowed revenge against the robotic version of himself, who was incidentally created by his niece, Penny.
I hope these conspiracies entertained you. I tried very hard to stay away from all the childhood-ruining-types that I came across. The old cartoons were a treasure trove of entertainment and wisdom. They pushed the boundaries of our imagination, and made our childhood magical.
Thank you old cartoons. Its been emotional. You will never be forgotten.
