Top 10 Surprisingly Touching Moments from South Park
“South Park” has stirred up a lot of passionate emotions, but we never expected it to give us heart-wrenching feels. Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Surprisingly Touching “South Park” Moments.
For this list, we’re taking a look at moments from the “South Park” franchise that took a break from fart jokes and celebrity parodies to touch our hearts. These moments don’t need to be straight-up sad; you may shed a few happy tears.
#10: Kyle Saves Ike
“It’s Christmas in Canada”
From the pilot episode, Kyle and his adopted brother Ike have shared one of the show’s most heartfelt dynamics. In season 7, Kyle risks losing Ike forever when his birth parents take him back to Canada. In one of his most personal speeches to date, Kyle tries appealing to the Canadian Prime Minister with a meaningful expression about what it truly means to be a family. As moved as we are, the Prime Minister doesn’t feel the same way and promptly blows Kenny up in a show of rage. Fortunately, the Prime Minister behind the curtain is revealed to be Saddam Hussein and he’s arrested on the spot. Kyle’s words get through to Ike’s birth parents, who realize there’s more to family than just blood.
#9: The Calves
“Fun with Veal”
Top 20 Surprisingly Touching Moments from South Park
Matt Stone and Trey Parker aren’t exactly what you’d call vegetarians, but they do have a thing about eating baby cows. While this episode isn’t anti-meat, it does stand up for the poor calves, suggesting that nobody would eat veal if the product was called “little tortured baby cow.” The creators further get their point across by making the calves as adorable as possible, giving them sad faces and puppy-dog eyes. The boys decide to lock all the animals (and themselves) in their bedroom and go on a hunger strike. Though eventually thwarted by the FBI, their rescue effort is ultimately successful as the new brand name drives down national demand for veal.
#8: Cartman Gives Kyle CPR
“Imaginationland Episode II”
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Following a hazardous encounter with ManBearPig, Kyle is left lying pale-faced and lifeless on the ground. When everyone else in the room is ready to declare him dead, Cartman – of all people – refuses to give up on him. The situation moves from emotional to surprisingly intense as Cartman tearfully tries resuscitating Kyle. Honestly, a scene like this feels more like something you’d see on “Lost” or “ER” than “South Park.” As Kyle sputters and coughs back to life, Cartman is seen cradling his head as he provides him with an oxygen mask. Granted, Cartman is mainly concerned about his bet with Kyle, who had yet to suck his balls, but nevertheless, we like to think that a part of Cartman can’t handle the idea of life without Kyle.
#7: Chef’s Funeral
“The Return of Chef”
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When “South Park” made fun of Scientology in season 9, Chef’s voice actor, Isaac Hayes, felt that he could no longer contribute to a show that mocked his religion. Hayes’ sudden exit left Stone and Parker feeling sad but slightly resentful, and they certainly show it in season 10’s opening episode. Chef is off’ed in the most gruesome, mean-spirited way imaginable. However, the episode doesn’t disregard all the good work Hayes did over the years. Chef’s funeral is a genuine tear-jerker, reuniting many of the people he touched, from Mrs. Garrison to Elton John. And Kyle even delivers a bittersweet eulogy about all the laughs, songs, and wisdom that Chef gave us, adding that we shouldn’t blame him, but rather, a certain “fruity little club.”
#6: Kenny Gives His Sister a Toy
“The City Part of Town”
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When Kenny’s little sister Karen popped up as a background character in season 9, we didn’t expect much to come from her. In more recent years, however, Karen has played a role in some of the show’s most tender moments, adding new layers to Kenny’s character in the process. In season 19, Kenny has to work his fingertips to the bone merely to receive a “child labor wage,” but he uses his measly paycheck to purchase the lonely Karen a doll. Karen lights up at the sight of her new plaything, and although Kenny isn’t the easiest character to read, we can tell that his sister’s happiness is all the reward he needed. It’s a simple moment that speaks volumes about who Kenny truly is underneath the hood.
#5: Kip Drordy
“You Have 0 Friends”
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Poor Kip Drordy spends his days periodically checking his Facebook page, hoping someone will be his friend. Out of pity, Kyle adds Kip as a friend, hoping to make him feel a little better. Through the unfortunate reality of social hierarchy, Kyle starts losing Facebook friends for his act of goodwill. He jumps ship to save his own reputation, which leaves Kip more depressed than ever. The episode builds to a joyous resolution however when Kip receives all 845,323 friends from Stan’s deleted sentient profile -- whom he defeated from ‘inside’ the Facebook matrix in a Tron-like battle for survival.
#4: Blanket
“The Jeffersons”
At first, Stone and Parker were against doing a Michael Jackson episode, seeing how the controversial pop star is an overused target for satire. The creators came around to the idea however when they decided to make Jackson’s youngest son, Blanket, the focus. Suddenly, the episode had more heart, and what’s more touching -- Kyle becomes something of a big brother towards Blanket in Michael Jackson’s absence. Kyle realizes just how neglected and alone Blanket is, telling “Mr. Jefferson” that he needs to stop acting like a child and take care of his own children. The episode is made even more poignant when you consider that a few plot points were taken out of real life, like Blanket’s artificially inseminated birth, and how Jackson made his kids wear masks in public.
#3: Mysterion the Guardian Angel
“The Poor Kid”
The first episode that really touches upon Kenny’s relationship with Karen comes at the end of season 15, when the McCormick kids wind up in a cruel foster home. Kenny can only do so much to help his scared, confused sister, but his alter-ego, Mysterion, can do more. Taking on his superhero persona, Kenny visits Karen at night, reassuring her that she’s not alone and that everything will be okay. Though Mysterion is generally the conduit for Kenny’s darker side, in this moment Mysterion reveals a more loving and gentle brother who will do anything to protect his loved ones. Just as Batman is Bruce Wayne’s mask, Mysterion allows Kenny to express what he’s truly feeling.
#2: Beautiful Sadness
“Raisins”
Although the other kids frequently poke fun at Butters for his innocence and naivety, sometimes his sincerity can rub off on them. After getting dumped by his so-called “girlfriend,” Butters is left whimpering in the rain. Stan and his fellow Goth kids thus invite Butters to join them, but he turns them down, saying there’s still more to life than just pain. Just because Butters is heartbroken doesn’t mean that he himself is broken. If anything, the sadness makes him appreciate life more. Moved by this touching point of view, Stan realizes that it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all -- and ditches the goth kids. It’s a life-affirming moment, reminding us that sadness is an integral part of the human experience.
#1: Kenny’s Sacrifice
“South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” (1999)
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Though we can never quite understand what he’s saying, Kenny is often the voice of reason and virtue in “South Park,” and this is best exemplified in their feature film. After helping a heartbroken Satan to see the light, Kenny is granted one wish. Rather than asking to be resurrected, Kenny wishes for everything on Earth to go back to the way it was. Before returning to Hell however, he reveals his face and speaks clearly for the first time, bidding his friends “farewell.” He then disappears, and we next see him flying up to heaven, his sacrifice rewarded. Leaving everyone in the theater choked up, this ending elevated “South Park” into new territory, proving that it’s much more than a foulmouthed cartoon.
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