Top 20 MORE Cartoon Fan Theories That Will Ruin Your Childhood

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 MORE Cartoon Fan Theories That Will Ruin Your Childhood. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most shocking conspiracies about animated shows and movies that will leave you questioning everything. If you think we missed any, be sure to check out our original video on this topic! Oh, and spoilers for what is actual canon. Put on your tinfoil hats and give us your best conspiracy theories in the comments below!

#20: Dexter’s Family Are Clones

“Dexter’s Laboratory” (1996-2003)

The most unbelievable part of Dexter’s childhood isn’t his out-of-this-world experiments. It’s that his parents never catch him in the act; especially considering Dee Dee isn’t exactly “stealthy.” It’s all completely far-fetched. In fact, it’s so far-fetched, that some have begun to wonder if Dexter’s parents are actually experiments, too. The show’s closing theme song alludes to Dee Dee making one of Dexter’s inventions go boom. That’s a bit specific, don’t you think? What if Dee Dee’s curiosity cost her family their lives, and blaming himself, Dexter created exact copies of them? He’s made clones before, and it would explain why his family is unfazed by just about everything.

#19: Wolverine’s Yellow Suit

“X-Men: The Animated Series” (1992-97)

When you think of the cuddliest members of the “X-Men,” Logan with his adamantium claws probably isn’t topping the list. But, this one detail completely reframes all of Wolverine’s actions. As this comic tidbit explains, when Logan storms into a fight, his classic blue-and-yellow suit isn’t just a bold style choice. He intentionally wears bright colors in order to stand out more on the battlefield. The more focus there is on him, the less of a chance one of his teammates gets hurt. It’s a silent bit of character insight that makes you realize, even when he claims otherwise, that Wolverine has always been a team player.

#18: Calhoun Killed Her Fiancé

“Wreck-It Ralph” (2012)

For the most part, Cy-Bugs become what they eat. Literally. However, that leads to a whole lot of grim implications, particularly for Sergeant Calhoun. Her entire character motivation hinges upon the fact that her fiancé was devoured by a bug at their wedding. In return, she understandably shot the critter to bits. But, if Turbo’s future transformation is any indication, being eaten by a Cy-Bug isn’t fatal. Sure, you grow a few extra legs, but you maintain your own free will. All that points to the idea that Calhoun is the only one responsible for her current single status. No wonder she’s full of so much rage.

#17: Frankie Is Imaginary

“Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” (2004-09)

Anyone with eyes can tell Frankie and Madame Foster look alike in ways that go far beyond mere familial resemblance. But, maybe that was intentional. Madame Foster did always wish she was young enough to continue taking care of the home. And, lo and behold, Frankie does just that, all the while sporting an outfit extremely reminiscent of her grandmother. They take care of a foster home for imaginary friends, so it’s not too out there to assume that Madame Foster’s lives there, too. For what it’s worth, series creator Craig McCracken has publicly refuted this claim. But, the evidence is pretty damning either way.

#16: Kristoff Is Wearing Sven’s Dead Mom

“Frozen” (2013)

How did a boy and a reindeer become friends? Some eager Disney fans sought to answer that, but unfortunately, what they found wasn’t merry or bright. As audiences learn, Kristoff was raised in the woods by trolls. There would’ve been slim pickings for fashion, and coats are practically a must-have to protect any child from the cold. Since current-day Kristoff wears a jacket made of reindeer clippings, the natural conclusion is that he and his fixer-upper parents took it from Sven’s mother. At the very least, Sven got a new parental figure out of it. But, that doesn’t make it any less haunting.

#15: Comatose Danny

“Danny Phantom” (2004-07)

Danny Fenton got his ghostly powers by walking through a malfunctioning portal. Or, so he thinks. This hypothesis asks, what if Danny never actually woke up from the accident? Yes, this is another age-old “it was all a coma” theory. But, this one actually has some good points behind it. Each of Danny’s villains could be interpreted as a figment of his repressed psyche. None more so than his parents, who’s quest to capture ghosts could be seen as a metaphor for keeping Danny on life support. Need more convincing? How about the fact that Danny is literally half-human, half-ghost? In hindsight, it feels a bit on the nose.

#14: Black Death

“Monsters, Inc.” (2001)

The monsters do most of the actual scaring around here, but the kids’ fear is very much mutual. Look no further than Sulley himself. Just the mere presence of Boo has him practically showering in disinfectant. It begs the question, what do these burly monsters have to be so afraid of? Well, a popular Reddit theory argues that, maybe, the monsters entered the wrong kid’s room during the Bubonic Plague. If they unknowingly brought the lethal virus back with them, then it makes sense why monsters are so frightened of interacting with humans again. Although, to be fair, Roz and her team seem pretty well-equipped for another breakout.

#13: Kim Was Genetically Altered

“Kim Possible” (2002-07)

Kim’s your basic, average girl. Or, so says the theme song. But, we don’t know many teenagers who can kick butt like she can. No matter how much training she went through, it’s still strange that a young girl could take on genetically-modified supervillains. Unless, of course, Kim had been genetically enhanced, too. Look at it this way: both her parents are geniuses, her younger brothers are already inventors, and she’s a secret spy. There’s gotta be something in the water at their house, that’s all we’re saying. At the very least, Kim’s frequent exposure to all of Shego’s energy blasts can’t help matters, either.

#12: Simba Causes the Drought

“The Lion King” (1994)

Look, as much as we’d like to blame Scar for Pride Rock’s decline, not even he can control the weather. But, if this theory is to be believed, Simba can. He sees firsthand that the past kings of Pride Rock take the form of clouds in the sky, AKA the rainwater that feeds the valley. It perfectly ties into the movie’s message about lineage and the circle of life. Since Simba is the rightful heir, the former kings follow him on his journey with Timon and Pumbaa. Later, once Simba returns to Pride Rock to reclaim his crown, the rain follows him. Coincidence? We think not.

#11: The Powerpuff Girls Are One Person

“The Powerpuff Girls” (1998-2005)

Meet Brenda. She’s your typical, superhero girl. The only issue? Her brother ridicules her constantly, and eventually, it becomes too much to endure. Brenda fractures into three different versions of herself: Blossom, who she wanted to be; Bubbles, her innocent side; and Buttercup, who represents her mean streak. The older brother becomes Mojo Jojo. That’s the gist of the widely-circulated “Brenda Theory,” a fan idea so widespread, they even gave the rumored girl a name. While Brenda herself hasn’t ever appeared in canon, we can’t deny that the girls do act like three sides of the same coin. Maybe they were actually made with sugar, spice, and a brother who wasn’t nice.

#10: The Cars Overthrew Humanity

“Cars” (2006)

There’s no tinfoil hats here. Instead, this suspicion comes straight from the “Cars” creative director himself, Jay Ward. While he clarifies that none of his ideas are Pixar-approved, he’s still personally addressed a few long-standing questions about the film. Like, why do the cars have doors if there’s no people to use them? His answer is pretty cut and dry: they were for humans. But, one day, the cars didn’t need people anymore, so they got rid of them. Ward likened it to the current evolution of real-life, self-driving vehicles. If they ever gain sentience, we may be looking at an all-too-real live-action remake of “Cars.”

#9: All the Simpsons Are Geniuses

“The Simpsons” (1989-)

It’s no small secret that this family is better known for their hijinks than their brains. But, as much as it may pain Lisa to admit, she isn’t the only bright member of the Simpsons. In fact, she may not even be the smartest. An episode in Season 12 confirms that, were it not for a crayon in Homer’s brain, he’d be a bonafide genius. Apparently, he passed that on to kids, too. All of them. Case in point, Bart crafts some pretty intricate pranks, and Maggie canonically has a higher IQ than Lisa. For all the trouble the Simpsons get into, it’s clear that they’re a whole lot wiser than they let on.

#8: Syndrome Is Mr. Incredible’s Son

“The Incredibles” (2004)

In a world with no shortage of superheroes, why does Buddy fixate on Mr. Incredible? Well, the answer may lie in their looks. Buddy and Bob Parr do have a passing resemblance, especially in their jaw shape. Maybe, unbeknownst to Mr. Incredible, their connection runs blood-deep. While Bob is a family man nowadays, he and Helen were often stretched to their limits, pun fully intended. An affair or a one-night stand is not out of the realm of possibility. Plus, remember how Syndrome takes a surprising amount of interest in Mr. Incredible’s family? Yeah, his actions practically scream red-headed stepchild. He’s already got the red hair, too.

#7: Phineas & Ferb Don’t Exist

“Phineas and Ferb” (2007-15)

Fair warning: after hearing this, you may not be able to see “Phineas and Ferb” the same way ever again. Still here? Good. Ever notice how Candace almost never busts her brothers? Well, it’s become such a running gag, that many are starting to side with her parents. Maybe she’s just imagining it all. The prevalent rumor is that Candace’s brothers are a desperate ploy for attention that she conveniently shoves all her trauma onto. It sounds a bit odd, but keep in mind, this is a girl who semi-frequently hallucinates a talking zebra named Kevin. Compared to that, imagining two tech-savvy brothers is nothing.

#6: Ellie’s Infertility

“Up” (2009)

As if this opening scene isn’t heartbreaking enough, some eagle-eyed viewers discovered something that might make it even worse. On paper, Carl and Ellie meet, renovate their home, lose their baby, and that’s that. However, using Carl’s age as a ruler, it’s safe to assume their house was constructed before people knew about the dangers of lead paint. The prolonged exposure from a renovation would probably cause lead poisoning. Occasionally, that can lead to infertility, too. While there’s no way of knowing if this is true for Ellie, it’s the closest thing to an explanation “Up” offers. Either way, it explains why Carl takes so long to warm up to Russell.

#5: Avoiding the Draft

“Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” (1969-78)

These meddling kids never seem to settle down in one place for more than a single episode. They don’t appear to be going anywhere in particular, either. So, why waste all the gas? Thankfully, this is a mystery you don’t need a Scooby Snack to solve. The long-rumored answer lies in the political climate the series debuted in. See, the first iteration of Mystery Inc. hit screens in 1969, right at the height of the Vietnam War. The gang could’ve been avoiding the draft, and had to keep moving to stay ahead of the authorities. It would also explain why there’s so much crime in the world. Although, the monster costumes are still a mystery.

#4: Wile E. Coyote Is in Hell

“Looney Tunes” franchise (1930-)

Picture this: you’re trapped in a desolate wasteland, constantly taunted with your wildest dreams, but they’re always just out of reach. Oh, and all the while, an annoying pest keeps laughing at you when you fail. Doesn’t sound too nice, does it? Well, that’s been Wile E. Coyote’s life for the better part of a century. Ever since his looney debut, he’s been humiliated, tormented, laughed at, and just about everything in between. All things considered, if this isn’t some form of toon Hell, we don’t know what is. At this point, the only question remaining is what Wile E. did to deserve this.

#3: Peter Pan Is a Cold-Blooded Killer

“Peter Pan” (1953)

Apparently, there’s a very simple reason why kids don’t grow up in Neverland: Peter kills them before they have a chance to. It’s hard to believe, but the original novel, “Peter and Wendy,” heavily implies that Peter has had to put some of the Lost Boys six feet deep. Even though it’s not overt, the implication alone is enough to turn the film adaptation into a straight up horror film. After all, what was Peter planning to do with Wendy and the others once they grew up? Thankfully, we never have to see. But, still, this is enough to prove that Neverland is full of more than just faith, trust, and pixie dust.

#2: Mr. Krabs Plans to Use His Daughter for Krabby Patties

“SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-)

If there’s one thing in the world Mr. Krabs loves more than anything else, it’s money. So, it’s very suspicious that he puts up with Pearl’s spending habits. Actually, it’s weird that his daughter is a whale in the first place. Throw in the fact that Pearl’s mom is nowhere to be seen, and the theory starts to write itself. Maybe, all this time, the secret to the Krabby Patty formula has been whale meat? Their carcasses leave enough behind to feed entire ecosystems, and in Mr. Krabs’s case, he has a second serving ready to go whenever he runs out. Yeah, remind us never to eat at the Krusty Krab ever again.

#1: Allegory for Substance Use Disorder

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)

Sleepy, Happy, Doc, Dopey, Sneezy, Bashful, and Grumpy. They’re the seven dwarfs. But, as it turns out, each of those emotions also represent a different stage of cocaine misuse and withdrawal. That’s right, there’s a lot of compelling evidence to suggest that “Snow White” is a thinly veiled analogy for drug use. It’s not just with the dwarfs, either. Little things like the setting and character designs all lend credence to this idea. Heck, the main character’s name is “Snow White.” Classic fairy tail or not, once you see the signs, you’ll never be able to unsee them. As they say, one bad apple and all that.