Top 10 Times Cartoon Network Shows Got Serious
#10: Billy’s Supposed Death “The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy” (2001-07)
For a show as outrageous, absurd, and off the wall as this, it was rare to ever see “The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy” get even remotely sensitive. One of these super occasional moments was in the TV movie “Billy & Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure”. Moments before the Cannibal Run, Boogey summons a Kraken to steal and eat Billy. Such an uncomfortable amount of time passes that even Mandy begins to believe Billy might truly be gone. Luckily, Billy finds a way out, as usual, and manages to return with a new ally just before the race begins.
#9: The Wedding “Samurai Jack” (2001-04; 2017)
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Even though it took ages for us to see Jack fix the timeline, it was so satisfying to finally see “Samurai Jack” come to a thrilling conclusion. We just didn’t expect it to end on such a mournful note. Granted, this was something Jack didn’t seem to think through. With Aku gone and the timeline fixed, Jack and Ashi decide to get married. Everything changes when Ashi collapses during the ceremony. As one of the Daughters of Aku, Ashi cannot exist in a time where Aku never ruled. And so, she is erased from existence. At least the mood picks up a bit in the show’s final moments.
#8: Picture Day “Dexter’s Laboratory” (1996-2003)
Not having a good self-image can be a serious problem growing up as it can lead to kids developing low self-esteem and lacking confidence. “Dexter’s Laboratory” touches upon this through a simple premise; it’s Picture Day at school, and Dexter doesn’t think he’s as photogenic as everyone else. To ensure he looks handsome in this year’s photo, he puts himself through an intense transformation, but comes out with vastly different results. We’re just glad this event allowed him to learn to love the way he looks and be proud of his own unique style.
#7: Courage’s Origins “Courage the Cowardly Dog” (1999-2002)
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“Courage the Cowardly Dog” wasn’t the type of show to shy away from more emotional tales. - just look at the Snowman episodes.The one that hit harder than the others was actually Part 1 of the series finale, “Remembrance of Courage Past”. It’s here that we learned what really happened to Courage before Muriel found him. Turns out Courage’s parents were kidnapped by a deranged doctor and blasted off into space. Courage was supposed to join them, but he was the only one who managed to escape. Upon learning this, we could see how Courage developed into the easily frightened pup we’ve come to know and love.
#6: Mitch & Twiggy “The Powerpuff Girls” (1998-2005)
There are so many dark episodes within “The Powerpuff Girls”, many of which hold themes around some very adult subjects. One of these episodes, “Gettin’ Twiggy With It”, touches upon animal mistreatment, and for adults, the real world parallels are way too clear. There are several instances where Mitch Mitchelson puts the class pet hamster through some harrowing trauma, and no matter how many times the girls try to stop it, he gets off scot-free. Eventually, the little brat gets his just desserts, and a valuable lesson in treating animals with kindness is delivered!
#5: Mordecai & Margaret’s Breakup “Regular Show” (2010-17)
Mordecai was already going through a rough day and all he wanted to do was officially ask Margaret to be his girlfriend at a really nice restaurant. What he got was an interrogation with the FBI and suddenly getting roped into a counterfeit scandal. Unfortunately, that was all just a distraction before the inevitable. When they’re finally able to talk, Margaret tells him she’s been accepted to an out-of-town school she’s always wanted to go to. The start of Season Five shows how Mordecai has been handling the break-up, and it’s not great. But the remainder of the episode shows him bouncing out of depression and struggling to get one of Margaret’s sweaters back. It’s a heavy topic for a Cartoon Network show to explore, but perhaps it’ll help younger viewers with their own struggles later in life.
#4: Adjusting to a New Life “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” (2004-09)
The first few episodes of “Foster’s” is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. When Mac strikes a deal with the adoption house, Bloo is left wondering if Mac truly will come to visit him everyday. It's the first night that is the most harrowing for them both. Bloo must come to terms with his new living situation while Mac tries to adapt to a noticeably quieter home. For a child, big changes like this can really affect them and be difficult to adapt to. Though heartbreaking to watch, there’s a chance many young viewers found this an unfortunately relatable moment.
#3: Terra’s Sacrifice “Teen Titans” (2003-06)
Of the show’s we’ve listed here, “Teen Titans” is perhaps the most serious of the Cartoon Network family. For every goofy and comedic moment, there’s a heavy and serious one right around the corner. “Aftershock Part 2” was especially painful to watch as we said goodbye to fan-favorite hero, Terra. Despite dancing the line between ally and villain, the Titans saw Terra as a friend, which made her sacrifice towards the end of the series so heartbreaking to watch. The plaque that Beast Boy leaves behind certainly made us bawl once the credits rolled.
#2: Ice King’s Origins “Adventure Time” (2010-18)
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Though it's focused more on action and excitement, “Adventure Time” has gotten emotional at times, too. Arguably, the most famous example is the episode “Simon & Marcy”, which tells of a time before the Ice King was the maniacal wizard he’s now known as. Throughout the episode, we’re given a glimpse at an innocent and loving relationship between a little girl and her adoptive father. However, we learn that a mystical crown has slowly been corrupting Simon’s mind. Eventually, Simon is forced to wear the crown once more to protect Marcy. It’s a somber scene as he sings the theme song to the TV sitcom series “Cheers” and blasts the monsters away. A tragic tale, yes, but it is also one of the show’s best episodes.
#1: Eddy’s Brother “Ed, Edd n Eddy” (1999-2009)
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Violence and slapstick humor are a common part of “Ed, Edd, n Eddy”, but under a different context, it can mean far worse. We saw this at the end of the series finale in the TV movie “Ed, Edd, n Eddy’s Big Picture Show”. The kids finally get to meet Eddy’s brother, who Eddy has long touted as being this insanely cool person. On the contrary, he’s a real jerk who humiliates Eddy every chance he gets. To our surprise, the kids actually defend Eddy and proceed to give his brother a taste of his own medicine. After Eddy confesses he only put his brother on a pedestal so the kids of the cul de sac would like him though, all is forgiven.
