Top 20 SpongeBob SquarePants Moments That Made Us Happy Cry
#20: "This Grill Is Not a Home" “Welcome to the Chum Bucket”
Thanks to Mr. Krabs’ blunder, SpongeBob is now forced to work for Plankton at the Chum Bucket. Even though they’re right across the street from each other, the two feel like they’re worlds apart, and they lament this fact in the somber duet “This Grill Is Not a Home.” The song brings sad tears to our eyes, but it’s also a touching display of how much SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs mean to each other. Their bond runs much deeper than your typical boss-and-employee relationship, it’s practically on par with a parent-child connection. Life isn’t the same for either without the other around, but thankfully, they’re happily reunited by the end of the episode.
#19: Grandma’s Love “Grandma’s Kisses”
After being ridiculed for being a “Grandma’s Boy”, SpongeBob decides he’s too old for “baby stuff” and tries to act like a mature grown up. Unfortunately, being an adult isn’t as glamorous as it sounds, and SpongeBob breaks down crying, wanting to go back to being a carefree child. Hits close to home, doesn’t it? Thankfully, Grandma SquarePants reassures him that she’ll love him at every age and stage of life. Honestly, it’s a message that everyone should take to heart. Being an adult doesn’t mean you have to give up the things that make you happy – especially if one of those things is your grandmother’s love.
#18: The Best Friends Forever Club “The Secret Box”
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The friendship between SpongeBob and Patrick is so strong that they’ve joined the “Best Friends Forever Club” - complete with BFF rings. That means it’s destiny for them to be, you guessed it, friends forever. This is cemented in an adorable montage that shows the two buddies growing up together. From infancy to elderly, all the way until they finally pass on; naturally, they’ll be buried right next to each other. It’s true their friendship has been challenged over the years, especially in this episode where SpongeBob tries to sneak a peek inside Patrick’s “secret box.” But their bond has stood the test of time long after this episode, so it’s safe to say the BFF Club is here to stay.
#17: Reunite! “Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V”
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Tired of being babied, Barnacle Boy turns against Mermaid Man and becomes a supervillain. He ends up defeating his ex-partner and issues his demands – a little respect and an “adult-sized Krabby Patty.” Afterward, he offers his super-pal a hand of friendship, which Mermaid Man happily accepts with tears in his eyes. This scene left us with tears in our eyes as well; it’s uplifting seeing them make up, but also heart-wrenching when you remember that their voice actors here - Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway- are no longer with us. It gives their reunion in the episode extra depth. Rest easy, gentlemen, and thank you for all you did for the “SpongeBob” franchise.
#16: Patrick’s Pep Talk “Help Wanted”
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In the series’ pilot episode, SpongeBob finally has a chance to get his dream job at the Krusty Krab… but he’s too nervous. He tries to back out of it, but Patrick’s not having any of that. Instead, he gives his best buddy a much-needed pep talk, motivating him to pursue his dreams. For the first major friendship moment between our favorite goofy goobers, this is incredibly sweet. Patrick recognizes his friend’s true potential and pushes him to REACH that potential, even if the yellow guy doesn’t see it himself. The starfish may not always be the smartest, but it warms our hearts to see him being supportive of his best friend.
#15: “My Friend SpongeBob’s Gift” “The Pink Purloiner”
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SpongeBob’s all-important jellyfishing net, Ol' Reliable, is nowhere to be found, and he’s convinced Patrick took it. After several attempts to spy on his bestie, SpongeBob confronts Patrick… only to find that his accusations are way off. The starfish didn’t steal anything; instead, he’s made a new net for his friend because he knows how much Ol’ Reliable means to him. Also, it turns out that SpongeBob forgot his net on the bus… again. To apologize, he gives Patrick the beloved object and their friendship is once again restored, showing that their bond is strong enough to overcome any simple misunderstanding. Plus, it melts our hearts seeing Patrick try to cheer his best buddy up with a homemade gift.
#14: “Never Give Up” "Hello Bikini Bottom!"
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SpongeBob and Squidward’s music tour has become a complete disaster. The band has hit rock bottom and Squidward is ready to throw in the towel. But SpongeBob begins performing an emotionally moving, uplifting tune about “never [giving] up.” Meanwhile, Squiddy sings more pessimistic lyrics as he leaves. However, he changes course and joins SpongeBob in a powerful duet as they play their hearts out to a cheering crowd. Okay, so the crowd isn’t really cheering for THEM, but the duet is still stirring. It’s even more so considering how vocal Squidward usually is with his disdain for SpongeBob… and how he willingly comes back just to perform with him one last time.
#13: Friendship Restored "Patrick SmartPants"
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Patrick has somehow become incredibly smart… maybe a little too much for his own good. He thinks he and SpongeBob aren’t compatible as friends anymore, and suggests they go their separate ways. Naturally, SpongeBob is distraught over this, and Patrick realizes how alone he is without his bestie. He tries everything he can to save their friendship, even finding the source of his newfound intelligence. He doesn’t hesitate to give up his smarts if it means keeping SpongeBob in his life. While Bikini Bottom would probably benefit from Patrick being a genius, having all the knowledge in the world doesn’t mean anything without someone to share it with.
#12: The End of a Rivalry? "New Leaf"
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It looks like Plankton’s turned over a new leaf – he’s given up his game of cat and mouse with Mr. Krabs and finally finds a fulfilling career. Krabs can’t handle this at first, and it takes him a while to accept that things are different. After he comes to terms with it, it looks like the former rivals can finally start fresh. Unfortunately, because the status quo demands it, it’s all one of Plankton’s nefarious schemes, and he’s just as diabolical as ever. Why must the episode end this way? Still, it’s super touching seeing Krabs and Plankton make amends, however short-lived! Alas, some things never change; but at least Krabs is always one step ahead.
#11: SpongeBob’s Valentines "Valentine's Day"
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It’s Valentine’s Day in Bikini Bottom, and how does SpongeBob celebrate? By trying to spread holiday joy to everyone in town, of course. The little dude goes around giving thoughtful gifts and cards to all his friends, complete strangers, and even Plankton. He especially goes all out on Patrick’s present, even getting Sandy’s help. While it leads to a lot of chaos, seeing his best friend elated in the end makes it all worth it. Through all this, SpongeBob doesn’t ask for anything in return. All he cares about is spreading a little happiness to those around him. Sometimes, SpongeBob really is too pure for this world.
#10: Santa Squid “Christmas Who?”
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After SpongeBob teaches Bikini Bottom about the joys of Christmas, all the townsfolk –minus a grinchy Squidward- are excited for the arrival of Santa Claus… only to be let down when Santa doesn’t show up. Despite his own heartbreak, SpongeBob still gives Squidward a thoughtful present, having not wanted his neighbor to be left out of the festivities. Touched by this gesture, the grumpy cephalopod dresses up as Santa to cheer his forlorn neighbor up and give the townsfolk a little Christmas cheer… though it ends up costing him everything he owns. It was incredibly sweet of Squidward to go out of his way (and at such great personal cost) to make SpongeBob happy on the very first Christmas under the sea.
#9: Plankton & Spot “Plankton's Pet”
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Frustrated by another failed Krabby Patty theft attempt, Plankton decides to occupy himself by getting a pet. He ends up adopting a little green amoeba and naming him Spot. You’d expect this to be another generic secret formula scheme, but Plankton actually takes the time to train and play with Spot, worrying about his pet’s well being and overall genuinely trying to be a responsible pet owner. He becomes so fixated and fulfilled that he barely even seems to care about the Krabby Patty! In return, Spot acts affectionately towards Plankton and bravely protects his owner from any threat –no matter how big it is. Their relationship is truly wholesome –and a reminder that even Plankton deserves to be happy.
#8: Fred’s True Motivation “My Leg!”
Poor Fred the Fish can’t seem to avoid injuring his leg. While it makes for the series’ most famous running gag and funniest sound bite, it’s not exactly ideal for his health. However, during the episode “My Leg!” we find out that it’s not really bad luck – Fred actually takes every accident as an opportunity to see Nurse Bazooka – a burly, brutish nurse that he’s fallen in love with. He’s even written a song about her! While letting himself get injured isn’t the smartest move, it’s comforting to see Fred making the best of a hilariously bad situation, and that he has something to look forward to every time he gets dragged to the hospital.
#7: The Little ‘Pebble’ “Home Sweet Pineapple”
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Hungry nematodes have completely devoured SpongeBob’s pineapple house –leaving nothing but a little “pebble” behind. Faced with no other option but to leave Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob plants the “pebble” in the empty patch of soil and sheds a lone tear. Miraculously, the supposed pebble is actually a pineapple seed, and SpongeBob’s tear is just what it needs to grow the house back. Not only was the timing perfect, but the seed sprouting is also symbolic of how little miracles can pop up unexpectedly when things look bleak. That and really, aside from Squidward, no one wants to see SpongeBob have to leave Bikini Bottom forever.
#6: The New Manager “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” (2004)
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Since the beginning of the first film, SpongeBob has coveted the position of manager at the new second Krusty Krab location. It seems like he’s a shoo-in for the job, but Mr. Krabs gives the promotion to Squidward because, to be blunt… SpongeBob’s just a kid. However, after his long journey halfway across the ocean to save both his boss and his town, SpongeBob has shown that despite his youthful nature, he possesses more loyalty, determination, and bravery than anyone twice his age. Thus, it’s only fitting that he be rewarded with the long-sought-after manager position. If this was the series finale as originally intended, it would’ve gone out on a high note with SpongeBob getting recognition for everything he does.
#5: “Sweet Victory” “Band Geeks”
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Squidward has been trying to turn the townsfolk into a marching band for a big performance at the Bubble Bowl, but it’s easier said than done. Right as Squidward tearfully gives up, SpongeBob motivates the town to get its act together, and the band puts on an amazing performance of David Glen Eisley’s “Sweet Victory”. For one shining moment, Squidward Tentacles –the show’s personal punching bag- finally gets the respect he’s worked so hard to achieve in the form of a triumphant rock ballad. And it was all thanks to the kindness of SpongeBob and the Bikini Bottomites! Squidward remains the series’ martyr, but that only makes moments like this where he can be truly happy all the more satisfying.
#4: Sandy’s Own Little Slice of Texas “Texas”
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Sandy pines for her old home in Texas, so much so that she sings a heartbreaking song that brings anyone who hears it to tears. To hopefully cure her homesickness, SpongeBob and Patrick throw her a surprise party –complete with misconstrued Texas décor based on what Sandy claims to miss about home. Despite the mix-up, it was still incredibly sweet of our little square dude to set all of this up just to cheer up Sandy –and even sweeter that most of the town volunteered to help. This gesture reminds both Sandy and us what home really means – being surrounded by people who care about you –and it’s safe to say that Sandy is feeling very loved in her underwater home.
#3: Gary Comes Home “Have You Seen This Snail?”
SpongeBob inadvertently gets too preoccupied to feed his snail, Gary, which causes the neglected snail to run away. The guilt-ridden pet owner searches high and low for his beloved pet while crying buckets of tears along the way, wishing for nothing more than to find his slimy pal and tell him how much he loves him. The episode as a whole is a tearjerker –especially for pet owners whose animal companions have gone missing. Thankfully, it ends on a happy note as SpongeBob and Gary lovingly reunite. This whole ordeal teaches both SpongeBob and the audience a valuable lesson – don’t forget to take some time to show your pets that you care.
#2: Pizza on the House “Pizza Delivery”
Squidward and SpongeBob have been tasked with delivering a Krusty Krab pizza. Naturally, Squidward couldn’t care less about finishing the delivery while SpongeBob’s determined to bring the customer his food. However, when they finally arrive, the customer rudely rejects the pizza for a trivial reason and makes SpongeBob cry. Furious, Squidward marches up to the ungrateful customer and personally “delivers” his pie right in his face. Despite their rather dysfunctional relationship, Squidward stands up for his little yellow neighbor who bends over backwards every day just to make customers happy, and it’s utterly heartwarming.
#1: SpongeBob’s Birthday Present “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout”
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SpongeBob’s birthday is almost over, but he still gets one last surprise in the form of a giant present. He opens the box and gets a birthday greeting from the president of the “SpongeBob SquarePants” fan club – Patchy the Pirate –who leads the rest of the cast in a special birthday rendition of the SpongeBob theme song. THIS is how you celebrate 20 years of SpongeBob – having his number one fan from season 2 finally meet his idol, and everyone in Bikini Bottom coming together to celebrate their porous pal’s special day –topped off by a special thank you message to the show’s late creator, Steve Hillenburg, for the legacy he left behind.
