Top 30 Mind Blowing Family Guy Fan Theories

#30: Steve Smith is the Griffins’ Long-Lost Son

Being on a separate show somehow doesn't make this any less plausible. A theory from a now-deleted Reddit account posited a seemingly insane idea: that Steve Smith of “American Dad!” is actually one of the Griffin family’s long-lost children. You may think it sounds crazy, but when thinking about the family units in the MacFarlane universe, pretty much all of the kids look like their parents in some way— except for Steve. He shares more traits with the Quahog residents, most notably Peter’s hair and chin and Lois’s nose. To make things even crazier, the two series do seem to exist in the same universe, making it even more likely that Steve was either given up by the Griffins or taken by the Smiths.

#29: Stewie Is an Adult Playing a Baby

Cartoon logic makes it easy to explain the adult things Stewie does as mere comedy. According to u/Jacob_Wallace_8721, there’s a much more logical explanation. According to him, the youngest Griffin isn’t a baby, but an adult playing one. He even claims that Stewie is the oldest. The proof primarily comes from “Inside Family Guy,” where we learn that the family is playing fictionalized versions of themselves. The pieces then start to come together. Stewie’s voice is more developed than Chris’ or Meg’s. Lois and Peter are old enough to have an adult son. The theory even speculates that the Griffins came up with the ruse early on, thinking it would be funnier if he played a baby rather than a short, grown adult.

#28: Brian’s Substance Use Is Reflected in His De-Evolution

The fact that this is based in reality makes it all the more likely. Even as an adult, taking certain illicit substances can negatively impact your cognitive function, from decision-making to regulation. While several adults on “Family Guy” have partaken before, none display the signs of clear degradation more than Brian. Reddit’s u/GrandmasterSexay suggests that the dog’s continued drug and alcohol usage may be the reason for the changes to his personality and intelligence. With dog brains being vastly smaller than human ones, it could explain why his moments on psychedelics and amphetamines have been so intense and had such a lasting effect. His being so smart in the beginning compared to now shows how damaging Brian’s experiences have been.

#27: Mayor West Was Only Pretending to Be Insane

The citizens of Quahog are treated to several wacky antics carried out by Quahog’s mayor. For years, all of these instances were assumed to be insanity. A Season 13 episode shows that may not be the case. While in a therapy session, his doctor, Cleveland, reveals what he thinks: that Mayor West is aware of everything he does and only pretends to be crazy. West confirms it and then later confesses to slaying multiple people. This wouldn’t have even been the first time he’s been corrupt. A couple of netizens have noted his corrupt behavior, such as banning gay marriage to cover a scandal. Could they be right? Or was the Mayor simply crazy and having delusions? We may never learn the truth.

#26: The Show is a Simulation Run by the Agents from “American Dad!”

Remember what we said about these two universes being connected? Stay with us, because it’s about to get even crazier. One of our own subscribers posited a truly mind-blowing theory: that the show, and the antics that occur on it, are due to a simulation run by the government in “American Dad!”. According to @jonathanbarr9764, when Stan shoots Peter during the cold open of “Bigfat,” he then kidnaps him and places him in one of the vats from “Vacation Goo” that can perfectly replicate the real world. He then explained that they keep him there for observation while investigating a claim that he slaughtered his family. To keep him from catching on, they put in plenty of distractions in the form of wacky misadventures.

#25: “Family Guy” Is In a Multiverse

Thanks to the first episode of the eighth season, we already know it’s confirmed that other universes exist within the show. But what if the sitcom itself was a multiverse? It makes sense when you consider the inconsistencies in the plot, particularly when it comes to how Peter makes money, his heritage, or how he and Lois met. It changes so often that it almost makes more sense that each episode is merely a microcosm of a specific world, and that the viewer gets sent to the next one once the credits roll. Reddit user u/FaZe_poopy takes it a step further by suggesting that these universes are all connected through a Peter Griffin hive mind— which is why his lore in particular is disjointed.

#24: The Characters Changed Because of Collective Trauma

This being accurate could permanently paint the show in a much darker light. According to a very in-depth theory crafted by the aptly named u/darkrabbit713, the reason the whole neighborhood changes so severely around the midpoint of the series is that they have all been deeply affected by events in their lives. Whether it’s Joe’s injuries, Quagmire’s family woes, or several citizens of their town perishing, the residents of Spooner Street have been through a lot. This would explain why they constantly lash out at one another, have dark ideations, or are glib about their issues. It’s been found that trauma alters the brain and various personality traits, which unfortunately tracks when looking at where some of the characters are now.

#23: Susie Swanson is Controlled by Avery Bullock

Have you ever wondered why Joe and Bonnie’s baby has the inner voice of the Langley Falls CIA director? Some might say it’s just for comedic effect, but u/TCromps has another idea. They pointed out that in “American Dad!”, the agents have access to technology that allows them to put themselves into a fictional avatar. In that episode, we see Bullock put himself into the position of a baby about to eat. That makes it likely that he would do the same just to get a chance to get close to Bonnie. This would also explain why she was able to beat up Stewie: because she was being controlled by a grown man the whole time.

#22: Seth MacFarlane Has Feelings for Alex Borstein

Simply a coincidence, or proof of someone playing the long game? Redditor u/TheZerocrat opts for the latter, with their theory that the relationships on the show are the result of Seth MacFarlane’s twenty-plus-year crush on his co-star, Alex Borstein. Besides the fact that Peter and Lois are married, there are multiple moments where Brian or Quagmire confess their lust and deeper emotions for her. Considering how close the former sounds to Seth’s actual voice, it makes those moments seem all the more real and intentional.

#21: Stewie’s Modeling Career Pays for Peter’s Shenanigans

From the very beginning of the series, the Griffin family patriarch has managed to bankroll some truly crazy things, such as a collection of odd vehicles and random additions to the exterior and interior of his home. How does he pull this off without bankrupting his family? One Reddit user suggests that he uses the funds made by Stewie when he modeled for Calvin Klein back in Season Two. It had been a huge spot, meaning a large paycheck and royalties to go with it. With Stewie being a minor, the funds would most likely go to his parents, giving Peter free rein over them. If that’s the case, we hope Lois has some set aside for when Stewie eventually grows up.

#20: The Griffins Are in Hell or Purgatory

Could the Griffins actually be dead, and are paying the price for the things they did when they were alive? There are a lot of juxtapositions within the main characters on the show, with a baby who is a mad scientist, a pretentious scholar stuck in a dog’s body, and an heiress turned housewife. It seems as though they are being tortured by not being able to be their true selves, or maybe they are being given a chance to redeem themselves from their past sins. In this case, maybe they are in purgatory, which is why Stewie has become a better person while Lois has become worse. Watching the show given this perspective definitely gives it an interesting twist.

#19: Stewie De-Ages Everyone

Stewie is an eternal infant, and he certainly is a remarkable one. Maybe he has the intellect of an adult because he really is one, using his advanced brain to de-age himself and his loved ones. He didn’t want to see his best friend, Brian, grow old and die long before him. Stewie wanted to go back to a time when he and Brian could continue their crazy adventures. To recreate this time, he de-aged his family, except for Lois, since we know he doesn’t care about her. He de-aged himself into an even younger baby in one of the episodes already. Clearly, he has the know-how for this. So, maybe this theory has some traction.

#18: Stan Smith is Related to Quagmire

In addition to “Family Guy,” Seth MacFarlane is a creator of “American Dad!” There have been a few crossovers with plots and characters on both shows throughout the years. Some viewers have speculated that “American Dad!”’s protagonist Stan Smith could be related to Peter Griffin’s neighbor and best friend, Glenn Quagmire. There’s a striking resemblance between the two, especially in the chin. While Stan has also been mistaken for Joe, his signature face shape is closer to Quagmire’s. Plus, both share the same voice actor. Who knows, maybe one of the shows will have a family reunion and our questions will be answered.

#17: Cleveland Jr. Is Peter Griffin’s Biological Son

Cleveland Jr. was not a significant character in the early days of “Family Guy.” The character has a much different look now than he did back then. He became a prominent character on “The Cleveland Show,” and his look on the new show is reminiscent of a very familiar “Family Guy” character. With a rounder appearance complete with a sleeker hairstyle and round glasses, Cleveland Jr. looks a lot like one of Cleveland’s best friends, Peter. Since Cleveland’s ex-wife and Cleveland Jr.’s mother, Loretta, had an affair with Quagmire, it’s not inconceivable that she did the same with Peter. Maybe Peter’s imaginary sitcom “My Black Son” wasn’t so far from reality after all.

#16: Mr. Burns Is Stewie Grown Up

This sitcom loves to poke fun at the parallels between them and “The Simpsons.” Seeing both shows together really highlighted the similarities and differences between them. While it’s clear that Homer is like Peter and Lois is like Marge, viewers have a theory about a correspondence between Stewie and Mr. Burns. They look and sound similar, and they both have a villainous streak, leading fans to believe that Mr. Burns is Stewie’s alias, as well as his older self in the future. Why he needs an alias is something that we would love to see explored on either of the shows – Seth MacFarlane and Matt Groening, do your worst.

#15: None of the Kids Are Peter’s

Should this be true, he would be a very different “Family Guy” than the series suggests. Multiple moments suggest that all three kids have a different father than Peter. In Meg’s case, it’s revealed by Brian that her dad is Stan Thompson. For Chris, Lois admits that they had taken him from a Dutch family, and then it cuts to a scene where they mention him. As for Stewie? All it takes is seeing “Quest For Fur” to see the similarities there. To make things even crazier, one deleted Reddit account even speculated that Chris was related to Dr. Hartman, citing similar physical traits between the two. While the proof isn’t concrete, it could change everything we know about the Griffins.

#14: There’s a Chemical In the Water

There has been a plethora of character development throughout the show's 20+ seasons, and it’s made some viewers wonder how that happened. Back in Season Five, we are shown that Lake Quahog is extremely polluted. So does that mean that the chemicals in the water could be causing some brain damage to the residents drinking it? Peter, Lois, and Chris have become darker as characters while Stewie has lightened up, and maybe the contaminated water has caused these dramatic character changes. Furthermore, the theory suggests that the cutaways in the show are actually the result of some chemically induced hallucinations from the water. Maybe it’s time the mayor tries to clean up the lake again.

#13: Peter Griffin’s Welfare Fraud Allowed Him to Buy Quahog

It seems like there isn’t much that Peter Griffin can’t get away with, and no matter how ridiculous his actions, we never really see him face any consequences for them. In the pilot episode, Peter ends up in jail for welfare fraud. Although Peter says that he learned his lesson, he suggests this wouldn’t be his last run-in with this type of situation. This theory states that Peter gained so much money from his welfare fraud, and possibly other types of fraud that we didn’t see on the show, that he actually made enough to buy Quahog. This would explain why he can get away with anything on his home turf, including even killing people, without any repercussions.

#12: Lois Is Leaving Peter

Lois and Peter don’t exactly have a fairytale romance, but there have been endearing moments of care and affection between the two throughout the series. However, in recent seasons, Lois seems to have become increasingly unhappy with her life and marriage while Peter has grown indifferent towards her. Lois has vivid fantasies outside of her marriage, does things to spite her husband, and has become generally unhinged lately. Fans believe this may be a sign that she is on her way out. While this may seem like it would cause a crazy shift in the dynamic of the show, they did kill off Brian at one point, so the creators clearly aren’t afraid to shake things up drastically.

#11: Brian & Stewie’s Time Travel Has Affected the Show

Some of the best moments on the show are the time-traveling adventures of Brian and Stewie. We’ve also seen them do some serious damage to their universe when their time-traveling goes awry, but is it possible they’re doing more harm than we realize? Most viewers agree that the show’s quality has declined over the years, and maybe that’s because Stewie and Brian have gone back to try and make things better. We’ve seen that anytime they do that, the future actually ends up worse than it was before. This may also explain some inconsistencies in the show and maybe it’s all been the result of Brian and Stewie trying to alter the future of their own show.

#10: Post-Cancellation “Family Guy” Is a Different Universe

There’s no denying that post-cancellation “Family Guy” feels a little…different. The characters are meaner and flanderized beyond belief, the jokes are darker, and the storylines more bizarre and outlandish. But maybe there’s a reason for that. Maybe it takes place in a whole different universe! Thanks to “Road to the Multiverse,” it’s clear that multiverses DO exist in the world of “Family Guy.” Maybe the family seen in season four is just a wackier and meaner version of the family seen in season three. And maybe Brian and Stewie didn’t go back in time in “Back to the Pilot” – they went to the original universe!

#9: Joe Swanson Was The Tick

This theory from Reddit user r/MrDeez444 states that Joe Swanson was, and maybe still is, The Tick. “The Tick” aired on Fox between 2001 and 2002 and starred Patrick Warburton, the same man who voices Joe. The Tick shares a lot in common with Joe, including a muscular frame, a big chin, a dramatic personality, and obviously the exact same voice. This led r/MrDeez444 into thinking that they are in fact one and the same! Maybe Joe wasn’t doling out enough justice as a cop, so he became The Tick on the side! The Tick costume may even grant the wearer superhuman abilities, as he has super strength and never gets injured. Maybe it also has the power to heal Joe’s paralysis!

#8: Stewie Is a Former Dictator

Stewie is obviously very aggressive in the early seasons and dictatorial in his machinations. The reason for this behavior could be that Stewie is a former dictator who has either been de-aged through magic or reincarnated as a baby. This could explain why Stewie is so smart and ahead of his age, how he can talk, and why he has a British accent. Maybe he’s the reincarnated spirit of Oliver Cromwell or something! It also helps explain how Stewie has calmed down throughout the seasons – as time has passed, he has forgotten his dictatorial ways and simply embraced being a child.

#7: “Da Boom” Is Canon

Season two’s “Da Boom” is obviously not canon. After all, Y2K destroys the world via a nuclear holocaust, Stewie turns into a tentacled creature, and the ending reveals that it was all a dream of “Dallas’s” Pam Ewing. But what if it is? What if “Da Boom” was the official ending of the “Family Guy” story, and all the following episodes are just delusions concocted by the traumatized family? This could explain the show’s declining quality and wildly different tone, as the characters are slowly losing sight of their past realities and veering further and further into imagination. It could also help explain why the characters never age. Talk about depressing…

#6: “Family Guy” Is a Fictional Show Within the “American Dad!” Universe

There’s a reason “Family Guy” is so outlandish – it’s a fictional TV show! Well, yeah, but we mean it’s a fictional TV show WITHIN a fictional TV show! There are a few hints scattered across the series. The obvious one is the episode “Inside Family Guy,” which takes the form of a behind-the-scenes featurette about the making of the show. There’s also the fact that Brian and Stewie travel back to the pilot and comment on its crude animation quality. Not to mention Stan specifically mentions Brian in “American Dad!,” calling him his number one favorite fictional dog. So, is “Family Guy” a fictional show within the “American Dad!” universe? All signs point to yes…

#5: We See Through the Eyes of Stewie

It’s easy to do the whole “this show takes place within a character’s head” theory, but this one actually has some merit. The theory posits that the events of “Family Guy” are merely Stewie’s perception of the world. Peter and Chris act goofy and childish towards Stewie, so Stewie thinks they’re stupid buffoons. Lois is the strict disciplinarian, so Stewie sees her as shrewd and humorless. Meg is an older teenager and often fights with her parents, so Stewie thinks they all hate and abuse her. And Brian doesn’t actually talk. That would be ridiculous. No, his barks and whimpers are simply constructed as human speech in Stewie’s mind, just like his nonsensical baby noises.

#4: Meg Is Stewie’s Biological Mother

One popular theory floating around the internet is that Meg is actually Stewie’s biological mother. According to the theory, Meg became pregnant at a very young age after sleeping with an ex-boyfriend, and both Lois and Brian helped cover up the pregnancy. Why? We don’t know. Maybe to spare Meg the embarrassment and shame? Or to spare Meg’s boyfriend, who would have been subjected to Peter’s wrath? This theory is seemingly legitimized in “Partial Terms of Endearment,” when Lois outright states that Meg gave birth to Stewie. This kind of crude joke should have elicited a response from Meg, but she doesn’t say anything about it. Could this be because Lois was actually telling the truth?

#3: Brian Writes “Family Guy”

We all know that Brian is a writer. So, what if he writes “Family Guy,” as an exaggerated version of his real family? This could help explain the rampant flanderization and general wackiness – he began writing relatively down-to-Earth stories, but when these didn’t sell, he made them more exaggerated and outlandish to help encourage sales. It’s also possible that his increased alcoholism has turned him into a sloppy writer, turning a once-good story into the mess it is now. This also explains why Brian and Stewie are often given their own episodes – he has actually lived these adventures firsthand and has more detail to draw on and exaggerate.

#2: Brian’s Brain

Have you ever wondered why Brian doesn’t really act like a dog? According to this theory, it’s because he is a human trapped inside a dog! Well, a human brain inside a dog’s body, anyway. In “American Dad!,” Klaus is a German ski jumper whose brain was implanted into a goldfish by the CIA. If these two shows share the same universe, it’s entirely possible that the exact same thing happened to Brian. This could explain how he can talk and write, why he was the only puppy from his litter to act like a person, and how he is able to have a 13-year-old human son.

#1: Peter’s Heightened Reality

Reddit user r/bblank0308 came up with a very compelling theory. Unfortunately, it is completely and totally depressing. Bear with us. One night, Meg and Chris both died in a drunk driving accident after coming home from a school party. Lois then took her own life out of grief. Driven to insanity, Peter created the heightened reality of “Family Guy” within his head. Meg is treated poorly because he still resents her for driving drunk and crashing the car. He also makes Stewie highly intelligent, as he likes to believe that his unborn son had great potential. And he makes Stewie hate Lois because she took his life. Finally, a combination of insanity and extreme guilt caused Peter to mentally regress into the man-child he is today.

Which fan theory made your mind go “kablooie?” Let us know in the comments below!