#eric cartman character analysis

[drownedinlavender]

Eric is a character. He is a work of fiction. All of these characters that we know and love and fawn over are just that, characters, they're make believe.

I understand being uncomfortable by the hate speech, that's one thing, but I see people actually hating him like he personally killed their parents and made them into chilly. Matt and Trey write him as a bigot because someone has to be in order to write the story they're trying to tell, in order to get the point across they're trying to make. Someone HAS to be the villain. And when he's extremely anti semetic, xenophobic, racist, he loses because that's the message. Bigots lose. Bigots are a joke.

Matt and Trey stated in an interview that Eric is the product of his surroundings and as someone that grew up in a middle of nowhere town in Wisconsin, there were a lot of kids that shared many similarities with Cartman. They were racist, xenophobic, and just straight up mean. Many of which told me my family and I should go back to Mexico where I belonged. But they also all came from broken homes. A lot of them were simply attention starved, neglected children internalizing the problems of the adults around them. And looking back now, I don't hold any ounce of contemp or negative emotion towards those children, my heart goes out to them. They didn't have anyone that cared enough about them to correct their behavior. Any kind of attention, including negative, was better than none due to how neglectful their gaurdiens were.

This isn't me arguing why people that hate Cartman should love him, or hold pity for him. On the contrary, I hate to argue lol. This is only me divulging my thoughts on a character I personally think is written with a lot of dimension and depth. I like the idea of Eric as a character. A 10 year old child overly spoiled by his crack addicted, sex worker mother who is lonely and isolated to the point of only relying on her child for friendship so she treats him more like a friend than a child thus creating a spoiled, deeply insecure, self centered, bigoted asshole of a kid. His mother, along with most of the adults around him, failed him and now he's making it everyone's problem. His childhood is like a joker origin story lol how wild

Anyway, that is all :'D

[rx-aysgl]

On Kyle's Side: My Personal Take on Cartman And Kyle's Dynamic From Kyle's Point Of View

This is a four part essay in which i explore Cartman and Kyle's relationship, focusing primarily on Kyle's perspective. As said, i have broken it down into four different parts titled:

Sense of Identity

Martyr Complex and Competitiveness

Cartman

Their Relationship

There will be an extra chapter where i will make some additional commentary.

Hope you guys enjoy.

1. Sense of Identity and Selfishness

In the show Kyle is always concerned about “doing the right thing”, at least that's what he likes to tell himself. Though in reality, he is extremely selfish when push comes to shove and the reason for that stems from his constant questioning of his own identity and his stance in things. This makes him come off as rather inconsistent in a lot of ways. As a result, Kyle feels very lost. So what does he do? He decides to base his opinions and feelings and thoughts off of his environment because his own existance overwhelms him so much (eg. the "Tooth Fairy Tats 2000" episode). This puts him into this vicious cycle where he keeps getting lost even more due to not being able to pinpoint his own frame of thought and latching onto the external world that consists of many different people who have found their own way in life who also keep changing constantly and thus leaving all kinds of contradicting impressions on him. Throughout the series we see him try to change his apparence, religion, even his personality for the sake of fitting in (this also correlates to his martyr complex which i will get to). He creates this moral code for himself that he conditions himself to stick to in order to find his own identity and feel a sense of belonging but the sheer inconsistency of said moral code causes him to come off as indecisive, sometimes as a people pleaser and sometimes a hypocrite.

His defiance of a stable frame of mind pushes him to act on instinct and his momentary emotions while his refusal of self-acceptance causes him to distance his true self from others he considers close to him (Stan), hence the selfishness. It makes sense because how could someone get close to another when he can't even make peace with his own identity?

The reason i am mentioning this is to point out that since Cartman is so extreme in his beliefs and deliberately commits so many evil and selfish deeds, Kyle is obsessively drawn to him because it is so easy to call out and oppose him. Their polarity makes Kyle feel a sense of self he doesnt allow himself to truly make peace with and sugarcoat how fucked up he can be just like all the people in South Park that have wronged him but not enough to channel these feelings into. Cartman keeps Kyle grounded. Just like basically every other kid in the show, Kyle has done terrible things but he is so concerned about being right that he has to have Cartman by his side to make him escape from his own inner conflicts by reflecting it directly onto Cartman, the one person he is actually much more similar to more than he likes to think but he can only subconsciously acknowledge it.

2. Martyr Complex and Competitiveness

Another very essential aspect we need to pay attention to is Kyle's martyr complex. Kyle feels the need to not only to do the right thing but also to “sacrifice himself” for it. He is so self righteous to the point that not only does he not acknowledge his own flaws he also thinks he has to be and is some kind of heroic figure to others (eg. "Ginger Cow"), though this is more subtle compared to the other aspects of his personality.

The martyr complex causes Cartman to be seen as an even easier target than he already is and Cartman is more than willing to exploit Kyle for it hence feeding his very own complexes. They mutually feed off of each other to the point they are obsessed with each other and need each other. I would also like to point out that Kyle often shares some of his most vulnerable moments when Cartman is by his side in a suprising way (eg. choosing to stay by Cartman's side in the "You're Getting Old" and "Ass Burgers" episodes as an escape from Stan's depression at the time, crying with Cartman in "Kenny Dies" etc.) and vice versa. Though this is hard to notice on Cartman's side because Kyle conveys his vulnerability via confusion, sadness and desparation whereas Cartman does so via anger, jealousy and revenge.

3. Cartman

Cartman chastising Kyle like this most likely stems from how he believes Kyle was the catalyst to how fucked up he turned out to be due to his constant agression and bullying towards him in the earlier seasons, where he was mostly just a spoiled brat and nowhere near as bad as he is now. His pent up fury leads Cartman to also feel an extreme amount of envy towards Kyle with the reason of Cartman being a little more capable than Kyle at recognizing how him and Kyle share many similarities (being very emotionally driven, selfishness, neuroticism, stubbornnes, a habit of denying their own mistakes) who is in full denial of it on a conscious level. Cartman does try to get closer to Kyle and also the rest of his friends and seek their validation in the earlier seasons but as time goes by he realizes more and more that Kyle does not get the same treatment as him regardless.

Therefore, Cartman blames Kyle for his suffering and takes it all out on him in various disgusting ways because he thinks that Kyle deserves all the terrbile things happening to him.

It is very important to take into consideration how abhorrent Cartman's upbringing was and how influential it is to the way he feels towards Kyle. All of his childhood; he was raised with all kinds of abuse, neglect, extensive bullying and was depraved of almost all positive emotions. The result of this is Cartman ending up percieving positive emotions in a very traumatized, distorted and disturbing way. With this gradual build-up and "Scott Tennorman Must Die" being his breaking point by spreading fear to all of South Park and feeling an overwhelming amout of attention on him that he craved so much, Cartman ultimately comes to the conclusion that he can only and only validate himself by inflicting negativity on others. Independent from being conventionally "positive" or "negative" emotions, post-Scott Tennorman Cartman correlates all of his emotions to seeking attention and asserting himself as much as he can in means of a defense mechanism and in means of validating his own existance. His real feelings are filtered through a broken perspective, of which are conveyed intensely to the people he feels strongly about like Kyle or Liane.

How this all comes back to Kyle lies in the fact that Cartman also "benefits" from the way Kyle caters to his own problems via their seemingly very polarized relationship, not only does Cartman keep Kyle grounded as mentioned but Kyle does keep Cartman grounded as well.

At this point, their individual vicious cycles have become one, a constant play of cat and mouse; with both of them unable to differentiate which one is which, ever chasing.

4. Their Relationship

Describing their feelings towards each other as solely hate wouldn’t do justice to the times they tried so hard to keep the other in their lives (eg. the "Smug Alert" and "Skank Hunt" episodes) not only for the sake of just existing in each others lives or keeping in touch etc. but also to keep each other in their individual loops they are in, of which they cannot maintain with anyone else.

As a consequence Kyle and Cartman’s mutual obsession with each other leads them to go such lengths as saving each other multiple times. However, since there is a perpetual competitiveness between them due to Cartman's evny towards Kyle and Kyle's insatiable need to prove himself to be better than Cartman, they simply cannot stand each other’s happiness, especially if it involves someone really close to them, like a partner. Cartman ruining Kyle's potential romantic relationship with Nicole in "Cartman Finds Love" and Kyle trying to ruin Cartman's relationship with Heidi in "Doubling Down" and Kyle being unable to appreciate Cartman finally changing his ways for good and having a loving relationship and family in the Post Covid specials are all examples of both of them selfishly trying to involve the other in their own issues they should be able to deal with on their own, only have they not been such self absorbed people.

Their rivalry brings out the best and the worst in each other and they both know deep down that they are just like each other and they both hate it and feel an odd sense of comfort in it. That is exactly the reason why they simply cannot stand when the one of them goes on to have a happier life than the other. Not only do they feel as if they have lost some kind of battle but they also feel abandoned when it happens.

Extra Thoughts:

I find their relationship to be extremely complex and honest to god it has my multi media overthinker ass climbing up the walls and shitting furnitures. They are my favorite characters in the show and analyzing both of them was such treat to me. Due to some things i have mentioned in this essay especially on the last chapter, you can interpret some of them in the same vein as some kind of shipping subtext, even though this essay is essentially written in means of sheerly exploring this dynamic as it is. I honestly like keeping things really ambigious without necessarily categorizing relationships as romantic or platonic but if written properly i can enjoy both renditions of this relationship.

In order to clarify some things, i can enjoy romantic kyman ONLY AND ONLY in the condition of Cartman bettering himself over the years. I know it would be really difficult and may seem impossible to most of you but i find it an interesting and challenging story to think about and create content for. I believe that Eric is forever gonna stay as an asshole and i do not expect him to become an angel in the future. However I also think of him to be a really traumatized 8 year old, who is a really fucked up product of his really fucked up environment, a child who is smart enough to learn to be a better person, especially to those he values as his friends if given the proper opportunity. I do not think that their relationship will ever be a conventionally and classically an ideal one, especially from an outsider's perspective but Kyle and Cartman (and the entirety of South Park's cast) are both very far from being ideal human beings in the first place. At the end of the day, relationships can be very complex and unhealthy in real life, they always come in different colors and shapes. It is okay to explore a relationship in fiction without thinking it is the ideal relationship or the relationship you want to have in your own lives. It is okay to explore a relationship because it is interesting and well-written. This is what media literacy is all about.

As a disclaimer before some dumbass ship discourse happens, there are ofc some lines not to cross like the romanticization of inc*st, p*dophilia, r*pe and things like ww2 aus and shit btw. That being said, if you cannot separate fiction and reality to the extent i talked about in the previous chapter, this is your stupidity. Stop making it everybody's fucking problem.

anyways im gonna be extra deadass rn if someone gave me a 100k word long collage au that is written properly i would eat that shit up like theres no tomorrow. it doesnt even have to be romantic i just want more of them they are so interesting 😭😭😭 they also funny as fuck so the 2012 yaoi becomes even funnier. what a great dynamic godzamn 😭😭😭😭

Thanks for reading!!!

[themadsquirrel09]

Eric and Kenny: the paranormal connection (Season 1 to 7)

Some of this has been explored in analysis like this one, but I wanted to look into Eric's and Kenny's mystical connection 🪄

The transplant

Eric steals Kenny's eyes 〰 S3E3 ☆ The Succubus

There are real life stories about people having personality changes after organ transplants.

"The most intriguing finding involved 'disconnected memories.' Several recipients reported vivid memories that seemed unrelated to their past experiences. These memories often involved sensory details, potentially linked to the organ donor."

I think it is also implied that Eric's optometrist is actually a monster (?).

The view of the fandom: For what I've noticed, it is a common headcanon that Kenny and Eric are connected since the transplant. There are fanartist who draw Cartman with heterochromia, mostly keeping one eye brown, or hazel, and the other blue.

I have heard mismatched eyes can be related to being able to see "the other world". Seems like Native American cultures believe people or animals with different colored irises see heaven and earth at the same time; in the pagan traditions of Europe, this was associated with witchcraft. I could not find a reliable source for this, though.

If you are wondering, eyes do not change color because of a transplant, or at least not like that; but it looks great and I think it works because it is South Park: weird things happens there.

We get to see that Kenny has blue eyes on S01E08 ∣ Starvin' Marvin. And Princess Kenny has purple eyes.

Kenny could actually have both; it is said Liz Taylor's eyes shifted color between blue and purple.

Through Kenny's eyes, Wizard Cartman has blue eyes!

Ghost message

Kenny dies in the movie and he appears to Eric as a ghost 〰 South Park: Bigger, longer, uncut.

This analysis is one I haven't found! So why is Eric is the only one who can see Kenny's ghost in the movie? or is the right question: why does Kenny only shows himself to Eric?

Let's explore some possibilities:

Eric is the only who can see Kenny because he has his eyes. It makes sense and the Succubus episode airs before the movie. For what I've found, this is usually the view of the fandom.

Kenny and Cartman have unfinished business. Since they made a bet just before the death! Kenny won the bet, but Cartman didn't pay. Some believe people with unfinished business are stuck and connected to the person who owes them.

It is said that ghosts and demons target the weakest: Cartman is a psycho, yes, also a very lonely child. In this scene Liane is singing to Eric, he asks her to keep going, but she "has to save her voice for work". Before she goes, Eric confronts about the porno video: she lies to him and goes away. Right after that, Kenny appears.

I think the V-chip could also have something to do, since electricity is shocking Cartman every time he curses and ghost are detected as electromagnetic changes in the ambience. It is a bit far fetched (?), but maybe he was working as a medium thanks to the chip.

Because it's funny! The idea of Cartman intimidated by Kenny is just something to giggle to.

1 body, 2 souls

Eric drinks Kenny's ashes and shares his body with him for almost a month 〰 A Ladder to Heaven ☆ S6E12 to The biggest douche in the universe ☆ S6E15.

I mean, wow. Cartman does not only access his memories, he feels like Kenny and sees through his eyes.

And what about what Kyle says? Is that just a fat joke, or could he be referencing the animated postcard that initiated South Park? If you watch it, you see a boy who looked like Cartman, but he was called Kenny. He dies.

They both die.

The name of a person can be important in literature and magic. Long ago, some people didn't revealed their name because it was believed that if other knew it, they could have power over them. An animation which references this is Spirited away (2001).

The awakening

The way Kenny awakes is awesome! This memory makes him speak up throughout Eric:

Kenny awakes at the the third time he shouts "Shut up Cartman, you blood-belching vagina!".

If you like horror, you probably have read or seen this: the act of repeating something 3 times can be a way to summon something or someone. We also get to see this on S11E10 ∣ Hell on Earth 2006!

Kenny was so willful to stand up for himself that he took control over Eric's body just to be heard; at the end of the episode, something similar happens:

After Kenny and Cartman start sharing a body, it all escalates. We see Kenny overpowering the speech and actions. After almost a month, Eric is dying because of this and they have to exorcise him.

My curse is to remember

Lets consider that Eric remembers Kenny's deaths and also a bunch of stuff he should not! 〰 Volcano ☆ S1E3, Cartmanland ☆ S5E6, and others.

The boys go camping and Cartman starts playing with a gun, but it sounds like he is having war flashbacks. Stan says he is lying and of course he could be right, but what if Eric does remember? Pasts lives, Kenny's deaths and who knows what else.

Even if it has never been confirmed, it all points towards the fact that Cartman remembers Kenny's deaths. Here you find my favorite evidence compilation.

Eric seems to be the only one who knows Kenny dies, also he tries to do something about it sometimes. In the End of obesity special we have him trying to reach for Kenny's hand.

Of course, Cartman remembering this kind of stuff can just be a gag, it also aligns with his character as he is some sort of trickster: on cartoon, the most likely archetype to know things they shouldn't, or break the 4th wall.

With South Park, this can be relevant or not, we don't know because of its negative narrative, which I love!

I do think Kenny and Cartman' s paranormal connection is there and their destiny is intertwined by the narrative, but only time will tell.

This was made for the @kenmanweek2023 💘

[myheadhurtssodoesmyheart]

do you see my vision?

[ihatethiswebsite77]

My south park headcanon that I consider to be canon is that at one point Cartman thought he didn't have a dad because him mom didn't get one for him. His mom was always his one and only caretaker, and she's always the one getting him stuff, that's the only normal he knows. So when he was old enough to understand that all the other kids had a dad and he didn't, he thought it was because their moms got one for them, and his Mom just hadn't gotten one for him yet. So the first time she brought over a man, he thought it was his mom finally getting him a dad. So he would excitedly call him Dad. And obviously he would be corrected when he said this, he would be disappointed, but he would keep calling the next few guys she would bring over the same thing. After enough disappointment he would eventually realize that, clearly, he is missing something. And then in that one episode would end up asking his mom "You know how my friend Stan has like, a dad? And my friend Kyle has a dad, and my friend Kenny has a dad?... GODDAMNIT DO I HAVE A DAD??"

[cgspirl]

i like cartman, he's my favorite.

"OH SO YOU'RE RACIST AND ANTISEMETIC AND JUST LIKE HIM AND-"

no. you misheard. i like cartman, he's my favorite. i never said that i liked the things he's done, or that i think he's right, or that i think he's a good person. i said i like him and he's my favorite.

"HOW COULD YOU LIKE HIM HE'S AWFUL AND TERRIBLE AND DESERVES ALL THE BAD SHIT THAT HAPPENS TO HIM AND IS THE WORST AND-"

yes, exactly. i like that he sucks. i like that he's the worst. i like that he's terrible and evil and that the only thing outside of himself that he cares about is either animals (see the cheesing ep) or his stuffed animals and i like that he's only 10 years old and been through the fucking ringer.

i like that he's the antagonist. i like that he gets his ass beat. i like that he is very much South Park's Worst Monster and that even in the future he still gets screwed and it's 100% his fault.

i like him because he is awful. i like it when the consequences of his actions bite him in the ass and i like that next to no one in south park likes him and that it's extremely probable that he may never grow out of it.

i like cartman, he's my favorite because he is awful. because he is so unapologetically terrible and just doesn't fucking care to change, making him one of the most complex and interesting characters in fucking south park and i will die on this hill over and over and over again to make people understand that just because you like and enjoy an irredeemable protagonist does not mean that you yourself are an irredeemable monster.

and yes, for all intensive purposes cartman is a protagonist: whether or not you want to admit it he is a main fucking character isn't even close to being up for debate.

the black/white view of antagonist and protagonist is some of the most infuriating shit i've ever seen in my entire fucking life and so help me god if i hear one more person say the 'protagonist' is the hero of the story i will fucking smash their face in with a brick.

protagonist is the lead in a story. antagonist is the adversary to the protagonist.

this does not make the antagonist the villain by default.

this does not make the antagonist the villain by default.

this does not make the antagonist the villain by default.

in the most extreme example i can think of: kyle is the antagonist to cartman. however, i (as a person) root for kyle because cartman fucking sucks and is wrong. (a great example? dib n zim. we root for zim not because he's good, we root for him because he's the lead. dib isn't the villain, he is the adversary to zim's goals.)

but that doesn't make me like cartman any less. i like cartman because his suckage is fucking hilarious. it's the absolute punchline of the show when cartman fucking fails because it gives a sense of satisfaction. i like cartman and i like it when he fucking fails.

i think there needs to be a cessation of only liking characters that are morally correct or good or have the best intentions because then it completely mogs down any fun you could have to consume a media critically or enjoyably out of fear of being crucified for having a differing opinion to others.

i like cartman, he's my favorite. he is my favorite because i know and realize that he is bad, and that what makes him so appealing to me. he's my favorite because media literacy is not that fucking hard.

[pinkeoni]

Dustin’s Absent Father and the Effects on His Character

Here’s something I don’t think I’ve made before, it’s a Dustin analysis!

In season 2 we are introduced to Dustin’s mom, as well as the lack of Dustin’s father. It’s not hammered over the head or anything, but it’s there. We aren’t explicitly told what happened to him, and we don’t necessarily need to be told. There are plenty of kids who live in single parent households, and we don’t need to hear the details of this story to understand it. However, the show may be telling us in subtle ways how this effects Dustin, and also what exactly happened to him.

The absense of Dustin’s father seems to make him reach out to others as a replacement father, as well as want to become a good caregiver himself. He does both of these things in season 2, where he simultaneously becomes a adoptive father of D’Art as well as seeks out Steve Harrington as a surrogate father figure (whether he was conscious of this or not)

I think that Dustin’s dedication to D’Art may give some insight as to what happened to his father, or at least, how his father’s absence has affected him. When everyone is arguing about what to do with D’Art, Dustin blurts out this telling line:

I believe that this line may be a projection of Dustin’s personal experience when it came to his father. He promised that he would take care of Dustin, but ended up leaving and/or possibly even dying. Either way, he still left in some capacity and was unable to fulfill that promise.

Dustin says to Mike that he moved to Hawkins in the fourth grade, so I’m willing to bet that his father left and him and his mom moved because of this. This happens to families all the time where they have to relocate because a major source of income has left. We see this happen with Max and her mom in season 4 when they downsize after her step-father leaves. The Henderson’s do seem financially stable though, not as well off as the Wheelers or Sinclairs, but more money than the Byers or the Mayfeilds. I’m willing to bet that Claudia works too, based on her wardrobe. She often dresses in collared shirts and either pants or a skirt with tights underneath, outfits befitting of office-like job.

When Dustin interacts with Claudia, it feels a little different than how other characters like Mike or Will interact with their moms. He’s not as mama’s boy as Will is nor does he argue with her as much as Mike does with Karen. Their interactions are friend-like, almost as if Dustin views her as another one of his friends and less his mom. I think about the scene in the beginning of s2 where Dustin is searching for coins, and he makes weird noises to mock his mom. I’m about to make a wierd comparison, but their dynamic reminds me a little bit of Eric Cartman and his mom from South Park.

Now OBVIOUSLY Dustin is not mean towards or controlling of his mother like Cartman is, but both are single-mom and only child households, and Cartman also sometimes talks to his mom in a similar way that he would talk to his friends, while his mom is extremely loving and doting on him like Claudia is to Dustin. (Loose connection I know, but I’m trying to make a point 😭)

It’s almost like because of the lack of a strong male presence in the house, Dustin almost sees himself as equal with his mom. There isn’t another man that he sees as seperate from himself that establishes a power dynamic, if anything he sees himself the man of the house.

Dustin does however seek out that older male father figure, in both Steve and Eddie. Dustin goes to Steve as a bit of a last reaort, but I think he may have also subconsciously been seeking out and older male to protect him, similar to the role of a father. Off the bat, Steve's relationship with Dustin does begin pretty fatherly. Steve is giving Dustin dating advice, similar to how a parent might talk to their kid about dating. He then gives Dustin a ride to the Snow Ball, who has done his hair the way that Steve told him. We even see this right after we see Max’s mom helping her with her hair.

In season 3, their relationship shifts. Similar to how Dustin interacts with his mom, he now sees Steve as more of his friend rather than his father. He is on equal level with him. Their first interaction of the season is the two of them playing lightsaber with each other— their relationship has definitely shifted from father-son to big brother-little brother.

Dustin even gives dating advice to Steve now, except for the other way around. Dustin's status as a man with the girlfriend gives him a sense of superiority against the man who is effectively bitchless. However, I do think that Dustin is still seeking out that fatherly connection. Dustin goes to Steve after he has already been abandoned by the rest of his friends, something that was echoed with his real dad.

Once season 4 roles around, Dustin starts spending much more time with Eddie than he does with Steve, which is told to us through the dialogue. I think part of the reason why Dustin prefers Eddie over Steve is because Eddie is fulfilling the surrogate dad role better than Steve at this point. How is Eddie more fatherly than Steve? It's not that Eddie is more mature than Steve, but rather Eddie asserts a type of power in his relationship with both Dustin and Mike. He tells them that they are both his sheep and he is essentially their shepherd, or what could be interpreted in Dustin's mind as "You are my son, and I am your father." Eddie even dictates how they dress, what with the Hellfire shirts and whatnot. Eddie even uses the example of "Clothes that your mommy bought you at the goddamn Gap," creating another parent parallel. It’s similar to how Steve was instructing Dustin how to wear his hair.

I don't necessarily think that Mike sees Eddie as a dad but more as a role model that he wants to be like, which is shown through his hair and style shift that attempts to replicate Eddie. Dustin, however, DOES see him as a dad.

So then, if Dustin sees Eddie as replacement for his dad that left him, then that makes this scene all the more sad.

Which begs the question, did Dustin's real father die? There's no conclusive evidence (as far as I can tell) to suggest that he did, but there's also nothing to say that he didn't. If he did, it would definitely make Dustin experiencing the death of a father figure all the more tragic than it already was.

So what does this mean for Dustin's character going forward? I think that we might see a repeat of what happened in season 2, where Dustin steps into a caregiver like role. Not that he's going to get a new baby to replace D'Art, but rather he might assert himself as a protective figure, as to not lose anyone else to the Upside Down. Out of everyone, especially with his science knowledge and interest in research, that he would become the survivalist and the one most prepared to try and keep everyone safe, similar to a parent. No more failing anyone like D’Art, or losing anyone like his dad or Eddie.

[kenmanweek2023]

Dear Kenny and Cartman lovers, our time has come!

Participate every day, or only one; submit before the deadline, or turn it in late! It is OK, do it at your own phase, style, and taste, just remember to tag @kenmanweek2023 , so I can share your awesome creations 🧡❤️

Kenman week starts on December 5th, since it was the date “Kenny dies” premiered; each day you have a different word to get inspired. You can create digital or traditional artwork, fanfiction, animation, characters analysis, edits, or whatever you want.

This #kenmanweek2023 you can participate exploring the sides of Kenny and Eric's dynamic you prefer; if you think they should fall in love, or you want them as friends forever; if you prefer to see them getting on each other's nerves, or as the perfect partners in crime. Each way is awesome!

The only restriction: No AI creations accepted.

If it is mature content, tag it as such, please.

Organized, illustrated, and designed by @themadsquirrel09 ☆ Feel free to ask me anything, I'll try to reach you soon!

[feministsouthpark]

South Park Filler Guide - Season 3

Link for Season 1 Link for Season 2

I find the existence of filler guides quite amusing, since for some shows it makes sense (like Naruto), but for others (like Pokemon) it absolutely doesn't and they still exist. So here is an attempt to do an absolutely unnecessary one just for fun. 😅

The classifications are CANON (an episode with major storylines present), LORE (in which we get significant backstory or world building, but could be skippable)  and FILLER (completely skippable episodic storytelling, not connected to overarching story arcs)

PLS my analysis will have spoilers, if you're a first time viewer, just scroll to the bottom and read the list and only read full text if you are familiar with the content of the show already!

S3E1 Rainforest Shmainforest is LORE

It's a great episode for developing the characters to be written more consistent, which will be a general trend in this season compared to the last one, however Kelly disappearing after this episode really doesn't help this one cement itself in the long run, however Craig's small scene and character introduction gives some context why Eric considers him the baddest boy in school a few episodes later, but that isn't needed.

S3E2 Spontaneous Combustion is FILLER

Randy's early spotlight episode, it's fun and great, again, but nothing carries over from this one.

S3E3 The Succubus is FILLER

So Eric now has Kenny's eyes? Anyway, that conflict wasn't introduced until now, and any other conflict introduced here gets an instant resolution.

S3E4 Jakovasaurs is FILLER

It's a fine spotlight episode for Mayor McDaniels and a largely unimpressive episode for a lot of other reasons, that doesn't ever influence anything.

S3E5 Tweek vs. Craig is CANON

Of course this one is canon! We learn more about how Kenny is aware of his deaths, fan-favorite ship Richard Adler and Pam Brady is introduced and Eric Cartman learns sumo from a grand master which all will be important later! And also some background kids get into a conflict or something.

South Park the Movie 1: Bigger, Longer and Uncut is CANON

And not only is it canon, I hereby present you it in its true placement for anyone who didn't know when to watch it. Stan character development and romance with Saddam, more on Kenny and death, Sheila starts M.A.C., overall big events that will be influental to a lot of later episodes.

S3E6 Sexual Harrassment Panda is FILLER

Matt and Trey have no memory of making this episode. Neither do we have any memory of it minutes after watching it.

S3E7 Cat Orgy is CANON

Because of course, the Meteor Shower arc is a big thing, Shelley's boyfriend Skyler will go on to form a band called Lords of the Underworld. This one also explains where Shelley and Eric were while...

S3E8 Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub is CANON

Stan had to befriend Butters. Also we learn of Dougie and that he is on friendly term with Butters. Pip is also here, but that one hardly helps this episode to count as canon, so I just won't mention it. Look, Kyle returns! We just need an explanation from where

S3E9 Jewbilee is CANON

he was. Also Kenny was there with him it seems. This one's super canon because of Moses of course. That's enough. And it also pairs up with Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub. TBH I could easily say these two are canon and Cat Orgy is but lore, but it's intended to be a trilogy and I respect that.

S3E10 Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery is FILLER

It's a strange episode with a Chewbacca ending. Kyle's grandma's body is here, but nothing else is consequential.

S3E11 Chinpokomon is LORE

While the plot of the episode itself doesn't leave much of an impact, the Chinpokomon franchise still exists within South Park. S3E12 Hooked on Monkey Fonics is FILLER

The Cotswolds' never reappear. Mark does in background roles. Butters gets a kiss that later gets retconned. I looove this episode, but this is a filler. S3E13 Starvin' Marvin in Space is FILLER

This is a sequel to one earlier episode and nothing else. (It's a good time though) S3E14 The Red Badge of Gayness is FILLER

The boys learn that the north won and slavery is now illegal. They have a bet which is also moot by the end. S3E15 Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classic is FILLER

It doesn't seem fair to classify this one, since it's more of a company EP than an episode by design. S3E16 Are You There God? It's me Jesus is CANON

God appears in this one. We learn more on his relationship with Jesus. S3E17 World Wide Recorder Concert is LORE

Herbert's relationship with his father add to understanding his character.

SPOILER-FREE RUNDOWN

Again, CANON means you should watch it, FILLER means you can skip it, LORE is somewhere in-between, any episode with the LORE label will have an explanation that helps you decide if you should include it or not.

S3E1 Rainforest Shmainforest is LORE* S3E2 Spontaneous Combustion is FILLER S3E3 The Succubus is FILLER S3E4 Jakovasaurs is FILLER S3E5 Tweek vs. Craig is CANON South Park MOV 1: Bigger, Longer and Uncut is CANON S3E6 Sexual Harrassment Panda is FILLER S3E7 Cat Orgy is CANON S3E8 Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub is CANON S3E9 Jewbilee is CANON S3E10 Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery is FILLER S3E11 Chinpokomon is LORE** S3E12 Hooked on Monkey Fonics is FILLER S3E13 Starvin' Marvin in Space is FILLER S3E14 The Red Badge of Gayness is FILLER S3E15 Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classic is FILLER S3E16 Are You There God? It's me Jesus is CANON S3E17 World Wide Recorder Concert is LORE*** *If you want to see a scene of Craig Tucker to understand his status **If you want to know what Chinpokomon is, but it's pretty obviously a Pokemon parody every time it appears. ***If you want to know Herbert Garrison's complicated childhood traumas. CANON counter:

S1: 9 out of 13 S2: 3 out of 18 S3: 6 out of 17 Overall: 18 out of 48

[wendytestabrat]

i was deadass the first one to defend cartman

i remember years ago i was like the only one that would defend cartman and talk abt how i thought there was good in him and how he had redeeming qualities and then bitches would just be like “BUT HE GAVE KYLE AIDS!1!1” 😩 “HE FED A KID HIS PARENTS!1!1!” 😩 like no shit sherlock a lot of evil characters do evil things but they still have redeeming sides to them and character development arcs we get to see LOL. that’s called actually fleshing out a character. and then i made my character analysis on amino in 2020 called “a defense of eric cartman” and i remember praying that after i made that my message would get out there and people would finally start to see cartman differently bc i was sick of being the only one pointing this shit out. and look where the fandom is now!!!! there are so many more people who defend cartman now and see his good sides and the show has had A LOT of moments since then of character development showing cartman’s softer side. like especially in the second part of post covid: the return of covid i feel like that was the REAL moment where people finally changed their view on cartman for good after the sacrifice he made to save kyle or whatever the fuck happened

[sp-hot-take-confessional]

This fandom is so funny because you will find a 10 page analysis and a catboy version of a character side by side, and yes they are both about Eric Cartman

.

[north-park]

Sorry for being insane about the Shits&Farts show but the Butters misogyny crap really is a new "Liane is a bigot and also THE SOLE REASON WHY ERIC IS A NAZI, not because Trey wanted a character to represent the evil in humanity, it's her or Kyle calling him fat or whatever" regurgitation where people with no understanding of the intented narrative (South Park is an evil city who still upholds extremely bigoted values even after the fake ass wokefication of the recent reasons, and that is reflected on the most unsuspetting characters spewing the vilest crap) reduce the intented message to a just individual personal flaw of each character decontextualizing the world they live in; AKA taking something that happened like 10 times in a 300+ long ep show and making it their entire fucking personality + slapping on the hashtag Just As Bad As Cartman (if not worse!) label on them for good measure (and for the record, there is exactly ONE character who is possibly just as evil as Cartman and that's Randy Marsh so let's jot that down)

Personally i think all traits and development are quite interesting (on paper) but whenever I see these characters getting blackwashed to hell back (and not only them, Heidi, Kyle all get this shit treatment too, often equaling fatphobic comments to literal antisemitism) with no actual regards towards towards them beyond surface level analysis justify whatever they wrongly believe in (and also, take a shot if those same people whitewash characters like Cartman or Stan because they are "relatable" or some crap) it just makes me Not Care Anymore if those characters actually have those flaws or not, because it's pretty obvious people are just being extremely immature and ignorant about it

[victimized-martyr]

I posted 884 times in 2022

That's 884 more posts than 2021!

101 posts created (11%)

783 posts reblogged (89%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@behind-the-blow

@numbknee

@light-koe-pinsky

@potatoes-tomatoes

@unlikely-bloom

I tagged 816 of my posts in 2022

Only 8% of my posts had no tags

#kyman - 91 posts

#south park - 84 posts

#asks - 40 posts

#eric cartman - 37 posts

#kyle broflovski - 36 posts

#my art - 24 posts

#talk tag - 17 posts

#analysis - 15 posts

#cartman - 12 posts

#chat hoes - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 143 characters

#’no one wants to hear us speak over the show for 22 minutes and try to fill the time’ i do!! thats why i clicked ‘play comentary’ !! 😭😭😭😭💔

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

this is what I mean when I say they’re always on each other’s minds, mkay

524 notes - Posted July 16, 2022

#4

See the full post

533 notes - Posted May 21, 2022

#3

See the full post

570 notes - Posted September 20, 2022

#2

buenas tardes my fellow kymans

See the full post

608 notes - Posted April 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I had a vision 🧍‍♂️✨

776 notes - Posted July 23, 2022

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[themadsquirrel09]

Kenny dies! with an extra layer of heartbreak

"Kenny dies", the 12th episode of season 5, aired on December 5th, 2001. It has been 22 years since Matt and Trey dropped that bomb of feels; so, to celebrate, I thought, we should break our heart today!

Let's roll with the theory that Eric Cartman is the only one who remembers that Kenny dies multiple times (besides Kenny's parents).

(GIF from the episode S05E05 ∣ Cartmaland)

When you think about it in the context of the episode"Kenny dies", it is a game changer.

The moment of truth

So, Eric finds out Kenny is dying, goes to the hospital, and confesses to Kenny he sees him as his best friend. Kenny reciprocates, although we never know if sincerely, or out of pity, I'm inclined to bet it was an honest reply from Kenny.

(Gifset by South-Park-Gifs)

Eric tells Kenny he is gonna find the cure for him, and he seems exited.

But he hasn't leave the room when his expression has already dropped.

Soon he breaks down.

I think that, at least in this brief moment, Cartman was honest.

And what if here it is true that he remembers Kenny's deaths? Then maybe what hurts him the most is seeing his fun-loving partner in crime wasting in that hospital room.

The promise

After that, it also seems that Eric is serious about his promise of finding a cure. When he realizes he can clone the Shakey's, that idea is in his head probably from that moment, BUT, this is Eric Cartman we are talking about, he can be very ambitious, and so my theory is that he wanted both to cure Kenny, and clone the pizza place.

Then we have the lovable, and unforgettable moment when Eric gives his speech. If you are a fan, you know he is great at that, and you also know how good he is at manipulating, so it is all planned? Maybe it is!

He cries, and is almost unable to stop himself... but he can cry at will. So is it all fake? What if we take it to a middle point? Let's consider that some of that emotion is real. He cries more when he says "I love Kenny McCormick, and I hope you love him too".

I would go as far to say that even if he was acting, he probably borrowed the emotion of that moment in the hospital to cry at will, and influencing other people's judgment.

It could also be that he genuinely broke down in the middle of the speech, and resorted to singing that kind of song, which would kick a sing along. Entertaining is one of Eric's abilities, and singing can also soothe the nerves.

A goodbye we don't get to see

So, what if Cartman was serious about helping Kenny, and he ran out of time? What if the doctor looked at him in the eye and said "it is too late to cure him"? Maybe just after he had visited Kenny, and told him he was about to get the cure for him.

Or did Eric get so involved in the whole deal he didn't even got to say that last goodbye?

We are still rolling with the idea that Cartman remembers Kenny's multiple death, still he goes to the different funerals, so why didn't he goes to this one? Maybe it was a "fuck it" moment, he just wanted the Shakey's, and Kenny was dead anyway.

But there's another alternative, that Eric was so devastated by his own failure he had to focus on something that wasn't Kenny.

What if he felt so guilty he just wanted to be punished? So he goes, and shows the guys how much of a piece of shit he is; it feels great because Kyle beats the shit outta him, so, in a sick way, he gets that he thinks he deserves.

Did I broke you heart?

I sure broke mine :'l

With love: (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Stan

[myheadhurtssodoesmyheart]

lets talk about cartmans diary and how people use it as a valid point to the teory of him being homosexual

i hate it so much when people use cartmans diary to asume his sexuality, i mean, u can drawn gay shit and still not being gay. not to mention it has been pointed out mutiple times in the serie that he sees sex as a form of humillation/ something horrible

i dont really think his diary is a valid point for the teory of him being gay. not to mention its totally normal for a kid to want to annoy his friends with drawnings/ shit like that

[cool-island-songs]

I posted 274 times in 2022

That's 208 more posts than 2021!

99 posts created (36%)

175 posts reblogged (64%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fayoftheforest

@roostertuftart

@englishknightsky

@ladyfeldspar

@victimized-martyr

I tagged 257 of my posts in 2022

Only 6% of my posts had no tags

#south park - 104 posts

#tweek tweak - 50 posts

#ask game - 42 posts

#craig tucker - 42 posts

#sp creek - 39 posts

#kenny mccormick - 20 posts

#south park fanfiction - 19 posts

#ask - 18 posts

#eric cartman - 16 posts

#ask meme - 16 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#that's bogus and as a creek shipper from 2008 i don't agree? we wouldn't have creek if “likelihood of becoming canon” was what entitled ppl

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

“Told you our furniture sucked!“ - Mrs. Tweak (a queen)

195 notes - Posted February 16, 2022

#4

Kenny’s dream

223 notes - Posted June 1, 2022

#3

Wanted to share this Creek art @just5am commissioned for me from @parasiteinfestation of Creek being autistic and in love! I definitely didn't cry

244 notes - Posted November 24, 2022

#2

Craig Tucker Character Analysis: Canon Overview, Pt. 1

So, this guy right here is pretty popular, both as a fictional 4th grade student at South Park Elementary, and as a phenomenon in the South Park fandom onto whom masculine behavioral and aesthetic ideals are projected wildly. I wanted to dig into the character because it’s honestly fascinating that this fictional little space dweeb has been some kind of teen heartthrob for like 20 years. This long ass post is part 1 of my analysis of his character in the series, but it’s largely setting the stage for an analysis of fanon Craig as I’m interested in comparing the evolution of his canon characterization to his fandom reception over the years.

Part 1 here examines Craig’s initial role in the series as a troublemaker and his dynamic with Butters as playground law enforcers in the early seasons, and there will likely be 2-3 parts total for canon (part 2 has now been posted here). Hopefully, by breaking it up, people can more easily find parts they’re interested in (for instance, I’ve seen recent renewed interest in Craig and Butters as schoolyard bullies together) and nobody will think I’m all that mentally ill for dedicating so many words to this fictional gay autistic asshole. Here we go!

Craig Tucker: Troublemaker

Early on, Craig is introduced as a character with behavioral issues. In “Rainforest Shmainforest” (S03E01), Craig’s speaking debut, Mackey reveals Craig is sent to his office every day for misbehavior. Craig’s shtick in the early seasons is flipping people off and being shown waiting outside Mr. Mackey’s office, where he has likely been sent for flipping people off. This lands Craig a reputation as a troublemaker, which is why Cartman chooses him as worst-behaved kid in “Tweek vs. Craig” (S03E05). The glimpse into Craig’s home life in this episode reveals his family to be uncommunicative and not terribly emotionally involved. Also, they all flip each other off all the time:

See the full post

305 notes - Posted February 21, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

This is the Craig I know and love. So meta, so violent 😭

628 notes - Posted February 2, 2022

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