How did Mr. Krabs die? He was murdered with a metal spatula in the Krusty Krab...but it isn't quite as simple as that.
Die-hard Spongebob Squarepants fans have for years engaged not only in the countless Spongebob memes the show has spawned but also in theories about what's happening beyond the surface plots. There are fan theories that are both humorous and dark.
They make for interesting conversation online, with so many people having watched at least some bit of the show's 25-year run. One of them touches on the beloved boss of the show, Mr. Krabs.
Mr. Krabs is a fan-favorite character for his unapologetic money-chasing and business savvy. Others think that Mr. Krabs' capitalist persona is a little over the top and outdated.
Regardless of which side of the fence you're on, you might be shocked to learn that there's one fan theory that says Mr. Krabs dies on the long-running series. That's left many viewers wondering:
The Krusty Krab owner's supposed death didn't play out on an actual episode of the series. Rather, fans crafted this theory from a piece of internet lore. In 2021, an 11-page document appeared online, posted by a language art teacher. The exercise aimed to teach kids about crafting an argument for a trial set forth the hypotheticals around the murder of Mr. Krabs.
The proposed situation claims Mr. Krabs was found dead inside the Krusty Krab, with his throat slit. The coroner says the weapon responsible was a metal spatula, and one was found on the scene. The floor was also found covered in grease, with footsteps in it. Mr. Krabs' autopsy showed blunt force trauma to the head.
Spongebob Squarepants is the prime suspect in the scenario, but not the only one. Patrick Starr and Plankton are also considered suspects after Mr. Krabs "dies." The document includes the different pieces of evidence that were found on the scene, much of which seem to point to the titular character.
Despite mounting evidence and some devastating testimony, Spongebob Squarepants fans know one thing: Plankton would stop at nothing to destroy the Krusty Krab and get the beloved Krabby Patty recipe. As the biggest hater, he had more motivation than anyone to assist in Mr. Krabs' death.
While the document contains a surprising amount of details—about the murder, the suspect, their alibis, and testimony from other citizens of Bikini Bottom—it leaves the matter open-ended.
The activity is designed so that it's up to students and their arguments to determine who is convicted of the crime. That said, the internet has also taken sides in the argument, with many willing to believe it was Spongebob who killed his boss.
Fans pointed to a 2021 episode of Spongebob Squarepants as further evidence that Mr. Krabs died. A season 12 episode of the show was pulled from its lineup as the season aired. While some believed that this was the controversial episode where Mr. Krabs' death would play out, there was another reason.
The canned episode was allegedly titled “Kwarantined Krab." The network felt that its themes, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, were inappropriate to air at that time. Any speculation that the explanation was bogus was also cleared up.
As of 2023, the banned episode has been discovered by some web sleuths who were interested in passing judgment on the bit. They were able to confirm the episode was related to illness and had nothing to do with whether or not Mr. Krabs died.
If you're not up to date on your Spongebob binging, don't worry. Whenever you return to Bikini Bottom, the gang's all there.
Mr. Krabs is alive and well and has appeared in many episodes since this 2021 theory came to rise. The beloved series is now well into its 14th season and thankfully, there are still plenty of hijinks surrounding Mr. Krabs, the Krusty Krabs, and the whole Bikini Bottom crew.
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