If you’re a late ’80s/early ’90s baby, then you’re probably familiar with the golden age of cartoons; the Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, and Scooby Doo weren’t just TV shows, but ways of life. But of course Internet trolls have to crap all over our childhoods and publish conspiracy theories that suggest our favorite cartoons weren’t as innocent as we thought. If you’re mentally prepared, check out these nine theories that will change the way you view Tommy Pickles and Garfield forever. (Disclaimer: These are just theories, and we’re sure the Rugrats kids are doing just fine for themselves.
These Cartoon Conspiracy Theories Will Ruin Your Childhood
Wait, the Rugrats babies never existed?
1
Scooby Doo takes place during an economic depression.
Warner Bros.
2
Garfield is dying of starvation.
20th Century Fox
3
Every character in Ed, Edd, and Eddy is dead and living in purgatory.
Cartoon Network
4
Angelica is only imagining the babies in Rugrats, because they never existed.
Nickelodeon
5
Doug was sexually assaulted by his neighbor Mr. Dink and started taking LSD to cope. (From the Nickelodeon show Doug.)
Nickelodeon
6
Helga is the star of Hey Arnold, not Arnold.
Nickelodeon
7
Each SpongeBob SquarePants character represents one of the seven deadly sins.
8
Aladdin is set in the future.
Disney
9
The Magic School Bus kids grew up to become the characters on Captain Planet.