While it's clear that without the titular sea sponge, Nickelodeon's
SpongeBob SquarePants wouldn't have reached the heights that it has over the years, the supporting cast is also deserving of a chunk of the credit. Characters like Sheldon Plankton (Mr. Lawrence), Squidward Tentacles (Rodger Bumpass), Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence), among more than a few others, have carved out their own place in popular culture. As recognizable as those names are, perhaps none have reached the status of the shirtless, docile Patrick Star, as voiced by Bill Fagerbakke since the series began in 1999.
Despite his laziness and clear lack of intelligence, Patrick has cultivated a fanbase all his own, aside from his square, yellow best friend. He even has his own
Instagram page! This is especially notable when you take into account that, when he's not running around Jellyfish Fields, answering the Krusty Krab's phone during his first day on the job or asking Squidward if mayonnaise is an instrument (it is), he lives an incredibly simple life. He eats, sleeps, and binges television, such as the adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, from the comforts of his home beneath a rock, or what was presumed to be one for over two decades. As it turns out, this starfish's living situation is far more complex than the show initially let on.
The SpongeBob SquarePants season 12 episode "Shell Games" revealed that Patrick's rock isn't in fact a rock at all, but a giant turtle shell covered in sludge and grime. The shell's owner, Tony (Bobby Cannavale) awakens after 30 years of sleep, eager to meet up with some lady turtles at Goo Lagoon that he meant to meet way back when. He finally reveals himself to the star that lived underneath him for ages, and — naturally — a conflict ensues over who's the rightful owner of the "house." Obviously, they both have strong claims to it, but judging by their setup there really shouldn't be any clash between them at all.
To better visualize their unique living space, Reddit user
Maxdwork put together a neat cross-section of what their shared home should look like and how their dynamic has covertly functioned through the years. The image clearly depicts Tony's area as totally separate from Patrick's, who resides in the dug-out "basement" portion, complete with his sand furniture. How Tony managed not to wake up at least once through years of his shell lifting and slamming back down is anyone's guess, but then again — he was catching z's for longer than the series has been on-air, so he must be a pretty heavy sleeper.
At any rate, this revelation came as a shock to many longtime SpongeBob viewers, including Maxdwork, who didn't really think there was any story to tell about a rock with a weather vane on top of it. If nothing else, it's certainly an interesting spin to put on an otherwise unimportant, but instantly recognizable locale from Bikini Bottom.
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