These kids shows went to some dark places. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most mature and disturbing moments from TV shows aimed at younger audiences.
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00:00 "And now it looks like there won't be much of a world left for you or your brother and sister to live in."
00:05 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most mature and disturbing moments from TV shows aimed at younger audiences.
00:13 "But I guess this suits all out of birthday magic. We had a good run, huh?"
00:19 Number 20. Sabretooth's flashback, X-Men.
00:24 When the 90s X-Men show delved into the villainous Sabretooth's past,
00:28 it delved into a more troubling story than audiences might have expected.
00:31 "We must probe deeper. Your mind is full of torment, Sabretooth.
00:37 Your mutant life has been difficult. Your search for acceptance... a failure."
00:42 As Professor X tries to help the reckless mutant deal with his anger issues through psychic therapy,
00:47 we get glimpses into his past. Graydon Creed Sr. is laughed at and tormented.
00:52 When Professor X tries to dig deeper into the root of Sabretooth's problems,
00:55 walls quite literally block him out.
00:58 "What are you hiding from me, Sabretooth? Why do you keep these thoughts from me? Can they be so painful?"
01:05 While many mutants have experienced prejudice, the episode hints at some intense abuse Creed suffered,
01:11 which has caused him to develop a deep fear and hatred of humanity.
01:15 Number 19. Chocolate Boy, Hey Arnold.
01:18 Sometimes when you love something, you have to know your limits.
01:22 Unfortunately, this was a serious problem for the Hey Arnold character known only as Chocolate Boy.
01:27 "Ah, look at him! Look at all those wrappers!"
01:30 "He's like a hungry dog. He'll eat anything!"
01:32 "Not anything, idiot! Just any kind of chocolate. Yo, Chocolate Boy! You want some more chocolate?"
01:37 "Yeah, yeah, yeah, more chocolate, yes."
01:39 His obsession with chocolate led him down some dark roads.
01:42 After he found himself dancing for some sweets and digging through garbage for them,
01:46 he finally knew he needed some help.
01:48 As he and Arnold work towards ending the infatuation,
01:51 Arnold discovers that his problems originated with the loss of his nanny.
01:55 "So it sounds like the reason you eat chocolate is because you miss your nanny."
01:59 "Yes! Yes! I miss my nanny! I miss my nanny!"
02:04 "It's okay that you miss your nanny, but eating chocolate is not going to bring her back."
02:09 Dependency can be a delicate subject,
02:11 but the episode was able to tackle some serious themes in an entertaining yet respectful way.
02:17 Number 18. Trying to be perfect. Courage the Cowardly Dog.
02:21 Nobody is perfect, but that doesn't stop courage from trying to be.
02:25 When Eustace essentially calls courage a screw-up,
02:27 it sets the cowardly dog on a dangerous path to prove his worth.
02:31 "You can't do nothing right, you amateur! You ought to go to right thing doing school.
02:37 Someone who'll make you perfect!"
02:39 To make matters worse, a character named the Perfectionist,
02:42 who appears to be a manifestation of his fears, pushes him to try to reach impossible standards.
02:47 The episode's trippy dream sequences, which are par for the course for the surreal show,
02:51 also add to the creepiness factor.
02:54 Eventually, the episode wraps up with a touching moment where courage finally accepts himself.
02:58 "You're beautiful as you are, courage.
03:02 With all your imperfections, you can do anything."
03:10 He learns that we can always try to be better, but it's okay to acknowledge imperfections.
03:15 Number 17. Mary Jane Evaporates. Spider-Man.
03:20 You shouldn't let the person you love slip through your fingers, and we mean that literally.
03:24 In the last season of the Spider-Man animated series from the 90s,
03:28 Mary Jane was revealed to be a clone.
03:30 "So what you're trying to tell me is I'm not the real Mary Jane?"
03:35 "I'm afraid that is so, my dear."
03:37 She's then reduced into a puddle of water right in front of Peter's eyes.
03:41 Everything from the plot twist, to the intense voice acting,
03:44 to the visual of Mary Jane slipping away makes this a disturbing scene.
03:48 "If any part of me is anything like the real Mary Jane Watson,
03:53 she loves Peter Parker more than anything in the world. More than anything."
03:59 "No! Mary Jane!"
04:04 Unfortunately, the show's run ended shortly after,
04:06 meaning fans could not get much closure from the dramatic development.
04:10 The unresolved plot thread is just an extra punch to the gut.
04:14 Number 16. Weirdmageddon. Gravity Falls.
04:18 Let's get weird. In the Gravity Falls three-part series finale,
04:22 the gang has to stop the demonic Bill Cipher once and for all.
04:25 "It's finally, finally happening!
04:27 [Evil laughter]
04:30 Physical form, don't mind if I do!"
04:33 "Oh! What just happened? Oh, oh man, this is bad."
04:41 The massive reality-altering event Weirdmageddon had its fair share of dark moments.
04:46 Even the intro is creepier than normal,
04:48 as Gravity Falls is transformed into an apocalyptic hellscape.
04:52 All sorts of monsters start letting loose.
04:54 The show had ventured into unsettling territory before,
04:57 but rarely anything as doom and gloom as this.
05:00 With the stakes higher than ever before, Dipper and Mabel cannot afford to lose.
05:04 The crew is eventually able to beat Cipher, but it was a tall task to say the least.
05:09 "Why isn't this working?"
05:11 "Hey, look at me. Turn around and look at me, you one-eyed demon!
05:14 You're a real wise guy, but you made one fatal mistake.
05:17 You messed with my family."
05:19 "You're making a mistake!"
05:20 Number 15. Ginger's Poem, as told by Ginger.
05:24 Poetry, like all art, is open to interpretation.
05:27 But with Ginger's Poem, it was hard for viewers to come up with anything other than one specific conclusion.
05:33 When Ginger reads her emotional contest entry describing someone who wants to disappear,
05:37 everyone believes it's about her.
05:39 [Birds chirping]
05:54 Ginger's teacher suggests she visit the school psychologist,
05:58 and soon people believe she may be experiencing depression.
06:01 This episode's sensitive subject is not something you might expect a kids show to address.
06:05 [Birds chirping]
06:21 But the episode's ability to explore mental health in an honest and sincere way makes it a standout.
06:27 Number 14. Mr. Turner's Accident, Boy Meets World.
06:30 Despite being primarily known as a kids and teens show,
06:34 Boy Meets World never shied away from tackling relevant issues and exploring bleak situations.
06:38 One of the darkest times in the sitcom came when Sean's English teacher, Mr. Turner,
06:42 gets into a nasty motorcycle collision that leaves him hospitalized.
06:46 "George, what is it?"
06:47 "Uh, Jonathan Turner. He's been in a motorcycle accident."
06:52 "Oh no."
06:52 "Is he okay?"
06:54 "Uh, no, he isn't."
06:57 Mr. Turner recovers, but things were not looking good initially.
07:00 It really seemed like Sean was going to have to say goodbye to a character that acted as a father figure to him.
07:05 While the rebellious Sean was never portrayed as a very religious character,
07:09 in an emotional moment, he pleads with God to not take Mr. Turner away.
07:13 "Don't blow me off, God!
07:15 I've never asked you for anything, and I never wanted to come to you like this.
07:20 But don't take Turner away from me. He's not done yelling at me yet."
07:27 Number 13. Deadly Force - Gargoyles
07:30 Would you ever expect a show about enchanted gargoyles to do an entire episode around gun safety?
07:35 That was the focus for Deadly Force.
07:38 When Broadway, a film fanatic gargoyle,
07:40 gets his hands on his police officer friend, Elisa's gun, he accidentally shoots her.
07:44 "Sorry, my fault. I was playing with the gun. Stupid of me. Hope I didn't break anything."
07:51 The episode doesn't hold back on the gruesomeness.
07:53 While Broadway was mostly to blame, the episode also puts fault on Elisa since
07:58 she didn't properly store her gun. Because of the sensitivity of the topic,
08:02 this episode has been considered one of the most controversial.
08:04 "Elisa."
08:05 "You're awake."
08:06 "Oh, thank goodness."
08:07 "How do you feel?"
08:08 "Lousy, I guess. What happened?"
08:12 "That's what we'd like to know."
08:15 Disney stopped it from airing, and censored certain scenes before allowing it to be re-aired.
08:20 Number 12. Squidward Attempts to End Things
08:23 SpongeBob SquarePants
08:25 This episode really isn't the most appropriate for children.
08:28 When SpongeBob asks Squidward what his happiest memory is, Squidward realizes he doesn't have any.
08:34 "So, what's your happiest memory, Squidward?"
08:37 "Um, let me think."
08:39 The realization causes him to slowly unravel.
08:46 Even though SpongeBob tries to help create some cheerful moments,
08:49 Squidward ends up entering a deep depression.
08:52 The character was never the most enthusiastic resident of Bikini Bottom,
08:56 but this seemed like a new low. As if his struggle wasn't unfortunate enough,
09:00 the show seems to imply that he might attempt to take his own life.
09:04 "I can't seem to get happy. Maybe this will help."
09:10 Even though this doesn't happen, a sleep-deprived Squidward tying a rope
09:18 and talking about how it might help is definitely not kid-friendly.
09:22 Number 11. Ace's Death - Justice League Unlimited
09:26 It might seem to be just a show about superheroes fighting villains,
09:28 but Justice League Unlimited introduced a level of sophisticated storytelling
09:32 that ranks it among the all-time greats.
09:34 During the second season episode "Epilogue,"
09:37 we got one of the most gut-wrenching moments in the DC animated universe.
09:41 When the League has to stop a telepathic metahuman named Ace,
09:44 Amanda Waller briefs them about the danger.
09:46 "When she goes, the psychic backlash could kill everyone in range of her powers.
09:51 That's a distance measured in miles.
09:53 Take her down before she takes everyone with her."
09:59 Ace's deteriorating health threatens to create psychic backlash,
10:03 which would result in mass casualties.
10:05 Batman volunteers to take Ace down, but he doesn't resort to violence.
10:09 Instead, he comforts Ace and sits with her until she passes.
10:13 "Could you stay with me? I'm scared."
10:17 The heartbreaking scene shows Batman's gentler side
10:26 as he comforts the troubled character in her final moments.
10:29 Zim Steals Organs - Invader Zim
10:34 The alien Zim tries his best to blend in with humans on Earth,
10:41 but when he's sent to the nurse's office,
10:43 his rival Dib points out that the alien lacks human organs.
10:47 "Say, you're full of organs, aren't you?"
10:51 Zim decides to steal as many organs as he can to fool the nurse.
10:55 The scenes of the alien hunting down his fellow students
10:57 would fit perfectly in a horror film.
10:59 "I don't feel so good."
11:02 On top of that, the stolen organs are replaced with objects
11:06 that disfigure the bodies of his victims.
11:08 But in the end, it's Zim's bloated body that succeeds
11:11 in both fooling the nurse and unsettling any kids who see it.
11:16 "Ahhhh!"
11:18 Number 9 - Speed Demon - The Powerpuff Girls
11:22 "The whole weekend away from the city of Townsville."
11:27 Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup spend a lot of time
11:29 using their powers to save the city of Townsville.
11:31 When they get a vacation after a day of kindergarten,
11:34 they eagerly race home.
11:36 However, they move fast enough to accidentally travel 50 years into the future.
11:40 "Professor, it's us! The Powerpuff Girls!"
11:44 "Stay back! Leave me alone!"
11:46 They discover their absence has ruined the city,
11:49 while their creator and friends have been twisted beyond recognition.
11:52 It leads to a scene where everyone in Townsville,
11:55 including the new evil overlord, blames them for leaving.
11:59 We bet younger audiences were thankful for just having chores,
12:02 because this sequence gave the heroic kindergartners
12:05 a heavy dose of responsibility.
12:07 "You did this."
12:09 "You did this."
12:11 Number 8 - Covering Up Murder - SpongeBob SquarePants
12:15 "I call it the nasty patty."
12:19 Who hides a dead body under the sea?
12:21 SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs thought they did.
12:24 The duo attempts to get revenge on a health inspector with a disgusting burger.
12:29 Before he takes a bite, the inspector chokes on a fly.
12:33 Believing the burger killed him,
12:34 SpongeBob and Krabs try to bury the body in secret.
12:37 This entry might have ranked higher if the health inspector had actually died.
12:41 "Gotta get rid of this body before anyone sees it.
12:44 We gotta take it out and bury it."
12:46 In reality, the inspector keeps getting knocked unconscious,
12:49 leading to a series of darkly hilarious scenes.
12:53 "Where am I?"
12:53 Despite the humor, the idea of the innocent SpongeBob
13:00 carrying out and covering up a murder took this series into some dark waters.
13:04 "His head's sticking out!"
13:06 "Sorry, Mr. Krabs. I thought he might need some air."
13:09 "They don't need air where he's going."
13:11 #7. Over the Edge - The New Batman Adventures
13:15 Barbara Gordon lives a dual life as both the daughter of the police commissioner
13:19 and the heroine Batgirl.
13:21 Her split identities come to an end when the villain Scarecrow surprises Barbara
13:26 and pushes her off a building, where she falls to her death.
13:29 The death itself is surprisingly realistic and scary,
13:32 especially the sound of her landing on the hood of a car.
13:38 The fact that it's her father's car adds another layer of horror.
13:42 Fortunately, it's later revealed that Barbara's death was a hallucination
13:45 caused by Scarecrow's fear gas.
13:48 Although we know it's fake, the death of Batgirl may have looked and felt
13:52 all too real to kids.
13:53 "Noooooooooo! No, no!" #6. Robin's Hallucinations of Slade - Teen Titans
14:10 Some people can't escape their past.
14:12 After Robin looks at a mask of his defeated nemesis Slade,
14:15 he begins to see the villain everywhere.
14:18 Robin becomes obsessed with trying to capture his foe, but keeps getting beat up.
14:22 When he asks his teammates for help during a fight,
14:25 they reveal that Slade isn't there.
14:28 "Slade ran right by you! How could you let him get away?"
14:31 "But...Robin! There was no one there."
14:34 Robin's struggle against an invisible enemy who keeps hurting him
14:38 has strong parallels to real-life mental illness.
14:40 "Slade must be cloaking them, just like he's cloaking himself.
14:44 That's why you couldn't see him."
14:46 If the show's younger audience didn't get the metaphor,
14:48 then the sight of their hero beaten and desperate was still hard to watch.
14:52 Either way, this imaginary foe left a dark mark.
14:55 "There is no Slade!"
14:57 "I know what I saw! I have to stop him!"
15:01 #5 The Earth Queen's Death - The Legend of Korra
15:04 "Gag those two. We're almost there."
15:07 The Legend of Korra may have played for kids on Nickelodeon,
15:10 but it had plenty of mature moments for its older fanbase.
15:13 One of its darkest scenes came from Zaheer, a villain who could manipulate air.
15:18 Zaheer aims to rid the world of Avatar Korra.
15:21 When Earth Kingdom soldiers capture Korra,
15:23 he convinces the Earth Queen to deliver the Avatar into his clutches.
15:27 But after their deal falls apart,
15:29 Zaheer suffocates the Queen by bending the air out of her lungs.
15:33 "I don't believe in queens."
15:35 Her red face and literal grasp for air are nightmare-inducing images.
15:47 It's a horrifying execution that's sure to disturb younger viewers
15:50 with its absolute brutality.
15:52 "And without it, there is no life. There is only darkness."
16:01 #4 Stepney Almost Gets Scrapped - Thomas & Friends
16:04 "Stepney arrived on time and made the delivery of rock and stones for the workmen."
16:09 Getting lost can be scary at any age. For a train, it can be deadly.
16:14 After tank engine Stepney works into the night,
16:17 he gets confused by fog and takes a wrong turn that takes him into a scrapyard.
16:21 While his passengers run for help,
16:23 two diesel engines come along and force him into a smelter shed to destroy him.
16:28 "Bye-bye, Stepney," said the diesel.
16:31 Is the message here that getting lost can lead to a horrible death?
16:34 Or that tormentors can do whatever they want to a defenseless person?
16:38 "This engine's not for scrapping!" shouted Stepney.
16:41 Judging by Stepney's terrified voice, the message doesn't matter.
16:45 He wanted to live, and fans wanted a lighter episode.
16:49 "Saving you from scrap is getting to be a habit, Stepney. Please stop it."
16:53 #3 Steven's Near-Death Experience by Aging - Steven Universe
16:57 "And the birthday queen is... Amethyst!"
17:01 All Steven wants to do is celebrate some birthdays with his magical gem family.
17:05 But when their lack of enthusiasm for parties makes him feel old,
17:08 his magical powers begin to age him.
17:11 "What if birthdays are just for little kids? What if even... I'm too old?"
17:16 By the end of the episode, he's an old man on the edge of death.
17:20 Seeing Steven withered and helpless is a horrifying sight.
17:23 The moment becomes even more tragic as he tries to come to peace with his impending doom.
17:28 "I'm... too... old... on this."
17:31 If any viewers have watched an elderly loved one struggle through health issues,
17:37 this scene may look all too familiar.
17:39 Aging is inevitable, but it doesn't always have to look this bleak.
17:44 "Oh, Steven!"
17:46 #2 Mind Pollution - Captain Planet
17:49 "Go on, get blissed out."
17:53 The Planeteers have had to deal with more than just environmental issues.
17:57 In one episode, the Planeteer, Linka, goes to visit her cousin, Boris,
18:01 only to find that he's hooked on a street drug called bliss.
18:04 Although she refuses his offer to sample bliss, he sneaks a pill into her food.
18:09 "So I stopped using it. Thank you for setting me straight."
18:12 But his cruel deception isn't the darkest part.
18:15 Boris is later offered an entire bottle of bliss if he's willing to kill Planeteers.
18:21 "And all you have to do is give those planet punks a little push."
18:25 Once the pills arrive, Boris swallows all the drugs at once, overdoses and dies.
18:31 Linka is left without a cousin, and kids are left with a grim message about drug use.
18:36 "Boris, it's me, Linka! Wake up!"
18:39 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
18:43 The Consequences of Drinking - Tiny Toon Adventures
18:46 The cartoon took a terror-inducing approach to warning against drinking and driving.
18:50 "Let's drink it."
18:51 "Drink it?"
18:53 "But Buster, this isn't like you."
18:56 "I know. But in this episode, we're showing the evils of alcohol."
19:00 Danny Falls Apart - Danny Phantom
19:04 Danny screams as his clone melts into green goo.
19:07 "I think it's too late. Bye, Danny. Thanks for…"
19:11 "Oh no!"
19:12 Ed's Monstrous Transformation - Ed, Edd, and Eddie
19:15 A costume change fuels a villainous turn for Ed.
19:19 "Please don't eat me!"
19:20 "That is so gross, dude."
19:26 Azula's Breakdown - Avatar The Last Airbender
19:30 Her lust for power cost Azula her sanity.
19:32 "Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!"
19:43 Jade Dies From An Overdose - Bravestar
19:46 This was an up-close look at the destructive effect of substance use.
19:50 "Alcohol, Doc Clayton."
19:52 "Don't bother. It's too late."
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20:09 Number 1 - Extinction - Dinosaurs
20:14 "He's the last Sponge Beetle, because all the others were wiped out by the We Say So Corporation."
20:20 Series finales don't get much darker than this.
20:23 Dinosaurs was a kid-friendly sitcom about the daily life of talking prehistoric creatures.
20:28 In the last episode, Charlene Sinclair discovers that a bug species
20:32 was killed off by a corporation's poison.
20:34 "Poison? It's such a harsh word. We on the task force prefer to think of it as botanical bye-bye juice."
20:41 When the company responsible is exposed,
20:43 they place her father Earl in charge of fixing things.
20:46 However, his attempts to solve the problems keep causing ecological disasters
20:51 and irreversible damage to the environment.
20:53 By the end of the episode, there's no food, no son, and no hope left.
20:58 "Daddy was put in charge of the world, and he didn't take real good care of it."
21:03 This series was supposed to be a comedy,
21:04 but there's nothing funny about its depressing ending.
21:08 "This is Howard Handupme. Good night. Goodbye."
21:14 Is there a serious moment we missed? Let us know in the comments.
21:19 "You've forgotten what I told you a long time ago. One of the painful truths of comedy.
21:25 You always take shots from folks who just don't get the joke."
21:29 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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21:37 [Music]