A Stephen Hillenburg Tribute

I didn't think that 2018 would be as bad the previous 4 years in terms of how many icons have died, but unfortunately, this streak continues. This year, we've lost many people who have changed history; whether it be Dolores O'Riordan, Stephen Hawking, Will Vinton, Avicii, Barry (Chuckle) Elliott, Michael Jackson's Father, Anthony Bourdain, Tom Wolfe, Verne Troyer, R. Lee Ermey, Charles Lazarus, Stan Lee, Ken Dodd, Bernardo Bertolucci even Koko the Gorilla. I could go on. But one person's passing that has hit me personally hard was the loss of Stephen Hillenburg. I'm afraid to say that the rumours are true, the man who created 'Spongebob Squarepants' has gone to the great beyond. This man used his knowledge of marine biology to form an animated character that would eventually become a worldwide phenomenon for nearly 20 years, and would be recognised by people young and old. 

As some of you may know, I'm a fan of the naive sea sponge; from the age of 9, it has been one of my favourite animated shows from Nickelodeon. This cartoon really needs no introduction; it took the concept of talking sea creatures and did it in its own way. For many people who grew up in the early 2000s, Spongebob was more than just a silly cartoon; it was a cult television series that shaped our sense of humour. We the fans still remember the character's personalities, how they worked off each other, the quotable lines of dialogue, the unexpected humour that was woven into its storytelling, the juxtaposition of mixed media, how it took normal situations and adapted them to its underwater setting. It was a show that we shared because of how special it was to us; we shared it so much that it would become more and more popular. Which is why it's been a staple for not just Nickelodeon, but pop culture in general. It was funny to children and adults, hence why we hold the first 3 seasons in high regard. But I still hold this cartoon close to my heart for how much it developed my sense in humour, and I can't help but to admire how Stephen and the talented crew put so much craft into the jokes from those early episodes. In many ways, it taught us to be spontaneous with our ideas and to continue to be youthful at heart.

Even after Stephen left as captain, the show kept going much longer than he hoped. I for one didn't want to turn my back on the sponge; I still stuck with it through thick and thin. We can all complain how Spongebob became a hollow shell of what it used to be, and that it should have ended after the first movie. But you can still sense the effort; it still had good ideas and moments that could be just as good as the first 3 seasons. We had to accept that there were episodes that weren't on par with others and that a show from our childhood was no longer the way we remember it to be. It wasn't long till Stephen returned to his creation (though you can argue that he never truly left). This ushered in a new era for the sponge, we only hoped that it would return to form. It took the crew a while to get their groove back, but Stephen and crew knew that if Spongebob was going to continue for years to come, he should make the best episodes they can. 

Many visionaries continually make art and tell stories; some have that one claim to fame. Stephen may have created one show in his career, but it has left such a huge legacy. He was never a 'one-trick horse', he did many other contributions to our culture, but we can agree that his story of a childlike sponge has left an impact that turned out bigger than anyone could have imagined. His one creation has gone through many evolutions, for better or for worse, Spongebob is still ingrained in people's memories. There have been imitators of the sponge, but it could never be duplicated (like a sea sponge). Even those early seasons were a perfect blend of comedy, surrealism and great performances that could never be captured again. Stephen left his creation in the hands of other visionaries and encouraged them to interoperate it in their own direction. Even if it was his one creation, he was able to share it with the rest of the world. 

I had the misfortune to be around the time great musicians leave this world far too soon, I never thought I'd see the same for an animator. I was aware that he was suffering from ALS, but I thought that it would pass. But I did not anticipate this at all. It always hurts that someone who created something from my childhood passes on. Even as I got older and had to face bigger responsibilities in my life, I could still remember many of the quotes of this Nicktoon, even through it's changes, it meant something to me. It meant something to a lot of people. Now you're probably wondering if this means the end of Spongebob? No, with how much of a conglomerate phenomenon it has been over the years, I doubt it has to come to an eventual end. I also doubt the show will enter a second dark age of mediocrity, even without Stephen I know the crew understand what made it such a hit in the first place. They'll be many interpretations of the tales of Bikini Bottom from the people it inspired. No matter what your feelings are towards that one creation of his, the fact that someone made a children's program about a sponge that turned out to be a hit is a wonder to hold.

To quote Spongebob and Patrick; 'Goodbye friend, happy trails'.