The animation community and 90s kids alike faced a devastating blow when news broke this week that SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg had passed away. Hillenburg, following a long battle with ALS, died at age 57.
If you’ve ever scrolled through social media, you know the substantial influence SpongeBob had on the internet. Thanks to both the internet and SpongeBob establishing themselves as pop culture juggernauts in the early 2000s, the two naturally dovetailed for kids growing up at the time.
But only in the past several years has meme culture absorbed SpongeBob into its grasp. Every month it seems like a new meme is born featuring the show’s iconic characters like SpongeBob, Patrick, or Squidward. The show seems to absorb whatever expression internet users want to apply it with; after all, the show’s main character is literally a sponge.
Though it’s doubtful Hillenburg intended for all this, everyone is susceptible to the power of a good SpongeBob meme. Remember that when Kanye West fired back at Jimmy Kimmel during their 2013 feud, he used a SpongeBob meme.
https://twitter.com/ima_fix_wolves/status/1067536151827800064
In memory of Hillenburg and the wonderful show he created, we rounded up our favorite SpongeBob memes. Thanks for making us laugh, Stephen Hillenburg.
Mr. Krabs Blur
when you take a nap for a few minutes and its dark outside when you wake up pic.twitter.com/5FhsIGCKCP
— Meecheal Myers (@DemetriusHarmon) March 11, 2016
When they turn the lights on at the club and everybody u danced with realize u ugly pic.twitter.com/O2puER3p6N
— Vic (@VictorPopeJr) March 9, 2016
MoCkInG SpOnGeBoB
Takeoff and Offset: do we get to be on the song this time
Quavo: dO wE geT tO bE oN thE sOng tHis tiMe pic.twitter.com/Fl1WkPNctZ
— Trashvis (@Trashvis) May 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/lexysaeyang/status/860384038871220224
Evil Patrick
Me leaving the pot in the sink because “it needs to soak” pic.twitter.com/8q29xu4ua2
— Andre D Thompson (@AndreDThompson) March 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/JFalcon23/status/968718567356223489
Tired SpongeBob
https://twitter.com/mckenziedenisee/status/978498251497226240
me after any kind of social interaction omg not even trying to be relatable just trying to survive pic.twitter.com/8SYfJLuPKU
— Jenn McAllister (@jennmcallister) March 28, 2018
Krusty Krab vs. Chum Bucket
https://twitter.com/GaryGramz/status/976310002741788673
https://twitter.com/itscarneezyy/status/975014841906810880
Squidward FOMO
Juniors looking at graduating seniors like pic.twitter.com/jWfp15pRAL
— cozyshaq #blm (@stephanoslap) May 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/CauseWereGuys/status/884730766789357569
