WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for South Park: The End of Obesity
Summary
Although it briefly seemed as though Cartman was starting to change,South Park: The End of Obesityproved the show’s antihero remains as reliable as ever.South Parkhas changed a lot since the series began and so have the show’s heroes. When the raucous cartoon comedy began airing in 1997,South Parkwas defined by gross-out jokes and shock humor. The series was filled with gore and obscenity but didn’t have much to say in terms of social commentary. AsSouth Parkseason 27’s release datenears, the reputation the series has earned could not be more different.
Although the show is still immature and R-rated,South Parkhas become much more focused on political and social commentary since season 4. After the show’s creators realized that its 5-day turnaround time facilitated timely political satire,South Park’s stories became less interested in random irreverence and more shaped by current events. This is epitomized inSouth Park’s election episodes, which went from mocking the entire concept of electoral politics in 2000 to spoofing specific candidates in 2016.South Park’s latest feature-length special,The End of Obesity, continued this approach with a storyline ripped from the headlines.
South Park: The End of Obesity Reversed Cartman’s Character Growth
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As far as Cartman could see, the only benefit of losing weight would be a newfound ability to insult other people without them having an easy response to his taunts.
InSouth Park: The End of Obesity,Cartman’s doctor informed him and his mother that semaglutides could end Cartman’s obesity. Cartman was thrilled by this prospect not for any health reasons, but because it would allow him to insult Kyle, Wendy, and the entire nation of Pakistan without fear of reprisal. As far as Cartman could see, the only benefit of losing weight would be a newfound ability to insult other people without them having an easy response to his taunts. Despite what recent seasons implied,Cartman’s comically unpleasant attitude in the special proves that his character shift was short-lived.
BeforeSouth Park: The End of ObesityrevivedCartman’s mean streak, the series had a successful run of experimenting with a less villainous version of Cartman. Granted, Cartman was still an antihero throughout seasons 26 and 2023’s specials,Joining the PanderverseandNot Suitable For Children. However, he had redemptive moments in each of these outings. InNot Suitable For Children, he went out of his way to include Clyde in his exclusive club. InJoining the Panderverse, he joined forces with Kathleen Kennedy despite their differences, so they could ensure that the malfunctioning multiverse was restored to normality.
South Park: The End of Obesity Retired One Unpleasant Gag
The Show Vowed Not To Mock People’s Weight Anymore
Kyle promised not to make fun of anyone’s weight anymore and the town agreed, implyingSouth Parkas a series will follow suit.
In season 26, Cartman even helped “Cupid Ye” get back on his medication after a breakdown.Cartman seemed to be getting kinder in recentSouth Parkseasons and specials, even if this didn’t equate to outright heroism. This mirrored the story of 2022’s two-part specialSouth Park: Post COVID, where his older self was revealed to be a genuinely decent everyman and loving father. AlthoughSouth Park: The End of Obesitydidn’t turn Cartman into this comparatively sweet character, the special did change one part of the show’s formula. This was a welcome and overdue change for the series.
In the special’s ending,The End of Obesityretired Cartman’s oldest jokewhen the denizens of the titular town promised not to make fun of people for their weight anymore. Navigating the American healthcare system’s labyrinthine bureaucracy led Kyle to realize that weight wasn’t tied to willpower so much as it was a product of environmental factors, income inequality, education, stress, and lack of affordable, accessible healthcare. As such, Kyle promised not to make fun of anyone’s weight anymore and the town agreed, implyingSouth Parkas a series will follow suit. Cartman celebrated this as only he could.
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Cartman’s Struggles Contrasted With His Terrible Plans
Cartman immediately began insulting his close friends and classmates once Kyle convinced everyone not to make fun of each other’s weight. This reaffirmed that he never had any interest in weight loss for its potential health benefits.Cartman’s wanton cruelty inThe End of Obesity was surprisingly cleversince it proved that his weight doesn’t make him a villain. For decades, Cartman’s bigger frame has been explicitly and implicitly linked with his laziness, ignorance, bigotry, greed, gluttony, and self-obsession. InThe End of Obesity,South Parkclarified that Cartman would be as bad, if not worse, if he weren’t overweight.
SinceSouth Park’s KylewasThe End of Obesity’s lead character, Cartman didn’t undergo much growth throughout the special. Kyle began the special hopeful and idealistic, became bitter and burnt out, and eventually grew more empathetic upon discovering the complexities and challenges of weight management. In contrast, Cartman was antagonistic from the first scene onwards, and a kinder version of him wouldn’t have fit this plot.Cartman’s uncomplicated villainy inThe End of ObesityallowedSouth Parkto prove that his weight doesn’t make him evil, confirming that he would be just as self-centered and cruel if he were thinner.
How The End of Obesity Sets Up South Park: Season 26’s Cartman
Cartman’s Recent Kindness Seems Unlikely To Return
It would be interesting to see another side of the character, but this special proved that Cartman is still an effective villain when given the right storyline.
Judging bySouth Park: The End of Obesity, viewers should not expect Cartman’s more understanding self to show up again in season 27. It would be interesting to see another side of the character, but this special proved that Cartman is still an effective villain when given the right storyline.South Parkseason 27 must fix numerous problemsincluding the show’s repetitive storytelling style, and making Cartman more sympathetic is a good way of subverting audience expectations. Nonetheless, focusing on largely forgotten characters like Kenny or Kyle is an equally effective approach for the upcoming outing.
South Park: The End of Obesitysucceeded because the special centered on Kyle’s perspective, and season 27 may repeat this. Season 27 could make Cartman more empathetic, but his laughably nasty role inThe End of Obesityproves that he still functions as a stellar villain. Now thatSouth Parkhas divorced Cartman’s weight from the negative aspects of his character, the series could even bring back his more Machiavellian, outright evil side. This hasn’t been seen since his terrible relationship with Heidi in season 20, butSouth Park: The End of Obesityproves it still has a home in the series.
