10 SpongeBob Side Characters Who Steal the Show Every Time They Appear (2024)

SpongeBob SquarePants has always been a wacky world with memorable characters. SpongeBob himself is recognizable in more than one way: his shape, his laugh, and even his playful humor. Nickelodeon's awareness of the impact the SpongeBob characters have on the world is highlighted in their spin-off projects, such as The Patrick Star Show, Kamp Koral, the Sandy movie on Netflix, and the upcoming Plankton movie.

The main characters are definitely the cream of the crop when it comes to SpongeBob. Everyone loves Mr. Krabs, Patrick, Squidward, and more, but audiences rarely forget the even smaller characters. The phrases like "my leg!" and moments where a certain squid one-ups Bikini Bottom's most prolific cynic live forever in fans' minds. In some cases, the side characters in SpongeBob add as much flavor to the pot as the lovable main characters and aid in creating some of the show's best episodes.

Pearl Is the Average Teenage Girl

One memorable character from SpongeBob is Pearl. Pearl is Mr. Krabs' daughter and is known for her teenage antics alongside her relationship with her father. Pearl wants to be like everyone else but Mr. Krabs' stinginess gets in the way. What truly makes her stand out is her bright personality.

Pearl is often cycling through her teenage emotions when she's on-screen, but one thing remains constant: all she wants is to be understood. She wants to connect to have a normal life, one that connects to the life of her friends and to be listened to by her father. Pearl offers a great dynamic with Mr. Krabs, challenging him to be the father he probably should be with her bubbly charm and strong attitude.

Karen's Robot Status Doesn't Stop Her From Feeling Emotions

Karen, Plankton's computer wife, is a sarcastic, lovable character that audiences enjoy seeing time and time again. Karen's smarts rival Plankton's due to her rationality and detached persona. While Karen is detached from Plankton's schemes, she is not detached from her husband.

Karen is iconic not only for her intelligence but also for her love of Plankton. Even when Karen is making jokes at Plankton, there is a noticeable amount of love within those words. Despite being a computer, Karen showcases a lot of emotions. From her desire to be romantic with Plankton to her ability to find humor in the hardships the two face, Karen is full of emotion and flare.

Fred the Fish Has Lore!

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One of the smaller side characters on the show is Fred the Fish. Fred is in the background of a lot of episodes but is most notably known for his iconic catchphrase. When things go awry in Bikini Bottom, Fred often finds himself hit with the brunt of damage. This causes him to yell out the phrase, "My leg!"

This phrase has existed since Season 1 of the series and even garnered an entire episode in Season 11, titled "My Leg!" This episode brought life to a gag character by fleshing him out to be not only an unfortunate character but also a careless one who's hopelessly in love. Fred is revealed to partially enjoy going to the hospital because of his love with a nurse. Fred, always finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, will always be funny, no matter the motive.

Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy Are an Iconic Duo

Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are a package deal and would always show up together. Even when their relationship was tested, like in the episode "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V," they always ended up on the same side together. While the series often showcases them as senior citizens, SpongeBob would idolize the two due to their legacy that started when they were younger.

Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy were both TV stars and superheroes in their younger years and have made quite a name for themselves since. Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy were wonderful pieces of Nostalgia within the world of SpongeBob and also in reality. After the passing of both actors who voiced the two iconic characters, Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway, the characters only returned to the series as small visual cameos. Fans of the duo undoubtedly understand the retirement and are just happy that the series showcased them as much as they did.

The Flying Dutchman's Ghostly Status Makes Him Standout

The Flying Dutchman is one of the more interesting characters on the show. The Flying Dutchman is usually an antagonist, causing mayhem by using his ghostly powers to confuse and disorient the SpongeBob characters. The ghostly character is also known to steal the show simply by the chaos he brings, like when he trapped Spongebob and Patrick on his ship.

Whether it is torturing Squidward with scary kaleidoscope visuals or stealing SpongeBob away for 62 cents, the Flying Dutchman will always find pleasure in causing harm and creating unfortunate scenarios. The Flying Dutchman's status as a ghost is even more interesting, considering he's the only recurring ghost in the series. The Flying Dutchman deserves to scare audiences with his wild flair and creative torture methods, like the iconic perfume department scene in "Shanghaied."

One of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy's nemeses, Man Ray, is a supervillain who falls victim to SpongeBob's antics. While Man Ray was tortured into doing good deeds in "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III" by SpongeBob and Patrick, Man Ray was able to rehabilitate his villainy in later episodes. Man Ray's appearances are always welcome despite his less-than-noble pursuits.

Man Ray has been in the series only a few times, but he is able to make his presence known every time. He's not only recognizable in pursuit but also in his impeccable character design. Man Ray is one of the most interesting character designs in the show. While all characters in the series look eccentric, the superheroes and villains all have a way of standing out in their outfits. Additionally, Man Ray's easily recognizable mug also makes his smaller cameos shine bright throughout the series.

Kevin C. Cucumber Is So Unlikable That He's Fun to Watch

The former leader of the Jellyspotters does not have a great personality, but that is what makes him memorable. Kevin C. Cucumber is a rude, snarky nerd who believes he is better and smarter than his peers. While this thought process ended with him in unfortunate circ*mstances, watching characters interact with such an unlikable character is every bit entertaining.

Kevin isn't in a lot of episodes, but he is easily noticed a lot. His cucumber-shaped appearance, alongside his built-in crown, makes him very easy to spot. Kevin's downfall is always his own fault, especially since SpongeBob's naivety oftentimes gets in the way of doing any damage to him, so his falls from grace are always rewarding. Kevin's most recent romp in the series was in "Mooned!" where Kevin's own selfishness ends with him being sent to the moon.

Bubble Bass Isn't Overshadowed By the Main Characters' Presence

Bubble Bass is a character that has a surprising amount of screen time despite his humble beginnings. Bubble Bass has been a recurring character within the series as of late, and it's been fun, to say the least. Bubble Bass is known to be selfish and full of himself, making the other characters uncomfortable with his rude remarks and arrogant attitude. Despite his bad manners and persona, his time on screen is usually well spent.

Bubble Bass steals the show with his abrasive personality. While he's most certainly not a pleasure to be near, his opinionated statements lead to interesting places. What truly makes Bubble Bass a great minor character is his ability to blend well with the other characters. Even against a character like Squidward, where the two's sarcasm is equally matched, Bubble Bass is able to stand side by side with the main characters without being tossed to the wayside.

Squilliam Fancyson Is Everything Squidward Wants To Be (And More)

Squidward's rival, Squilliam Fancyson, is one of the most iconic side characters in the series. Squilliam is a pompous character who has everything that Squidward wants. He is successful in music, uber-rich, and classy in every way. Squilliam's ability to rile Squidward up with just his appearance is what truly takes the cake.

Since Squilliam was born with access to the life he has never been able to reach, Squidward is driven into action. With this drive comes great episodes, such as the iconic "Band Geeks" episode or even "Squilliam Returns." While Squiliam excels in everything, fans of SpongeBob know that Squidward is the real octopus worth watching. However, fans do miss Squilliam's presence, and he hasn't been seen in a major way since Season 7.

Patchy the Pirate Represents All Fans

Played by SpongeBob's voice actor, Tom Kenny, Patchy the Pirate is a live-action character in the SpongeBob series. Patchy is SpongeBob's biggest fan and president of his fan club. His love for SpongeBob and all the residents in Bikini Bottom is lovely to watch, especially when Patchy highlights the love other fans share.

Patchy's optimistic personality and overwhelming love and respect for SpongeBob make him so fun to watch. Not only that, but Patchy's ability to let his excitement get the best of him makes him all the more entertaining to watch. Additionally, because Patchy is a live-action character, he acts as the audience's surrogate. In short, Patchy represents all the SpongeBob fans out there so seeing him thrive means a whole lot to the audience.

SpongeBob SquarePants

TV-Y7

Comedy

The misadventures of a talking sea sponge who works at a fast food restaurant, attends a boating school, and lives in an underwater pineapple.

Release Date

May 1, 1999

Cast

Tom Kenny , Rodger Bumpass , Clancy Brown , Jill Talley , Carolyn Lawrence , Lori Alan , Mary Jo Catlett

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

13

Creator

Stephen Hillenburg

Number of Episodes

292