The Episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog That Changed EVERYTHING.

[@ItsJustMutt]

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the action despite it."

[@TheGreatSalsaMan]

“Bravery doesn’t mean you’re not afraid, it means you go anyway.”

[@Ryuzakki_56]

I was thousand liked of this video

[@ishiahlucas3005]

Courage is the green lantern

[@MidnightDStroyer]

It's not wrong to feel fear. What's wrong is when you let that fear control you. This is why Courage lives up to his name so well...No matter how scared he gets he still tries to do the right thing.

[@fluttzkrieg4392]

"'Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?' 'That is the only time a man can be brave'" - George R.R. Martin

[@null0357]

The fact that courage saw his parents get separated from him by a HUMAN and now he protects his owners who are also HUMANS really says a lot about courage

[@DreamersOfReality]

I always assumed (after seeing Muriel pick up a baby Courage in a diaper) that he was her adopted son. I mean, his parents acted like members of society, as do a lot of other animal characters.

[@TheGreatSalsaMan]

There is good and evil in all types of people.

[@YSEternal_]

I guess you could say he's got.. courage

[@cavy369]

one of the best aspects of the show - Courage is such a pure innocent soul

[@denkerbosu3551]

@@cavy369 Goodest boy.

[@nayelyguzman8863]

I think the fire escape not coming all the way down is a metaphor of how in abusive relationships the partner that wants to leave can sometimes find themselves going back if they don’t see a clear “escape”. In this case courage helped push her to actually escape if he hadn’t been there bunny would of climbed back up.

[@PollyCrack]

Good point!! U are smart ^^

[@Tallermage]

She wasn't able to escape until she had the "Courage" to escape

[@nayelyguzman8863]

@@Tallermage it just fell into their laps lol

[@Kitsune54333]

Wow I didn't even think of it that way

[@mastermoye3915]

Another reason why I love this extremely dark episode! 🤩🥹

[@eerieeric834]

I agree with what the creator of this show once said that life is scary and unpredictable, and the only way to deal with it is to be scarier than life itself

[@erikbihari3625]

It's true?

[@orbboom6119]

True and real

[@bakedbaker9882]

True as the deep blue

[@ChristianGibbons777]

So how does a mentally disabled person become scarier than life itself?? Especially with wild life animals being scary out there????

[@bakedbaker9882]

@@ChristianGibbons777 Bruh-

[@Chimeragui]

It is interesting that Eustace, for all his general character flaws (toxicity being the one examined here), is rarely shown to be a toxic partner the way Mad Dog clearly is and unlike Bunny, Muriel is consistently shown to be on equal footing with her husband; just as capable of dishing it out as we see by her having no problem throwing insults right back the second he attempts to use her insecurities about eating against her and it’s implied several times and he _likes_ the fact that she can stand toe to toe with him. And while Mad Dog was purely motivated by jealousy over how close Kitty and Bunny are, Eustace has more general insecurities over perceived inferiority stemming for his family life before Muriel.

[@MASTEROFEVIL]

Eustace's childhood was sad. He was overshadowed by his older brother and it's implied his mother was emotionally abusive

[@silent_pete]

Well put. The scene in bed where Muriel asks if she eats too much and he says "Nah, dumb masked lady" made me smile.

[@spicybeantofu]

My moms marriage was like theirs it pissed me off

[@The.Nasty.]

@@silent_pete yeah that was pretty heartwarming… He has a few little moments like that in the show.

[@josteinhenrique2779]

I think Eustace's problem is just with Courage. Maybe, when it was just him and Muriel, he was just an average grumpy old man

[@marcwhitlock5002]

The darkest for me would be the backstory behind courages parents disappearance. Even Eustace was appalled at what that vet was doing and that's saying a lot.

[@Blackmambama]

No fr I always cried! So evil! I couldn’t imagine someone doing that to me and I think thats what drives him to save the ones he love so bad.

[@RubenRyb66]

but sending dogs to space is the future!

[@hoorainbaig2024]

what episode is that?

[@theWanderersnotebook]

@@hoorainbaig2024 Remembrance of Courage Past/ Perfect

[@ScarlettTheViewer]

​@@BlackmambamaSame! I always cry like 30 seconds into that episode and it makes it really hard to show anyone 😅 It hits close to home in a weird way for me

[@Trascist]

Courage really proves himself in this episode. He beats tf outta some rottweilers, chases down a whole car and survives a car crash to save an abused victim

[@Communityofweirdostv]

When you put it like that, it sounds like a cool gritty action movie with Charles Bronson or something

[@lotusdragonjbh]

Courage the goat 🐐 🙌 nuff said

[@Blank55600]

Dobermans actually

[@queenj8886]

🔥🔥🔥

[@brodygates7535]

Love this comment but DOBERMANS

[@AshChiCupcak]

As a kid, I never even thought about kitty and bunny being lovers. I just thought they were the best of friends and I was so jealous I didn't have a friend like that 😅

[@erikbihari3625]

Thank god for death of the author, because there's literally nothing in the episode that disproves This reading. Besides,"give an Inch, they take a mile"! You know that?

[@jameschism6560]

Same

[@Kakmanmartinez666]

I feel like this even as an adult 🤧 being antisocial has it's pros and cons

[@WerewolfCat890]

i was a baby bisexual, so i definitely caught onto the vibes 🤧 i didn't have the words for it yet, but i was inexplicably overjoyed that they managed to be together in the end lol

[@Lenape_Lady]

Me too…then I found out I was bisexual…with a pretty strong sapphic leaning 😅

[@davidperezz7248]

Nobody talks about Kitty beating Courage and Muriel ignoring it completely. That is another representation of abuse that gets neglected.

[@kraygray241]

But dogs can't be abused by cats!

[@caviestcaveman8691]

Probably about how women beat on men and everyone thinks it's just okay

[@Blackmambama]

@@kraygray241 right, but they can be mentally abused (neglected) by owners. Muriel is an airhead 😂

[@kidprime6863]

To be fair, Muriel is naive and senile. Not to mention gullible, at times.

[@DiAn-ud8dy]

@@kidprime6863 EXACTLY, there's many things that are there just to keep the usual series trama

[@ShadowRealmZ373]

I also love the choice of animals, bunny and kitty are both pet names used for women, unfortunately many times it’s degrading. Both can also act as euphemism which may be the play when courages sees she’s a “cat”, and with Mad Dog being a dog also works with chasing tail. Cats and Dogs both can hunt rabbits, but Bunny giving Kitty a mouse is something cats do to show affection or loyalty, but doubles as way to show how they love each other even if they are both women and prey and predator. Everything about this episode is done beautifully.

[@strayiggytv]

Isn't kitty a fox though. It always confused me because her tail is fox colored

[@Magoo7956]

Bro a whole English teacher. It ain’t that deep

[@shyshy1894]

@@Magoo7956Oh man this is so embarrassing for you. Do you even realize the video you clicked on?

[@zubsiro]

@@shyshy1894 I know right, it’s weird some people think sounding dumb is cool

[@ConvallariaM4jalis]

Yes!! Exactly

[@christinevanausdall470]

This just made me feel sad for courage. I really always just felt sad with this show. No one treated Courage nice.

[@XxEmoGothOutcastxX]

Not true. Muriel loves Courage very much. Also the Hunchback of Nowhere acknowledged Eustace's abuse towards Courage and stood up for him. The weather goddess was kind to Courage albeit possessive. Eustace's mother was initially loving to Courage too.

[@amauriherrera6022]

Dubbed Courage for being a lone survivor to the harshness of life.

[@Aristocratic13]

I mean at the end Bunny redeemed Kitty

[@quantumhawk806]

I always felt sad for him too, especially because he was still nice to others.

[@JaboodyEnthusiast]

That's what hurt people do to nice people 😂 until they snap

[@alastor8091]

You ever realize how much of an uber badass giga chad man killer Courage is? The dude battles gods, gangs, aliens, demons, mummies, protects women and his family. The dude is a Lone Wolf Legend.

[@Wiseman108]

Well he's basically an eldritch abomination himself. 8:18

[@starrblx2504]

agreed 💯 🔥🔥 bro is the most realest out of the show ,bro literally fighting demons 🔥 💀,Gods,Bro even break a curse for his family 💯 🔥 ,bro is on sigma arc 🔥🔥🔥

[@TaiJones-vd7xm]

Yep, that’s why his name is courage

[@GhostCell47]

No doubt.

[@MrHotSalsa]

Bruh went against the leader and his Lts. by himself in this episode. Courage is the Guy.

[@ravenschippers8267]

I unfortunately must note that Mad Dog was not only abusing Bunny but also using her. The fact they live in a "Red Light Zone" with bunny being a rabbit- often a figure of fertility and lust- while wearing fancy clothes and pearls points to Mad Dog being a Pimp and selling Bunny. The scene of her being buried in the plant pot in the episode, which is heard but not shown, implies that she was "forcibly used" by Mad Dog, his cronies, or both of them. Also the reason why the fire escape logically wouldn't work is because for Bunny it was an escape route that wasn't accessible to her without Courage who opened the way for her. Yeah this was a dark episode with most of it flying over my head as a kid. I only recognize the toxic relationship, Courage's bravery in rescuing Bunny and essentially helping Kitty heal by reuniting her.

[@CC-oi9mc]

It’s also implied she initially fears Courage is another John/customer.

[@gigisgucci]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@Gaby-me5hy]

That's exactly what I thought as soon as I saw the red lights. As a kid all of this went over my head and I got too scared to pay attention after seeing kitty's mask.

[@cherry335]

"Red light" smart observation

[@sammyflorenciogutierrez670]

​@@gigisgucci 55

[@milokonna]

Personally to me, the Freaky Fred episode is the peak of the dark themes of the show. Fred is basically a man that uses others to pleasure himself, no matter their consent. He appears kind and polite, but when he has the perfect opportunity to do his thing with the victim, when they can't escape, nor seek help, he strikes. All while he don't seem to understand the damage be inflicted on others, calling it just "naughty". In his retrospection he starts with animals, then close ones, then strangers, which is something often associated with serial killers. He even found a job that would put him in close contact with what basically is his kink. At the end it's revealed that he escaped from essentially a psychiatric hospital. Also it's interesting that he is Muriel's nephew, so a family and not some stranger, which is something not often seen in media. (I could also say that Muriel and Eustace being ignorant, represents the common inability to notice or believe that someone from their own family could be an offender, but they are always oblivious as hell, even if mask person is beating the hell out of their dog, so yeah). I love that sucker, perfect villain.

[@jessehcreative]

Muriel seems to be unable to sense weirdness, going for the good in people rather than outward appearance. The show’s universe (even New York) is populated by people of all colors, shapes, species, and sizes, so this may be cultural. Eustace, on the other hand, revels in evil and eggs the villain on or feigns ignorance. I feel like the Bagges have the best trio dynamic, first to the Eds.

[@brianmerritt5410]

yeah, that episode was a textbook serial killer situation

[@doctorrottington]

I'd love to see so many more antagonists based on Freaky Fred, his dynamic is peak and truly stomach-churning.

[@battybuddy]

Fred was fun, and liked to smile His thoughts in verse were filled with style I’d love to hear it quite a while How he was very… NAUGHTY…

[@0iqgremlin414]

Yeah its one of the rare occasions where we see a family member assault and torture someone in a show. Usually its shoved down our throats that it only really happens with strangers, despite the fact that family members are far more likely to hurt you than a stranger, and are often the repeat offenders too, because they know they can get away with it

[@Mamotherium]

I think Courage's first reaction to realizing that Kitty is a cat is a reflection of how Kitty's view on dogs, seeing one of them forcefully imprison and manipulate her lover and now she views all dogs as evil as a result. The same way Courage's initial reaction to finding out her identity, after being tormented by Katz for a really long time. Courage however didn't let his trauma overcome his will to right the wrong, and eventually help the both of them to be together again.

[@BIGSWOLEXL]

Katz is an absolute menace to courage lmao

[@bhope13]

Because Courage really is a good boy, and helps anyone in need, if he can

[@Jaquelin-w-5049]

Friend*

[@tourguideplays5477]

As a survivor of domestic abuse I had that one friend that showed me that not all men were bad I often was masking myself thinking everything was fine he wouldn't hurt me again 😔 this episode is kind of hard for me to watch but it is such an iconic episode that I give it a watch as a reminder that I have been through the worst and only getting better

[@kidprime6863]

Sorry to hear that. I just hope you're getting better and I hope your abuser "gets what he deserves".

[@tourguideplays5477]

@@kidprime6863 I am much better these days thank you so much for your concern :) and last time I checked he was sitting in jail over a firearm charge

[@Quicknori]

My friend showed me not all black people are bad black folks trumatized me

[@Quicknori]

Tourguideplays black people hurt me alot

[@Quicknori]

I feel your pain tourguide

[@StonedHunter]

I think the broken fire escape is a further representation of how trapped Bunny was without anyone there to help her escape. Hell I could even see it as Mad Dog having removed it himself to keep her from leaving.

[@HonorJusticeAustinn]

That was my thoughts aswell

[@hoshi-6190]

Yes! I also thought about that and how she needed the help of Courage to leave, showing how leaving these sorts of realtionships isn't as easy as it seems

[@StonedHunter]

@Teylo Apenas exactly! Especially cuz they had just shown us what happens when Bunny tries to get out on her own without support.

[@DezAmmySel]

plus he also doesn't seem like the smart type either. dya really think he'd pause to wonder what doing this would mean for him in the event of a fire? NOPE, all he wants is control over Bunny.

[@ChibiChuri]

I also thought it could further convey the abuse too. Showing her a way to escape but also her inability to do so because the ladder doesn't reach the bottom. It taunts her and keeps a constant reminder that she isn't allowed to leave even if she had the will to do so. It's like leaving a door unlocked but you know you can't leave because of the reproductions. You aren't actually allowed to leave even though the door is unlocked.

[@catehowell735]

The contrast at the end between Muriel eating an apple and Eustace wearing the mask and continuing to bang on the furnace shows that Muriel wants to change and become a better person while Eustace would rather continue doing what has failed him in the past, refuse to admit he has flaws, and hide from the reality that he refuses to grow and change.

[@nationalinstituteofcheese3012]

Notice how it’s specifically a green episode

[@snaek2594]

Well, he does ask Muriel for help instead of kicking the furnace and claiming it was fixed. There is a silver lining, I think.

[@Grace-km2ti]

Props to the writing team for making the exposition of Bunny and Maddog's relationship so real to life. Seems most big budget studios can't write anything with such weight with or without subtext. Yet here's a team in the 90's showing the absolute horror without any glamorizing or romanticizing of the subject in, what, 30 seconds? Has Netflix seen this lol

[@ashkitt7719]

I personally think it's because of the limitations of it having to be "for kids" that makes it more real life. Limitations can often breed creativity.

[@Arguing.With.Idiots.]

Steven Universe could definitely get up to the task. Breaking down toxic relationships is basically their bread and butter, same with Adventure Time and Regular Show. I recommend watching them and see for yourself that today's cartoon shows are actually as good, if not, better.

[@Grace-km2ti]

@April Santiago I'm 20 years old baby I've seen all those cartoons. I didn't say none of that "back in my day" shit. I said it's an impressive representation for the 90s lol

[@remyhavoc4463]

@@Arguing.With.Idiots. Steven Universe handles them not so well tho lmao I haven't seen Future, but from the reviews and analysis videos I've seen, it was trash It could've been one of the best to ever do it but it just isn't

[@MrRawrCEO]

@owlhuman you say that in an analysis about an episode with an lgbt subplot lol...

[@NotMyRealName6]

I think the reason Eustace is wearing the mask is a lot more surface-level than that. Based on context, the reality he doesn't want to live with is that he can't fix anything, given the show tended to close episodes with a joke. It's the fact he's wearing it while working on the furnace again that makes me think that. If he were sitting in his chair wearing it, I'd think there were a deeper meaning.

[@royalteep1]

Yup

[@tails183]

Or even knowing him, he may think it has some value to it and has it on as a flex.

[@shooby9496]

Agreed

[@NotMyRealName6]

@@shooby9496 The darker the episode, the more likely it ends on a joke at Eustace's expense.

[@pedroxqui]

I thought that too... Also, Eustace likes big masks, let's not forget his classical scary green one

[@butterduck6398]

I think the funniest part is that Courage himself can shapeshift into the scariest things in the show.

[@Yajjay833]

N never use this power in fight

[@vonzfoto]

Courage never once, does what he does in the name of fame and notoriety. He saves the day because that's who he is. The world needs a lot more Courage.

[@dabbeatles]

I wish there was a Courage for all of us out there. My heart goes out to Bunny. Everybody deserves a Courage in their life.

[@amaralaluna1620]

Courage really does live up to his name. Truly amazing and awesome I love courage so much for doing everything in the name of love for his family especially Muriel.💟🧬🥹🐶👍

[@medexamtoolscom]

Courage is one of the few characters I can think of in any work of fiction who was an inviolable paragon of morality. But that's the point maybe. That he's the literal only force of good to keep evil at bay. Muriel and Eustice represent helpless incompetence, Muriel being good natured incompetence and Eustince malicious incompetence, and the dichotomy between the two of them just show that good intentions don't make much difference when you don't know what you're doing.

[@ThePsychoAnon]

“The things I do for love!” He wears his heart on his sleeve.❤

[@ForrestFox626]

Wasn't there an episode that was literally about that?

[@levicrossdechantel]

To me (being a survivor of domestic abuse), the part where they jump down the ladder meant that it's either you stay or take a leap of faith. It's now or never. Much like how I snuck out and took whatever stuff I could fit in my backpack and run to wherever. Just as long as I was out of there. It was a long ways down, but it was better than staying there.

[@CloudyWolf713]

Hope you’re safe out there.

[@levicrossdechantel]

@@CloudyWolf713 Thank you so much! I am now in a much better place in my life.

[@CloudyWolf713]

@@levicrossdechantel I’m glad you’re in a better place these days! ^_^

[@jellydia4382]

And sometimes that "leap of faith" someone else can take that for you, as shown in the episode, since, courage caused the ladder to fall

[@N.A.T.P_Productions]

​​@@jellydia4382 It took courage to make that "leap of faith"

[@ninjasalazar7586]

What’s amazing is as kids these things flew right over our heads but we still understood the bad situation and cheered on Courage for saving Bunny. Yet as we get older and rewatch these shows with “adult” eyes, we pick up on the deeper messages in these scenes

[@komlat253]

Toxic relationships ,racism, and coming out . All in one 15 minute episode. Wow. It's so great

[@quantumhawk806]

And I still cheer on courage. Dude always does the right thing in sitations that make you want to hurt others instead. Thats what the funny dog learned me as a child atleast. Like exactly in this episode is a situation where courage could have done the opposite (and I know it is a show and there is no episode without this) he always does the thing that is right and helps others. I dont remember courage being abused this badly though. Kitty was just an asshole tbh I know it is exaggerated because of the show, but bludgeoning him to delirium multiple times for no good reason is not it. I have been abused by white women, my health degraded badly because of it I struggle with strange white women now. Im not white and this abuse has been common because of racism. It has too commonly been white women instead of men in my case. I am lucky it was never sexual abuse, but you know its still abuse. If I wasnt strong willed and if there were no other redeemable white women I would start to hate them (which in my case would be avoidance instead of hostility). It is because of things like Courage and my upbringing, I dont take that road unlike Kitty does in this story.

[@patrickd.3681]

As a kid, I never saw Kitty and Bunny as lovers. But as what Kitty described them: close friends.

[@akiraasmr3002]

@@patrickd.3681 @16:28

[@vivika1597]

You didn't mention it, but at 12:39 when Bunny is in the pot, it's heavily implied that she was SAed by Mad Dog (and maybe the other 2). When somebody is SAed, they often feel dirty, soiled. Another fitting term is "deflower". I thought that that scene was the darkest in this episode. You typically see some type of violence and sexism in cartoons and shows (whether more light-hearted or not, and with or without a lesson learned at the end), but I don't remember any cartoon referencing SA.

[@liviwaslost]

You ever seen moral Orel?

[@kisahatasie8136]

@@liviwaslost I'm pretty sure they meant kids cartoons portraying it, many adult cartoons portray Sa

[@liviwaslost]

@@kisahatasie8136 not like Moral Orel though. Most adult cartoons portray it as a joke.

[@C-64]

Nah he said he would bury her and he did, don’t overthink it mang

[@prixe12]

@@C-64 Do you know what video you're on? The entire point is to analyze the content and subtext

[@MasterHappychipmunk]

I always took Eustace taking Kitty’s mask as him finding a new welding mask.

[@trashcatlinol]

Or just another mask to spook the dog with XD

[@crystallation4249]

Don't we all have the same thought?

[@Blox117]

that doesnt make sense. welding masks block UV light so you dont get blinded. source: i weld

[@Sleepy_Monarch]

As a kid alot of the subtle hints and messages flew right over my head. But as an adult, and having a few exes that were quite similar to Mad Dog, I see this in such a different light and honestly it makes me cry and relate to Bunny a whole lot more. If anything I am glad that episodes like this exist because it does open your view to certain things that many people don't have much knowledge or awareness of.

[@jiggaman000]

Do you still date guys like Mad Dog? Are you a lesbian now? Do you have a good Man? Single? Just curious.

[@michakoniecpolski5677]

Touch grass

[@Sleepy_Monarch]

@@michakoniecpolski5677 u first lol

[@Sleepy_Monarch]

@@jiggaman000 To answer your questions in order: No I do not. I'm actually bi. And I'm currently engaged to a wonderful person for the past six years

[@theparanormalattractions3326]

@@Sleepy_MonarchI hope it’s stays healthy for as long as you walk on this world

[@adamdevree6482]

I’d say it’s harder to get darker than this episode because most of Courage is still rooted in surrealistic fantasy, this is a very real episode. This is horror people actually live through.

[@DomesticAnimo]

Yeah, but id have to say that in my opinion the episode where courage's parents are sent to outer space by that "vet" is the darkest...it hits me so hard and how courage tried to save them but couldnt 😭. Then to see that there were other dogs there as well with no way back 😡. Yeah the man may have gotten his just dessert but that changes nothing at the end really...they are still stuck there...and that to me is terrifying and dark.

[@outtaspace1566]

Yeah there’s floating 3d man got me traumatized lol i don’t really remember but still i don’t wanna rewatch that episode 😂

[@Blox117]

actually? no, ♀ literally ask for it

[@i10i60]

@@Blox117 That's some weak ass bait.

[@devilkingaming4619]

It's ironic that the show is called courage the cowardly dog, when he's anything but a coward. He always puts himself through fear and torment to protect others.

[@kidprime6863]

I agree, he's such a trooper

[@plague9774]

He has “courage”

[@jordanmassey7447]

That’s the point! Courage isn’t the absence of fear - as you can see in every episode he’s terrified. Courage is the ability to push through fear to do anything despite being so terrified.

[@jojomuppet1820]

@@jordanmassey7447 "The things I do for love..."- Courage

[@Rhekon]

@@jordanmassey7447 this.

[@BIGSWOLEXL]

LMFAOOO it’s so funny that Muriel thinks it’s completely normal for her dog be casually driving her truck 😂😂😂😂. Definition of unbothered

[@FlamingTurkats]

As a child watching courage, this episode reminded me of my grandma and her best friend. My grandma and her best friend came to meet eachother from their ex husbands being good friends. Unfortunately both their ex husbands were both physically and emotionally abusive, and their journey leaving their abusive marriages brought them closer as friends. As a child who had no concept of what an abusive relationship entailed, it added powerful context to help understand my grandma and her friend's past.

[@griffbenoit7687]

What did your grandma do to deserve to get abused?

[@FlamingTurkats]

@@griffbenoit7687 Her husband was an alcoholic.

[@luckyinky7849]

​@@griffbenoit7687 probably nothing

[@kelseybrexit5224]

@@griffbenoit7687 the 1980s called They want their shitty joke back

[@griffbenoit7687]

@@alysiawilliams2139 speak English before you get emotionally abused like this dudes granny👵

[@sagsungoddess]

I remember watching this episode when it aired. As a teenager I thought Kitty and Bunny’s relationship was a bit odd, but I picked up on the nuances and hints. When Kitty said, “I hate dogs,” with Bunny repeating it later on the episode, I picked up that they were hinting they didn’t like men, and that all men were dogs - until Courage proved them wrong. When Eustis put on the mask at the end of the show, I “knew” it was a representation of him hiding himself from the world and living in his own personal denial. Wonderful breakdown, and an interesting trip down memory lane. 26:30

[@griggsz9649]

I realized how socially intelligent I was as a child to be able to make that distinction because I remember thinking they seem like really close but not like sisters and put 2 and 2 together💡

[@Yezpahr]

Eustace always had a knack for masks and he knew this mask would be extra traumatizing to Courage. But yea, there are multiple angles to take on this scene. The relationship between kitty and bunny has two sides too, it could just be metaphors like you said, men are dogs thus the bunny and cat had to be female. But it's also simply a possible relationship. I think that's the beauty of their relationship, that it was both a normal loving relationship without necessary emphasis on the ins and outs, as that's already making it special (as opposed to normal). Normalizing something like that can have a good open minded impact on youth in later life.

[@blehh_mae]

also they actually are canonically gay too, theres a link to a twitter post on the wiki saying it but if i sent a link youtube would delete the reply pretty cool i think 16:35 oh nvm it was said in the video womp womp

[@hi-ougidemonfang]

The most benign reasons for Eustace to wear the mask are 1. For eye/face protection, and 2. Because he can’t fix everything and he’ll never admit that to himself for long. He can’t face his own inadequacy and almost always blames his faults on others

[@zackc5973]

Exactly. 2 is most likely the reason for that little joke at the end. Courage the Cowardly Dog with its scary themes and occasional deep message was above all a cartoon with simple humor

[@master830pm]

I love how Eustace is mean spirited, but Muriel has no problem putting him back in his place. They fight like an old married couple

[@chloiephillips1905]

Because they are lol

[@crazychase98]

He also does care for murial he's just a grumpy old man

[@Nirmiti.]

That’s because they are.

[@maverickbull1909]

they literally are an old married couple wtf? That's like saying a dog barks like a dog.

[@master830pm]

@@maverickbull1909 I was saying it ironically

[@risingrat5491]

I’m surprised that nobody noticed the child abuse reference here.. when kitty was abusing courage in his own home and nobody noticed or believed it, even when abuse was happening wright In front of supposed parental figures. And that abuser was hiding behind cute looking mask.. and that courage was having flashbacks where kitty looks like evil mask.. I think that can explain why he was so scared when he saw her without mask

[@e6198]

I think that's the main thing I remembered from when I watched it as a child and that I could relate to most. The fact that in almost every episode courage would never be believed or cared for and was completely brushed aside

[@timothyloayza6789]

That and the only anthropomorphic cat he's encountered so many times was Katz and all that PTSD from those times

[@lara-j6w]

God I didn't even pick up on that

[@ZirconiaGacha]

I love how Courage could get away with covering domestic (and possibly even sexual, depending on how you interpret various scenes) abuse ON CARTOON NETWORK, meanwhile Moral Orel on Adult Swim likely got cancelled because they decided to cover the aftermath of SA in a serious and respectful way. Says a lot about Cartoon Network for letting it happen while Adult Swim didn't. Even if the kids watching don't truly grasp what's happening at the time they watch it originally, it still was out there.

[@literallyfrankjaeger]

I LOVE MORAL OREL

[@JakurtyKulgin]

The fact that they let robot chicken portraying Sexualised Assault as joke says something about them

[@tom47235]

the people working at CN back then were clever.

[@junebunny0712]

@@JakurtyKulgin Agreed. It’s horrible.

[@Rexorazor]

Courage is kind of a badass for taking on such massive foes.

[@kidprime6863]

I agree. For a coward, he doesn't always realize his own strength.

[@subsume7904]

​@@kidprime6863 how is he a coward? Sure he gets scared and screams, but he ALWAYS saves the day and does what's right. A courageous person can still feel fear and be afraid.

[@b.c4440]

The fire escape is a pretty good metaphor for escaping abuse even if it wasn’t intentional. It’s really dangerous to leave situations like that and a lot of the obvious resources can be difficult to access or inadequate. The people who try to help you can also end up getting hurt like how Courage did. In a lot of ways leaving abuse does kind of feel like jumping from a tall building.

[@nitzan3782]

Most IRL female murder victims took the fire escape and didn't make it to safe ground.

[@bzchii7474]

GAH DAMN..

[@tommynobaka]

This episode had SUCH an impression on me as a 3-4 year old. It informed me on so much of the ills of the world but also being strong enough to confront them, which Courage embodies. I remember feeling sad for both the girls and wondering why the ex bf was so abusive. Little did I know how "normal" this was to be in abusive relationships, both physical and emotional

[@g1rldraco7]

I think Courage's reaction to Kitty without the mask on is like how can someone so young have a negative view of life. I mean she's young and pretty and she wears a mask to hide her face. It's sad really. This was the darkest episode, I didn't understand most of it when I was young, but I can see why now. I'm glad Cartoon Network didn't change any of it.

[@lucasdesouza5752]

I like to think is the Katz thing because makes me feel close to the other episodes in the Middle of this dark one.

[@firepuppies4086]

Being fair.... How many nice cats has he even met up to now? Not even getting into Kitty assaulting him herself.

[@cordellriemer5177]

Imagine if kids today saw what Kitty looks like without the mask

[@LazyCultivatior]

When Courage was a baby cat's took his parents. I don't remember the episode but Muriel find's Courage immediately after his parents were taken. If I'm remembering correctly they were in space for some reason and some cat launched a bunch of dog's into space Courage literally fell to Earth

[@LazyCultivatior]

actually I was wrong don't know where that memory came from

[@MetalHeartGunner]

One part i found really morbid was the scene where Bunny is buried up to her neck where she sees Courage and begs "no please not another dog" in such a distraught manner, coming right after a scene where two dogs walk in and all three of them do "something" to Bunny after she tried to run away i feel is implying that they sexually assaulted her, that traumatized reaction she has upon seeing Courage always gave me that impression.

[@xXPurpleLoliTranceXx]

I’ve always had that impression, too actually Somebody mentioned it in the comment section in another video and it made me wonder

[@hxrlem]

While that could be a chance but given how crazy mad-dog is I dont believe he would anyone besides himself to “yknow” I think she said it that way because the fact she literally lives around dogs

[@BrohemSd]

@@hxrlem I completely agree. To say she was sexually assaulted is a reach.

[@gainzday2838]

Yeah I agree. We see a quick scene of MD about to break from the lamp anyways

[@unripetheberrby6283]

yeah me too :(

[@GlassDanimals]

Some loser is reposting your vids on tiktok as clips uncredited so I came here. I always loved this episode as a kid and it was nice to revisit it as an adult and hear your analysis ❤

[@nxoxo7322]

omg I came here to tell him the same thing! I hope he gets it taken down.

[@bin9957]

I think the fact that Muriel didn’t acknowledge or notice Kitty abuse Courage is the perfect example of no one know if they are in a abusive relationship.

[@GhostCell47]

But that doesn't justify her beating Courage damn near to death.

[@kevins8646]

@@GhostCell47 Representation of the cycle of abuse. Maybe telling how this is the worst beating I've seen Courage take in the show.

[@GhostCell47]

@@kevins8646 But she attempted to murder him unprovoked. She's a monster who justifies her break up to cause harm into someone to vent out her anger. She's a piece of shit.

[@christianpetty7322]

Yall read way to much into a cartoon. Not everything has a hidden meaning. Sometimes violence is just funny.

[@unripetheberrby6283]

@@christianpetty7322 While slapstick is funny, she was just hurting him and it was even hard to watch as a kid :(

[@Titan990]

Between this and that one puppet episode, this one definitely takes the cake. Notice how unlike other villains who are cartoonish looking, mad dog and his goons are somewhat realistically drawn which is odd for a show like courage. The puppet episode is also dark but in a different way.

[@jessehcreative]

The puppet episode was supposed to be the series finale if it didn’t get picked up for season 2

[@Titan990]

@@jessehcreative hoo boi

[@Amb252]

The puppet episode was disturbing

[@gndisluv]

As an adult, as soon as you showed the “Red Light District,” I was like, “Oh no 😮” and knew exactly where the episode was headed. Subsequently, the lower body of the “s*x bunny” appeared entrapped in a flower pot nourished with synthetic light, hinting at her artificial “flowering” and forced “deflowering.” It took Courage to dig her out of her situation as she was “in deep” with the br*thel that only had an escape route designed for death (i.e., the rigged fire escape). Therefore, it took “a leap of courage” for Bunny to escape. However, I never would have caught the significance of these metaphors and analogies as a kid. Same with the Freaky Fred episode. Understandably, I was ignorant of s*xuality, let alone the dangerous concept of paraphilia/s**ual addictions/compulsive s**ual behavior. I rewatched it in the recent past and was appalled. I loved Courage as a child because it was “spooky/horrific and mysterious,” but now, with clearer vision, it’s quite depressing. Sidenote(s): the “pink (s*x) bunny” and the “brown (s*x) kitten”: This could be a stretch, but these two colors often represent female genitalia. Additionally, Courage wanted to turn the kitten’s toy in to the cops. In theory, it seems silly, but in reality, it was supposed to be a s*x worker’s demented paraphilic “toy.” It also was no coincidence that the sex worker from “the wrong side of the tracks” (the ghetto) wore a mask of a pleasant “white face” dressed in all white to signify innocence and purity. Next, hypervigilance is a trauma response, commonly associated with PTSD. Hence, Kitty’s observations of Eustice and Muriel. Lastly, women sometimes refer to men as “dogs” when the men only care about getting a “bone” (i.e., a b*ner/erected male genitalia). Hence, the bone on the pimp’s/Mad Dog’s pink car with the license plate “K-9” (Canine).

[@langustajableczna]

the extent of bunny's abuse is so sick, I am surprised it got aired since it shows her as a rape and trafficking victim...

[@one-onessadhalf3393]

Minor correction, but Mad Dog’s plate says K-8, but it’s still very obviously a funny little dog joke. Other than that, that’s a very interesting read. I sort of made the connection that Bunny and Mad Dog’s relationship was like that of a pimp and his abused partner that he pimps out, but I hadn’t connected all of the potential euphemisms that you did

[@langustajableczna]

@@one-onessadhalf3393 I'd love to hear her speak on other cartoons, movies, books, her interpretations, she's very perceptive and well spoken

[@bigbleeg]

This is one of my favorite episodes of any animated show ever. It's SO good. Sad, tense, funny, scary, and surreal. They jam packed so much in so little time. John Dilworth is a genius for this show.

[@animezilla4486]

I love this episode too but one of the things that made me mad about it was the fact that kitty keeps abusing courage

[@bigbleeg]

@@animezilla4486 Hurt people hurt people :(

[@kellymurtagh-quinn8058]

@@bigbleeg I get that’s it’s a cartoon but the abuse of courage always kinda made me sad since I’ve had an understanding of animal abuse from a very young age and I think I would have felt better about it if she had gotten some sort of light comeuppance near the end instead of just realizing she was wrong. Sure she was hurt and you could say she had a reason but while you can empathize with that it doesn’t excuse it.

[@destinixshakur]

@@kellymurtagh-quinn8058 aww 😢

[@Mande1985]

Courage is the act of doing something even though you're scared. The show is great and amazing!

[@danielinthemaiden9039]

Kitty saying "All dogs are evil" was a metaphor for "All men are evil."

[@ahmedaliyu1495]

Sheesh

[@bigbleeg]

Also, Kitty hating dogs can be an allusion to sexism or racism, depending on how you look at it (and Courage being scared of Kitty too)

[@erikbihari3625]

Courage was afraid because he didn't know what's going on, Kitty hated him because of trauma. How could trauma make someone racist?

[@msjkramey]

@@erikbihari3625 if your abuser was someone of a certain race, you might end up gaining prejudices or fears about that same race. Trauma doesn't have to follow logic and neither does racism

[@milokonna]

@@erikbihari3625 Imagine a white person being traumatised by a black person, then developed a mindset that made them aggressive mentally and physically towards every other black person, just because their black. Wouldn't it be considered racist? irl racism is often build on fear, and singular negative incidents are "proving" that mindset to that person.

[@erikbihari3625]

@@milokonna. You know what your talking about? First off everyone is build differently so not all would behave or become so. Second what you just said sounds like if in the Princess Pride inego montoya because of his pasinvolcimg the six fingered man ends up developing a hatred to all those who are alike! Or if someone with an eyepath stole your lunch money and from then on you assume every other individual fitting This loose simularity is out for doing the same as that one specific!

[@erikbihari3625]

@@msjkramey. Actually i'd be more concerned about who that guy specifically was!

[@DefileOdds]

Eustace wore the mask while trying to fix the water heater because he can't come to terms with the fact that he can't fix anything.

[@HiImMach]

I love the Mask episode for showing how past trauma can negatively impact someone's life and warp their perspective towards others. Being blunt Kitty is a "woman" who hates "men" because of Mad dog who is keeping her from and hurting someone she loves. And since he's a dog, she views Courage the same way, while Courage sees her as another monster/antagonist without thinking any deeper. Both flawed, but very understandable viewpoints because of their past. I think the reason why Eustace wears a mask at the end is because he refuses to accept that he might not be a very good handyman, but also shows us that he somewhat understood why Kitty had it. And finally, it took me a while, but even when Courage knew he was basically helping Kitty his imagination constantly showed a monster attacking Muriel and Eustace... not too sure, but I think it's how he viewed the toxicity Kitty introduced to the household. The monster was always shown as the mask, but never specifically as Kitty, even when he knew what she looked like. I think in the end Courage's goal was to help everyone, and it's what makes him such a likable protagonist. Not flawless, but always uncompromising in trying to do the right thing.

[@aceclover758]

The difference is she is the one beating Courage for no reason so he has a much bigger reason to be afraid of her

[@sarahshika5157]

About the mask: for Kitty, it could also mean that she has to hide that she's a lesbian, and at the end she realizes that her love for Bunny is more important than how people view her, and even if it's risky that's who she is. For me, Eustace simply wears the mask at the end because he doesn't want to face the fact he cannot fix everything, which is showed at the same moment

[@LewdContent]

Got it perfect ❤

[@Cryodrakon2]

No, not everything is about lgbt,its not that deep, courage is a cartoon that doesnt give 555 shits about lgbt, its just a silly scary cartoon

[@gabesimmer101]

@@Cryodrakon2 Shut up you bigot, it's just a theory, also if the creator said their lesbians than it's basically gonna have LGBTQ themes

[@asianjackass237]

@@Cryodrakon2 Let’s not mention how Courage is ignored and beaten just because he is a dog. Racial stereotype AND she gets away with it

[@fungustheclown666]

​@@asianjackass237 Not exactly racial, it's more like misandry. She's not good for doing that. Its a very dark episode as has been mentioned. Courage, however, seemed to understand her plight after he saw what was going on and she had a chance to change. If you're hurt by certain people over and over again, you'll likely grow a disdain for them, which can be shown in a lot of women today when it comes to men. Courage changed her mind, and she was able to become a better person even if she was a shitlord in the beginning. Though I must say Courage being used as a punching bag is not limited to her, and I feel bad for him. It's just the horrific cycle of abuse being thrust into our faces by a kids cartoon. Also the LGBT stuff was confirmed by the creator. If you all watched the whole video you would know that. You can choose to interpret however you want because it's art, but the creator has stated that the Canon interpretation makes them lesbians.

[@ghostli1112]

the other really dark courage episodes were the one with dr. zalost and the last of the star makers was also very sad but touching. ooh, and the one where shirley curses eustice. the scene where eustice is a sad, scared little boy again KILLED me. it was the first time i genuinely felt bad for him. when you meet his narcissistic mother in the other episodes, it really put into perspective why he's such a miserable ass. there are so many good, sad-but-heartwarming episodes.

[@Impalingthorn]

Tower of Dr. Zalost, just in terms of composition and objectives, might be one of the greatest episodes of any cartoon show ever and should be used as reference material on how to write them. It is funny, it is sad, it is scary, it plays up its characters and chews the setting, the villain and music are memorable, the topic and moral are relatable and pertinent, and it DOES SO while addressing a darker real work topic: Antidepressants. The entire episode is a transparent message about the dangers of "curing" society with anti-depressants and what kind of an effect they have on communities. They didn't even change the names much between the topic drug of the time, "Zoloft", and the villain's name "Zalost".

[@ghostli1112]

@@Impalingthorn oh wow! that's really interesting. i hadn't even thought about the similarities, but that makes so much sense. the happy plums, too! i used to call my mom's antidepressants her "happy pills"

[@bellebonebag8096]

@@ghostli1112 anti-depressants don't make you happy, they just make your emotions numb. Can't laugh, can't cry, can't get mad. If you watched your mother die, you probably wouldn't care. A lot of people who avidly take anti-depressants end up offing themselves because they lose their will to live. How ironic. This new generation always tries to sugarcoat psych medication, it's not fcking candy. It generally causes more harm than good.

[@TouchscreamPresents]

​@@Impalingthorn zalost actually means sadness in Croatian

[@bexmw]

This show is timeless. I was 9 when it started and it definitely paved the way for other shows to go a little farther. The animation and music alone were so refreshing.

[@nitzan3782]

I'm glad it aired. I grew up on this show and later in life, meaning my mid-20s, saw what happened to Bunnies who DIDN'T get rescued - these real-life Mad Dogs make good on their threats, and by the time people gather the guts to confront them, the Bunnies died from tens or even hundreds of stab wounds. That episode was horrific enough to be a cautionary tale for the horrific reality of DV.

[@zanitzeuken]

and be aware that there are consequences for our actions and inaction - that we are sometimes the common denominator in our problems.

[@nitzan3782]

@@zanitzeukenIndeed. Every person who could have been a Kitty or Courage and chose instead to look the other way is complicit.

[@zanitzeuken]

@@nitzan3782 you can't expect people to dig you out of the holes you dig yourself.

[@Ninja1Ninja2]

mad dog was pimping bunny out

[@nitzan3782]

@@Ninja1Ninja2 He was also physically abusive, and women in prostitution often end up killed by their pimps.

[@gi-joe_510CA]

One thing about this show no matter how scary it got it still had a feeling like courage was always going to find a way to save the day 😂

[@jdrmanmusiqking]

0:50 "Lighthearted show like the Powerpuff Girls" *me remembering Bubbles ripping the horn off a monster and stabbing it through the throat spilling blood everywhere* Ehh dont think Powerpuff Girls was like the other shows either lol

[@TheCommenterDragon]

The Mask is one of my all time favorite Courage episodes! just as Kitty and Bunny instantly became two of my all time favorite female characters in the show! seeing those two reunited at the end was just heartwarming to me!!!

[@christopheredwards788]

This episode really is something else. As a kid I never thought much about it but being more dramatic and serious than other episodes. Now I look at this and WOW!

[@B-26354]

_"Now we can be BEST FRIENDS forever..."_ Sure... "friends."

[@hannahbranch7770]

I like how Courage's imagination of Kitty's mask reflected the fact Courage could see the danger it represented. In his mind, the only way to defeat it was to give Kitty and Bunny the closer they needed. Absolutely beautiful.

[@mojaslatt]

Courage the Cowardly Dog was honestly so much deeper than I thought back when I was a kid watching it on Cartoon Network. It's been interesting to look back at breakdowns of the shows from my childhood and piece together all of those small details you only truly understand once you grow up lol

[@kylewood4488-b9r]

Cartoons in the 90s and early 2000s was peak entertainment. Courage is still one of my favorite shows ever.

[@animechann6796]

I vividly remember watching this episode as a 6-year-old, barely understanding any of it. However, the intensity it brought me is what really got me more into courage the cowardly dog.

[@komlat253]

I just remembered courage was so scared of her for no reason and it was weird to me and also that this episode was the least scary. Now growing up ,I realize this is all about the relationships. A different kind of scary lol

[@roderick8167]

Yeah I think Courage was scared of Kitty not just because she attacked him beforehand but also I think Courage had a bit of prejudice against her in general because she was a cat, in courage's mind all Cats are psychotic monsters always intent on hurting him the same way Kitty thought all dogs were evil intenet on hurting her so she thought Courage was evil, it was at the end Courage and Kitty realized they were wrong about each other and that they are both good people at the end of the day

[@jessehcreative]

This is totally an episode covering racism. I do find Courage imagining the Mask creature instead of Kitty to be interesting though...

[@kidprime6863]

Can you blame, Courage? His archnemesis is an anthropomorphic cat named Katz. Katz tried to do a lot of things to do away with Courage and the Bagges: 1. Feed Courage and his family to giant spiders. 2. Turned Eustace and Muriel into a wrecking ball and washing machine to have them fight for his amusement. 3. Created a Mutant Jam to capture Muriel and turn her into taffy so he could get first place in a candy competition. 4. Attempted to have a submarine full of tourists, including Muriel and Courage, dive down to blow up its TNT payload once it reaches a certain depth. 5. Later teamed up with the enemies Courage already beat, while holding Muriel hostage, to destroy Courage in a dodge ball game. So, of course he doesn't trust Kitty.

[@roderick8167]

@@kidprime6863 oh of course not I don't blame courage at all hell if any of us were courage we would be incredibly afraid too and also it didn't help Kitty case that she straight up attacked courage for no reason at all , Courage did nothing to Kitty to warrant that hostility and for her to hate him but Kitty she gave Courage all the reasons for him to fear and not trust her at least at first

[@kidprime6863]

@@roderick8167 Yeah, even as a kid, I hated when she kept on attacking him unprovoked. Sheesh! If you're able do all of that to Courage, how come you're unable to all of that to Mad Dog?

[@roderick8167]

@@kidprime6863 well I her case it helps that Courage is a cute little dog and she can attack and bully him easily unlike Mad Dog who's a big ass pitbull that's twice her size and can mostly take any kind of punishment she could try to dish out on him plus he's got guards too lol

[@xman123ahm]

This seems more like a representation of human trafficking rather than just simple abuse. When she's crying out "not another dog" sort of sounds like she's crying out for "not another client" to which she isn't consenting. I think they were both trafficked and bonded and formed a relationship. Bunny when she was dragged out of the car seemed woozy, just like they usually drug them up. And then she was locked in a room, big guys guarding rooms, pimp car, red light in the building which can be associated with brothel, kitty's hatred towards "dogs" or men based on repeated abuse from them etc...

[@kapostatuz1677]

Also bunny’s eyes r usually a clear white but when she’s with the dog her eyes were pinkish reddish like if she was higgh.

[@BilsonBoi]

I think giving Eustis the mask was the most humanizing thing the writers could have did for him. As much as the viewer dislikes him and the show goes to lengths to indicate how bad of a person he is (giving validity to how the viewer feels about him) it’s still important to remember that he’s human and he doesn’t just do things because that’s how he spawned into existence behaving, just like Kitten and any sympathy you might have felt for her at the end of the episode, some sympathy might be warranted for Eustis too..

[@DreamersOfReality]

I had an abusive parent. His life was hard, but I have no sympathy. Trauma is an explanation, but it's not an excuse. I accept my father's humanity, but that doesn't mean I can forgive, or accept, the man himself. If he ends up alone, that's on him.

[@cameronutter11]

It’s funny you should point that out cuz if you think that episode was humanizing for him, you should re watch the episode “The curse of Shirley.” That episode was so humanizing for Eustace in such a gut wrenching way😭 I’m a nerd for cartoons so I’ll summarize it🤓; It starts out with him doing what he does best: picking the wrong person to piss off😂 (in this case, Shirley the medium) and he gets cursed with his own personal raincloud that won’t go away till he does something generous for someone else. After causing various other grievances (as Eustace tends to do💁🏼‍♀️), He ends up having to sleep on the roof cuz of his rain cloud😬 He then loses his glasses and becomes so delusional (probably from the mushrooms that started growing on his body😬), he basically King Kongs Muriel up to the roof again after falling down the chimney and mistaking her for a monster🤦🏼‍♀️ All this culminates in the moment when Eustace (still delusional as hell) looks at courage through a broken mirror he was holding up for some reason….and sees a very bald, very sad little boy that is very clearly himself as a child🥺😭 The boy complains pitifully about how his head is burning in the sun and Eustace, without even realizing that this child is actually him, shows empathy towards his plight and compassionately gives the little boy the hat off his own head🥺, which breaks the curse. It breaks my heart every time cuz Eustace has spent so much of his life as this bitter, angry, selfish person due to how badly his family treated him that he doesn’t even recognize himself as a child😢. It’s so sad because he literally shows some therapy level self compassion by giving his younger self a hat for his bald lil head and he doesn’t even realize it so he didn’t learn anything from it😭💔

[@kt9527]

I remember this episode, and I always thought about how sad it was. Then, when I was 20, I ended up in the same situation as Bunny, and thought back to the first time i watched it, and I don't think I had ever cried so hard in my life.

[@i10i60]

I hope you're in a better condition now, with someone close for support

[@kt9527]

@@i10i60 oh yeah, this happened around 10 years ago. I was able to free myself from that situation and got a lot of help.

[@MarceloZ2]

This episode *absolutely terrified me* as a child. At the time, I didn’t put two and two together and for the longest time I never understood what exactly made me so scared of this episode as a child. I remember my child me thinking it was the representation of Kitty’s masked outfit that Courage saw in his thoughts throughout the episode that scared me, but it wasn’t that. When I was a kid, my parents were in the verge of separation. There were constant fights, my dad wanted to controle every single step and turn my mother did at all times, and she was starting to get fed up with all his bullshit. They yelled at each other every other week or so and I, 6 years old at the time, just cowered in my bedroom, blanket over my head, just hoping they would stop fighting and call me to see a movie with them like we always did at weekends. I think that what terrified me so much about this episode… was that my child self saw my dad in Mad Dog and my mother in Bunny. The scene where Mad Dog threatens Bunny and right after hugs her in confort was eerily similar with how my parents argued and settled their fights. Thankfully, my dad eventually saw the error of his ways after he started communing with my mother’s church group and today, he is irrecognizable from what he was 15 years ago, for the better. He stopped being so controlling and started letting my mother just be herself for a change. They are way happier now, but I understand that they are a very minute exception in situations like these, and that the majority of situations like what I described most likely end up like Mad Dog and Bunny.

[@UnownKanine]

For the detached fire escape, it looks like there’s rust all over that side of the wall, so maybe it was showing there was more there but either rusted off or was removed. Since Bunny tried to escape earlier in the episode, maybe they were trying to imply that it wasn’t her first attempt and she tried to run via the fire escape. Just my own little theory. Also, I actually remember seeing this episode when it was new! I was only six and I wasn’t fully sure what was going on, but seeing how everyone was feeling and the lengths Courage took to save Bunny left me in tears. Watched this years later and I think it’s safe to say that this became one of my all time favorites and tied with Remembrance of Courage Past for #1.

[@venussss5930]

Something about the plot and bunny and kitty’s relationship always stayed with me, it’s been my favorite ep Kittys mask is iconic

[@diadiaz]

me too! even as a kid i always knew bunny & kitty's relationship was something more than friends

[@zeropolicy7456]

To me, the darkest episode by far was the Flan episode. That episode STILL creeps me out, and I'm 31 years old. Lol.

[@ajshiro3957]

This episode's premise flew over my head. I got the abusive angle they were going for, but Kitty liking Bunny as a partner flew over kid me's head.

[@saikyojushin370]

Or bunny potentially being a prostitute; although this premise requires you to read between the lines of mad dog.

[@puresuga219]

Right, best friends.

[@Kensuke22]

To be honest my little kid brain will gloss over any romantic context if even if both characters are like that to eachother...

[@sun-jazz5640]

I was that one kid who was never scared by anything in this show, however, this episode was the only one that did, but only when I was older and understood things like abusive relationships. This episode truly is different from the others.

[@Captain_Ogilvy]

Kitty is so quick to hurt Courage due to her own trauma, however Courages abuse goes completely unnoticed. The idea that cycles of abuse can vary on different levels and for different reasons is a great theme the episode explores. Neglect being a form of abuse is at the forefront but never addressed - and in a way is pretty poignant. Obviously a point in the show is that Courage is barely listened to or believed, but having it happen in an establishing shot of the whole episode on a theme of trauma is a strong message. Especially when both Eustace and Muriel both see it going on in front of their eyes, walk away and allow it to continue.

[@dc7236]

Wow... It just dawned To me .. That's a perfect example of toxic femininity. It's something that's soooo glossed over and never taken serious that society kind of looks at it just like Ustace and Muriel. Like "oh how cute and harmless" She has heavily been abused by dogs.. then sees what she preceives as a weaker and more vulnerable dog. And immediately takes all he hurt and frustrations out on him. Notice i said preceives Courage as a weak and Vulnerable.. but he's actually strong brave smart loyal empathetic..and just the right person to help free her and her girl Bunny. yet she won't allow herself to see it at first all she sees is a vulnerable "dog" This(toxic femininity )happens every day on the internet and face to face. And is usually either validated and excused .. or dismissed altogether as something minor.

[@misafromthenet]

@@dc7236 it’s…not specifically toxic femininity 😂 it’s quite literally just trauma and the cycle of abuse. Can happen with any gender. Example; R Kelly was sexually abused as a child and in turn abused many young women after. And he’s a man. Had nothing to do with femininity

[@kjd-s5b]

Evil can only thrive when good ignores it.

[@GhostCell47]

Or she's always an abusive person, so she rather hurt and kill someone rather than facing her own issues. I believe that her and Bunny have a dysfunctional relationship to begin with. But she ended up with another abusive person. Kitty is an evil person who harms anyone who has nothing to do with her predicament.

[@RockoEstalon]

@@GhostCell47 Kitty hurts Courage because he's a dog and to her all dogs are evil since her only experience with other dogs is them being abusive. It's something common in that type of situations, which is why in the end she flat outs tells him that now she understand not all dogs are the same.

[@uncertain_zee]

I loved this episode so much as a kid. My dad was/is not a great person and I saw him act terribly toward my mom and this episode always gave me a sense of escapism and relatability, mature themes that some kids can definitely relate to but hardly see in media meant for them, it was comforting to think there was a chance out. I'm older now and realized I'm bi with a preference to women, and had a really shitty relationship with a guy and seeing this episode still gives me that same comfort. So glad CN let them do this episode.

[@SantiagoSolis-ee7ho]

Wow. I can hardly imagine honestly what others go through. Since you mentioned you’re bi, I wanted to ask. Respectfully (and if you don’t mind) what is it about this episode from a kids show that it does so well with featuring a lesbian couple and being so good, and I still watch this as an adult, and unlike some movies/shows, I do but I don’t put too much attention at Bunny’s and Kitty’s sexuality and in fact, I cheer for them and feel bad for them. What is it that some movies and shows fail to do when handling such representation and subject matter/topics that this show nailed so well? Thank you!

[@thehistoryandbooknerd8979]

I am so sorry you went through those things… I remember this episode from when I was a kid too and in hindsight, it helped me feel understood in a way that not much else did at the time..

[@cavy369]

Easily the best cartoon of all time... its unique creative range of themes, sets and genres always had me looking forward to the newest episode more than any other cartoon. Additionally, it tackled quite mature subjects for a general cartoon network audience, and it always had some profound/beautiful message at the end of every episode, coupled with Courage's pure innocent soul persevering through all the horror, abuse and fear.

[@takofili3520]

With Courage and Bunny dropping x amount of feet to the ground on that ladder, with only Courage getting “injured”, we chalk it up to cartoon logic lmao. All in all, this episode was one of the episodes that definitely left a mark on me and I’m glad you covered it 😁

[@eerieeric834]

I agree with you about the cartoon logic part either that or the animators just overlooked that small detail about the ladder

[@nawazeeshali4340]

This episode was truly heart touching, emotional and amazing. I loved Bunny and Kitty as a couple.

[@Hussman493]

Can we just talk about how badass Courage is for scrapping with two way bigger and meaner dogs and winning?

[@krystalbeth]

I think the ladder was a metaphor for leaving that type of relationship. To get out it’s gonna feel like a free fall. No support. This whole episode seems like metaphors to me. The men being represented by dogs. How gender alignment and how we trust our gender over the other. I love your analysis ❤

[@matthewshimabuku]

glad others noticed this. Those relationships look like there is no escape, but you have to take that leap.

[@dash2535]

Also in a more physical way I assumed some of the dogs or mad dog had taken away the bottom part of the ladder so that bunny couldn’t easily escape

[@TJF588]

Was scrolling to see someone suggest it. In a show and episode full of analogues, the practical nonsense of the fire escape had to be representative. While the difficulty of escape is the most compelling angle, what first came to mind was Courage getting involved. I wonder if it might say something for how quickly someone might jump into someone else's situation, seeing clear through to it from the outside, only to find that navigating a way out for both the victimized person and themself is not as readily available. I'd have to think many abusive situations are just as dangerous to disrupt as they are to let continue; make the wrong move, and there may be no getting out for anyone.

[@diy_mushroomguy]

I see that but courage was the only one that was shown to be physically hurt from the fall.

[@victorrodrigues55555]

Yeah, I saw your comment before the ladder part and was screaming inside: "It's a metaphor!!! How did you not get it??

[@blackhoney121]

I think even when you have help to get out of an abusive relationship, it’s still extremely dangerous and feels like a free-fall. -that’s how I understand the fire escape scene.

[@yugixhilary]

As an autistic person, this episode got to me with the mask. For being autistic, to survive in this society we actually do something called Masking. Its not to hide from reality but just to survive in reality because we are not accepted. Eventually it became more than hiding, it was surviving and it's the most exhausting and horrible thing to have anyone do for years on end that it leads me having burnouts and anxiety attacks and trauma. It's a real feeling that I feel were only safe at bedtime where I am surrounded by the things I need to help me feel safe and hold onto, and when they are given to me by people who know me and understand, all the more are these gifts worthy to keep and hold forever.

[@thehistoryandbooknerd8979]

I completely understand.. I’m also autistic and while I don’t understand masking (I don’t mask) I do understand the feelings of being unaccepted and feeling more so tolerated… though I also understand the importance put onto gifts and loved ones. I want you to know that you’re valid and wonderful, and I hope you’re doing better!

[@LethalSaliva]

I have autism, too.

[@ArthurSanford3706]

Even though Courage scared the crap out of me as a kid, every time an episode came on I couldn't look away. It should be a rite of passage for every little kid now to watch their first Courage episode.

[@zuko3282]

This episode definitely did something to me when I was a kid. I was only 11 and most of this episode's subject matter flew right over my head. But the one thing that really stuck with me the most was when kitty and bunny embraced each other. I knew that wasn't just a friendly hug and I've never witnessed two animated female characters hold each other like that. It was very new yet beautiful to see. It also made me ask myself "was kitty gay?" No other cartoon ever made me think and question the boundaries of normalcy like this episode/cartoon did! Bravo Mr. Dilworth, you created a masterpiece!

[@bobbysanders8715]

This is how you make a cartoon about LGBT couples. Seeing couples or people who are apart of the LGBT community are mostly done wrong in recent media. In Courage, it’s done right and shows how LGBT relationships cannot feel forced.

[@jcnot9712]

“Historians say they were good friends.” The “good friends”: 15:47

[@robby7499]

See, Family Guy, this is how you depict this kind of heavy topic.

[@erikbihari3625]

Seth Mcfarlane is in outer space, so he can't hear is screaming towards the heavens.

[@RogueT-Rex8468]

@@erikbihari3625 that’s not space. That’s his own ass.

[@robby7499]

@@erikbihari3625 Ok?

[@erikbihari3625]

@@robby7499. I meant he's an airhead who wouldn't know what good writing looks like of it kicked between his legs!

[@kidprime6863]

Seriously. Courage the Cowardly Dog, a kids show, tackled a mature subject, domestic violence, better than Family Guy, an adult cartoon, ever could.

[@kristenhlady4079]

4:34 i saw this epsiode when i was 8 while going through and witnessing horrible horrible things at home and at school, i felt like courage..ignored by everyone while asking for help..😢

[@thesundancesamurai]

Fantastic breakdown of this episode! This was definitely one of the more real stories within the series that did a great job pointing out certain real life issues without straying from being a children's show. I'd like to think that was Dilworth subconsciously teaching us how to notice those issues and how to go about them, such as how Courage did. Again, awesome video!👏🏾

[@ThePsychoAnon]

I absolutely LOVE how courages theme is remixed for different areas, characters and motifs.

[@marialujannicolini8539]

Since we only see Eustace using the mask while fixing something in the basement, it seems that he is just avoiding the reality that he is not good at fixing stuff as Kitty pointed out. Great video and outstanding analysis by the way, thank you for uploading it :)

[@itbeeplikethatsometimes]

imo the “relationship” was a pimp-prostitute thing, considering the two girls, kitty and bunny, the red light in the building (like a “red light district”) and the additional two dogs. the lovebombing is also a tactic used by some pimps to form that toxic bond with their women. also, to add on to your point at the end with courage being scared of kitty because of his past with katz, i found it to be an interesting juxtaposition. he was so afraid because she was a cat like how she was abusive because he was a dog, even copying the actions of mad dog. i see it as a way to show that that everybody reacts to trauma differently. eustace formed a hard shell, kitty hid behind a mask which comes off at night when she’s alone, and courage became overly active and anxious, but the origins are all similar in that they’re responses to their own trauma.

[@jamesab-]

This one definitely hit me as a kid for some reasons and even more now that I fully understand it. There are people out there going through that kind of stuff it's real. It's definitely the darkest episode but one of my favorites bc of the point of it

[@qhairullahrusyaidy]

I would love to see this episode re-aired for the first time in years, maybe on other channels like [adult swim] or TBS or something like that to show how toxic relationship happens. Of course with a disclaimer about the subject matter contain inside the episode. This is one of the most disturbing yet thoughtful episode for a Courage and it really shows. Always loved Courage since a little kid and still are to this day.

[@calebdouglas7622]

Definitely one of the best episodes even the episode showing how Courage got separated from his parents is even darker

[@DomesticAnimo]

I totally agree. Watching that episodes has me angry and wanting to cry all at the same time...the part courage cries as his parents are sent off as he sits there in the litteral dump is devestating 😭🥺.

[@CommonSenseless1993]

I was only like 10 or 11 years old when this episode premiered on Cartoon Cartoon Fridays back in the day but even at that age I understood the nuance and themes presented in this episode. That’s just a testament to how well-written Courage the Cowardly Dog was. They were able to communicate so many complex themes in short 12 minute episodes that can be appreciated by audiences of all ages.

[@rhexxgreymane4121]

I think as far as the ladder thing goes, it was intentional to further push the impossibility of escape. The ladder was probably broken or separated to make it so there was only one way out and further control bunny. As an adult now this episode is so much more real and terrifying. Your partner is supposed to be your safe space, not a prison.

[@grimtheghastly8878]

I'm really happy we got confirmation the kitty and bunny were a couple. Even as a child I just assumed that bunny was either a lesbian or bisexual (which is why nobody was at all surprised when I came out in the 7th grade as bi. It turns out I'm not but I am something closely related). It truly is a testament to the amount of love and respect that went into this episode that the relationship between kitty and bunny could be read both as platonic and romantic, because the best relationships are a mix of both. It's very important that queer people, both kid and adult, have representation in media on what a good and healthy relationship looks like

[@nrgbunni.]

Bunny holds up the mouse above their heads like mistletoe too

[@sundalosketch4769]

It made me really happy that they got the happy ending they deserved.

[@MrAnon00]

Bullshit.

[@UltimateBallaPOM]

What is something closely related to bi? 👀👀

[@mutedimagination666]

​@@UltimateBallaPOM a freak pretty much as only men and women exist

[@lilhedgehog8576]

13:13 this moment always made me proud of courage. I don’t know why because he always proves time and time again that even though he’s scared, he’s able to save the people he is trying to help. That’s why he’s called courage. Because being courageous or being brave, is not the lack of fear, it’s the ability to do something, despite you being afraid. I guess it was just really cool how he was able to take on that bigger dog.