Category: Cartoons

“I don’t want to survive. I want to live.”

From: WALL-E

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Captain McCrea

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Pixar and Disney computer animated film, WALL-E. Set years in the future, mankind has polluted the planet to the point where Earth cannot sustain life. The entire population of Earth are launched into space and a group of robots are left behind in the hopes of making the planet habitable again. More years pass and only one robot, the titular WALL-E, is still dutifully doing his duty. However, it has also developed its own personality. One day, a recon droid known as EVE is sent back to Earth to check on its habitability and the two strike a relationship.

The quote comes near the end of the film. EVE, thanks to WALL-E, has found a living plant, proving the Earth can sustain life again. The captain of the ship, Captain McCrea (voiced by Jeff Garlin) wants to go back to earth but is stopped by the ship’s AI computer, AUTO, denies the order, saying they have to stay in space in order to stay alive. In a bout of frustration, Captain McCrea delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: There is a difference between being alive and actual living life. Being alive is going through life without passion and happiness and just gritting your teeth no matter how bad things are. Living life is to actually make an effort to make things better for yourself. We should all strive for the latter.

“…When it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all.”

From: Mulan

Genre: Movies, Cartoons

Who said it?: Ron Swanson

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote from 1998 Disney animated film Mulan. Based on the stories of the Chinese folk hero, Hua Mulan, this has Mulan disguise herself as a man in order to save her elderly father from being conscripted into the army.

The quote comes near the start of the movie. Mulan feels ashamed after throwing her meeting with a matchmaker into disarray. Her father, Fa Zhao (voiced by Soon-Tek Oh) tries to comfort her inadvertently by commenting on the blooming flowers. He then points out one that has not opened up yet and this is when he delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: People have to go at their own pace. We cannot rush things nor can we intentionally slow things down to wait for others.

“Men: We Don’t Know What We Did”

From: Family Guy

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who Said It?: Jingle singers?

The Story Behind The Quote: This week’s quote comes from the Fox animated sitcom, Family Guy. Created by Seth MacFarlaine, Family Guy revolves around the Griffin family, usually around Peter Griffin, the patriarch and the titular “family guy” of the show. One of the main features of the show is the use of non-sequitur cutaway gags sprinkled throughout the episode.

This week’s quote does come from a cutaway gag shown in the Season 9 episode entitled “Brothers and Sisters.” It shows a teenage girl walking up to a boy and asking him if he’ll be going to class. When the boy says he will be, the girl runs off in tears and jumps out a window. Her friend then tells the boy how awful he is while the boy is clueless as to what happened. This is when the narrator chimes in and a jingle plays with the quote in question.

Geek Wisdom: Communication is always key. We cannot read minds so, if we do something wrong, we can only make corrections if someone can explain what we did. This goes for both men and women, by the way.

“Maybe this is what happens when you grow up. You feel less Joy.”

From: Inside Out 2

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Joy

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Pixar animated film, Inside Out. Released by Disney in 2024, the movie is a sequel to the first Inside Out. With Riley hitting puberty, she gains a bunch of new emotions, including Anxiety. Anxiety kicks the original emotions out of the control room as well as throw out Riley’s old Sense of Self. They now have to find a way back to regain control of Riley and try to give her back her original Sense of Self.

The quote comes near the end of the film, Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler) is dismayed as, while they did retrieve the Sense of Self, they have no way of returning to Riley’s control center. Unsure of what to do next and knowing that Anxiety may be destroying Riley’s life, Joy delivers the quote.

Geek Wisdom: Growing up can be painful. It’s when you have to realize life can be hard and you do have to shed some of your childish ways of thinking in order to make room for learning how to be responsible in life.

“I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”

From: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: Linus Van Pelt

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Shultz, this classic cartoon Christmas special focuses on Charlie Brown trying to deal with his feelings of depression despite it supposed to be the happiest time of the year.

The quote comes near the end of the special. Charlie Brown tries to decorate the skinny tree he got but, because of how heavy the ornament is, the tree bends. Charlie Brown walks away, thinking he killed the tree. The rest of the Peanuts gang then gather around the tree, with Linus Van Pelt looking at the tree and delivering the quote before the group starts decorating the tree themselves.

Geek wisdom: Sometimes, even the most difficult people just need a little bit of love and care in order for them to do better. You may just need to put a little more effort in people in general instead of just giving up on them.

“I can see! I CAN FIGHT!”

From: The Fairly Oddparents

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: King Arthur Liebowitz

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Nickelodeon animated series, The Fairly Oddparents. The show features Timmy Turner who gets into various adventures because he has two fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo, who can grant his every wish. And these wishes usually backfires, leading to Timmy to un-wish whatever it was to return everything to its status quo.

The quote comes from the episode entitled “Knightly Knight“. Timmy wishes to be transported to the actual Camelot and he encounters Arthur Liebowitz while saving his parents from being eaten by a dragon. Thinking Arthur would be happier to look at his impending doom, Timmy gives him his father’s glasses. This corrects Arthur Liebowitz’s vision and gives him the constitution to fight as he exclaims the quote.

Geek wisdom: A change in one aspect of someone’s life can lead to even more changes in that life. You learn one simple skill and this enables you to learn a more complex skill. Small steps can lead to bigger steps.

“Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive.”

From: Looney Tunes

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Bugs Bunny

The story behind the quote: We think of Wile E. Coyote as the main antagonist of the Road Runner. We also think of him as someone that cannot talk (being a coyote and all). However, Wile E. Coyote actually didn’t just chase after very fast birds. He also has a taste for rabbits as well as he has chased Bugs Bunny on several occasions. Oh, and he’s very articulate as well.

This week’s quote comes the Looney Tunes short, Rabbit’s Feat. As per their other outings, Wile E. Coyote tries to outsmart Bugs Bunny throughout the cartoon. However, their last encounter, which involves tricking the carnivore into jumping into a rabbit hole with an explosive, has Wile E. Coyote finally quit. This is when Bugs Bunny delivers the quote. 

Geek wisdom: Life is very short so don’t forget to sneak in some fun here and there.

“Hey, you’re the one showing me all the sexy pictures!”

From: Animaniacs

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Yakko Warner

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Warner Bros. animated series, Animaniacs. A kind of variety show with different skits, Animaniacs mainly focus on Yakko, Wakko and Dot, the Warner siblings. They usually go on different comedy skits along with the rest of the supporting cast. 

The quote comes one of the skits that leads into one of the next cartoon. Dr. Scratchansniff (voiced by Rob Paulsen) delivering an inkblot test to Yakko Warner (also voiced by Rob Paulsen). Despite some of the inkblots looking like something very specific, Yakko only sees girls. When Dr. Scratchansniff exasperatedly stats Yakko is obsessed with girl, Yakko defends himself by delivering the quote.  

Geek wisdom: People will view different scenes and scenarios differently because of several factors, such as upbringing, mood, etc. This actually is a good thing as we should always be open to different viewpoints.

“…Which was the style at the time.”

From: The Simpsons

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Abe Simpson

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the longest running animated series in the United States, The Simpsons. The show has been on for numerous seasons and counting and is a general smorgasbord for quotes.

The quote comes from the 4th season episode, Last Exit to Springfield. This has Homer Simpson leading the workers of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant on strike by accident. The quote happens during the third act where Mr. Burns hires Grampa Abe Simpson (voiced by Dan Castellaneta who also voiced Homer and Mr. Burns, by the way) and his group of strikebusters. The elder Simpson explains that, due to their age, they aren’t able to roughhouse like before but they can still break up strikes by telling boring stories, including how he needed to tie an onion to his belt…

Geek wisdom: As time moves on, things change. What once was cool in the past may not make a whole lot of sense even a couple of years down the line.

“Am I so out of touch? No, it’s the children who are wrong.”

From: The Simpsons

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Principal Skinner

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the longest running animated series in the United States, The Simpsons. The show has been on for numerous seasons and counting and is a general smorgasbord for quotes.

The quote comes from the 5th season episode, entitled “The Boy Who Knew Too Much.” In the episode, Bart Simpson passes a fake note to his teacher to skip school. Principal Skinner (voiced by Harry Shearer) rightfully believes the note is fake and tries to catch Bart in the act of truancy. He goes to the places he liked to visit as a kid but neither sees Bart no any other truant children. He starts second guessing himself but then dismisses it, delivering the quote.

Geek wisdom: As time moves on, things change. What was once okay can be thought of as despicable later down the line. The opposite can also be true in that what was once thought of to be terrible can turn out to be okay in the future. All we can do is adapt to the new situation and never stay rigid in our own ways.