Category: Cartoons

“Good day to try.”

From: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Genre: Movies, Cartoons

Who said it?: Quasimodo

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the 1996 Disney animated film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Loosely based on the Victor Hugo novel of the same name, the film follows the Notre Dame‘s hunchbacked bellringer, Quasimodo. Quasimodo is a kindhearted soul who stays in the belltower of Notre Dame, hidden from the general public due to his disfigurement. Even knowing he will be shunned because of how he looks, he yearns to be with the general populace.

The quote comes very early in the film. Quasimodo turns to a bird he had been taking care of in Notre Dame. The bird is afraid to try to fly because of its age. Quasimodo tells the bird that, because it’s the day of the Festival of Fools, this would be a lucky day to try, delivering the quote.

Geek wisdom: Stop postponing the things you want to try. Whether it be learning a new skill or trying out a new hobby, the best day and time to try something new is always now.

“There’s a platypus controlling me!”

From: Phineas and Ferb

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz

The story behind the quote: The quote comes from the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb. The show revolves around Phineas and Ferb, two brothers who, thanks to their inventive minds as well as engineering skills, manage to create and build various fantastical object in order to enjoy themselves during their summer vacation. Their sister, Candace, always wants to “bust [her] brothers” by telling on them to their mom. However, Phineas and Ferb’s creations usually vanish before their mom arrives. This is usually due to some mishap, usually caused by their pet platypus, Perry, who also a secret agent, and his nemesis Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz.

The quote comes from the episode Brain Drain. In the episode, Dr. Doofenshmirtz puts a mind control helmet on his nemesis, Perry the Platypus, and he is able to control everything he does. Later, as they goes to pick up his daughter at a junk yard where a party is being held, a mishap happens and Phineas, Ferb and their friends are able to control Perry the Platypus with their gaming controllers. Thinking Dr. Doofenshmirtz is the final boss of the game they’re playing, they attack him while controlling Perry. While escaping, Dr. Doofenshmirtz falls down a hill, gets his hands covered with glue and gets records attached to his fingers. Perry then puts the mind control helmet on him and controls him to do rap called “There’s a Platypus Controlling Me” in front of his daughter and his friends. He delivers the quote (in song) which the crowd believes is a metaphor instead of being literal.

Geek wisdom: Although Dr. Doofenshmirtz was using the quote literally, the metaphorical way of thinking of it is also true. We all have something that is telling us what to do, both literally and figuratively. It can be hard to find that balance between these outside forces and what we want to do but that’s just the way life is.

“That boy ain’t right.”

From: King of the Hill

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Hank Hill

The story behind the quote: 

The quote comes from the animated sitcom King of the Hill, which recently got a revival which you can watch on Hulu in the United States. Created my Mike Judge, the show generally follows the Hill family, particularly the Hill patriarch, Hank Hill, as well as his friends and next door neighbors, as they deal with the someone exaggerated eccentricities of mundane, everyday life of midwestern America.

The quote is actually kind of a catchphrase spouted by Hank Hill (who is also voiced by Mike Judge) but not all the time as Hank’s wife, Peggy (voiced by Kathy Najimy), has also delivered a version of the quote. Either way, the quote will always be given whenever Bobby Hill (voiced by Pamela Adlon) does something seemingly strange that the adults don’t seem to understand.

Note: This is actually kind of a duplicate post from here. I made a mistake when I made that old post but it was not searchable for some reason. So, I thought I didn’t use this quote yet and I made a new post, which is this one!

Geek wisdom: Different generations will always have trouble understanding each other and, at times, the things the younger generation will do will feel strange and dumb. But they just might be just trying to do something different the older generation never thought of doing. What was “not right” in the past might become pretty normal in the future.

“You’ll realize that someone loved you. And that means that someone can love you again! And that’ll make you smile.”

From: The Simpsons

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Homer Simpson

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the longest running animated series in the United States, The Simpsons. Making it’s first debut way back in 1989, The Simpsons has been, as of this writing, on broadcast television for 36 seasons.

The quote comes from the episode entitled “Eeny Teeny Maya Moe,” which is the 16th episode of the 20th season. In the episode, we see Moe Szyslak, the owner of Moe’s Tavern, meet a woman named Maya online. When they meet face-to-face, it turns out the woman is a little person. The two eventually hit it off but Moe is unable to stop making jokes about Maya’s height. The two eventually break up because of Moe’s general insecurity.

The quote comes from the end of the episode. Homer Simpson stops by Moe’s Tavern. Moe is still depressed regarding Maya. This is when Homer tells this is a good thing as at least he starting to get back out there again. He closes out this pep talk by delivering the quote.

Geek wisdom: It is better to have love and lost than to never love at all. While that saying doesn’t mean that much to the brokenhearted, Homer’s words do ring more true. Just because you have lost your love, that doesn’t mean you’ll never find love ever again. If you’ve found it once, there’s a good chance you can find it again.

“But with love comes loss, son. It’s part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but in the end, it’s all worth it. There’s no greater gift than love.”

From: How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Stoick

The story behind the quote: As it is nearly Father’s Day, it only seems appropriate to get a quote from a father. This week’s quote comes from the DreamWorks Animation movie, How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. This was the third movie in the How To Train Your Dragon franchise. In the film, Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) goes on a quest to find a haven for dragons, the fabled “Hidden World” to make sure that there is a safe place for dragons such as Toothless.

The quote comes in a flashback scene where Hiccup remembers talking to his father, Stoick (voiced by Gerard Butler), coming to see his father after his mother’s passing. Hiccup asks Stoick if his father will ever remarry. Stoick replies that he isn’t by delivering the quote.

Geek wisdom: Losing someone you love can be painful but it is a part of this great journey of life. You have to remember and cherish the little time we all have with each other. It may not ease the pain you feel after the loss at the time but, in time, you will also start to remember the good times you’ve had with this person.

“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.