The Death of Eric Cartman: Difference between revisions

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The Death of Eric Cartman

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/images/south_park/episode_thumbnails/s09e06_720.jpg?width=285

Season	s09
Episode	e06
Written By	Trey Parker
Production Code	0906
Original Air Date	2005-04-13

Episode Chronology

Previous
The Losing Edge
Next
Erection Day

Story[edit]

Description[edit]

Stan's mom comes home with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken the boys have been anxiously waiting for. While Stan, Kyle and Kenny go help unload groceries, Cartman sneaks off to peel and eat the crunchy skin off all the chicken. The other boys return only to find the best part of the chicken gone. Cartman takes off, as the boys sit in disbelief.

Stan, Kyle and Kenny wonder why they are friends with Cartman and decide to ignore him the next morning. When the boys don't acknowledge him, immediately he concludes that he's dead and walks as a ghost. This belief is reinforced when he runs home to see movers carrying out a box with what he assumes is his corpse (inside is a toilet ruptured from too much chicken skin) and his mother moaning hysterically in the house (she's having sex with one of the movers).

Cartman next arrives at school, where everybody has also agreed to ignore him. Feeling like he's a lost soul, he wanders the streets in despair. He passes by Butters who, unaware of the boys' plan, casually greets him. Cartman is ecstatic he is noticed and pleads for Butters' help. However, Butters becomes terrified he can see ghosts.

After being harassed, Butters reluctantly helps Cartman find closure with his friends and family. When this fails to move his spirit to the afterlife, Cartman escalates his good deeds. Through song, he and Butters send gift baskets to every person he's ever wronged. This display of atonement doesn't have any effect either.

Meanwhile, Butters' parents worry their son is losing his mind and have him institutionalized. In an effort to uncover his trauma, Butters undergoes a series of tests involving his anus. Cartman breaks Butters out of the institution and drags him to a psychic, who tells them that sometimes earthbound spirits must accomplish something important before they depart. She realizes Cartman is a ghost and runs away in fear.

Just then a TV newscast reports that three escaped convicts are holding hostages at the local Red Cross. Cartman figures this must be the important event the psychic mentioned. He goes to the Red Cross building, walks straight in the front door and distracts the convicts (who can see him quite clearly) while Butters frees the hostages. The two kids sneak away as the police rush in and arrest the convicts.

Outside, Cartman thanks Butters for his help and in a touching moment calls Butters his true friend. Feeling his spirit is at rest, he tries one last time to cross over to the afterlife. As he does this, the fourth grade boys appear to tell Cartman that, in light of his heroic actions, they won't ignore him anymore.

Stunned, Cartman takes a moment to process this information. Then he angrily blames Butters for his humiliation and vows to get his revenge.

What I Learned Today[edit]

"Boy oh boy, Eric, you've got a lot to atone for."

Memorable Quotes[edit]

"I'm gonna sit on the toilet and read comic books." Cartman
"Ghosts don't exist and there's nothing to be afraid of. Except for Super AIDS." Stephen Stotch
"God forgave the Jews, you should be able to forgive me!" Cartman
"I took a crap in the principal's purse . . . seven times." Cartman
"Stupid butthole God!" Cartman
"Please leave me alone, Eric. My bottom is really sore." Butters
"I hate my stupid psychotic brain." Butters
"SHE'S GOT COLONEL!!" Cartman
"He's a fat, racist, self-centered, intolerant, manipulating sociopath." Kyle
"Hey, I hate Cartman too, can I ignore him with you?" Craig
"I'm not going to heck Butters, I'm not black, alright?" Cartman
"Don't be sad, Butters. What awaits each person in heaven is eternal bliss, divine rest, and $10,000 cash." Cartman
"I'm supposed to help him find out why his spirit is wandering the Earth, even though I know I'm most likely just completely insane." Butters
"Come on Butters, the Psychic Boy and his Ghost Pal are going to save the day!" Cartman
"I'll miss you too Ghost Pal." Butters

Characters[edit]

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/stan-marsh.png?height=98
Stan Marsh

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/kyle-broflovski.png?height=98
Kyle Broflovski

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/eric-cartman.png?height=98
Eric Cartman

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/kenny-mccormick.png?height=98
Kenny McCormick

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/butters-stotch.png?height=98
Butters Stotch

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/sharon-marsh.png?height=98
Sharon Marsh

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/jimmy-valmer.png?height=98
Jimmy Valmer

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/token-black.png?height=98
Tolkien Black

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/clyde-donovan.png?height=98
Clyde Donovan

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/craig-tucker.png?height=98
Craig Tucker

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/kevin-stoley.png?height=98
Kevin Stoley

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/linda-stotch.png?height=98
Linda Stotch

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/stephen-stotch.png?height=98
Stephen Stotch

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/liane-cartman.png?height=98
Liane Cartman

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/murphy-mitch-harris.png?height=98
Harrison "Harris" Yates

Character Debuts[edit]

We meet two medical "experts" in this episode -- the Doctor that examines Butters and institutionalizes him, and Doctor Lindsay, the expert on the paranormal. Also, three escaped convicts.

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/local-business-people-doctor-lindsay.png?height=98
Dr. Lindsay, Psychic

Locations[edit]

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/park-county-police.jpg
Park County Police Station

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/red-cross.png
Red Cross

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/school.jpg
South Park Elementary

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/south-park-institute-for-mental-health.png
South Park Institute for Mental Health

Original Songs[edit]

Cartman attempts to make up for all his wrongs with the catchy, upbeat "Make It Right." Unfortunately, the song isn't powerful enough to get him into heaven.

Behind The Scenes[edit]

One of the biggest story problems (and the last bit to be written and animated) was the opening scene in which Cartman did something so heinous that it caused the other boys to freeze him out. This set the bar pretty high, considering all the things that Cartman had already done. The writing staff was eating Kentucky Fried Chicken together -- and commenting on how the skin was the best part -- when the solution hit them.

Where Did The Idea Come From[edit]

The concept occurred to Trey during a production break, while he was hiking in Tasmania. It's the only time (so far) that he's come up with a usable idea while on vacation.

Pop Culture References[edit]

Shout Outs[edit]

Butters is terrified after discovering his "ability" and screams out, "I'm like the kid in that movie! I'm seing dead people!" He's referring, of course, to Haley Joel Osment's spooky character in the 1999 thriller The Sixth Sense.

Bonus Factoids[edit]

Pointless Observations[edit]

The toys in Butters' room include a box of Leggoze, a board game called Sink My Ship (a parody of Battleship), a Chinpoko Mon action figure, a Sea Man action figure (based off the superhero from "Super Best Friends"), and a doll modeled after Niblet, Korn's mascot from the Season 3 episode "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery."

We hear Butters sing his infamous "Loo Loo Loo, I've Got Some Apples." song again here. It can be heard again later this season in "Erection Day" .

Cartman compiles a massive list of things he must atone for. Many of these incidents we've seen: the time he convinced a woman to have an abortion so he could build a Shakey's Pizza (from Season 5's "Kenny Dies"); when he pretended to be retarded so he could join the Special Olympics ("Up the Down Steroid"); when he tried to have all the Jews exterminated last spring ("The Passion of the Jew"); and of course, the kid who's parents he had killed and made into chili which he then fed to the kid ("Scott Tenorman Must Die").

Season 9[edit]

e1 Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
e2 Die Hippie, Die
e3 Wing
e4 Best Friends Forever
e5 The Losing Edge
e6 The Death of Eric Cartman
e7 Erection Day
e8 Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow
e9 Marjorine
e10 Follow That Egg!
e11 Ginger Kids
e12 Trapped in the Closet
e13 Free Willzyx
e14 Bloody Mary

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ===Description===
-Stan's mom comes home with a huge bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and the boys are really excited.  While they quickly help unload the rest of the car, Cartman manages to eat the delicious, crunchy skin off of every single piece of chicken.
+[[Stan]]'s mom comes home with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken the boys have been anxiously waiting for. While Stan, [[Kyle]] and [[Kenny]] go help unload groceries, [[Cartman]] sneaks off to peel and eat the crunchy skin off all the chicken. The other boys return only to find the best part of the chicken gone. Cartman takes off, as the boys sit in disbelief.
-The boys sit down to dig in only to find their chicken ravaged.  Cartman then takes off, leaving the boys hopping mad.
+Stan, Kyle and Kenny wonder why they are friends with Cartman and decide to ignore him the next morning. When the boys don't acknowledge him, immediately he concludes that he's dead and walks as a ghost. This belief is reinforced when he runs home to see movers carrying out a box with what he assumes is his corpse (inside is a toilet ruptured from too much chicken skin) and his mother moaning hysterically in the house (she's having sex with one of the movers).
-The next morning, Stan, Kyle and Kenny decide to completely ignore Cartman all together.  When he shows up and no one acknowledges or even looks at him, he leaps to the conclusion that he's dead and no one can see him. That belief is reinforced when he returns home to find his mother wailing uncontrollably upstairs and workers carrying out a kid-sized box.
+Cartman next arrives at school, where everybody has also agreed to ignore him. Feeling like he's a lost soul, he wanders the streets in despair. He passes by Butters who, unaware of the boys' plan, casually greets him. Cartman is ecstatic he is noticed and pleads for Butters' help. However, Butters becomes terrified he can see ghosts.
-He doesn't realize that the box contains a toilet (which ruptured due to overwhelming amounts of chicken-skin-crap), or that his mom is "wailing" because one of the toilet repair guys is having sex with her.
+After being harassed, [[Butters]] reluctantly helps Cartman find closure with his friends and family. When this fails to move his spirit to the afterlife, Cartman escalates his good deeds. Through song, he and Butters send gift baskets to every person he's ever wronged. This display of atonement doesn't have any effect either.
-Finally, he turns up at school, where everyone else has also decided to ignore him.  Feeling he's a lost soul, he wanders the streets in despair -- crying, moaning, and blubbering like a ghost.
+Meanwhile, Butters' parents worry their son is losing his mind and have him institutionalized. In an effort to uncover his trauma, Butters undergoes a series of tests involving his anus. Cartman breaks Butters out of the institution and drags him to a psychic, who tells them that sometimes earthbound spirits must accomplish something important before they depart. She realizes Cartman is a ghost and runs away in fear.
-Cartman then wanders by Butters, who says "hello" to him when they pass on the street. Cartman is estatic that Butters can "see" him.  Butters, however, is terrified that he's seeing ghosts.  They decide that Cartman can't "move on" until he finds closure with his loved ones.
+Just then a TV newscast reports that three escaped convicts are holding hostages at the local Red Cross. Cartman figures this must be the important event the psychic mentioned. He goes to the Red Cross building, walks straight in the front door and distracts the convicts (who can see him quite clearly) while Butters frees the hostages. The two kids sneak away as the police rush in and arrest the convicts.
-So Butters, acting as the mouthpiece for the plainly visible and audible Cartman, tells his "former" friends and family members what he really thinks of them, and apologizes for his wrongdoings.
+Outside, Cartman thanks Butters for his help and in a touching moment calls Butters his true friend. Feeling his spirit is at rest, he tries one last time to cross over to the afterlife. As he does this, the fourth grade boys appear to tell Cartman that, in light of his heroic actions, they won't ignore him anymore.
-When all of his hard work fails to propel him to Heaven, Cartman takes more drastic measures. He compiles a list of everyone he's ever wronged, then gives each one a gift basket.  But this display of atonement doesn't allow him to pass into the next world either.
+Stunned, Cartman takes a moment to process this information. Then he angrily blames Butters for his humiliation and vows to get his revenge.
-Meanwhile, Butters' parents worry that their son is losing his mind and have him institutionalized.  In an effort to uncover his "past traumas," Butters undergoes a series of anal-intensive tests and experiements.
-Cartman breaks Butters out of the institution and drags him to a psychic, who tells them that sometimes earthbound spirits must accomplish something important before they depart.  Then she realizes Cartman is a spirit and runs away in a panic.
-Just then a TV newscast reports that three escaped convicts are holding 12 people hostage at the local Red Cross.  Cartman figures he's found his mission.
-He goes to the Red Cross building, walks straight in the front door and distracts the convicts (who can see him quite clearly) while Butters frees the hostages.  The two kids sneak away as the police rush in and arrest the convicts.
-Outside, Cartman thanks Butters for his help, and in a touching display, calls him his friend.  He then tries one last time to get his eternal reward and transcend to heaven. As he does this, the fourth grade boys appear and tell Cartman that, in light of his heroic actions, they won't ignore him anymore.
-After taking a stunned moment to process this information, Cartman blames Butters for his humiliation and vows to get him back.
 ===What I Learned Today===
-"What awaits each person in heaven is eternal bliss, divine rest, and $10,000 cash."
+"Boy oh boy, Eric, you've got a lot to atone for."
 ===Memorable Quotes===
@@ Line 57: / Line 46: @@
 * "Hey, I hate Cartman too, can I ignore him with you?"  [[Craig]]
 * "I'm not going to heck Butters, I'm not black, alright?"  [[Cartman]]
-* "Boy oh boy, Eric you've got a lot to atone for."  [[Butters]]
+* "Don't be sad, Butters. What awaits each person in heaven is eternal bliss, divine rest, and $10,000 cash." [[Cartman]]
 * "I'm supposed to help him find out why his spirit is wandering the Earth, even though I know I'm most likely just completely insane."  [[Butters]]
 * "Come on Butters, the Psychic Boy and his Ghost Pal are going to save the day!"  [[Cartman]]
 * "I'll miss you too Ghost Pal." [[Butters]]
 ==Characters==
+{{Character list
+| Name = Stan Marsh
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/stan-marsh.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Kyle Broflovski
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/kyle-broflovski.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Eric Cartman
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/eric-cartman.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Kenny McCormick
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/kenny-mccormick.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Butters Stotch
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/butters-stotch.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Sharon Marsh
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/sharon-marsh.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Jimmy Valmer
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/jimmy-valmer.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Tolkien Black
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/token-black.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Clyde Donovan
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/clyde-donovan.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Craig Tucker
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/craig-tucker.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Kevin Stoley
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/kids/kevin-stoley.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Linda Stotch
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/linda-stotch.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Stephen Stotch
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/stephen-stotch.png
+}}{{Character list
+| Name = Liane Cartman
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/liane-cartman.png
+}}
+{{Character list
+| Name = Harrison "Harris" Yates
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/murphy-mitch-harris.png
+}}
+<char name="Plumbers" image="http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/workforce-plumbers.png"/>
 ===Character Debuts===
 We meet two medical "experts" in this episode -- the Doctor that examines Butters and institutionalizes him, and Doctor Lindsay, the expert on the paranormal.  Also, three escaped convicts.
+{{Character list
+| Name = Dr. Lindsay, Psychic
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/adults/local-business-people-doctor-lindsay.png
+}}
 ==Locations==
@@ Line 72: / Line 123: @@
 | Name = Park County Police Station
 | Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/park-county-police.jpg
+}}
+{{Location list
+| Name = Red Cross
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/red-cross.png
 }}
 {{Location list
 | Name = South Park Elementary
 | Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/school.jpg
+}}
+{{Location list
+| Name = South Park Institute for Mental Health
+| Image = http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/locations/south-park-institute-for-mental-health.png
 }}
@@ Line 97: / Line 156: @@
 The toys in Butters' room include a box of Leggoze, a board game called Sink My Ship (a parody of Battleship), a Chinpoko Mon action figure, a Sea Man action figure (based off the superhero from "Super Best Friends"), and a doll modeled after Niblet, Korn's mascot from the Season 3 episode "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery."
-We hear Butters sing his infamous "Loo Loo Loo, I've Got Some Apples" song again here.  It can be heard again later this season in "Erection Day" .
+We hear Butters sing his infamous [http://southpark.cc.com/clips/154661/mr-biggles "Loo Loo Loo, I've Got Some Apples."] song again here.  It can be heard again later this season in "Erection Day" .
 Cartman compiles a massive list of things he must atone for.  Many of these incidents we've seen: the time he convinced a woman to have an abortion so he could build a Shakey's Pizza (from Season 5's "Kenny Dies"); when he pretended to be retarded so he could join the Special Olympics ("Up the Down Steroid"); when he tried to have all the Jews exterminated last spring ("The Passion of the Jew"); and of course, the kid who's parents he had killed and made into chili which he then fed to the kid ("Scott Tenorman Must Die").
 {{Season_List_09|Episode=06}}