Mr. Krabs
| Mr. Krabs | |
|---|---|
| SpongeBob SquarePants character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Episode 1 "Help Wanted" Aired May 1st, 1999 |
| Created by | Stephen Hillenburg |
| Voiced by | Clancy Brown |
| Information | |
| Species | crab |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Owner and founder of the Krusty Krab |
| Relatives |
|
Eugene H. Krabs,[3] nicknamed "Armor Abs", "Krabs" or simply Mr. Krabs, is a fictional character in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by actor Clancy Brown, and first appeared in the series' first episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999. Mr. Krabs was created and designed by marine biologist, animator, and creator of the show Stephen Hillenburg.
Role in SpongeBob SquarePants
Mr. Krabs is the greedy founder and owner of the Krusty Krab restaurant, where SpongeBob works as a frycook,[4] and Squidward works as a cashier. The success of the restaurant is built in part on a lack of competition and in part on the success of the Krusty Krab's signature sandwich, the Krabby Patty, the formula to which is a closely guarded trade secret.[5]
His rival and former best friend, Plankton, has a struggling restaurant called the Chum Bucket located across the street from the Krusty Krab.[6] A recurring gag throughout the series is Plankton's futile attempts to steal the Krabby Patty formula, under the assumption that it would eventually put the Krusty Krab out of business. To avoid this, Krabs goes to extreme lengths to prevent Plankton from obtaining the formula (going so far as to refuse to allow him to even buy a Krabby Patty legitimately, out of fear that Plankton might reverse-engineer the formula) or to prevent the Chum Bucket from having any business whatsoever, not even just one single customer (as seen in the episode "Plankton's Regular").
Krabs values money above all,[7] and he views the other characters in regard to how they affect his money.[8] He tolerates his two employees because of their low cost and positive impact on his finances, but he is quick to rebuke them, especially SpongeBob, if they engage in behavior that drives away customers or costs him money. Krabs and SpongeBob have a tentative father-son relationship - Krabs often scolds SpongeBob if he gets in trouble, but at times gives him fatherly advice. However, Squidward Tentacles strongly abhors Krabs for often taking money out of his paycheck for little reason at all.
Mr. Krabs has served in the navy, and in the episode "Krusty Krab Training Video" it is revealed that Mr. Krabs served during a time of war, and fell into a depression after finishing his service. His depression was alleviated after finding the Krusty Krab.
Daughter
| Pearl Krabs | |
|---|---|
| SpongeBob SquarePants character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Squeaky Boots |
| Created by | Stephen Hillenburg |
| Voiced by | Lori Alan |
| Information | |
| Species | Sperm whale |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Mr. Krabs' daughter |
| Relatives |
Mr. Krabs (father) "Mama" Krabs (grandmother) Grandpa Redbeard (great-grandfather) |
Mr. Krabs has a daughter, a sperm whale named Pearl. Pearl is a stereotypical teenage girl, extremely socially conscious and embarrassed by her father's miserliness. She made her first appearance in the season one episode, "Squeaky Boots," which aired on September 4, 1999. Due to her frequent appearances, Pearl has been featured in many types of merchandise, such as plush toys[9] and action figures.[10] Although she is officially Mr. Krabs' daughter, her mother is neither seen nor named, and in fact in the season two episode "Krusty Love" it is implied that Mr. Krabs is not (currently) married.
Pearl is voiced by Lori Alan in the television series and both films based on the franchise.[11]
Controversy
Critical interpretations of the show often cite Mr. Krabs as a metaphor for the contemporaneous capitalist, with his counterpart Spongebob as a manifestation of traditional Marxism.[12] Krabs is known to stagnate the wages of his workers and inflate prices of his food in search of larger profit for his company and himself. In The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Krabs raises the price of the Krabby Patty to $101 when he hears that the king had chosen to eat at the Krusty Krab. Such price gouging and wage stagnation can be interpreted as a subtle slap at neocapitalist theory.
Merchandise
Mr. Krabs has been featured in various merchandise such as Lego, video games, and plush toys. In 2006, Ty Inc.'s Beanie Babies introduced a plush toy based on the character.[13][14]
References
- ↑ Writers: Walt Dohrn, Paul Tibbitt, Merriwether Williams (September 21, 2001). "Sailor Mouth". SpongeBob SquarePants. Season 2. Episode 38a. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ Writers: Steve Fonti, Chris Mitchell, Mr. Lawrence (September 4, 1999). "Squeaky Boots". SpongeBob SquarePants. Season 1. Episode 8b. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ Writers: Mike Bell, Paul Tibbitt (May 6, 2005). "Shell of a Man". SpongeBob SquarePants. Season 4. Episode 61b. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ Brown, Arthur (2008). Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from Cartoons!. USA: Arthur Brown. p. 85. ISBN 1435732480.
- ↑ Writers: Aaron Springer, C.H. Greenblatt, Kent Osborne (May 10, 2002). "Krusty Krab Training Video". SpongeBob SquarePants. Season 3. Episode 50b. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ Writers: Aaron Springer, Richard Pursel (March 19, 2009). "Komputer Overload". SpongeBob SquarePants. Season 6. Episode 118b. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ "Mr. Krabs' Money Saving Tips". Nickelodeon. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ↑ Writers: Luke Brookshier, Tom King, Dani Michaeli (July 31, 2007). "Money Talks". SpongeBob SquarePants. Season 5. Episode 88a. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ "Pearl Krabs Plush Toy". Amazon.com.
- ↑ "SpongeBob SquarePants Episode Set with Pearl". Amazon.com.
- ↑ "Lori Alan Voiceover Résumé". LoriAlan.com.
- ↑ Mic. "4 Ways Spongebob Promotes Filthy Marxist Class Propaganda". Mic. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Ty Beanie Babies Mr. Krabs - Spongebob Squarepants". Amanzon.com. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Mr. Krabs". Ty Inc. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
External links
- Mr. Krabs at the Internet Movie Database
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