After 25 seasons, Arthur aired its final ever episode this week, and fans were not emotionally prepared for the cartoon's conclusion.
As reported by TVLine, Arthur's final chapter, titled "All Grown Up," premiered on February 21 with a flash-forward that travelled 25 years into the future to reveal the cartoon characters as grown-ups. Arthur Read, the beloved aardvark and show's titular character, is now a graphic novelist and has finished his debut book, which is actually the story of Arthur we've been watching all this time.
The episode also glimpsed the futures of Arthur's animal pals, revealing that Buster went on to become a teacher, while Francine finds work at a sneaker company. Muffy's future sees her running for mayor, with the support of George who is the new owner of the Sugar Bowl Cafe. Meanwhile, D.W. is a police officer, and Binky is living the dream as a news reporter.
Immediately after the show's wholesome ending aired on PBS Kids, hordes of viewers took to Twitter to share their impassioned reactions to the closing chapter. Several fans seized the opportunity to say goodbye to the citizens of Elwood City for one final time, as many more people reflected on the impact the iconic animated series had on their childhoods.
And just like that… #Arthur is over.
Thank you for making my whole childhood amazing, always being on TV whenever I needed comfort. I will never forget this show and how much it influenced me as a child.
It must’ve been a great 25 years!
Goodbye Arthur! 💛💛💛 #Arthur25 pic.twitter.com/DbttFOLLk0
— grant 👻🔦😱 (@_grxnttt_) February 21, 2022
Did I, a 24 year old woman, watch the Arthur series finale and shed a tear? Yes. Yes I did. #Arthur25 pic.twitter.com/tbe2f0GY3Y
— dom (@dom_p_is_here) February 21, 2022
And so ends a beloved series from my childhood and I gotta say the ending hit hard for me giving us a 20 year time skip at the end thank you #Arthur for making me the person I am today so long…👋😊😭😢🥺 pic.twitter.com/M4j1AcexAo
— Goggles (@gogglemaster11) February 21, 2022
Really sad that Arthur is ending after 25 Years. This show changed my life & help served as one of the main inspirations towards my animation career. It’s hard saying goodbye but we’ll never forget the many childhood memories. Thank You @PBSKIDS & Marc Brown!#Arthur #Arthur25 pic.twitter.com/0FzwrsYkdZ
— Brandon Treakle (@BranyTreakle) February 20, 2022
no one talk to me i teared up at this scene from arthur pic.twitter.com/U1NCyNF5tZ
— taylor/tay • semi-ia (@tayquack) February 21, 2022
Man, what a powerful note to end on #Arthur #Arthur25 #ThanksArthur #ThanksForTheMemories
1996-2022 pic.twitter.com/5seg9oTqcm
— Ryan (@HootyWDW50) February 21, 2022
Arthur premiered on PBS Kids October 7, 1996 and its final episode airs today February 21, 2022. A 25 year legacy second only to The Simpsons. Goodbye and thanks Arthur. #Arthur pic.twitter.com/ab3dcHgOps
— Henry Frosty Gingerbread Gecko (@Henry_FGG) February 21, 2022
To top it all off, Marc Brown, the creator of the bestselling Arthur Adventure book series on which the show is based, made a final cameo appearance in the last episode.
Brown plays the kindly library patron who hands Arthur the book on how to draw, which has a major influence on the bespectacled aardvark's future career path, as revealed in the flash-forward.
so arthur’s story ended by having him become an actual author. the person who pushed him into that career, marc brown (the creator of arthur). oh and the voice of adult arthur was the original voice of arthur (Micheal Yarmush) i’m emotionally wrecked rn. #arthur #arthur25 pic.twitter.com/KgGFnF93aR
— aMucc (@amurkymuc) February 21, 2022
"It was wonderful to see the response," Brown told the NYT. "I'm still getting many messages on my Instagram page: 'Is Arthur really over?' I love seeing reactions from these young adults who grew up with Arthur, the fact that these characters are still fresh in their minds. It's great that he's touched so many people so deeply that they want him to continue."
Depsite the series coming to an end after more than 250 episodes, this isn't the last of Brown's anthropomorphic animal creations. The characters are set to live on in a new Arthur podcast, games and digital shorts, further extending the franchise for a new generation who may even be fortunate enough to see Arthur become the star of his own movie.
"My dream for an Arthur feature film, which I decided wasn't ever going to happen, might actually happen in a way I could be proud of," Brown noted. "When that idea was hatched 15 years ago, I spent way too much time out in Los Angeles talking to people that weren't making a whole lot of sense — in my mind. But now I think I've found the right people."
Arthur first aired back in October 1996 and focuses on the titular character and the daily interactions he had with his friends and family.
While the show will be remembered fondly by those that grew up watching it on PBS, Arthur's legacy will also live on in the form of the internet as various stills from the show have produced hilarious yet relatable memes. One of the most notable memes is that of Arthur clenching his fist, often accompanied by a caption describing some kind of frustration.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Arthur Finale: Fans Share Emotional Reactions to the Long-Running Cartoon's Conclusion - IGN - IGN
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