TikTok Is Convinced Squidward Had a Wife — and It Would Actually Explain a Lot

The children's television show SpongeBob Squarepants was a staple of Nickelodeon from 1999-2015, and it has generated multiple spin-off series, animated films, and even a Broadway musical. The show's primary setting is under the sea, and the cast of characters includes a kitchen sponge, a starfish, and a squid. The latest TikTok to go viral about the show offers up a sad backstory for the character of Squidward featuring a missing wife. 

A video posted to someone with the TikTok handle "user9199525984501" claims in this viral post from Mar. 6, 2021, that Squidward, the character who was frequently the show's "annoyed neighbor" trope, was just sad. The video also points out that the only person who ever listened to Squidward was SpongeBob — which is why SpongeBob was the only character aware of what he was going through. 

This user also explains that "SpongeBob looked after Squidward more than you think" and that the SpongeBob television show didn't depict Squidward's backstory because it was "too dark." None of the video's claims have been confirmed or disputed by Nickelodeon. The TikTok user is suspected of just making up their perspective on popular children's cartoons rather than relying on fact.

In SpongeBob Squarepants canon, there was a character known as Squilivia, who was a love interest of Squidward. Unfortunately, her character only appears in one episode and is never explained again, primarily because Spongebob Squarepants did not dwell on romantic relationships. If this is the "wife" that the user is describing in their TikTok, maybe that would make a little more sense because the character wasn't featured on the show again.

The anonymous user has since made another "follow up" TikTok's depicting trauma in other SpongeBob characters. One of the TikTok's claims SpongeBob was dealing with PTSD, that his parents left him, and he helped "more people than he could have imagined." There is no explanation for these theories, or even explanation as to why SpongeBob would have PTSD outside the aforementioned parents leaving. 

A third video has been posted to the TikTok account discussing the harassment allegations about Dan Schneider, a Nickelodeon television producer for shows such as iCarly, Drake and Josh, Victorious, and Sam & Cat. The content of the video specifically alleges how the young female actresses of all the shows felt like they had to smile through their fear of the producer.

While it is unclear what the purpose of all three TikTok videos is, or even if they all fit together, there seems to be a trend of heartbreakingly tragic content in connection with typically happy, upbeat children's shows. In the tags of the first TikTok video about Squidward, the author urges people to make them viral with #makemefamous, so perhaps it's all just a stunt for publicity. 

Maybe the Nickelodeon creators will even comment on their own version of the videos. Until then, we'll be content reliving our childhood via Paramount Plus, where SpongeBob Squarepants episodes are streaming now.