Mr. Krabs, the employer of the most lovable sponge in history, Spongebob Squarepants, has been a victim of a death hoax and the internet is still abuzz with conspiracy theories.
The hoax of Mr. Krab’s death began in 2021 and he joins the list of celebrities who have been a victim of false reports of their death, making him certified A-lister. Everyone from Tom Cruise, George Clooney, and even Hillary Duff have been wrongly rumored as dead, at least once.
Through an anonymous file entitled the Trial of Spongebob Squarepants (most likely a student project), it was alleged that Mr. Krabs was found stabbed with a metal spatula inside his restaurant, The Krusty Krab. The recipe of his most prized Krabby Patty was not in the safe.
While the death hoax was quelled almost instantly, it became a serious debate in Spongebob fandom.
Based on the facts presented in the Trial of Spongebob, the document outlined key points surrounding the death of Mr. Krabs.
Mr. Krabs was found dead in his restaurant approximately two hours after opening time. According to Squidward’s testimony, Spongebob entered the restaurant two hours before Mr. Krabs arrived. An hour later, Squidward hears Mr. Krabs scream and later finds Mr. Krabs’ dead body. Patrick testified that he knocked on the door of the Krusty Krab four hours before Mr. Krabs was found dead. He says that Mrs. Krabs was visibly upset and was quoted as saying, “I may never sell a Krabby patty again.”
The body of Mr. Krabs was discovered inside the Krusty Krab with no sign of forced entry while the floor was covered with his blood and cooking grease.
Evidence from the crime scene suggests that greed might be the primary motivation behind the murder. Mr. Krabs’ safe was found open and his recipe for his infamous Krabby Patties was gone.
What was Mr. Krabs cause of death?
Based on the evidence, Mr. Krabs was stabbed to death by a metal spatula.
This is the million dollar question. The document points to many suspects and we can only guess.
Here’s a list of possible suspects:
Poor Spongebob has been working at Mr. Krabs’ store since 1999 and has never received a raise since. Susie testified at the trial that Spongebob needed money as the bank was about to repossess his Pineapple home. On the morning of Mr. Krabs’ death, his request for a raise was denied. Could our friendly and lovable hero finally snapped and killed Mr. Krabs?
Plankton might seem like the obvious choice, after all, his one and only goal is to get his hands on the Krabby patty secret recipe. Just three days after Mr. Krab was found dead in his restaurant, Plankton began selling a recipe very similar to the Krabby Patty. Plankton swore under oath that his wife had made the recipe. As a token of goodwill, he paid Spongebob’s mortgage.
Patrick is known for flying into fits of anger. While the timeline of events seem to cancel him as a suspect, he was one of the few characters to see the restaurateur alive. Could he have flown into a violent rage upon hearing that Mr. Krabs may not be able to serve him his beloved burger?
Squidward was the one who found Mr. Krabs’ body. No other evidence links him to the crime and it may have been just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but this is a murder and all of Mr Krabs friends and rivals are possible suspects.
Hoax or not, the fact that the Spongebob cartoon has gotten its fans speculating on the narrative is proof that the cartoon has made an undeniable mark in pop culture.