Gary was not originally a main character. Stephen Hillenburg created Gary as a background joke; he thought it would be funny if SpongeBob's "pets" were a singing clam named Shelley and a meowing snail named Gary. He included these ideas in his series bible, not as major characters, but as "things in SpongeBob's house." As the first season went into production, the writing team found much more use for Gary than they did for Shelley. Nickelodeon's marketing team also found that Gary "emerged as an unsung hero" in terms of popularity with kids.
For season 2, Gary was promoted to the show's main character sheet.[1] He was the first new main character to be promoted, but he would not be the last; Plankton and Karen were added later. Since his promotion, Gary has appeared in numerous episodes. The vast majority of his roles are background cameos, but he has had a number of significant roles, such as "Have You Seen This Snail?" The third theatrical movie features him as a major plot element.
Episodes
Image | # | Episode | Role in episode |
---|---|---|---|
Season 1 | |||
"Help Wanted" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob talks to him about his big day joining the Krusty Krab crew. | ||
"Plankton!" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He confusingly meows at SpongeBob who is being controlled by Plankton. | ||
"Naughty Nautical Neighbors" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He is sleeping when SpongeBob knocks on his shell. | ||
"Boating School" (tr • ga) | Minor; He tries to get SpongeBob to take him for a walk, and later on he brings his unicycle back to him. | ||
"Home Sweet Pineapple" (tr • ga) | Supporting; Him and SpongeBob keep having to sleep at different places after their Pineapple got destroyed by nematodes. | ||
"Pickles" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob puts him in the foghorn alarm to quiet it down. | ||
"Jellyfish Jam" (tr • ga) | Minor; He makes music to calm the jellyfish. | ||
"Sandy's Rocket" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob and Patrick capture him because they think he is an alien. | ||
"Squeaky Boots" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He gets annoyed and tunes out the sound of SpongeBob's new squeaky boots. | ||
File:Nature Pants 127 (1999).png | "Nature Pants" (tr • ga) | Cameo; Him and the gang welcome SpongeBob home. | |
"Opposite Day" (tr • ga) | Minor; Since it's "Opposite Day", SpongeBob and Patrick act like his pets and later on the three of them imitate Squidward. | ||
"Culture Shock" (tr • ga) | Minor; He recites poetry at the Krusty Krab's talent show. | ||
"MuscleBob BuffPants" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He is skeptical about SpongeBob buying Anchor Arms. | ||
"The Chaperone" (tr • ga) | Minor; He shows SpongeBob the Long Tan and Handsome magazine, which gives SpongeBob an idea on how to dress for Pearl's prom. | ||
"Employee of the Month" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He is seen while SpongeBob is sleeping. | ||
"Scaredy Pants" (tr • ga) | Cameo; Him and SpongeBob are carving a pumpkin and SpongeBob talks to him about how easy it is to scare him. | ||
"I Was a Teenage Gary" (tr • ga) | Major; SpongeBob leaves him in the care of Squidward, and he forgets to feed him, and when he gets a drink of water, he feels better. | ||
"Sleepy Time" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob goes into his dream, which had a humanoid Gary in a huge library. | ||
"Suds" (tr • ga) | Minor; He tries to get SpongeBob to stay home from work due to being sick. | ||
"The Paper" (tr • ga) | Minor; Him and SpongeBob have fun with a piece of paper. | ||
N/A | "Rock Bottom" (tr • ga) | Mentioned; SpongeBob says that he has to go home and feed him. | |
"Fools in April" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob plays an April Fool's joke on him where he took away his food bowl and gave him salted clam shells. | ||
N/A | "Hooky" (tr • ga) | Cameo (voice); He meows in response to SpongeBob vowing his loyalty to Mr. Krabs. | |
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He keeps meowing in response to SpongeBob trying to reach Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy with the conch signal. | ||
Season 2 | |||
"Your Shoe's Untied" (tr • ga) | Supporting; He sees SpongeBob watch a watching a dancing anemone on TV but when SpongeBob see Gary he changes to a sports channel. At the end, Gary reveals that he is able to tie shoes. | ||
"Something Smells" (tr • ga) | Minor; He is disgusted by the smell of SpongeBob's sundae. | ||
"Bossy Boots" (tr • ga) | Cameo; Gary is sad when SpongeBob takes all the toys from Krusty Krab in exchange for one year salary. | ||
"Big Pink Loser" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He meows when Patrick bursts into SpongeBob house knocking over his house of cards. | ||
N/A | "Dying for Pie" (tr • ga) | Mentioned; When Squidward wants SpongeBob to explode and attempts try by saying "Gary! You are gonna finish your dessert, and you are gonna like it!". | |
File:Grandma's Kisses 068.jpg | "Grandma's Kisses" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He is seen in a picture after SpongeBob runs home from work after feeling embarrassed of getting a kiss on the forehead by his his grandmother. | |
"Prehibernation Week" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob comes home to him after doing several activities with Sandy a week before her hibernation. | ||
N/A | "Life of Crime" (tr • ga) | Mentioned; SpongeBob says "no more Gary. | |
"Christmas Who?" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He helps SpongeBob and Patrick put up the Christmas decorations. | ||
File:Dumped 115.jpg | "Dumped" (tr • ga) | Major; SpongeBob thinks that Gary left him for Patrick, but towards the end of episode he wanted the cookie in his pocket after this he returns to SpongeBob. | |
"The Smoking Peanut" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He asks SpongeBob if know anything about the oyster. | ||
"Gary Takes a Bath" (tr • ga) | Major; SpongeBob attempts to get him to take bath but do not want take a bath. | ||
"Frankendoodle" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob says good night sweet prince to Gary. | ||
"The Secret Box" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob tells Gary asks if it is good idea to take Patrick's secret box when Patrick's sleep, look inside, and before Patrick even time he will careful give back. To this Gary replies "no". | ||
"Procrastination" (tr • ga) | Supporting; He is seen on a beach ball. SpongeBob gives Gary some Snail Fud and Gary eats it all in one bite. After SpongeBob gets water Gary him he is being overly dramatic. | ||
"I'm with Stupid" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He is seen when SpongeBob dresses in his Karate helmet stupid for Patrick's "parents". | ||
"Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He wakes up and meows in terror after seeing the Alaskan Bull Worm. | ||
Season 3 | |||
"The Bully" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He watches SpongeBob and Flats the Flounder. | ||
"Idiot Box" (tr • ga) | Cameo; He is seen at the end of the episode where SpongeBob tells him that Squidward finally made the box work after all. | ||
N/A | "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
N/A | "Doing Time" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
"Snowball Effect" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"As Seen on TV" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Can You Spare a Dime?" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Krab Borg" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Rock-a-Bye Bivalve" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Party Pooper Pants" (tr • ga) | Minor; He is at SpongeBob's party. | ||
"New Student Starfish" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
File:Clams 130.jpg | "Clams" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
"The Great Snail Race" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
File:I Had an Accident 185.jpg | "I Had an Accident" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
"Krabby Land" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Missing Identity" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"The Sponge Who Could Fly" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"SpongeBob Meets the Strangler" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
Season 4 | |||
File:Fear of a Krabby Patty 100.jpg | "Fear of a Krabby Patty" (tr • ga) | Name | |
"Have You Seen This Snail?" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
File:Ghost Host 019.jpg | "Ghost Host" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"Karate Island" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"All That Glitters" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
File:Once Bitten 016.jpg | "Once Bitten" (tr • ga) | Major | |
"Bummer Vacation" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
File:Squidtastic Voyage 002.jpg | "Squidtastic Voyage" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
File:The Thing 052a.jpg | "The Thing" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"Hocus Pocus" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Driven to Tears" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Rule of Dumb" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
File:The Pink Purloiner 022.jpg | "The Pink Purloiner" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"Best Day Ever" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"The Gift of Gum" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
Season 5 | |||
"Night Light" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Rise and Shine" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Waiting" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Fungus Among Us" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"New Digs" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Krabs à la Mode" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"To Love a Patty" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Sing a Song of Patrick" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Atlantis SquarePantis" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Picture Day" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
File:BlackJack 003.jpg | "BlackJack" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
"Blackened Sponge" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Banned in Bikini Bottom" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
Season 6 | |||
"Penny Foolish" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
File:Nautical Novice 034.jpg | "Nautical Novice" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"Giant Squidward" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Patty Caper" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Boating Buddies" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"The Slumber Party" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Grooming Gary" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Porous Pockets" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
File:Squid's Visit 250.jpg | "Squid's Visit" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
"To SquarePants or Not to SquarePants" (tr • ga) | Minor; He gets his shell out of the drier but keeps SpongeBob's pants in there, resulting in them all shrinking. | ||
"Pet or Pests" (tr • ga) | Major; He is not very welcoming to the stray worm that SpongeBob adopts. | ||
"Overbooked" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Shell Shocked" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"Truth or Square" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Pineapple Fever" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
Season 7 | |||
"Tentacle-Vision" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
File:Model Sponge 044.jpg | "Model Sponge" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"A Pal for Gary" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"Yours, Mine and Mine" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
File:A Day Without Tears 107.jpg | "A Day Without Tears" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
File:Gary in Love 031.jpg | "Gary in Love" (tr • ga) | Major | |
File:Rodeo Daze 167.jpg | "Rodeo Daze" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
File:The Cent of Money 083.jpg | "The Cent of Money" (tr • ga) | Major | |
"The Monster Who Came to Bikini Bottom" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Welcome to the Bikini Bottom Triangle" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
N/A | "Trenchbillies" (tr • ga) | Indirectly mentioned | |
N/A | "Sponge-Cano!" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
"That Sinking Feeling" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Karate Star" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Enchanted Tiki Dreams" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
File:The Abrasive Side 085.jpg | "The Abrasive Side" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"Earworm" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Shellback Shenanigans" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"Whelk Attack" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"You Don't Know Sponge" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
Season 8 | |||
"A Friendly Game" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Sentimental Sponge" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Frozen Face-Off" (tr • ga) | Supporting | ||
File:Ghoul Fools 085.jpg | "Ghoul Fools" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
File:Mermaid Man Begins 016.jpg | "Mermaid Man Begins" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
File:Pet Sitter Pat 022.jpg | "Pet Sitter Pat" (tr • ga) | Major | |
File:House Sittin' for Sandy 020.jpg | "House Sittin' for Sandy" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"The Way of the Sponge" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
File:The Krabby Patty That Ate Bikini Bottom 146.jpg | "The Krabby Patty That Ate Bikini Bottom" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
File:Bubble Buddy Returns 033.jpg | "Bubble Buddy Returns" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
"Fiasco!" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
File:Are You Happy Now 111.jpg | "Are You Happy Now?" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
File:Planet of the Jellyfish 036.jpg | "Planet of the Jellyfish" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
"Home Sweet Rubble" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
File:InSPONGEiac 040.jpg | "InSPONGEiac" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
"Glove World R.I.P." (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Treats!" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Chum Fricassee" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
N/A | "Move It or Lose It" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
N/A | "Hello Bikini Bottom!" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
Season 9 | |||
"Squirrel Record" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Patrick-Man!" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Gary's New Toy" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"Squid Baby" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Little Yellow Book" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Bumper to Bumper" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Squid Defense" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Evil Spatula" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Don't Look Now" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"SpongeBob You're Fired" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Tutor Sauce" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Sanctuary!" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"Larry's Gym" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"The Fish Bowl" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Two Thumbs Down" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Sold!" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Lame and Fortune" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Snail Mail" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Pineapple Invasion" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
Season 10 | |||
"Whirly Brains" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Unreal Estate" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Mimic Madness" (tr • ga) | Likeness only; imitated by SpongeBob | ||
"House Worming" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"Snooze You Lose" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"SpongeBob's Place" (tr • ga) | Supporting | ||
"Plankton Gets the Boot" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Life Insurance" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Burst Your Bubble" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Sportz?" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
N/A | "The Getaway" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
Season 11 | |||
"Cave Dwelling Sponge" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"The Clam Whisperer" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Spin the Bottle" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"No Pictures Please" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Bunny Hunt" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Scavenger Pants" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Cuddle E. Hugs" (tr • ga) | Supporting | ||
"Pat the Horse" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
"Chatterbox Gary" (tr • ga) | Major | ||
"Drive Happy" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
N/A | "Doodle Dimension" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
"High Sea Diving" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"Library Cards" (tr • ga) | Supporting | ||
"Appointment TV" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
Season 12 | |||
"Gary & Spot" (tr • ga) | Major; he hangs out with Spot. | ||
"Pineapple RV" (tr • ga) | Minor; he drives the Pineapple RV. | ||
"Gary's Got Legs" (tr • ga) | Major; he is given legs and arms by SpongeBob. | ||
N/A | "King Plankton" (tr • ga) | Mentioned; SpongeBob thinks that might be trying to eat. | |
"Plankton's Old Chum" (tr • ga) | Minor; | ||
"Stormy Weather" (tr • ga) | Cameo; seen watching SpongeBob and Drizzle play. | ||
"Swamp Mates" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob gets ready to read a bedtime story to Gary. | ||
"One Trick Sponge" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob tells him that he learned a magic trick. | ||
"Insecurity Guards" (tr • ga) | Mentioned and likeness; | ||
"Broken Alarm" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
"SpongeBob's Bad Habit" (tr • ga) | Cameo | ||
N/A | "Escape from Beneath Glove World" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
"Dream Hoppers" (tr • ga) | Minor | ||
Season 13 | |||
"A Place for Pets" (tr • ga) | Cameo; he is shown in SpongeBob's house during the song "Pets Are People Too." |
Shorts
# | Episode | Role in episode | |
---|---|---|---|
File:Pie 08.png | "Pie" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob and Patrick use a bone from Gary. | |
N/A | "What if SpongeBob Was Gone? (Gary)" (tr • ga) | Major; he throws a party by inviting snails. | |
"Balloons" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob asks Gary if he can help blow up the balloons. However, Gary is scared of this and dashes away. | ||
"The Outfit" (tr • ga) | Supporting; helps SpongeBob pick out a costume for a party costume. | ||
"Bike Safety Tips" (tr • ga) | Cameo; when SpongeBob teaches Patrick to put on a helmet Patrick was wearing Gary instead. Patrick takes Gary off of his head and proceeds to put a real helmet on incorrectly. |
Movies
# | Episode | Role in episode |
---|---|---|
"The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" (tr • ga) | Minor; he is mind controlled by Plankton but is freed by the end of the movie. | |
"The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water" (tr • ga) | Minor; becomes part of a rebellion of snails and by Plankton is being chased by Gary, who eats him up. | |
"The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" (tr • ga) | Major; Gary is kidnapped by King Poseidon. |
Video games
Image | # | Episode | Role in episode |
---|---|---|---|
PC and console games | |||
N/A | "Legend of the Lost Spatula" (tr • ga) | Appears on Conch Street | |
N/A | "Operation Krabby Patty" (tr • ga) | Supporting; player must rescue him from Plankton | |
N/A | "SuperSponge" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
N/A | "Employee of the Month (video game)" (tr • ga) | Appears at SpongeBob's house | |
N/A | "Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" (tr • ga) | Appears in opening cutscenes and story | |
"Battle for Bikini Bottom" (tr • ga) | Appears in various levels Playable on the PC version for some minigames | ||
N/A | "SpongeBob SquarePants Typing" (tr • ga) | Appears in menus and on box art | |
N/A | "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (video game)" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
N/A | "Lights, Camera, Pants!" (tr • ga) | Appears as an actor | |
N/A | "The Yellow Avenger" (tr • ga) | Appears at SpongeBob's house | |
N/A | "Nighty Nightmare" (tr • ga) | Appears in SpongeBob's dream and nightmare levels | |
N/A | "Creature from the Krusty Krab" (tr • ga) | Appears in Diesel Dreaming and all three endings | |
N/A | "Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition" (tr • ga) | Cameo in SpongeBob's house | |
N/A | "SpongeBob's Truth or Square" (tr • ga) | Appears in SpongeBob's house | |
N/A | "SpongeBob SquigglePants" (tr • ga) | Appears in various nanogames | |
N/A | "SpongeBob SquarePants Tooncast Studio" (tr • ga) | Appears as a sprite | |
"Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated" (tr • ga) | Appears in various levels Playable in horde mode | ||
Mobile apps | |||
N/A | "SpongeBob Moves In!" (tr • ga) | Appears in several quests | |
N/A | "SpongeBob's Game Frenzy" (tr • ga) | Playable in minigames | |
N/A | "SpongeBob Game Station" (tr • ga) | Appears in Sponge Run minigame |