Several basic background characters.
In addition to the ten main characters, SpongeBob SquarePants has a large amount of background characters. They are identified by the artists and animators with individual model numbers. These model numbers correspond to when the characters were designed in production. The following is a list of background characters, sorted by their model numbers. "Squeaky Boots," the second episode made for season 1 in production order (code #102), was the first produced episode to feature incidental characters. As a result, the first row of incidentals (incidentals 1-11) were all first designed for "Squeaky Boots." Despite this, Incidental 18 appears in that episode as well.
Some characters, such as Incidental 35 and Incidental 70, have been removed from the model sheets, mainly between the second and fourth seasons. Like most animated series, many SpongeBob episodes are worked on at the same time, leading to several incidentals with later numbers appearing in episodes before others with earlier numbers.
Regular Incidentals
| Number | Image | Debut (production order) |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental 1 (Fred) |
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 2 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 3 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 4 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 5 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 6 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 7 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 8 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 9 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 10 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 11 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 12 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 13 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 14 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 15 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 16 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 17 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 18 | 
|
"Squeaky Boots" (episode 102) |
| Incidental 19 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 20 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 21 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 22 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 23 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 24 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 25 | 
|
"Boating School" (episode 104) |
| Incidental 26 | 
|
"Boating School" (episode 104) |
| Incidental 27 | 
|
"Boating School" (episode 104) |
| Incidental 28 | 
|
"Hall Monitor" (episode 108) |
| Incidental 29 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 30 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 30A | 
|
"Culture Shock" (episode 122) |
| Incidental 31 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 32 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 33 | File:Purple 33.png | "Sandy's Rocket" (episode 110) |
| Incidental 34 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 35 | File:Fools in April 092~2.png | "Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 36 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 37A | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 37B | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 38 (Scooter) | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 39 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 40 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 41 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 42 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidentals 43-44 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 45 | 
|
"Ripped Pants"(episode 106) |
| Incidental 46 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 47 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 48 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 49 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 49A | 
|
"Opposite Day" (episode 112) |
| Incidentals 050-059 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 60 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 61 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 62 | File:Ivy.PNG.png | "Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 63 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 64 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 65 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 66 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 67 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 68 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 69 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 70 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 71 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 72 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 73 | 
|
"Pickles" (episode 111) |
| Incidentals 74-079 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 80 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 111) |
| Incidental 81 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 82 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 83 (Old Man Walker) | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 84 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 85 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 86 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 87 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 088 or 089 (Orange senior) |
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 088 or 089 (Elderly shark) |
File:Gray elder shark.png | "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 90 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 91 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 92 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 93 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidental 94 | 
|
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (episode 119) |
| Incidentals 95-101 |
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 102 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 103 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 104 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 105 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 106 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 107 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidental 108 | 
|
"Valentine's Day" (episode 128) |
| Incidentals 109-113 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 114 | 
|
"F.U.N." (episode 121) |
| Incidental 115 | 
|
"F.U.N." (episode 121) |
| Incidental 116 | 
|
"I Was a Teenage Gary" (episode 117) |
| 117 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 118 | 
|
"Hall Monitor" (episode 108) |
| Incidental 119 | 
|
"SB-129" (episode 129) |
| Incidentals 120-149 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 150 | 
|
"Bossy Boots" |
| Incidental 151 | 
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
| Incidental 152 | 
|
"Patty Hype" |
| Incidental 153 | 
|
"The Smoking Peanut" |
| Incidental 154 | 
|
"Something Smells" (episode 143) |
| Incidental 155 | 
|
"Ripped Pants" (episode 106) |
| Incidental 156 (Sandals) | 
|
"Patty Hype" |
| Incidental 157 | 
|
"F.U.N." (episode 121) |
| Incidental 158 | 
|
"Prehibernation Week" (episode 151) |
| Incidental 159 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 160 | File:Fish brat.png | "The Incredible Shrinking Sponge" |
| Incidental 161 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 162 | 
|
"The Incredible Shrinking Sponge" |
| Incidentals 163-168 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 169 | File:Incidental 169.png | "Pat the Horse" |
| Incidental 170 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 171 | File:Incidental 171.png | "The Grill is Gone" |
| Incidentals 172-185 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 186 | File:Male spokesmodel.png | "Treats!" |
| Incidentals 187-199 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 200 | File:I200.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 201 | File:I201.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 202 | File:I202.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 203 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 204 | File:Screenshot 2020-03-23 at 2.20.28 AM.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 205 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 206 | File:I206.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidentals 207-210 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 211 | File:Glow fish.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 212 | File:I212.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 213 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 214 | 
|
"Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidentals 215-219 | Unknown | |
| Incidental 220 | File:I220.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 221 | File:I221.png | "Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
| Incidental 222 | 
|
"Rock Bottom" (episode 138) |
"F__" Incidentals
The F incidentals (likely standing for Fancy) are a group of fancy fish designed for "Culture Shock." Some of these fish are actually regular incidentals but with minor edits and fancy suits (Fred, Incidental 2, Incidental 15, Incidental 23, and Incidental 63).
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental F1 |
|
"Culture Shock" |
| Incidental F2 |
|
"SpongeBob LongPants" |
| Incidental F3 | Unknown | |
| Incidental F4 | "Culture Shock" | |
| Incidental F5 | Unknown | |
| Incidental F6 |
|
"Culture Shock" |
| Incidentals T-F8 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental F9 |
|
"Culture Shock" |
| Incidentals F10-13 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental F14 |
|
"Culture Shock" |
"T__" Incidentals
These Incidentals first appear in "The Chaperone". The "T" in they're names stand for Teen.
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidentals T1-6 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental T7 |
|
"The Chaperone" |
| Incidental T8 |
|
"The Chaperone" |
| Incidentals T9-10 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental T11 |
|
"The Chaperone" |
| Incidental T12 |
|
"The Chaperone" |
"G__" Incidentals
These nerdy looking Incidentals first appear in "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic." The "G" in their names might stand for Geek.
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental G1 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental G2 |
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
| Incidental G3 |
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
| Incidental G4 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental G5 |
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
| Incidental G6 |
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
| Incidental G7 | "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" | |
| Incidental G8-11 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental G12 |
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
| Incidental G13 | "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" | |
| Incidental G14 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental G15 |
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
| Incidental G16-18 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental G19 |
|
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" |
"K__" Incidentals
These incidentals first appear in the "Friend or Foe" flashbacks, along with other regular incidentals reduced to the size of a child. The "K" very likely stands for kid. This is also the only incidental sheet where every member in it is known.
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental K1 | 
|
"Friend or Foe" |
| Incidental K2 |
|
"Friend or Foe" |
| Incidental K3 |
|
"Friend or Foe" |
| Incidental K4 |
|
"Friend or Foe" |
| Incidental K5 |
|
"Friend or Foe" |
| Incidental K6 |
|
"Friend or Foe" |
"A__" Incidentals
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|
"D__" Incidentals
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental D1 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D2 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D3 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D4 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D5 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental D6 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D7 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D8 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental D9 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D10 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D11 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D12 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D13 | 
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D14 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental D15 |
|
|
| Incidental D16 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
"M__" Incidentals
A total of five incidentals whose model numbers start with "M" (possibly standing for musician) appear in "Krusty Katering." They are recycled from other models, just recolored and dressed up with suits. Only three numbers are known: M2, M3, and M4.
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Brown eel (Incidental M1 or M5) |
|
"Your Shoe's Untied" |
| Incidental M2 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Incidental M3 |
|
"The Krusty Sponge" |
| Incidental M4 |
|
"Code Yellow" |
| Yellow musician (Incidental M1 or M5) |
"Code Yellow" |
"NF__" Incidentals
A total of 7 well dressed fish marked with a "NF" (possibly standing for "New Fancy") made their debut in "Krusty Katering."
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental NF1 |
|
"Krusty Katering" |
| Incidental NF2 |
|
"Krusty Katering" |
| Incidental NF3 |
|
"Krusty Katering" |
| Incidental NF4 | "Krusty Katering" | |
| Incidental NF5 |
|
"Krusty Katering" |
| Incidental NF6 | "Krusty Katering" | |
| Incidental NF7 |
|
"Krusty Katering" |
"PM__" Incidentals
A total of at least 16 Krabby Patty monster Incidentals were created for "Krabby Patty Creature Feature". Some of these are regular Incidentals turned into Krabby Patty monsters.
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|
"C__" Incidentals
A total of at least 22 clown incidentals were designed for "Don't Feed the Clowns".
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidentals C1-C8 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental C9 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidentals C10-C11 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental C12 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidental C13A |
Unknown | |
| Incidental C13B | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidental C14 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidental C15 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidental C16 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidental C17 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidentals C18-C19 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental C20 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidental C21 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
| Incidental C22 | "Don't Feed the Clowns" | |
"BB__" Incidentals
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|
"EHS__" Incidentals
These fish make up the members of the Empty Head Society in "The Nitwitting." Three of them are recycled from older models.
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental EHS1 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS2 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS3 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS4 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS5 |
|
"Walking Small" |
| Incidental EHS6 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS7 |
|
"Ripped Pants" |
| Incidental EHS8 | "The Nitwitting" | |
| Incidental EHS9 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS10 |
|
"Mutiny on the Krusty" |
| Incidental EHS11 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS12 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS13 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS14 |
|
"The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS15 | File:Incidental EHS15.png | "The Nitwitting" |
| Incidental EHS16 | 
|
"The Nitwitting" |
"CM__" Incidentals
These fish appear in "Mind the Gap" Some of them are recycled from older models, and the "CM" might stand for "Club Member" or "Cool Music."
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidental CM1 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM2 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM3 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM4 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM5 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental CM6 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM7 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental CM8 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM9 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM10 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM11 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM12 | "The Chaperone" | |
| Incidental CM13 | "Sing a Song of Patrick" | |
| Incidental CM14 |
|
"Pickles" |
| Incidental CM15 | "Krab Borg" | |
| Incidental CM16 |
|
"Culture Shock" |
| Incidental CM17 |
|
"Mind the Gap" |
| Incidental CM18 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental CM19 |
|
"The Sponge Who Could Fly" |
| Incidental CM20 | "The Chaperone" | |
| Incidental CM21 | "The Chaperone" | |
| Incidental CM22 | "Goodbye, Krabby Patty?" | |
| Incidental CM23 | "Sing a Song of Patrick" | |
| Incidental CM24 |
|
"Sing a Song of Patrick" |
"RL__" Incidentals
At least ten "RL" incidentals were created for SpongeBob in RandomLand. Only one model number is known.
| Number | Image | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Incidentals RL1-9 |
Unknown | |
| Incidental RL10 |
|
"SpongeBob in RandomLand" |
Trivia
- Most background characters have two models: one for their daytime color palette and another for their nighttime color palette. For example, Fred's palettes are labeled "001-DAY" and "001-NIGHT."
- According to Jay Lender, several of the original incidental characters were removed from the model sheets during the second season after their models were lost in the shuffle during revisions.[1] As a result, many episodes featuring them in storyboards (such as "Christmas Who?" and "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III") had them replaced with different character models.
- The numbers for these characters are known from storyboards. Specifically, numbers 33, 35, 61, 62, 70, and 71 are known from the storyboards of "Christmas Who?."
- Fred, Scooter, Old Man Walker, and Sandals are currently the only incidental characters with official confirmed names by the SpongeBob crew. Other characters have been given various names throughout the show, but these are limited to single instances and do not carry over to other episodes.
- The models for Incidentals 30 and 30A are redraws of the anchovies from "Help Wanted." Unlike the anchovies in "Help Wanted," these incidentals are solid blue and brown, and the brown anchovies have blue shirts instead of white ones.
- In many episodes, duplicate background character fish can be seen in crowds.
Gallery
Four of these incidental model sheets were uploaded by Vincent Waller to his Twitter in February 2018; the first three sheets were uploaded on February 8, 2018 and appear in "Goons on the Moon." The character models for the Rock Bottomites were in the files of the PS1 version of SuperSponge. Adam Paloian uploaded to his Twitter Incidental F4's character model on August 1, 2017 and three Empty Head Society sheets in January 2019.
