Appearances
Mrs. Puff is one of the show's ten main characters. She was first created in 1997, after the pilot was finished. Nickelodeon executives told Stephen Hillenburg that they would only greenlight the show if SpongeBob was a child who went to school, with his teacher as a main character.[1] Hillenburg was prepared to "walk out" and abandon the series, but he eventually compromised by creating Mrs. Puff: a boat-driving teacher.[2] Her creation added a teacher to the main cast while keeping SpongeBob as an adult character.[3] Nickelodeon accepted the compromise and greenlit SpongeBob.
Mrs. Puff's Boating School episodes are one of the show's most common genres of stories. Mrs. Puff was one of the first characters to have entire episodes shown from her point of view: "No Free Rides" and "Doing Time" are two early examples. She also appears in the film series and in a wide variety of merchandise.
Episodes
| Image | # | Episode | Role in episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | |||
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"Boating School" (tr • ga) | Major, debut; she takes SpongeBob's driving test with him. | |
| Dialogue mention | "Pizza Delivery" (tr • ga) | Indirect mention (of her school) | |
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"Hall Monitor" (tr • ga) | Major; she appoints SpongeBob hall monitor, but she is later arrested because SpongeBob is her responsibility. | |
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"Sandy's Rocket" (tr • ga) | Minor; she is grading papers when she gets captured by SpongeBob and Patrick. | |
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"Scaredy Pants" (tr • ga) | Minor; she dresses as a witch for Halloween. She drives by SpongeBob and calls him Scaredy Pants. | |
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"Sleepy Time" (tr • ga) | Minor; she interrupts SpongeBob's dream to tell him he will never get his license. | |
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"Valentine's Day" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob gives her a valentine, which distracts her and causes her to crash her boat. | |
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"Texas" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she is at SpongeBob's going away party for Sandy. | |
| Season 2 | |||
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"Patty Hype" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she is in the crowd after Mr. Krabs takes over the Pretty Patties stand. | |
| Dialogue mention | "Life of Crime" (tr • ga) | Mentioned | |
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"No Free Rides" (tr • ga) | Major; she takes SpongeBob's driving test with him, gives him extra credit, and later tries to steal his boat. | |
| Dialogue mention | "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III" (tr • ga) | Indirect mention (of her school) | |
| Dialogue mention | "The Secret Box" (tr • ga) | Indirect mention (of her school) | |
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"Band Geeks" (tr • ga) | Supporting; she is a member of the band and plays the guitar. | |
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"Krusty Love" (tr • ga) | Major; Mr. Krabs falls in love with her. | |
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"Procrastination" (tr • ga) | Major; she gives SpongeBob an essay assignment, but later cancels it for a field trip. | |
| Season 3 | |||
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"The Bully" (tr • ga) | Major; she brings a new student into the class, Flats. She later talks to SpongeBob about Flats' bullying. | |
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"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob shrinks her. | |
| "Doing Time" (tr • ga) | Major; she is imprisoned and SpongeBob and Patrick try to break her out. | ||
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"Snowball Effect" (tr • ga) | Minor; she blows snow off her car. | |
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"Party Pooper Pants" (tr • ga) | Minor; she attends SpongeBob's party. | |
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"New Student Starfish" (tr • ga) | Major; she teaches class while Patrick attends Boating School, then puts SpongeBob and Patrick in detention. | |
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"The Sponge Who Could Fly" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob rescues her snail from a tree. | |
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"SpongeBob Meets the Strangler" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she goes to SpongeBob's parties. | |
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"Pranks a Lot" (tr • ga) | Minor; while invisible, SpongeBob and Patrick eat her cake, scaring her. | |
| Season 4 | |||
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"SquidBob TentaclePants" (tr • ga) | Minor; Sandy teleports an apple to her desk. Later, she watches Squidward and SpongeBob's performance, then gets fused together with the others. | |
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"Mrs. Puff, You're Fired" (tr • ga) | Major; she is fired from teaching at Boating School and gets a strict replacement. | |
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"Wishing You Well" (tr • ga) | Minor; she wishes for a new car and later has her wish come true. | |
| Dialogue mention | "Squidtastic Voyage" (tr • ga) | Indirect mention (of her school) | |
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"Driven to Tears" (tr • ga) | Supporting; she passes Patrick in the driving test, making SpongeBob jealous. | |
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"Best Day Ever" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob hides in her purse. | |
| Season 5 | |||
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"Spy Buddies" (tr • ga) | Deleted scene, credited in voice cast | |
| "Boat Smarts" (tr • ga) | Major; she hosts the instructional video and appears in it. | ||
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"Krabs à la Mode" (tr • ga) | Deleted scene (which is intact in the book and comic) | |
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"Picture Day" (tr • ga) | Major; it is picture day at Mrs. Puff's school, and she helps SpongeBob get his picture taken. | |
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"Pest of the West" (tr • ga) | Major, Western counterpart appears | |
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"What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?" (tr • ga) | Deleted scene (which is intact in the book) | |
| Season 6 | |||
| "Nautical Novice" (tr • ga) | Major; she gives the class a tour of the museum. | ||
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"Gone" (tr • ga) | Mentioned and imitated by SpongeBob | |
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"Boating Buddies" (tr • ga) | Major; she teaches the class as Squidward attends. | |
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"The Krabby Kronicle" (tr • ga) | Minor; a misleading caption by SpongeBob puts her boating school out of business. | |
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"Ditchin'" (tr • ga) | Major; SpongeBob ditches Mrs. Puff's class after she gives him the bathroom key. | |
| "Pet or Pests" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob tries to get her to adopt baby worms. | ||
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"Truth or Square" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she plays the organ at SpongeBob's fake marriage. | |
| Season 7 | |||
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"Growth Spout" (tr • ga) | Supporting; Mr. Krabs steals from her peanut garden and she calls the police. | |
| Dialogue mention | "Model Sponge" (tr • ga) | Indirect mention (of her school) | |
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"SpongeBob's Last Stand" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob introduces her as a helper who will push the bulldozer, and she joins in the cause. | |
| "A Day Without Tears" (tr • ga) | "Mrs. Puff's Boating School" sign is seen | ||
| "Summer Job" (tr • ga) | Major; she starts working at the Krusty Krab. | ||
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"Hide and Then What Happens?" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob asks her to move a boat while searching for Patrick. | |
| Season 8 | |||
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"The Hot Shot" (tr • ga) | Major; she welcomes a new student, Tony Fast Jr., to the class and tries to use him to get rid of SpongeBob. | |
| "Oral Report" (tr • ga) | Major; SpongeBob has to give an oral report in her class. | ||
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"Sweet and Sour Squid" (tr • ga) | Cameo; Squidward's clarinet playing breaks her class's window. | |
| "A SquarePants Family Vacation" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob invites her to see his vacation slides. | ||
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"Demolition Doofus" (tr • ga) | Major; she enters SpongeBob in the demolition derby. | |
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"It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" (tr • ga) | Minor; she appears during "Don't Be a Jerk (It's Christmas)." | |
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"Move It or Lose It" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob asks her to sign a petition. | |
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"Hello Bikini Bottom!" (tr • ga) | Minor; Mr. Krabs steals Mrs. Puff's bus to use on tour, and she later comes to get it back. | |
| Season 9 | |||
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"Patrick-Man!" (tr • ga) | Minor; Patrick gets her arrested. | |
Dialogue mention |
"License to Milkshake" (tr • ga) | Indirect mention (of her school); she also appeared in the specially-made "back to school" commercials for this episode. | |
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"Bumper to Bumper" (tr • ga) | Major; she teaches SpongeBob and helps him during his driving test. | |
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"Tutor Sauce" (tr • ga) | Minor; she introduces Mr. Krabs as a new student to the class. SpongeBob also talks about her throughout the episode. | |
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"What's Eating Patrick?" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she is shown in a flashback of an eating contest. | |
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"SpongeBob LongPants" (tr • ga) | Minor; she is scared of SpongeBob getting his driver's license. | |
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"Larry's Gym" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she is excited about the opening of Larry's Gym. | |
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"Married to Money" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she comes to Mr. Krabs's wedding. | |
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"Salsa Imbecilicus" (tr • ga) | Minor; she drives her boat upside-down. | |
| Season 10 | |||
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"Whirly Brains" (tr • ga) | Minor; she is on a date with Mr. Krabs. | |
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"Code Yellow" (tr • ga) | Supporting; she is at the hospital and SpongeBob cures her. | |
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"Plankton Gets the Boot" (tr • ga) | Deleted scene (rough storyboard) | |
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"Burst Your Bubble" (tr • ga) | Major; she loses her school to SpongeBob, and is taught by SpongeBob about bubble boats. | |
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"The Getaway" (tr • ga) | Major; she chases SpongeBob and rides with a driver named Dorsal Dan. | |
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"Feral Friends" (tr • ga) | Supporting; she attends Sandy's birthday party, then becomes a feral pufferfish. | |
| Season 11 | |||
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"Spot Returns" (tr • ga) | Minor; she adopts an amoeba puppy. | |
| Deleted scene | "The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom" (tr • ga) | Deleted scene[4] | |
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"No Pictures Please" (tr • ga) | Cameo (leg only); her leg is sticking out of the bathroom door. | |
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"Krabby Patty Creature Feature" (tr • ga) | Minor; she is turned into a Krabby Patty zombie. | |
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"Teacher's Pests" (tr • ga) | Major; she teaches SpongeBob, Mr. Krabs, and Plankton. | |
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"Sanitation Insanity" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob almost crashes into her. | |
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"Don't Feed the Clowns" (tr • ga) | Minor; her school is on fire, and the little clown tries to set it out. | |
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"Drive Happy" (tr • ga) | Minor; she is scared of SpongeBob driving Coupe and swerves into a junkyard. | |
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"My Leg!" (tr • ga) | Cameo; SpongeBob crashes into the lighthouse while driving with her. | |
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"Plankton Paranoia" (tr • ga) | Supporting; Mr. Krabs interrogates her, then she goes to the anniversary party. | |
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"Appointment TV" (tr • ga) | Supporting; she asks SpongeBob to drive her home, then is a part of the play. | |
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"Girls' Night Out" (tr • ga) | Major; she is one of the Gal Pals. | |
| Season 12 | |||
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"The Ballad of Filthy Muck" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she runs away from Filthy Muck and Little Yuck playing instruments. | |
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"Plankton's Old Chum" (tr • ga) | Minor; Plankton fills her with chum. | |
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"One Trick Sponge" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob tries to show her a card trick. | |
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"Insecurity Guards" (tr • ga) | Cameo; she appears as a living painting of the Mona Lisa. | |
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"Jolly Lodgers" (tr • ga) | Cameo; Squidward screams at her in the hallway of the hotel. | |
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"SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout" (tr • ga) | Supporting; she helps set up SpongeBob's party and wants it to be boat-themed. | |
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"SpongeBob's Bad Habit" (tr • ga) | Minor; SpongeBob bites her nails at a salon. | |
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"My Two Krabses" (tr • ga) | Major; she dates Chum Krabs. | |
| "Knock Knock, Who's There?" (tr • ga) | Mr. Krabs has a music box with a dancing figurine of Mrs. Puff inside. It comes to life and closes the box. | ||
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"Lighthouse Louie" (tr • ga) | Major; she assigns SpongeBob to clean up the lighthouse from inside. | |
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"Hiccup Plague" (tr • ga) | TBA | |
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"A Cabin in the Kelp" (tr • ga) | Major; she is one of the Gal Pals. | |
| "The Kwarantined Krab" (tr • ga) | TBA | ||
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"Kooky Cooks" (tr • ga) | TBA | |
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Shorts
| Image | # | Episode | Role in episode |
|---|---|---|---|
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"SpongeBob & You Save the Big Blue" (tr • ga) | Major; SpongeBob and Patrick water Mrs. Puff's garden. | |
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"How to Party Like SpongeBob" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
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"Plankton's Diary: Plankton's Evil Plan" (tr • ga) | Minor | |
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"You Know You're From Bikini Bottom When..." (tr • ga) | Minor | |
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"Nickelodeon Demolition Derby" (tr • ga) | Major; SpongeBob and Mrs. Puff compete in a demolition derby. | |
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"Green Stuff Rap" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
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"Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show short" (tr • ga) | Cameo | |
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"Movie Etiquette" (tr • ga) | Cameo |
Movies
| Image | # | Episode | Role in episode |
|---|---|---|---|
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"The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" (tr • ga) | Along with Squidward, Sandy, and Gary, Mrs. Puff is one of the four friends who appear at two pivotal points in the film. They are all shown in succession when SpongeBob is about to give up, and seeing his friends enslaved gives SpongeBob a dose of reality. Later, when SpongeBob frees the town, each of the four gets a triumphant scene of themselves being saved. | |
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"The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water" (tr • ga) | At the Krusty Krab, she plays a drum sting to punctuate Squidward's joke. In a deleted scene that can be watched on the Blu-ray version, Mrs. Puff is a masked boat-driver who hunts down SpongeBob and Plankton in a long and action-packed car chase. |
Specials
| Image | # | Episode | Role in episode |
|---|---|---|---|
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"SpongeBob ParadePants" (tr • ga) | Major; she puts on a parade with stunt boats. | |
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"Patchy's Playlist" (tr • ga) | Archive footage; she appears in scenes from the musical, "Band Geeks," and "The Sponge Who Could Fly" | |
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"The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!" (tr • ga) | She goes on a kelp juice "bender" after panicking about the impending eruption of Mount Humongous. | |
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"SpongeBob Appreciation Day: Patchy's Beach Bash!" (tr • ga) | Archive footage; she appears in various scenes |