Many cartoon series aren’t just praised for their visually appealing animation or masterfully cohesive storytelling, but also for how the overall series concluded. Seeing how diverging plot points are carried out and interwoven elevates the show’s reputation, or can deflate it when they aren’t properly executed. There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing a show fall short of its full potential, especially when it started so promising.
Many shows considered to be engaging and effective by fans often come into discussion when talking about endings, which can lead to divisive conversations regarding whether the show was actually good based on its lackluster ending. Basing an entire show’s worth around its conclusion can seem a bit petty, but it’s important to note when talking about the impact of a series. These shows definitely contain a lot of positive qualities but are ultimately held back from true greatness due to endings that fall significantly flat.
7
Star vs. the Forces of Evil Only Cared About Its Main Ship Sailing
Final episode: “Cleaved” Season 4, Episode 21
Since the premiere of the series on Disney Channel in early 2015, viewers wondered if central characters Star Butterfly and Marco Diaz would become more than best friends. There was also much speculation and theories surrounding the expansive world of Mewni, Star’s home dimension. The series proved it could interweave these plot points with one of the show’s top-rated episodes, “Bon Bon the Birthday Clown,” which saw Star dealing with jealousy over Marco and Jackie while having her spell book stolen by Ludo. As more was revealed about the Butterfly lineage, things only got more convoluted. With the arrival of former Queen Eclipsa, known for practicing dark magic as a more prominent character in season 3, it was clear that the show’s creators would have a lot to wrap up
.
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During the series finale, the focus was completely shifted to developing Star and Marco’s relationship as a couple, culminating in a catastrophic ending with major repercussions for the series. The show didn’t seem all that interested in exploring it, however, and erroneously thought viewers would be satisfied with the two protagonists ending up together. Unlike other series on this list, Star‘s continuous blunders in sustaining plot-expansive episodes alongside a massive number of filler episodes cause a considerable decline in quality, landing it at the bottom of the list.
6
The Fairly OddParents Lost Its Signature Humor
Final Episode: “Fancy Schmancy” Season 10, Episode 20
One of Nickelodeon’s most popular cartoons of the 2000s, The Fairly OddParents ran with its outlandish premise, creating a show with a distinct world, characters, and sense of humor. Known for exaggerated cartoon voices and sharp animation, the show had a fresh way of delivering jokes, mainly in a rapid-fire fashion, to not lose the audience’s attention. As the series progressed, however, there was an attempt to weave in more of an underlying plot that came with new additions that weren’t always positively received.
With the introduction of Wanda and Cosmo’s baby Poof in season 6, many fans found the spherical baby fairy quite adorable. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about Timmy’s talking fairy dog Sparky, who came onto the show in season 9. In the series’ final season, the first episode introduced Chloe, a girl Timmy’s age with whom he’s required to share his fairy godparents due to a fairy shortage. Fans expressed similar distaste for Chloe as they did for Sparky, and ratings plummeted, causing the show to end in season 10 with a one-off episode that didn’t serve as a proper finale.
5
Danny Phantom’s Finale Felt Rushed and Poorly Executed
Final Episode: “Phantom Planet” Season 3, Episodes 12-13
Another cartoon from animator and series creator Butch Hartman, Danny Phantom was more grounded in its premise while still containing a decent amount of humor. Everything the series presented led up to the two-part TV movie Phantom Planet, which serves as the series finale. The episode revolves around the evil Vlad Masters developing his own team of teenage ghost hunters called the Masters’ Blasters, who intimidate Danny. After Danny’s parents are arrested, he sacrifices his ghost powers to keep them safe, which only angers Danny’s friends, calling him selfish for getting rid of his powers used to help people.
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A bad situation becomes worse when scientists discover a large asteroid hurling towards Earth. Danny travels to the Ghost Zone to enlist help from ghosts to help make the asteroid intangible, which leads his ghost enemies to simultaneously blast him, reinvigorating his ghost powers in his DNA. Later in the episode, Danny reveals his powers and is celebrated as a hero by all. The final scene sees Danny taking Sam for a romantic flight, cementing their relationship. Even in two parts, the finale felt insanely rushed, with certain moments that didn’t add up to what was previously established in the series. Still, fans don’t discount the series’ many memorable moments and thrilling premise that was continuously taken in new directions.
4
The Amazing World of Gumball Ended in a Cryptically Creepy Way
Final Episode: “The Inquisition” Season 6, Episode 44
The Amazing World of Gumball truly celebrates what it means to be a cartoon. Set against a live-action backdrop, the cartoon residents of Elmore navigate through typical life problems with an outlandish cartoon twist, introducing incredulous logic and outcomes to ordinary scenarios. As the series went on, more finite plot points were developed, including the introduction of Rob as an overarching protagonist when he grows tired of not being recognized by Gumball and Darwin.
In the final episode, the characters are faced with the threat of being turned human by the school’s superintendent, fittingly named Superintendent Evil. At the end of the episode, it’s revealed that Evil was Rob all along, but he claims he was trying to save Elmore’s citizens from something horrible to come. The final scene sees Rob succumbing to the void as the end credits song plays eerily. This is an extremely unfinished way to end the series, but fans are hoping The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie will elaborate more on this looming threat even though the original series has officially ended.
- Release Date
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2011 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Cartoon Network
- Showrunner
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Ben Bocquelet
- Directors
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Mic Graves, Antoine Perez
3
Steven Universe’s Forced Ending Was Pretty Controversial
Final Episode: “Change Your Mind” Season 5, Episode 29
Known for championing LGBTQ+ representation in cartoons, Steven Universe unfortunately fell victim to a network-orchestrated cancelation for incorporating openly LGBTQ+ themes. As a result, the fifth and final season had to wrap up everything preestablished in the world, building to a conclusion that was both narratively sound and satisfying for longtime fans. The series seemed to fumble both of these objectives and delivered a finale that took unexpected turns, and not in a good way.
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Fans were baffled by the choice to initiate a redemption arc for the diamonds, who were responsible for atrocious acts of colonization and genocide. After the ending of the original Steven Universe series, Steven Universe Future served as an epilogue series, attempting to tie up loose ends left by its predecessor and Steven Universe: The Movie. While Future amassed critical acclaim, some fans saw this show as a departure from Steven’s original character and criticized the protagonist for acting in ways that seemed to conflict with his morals and values. Despite a less-than-perfect ending, it’s impossible to ignore Steven Universe‘s status as a remarkable achievement in animation, world-building and queer inclusion.
2
Teen Titans Left on a Major Cliffhanger
Final Episode: “Things Change” Season 5, Episode 13
While not a bad episode, the final episode of Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans is a severe disappointment. Rather than an ending, it seems like a beginning that was never allowed to develop its full story. The episode is an emotional journey for Beat Boy as he encounters a girl who he believes is Terra, despite her sacrificing herself in the season 2 finale. Throughout the episode, Beast Boy tries to jog her memory and even encounters villain Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, accusing him of doing something to her memory. Slade claims that Terra is choosing this life and doesn’t want to see Beast Boy anymore. When it seems that Beast Boy genuinely may have the wrong girl, she tells him that she will never be the girl he remembers and that things change, leading viewers to believe that Slade could be right.
The show wasn’t renewed for a fifth season, leaving fans clamoring for answers. With the premiere of Teen Titans Go! in 2013, fans were hopeful that this plot point could be reintroduced, but it quickly became clear that Teen Titans Go! had no ties to the original series except for the use of the same characters. Many Teen Titans fans to this day despise Teen Titans Go! not only for its tonal departure from the original show but because it solidified that Cartoon Network had moved on from the former Teen Titans series.
1
Samurai Jack is an Amazing Show With a Disappointing Ending
Final Episode: “CI” Season 5, Episode 10
First premiering in 2001 on Cartoon Network, Samurai Jack gained traction for its uniquely striking animation and captivating plot following a young samurai sent to the future by one of the most formidable cartoon villains, the evil wizard Aku. The show initially ran from 2001-2003 before series creator Genndy Tartakovsky left the fourth season “open-ended” and moved on to other projects such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars. A fifth and final season of Samurai Jack premiered on Adult Swim in 2017, allowing the series to explore darker themes with frightening imagery and chilling plot lines. Season 5 saw the introduction of Ashi, who was raised within the Daughters of Aku but becomes a love interest for Jack.
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In the finale episode, Jack is captured by Aku, who has seized control over Ashi, but is saved by his allies, who allow him to escape, free Ashi from her father’s control, and finally travel to the past to kill Aku. When it seems that Jack has finally found his happy ending, Ashi disappears as they are about to be married, since Aku’s demise invalidates her existence. Many fans found this ending to be disappointing, as Jack reaches his goal but doesn’t get to live out his days with his love. Others say that Ashi and Jack’s relationship is severely underdeveloped since they’ve only known each other for a few episodes. Regardless of its shortcomings, Samurai Jack is undoubtedly a fascinating show and exhibits Tartakovsky’s excellent writing skills, which is why it has to be the number one pick.
