Courage: Surreal Theories of the Afterlife

Welcome back, Fanaticals! We are halfway through Courage, the Cowardly Dog! I have loved this show since I first watched it when it came out years ago, although there are some episodes that even to this day in my 30s, I refuse to watch. Despite the massive number of darker theories that surround it, I still love this show.

While today's theories are a bit mystical and might touch on the concept of being in an otherworldly realm, they don't deal with graphic death depictions like we had last week with Bob's. Therefore, today's theories are labeled as family-friendly despite seeming a bit gray in nature. If you're ready to read some surreal stuff, let's dive in!

Events Take Place in the Afterlife

As the show's opening credits say, "creepy stuff happens in Nowhere". The insane nature of some of those events lead us to question if Courage and his family are actually alive. I fully believe in the surreal happening, considering I am an empath and some of the other experiences I have had it's hard NOT to. This theory could also tie back into yesterday's and explain why Courage might have an identity crisis as well.

When linking yesterday's theory about Courage's identity crisis, it ties in that if the family are in the afterlife that Courage only became a dog after they had all passed as he felt protective of them and wanted to protect them better in wherever it was they would wind up. Considering the age of Muriel and Eustace, it could have been their adult son wishing to protect them for just a bit longer.

Let's talk about a couple of those crazy villains that make you question if Courage is in the afterlife, starting with the one that still gives me nightmares as an adult. In just the second episode of the entire series, the creators brought in one of the creepiest "villains" of the series: King Ramses. He was a very early CGI, as it had not progressed to what it is now, and you could clearly tell what it was clear back in 1999 as it stuck out a lot more than it does now. His monotonous "return the slab" as he gently sways in the hazy breeze haunts my darkest nightmares and is the only episode that I will not watch no matter what.

As King Ramses is a part of history, and makes an appearance, it could easily be connected that Courage and his family are in the afterlife. Despite the fact that in the show Ramses is perceived as a ghost who is walking the earth, we must remember that in Ancient Egypt, they buried Pharaohs with many of their belongings so they could have them in the afterlife. If we take the beliefs that their things crossed over, it would explain while the slab is there with him, and he is able to plague the house until it is returned.

The Mattress Demon: it's literally IN the name, "Demon". There are definitely a handful of villains labeled "demon" throughout the series, but this one stands out the most to me. For one, it came in and left with a mattress. While many people believe in possessions, they also believe that it has to be gotten rid of; and I don't think throwing out an old mattress counts as "getting rid of it". Something labeled as a demon that can travel around like that probably lives in another realm, in this case it would be the afterlife.

This isn't even considering Katz, or his cousin the Cajun Fox who both talk and also have their own craziness; and the cute/annoying alien duck brothers!

Let's look at the second theory, which can also tie in with this one.

Courage is in Purgatory

While not as generalized as saying the afterlife, Purgatory is also a sound theory. In the ideals of religion, Purgatory is the in between to Heaven or Hell, and is where the soul is either cleansed before moving on or suffers some form of temporary punishment before ascending.

The reasons for why Courage would end up there are likely to remain a mystery, but it (again) would explain why he is a dog rather than a human, and why so many bad things happen. There is a theory that goes hand-in-hand with this, where the bathtub monster at the end of the series is Courage's Guardian Angel. If we look at that episode from the perspective of Courage in Purgatory, the bathtub monster could quite actually be the end of Courage's temporary punishment.

Thinking on the "villains" we have already mentioned alongside the others that we have not, some of them seem like something straight out of the show "The Good Place"; a few of them even being a lot worse!

While these are very similar in nature, they are also very different. What do you think about these theories? Come join our community and swap ideas with others! Join me tomorrow as we take a deeper look into Courage's mind. Until then, keep on theorizing!