SpongeBob and Squidward: An actual friendship?

So, of course we all know how Squidward usually gets annoyed by SpongeBob many times and it seems as if he hates him, but does Squidward actually care/like him deep inside? Lets look:


Squidward likes SpongeBob:



Explanation: Some examples we have here are SB-129 and Pizza Delivery. They both show signs of Squidward actually caring about SpongeBob. Towards the end of Pizza Delivery, the Bikini Bottomie was upset with the service and threw the box of Pizza to SpongeBob's face which made him cry. Squidward then took a stand and threw the box right back to the guys face for hurting SpongeBob. An excellent example of how Squidward cares about SpongeBob's feelings. Another example is SB-129. Again, towards the end of the episode, he states: "I even miss SpongeBob". This demonstrates that Squidward would've really liked/wanted to see SpongeBob again.



Now here are some more examples:


Explanation: Dying for Pie. An excellent and very heartwarming episode. It truly demonstrates that Squidward does care. He went through SpongeBob's whole list of crazy things because he thought SpongeBob would die and wanted to make his last few hours meaningful. He also cried when SpongeBob "died". And now Christmas Who? So at first, he was acting like a Jackass that Santa didn't come and stuff and made fun of SpongeBob. But then he realized it was wrong and that it meaned a lot to SpongeBob. So he dressed up as Santa and gave away all of his stuff away just so that sponge can be happy. So nice of him.

Now, there were more other minor examples of how Squidward cared for SpongeBob and considered him an actual friend in pre/post movie. (The biggest ones were in pre though) SpongeBob of course being his naive self, considers Squidward to be his friend and in the examples above, Squiddy shows some friendship/love for Spongy as well. But then again, examples are also shown of how Squidward can dislike SpongeBob. Take a look:




Squidward dislikes SpongeBob





Start it off with these 2 examples. Home Sweet Pineapple shows a "not coral" side of Squiddy. When he found out that SpongeBob was going to move away, he celebrated and threw a party. When the time came for Spongy to leave, he was excited, jumped up and down and appeared to be happy. How mean, right? And as for Opposite Day, Squidward just wants to move away. Move away to somewhere better to eliminate all the stress, which is most likely: SpongeBob. He wants to get away from him and to him, he's probably a "bad neighbor".


Just 2 more random ones here:



Explanation: Enchanted Tiki Dreams showed Squidward being very unhappy. Unhappy because of SpongeBob (And Patrick) They appear to be making his life very very miserable. (But it recovers with the Tiki land and stuff, but that's another story) And That Sinking Feeling demonstrated Squidward being very very annoyed. He was just pure angry and seemed to dislike SpongeBob a lot here. A big sign of "hate".

Well, that was 4 examples of Squidward showing signs of hate/dislike towards SpongeBob. Squidward being annoyed and such.



Overall

So, there are many signs of Squidward liking/disliking SpongeBob in the show. Some small quotes by Squiddy in a couple of episodes. Overall, Squidward may be annoyed by SpongeBob sometimes, but deep down inside, he probably likes him as a very close friend. Or it could be the other way around. Squidward can also show some deep hate, which is different from being annoyed. Saying that Squiddy actually considers SpongeBob a friend is hard to say with some HATE episodes but then again, saying that Squidward doesn't consider SpongeBob a friend is hard to say with some LOVE episodes out there. A Love-Hate friendship maybe? Well, its hard to determine the answer if they're friends or not but we'd all love to believe that they are.


Final Answer(in my opinion): SpongeBob and Squidward have an actual friendship going on.

What are your thoughts on how these 2 stand?

Squidward sometimes cares about Spongebob, but that's only if he actually sympathizes with him.

Squid definitely doesn't outright hate him as people have been led on to believe, but then again, the writers send us a bunch of mixed messages with it.

Also, just for fun:

SpongeBob dislikes Squidward:


I love this episode so much. It's the cartoon version of the real life story of "get off your fat ::dolphin noise:: and get a job you lazy burden"

Liking someone = / = being their friend.

They can be your student, co-worker, or simply role model yet you can still like them. Although I think they are both very important to each other, I wouldn't be too quick to call them friends YET.

In SpongeBob's eyes they're already really good friends, but to Squidward it's more complicated. Sure he thinks SpongeBob is the most annoying sponge on the planet sometimes, but SpongeBob's also one of the only people who spends any time with him, and sometimes the writers like to show that yes, he does consider him more than just an annoying coworker. Dunno about "friend", though, that would entail something mutual, and hanging out and stuff

Yes. No. Yenos.

SpongeBob annoys Squidward, there's no denying that, but there are episodes where the two seem to share a more or less platonic relationship, as well as plenty of episodes where Squidward shows that he cares for SpongeBob deep down, he seems to find his innocence and optimism charming despite himself. He has a soft spot for him. I think Squidward knows that he needs SpongeBob in his life. He knows that SpongeBob's chaos is what gives him his passion and heart. Without SpongeBob, his life is empty.

SpongeBob obviously adores Squidward and considers him a friend, and I tend to think of Squidward as his friend too. There's obviously affection between them (as much as Squidward hates to admit it) and they seem to have a bond that other characters don't share. I think the best way to describe their relationship would be to say that SpongeBob is like an annoying little brother to Squidward. Squidward may think he hates him sometimes, but deep down he really doesn't.

Maybe they are friends pre-movie, but in some post-movie episodes (Little Yellow Book, Whatever Happened to SpongeBob?, Good Neighbors) I'm a tad bit skeptical. I'll take a middle route and say DEEP down, Squidward wants to be friends with SpongeBob. As for SpongeBob, obviously he considers Squidward a good friend.

That One Random Boss said:

Maybe they are friends pre-movie, but in some post-movie episodes (Little Yellow Book, Whatever Happened to SpongeBob?, Good Neighbors) I'm a tad bit skeptical. I'll take a middle route and say DEEP down, Squidward wants to be friends with SpongeBob. As for SpongeBob, obviously he considers Squidward a good friend.

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Yeah, my post was mostly referring to pre-movie. Post-movie wrecked the SpongeBob-Squidward dynamic if you ask me. Squidward seems way too hateful. It upsets me because I loved their dynamic in pre-movie.

They really need to show a clear episode of SpongeBob and Squidward being actual friends, and caring for each other in post-movie. Sponge-Cano was a great chance but they messed it up by making Squidward say that he really wasn't grateful. I just dislike the fact so much that in recent episodes, they show Squidward HATING SpongeBob which is really not who he is.

I think the do have an actual friendship squidward has aready expressed his feeling in many episodes.

SpongeyKid said:

They really need to show a clear episode of SpongeBob and Squidward being actual friends, and caring for each other in post-movie. Sponge-Cano was a great chance but they messed it up by making Squidward say that he really wasn't grateful. I just dislike the fact so much that in recent episodes, they show Squidward HATING SpongeBob which is really not who he is.

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THIS SO MUCH. I would have liked Sponge-Cano! if Squidward's revelation had been genuine. I was crushed when he took it all back.

HarryPotterLives said:

THIS SO MUCH. I would have liked Sponge-Cano! if Squidward's revelation had been genuine. I was crushed when he took it all back.

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It would've really been very touching and stuff if he would've never taken it all away. What were the writers thinking.... :nono:

SpongeyKid said:

It would've really been very touching and stuff if he would've never taken it all away. What were the writers thinking.... :nono:

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I know, it would have been a really nice, powerful moment. But nope. @_@

I guess Squidward actually wanting SpongeBob back at the KK for work was a step closer?

It's an extremely one-sided friendship. As far as SpongeBob is concerned, they're buddies. From Squidward's point of view, it's much more complex. He is mostly scathing, grouchy and unwilling to be dragged down to SpongeBob's simple level. But it does happen occasionally. When SpongeBob and Squidward are on the same side against Mr. Krabs, for example, or when Squidward lets his guard down and gets coerced into some game and actually ends up enjoying it. Then, of course, there are the times when Squidward realizes he's crossed a line and feels bad for SpongeBob, or sticks up for him when somebody else is a jerk.

So, the feelings are there to some degree, but it takes an awful lot to make Squidward express or realize them. He definitely doesn't consider SpongeBob his "friend" for the most part. More of an annoying little brother that he hates putting up with but will protect if push comes to shove.

HarryPotterLives said:

SpongeBob annoys Squidward, there's no denying that, but there are episodes where the two seem to share a more or less platonic relationship, as well as plenty of episodes where Squidward shows that he cares for SpongeBob deep down, he seems to find his innocence and optimism charming despite himself. He has a soft spot for him. I think Squidward knows that he needs SpongeBob in his life. He knows that SpongeBob's chaos is what gives him his passion and heart. Without SpongeBob, his life is empty.

SpongeBob obviously adores Squidward and considers him a friend, and I tend to think of Squidward as his friend too. There's obviously affection between them (as much as Squidward hates to admit it) and they seem to have a bond that other characters don't share. I think the best way to describe their relationship would be to say that SpongeBob is like an annoying little brother to Squidward. Squidward may think he hates him sometimes, but deep down he really doesn't.

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Squidville totally makes this a valid point. How? Sure in the beginning Squidward was thrilled to have the perfect life. But he realized it was "too much of a paradise". Squidward couldn't handle the stinginess of the people who paralleled his personality. So it's like he had a taste of his own medicine, but at the end he realized he needed a little chaos in his life to balance out everything. And that chaos part was SpongeBob/Patrick. So yes, Squidward DOES need SpongeBob to have a balance in his life. And to show him a few cool ways of having fun even with nothing. An example is The Paper.

I think Dying For Pie is the biggest example.

MasiHosseini said:

I think Dying For Pie is the biggest example.

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I dunno, in that case I think Squidward was just showing the same compassion he would've shown any other person in that situation, especially someone he knew so well. I think being "friends" goes beyond that, like someone you pal around with and stuff. I personally don't like to throw that word around so casually, but I do think they're more than regular coworkers just because they spend so much of their lives together.

When I was watching SpongeBob, You're Fired! I thought about this when this happened:

Squidward: You know I hate you, right.
SpongeBob: (Taking Squidward's hands) Yes. Yes I do.

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It's not as weird to me in episodes like Dying for Pie, because it's more like Squidward hates SpongeBob, but deep down he cares about him. But in the quote above, it's kind of strange how they both acknowledge it when in most other episodes SpongeBob seems to be completely oblivious to Squidward's hate.
Or more likely, SpongeBob just doesn't care what Squidward thinks, so he just does whatever he wants. Squidward thinks he's annoying, but cares about him.