Show News Why SpongeBob is and Always Has Been 25+ Years of age

SpongeySquare

Imitation Krab
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Hillenburg rejected the executives' idea of him going to school because he created Sponge to be an adult:

"They actually wanted to make ‘Arnold under the sea’ and make SpongeBob a child. I said ‘no, that’s not the show’."

TBI: What compromises did you make?

"I said we’ll show the parents sometimes and put him in school – but it would be a [boat] driving school."

-TBI Vision interview

"I *was* voted most artistic in high school" note the past tense and the fact he's saying high school instead of school, implying he graduated. - Sponge in Frankendoodle.

Another instance of implied post-graduation is in the episode The Chaperone where SpongeBob says he couldn't score a date for his own junior prom. This alone eliminates any possibility of Sponge being a teenager in the first season.

"Look at him, in his prime" - Mr. Krabs talking about Sponge in the Fry Cook Games.

Hillenburg said he is old enough to live on his own and still be going to driving school (making him 18 at the very very least). - SpongeBob Exposed! The Insider's Guide to SpongeBob SquarePants

"SpongeBob is an adult character that acts like a child and he has a child's perspective..." - Stephen Hillenburg (The Absorbing Tale Behind The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie)

And, finally, the original driver's license was removed from all following seasons. I truly think that the July 1986 "birthdate" was a reference to the period when Bob the Sponge was created for the Intertidal Zone. Not only is the "SpongeBob was 13 at the start" interpretation silly, but it also goes against the intended vision for the character.
 
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Pugs4Thugs

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Idk why anyone thinks SpongeBob is a child. Child-like sure, but he's definitely an adult. Also the idea that anyone in this show actually ages doesn't make sense considering there's no actual consistency.
 

Sara SquarePants

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So how old IS SpongeBob SquarePants then?

For that matter, what about Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Sandy, Squidward, Plankton, et al?

If I were to guess, I'd say SpongeBob is in the "young adult" group, same with Patrick

Mr. Krabs has to be in his 50s

Sandy is probably in her 30s

Squidward is most likely 40 or up

Plankton is probably in his 40s

Mrs. Puff is most likely in her 30s


I figured this out based on the characters' behaviors & traits

The only one we know for sure is Pearl who is 16

(although if this show actually had real continuity then she would definitely be older, perhaps closer to SpongeBob or Patrick's age)

It's the only way the "Spearl" ship makes sense since if Pearl was 16 and SpongeBob SquarePants was 20 it would be illegal for them to date
 
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SpongeySquare

Imitation Krab
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So how old IS SpongeBob SquarePants then?

For that matter, what about Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Sandy, Squidward, Plankton, et al?

If I were to guess, I'd say SpongeBob is in the "young adult" group, same with Patrick

Mr. Krabs has to be in his 50s

Sandy is probably in her 30s

Squidward is most likely 40 or up

Plankton is probably in his 40s

Mrs. Puff is most likely in her 30s


I figured this out based on the characters' behaviors & traits

The only one we know for sure is Pearl who is 16

(although if this show actually had real continuity then she would definitely be older, perhaps closer to SpongeBob or Patrick's age)

It's the only way the "Spearl" ship makes sense since if Pearl was 16 and SpongeBob SquarePants was 20 it would be illegal for them to date
I didn't know Spearl was a thing but I believe in the SpongeBob and Sandy ship infinitely more. There are several scenes where they have some kind of innocent flirtation, and Sandy was initially written as being "the apple of SpongeBob's eye" If you're referring to The Chaperone episode, remember when Mr Krabs offers Squidward to be Pearl's date initially? People don't ever mention this when they bring up how "it's weird that SpongeBob is taking Pearl to prom" argument.

Personally, I'd say Sandy, Patrick, and Sponge are all in their mid-to-late 20s. I'd also say Squidward is in his 30s. Though, all your other estimates sound good to me.

What constitutes a 'young adult' ranges broadly. If you're talking about youth, it ends at 25. However, the 'young adult' age range is described as lasting from 18-39 (according to Erik Erikson at least). I see SpongeBob as a guy who still has his youth post-youth, so I'd say 26 or over.
 
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