Spoilers below for the latest episode of Bluey, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched with a Disney+ subscription.
Though only a few years into its run, Bluey already cemented itself as one of the best animated series of all time in CinemaBlend’s eyes, and continued earning that distinction with Season 3’s gamechanging final episodes. Despite fears that the Australian import would be ending after “Ghostbasket” and the extended-length installment “The Sign,” one producer confirmed “surprises” were coming. That turned out to be an extremely literal tease for the unannounced new ep titled “Surprises!” which features an emotional gobsmacker of an ending that makes worrying about the Heelers moving seem silly in retrospect.
The Big Reveal: Bluey Grows Up To (Seemingly) Become A Mother Herself
Honestly, it blows my mind that Bluey followed up its longest episode yet, which was by and large a critical darling, with a standard-length short. But even the remnants of my already blown-apart mind explode further due to that final flash-forward capper, which proves the family’s status quo within their beloved home won’t be changing in the next decade or two. (Chili even jokes about it with the line “Can you believe Dad almost sold it?”)
The bulk of the episode follows a pretty straightforward day in the Heeler home, with Bandit splitting his time between watching races, playing family with Bingo and being surprised by Bluey. Though the younger sister is the one inquiring about how to raise children, which sparks some wisdom shares from the dear old dad, it’s Bluey who seemed to take those story details to heart.
I Watch Bluey With My Kids Almost Every Morning, Here Are 9 Lessons I've Learned So Far
She appears to understand that while being a kid is filled with fun and games, raising a child requires a wholly different set of skills and semblance of patience. And that sense of acknowledgement is almost immediately followed by transitional time-jump, with the Heeler household still firmly in place, albeit with a few digital upgrades therein.
We’re not told exactly how far into the future things jump, but it’s enough time that Bluey is no longer living at home, as she’s only arriving for a visit. (Bingo, who isn’t shown, does appear to still be living with Bandit and Chili.) After Bluey and Chili exit for the kitchen, Bandit turns to answer the doorbell, and is initially confused to see no one there, at least until he hears the giggling.
And it’s then that the show reveals a brand new pup hiding on the side of the door, clearly ready to jump out and start blasting Bandit with some in-hand toy weaponry. And OH MY LAWD, BLUEY IS A MOM, NOW? I mean, unless she isn’t.
That Has To Be Bluey’s Kid, Right? Or Could It Be Bingo’s?
For all that I would love to just jump entirely behind the notion that Bluey becomes a mother who gives her child all of the same wisdom that she was granted by Bandit and Chili, the episode pretty pointedly doesn’t actually confirm that detail. But considering the plainly shown “For Sale” sign that had fans worried a couple of episodes prior didn’t end up mattering in the long run, is that possibly the case here as well?
Perhaps the biggest clue that the unidentified child is Bluey’s is the way that moment echoed the scene earlier in the episode when it was Bluey who rang the doorbell and then hid next to the front door. Not to mention the notion that this kiddo also enjoys making surprises part of the playing experience.
And if we want to go a bit further, the new character’s fur color is closer to Bluey’s than Bingo’s, and it’s one of the very rare dogs in the series to feature two different-colored ears. Aunt Trixie and Aunty Brandy are the only other examples I could think of straight off, though I’m not sure if any correlations can be made there.
The idea there could be that Bluey ends up with her border collie friend Mackenzie, given the black fur and floofy tail. Which would no doubt give plenty of fans the feels.
On the flip side of things, though, Bluey walking into the house alone without anyone asking where her kid was would make for a pretty weird experience if she is in fact the sneaky child’s mother. I dare say it isn’t the best move to close a front door when a youngin is still outside, unless that youngin was already at the house before Bluey arrived. Plus, she doesn’t say “we” or “us” during that exchange, making it sound like she was alone.
In that respect, it would make more sense for the li’l pup to be Bingo’s child, with Bandit and Chilli helping keep watch as grandparents just as they did with their own offspring. After all, Bluey could just as easily be a playful influence to a niece or nephew as her own son or daughter, so perhaps that’s where the echoed doorbell scene came from.
In a splendid way, that last-second mystery recalled Bandit’s line to Bingo’s make-believe child Fermuken just minutes prior:
That’s the thing about kids, Fermuken. They’re always surprising you.
Whichever way the reveal turns out, it’s amazing that this show aimed at preschoolers can have such a huge effect on someone whose preschool period happened several decades back. And now that I'm caught up in speculating about whose canine child we were introduced to, I can look back with self-aware hindsight to think it was ridiculous to be worried about the family packing up and shifting locations. The fact that I'm worried about any of it is a testament to the creators and the voice actors.
I also love that Bluey went into the future, albeit without the use of time-travel devices, just two episodes after making that nod to Doctor Who. Stay awesome, Bluey, and we’ll stay interested.
