When it comes to iconic Cartoon Network shows millennials think of from when they were growing up, Ed, Edd N Eddy is toward the top of the list for cartoons. The misadventures of these boys trying to swindle the kids on their block ran from the late '90s all the way through a bulk of the 2000s and gave many kids a laugh along the way.
For as great as the series was, however, there was a lot about it that didn't make sense to me as a fan. Here are some of the big questions that ran through my mind while enjoying a re-watch on HBO Max, where all the episodes can be found right now.
Parents Were Nowhere To Be Found
You see a lot of crazy things in an Ed, Edd N Eddy episode. Whacky gadgets and cardboard constructed death traps are the norm, but one thing you'll never see in full in the Cartoon Network series is an adult. The closest we've ever gotten is a stray body part or two, but there was never a point in the series an adult was featured in full or had a speaking part. Well, unless you count Plank's parents that Johnny created, and I certainly wouldn't.
Even if you assume all of Ed, Edd N Eddy takes place during the summer months, it's crazy to believe that every child's parents in the cul de sac are just not around. Perhaps they're all sick of their kids' antics, and make a point to get out of the house rather than deal with the chaos that regularly unfolds on the streets of this suburb on a daily basis? I could certainly believe it, though I'm sure Jimmy would've appreciated having an adult around during the week to take him to the hospital in a more timely manner.
Where Rolf's Old Country Is Located
Few characters in the Ed, Edd N Eddy lore are as mysterious and as fun as Rolf. The immigrant pre-teen of the cul de sac will spin a yarn about any tradition or past story from "The Old Country," but one thing that fans have never been able to get a grasp on is where his country of origin was actually located. Where in the world does someone believe a quiche is a curse or an idiot falling in a hole is a cause for great celebration?
Creator Danny Antonucci has stated in interviews that Rolf's country of origin is intentionally vague, but there is one little clue that could point fans in the right direction. Rolf actually learns that Edd is pen pals with a Norwegian woman named Gerta, and remarks that he knows her. It could be that Rolf is well-traveled, it's a freak coincidence, or that Rolf is from Norway. Obviously, we've never gotten an answer, but as the only real piece of evidence in Ed, Edd N Eddy, it's something we must consider.
The Obsession With Jawbreakers
I remember watching Ed, Edd N Eddy as a child, and how nearly every episode boiled down to the boys' trying to get quarters from the neighborhood kids all so they could buy jawbreakers. Not just any jawbreakers, however, but jawbreakers so large you needed the cheeks of a chipmunk to hold one and could potentially dislodge your jaw popping one in. Every kid in the cul de sac craved these, and one could make the argument Kevin's popularity was possibly tied to his dad's job there.
I fell for the hype and purchased a massive jawbreaker as a kid, and to this day I don't understand the hype. There are far sweeter candies to be obsessed over, and when it comes to things that don't break in your mouth, I'd prefer something that wouldn't definitely block my airway with one wrong gulp. Plus, I've had different types of jawbreakers in my time, but I can honestly say most if not all have tasted relatively the same. This is the candy that the Ed boys risk it all for? There must be some terrible food being made in this town, because I never, and still don't get this obsession.
Basically Everything About Plank
Someone might say pointing out the ridiculousness of Plank is low-hanging fruit, but I think Ed, Edd N Eddy fans don't truly appreciate how weird Johnny 2x4's friend is. Notice I didn't say "imaginary," because there's evidence to believe that Plank is real. We all know Johnny believes that in his heart of hearts, but as for the rest of the kids, they tend to think Plank is just a piece of wood Johnny drew a face on.
If that were true, then why is Plank enrolled in the kids' school, and a member of the football team? How is it that Plank, a seemingly lifeless piece of wood, was able to move across the chairs back to Johnny when they had a fight in "Dear Ed?" There are also a few instances in the show in which Plank informed Johnny of the goings-on in the cul de sac that he wouldn't have known otherwise. None of this is too crazy when you sit back and realize it's a cartoon, though the fact that other characters generally believe he's not sentient either makes this a really weird bit of Ed, Edd N Eddy lore.
The Kanker Sisters' Relationship With Ed, Edd N Eddy
The Kanker Sisters are some of the meanest antagonizing characters of Ed, Edd N Eddy, but they have a complex relationship with the Ed boys. Lee, Marie, and May Kanker are head over heels in love with Eddy, Edd, and Ed respectively, yet seem to really relish making their lives a living hell. Many times the Kankers have unapologetically ruined a good scheme by the boys, many times for no reason.
One thing I never understood is that the Kanker sisters know they torture Ed, Edd N Eddy, but also tend to openly declare their affections for them? Perhaps they just have a twisted view of what love is, they are preteens after all. I also wonder though that in a town where there are multiple other guys in the neighborhood, they're obsessed with the Eds. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they'll all turn into upstanding men in time, but right now they're just a bunch of "dorks," as Kevin would say.
Fans can currently binge Ed, Edd N Eddy on HBO Max. For more on things related to Cartoon Network nostalgia, be sure to read up our comprehensive history on the late MF Doom's collaborations with film and television.
