Spongebob Squarepants: THUNDERLAND

There’s apparently a scrapped SpongeBob episode that was supposed to go on for the Halloween Specials in Nickelodeon. It was unknown which year it was supposed to air however due to speculations, Viacom didn’t allow them to air the special episode as it contained copyrighted material by adding parodic scenes with them.

For the episode itself, there’s little evidence to find of this episode besides a few storyboard pictures and screenshots found by an employee themselves (who’s unwilling to show anyone but some lucky individuals). Certain individuals had interviewed this employee and the employee was open enough to give answers.

She had claim that the episode’s name was: THUNDERLAND.

The special’s synopsis had a simple premise: SpongeBob and Patrick decided to go and visit Sandy’s house after their entire day is drained from work and boredom. Sandy allowing the goofballs in, the squirrel is doing an experiment with wires and her television. When the Sponge and Star had screwed up the experiment, Sandy, Patrick and SpongeBob are stuck in Sandy’s favourite TV Show called THUNDERLAND.  

The employee had declared that they have finished the storyboard and writing, but when it was pitched to Nickelodeon, there were some issues from copyrighted material and explaining that the voice actors had never heard of the unfinished episode. She also had mentioned that once the idea was scrapped, one of the people had to keep the source, which was herself that kept the special. Including the script, storyboards and the concept art.

According to the interview by a fan, she was genuinely kind enough to explain what happens in the story. In the beginning of the tale, SpongeBob and Patrick are drained from their daily life (SpongeBob working in the Krusty Krab or Patrick waiting for SpongeBob for the day) thus making them go to Sandy’s house. Meanwhile in Sandy’s house, the squirrel is messing around the wires and cords as one tear drops down her own face, staring at the television screen. During this, Sandy’s caught off guard as she hears the laughter of the duo outside. One of them nearly knocks over a tool that Sandy needs to proceed with her experiment.

Out of rage, the squirrel tells the boys to come inside to prevent more trouble. When she was conducting the experiment, Sandy gets distracted by the opening of her favourite show: THUNDERLAND. This brings in SpongeBob and Patrick with their drinks, amazed by the show’s opening, only for one of the duo spill their drinks on the wire. Making the trio zapped and trapped inside the show itself. The universe gave a monochrome colour, including the main protagonist that entered the show. It was nothing but shades of grey and black.

The bedroom looked typically normal, until Sandy had analysed the room further and recognised which character belonged here. Startled by the door creaking, Sandy drags the boys behind a dollhouse and watched an individual walk inside the room. There’s no dialogue for the girl that came inside, besides a sigh. Straight black hair was long to her hips, wearing a trench coat, pants and boots. The girl is revealed to be human. Slumping onto the bed with her tired eyes. Out of confusion, SpongeBob curiously asks Sandy about the girl. As a fanatic fan, Sandy exclaims that her name is Marine. Telling them that she’s the main character of THUNDERLAND.

After having a tour around the house, the goofballs said it’s a nice location but they begin to pester Sandy if there’s a way back home to Bikini Bottom. Which brings them to the focus of the plot, finding a way back to Bikini Bottom. During this, the protagonist must find mechanics to prepare a machine that’ll teleport them back into Bikini Bottom. Most of the special had featured the trio following Marine as there’s locations where certain mechanisms are supposed to be found. The special would end in a gleeful way as the trio manage to find a way home.

Finishing the interview with the employee, there’s always a question that has always confused the interviewers. What exactly happened to Marine?

The employee didn’t give the answer straight away, she wanted the people to speculate what happened to her at the end of the episode. 

According to one interviewer, he’d interviewed the woman and had a look at the storyboards. The employee had told him about certain skits that SpongeBob and his friends must go through, including trying to get pass a Cthulhu-humanoid being in Marine’s home and stealing a ruby from a shark. There’s a catch to these skits, the scene before the crew tries to get out of Marine’s home, the Cthulhu-humanoid being is seen near a table sobbing and in the storyboard art, there’s a feminine shadow in another room. This isn’t Marine as the figure is quite tall. Meanwhile in the other scene (the one stealing the ruby from the shark), the shark has a feminine touch to it and viewing the style of outfit in the interviewer’s perspective looked like a teacher.

It was proven worse as once the trio began to leave with the ruby, there’s a smack in the background with two figures. One obviously being the shark and the other is obviously a silhouette of a girl. Mentioned by another interviewer, there’s supposed to be a normal male character supporting Marine as well. As in matter of fact, most of the men in this universe is deemed normal. The obstacles and villains seen in the storyboards and concept art had resembled women. 

The disturbing part apart of this theory would be found in the dialogue. Especially in the following one below, expressing the emotions Marine could possibly experiencing throughout the special.

[Marine opens the door and lays on her bed with a glum expression]

Marine: [looks at her wrist] If the day isn’t going to have rainbows already.

[SpongeBob, Sandy and Patrick peak out of music box]

SpongeBob: [whispers] Sandy, have you tried asking her anything yet.

Sandy: [shushes SpongeBob] No barnacle head. Would she believe a rodent could make things better? It’ll drive her nuts- [is cut off by Patrick’s babbling]

Patrick: HEY! DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE BATHROOM IS- [Sandy and SpongeBob covers Patrick’s mouth]

Marine: [mumbling] Bathroom? Do they have the candy in there?

SpongeBob: [rubs his chin] I guess she a bit of talker. [snaps his fingers] Maybe we could find the mechanic! What do you think Sandy?

Sandy: I’m not sure, barnacle head. Not sure.

SpongeBob: I’ll try- [shouting] MARINE! DO YOU HAVE A POINTY METAL THING WE COULD USE?!

Sandy: It’s a screw.

Marine: [confused] Metal thing? No, wait, no, it’d be too messy.

SpongeBob: We can clean it up after! [smiles]

Marine: It’d still be the same. And those pests will come in, ugh. [Sandy begins to stress and drag SpongeBob and Patrick inside the music box]

Sandy: [shouts] Anything else, Marine!

[Marine stood up and opens her draw. Revealing a spatula, wielding it like a weapon. Her hair begins to curl up as the eyes are going twitchy. Sandy shuts the music box and waits inside]

Marine: [growling] What’s with these damn pests! [slashes the lamp with a spatula, making it break into pieces]

Marine: Everyday, they come out like flies and lay their maggots around me. Why me! [throws the pillow across the room. Sandy, SpongeBob and Patrick try to escape from the music box]

Marine: [walks around the room, stomping] What is it? No, dude, don’t, you don’t need to go. Unlike me. [getting more unsettled, Sandy, SpongeBob and Patrick attempt sneaking through the room door, only to be shut by Marine]

[A shot of Marine’s angered expression is seen on the screen]

[The trio panic and run around the room like chicken]

Marine: [is on her knees, pulling up a sleeve as the spatula is in her mouth] I don’t care, those flies are going to get swatted today-

Sandy: I’M SORRY- [karate chops behind Marine’s back, bringing common sense back into her. Marine realises the destruction she made in the room and begins to tear up]

Marine: No, I, did I do this? No, I-

Patrick: [tugs on Sandy’s shoulder] Is she okay? [Marine drops the spatula and runs out of the room, leaving the trio with the spatula to work with]

This is the last time we’ve heard of Marine. At the end of the story, before the trio manage to find a way back to Bikini Bottom, Sandy is seen at the end of a bridge. SpongeBob and Patrick begin to accompany her and they return home happily. In the storyboard, there’s a plop in the water. The smallest detail can make a big deal of what happened to Marine. Looking at the theory, individuals suggest that copyrighted material wasn’t the only reason why the special never premiered. Dark themes were a part of it as well.

Overall, this theory suggests one thing:

Marine couldn’t swim with the fishes.