And that is exactly why we love it. Whether you’re a kid watching Craig of the Creek (which is absolutely in the same world as Over the Garden Wall , by the way) or a 30-year-old rewatching Courage the Cowardly Dog , you’re not just watching a show.
You’re visiting a universe. A weird, colorful, beautifully chaotic universe.
This is where fan theories explode. In one timeline, Ben 10 crosses over with Generator Rex (a show originally created by Man of Action, same as Ben 10). In another, a version of Ben appears in the OK K.O.! episode "Crossover Nexus" (more on that in a second). cartoon network universe
Whether through explicit crossovers, background Easter eggs, or the metanarrative genius of shows like OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes , a massive, tangled, and glorious Cartoon Network Universe (CNU) has emerged. Today, we’re going to pull on the thread and see just how connected your childhood really was. The seeds of the CNU were planted in the late 90s with the "Cartoon Cartoon" brand. While these shows— Johnny Bravo , Cow and Chicken , I Am Weasel —rarely crossed over in a major way, they began the tradition of cameo culture .
FusionFall ’s premise was apocalyptic: The evil Planet Fusion attacked, and every single hero from Cartoon Network’s history had to team up. We’re talking Dexter building tech for Samurai Jack. We’re talking Buttercup sparring with Ben 10. We’re talking Mojo Jojo begrudgingly selling items to a player avatar standing next to Cow from Cow and Chicken . And that is exactly why we love it
That has changed.
In the episode "TTG v PPG," the Titans fight the Powerpuff Girls. In "The Night Begins to Shine," they enter a dimension of 80s animation. And in the movie Teen Titans Go! To the Movies , they literally travel to the Warner Bros. lot, where they meet the real animators. A weird, colorful, beautifully chaotic universe
But for a long time, we treated these shows as silos. Dexter's Laboratory existed in its own suburban bubble. The Powerpuff Girls had Townsville. Ed, Edd n Eddy had the cul-de-sac from hell. They shared a timeslot, but not a reality.