Plankton and Karen

Plankton and Karen
SpongeBob SquarePants characters
An animated computer monitor on a base with wheels stands next to a small, dark green, one-eyed copepod.
Karen (silver mobile form from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie) (left) and Plankton (right).
First appearance
Created byStephen Hillenburg
Voiced byPlankton: Mr. Lawrence
Karen: Jill Talley
Portrayed byPlankton: Wesley Taylor (Broadway)[1]
Karen: Stephanie Hsu (Broadway)[2]
In-universe information
SpeciesPlankton: Cyclops copepod[3]
Karen: artificially intelligent supercomputer
GenderMale (Plankton)
Female (Karen)
OccupationOwners and founders of the Chum Bucket
ChildrenChip Plankton (son)[4]
PetsSpot (pet amoeba)

Sheldon J. Plankton and Karen Plankton are a pair of fictional characters and the main antagonists of SpongeBob SquarePants, the Nickelodeon animated television series. They are voiced by Mr. Lawrence and Jill Talley, respectively. Their first appearance was in the episode "Plankton!", which premiered on July 31, 1999. They were created and designed by the marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the series. Hillenburg named Karen after his wife, Karen Hillenburg (née Umland).[5]

Plankton and Karen are the married owners of the unsuccessful Chum Bucket restaurant. Plankton is an intellectual planktonic Cyclops copepod and Karen is a waterproof supercomputer. Plankton shares a rivalry with Mr. Krabs, who owns the far more profitable Krusty Krab restaurant and sells a fictional burger called the Krabby Patty. Plankton and Karen often devise schemes to steal the secret Krabby Patty recipe from the Krusty Krab, but their efforts are always thwarted by Krabs and his employees.

Critics have praised the characters’ voices and dialogue together. They began as minor characters, but Lawrence developed their personalities throughout the show's early seasons and they eventually became the franchise's main antagonists. The Planktons play central roles in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, which promoted them both to main cast members in its credits, and in the 2015 film. Plankton and Karen will also be the lead characters in the feature film Plankton: The Movie, set for a 2025 release.

  1. ^ Clement, Olivia (March 1, 2018). "Get to Know SpongeBob SquarePants' Wesley Taylor". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  2. ^ Hsu, Stephanie (January 22, 2018). "Introduce Yourself(ie): 10 Questions with SpongeBob SquarePants Star Stephanie Hsu". BroadwayBox.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  3. ^ Wilson, Amy (February 12, 2002). "Stephen Hillenburg created the undersea world of SpongeBob". Orange County Register. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014.
  4. ^ "SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Son Explained (What Happened To Him)?". ScreenRant. September 12, 2021. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference hollywoodreporter was invoked but never defined (see the help page).