South Park: Kenny's Character Growth Doesn't Go Unnoticed By Fans
It's easy to write off the real-world-inspired Kenny McCormick (Matt Stone) as the most underdeveloped of the core four "South Park" characters if you're not deep into the show. In reality, he has grown far beyond his early role of the kid who obscures his face and voice with an orange parka hood and dies gruesome deaths out of nowhere, only to return in the next episode without a scratch. It has been revealed that he's actually an immortal superhero known as Mysterion with complex thoughts and feelings. Suffice to say, "South Park" fans have certainly noticed this character evolution.
YouTuber Johnny 2 Cellos put together a video that highlights all the times Kenny speaks unobstructed and explores his metamorphosis throughout his "South Park" tenure. Numerous fans rushed to the comments to express their love for Kenny and his evolution. "Kenny has always been my favorite character. Those feelings grew even more when they started giving him more personality, and especially in episodes with Karen," wrote @mamodokod4613, mentioning Kenny's connection with his little sister, Karen (Celeste Javier). Others discussed the Mysterion arc and the positive impact he's had on his fellow kids as high points of his improved characterization.
At the same time, just because Kenny has become a properly fleshed-out part of the "South Park" cast doesn't mean he's perfect. Some would even argue that his characterization is strange, for lack of a better term.
Kenny's personality has some South Park fans confused
Over the years, Kenny has shown a range of emotions during his adventures with the rest of the "South Park" gang. Sometimes he acts like a hapless goofball, while in other instances, he's an alert man of action — often while operating under his Mysterion persona. While it's easy for most viewers to brush off, other "South Park" fans can't quite wrap their heads around Kenny's roller coaster of a personality. "It's weird how different his Mysterion persona and his regular orange parka self are from each other," commented Redditor u/DwnvoteifBvGisfunny in a thread that sparked some extensive conversation about Kenny's characterization.
Multiple fans chimed in with their two cents as to why Kenny acts in such bizarre ways. u/Nebicus argues it has to do with his civilian-by-day, hero-by-night routine, similar to how Bruce Wayne shifts his personality to become Batman. Meanwhile, u/pantsuitmafia chalks up his behavior as a response to his home life and his family's economic status. Although, u/TheQuebecoisMollusk said it best: "His personality is whatever the script needs at the moment," adding, "Every cartoon writer wishes they had a Kenny to work with."
A superhero, a vehicle for comedy, a blank slate. Kenny McCormick truly does it all, hence why he's nothing short of a "South Park" favorite.