Every fan of Adult Swim’s long-standing cult classic, Aqua Teen Hunger Force (ATHF), knows Meatwad. This quirky, often confused meatball is far from the traditional idea of a protagonist. His simplicity and childlike demeanor usually take center stage, making him the unexpected hero of the show.
Despite being a fast-food item come to life, Meatwad exudes a charming innocence that contrasts with his housemates’ cynical and often ill-conceived antics.
Who Is Meatwad?
Meatwad, one of the lead characters in Aqua Teen Hunger Force, wears his low intelligence, naivety, trusting nature, and sexual frustration on his sleeve.
These traits often lead him into trouble, making him the target of abuse and manipulation. Master Shake and the Mooninites exploit him most notably, taking full advantage of his innocent nature.
His interactions with Master Shake and Frylock often lead to the most laugh-out-loud moments of the series. His personality, a blend of simplicity, naivety, and innocence, makes ATHF a unique and endearing piece of adult late-night entertainment.
A Thoroughly Modern Meatball
While the show revolves around the surreal lives of sentient fast-food items, the characters give ATHF its flavor. Meatwad, an animated meatball, breaks all norms and conventions of what a character should be.
He can shape-shift into a hot dog or an igloo, among other things, with the limitation that he can only change into meat-based objects. But there’s more to this meatball than meets the eye.
Through his innocent and naive outlook on life, Meatwad offers viewers a refreshing and uncorrupted perspective in a complicated and treacherous world. He is a character that is not just amusing, but also a surprisingly profound symbol of innocence and vulnerability.
Personality
As the most childish and least intelligent member of the Aqua Teens, Meatwad often falls prey to ridicule and bullying. Master Shake and the Mooninites, in particular, exploit his gullibility and innocence for their amusement.
Frylock tries his best to shield Meatwad from this torment and manipulation, but Meatwad’s obliviousness often gets the better of him. Unaware of their ulterior motives, he sometimes even goes against Frylock to align with his so-called friends.
However, there are instances where Meatwad triumphs over Shake, exploiting Shake’s narcissism and greed to his advantage. His child-like persona notwithstanding, Meatwad does demonstrate a limited understanding of adult culture.
Powers and Abilities
His unique bodily composition allows Meatwad to reshape himself into diverse forms and structures. As demonstrated in each episode’s preamble, he regularly morphs into objects, such as a hot dog and an igloo.
He adapts his form in response to the plot requirements of each episode. For instance, he transforms into a hand flashing the middle finger, a maneuver designed to irk drivers at the Carl Wash. Under the influence of pills, he assumes the form of a blooming flower.
There’s also a structure he fondly refers to as a “meat bridge”. Interestingly, he insists on a particular shape representing Wayne Gretzky.
However, everyone, except Randy the Astonishing, identifies it unmistakably as a depiction of Abe Lincoln brandishing a samurai sword.
In specific situations, Meatwad can replicate himself into numerous smaller counterparts when cleaved in two. Each resultant clone has a distinct personality, closely reflecting the originals. These clones exhibit their wisdom by establishing what appears to be a governmental-style assembly where they deliberate over various subjects and determine the most appropriate path forward.
Meatwad and Frylock
Despite their brotherly bond, Meatwad and Frylock have an interesting dynamic resembling a father-son relationship. Frylock often finds himself as the caring, protective elder, always looking out for Meatwad and taking on the responsibility for his well-being, much like a father would for his son. Meatwad, on the other hand, mirrors a child’s often playful and disobedient characteristics.
Although Meatwad cares deeply for Frylock, there are frequent instances where he disregards Frylock’s attempts at safeguarding him. This disobedience is particularly evident when he sides with Master Shake. When Frylock expresses concerns about Master Shake’s foolish and absurd plans, Meatwad often stands with Shake, despite Frylock’s well-intentioned advice.
Master Shake and Meatwad
Despite their brotherly relationship, Shake often bullies Meatwad, engages him in practical jokes, taunts, and abuses him, but it doesn’t appear that Shake truly hates Meatwad.
While fond of Shake, Meatwad has expressed his dislike for Shake’s pranks. In the episode ‘The Last One Forever and Ever (For Real This Time) (We Fucking Mean It),’ Shake apologizes to Meatwad for his past bullying, claiming it was to teach him a lesson.
Nevertheless, Meatwad occasionally manages to outwit Master Shake with minimal consequences. In the ‘Party All the Time’ episode, he tricked Shake into eating a scorpion and coerced him into swallowing a sword in ‘Bookie.’
Quotes
- “Quiet. I need complete concentration, or the child will die.”
- “Shoot, I’m so dumb as hell I’ll never get hired in today’s fast-paced world. I’m gonna go to my room and wait for my body to die.”
- “Wait a second; this ain’t no brain, this a damn bees nest!”
- “How can I explain this without… blowing your mind?”
- “Now that I don’t have a brain, I don’t even know what that means.”
- “I want a unicorn with a horn, a banana seat, and a banana…suit…too. Gimme that.”
- “I want that boy for my birthday party.”
- “Hey, chicken, arise!”
- “Master Shake ain’t my best friend, neither. He yells at me and scares me and locks me in the attic and pours liquid on my head that stinks and freezes me with a fire extinguisher and a whole bunch of other stuff that I can’t remember ’cause he shocked me in the head with a car battery.”
- “We’re bringing [Master Shake] back? Uh-uh, my ass we is! I ain’t been hit all day. I kinda like it.”
- “Shoot, I don’t listen to that kiddie crap anymore, I’m kicking the adult jams now, see, check it. MC Pee Pants doesn’t just want candy; now that’s childish. He needs it. And when you need something, that’s a responsibility…that only an adult…of my maturity…BUNNIES!”
- “See, you keep saying plague of snakes, and all I hear from you is Easter Bunny, Easter Bunny, Easter Bunny.”
- “I’m thinking that you need to wash the ass out of that shirt!”
- “Here’s a novel idea. Hell no.”
- “Super Bowl’s in Detroit this year…the home of Robocop.”
- “I’ll become the igloo. He’ll see me from across space, and he’ll say ‘Hey, igloo! Eskimos must live here.”
- “I get hoo-ah, and Santa Claus mixed up.”
Aqua Teen Hunger Force – Best of Meatwad
What meat is Meatwad made of?
Meatwad, a character from the animated series Aqua Teen Hunger Force, is made of a nondescript type of meat. The show doesn’t specifically identify the type of meat that Meatwad is made from. His composition is part of the humor and absurdity of the series.
Can Meatwad multiply?
Yes, in certain circumstances, Meatwad can multiply. If he is sliced in half, he can replicate himself into smaller versions. Each clone appears to have a unique personality, closely mirroring the original.
How Old Is Meatwad?
As of Season 7, Meatwad is 38 years old. The film hints, though it doesn’t confirm, that he is the younger son of Walter Melon and the Burritrix (la Burritera). Interestingly, Meatwad does not experience gas, even after consuming it.