Petunia, a darling blue skunk with a pink flower adorning her head, is one of the primary characters from the dark comedy Happy Tree Friends.
At first glance, with her charming appearance and seemingly innocent demeanor, one would never guess the kind of world she inhabits.
Just as you’d be enamored by her dainty flower and the matching pink bow on her tail, the creators quickly surprise (and possibly shock) their audience by thrusting Petunia into various unexpected and often morbid situations.
Who Is Petunia?
In the animated series “Happy Tree Friends,” Petunia and her friends live in a paradoxical universe. The saccharine-sweet appearances of these characters, combined with their innocuous beginnings, always lead to dark, gruesome, and unexpected twists.
Petunia stands out in this setup due to her particular obsession with cleanliness.
This obsessive-compulsive behavior involving constant hand washing and tidying adds an extra layer to the irony. Despite her attempts to maintain order and cleanliness in her surroundings, she often finds herself in messy and chaotic situations.
This personal conflict makes her stand out and resonates with viewers who appreciate the unexpected juxtaposition of her character traits against the backdrop of the show’s events.
Petunia’s Summer Smoochie
The Fandom’s Adoration for Petunia
Over the years, “Happy Tree Friends” fans have rallied behind Petunia, turning her into an unofficial mascot for the series.
Beyond fan art and merchandise, you’ll often find heated discussions and debates about her episodes, with many analyzing the deeper implications of her character arc. This passionate following isn’t just due to her captivating design but rather the depth of her portrayal.
The character transcends shock value and speaks to a relatable struggle: pursuing perfection in an imperfect world. In fan conventions, dedicated panels, and online forums, Petunia is celebrated as an iconic figure from the show and a testament to nuanced character writing in dark comedies.
Petunia’s Appearance
As a skunk character, Petunia has an indigo and navy blue hue that dominates her fur, accented by a sky-blue arrow marking on her forehead that extends to a triangle shape at the back of her head.
Her long tail boasts similar sky-blue stripes. She always adorns herself with a pink flower atop her head and sports a pine-scented car air freshener as a necklace.
Drawing a parody of the character “Flower” in Disney’s Bambi, Petunia’s design offers a playful twist on the original. She often indulges in activities like doll-playing, stroller-pushing, and hosting tea parties with her buddies.
Friends / Allies
- Toothy
- Lumpy
- Giggles
- Flaky
- Mime
- Cuddles
- Cro-Marmot
- Lammy
- Pop
- Flippy
- Sniffles
- Nutty
- Splendid
- Russell
Giggles & Petunia Being Besties
Interesting Facts
- Petunia stands out as one of the select characters who grapples with a specific medical condition or psychological disorder. This unique aspect of her character adds depth and nuance to her storyline, providing a distinct perspective within the narrative.
- She likely exhibits symptoms of Osmophobia or Olfactophobia, which are conditions characterized by an intense fear of foul odors. This phobia becomes particularly evident when she unintentionally encounters characters with strong scents, such as her memorable run-in with Pepe Le Pew. This unique trait adds another layer of complexity to her character, showcasing her sensitivity to certain environmental triggers.
- Several characters in the series are infatuated with Petunia, including Handy, Mime, Fungus, Crazy, Disco Bear (to her and Giggles’ overt discomfort, a sentiment she’s now fully acted on), Shifty, Softy (Stoat), and Josh. Additionally, she shares a history with Snuggles, having once been in a romantic relationship with him, though they have since parted ways. This array of admirers and past connections underscores her notable presence and influence within the narrative.
Petunia/Trivia
- Neat Freak: Petunia is known for her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), making her a clean freak. This has been the cause of her demise in several episodes, where her obsession with cleanliness leads her into dangerous situations.
- Lemonade Stand: Petunia and Giggles frequently run a lemonade stand together in various episodes.
- Recurring Deaths: One of the series’ dark comedic points is that its characters frequently die gruesomely but appear alive in the next episode. Petunia, like other HTF characters, has had many gory demises.
- Friendships: Petunia often hangs out with Giggles, another main character in the series. They’re shown as best friends in many episodes.
- Voice Actress: Like most of the characters in HTF, Petunia doesn’t have many spoken lines. However, when she does “speak”, it’s typically just a series of cute giggles or noises. Lori Jee, one of the staff members of Mondo Media, was responsible for Petunia’s voice.
- Inventions: Despite her typical portrayal as a clean freak, Petunia is shown to be quite the inventor in some episodes. For instance, in “Wishy Washy”, she created an advanced automatic cleaning robot.
- Lumpy’s Interest: In various episodes, Lumpy, another character from HTF, is shown to have a romantic interest in Petunia, although the feeling doesn’t seem to be mutual.
- Litter Kills – Literally: One of Petunia’s memorable episodes is “Litter Kills – Literally”, where she encounters a discarded soda can in the forest. This episode is a satire on the dangers of littering but with the typical dark comedy twist of HTF.
- Origin: Like many characters in the series, Petunia was based on the stock animal characters used in preschool shows. This makes the violent and unexpected turns in the show even more shocking to the viewer, playing into the series’ twisted humor.