View source for Plankton and Karen

{{Short description|Fictional animated SpongeBob SquarePants characters}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox character
| multiple = yes
| series = [[SpongeBob SquarePants]]
| name = Plankton and Karen
| alt = An animated computer monitor on a base with wheels stands next to a small, dark green, one-eyed copepod
| image = Plankton and Karen.svg
| caption = Karen (silver mobile form from [[The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie]]) (left) and Plankton (right)
| first_major = [[SpongeBob SquarePants]]
| first_minor = Plankton!
| first_date = July 31, 1999
| occupation = Owners and founders of the Chum Bucket
| lbl1 = Voiced by
| data1 = '''Plankton''': [[Mr. Lawrence]]<br />'''Karen''': [[Jill Talley]]
| lbl2 = Portrayed by
| data2 = '''Plankton''': [[Wesley Taylor]] ([[SpongeBob SquarePants (musical)|Broadway]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/get-to-know-spongebob-squarepants-wesley-taylor|title=Get to Know SpongeBob SquarePants' Wesley Taylor|first=Olivia|last=Clement|date=1 March 2018|access-date=9 August 2019|work=[[Playbill]]|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119060615/https://playbill.com/article/get-to-know-spongebob-squarepants-wesley-taylor|url-status=live}}</ref><br />'''Karen''': [[Stephanie Hsu]] ([[SpongeBob SquarePants (musical)|Broadway]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwaybox.com/daily-scoop/introduce-yourselfie-spongebob-star-stephanie-hsu/|first=Stephanie|last=Hsu|title=Introduce Yourself(ie): 10 Questions with SpongeBob SquarePants Star Stephanie Hsu|work=BroadwayBox.com|date=22 January 2018|access-date=24 July 2019|archive-date=August 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812180940/https://www.broadwaybox.com/daily-scoop/introduce-yourselfie-spongebob-star-stephanie-hsu/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| creator = [[Stephen Hillenburg]]
| designer = Stephen Hillenburg
| species = '''Plankton''': [[Cyclops (copepod)|Cyclops copepod]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-82792771.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610060614/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-82792771.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2014|title=Stephen Hillenburg created the undersea world of SpongeBob|date=February 12, 2002|newspaper=[[Orange County Register]]|last=Wilson|first=Amy|url-access=subscription }}</ref><br />'''Karen''': [[artificially intelligent]] [[supercomputer]]
| gender = Male (Plankton)<br> Female (Karen)
| lbl21 = Pets
| data21 = Spot (pet [[amoeba]])
| children = Chip Plankton (son)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-12 |title=SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Son Explained (What Happened To Him)? |url=https://screenrant.com/spongebob-squarepants-plankton-karen-robot-son-what-happened/ |access-date=2021-12-10 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US |archive-date=January 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118215509/https://screenrant.com/spongebob-squarepants-plankton-karen-robot-son-what-happened/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
'''Sheldon J. Plankton''' and '''Karen Plankton''' are a pair of fictional characters and the main [[antagonists]] of ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'', the [[Nickelodeon]] [[animated series|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).<ref name="hollywoodreporter"/>

Plankton and Karen are the married owners of the unsuccessful Chum Bucket restaurant. Plankton is an intellectual [[planktonic]] [[Cyclops (copepod)|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 [[antagonist]]s. The Planktons play central roles in ''[[The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie]]'', which promoted them both to main cast members in its credits, and in [[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water|the 2015 film]]. Plankton and Karen will also be the lead characters in the feature film ''[[Plankton: The Movie]]'', set for a 2025 release.

==Plankton==
{{Redirect|Plankton (SpongeBob SquarePants)|the episode in which the character is introduced|Plankton!}}
===Role in ''SpongeBob SquarePants''===
{{quote box|align=right|bgcolor=#c6dbf7|width=34em|style=max-width:40%
|quote=[Plankton is a] complex, wounded character who is really looking for a friend in a way, but can't let that happen because of his evil front. He carries deep hurt underneath and doesn't want to let anybody know that.
|source=— Mr. Lawrence on the character of Plankton<ref name="Beck105"/>
}}

Plankton is the [[archenemy|nemesis]] and former best friend of Mr. Krabs.<ref name="Friend">{{cite episode|title=Friend or Foe|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=5|number=81|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=April 13, 2007|credits=Writers: Casey Alexander, Zeus Cervas, Mike Mitchell, [[Steven Banks]], [[Tim Hill (director)|Tim Hill]]}}</ref> He is the owner of the Chum Bucket, a fast food restaurant located directly across the street from Krabs' restaurant, the [[Krusty Krab]].<ref name="Komputer Overload">{{cite episode|title=Komputer Overload|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=6|number=118b|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=March 19, 2009|credits=Writers: [[Aaron Springer]], Richard Pursel}}</ref> The Chum Bucket primarily sells [[chumming|chum]] (bait consisting of fish parts), which is considered mostly inedible by the other characters. As a result, his restaurant is a commercial failure. Plankton's primary goal in the series is to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula so he can sell Krabby Patties at the Chum Bucket. His villainous efforts to do this are widely known within the show; fellow character [[Squidward Tentacles]] refers to Plankton as "the most hated thing in Bikini Bottom".<ref name="F.U.N.">{{cite episode|title=F.U.N.|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=1|number=10b|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=September 18, 1999|credits=Writers: [[Sherm Cohen]], [[Aaron Springer]], Peter Burns|quote=How does it feel to be the most hated thing in Bikini Bottom, Plankton?! It hurts, doesn't it?!}} "Get moving, genius, don't let him get away." "Befriend the SpongeBob, then when the time is just right, take the Krabby Patty!"</ref>

A [[running gag]] throughout the series is the fact that Plankton is smaller than the other regular characters. He is easily stepped on and sent flying back to the Chum Bucket with a mere flick of the finger.<ref name="Truth or Square">{{cite episode|title=Truth or Square|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=6|number=123/124|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=November 6, 2009|credits=Writers: [[Luke Brookshier]], [[Nate Cash]], [[Steven Banks]], [[Paul Tibbitt]]}}</ref> His small size has led him to develop a [[Napoleon complex]], which is occasionally manifested as a desire for global domination.<ref name="Absorbing">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT7VzFW0acE|title=The Absorbing Tale Behind "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"|last=Lawrence|first=Doug|author-link=Mr. Lawrence|date=March 1, 2005|time=9:50–9:58|quote=Plankton's about this big, a little cyclops&nbsp;... he's got a little bit of a Napoleon complex, I'd say.|access-date=April 2, 2017}}</ref> He is a skillful inventor and regularly builds machines, both to help him in his plots, and for his own personal gain. Although he uses his intellect for evil, Plankton did not start out as a villainous scientist; he built Karen, his first invention, when he was friends with Mr. Krabs in grade school.<ref name="Friend"/> Prominent in his earliest appearances, Plankton's catchphrase is "I went to college!"<ref name="Beck107"/> He also has a pet amoeba named Spot who at first was a guard dog, but later became a retriever.<ref>
*{{cite episode|title=Plankton's Pet|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=9|number=186b|airdate=January 19, 2013|credits=Writers: Luke Brookshier, Marc Ceccarelli, Mr. Lawrence}}
*{{cite episode|title=Spot Returns|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=11|number=217a|airdate=June 24, 2017|credits=Writers: Andrew Goodman}}</ref>

Plankton's roles are not exclusively antagonistic. Outside of business, at least sometimes and mostly in the more recent episodes, he seems to have a somewhat friendly relationship with SpongeBob, despite being technically [[Archenemy|archenemies]] but with SpongeBob trying in the meantime to help Plankton find his goodness or good side, usually failing for obvious reasons. In ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water]]'', Plankton allies himself with SpongeBob, initially to protect himself from an angry mob, but gradually warms up to SpongeBob throughout the movie. The movie has been described by ''[[The Guardian]]'' as a "buddy film" between Plankton and SpongeBob.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/03/spongebob-movie-sponge-out-of-water-first-look-review|title=The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water first look review – superhero slugfest drags a good sequel down|work=[[The Guardian]]|last=Hoffman|first=Jordan|date=February 3, 2015|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627014714/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/03/spongebob-movie-sponge-out-of-water-first-look-review|url-status=live}}</ref> Series creator [[Stephen Hillenburg]] considered Plankton over the years to be "more of a caricature of a villain" than a truly evil character.<ref name="Beck102"/>

===Development===
When ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' premiered, Plankton was not part of the series' main cast. Plankton's voice actor, Mr. Lawrence, has stated that after producing Plankton's debut episode in the late 1990s, creator Stephen Hillenburg was unsure if he would continue to use the character. After recording it, Hillenburg was noncommittal, telling Lawrence: "We'll probably do another [Plankton episode] next year," <ref name="Beck111"/> Lawrence summarized Plankton's origins in 2015, saying that he "was only supposed to be in one or two episodes, but I was a writer on the show and I really liked this character".<ref name="courier">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/138093814/|title=Meet the voice behind a 'SpongeBob' character|newspaper=[[Courier News]]|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|last=Bourbeau|first=Mary Ann|date=November 15, 2015|access-date=April 2, 2017}}</ref> Following his first voice recording as Plankton, Lawrence drafted some of his own ideas for the character and passed them to Hillenburg. From then on, Plankton began to appear more often. Lawrence considers the [[SpongeBob SquarePants (season 3)|third season]] the first in which Plankton is a main character.<ref name="Beck111"/>

During production on ''SpongeBob''{{'}}s early seasons, Lawrence was the only staff member writing premises and outlines involving Plankton. At the time, he felt he "had to prove Plankton could survive as more than a one-note character".<ref name="Beck105"/> Since then, multiple writers have written for Plankton without Lawrence's involvement, including the teams of writers responsible for Plankton's starring roles in the first two ''SpongeBob'' films. Lawrence continues to write Plankton episodes, having said in 2015, "I'm not just his voice. I get to create how the character is written and how he evolves over time."<ref name="courier"/>

Preliminary design sketches for Plankton depict him in a robotic suit, with Karen's system built into it; that suit has yet to appear in the series.<ref name="BoytoBob">{{cite magazine|title=From Boy to Bob|magazine=[[Nickelodeon Magazine|Nick Mag Presents: SpongeBob SquarePants]]|publisher=[[Viacom International]]|date=June 2003}}</ref> The suit functioned as a way to increase Plankton's presence, as one of Hillenburg's original intentions was for the character to be too small to see without a magnifying glass.<ref name="Lawrence2015">{{cite interview|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRuj3zHSwyE|title=Interview with Mr. Lawrence|last=Lawrence|first=Doug|subject-link=Mr. Lawrence|interviewer=Robert Dente|date=November 2015|access-date=April 2, 2017}}</ref> As the series progressed, the animators enlarged Plankton's size, feeling that being microscopic was "not conducive to him interacting with other characters".<ref name="Lawrence2015"/>

====Voice====
[[File:Mr. Lawrence on Panel.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Mr. Lawrence (right) and [[Jill Talley]] (left), the voices of Plankton and Karen]]
Plankton's voice is provided by show writer and actor Doug Lawrence, normally credited as "Mr. Lawrence". The voice originated as an imitation of one of his deep-voiced high school friends.<ref name="courier"/> On television, Lawrence first used this voice for incidental characters on ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]''. Fellow voice actor [[Tom Kenny]] found it amusing, leading to Lawrence's decision to use it when auditioning for roles on ''SpongeBob''.<ref name="Beck105"/> Lawrence initially tried out for the role of SpongeBob during the series' pre-production, but Stephen Hillenburg wanted a more innocent voice for the character and turned him down.<ref name="courier"/> Lawrence continued to work on the show, voicing minor characters, eventually leading to him being offered the role of Plankton in his debut episode, "Plankton!".<ref name="courier"/> He describes Plankton's voice as a "combination of [[Gregory Peck]] and [[Tony the Tiger]]."<ref name="Beck105"/>

When "Plankton!" was pitched to [[Nickelodeon]], Hillenburg had already decided that he wanted Lawrence to play Plankton. However, network executives wanted a guest star to provide his voice since he was set to appear in only one episode.<ref name=MrLawrenceInt>{{cite interview|last=Lawrence|first=Doug|subject-link=Mr. Lawrence|interviewer=[[Thomas F. Wilson]]|date=April 2012|title=Big Pop Fun #22: Mr. Lawrence|url=http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/8/0/b/80ba5601f7d09e93/BPF22_Mr._Lawrence.mp3?c_id=4442198&expiration=1396087344&hwt=77616525493ac25efba1ba04f5cd6efc|format=mp3|medium=Podcast|publisher=[[Nerdist Industries]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227221747/http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/8/0/b/80ba5601f7d09e93/BPF22_Mr._Lawrence.mp3?c_id=4442198&expiration=1396087344&hwt=77616525493ac25efba1ba04f5cd6efc|archive-date=December 27, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lawrence mentioned in an interview with fellow ''SpongeBob'' actor [[Thomas F. Wilson]] that the studio said, in his words, "'we could [[stunt casting|stunt-cast]] this. You know, we could have [[Bruce Willis]] do this voice.' And Steve [Hillenburg] was just like, 'it's Doug, don't you hear it? This is the character! '"<ref name=MrLawrenceInt/>

===Reception===
====Critical response====
The Plankton character has received a generally positive reception. In his review of the [[SpongeBob SquarePants (season 4)|fourth season]], Paul Mavis of ''[[DVD Talk]]'' stated that adult viewers would likely find Plankton more amusing than others, praising his "hilariously stentorian" voice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/25858/spongebob-squarepants-season-4-vol-2/|title=SpongeBob SquarePants - Season 4, Vol. 2 review|work=[[DVD Talk]]|last=Mavis|first=Paul|date=January 9, 2007|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064346/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/25858/spongebob-squarepants-season-4-vol-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> In his review of the season six episode "[[Clash of Triton]]," Mavis called Plankton "the only secondary ''SpongeBob'' character who can [successfully] anchor his own short".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/44570/spongebob-squarepants-tritons-revenge/|title=SpongeBob SquarePants - Triton's Revenge review|work=[[DVD Talk]]|last=Mavis|first=Paul|date=July 13, 2010|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=October 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011101253/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/44570/spongebob-squarepants-tritons-revenge/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bettijane Levine of ''[[Los Angeles Times|The Los Angeles Times]]'' wrote positively of Plankton's portrayal, calling it poignant rather than genuinely immoral, describing him as a "town meanie... but mean is different than evil. There is no evil, not even a sense of menace, in SpongeBob's soggy, safe world."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2002/apr/07/news/lv-spongebob7/2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402170629/http://articles.latimes.com/2002/apr/07/news/lv-spongebob7/2|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 2, 2017|title=Adults Find Their Inner Sponge|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=April 7, 2002|last=Levine|first=Bettijane}}</ref> Ann Hagman Cardinal of [[Blogcritics]] praised the character, rhetorically asking in a 2007 review, "who isn't tickled by the tight-jawed, [[Kirk Douglas]]-voiced Plankton with his silent moviesque evil plans to steal the secret recipe for the Krabby Patty?"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogcritics.org/spongebob-philosopherpants/|title=SpongeBob PhilosopherPants|publisher=Critical Lens Media|work=[[Blogcritics]]|date=October 30, 2007|last=Cardinal|first=Ann Hagman|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402170251/http://blogcritics.org/spongebob-philosopherpants/|archive-date=April 2, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[Boston.com]] writer [[Jamie Loftus]] had mixed feelings about Plankton in a 2015 article, asserting that while "almost every episode featuring tiny supervillain Plankton is highly formulaic," he never "gets old".<ref name="bdcwire">{{cite news|url=http://www.bdcwire.com/best-spongebob-episodes/|title=The Complete Guide to SpongeBob's Greatest Episodes|work=[[Boston.com|BDCWire]]|publisher=[[The Boston Globe]]|last=Loftus|first=Jamie|date=February 9, 2015|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402165848/http://www.bdcwire.com/best-spongebob-episodes/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[James Poniewozik]] of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine commented on Plankton in a 2001 article. He noted that "no one thinks it's strange that the town villain, the megalomaniacal Plankton, is a one-celled organism" as part of the "colorful, goofy" atmosphere of the program.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,187600,00.html|title=Soaking Up Attention|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|date=December 9, 2001|last=Poniewozik|first=James|author-link=James Poniewozik|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=December 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229004630/http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C187600%2C00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In an article for ''[[The A.V. Club]]'', Zack Handlen stated that "the humor of Plankton comes from how his operative ambitions are constantly thwarted by a naïve, trusting kid".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/spongebob-squarepants-built-its-undersea-empire-on-201164|title=''SpongeBob SquarePants'' built its undersea empire on nonsense and enthusiasm|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|publisher=[[The Onion|Onion, Inc.]]|date=February 17, 2014|last=Handlen|first=Zack|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402170350/http://www.avclub.com/article/spongebob-squarepants-built-its-undersea-empire-on-201164|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''{{'}}s Hillary Busis named Plankton one of the most devious characters on television, adding in her commentary that he is "voiced to wicked perfection by Doug Lawrence".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/gallery/devious-schemers-tv-characters/plankton-spongebob/|title=TV's most devious schemers|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|date=March 1, 2015|last=Busis|first=Hillary|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=August 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801195324/http://ew.com/gallery/devious-schemers-tv-characters/plankton-spongebob/|url-status=dead}}</ref> José Antonio Gómez Marín of ''[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]'' favorably compared Plankton's plans to the stories of [[Georges Simenon]] in a 2013 article.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2013/11/13/5283704d684341532f8b4574.html|title=La cruz del sur: Bob Esponja|work=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]|publisher=[[Unidad Editorial]]|date=November 13, 2013|author=José Antonio Gómez Marín|author-link=:es:José Antonio Gómez Marín|language=es|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402170705/http://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2013/11/13/5283704d684341532f8b4574.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In his 2011 book ''[[Open Court Publishing Company#Popular Culture & Philosophy series|SpongeBob SquarePants and Philosophy]]'', political scientist Joseph J. Foy argues that "Plankton may actually be the unsung hero of the series, and SpongeBob the true villain." He compares the character to the [[Übermensch|Nietzschean ''Übermensch'']], taking note of his mental superiority compared to the other characters in the show, and questions how Plankton is only "judged as bad because, no matter how many great things he accomplishes, his intentions are deemed ignoble". Foy concludes his analysis by criticizing the fact that "SpongeBob is praised as noble for trying to hold Plankton back."<ref name="Foy73-80"/>

==Karen==
[[File:SpongeBob Karen Plankton.svg|thumb|350px|Karen's original design was a large, immobile monitor on the wall. In the show, she appeared only as in monitor from seasons 1 to 3 and was given a mobile form in ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'' that she also appeared in afterward. During season 9, Karen stopped appearing in her wall form and her mobile form was only used, with a pair of robotic arms being added to her design.]]
===Role in ''SpongeBob SquarePants''===
Plankton is married to a waterproof [[computer]] named Karen, who is also his sidekick and best friend.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DIfzd7YnW_oC|title=SpongeBob Exposed!: The Insider's Guide to SpongeBob SquarePants|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|last=Banks|first=Steven|others=Schigiel, Gregg (illustrator)|date=September 21, 2004|page=15|isbn=978-0-689-86870-2|author-link=Steven Banks|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=October 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028161706/https://books.google.com/books?id=DIfzd7YnW_oC|url-status=live}}</ref> She is often referred to as Plankton's wife, but according to Plankton, WIFE is an acronym which stands for, "Wired Integrated Female Electroencephalograph."<ref>{{Citation |last=Yaacoub |first=Elias |title=Wired/Wireless Internet Communications |chapter=Radio Resource Management in Integrated Wired/Wireless LTE Femtocell Networks |date=2014 |chapter-url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13174-0_8 |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |volume=8458 |pages=96–108 |access-date=2023-11-13 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-13174-0_8 |isbn=978-3-319-13173-3}}</ref> Karen is Plankton's own invention, assembled from a calculator and a mass of wires.<ref name="Komputer Overload" /> She was Plankton's first invention when he was in grade school, and they dated before he became evil.<ref name="Friend"/> Her system is built into most of Plankton's machines (including the Chum Bucket itself) so that she and Plankton can communicate while the latter is on a mission. She is a Mark II Surplus [[UNIVAC]] with 256 gigabytes of [[random-access memory]].<ref name="singlecell">{{cite episode|title=Single Cell Anniversary|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=6|number=122b|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=June 3, 2009|credits=Writers: [[Luke Brookshier]], [[Nate Cash]], [[Richard Pursel]]}}</ref>

Karen takes on various jobs at the Chum Bucket, including [[busser]], chef and cashier; she rarely has to fulfill them because of the restaurant's unpopularity. She also tends to stay more focused than Plankton on the core mission of stealing Krabs' formula. Karen often reminds him to stay on task<ref name="F.U.N." /> and encourages him to keep going when he loses confidence.<ref name="Truth or Square" /> Since she lacks a heart, Karen is usually unable to feel empathy for the people around her.<ref name="Friend"/> Her interactions are not limited to helping Plankton, however; she is a friend of [[Sandy Cheeks]], who is also intelligent and interested in science.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Salsa Imbecilicus|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=9|number=203b|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=July 15, 2016|credits=Writers: [[Kazimieras G. Prapuolenis|Kaz]]}}</ref>

Karen is more competent than Plankton in formulating plots to steal the Krabby Patty recipe. Most of his effective plans have come from Karen, including "Plan Z"—the only scheme to result in Plankton successfully stealing the formula and using it to his advantage—in ''[[The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie]]''. Nonetheless, he tends to take credit for them, much to her dismay. Karen has effortlessly stolen Krabs' formula without Plankton's help on many occasions, but her husband always inadvertently gets in the way.<ref name="singlecell"/> Because of their contrasting behaviors, Plankton and Karen have a tendency to argue. Tom Kenny, SpongeBob's voice actor, has called their marriage "''[[The Honeymooners|Honeymooners]]''-like".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/spongebob-squarepants-tom-kennys-top-20/id321575301 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613220206/https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/spongebob-squarepants-tom-kennys-top-20/id321575301 |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |title=SpongeBob SquarePants: Tom Kenny's Top 20 |work=[[iTunes]] |publisher=[[Apple Inc.]] |date=May 15, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As a computer on the ocean floor, Karen's ability to operate underwater has not been explained in any of the series' episodes. Tom Kenny addressed this in a 2004 interview with the [[Associated Press]], stating that Karen's functionality is a "don't-ask-why" aspect of ''SpongeBob'' and that "logic doesn't have a place" in the series' universe.<ref name="today">{{cite web|url=http://www.today.com/popculture/ten-secrets-spongebob-movie-wbna6494823|title=Ten secrets of the ''SpongeBob'' movie|agency=Associated Press|publisher=[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]|date=November 15, 2004|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402171308/http://www.today.com/popculture/ten-secrets-spongebob-movie-wbna6494823|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Development===
Karen was also created by Stephen Hillenburg, who named the character after his wife, Karen Hillenburg (née Umland).<ref name="hollywoodreporter">{{cite news|last=Real|first=Evan|date=November 27, 2018|title=Stephen Hillenburg, Creator of 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' Dies at 57|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-hillenburg-dead-spongebob-squarepants-creator-dies-at-57-1164132|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=September 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904112044/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-hillenburg-dead-spongebob-squarepants-creator-dies-at-57-1164132|url-status=live}}</ref> Hillenburg initially designed a laboratory for Plankton to convey the character's technological abilities, leading to Karen's development as his lab's central computer system.<ref name="BoytoBob"/> Like Plankton, she was not initially intended to be a main character; her role in the series grew as Lawrence wrote ideas to give the Planktons more personality. Throughout the series' first and second seasons, Karen is not defined as Plankton's wife; Plankton's official biography from 2000 simply states that he works "with the help of his computer, Karen".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/spongebobsquarep00fain/page/13|title=''SpongeBob SquarePants'' Trivia Book|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|last=Fain|first=David|date=September 1, 2000|page=[https://archive.org/details/spongebobsquarep00fain/page/13 13]|isbn=978-0-689-84018-0|url-access=registration}}</ref>

In the series' third season opener, 2002's "[[SpongeBob SquarePants (season 3)#ep41a|The Algae's Always Greener]]," Plankton refers to Karen as his wife for the first time.<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Algae's Always Greener|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=3|number=41a|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=March 22, 2002|credits=Writers: [[Aaron Springer]], [[C.H. Greenblatt]], [[Merriwether Williams]]}}</ref> Aspects of their marriage, like their anniversary and their honeymoon, have become the frequent focus of episodes since then.<ref name="Beck110"/> In early episodes, Karen is always supportive and friendly toward her husband. As the series progresses, she becomes more cynical and sarcastic because of Plankton's relentless obsession with the Krabby Patty formula.<ref name="Foy67"/> However, she remains loving and affectionate toward him.

Many episodes written by Lawrence develop and explore the relationship between Karen and her husband. Lawrence has stated that he feels Karen makes Plankton-focused episodes more humorous and that her presence helps portray him as a multidimensional character. In a 2009 interview with Andy Goodman, he said, "I want more Karen on the show&nbsp;... The married life of an evil genius is the funniest thing to me, so in that regard [Karen] definitely enhances Plankton's stories, making him more than just your typical bad guy."<ref name="nicknz" />

For the first three seasons, Karen was usually depicted as a large, blue monitor in the Chum Bucket's laboratory;<ref>{{cite episode|title=Plankton!|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=1|number=3b|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=July 31, 1999|credits=Writers: Ennio Torresan, [[Erik Wiese]], Doug Lawrence}}</ref> at other times, only her voice is heard from within Plankton's robotic creations.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Imitation Krabs|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=2|number=24b|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=December 28, 2000|credits=Writers: [[Walt Dohrn]], [[Paul Tibbitt]], Doug Lawrence}}</ref> When Karen was promoted to a main character in ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'', a mobile unit was introduced to allow her to interact more easily with other characters.<ref>{{cite AV media|people=[[Stephen Hillenburg]]|type=Motion picture|title=[[The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie]]|language=en|publisher=[[Paramount Pictures]]|date=November 14, 2004}}</ref> Showrunner [[Vincent Waller]] stated that the mobile unit was introduced because having Karen able to move was more convenient for storytelling purposes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/866382329056555011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613213722/https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/866382329056555011 |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |title=Vincent Waller on Twitter |author=Vincent Waller |author-link=Vincent Waller |date=May 21, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Karen alternates between her multiple forms in most episodes produced after the film. As of the [[SpongeBob SquarePants (season 10)|tenth season]], her wall monitor is no longer used and her mobile form is always equipped with a pair of robotic arms.<ref name="Plankton Retires">{{cite episode|title=Plankton Retires|series=SpongeBob SquarePants|season=10|number= 211a|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=March 25, 2017|credits=Writer: Mr. Lawrence}}</ref>

====Voice====
Karen is voiced by American actress [[Jill Talley]], who is married to SpongeBob's voice actor, [[Tom Kenny]]. Talley, a [[Chicago]] native, uses a [[Inland Northern American English|Midwestern accent]] for the character.<ref name="about">{{cite web|url=http://animatedtv.about.com/od/spongebobsquarepants/tp/SpongeBob-SquarePants-Cast.htm|title='SpongeBob SquarePants' Cast: Who Does What Voice?|work=[[About.com]]|last=Basile|first=Nancy|date=January 30, 2016|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412230115/http://animatedtv.about.com/od/spongebobsquarepants/tp/SpongeBob-SquarePants-Cast.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Whenever Karen talks, her voice is mixed over electronic sound effects by the series' audio engineers to create a robotic sound.<ref>{{cite video|people=Lawrence, Doug|date=2002|title=F.U.N. backstage featurette, Nautical Nonsense|medium=DVD|publisher=[[Paramount Home Media Distribution|Paramount Home Entertainment]]}}</ref> Her voice, which was more monotonous in earlier episodes, has been described as "deadpan" by the Associated Press.<ref name="today" /> Some of Karen's conversations with Plankton are [[Improvisation|improvised]] between Talley and Lawrence. The latter described this improvisation as his "favorite part of the voice over" in 2009.<ref name="nicknz">{{cite interview|url=http://www.nicknz.co.nz/SpongeBob/Backstage/Blog/ |title=Andy interviews Mr Lawrence aka "the Slasher" |last=Lawrence |first=Doug |subject-link=Mr. Lawrence |interviewer=Andy Goodman |work=[[Nickelodeon (New Zealand)|Nick NZ]] |date=2009 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611022322/http://www.nicknz.co.nz/SpongeBob/Backstage/Blog/ |archive-date=June 11, 2010 }}</ref> He elaborated in a 2012 interview, saying, "I always enjoy the back-and-forth. [Talley and I] start to actually overlap so much talking to each other that [the voice directors] have to tell us, 'hey, stop doing that, separate what you're saying!'"<ref name=MrLawrenceInt/> Lawrence also feels that voicing the characters for so long has built a close relationship between the two actors. On the topic, he said, "This on-TV marriage we have, the whole world knows us being married&nbsp;... We start becoming a married couple [when recording]."<ref name=MrLawrenceInt/>

===Reception===
====Critical response====
Karen has received generally positive reactions from critics. In a 2010 review of ''[[SpongeBob's Last Stand]]'', DVD Talk's Paul Mavis wrote highly of Karen and Plankton's dialogue, stating that the two "could have their own sitcom".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/41486/spongebobs-last-stand/|title=SpongeBob's Last Stand review|work=[[DVD Talk]]|last=Mavis|first=Paul|date=March 16, 2010|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=June 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607075557/https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/41486/spongebobs-last-stand/|url-status=live}}</ref> Sandie Angulo Chen of [[Common Sense Media]] praised the amount of screen time given to Karen in ''Sponge Out of Water'', calling her "hilarious".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-spongebob-movie-sponge-out-of-water|title=The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water Review|work=[[Common Sense Media]]|last=Chen|first=Sandie Angulo|date=February 6, 2015|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=September 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929000715/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-spongebob-movie-sponge-out-of-water|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, Boston.com's Jamie Loftus cited Karen as her reason for naming 2002's "Welcome to the Chum Bucket" one of the sixteen greatest ''SpongeBob'' episodes.<ref name="bdcwire" /> [[Gizmodo]]'s Ryan Lufkin wrote in 2016 that ''SpongeBob''{{'}}s "90s-level weirdness" is proven by characters like Plankton and Karen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/02/90s-cartoons-were-weird-as-hell-and-i-loved-it/|title='90s Cartoons Were Freakin' Weird, and I Loved It|work=[[Gizmodo]]|publisher=[[Univision Communications]]|last=Lufkin|first=Ryan|date=February 23, 2016|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403013829/https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/02/90s-cartoons-were-weird-as-hell-and-i-loved-it/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[About.com|The About Group]]'s Nancy Basile commended Jill Talley's portrayal of the character, saying that it is "no surprise she plays [the role] so well" due to her earlier work with [[the Second City|Second City]] and ''[[Mr. Show with Bob and David|Mr. Show]]''.<ref name="about" />

In an analysis of how the show has changed throughout its run, [[Channel Frederator Network|Channel Frederator]] argued that the main characters of ''SpongeBob''–specifically Sandy, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Squidward and Karen–have been reduced from multidimensional to reliant on single traits. According to this view, "Karen is now a full-blown nag" in newer episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oaGJ7cUqx4|title=SpongeBob SquarePants: Then vs. Now|work=[[Channel Frederator Network]]|publisher=[[Frederator Networks, Inc.]]|date=March 20, 2017|last1=Polk|first1=Christina|last2=Tarzi|first2=Nahreen|access-date=June 13, 2017|archive-date=March 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321221551/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oaGJ7cUqx4&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> This aspect of Karen's character has also been criticized by author Joseph J. Foy, in his book ''SpongeBob SquarePants and Philosophy''. He considers this trope one of several harmful stereotypes present on the program, writing that "the motif of the nagging wife is certainly an issue worthy of dissection in dealing with a young audience, along with the spoiled teen daughter <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Pearl Krabs|Pearl]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> and the stupid best friend <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Patrick Star|Patrick]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>".<ref name="Foy67"/>

Lampooning a [[SpongeBob SquarePants (character)#Criticism and controversy|controversy surrounding SpongeBob's sexuality]], essayist Dennis Hans wrote a 2005 satirical piece for the ''[[National Catholic Reporter]]'' focusing on the marriage of Plankton and Karen. He remarked, in jest, that SpongeBob's sexual orientation was a lesser issue compared to the positive representation of Plankton's "technosexuality". Hans identified instances where both Planktons were portrayed as a loving couple and joked: "the subliminal message from SpongeBob's insidious creators&nbsp;... [is that] the technosexual lifestyle means bonding forever with your one true love".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2005a/021805/021805q.php|title=Plankton's insidious technosexual agenda|work=[[National Catholic Reporter]]|last=Hans|first=Dennis|date=February 18, 2005|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=March 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317161252/http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2005a/021805/021805q.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

==In other media==
[[File:SpongeBob-Plankton-and-Karen-float.jpg|thumb|right|A float featuring Plankton and Karen at [[Sea World (Australia)|Sea World]] in [[Southport, Queensland]]]]
[[File:SpongeBob SquarePants Plankton and Karen Replicas in Taipei.jpg|thumb|right|A replica of Plankton's laboratory in [[Zhongzheng District]], [[Taipei]]]]
[[File:Sheldon J. Plankton in Warsaw.jpg|thumb|Sheldon J. Plankton in Warsaw]]

Plankton and Karen have been featured in various forms of ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' merchandise, including video games and action figures.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fisher-Price-Imaginext-SpongeBob-SquarePants-Krusty-Krab-Playset/44786247|title=Imaginext SpongeBob SquarePants: Krusty Krab playset|work=[[Walmart|Walmart.com]]|publisher=Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402165308/https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fisher-Price-Imaginext-SpongeBob-SquarePants-Krusty-Krab-Playset/44786247|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, [[Ty Inc.]]'s [[Beanie Babies]] introduced a plush toy based on Plankton.<ref>{{cite web|title=TY Beanie Baby - SHELDON J PLANKTON (SpongeBob SquarePants) (9 inch)|url=http://www.bbtoystore.com/store/BB_sheldonjplankton.html|publisher=BB Toy Store|access-date=May 2, 2013|archive-date=May 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516081417/http://www.bbtoystore.com/store/BB_sheldonjplankton.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> A [[Lego]] building set based on the Chum Bucket, including a Plankton minifigure and his laboratory with Karen, was released in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mi-od-live-s.legocdn.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4516580.pdf#page=56|title=Lego SpongeBob SquarePants: Chum Bucket|work=[[Lego|Lego.com]]|publisher=[[The Lego Group]]|date=2007|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614010559/https://mi-od-live-s.legocdn.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4516580.pdf#page=56|archive-date=June 14, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The fourteenth issue of ''[[SpongeBob Comics]]'', titled "Plankton Comics," is centered around the Planktons and includes six original stories set at the Chum Bucket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comics.panini.it/store/pub_ita_it/mpaca014-it-panini-cartoon-spongebob-n-14.html|title=SpongeBob Comics #14|work=[[Panini Comics]]|publisher=[[Panini Group]]|date=December 2, 2015|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=February 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205130029/http://comics.panini.it/store/pub_ita_it/mpaca014-it-panini-cartoon-spongebob-n-14.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The 2013 video game ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge|Plankton's Robotic Revenge]]'' is Plankton-themed and features Lawrence and Jill Talley reprising their voice roles from the show as Plankton and Karen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/11/01/spongebob-squarepants-planktons-robotic-revenge-review|title=SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge Review|work=[[IGN|IGN.com]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|last=Fekete|first=Bob|date=November 1, 2013|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=August 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813071736/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/11/01/spongebob-squarepants-planktons-robotic-revenge-review|url-status=live}}</ref>

Plankton and Karen appear in several Nickelodeon crossover works, including 2005's ''[[Nicktoons Unite!]]'' game<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Nicktoons Unite!]]|developer=[[Blue Tongue Entertainment]]|publisher=[[THQ]]|date=October 26, 2005|level=8}}</ref> its sequel ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom|Nicktoons: Globs of Doom]]'',<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom]]|developer=[[Incinerator Studios]]|publisher=[[THQ]]|date=October 20, 2008}}</ref> and the 2023 fighting game ''[[Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/08/spongebobs-plankton-joins-the-battle-in-nickelodeon-all-star-brawl-2|title=SpongeBob's Plankton Joins The Battle In Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2|last=Doolan|first=Liam|website=Nintendo Life|date=August 4, 2024|access-date=August 30, 2023}}</ref> All three games feature the Chum Bucket as an in-game stage and in the latter two, Plankton is a [[player character]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/02/04/spongebob-squarepants-featuring-nicktoons-globs-of-doom-review|title=SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom review|work=[[IGN|IGN.com]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|last=Ballard|first=Adam|date=February 3, 2009|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=January 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130108114726/http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/02/04/spongebob-squarepants-featuring-nicktoons-globs-of-doom-review|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, Plankton and Karen are both mentioned by [[Eric Lange]] (as his character [[List of Victorious characters#Sikowitz|Sikowitz]]) in "[[List of Victorious episodes#ep42|Tori Goes Platinum]]," an episode of Nickelodeon's sitcom ''[[Victorious]]''.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Tori Goes Platinum|series=Victorious|series-link=Victorious|season=3|number=42|network=Nickelodeon|airdate=May 19, 2012|time=18:50|credits=Writers: [[Dan Schneider (TV producer)|Dan Schneider]], Christopher J. Nowak}}</ref>

[[Sea World (Australia)|Sea World Australia]]'s "SpongeBob ParadePants" event, which opened in December 2011, included a float featuring Karen and a talking Plankton.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://themeparks.com.au/~/media/Files/Shared/domestic%20sales/sw1205603_Trade_Brochure.ashx#page=2|title=Gold Coast Theme Parks Trade Brochure 2012|work=Gold Coast Attractions|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011175137/http://themeparks.com.au/~/media/Files/Shared/domestic%20sales/sw1205603_Trade_Brochure.ashx|archive-date=October 11, 2012}}</ref> In 2015, a recreation of Plankton's laboratory was constructed for a ''SpongeBob'' event at the [[Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall]] in [[Zhongzheng District]], [[Taipei]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cksmh.gov.tw/index.php?code=list&flag=detail&ids=86&article_id=10484|title=SpongeBob SquarePants art exhibition at the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall|work=[[Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall|CKSMH.gov.tw]]|publisher=[[Government of the Republic of China]]|date=2015|language=zh|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125030759/https://www.cksmh.gov.tw/index.php?code=list&flag=detail&ids=86&article_id=10484|archive-date=November 25, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> It included a replica of Karen's monitor, functioning as a television, screening episodes of ''SpongeBob'', and a miniature Plankton statue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kham.com.tw/ad.asp?P1=7000000395 |title=SpongeBob SquarePants event at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall |work=Kham.com.tw |date=March 19, 2015 |language=zh|url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319180633/http://www.kham.com.tw/ad.asp?P1=7000000395 |archive-date=March 19, 2015 }}</ref>

[[The Flaming Lips]]' song "[[The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie – Music from the Movie and More...|SpongeBob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy]]," recorded for ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'', closes with several lines about Plankton and Karen. The song characterizes Plankton as a confused faultfinder who would be much happier if he stopped focusing on his failures and complaining to Karen.<ref>{{cite AV media|people=[[Wayne Coyne]], [[Steven Drozd]], [[Michael Ivins]]|title=SpongeBob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy|medium=DVD|language=en|publisher=[[Nick Records]]|year=2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'' issue|magazine=[[Nickelodeon Magazine]]|publisher=[[Viacom International]]|date=November 2004}}</ref> Plankton sings a track on the novelty album ''[[The Best Day Ever]]'' titled "You Will Obey," on which [[Elvis Presley]]'s former guitarist [[James Burton]] played guitar.<ref name=EWSpeaks>{{cite magazine|last=Willman|first=Chris|title=SpongeBob Speaks!|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1534894,00.html|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 12, 2014|date=September 14, 2006|archive-date=February 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222112118/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1534894,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Of the album, Tom Kenny said "one of our hidden Easter eggs that hopefully more than three people in the world will get is during the guitar solo when Plankton says 'Take it, James', which was what Elvis said in every one of those concert movies".<ref name=EWSpeaks/> Film composer [[John Debney]] produced Plankton's theme music for the second ''SpongeBob'' movie, using trombones.<ref>{{cite interview|url=http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=14175|title=Interview with John Debney|last=Debney|interviewer=Daniel Schweiger|first=John|date=February 4, 2015|subject-link=John Debney|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=February 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207044547/http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=14175|url-status=live}}</ref> The film's [[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water#Score|score]] includes several tracks named after Plankton, including "Plankton Rescues Karen," which is used during a scene highlighting Plankton's cooperation with hero SpongeBob.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/spongebob-movie-sponge-out-water-music-from-motion/id976361400|title=The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (Music from the Motion Picture)|work=[[iTunes]]|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|date=March 23, 2015|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402170021/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/spongebob-movie-sponge-out-water-music-from-motion/id976361400|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|people=[[Paul Tibbitt]]|type=Motion picture|title=[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water]]|language=en|publisher=[[Paramount Pictures]]|date=February 6, 2015}}</ref>

Plankton and Karen are the main antagonists in [[The SpongeBob Musical|the show's Broadway adaptation]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/theater/putting-out-the-broadway-welcome-mat-in-song-come-from-away.html | title=Putting Out the Broadway Welcome Mat in Song | newspaper=The New York Times | date=December 13, 2017 | last1=Kaufman | first1=Joanne | access-date=September 20, 2022 | archive-date=September 21, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921022647/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/theater/putting-out-the-broadway-welcome-mat-in-song-come-from-away.html | url-status=live }}</ref> They were portrayed by [[Wesley Taylor]] and [[Stephanie Hsu]].<ref name="Suntimes">{{cite web|url=http://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/feel-good-spongebob-musical-rumbles-toils-and-bubbles/|title=Feel-good 'SpongeBob Musical' rumbles, toils and bubbles|publisher=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|last=Weiss|first=Hedy|date=June 19, 2016|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=June 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621141141/http://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/feel-good-spongebob-musical-rumbles-toils-and-bubbles/|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to wearing costumes inspired by the characters, Taylor and Hsu are accompanied by a Plankton puppet and a replica of Karen's mobile form, respectively. The two also sing a musical number titled "When the Going Gets Tough" (composed by [[T.I.]]). The plot features them attempting to hypnotize the residents of Bikini Bottom into liking the food they serve at the Chum Bucket.

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="Beck102">{{harvnb|Beck|2013|page=102}}</ref>
<ref name="Beck105">{{harvnb|Beck|2013|page=105}}</ref>
<ref name="Beck107">{{harvnb|Beck|2013|page=107}}</ref>
<ref name="Beck110">{{harvnb|Beck|2013|page=110}}</ref>
<ref name="Beck111">{{harvnb|Beck|2013|page=111}}</ref>
<ref name="Foy67">{{harvnb|Foy|2011|page=67}}</ref>
<ref name="Foy73-80">{{harvnb|Foy|2011|page=73–80}}</ref>
}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aPRymAEACAAJ|title=The SpongeBob SquarePants Experience: A Deep Dive Into the World of Bikini Bottom|publisher=Insight Editions|last=Beck|first=Jerry|author-link=Jerry Beck|date=2013|isbn=978-1-60887-184-1|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-date=October 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028161706/https://books.google.com/books?id=aPRymAEACAAJ|url-status=live}}
* {{cite book|title=SpongeBob SquarePants and Philosophy: Soaking Up Secrets Under the Sea!|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fO0Ljpn7SD4C&pg=PA67|year=2011|publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company]]|last=Foy|first=Joseph J.|isbn=978-0-8126-9735-3|access-date=April 2, 2017}}
{{refend}}
{{SpongeBob SquarePants}}

[[Category:Animated characters introduced in 1999]]
[[Category:Animated duos]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic arthropods]]
[[Category:Comedy film characters]]
[[Category:Female characters in animated television series|Karen]]
[[Category:Female characters in animated films|Karen]]
[[Category:Fictional con artists]]
[[Category:Fictional crustaceans]]
[[Category:Fictional dictators]]
[[Category:Fictional married couples]]
[[Category:Fictional misers]]
[[Category:Male characters in animated films|Plankton]]
[[Category:Male characters in animated television series|Plankton]]
[[Category:SpongeBob SquarePants characters]]
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1999]]
[[Category:Television duos]]
[[Category:Television supervillains]]
[[Category:Video game bosses]]
[[Category:Villains in animated television series]]