Arthur Celebrates Major Anniversary for Its Most Iconic Scene

Arthur Celebrates Major Anniversary for Its Most Iconic Scene

As someone who grew up with Arthur as my beloved childhood companion, I can wholeheartedly say that “Arthur’s Big Hit” is more than just a memorable episode – it’s a cultural phenomenon that transcends time and space! I remember watching this iconic scene unfold on our family’s old CRT TV, feeling both shocked and amused at the same time. The clenched fist image has become an eternal symbol of frustration and anger, yet somehow manages to be funny no matter how many times it pops up in memes or Halloween costumes.


One of PBS’ most cherished animated franchises, “Arthur,” marks a significant milestone in one iconic scene. The Arthur books by Marc Brown initially made their screen debut 28 years ago, premiering on PBS in 1996 and spanning an impressive 25 seasons before concluding. This animated series has undoubtedly been watched by numerous generations of viewers, with many more recalling fondly some of its most memorable moments. Interestingly, one such moment found a unique continuation beyond the animated series.

25 years ago, on October 4th, 1999, “Arthur’s Big Hit” aired on PBS, an episode still remembered fondly today. This specific episode became notorious for showing Arthur hitting his younger sister D.W., a topic the animated series frequently addressed through its unique lens. While it initially made an impact due to this violent sibling incident, its fame was revitalized when a meme emerged and reminded fans of the episode years later.

Arthur Celebrates Major Anniversary for Its Most Iconic Scene

What Is Arthur’s Big Hit?

In Arthur’s Season 4 opener, a new segment titled ‘Arthur’s Big Mishap’ was introduced. This episode explores Arthur’s internal conflict about whether it’s acceptable to hit someone. The story unfolds as Arthur constructs a unique model airplane, only for his younger sister D.W. to constantly disrupt the process by trying to play with it or claiming it’s broken. She even plays with the unfinished plane while Arthur waits for the paint to dry, causing him to repaint the entire model. To make matters worse, D.W. proceeds to fully play with the model and ultimately throws it out of the window.

Instead of admitting fault for damaging his aircraft, D.W insists that Arthur constructed it improperly since it’s an airplane incapable of flight. This infuriates Arthur so much that he not only fails to get an apology from D.W., but she even denies any wrongdoing. In a fit of rage, Arthur, who had previously told her not to tamper with the plane, strikes D.W. on the arm. This altercation gave birth to a popular meme.

How Arthur’s First Became A Meme

In simpler terms, the image of Arthur’s clenched fist has become widely recognized, even more so than other scenes from the series. This particular image started gaining popularity in 2016 when someone on Twitter shared it, pointing out the range of emotions it conveyed. Since then, people have been using it humorously to express anger about lighthearted topics. The combination of a beloved childhood character and a violent gesture has made this image amusing and popular, leading to Halloween costumes and other creative adaptations.

The tightly-clenched fist isn’t as prevalent as it once was a few years back, but it won’t take long before we see it reappearing again. With its 25th anniversary of the original episode, this is an ideal moment to begin incorporating it into popular culture once more. If not, there are numerous other iconic Arthur moments across the 25 seasons that would make fantastic memes in the upcoming years. It simply has a lasting appeal.

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2024-10-08 01:39