best Cartoon Network shows of all time, Regular Show concluded its eighth and final season with a battle for the fate of existence itself. After trying to avoid fighting his brother, Pops had no choice but to face Anti-Pops in a battle that had already happened billions of times. This time, however, Mordecai and Rigby’s intervention made sure that the universe was not going to be rebooted.

One year before Avengers: Endgame, Regular Show had its own “portals scene” where beloved characters from previous seasons all appeared at the last minute to Pops and the others in their fight against Anti-Pops. Every Regular Show character fighting for the good guys ed their forces into a giant Megazord-style robot that assisted Pops throughout the fight. However, just like in every iteration of the universe, the fight came down to the clash between Pops and Anti-Pops. After Anti-Pops was defeated, Regular Show’s finale offered a glimpse of the future, revealing what happened to each character.

How Pops Defeated Anti-Pops In The Finale

Pops Found A Way To Break The Cycle

Regular Show season 8, episode 27, “A Regular Epic Final Battle” was a three-part finale, with the third part covering the aftermath of Pops and Anti-Pops’ fight. Just like what happened in every other cycle, the fight between the two brothers ended the universe and gave birth to a new one. However, given that the Park crew had commissioned a set of Blu-Ray discs that featured all of their adventures, both Mordecai and Rigby were able to their previous life. The third part of Regular Show’s finale recreated the show’s first episode, but Rigby soon felt something was off.

Once they realized what was happening, Mordecai and Rigby managed to travel back to the moment the fight between Pops and his brother was happening. Aware that punching Anti-Pops was simply going to destroy the universe and create another, Pops realized he needed to do something different. Pops hugged his brother and managed to make Anti-Pops reconsider his actions for a few seconds, giving him just enough time to push both of them into the sun. Pops sacrificed himself to stop Anti-Pops, this time without destroying the universe.

Did Pops Die At The End Of Regular Show?

Pops Was Watching His Friends From Afar

Regular Show finale tape

In a show where Death itself is a character, it can be difficult to confirm whether someone is truly gone in Regular Show. That said, Pops died in the finale. The character had been the focus of Regular Show since season 7, with Pops finally learning his true origins midway through season 8. Not only did Pops come from a distant planet and have a brother, but he was key to maintaining the balance of the universe. This is why Pops was referred to as the Chosen One by everyone who knew the story.

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After Pops’ sacrifice, Regular Show’s finale starts jumping into the future as we see Mordecai, Rigby, and the others move on with their lives. After showing 20 years of the characters’ lives, the episode cuts to a different realm that can be described as heave, where Pops is watching his friends on a tape called “Regular Show.” It can be assumed that Pops continued to watch his friends and relive the moments they shared through “Regular Show” tapes. It is a sweet, meta way of bringing the show full circle and justifying its title.

What Happened To The Park Crew In Regular Show

Mordecai, Rigby, And The Others Moved On With Their Lives

Regular Show's park crew in the finale

A Pops statue was built in the middle of the park to make sure everyone would who saved the universe. Eventually, the park crew began to move on with their lives, each finding a different job and building a family. For example, Mordecai became an artist, got married, and had several kids. Likewise, Rigby, who loved to point out that he finished high school, got a job outside the park and married Eileen – they also had kids. Muscle Man was already a father when he went to space but still had a lot of other kids.

Rigby's job after leaving the park isn't revealed in the finale. However, he is shown playing video games all day at home with his kids.

Hi Five Ghost became a DJ, and Benson continued to run the park, now with new employees. The only familiar face on Benson’s new crew was Skips, who remained there and is sure to outlive all other Regular Show characters. During a party set 20 years after the events of the finale, Mordecai and Rigby looked back at what they used to do back when they worked at the park and how they used to behave. To the good times, they decided to play video games.

What Regular Show’s Ending Really Means

Regular Show’s Finale Was Meta And Emotional

Regular Show’s series finale was incredibly meta, as was the rest of the season. From arriving on a planet called Nielsen to literally fighting against the streaming era, Regular Show’s final episodes joked about the state of television and how rare it is for a show to run for eight seasons. The finale also paid off all the episodes centered on Pops, who went from a funny, charming character to the most important player on the show. Regular Show’s finale was about celebrating the past, but it was also about knowing when it's time to move on.

If even Mordecai and Rigby can grow up, then it’s fine if Regular Show doesn’t last forever.

Even though the park crew made sure that their stories would be recorded on a series of Blu-Ray disks that would also include bonus content, they also moved on with their lives and continued their journeys past their time at the park. Seeing Mordecai and Rigby not only looking older but acting as adults may have been a shock, but it made sense in the context of what the finale was trying to say. If even Mordecai and Rigby can grow up, then it’s fine if Regular Show doesn’t last forever.

How Regular Show’s Ending Set Up A Sequel

Are There Any Regular Show Stories Left To Tell?

Custom image of Regular Show
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon

In June 2024, Variety reported that a new Regular Show was in the works and that it was expected to combine old and new characters. A few months later, Regular Show reboot will be, but the fact is that the franchise is returning.

Given how definitive Regular Show’s ending was, plus the fact one of its themes was how it's fine for things to end, it can be surprising to learn that there will be new stories in that universe. However, not only was Regular Show a very successful series that was bound to be revisited eventually, but its world was rich enough to welcome new characters and stories. Comicbook.com reported that the new show could be called Regular Show Lost Tapes, which would tie into the tapes that Pops is watching, perhaps featuring stories set before the events of season 7.

Source: Variety, Comicbook.com

Regular Show

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Regular Show
Release Date
2010 - 2017-00-00
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    J. G. Quintel
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    William Salyers

WHERE TO WATCH

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Regular Show is an animated television series that follows the surreal adventures of Mordecai, a blue jay, and Rigby, a raccoon, who work as groundskeepers at a park. Created by J.G. Quintel, the series showcases their attempts to avoid work and find entertainment, often leading to bizarre and unexpected situations. The show also features a cast of quirky characters, including their boss Benson, a living gumball machine, and Skips, a yeti.

Seasons
8
Main Genre
Animation
Creator(s)
J. G. Quintel