SpongeBob Gorilla Guide: There’s a Lot More to Him than His Unique Visuals

SpongeBob SquarePants is an age-old classic and beloved delicacy many enjoy. Since its first airing on May 1, 1999, I have been hooked up with the concept of these weird yet funny sea creatures. I wouldn’t be lying if I said I spent a significant chunk of my childhood laughing and jumping around to express my love for it. 

But its storyline wasn’t the only thing that gravitated me towards it, as a big part of that goes to the fantastic cast of characters the series offers. This series had everything from SpongeBob’s bright yet over-the-top pants and Squidward’s always grumpy attitude. Among these weird personalities, another character that intrigued my 6-year-old mind was the Gorilla. 

I still fondly remember when Gorilla first appeared disguising himself as Patrick in episode 16b season 3. And as he first started to unzip Patrick’s costume, his first glimpse somehow reminded me of the wolf from “The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats. I kept watching the episode with total concentration, and, to be honest, I started to like the guy. 

Of course, Gorilla didn’t get much screen time, only appearing in three more episodes after that. This lack of screentime disappointed many fans, including myself, as many couldn’t experience the odd ape’s true nature.

So, in this SpongeBob Gorilla guide, I will share all the unique traits this character offers while also telling you what exactly makes him the predator of the sea.

gorilla lifts spongebob up

Spongebob Gorilla Guide: Bottom Lines Up Front

From the first appearance, he may look like an 8 feet behemoth, which he is, but he is also so much more. The Gorilla is a weird and unexpected ape that appears randomly throughout the series.

You can consider him a guide who led SpongeBob’s stranded soul back into the wild through his discomfort. That wasn’t the only time he proved himself a hidden hero, as he also helped the customers of “The Poop Deck” from Patchy The Pirates’ horrific fast food. 

Key Information

  • Name: Gorilla
  • Species: Eastern Lowland Gorilla
  • Gender: Male 
  • Occupation: Underwater: Terrorizing SpongeBob’s gang (very must unexpectedly). On Surface: A fry cook at a fast-food establishment named “The Poop Deck.”
  • Residence: Bikini Bottom, The Surface(the world above the sea).
  • Related Characters: SpongeBob SquarePants, Sandy Cheeks, George, Patchy The Pirate, Gary(SpongeBob’s pet). 
  • First Appearance: Season 3 Episode 16b “I Had An Accident.”
  • List of episodes Gorilla appeared in throughout the series: Season 3 Episode 16b “I Had An Accident.”, Season 5 Episode 1 “Friend or Foe.”, Season 6 Episode 21b “Shell Shocked.”, and Season 7 Episode 8 “SpongeBob’s Last Stand.”
  • Voice Actor: Frank Walker
  • Suit Performer: André Sogliuzzo

Gorilla’s Physical Appearance

Gorilla is a giant 8 feet tall lowland gorilla with a hairy black coat. A slightly shiny finish is also very apparent if you focus on his fur. His jacket is spotless, with almost no dust in sight; it makes me wonder if the Gorilla also uses Head & Shoulders.

A set of four-pack abs can also be seen going down his abdomen. And these also give off a sure shine, as he shows them off while ripping SpongeBob apart. And as we zoom into his face, his hazel-colored eyes, swollen red eyelids, and a few red veins can also be seen bulging up around his Sclera.

While his nostrils can be seen visibly expanded, probably due to his anger, his teeth situation is also not much better, as a gap more significant than Squidwards forehead can be seen between them. His grey hands and feet are also very massive, as seen in the scene where he splits SpongeBob into two.

gorilla running away on its pony george

Gorilla’s Personality and Character: a Very Confused Big Fella

As the name suggests, Gorilla is a monster with extreme anger issues and a thirst for destruction. Throughout the series, he is mainly seen irrationally breaking things and bashing heads at minor things. This behavior extends to SpongeBob’s gang in the episode “I Had an Accident,” where he starts to terrorize Patrick and Sandy for no apparent reason.

He is also seen riping SpongeBob into two halves to please his imaginary anger. His anger is also portrayed in the episode “Friend or Foe.” He starts destroying the Poop Deck’s whole kitchen just because Patchy called him a “hairy fleabag.” Not a bad name, to be honest. His rage in his personality is also quite prominent throughout his appearances.

Anger and rage weren’t the only things that made his ape so unpredictable, as slight goofiness and confusion can also be seen in his character. As in his first appearance, he gets flustered when SpongeBob asks about what a Gorilla is doing underwater and starts passing all of it as a joke. 

All these traits are not complete without the mysterious personality Gorilla offers as a character. This is because he seems pretty shocked at SpongeBob’s remark and then goes running in an attempt to hide his true intentions.

Gorilla’s Role In the SpongeBob SquarePants Series

Debut Episode: I Had an Accident: the Event before the Arrival

Gorilla’s first debut was in season 3, episode 16b; I wonder why it took the writers so long to introduce this personality to the world. Oh, I remember why, probably due to his explosive nature. Before that, you must know many small details to properly understand the meaning behind his arrival.

A “Butt-hurt” Visit to the Hospital

In the episode “I Had an Accident,” SpongeBob, Sandy, and Patrick are seen sledding down a sand mountain on top of sea shells. And during one of these rides down, Patrick ends up crashing into one of the dunes and breaks into six distinct pins; I didn’t know they were playing bowling.

That’s not even the most surprising part, as seeing Patrick’s failed attempt gives SpongeBob the confidence to go next. Which also leads him to suffer the same faith.

The crash was so severe that it shattered his butt into several shards; you can even say SpongeBob was now SpongeBob ShatterPants. After the accident, we are shifted to a hospital where we see SpongeBob upside down on an operating table, with his square bottom all bandaged up. The doctor tells him that his Gluteus maximus, or butt, was broken into several pieces.

He also mentions that he used a glue stick for the operation when the staples ran out. I am pretty sure SpongeBob can sue the doctor for using literal crafting glue on his bottom; who am I kidding? SpongeBob doesn’t even have the base for a solid case.

After returning from the hospital for the first time in five seasons, I saw him worrying and not jumping into random stuff that could hurt his butt again. Someone must really like having a square bottom. 

Okay, enough with all the bottom-of-the-barrel jokes. On his way home, SpongeBob is asked to play many different sports. He declines all the offers as that can compromise the integrity of his butt. 

My favorite line from this scene is when he shouts at one of the residents of Bikini Bottom, “Step away from the backside!” At which the fish just asks what his problem is; I have been trying the same question since the first season.

After this, he dashes into his pineapple house and shields himself from the rest of the world. This ends up marking his total isolation and only ends due to the arrival of a particular ape.

In the coming scene, we witness Sandy and Patrick entering SpongeBob’s house to check on him. Here is another hysterical moment when we see Patrick piggybacking on Sandy and laughing like theirs no end. We need more people like Patrick in our lives, no worries, just fun. 

spongebob after the surgery

Lonely

After Patrick finally stops laughing, Sandy invites SpongeBob for sandboarding. As we can assume, he declines, saying that it is much safer in the confines of his own house. Only if he stuck to that till the end.

After refusing Sandy’s proposal, he mentions that he was stupid walking as his people are designed to sit all day. Hearing this reminds me of the sponge near my kitchen sink; I guess he’s right. Sandy then asks him if he is not going to get lonely all alone. 

Of course, our sponge has it all covered, as he has already made three new lively friends(obvious sarcasm). A penny named Penny, a potato chip called Chip, and a napkin, let me guess, named Used Napkin. But seeing the used napkins makes me think that SpongeBob was feeling lonely as he used them to wipe his tears.

Still Lonely

Upon asking about his job at the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob answers that he will use a long spatula. What about food? Sandy asks. He says he will filter the water and then starts making weird breathing noises. After which, he asks his friend chip to escort them both out. This scene reminds me that a chip is sometimes more loyal than a sponge.

This wasn’t enough for Sandy, as she still wanted to get back to her friend at all costs; it really brings tears to my eyes seeing them so passionate about their friendship. After leaving SpongeBob’s residence, she plots to somehow lure SpongeBob out of his house to show him that there is nothing to be afraid of. 

For this, Sandy and Patrick first try Jellyfishing in front of SpongeBob’s house, purposely too loud so that SpongeBob can hear them. But that doesn’t go as planned. They also try with a birthday cake, saying SpongeBob has to come out to blow out the candles.

This also doesn’t help as he just goes on to sing his own song about saying indoor. Staying indoors to keep safe and healthy, doesn’t that remind you of something?

After this, they even tried many other fun activities, but even those didn’t help as SpongeBob kept making those weird breathing noises while sitting still. Sandy doesn’t give up and ends up making a master plan which somehow leads to the arrival of Gorilla. Watching this episode again, I had been dying to reach this point.

jellyfish hunting

I Had an Accident: the Arrival of the End

In the coming scene, we see Sandy and Patrick hiding in a coral bush outside SpongeBob’s house. Upon closer inspection, we can also see that Patrick is wearing a Gorilla suit with brown hair and a zipper going down the abdomen. If I remember my Biology lesson, the costume is of a Western lowland Gorilla. 

Patrick Going Gorilla

Then Sandy is seen guiding Patrick to only jump out when she gives the signal, at which the latter just puts up a peace sign. Judging from his expression, he doesn’t even remember why they are there in the first place.

Patrick then fully zips up his costume, rocking the full Gorilla attire. I was laughing seeing this for the first time because Patrick may just be the only person who looks smarter after wearing a Gorilla costume.

After the preparations were complete, Sandy went on to open SpongeBob’s front gate. Then steps back from the door and starts chanting about SpongeBob’s iron will, even going as far as saying that SpongeBob should keep locked inside. Seeing this for the first time, I was a little confused about Sandy’s sudden change of heart.

Then it hits me as Sandy gives Patrick the signal, who then jumps out of the bush and starts acting all crazy and stupid. Not that far off from Patrick’s true self, if you ask me. Sandy then calls for SpongeBob’s help, as she plans to lure out SpongeBob all along.

Unfortunately for Sandy and Patrick, SpongeBob sees through their deception and calls them on it. He also mentions that the Gorilla costume is the same one Patrick wore for Halloween. But Sandy keeps on trying to say otherwise.

It is then that the real shocker comes when another Patrick Star emerges on the scene. Just imagine how fun the show would be if there were two Patrick’s; Squidward definitely can’t.

The Gorilla Revealed Party

After seeing the second Gorilla, Patrick and SpongeBob are shocked out of their mind. Patrick, though just casually asks who’s in the Gorilla costume. Sandy, also visibly confused, asks Patrick why he isn’t in the suit?

The situation becomes even more confusing when Patrick in the Gorilla suit unzips the costume to reveal that he’s the real one. Seeing this for the first time, I couldn’t understand what was happening. However, after seeing “Inception,” I can proudly say I still don’t understand it.

After this confusing exchange, the camera zooms into Patrick’s face, where we can see a small zip-like structure just above the eyebrows. After which, the imposter starts unzipping it to reveal his true identity. What comes out may surprise you, as it surprised me. 

Hold and behold; it’s a Gorilla head sticking out of the Patrick costume. Seeing the episode again reminds me of how 5-year-old me started screaming at the beast, as I did the same again even when I knew he was coming.

I wasn’t only surprised, as visible tension can also be seen on Sandy and SpongeBob’s faces. After which, Gorilla goes on to rip the whole costume to reveal his giant body. 

King Kong Mode On

Seeing this, Sandy and Patrick start screaming for their life, but that isn’t enough for Gorilla, as he grabs them like the chocolate bar with nuts and tosses them in his bag. Hey, where did the sack come from? After neatly bagging them, Gorilla goes on to beat the nuts out of them both. 

At first, we see him hitting the sack again on the ground to loosen up their outer shells, punching to squeeze the juice inside, and then breaking a chair on them to mark the end. We even see Gorilla using the sack as a pony; I don’t know why he did that. Maybe he was just tired.

Amongst all this, SpongeBob is just left stunned in the confines of his own home. Somehow, he still dares to say I told you so. I swear if I was there, I would probably throw him in the sack too.

SpongeBob then starts talking to his vivacious three friends, who somehow convince him to go help his two best friends. Some name-calling from Chips may have also helped with the convincing.

While all this is happening, Sandy and Patrick are again seen beaten to a pulp by Gorilla. Someone should tell the Gorilla that starfish and squirrel meat isn’t delicious; not that I know.

In the next scene, SpongeBob somehow gets the courage to open his front door and step out for the first time, but it isn’t as smooth as he hoped for as a piece of paper ends up blinding him for a few seconds. 

Just as he recovers, we see Gorilla’s hand slide into the frame and pick SpongeBob up like a squeaky toy. Gorilla doesn’t just stop there. He also tears SpongeBob into two halves without even breaking a sweat; you definitely don’t want to get on his wrong side. While doing so, Gorilla keeps making ape noises to signify his superiority.

After being split into two, SpongeBob confesses his mistakes and mentions that he isn’t afraid of the outside anymore but admits that he’s terrified of Gorillas. Can’t blame him; I am scared of them when I am not even the one who is split into two by one. Although SpongeBob does question what a Gorilla is doing underwater? 

spongebob and gorilla

My Name Is Giovanni Giorgio, but Everybody Calls Me Giorgio

This was enough for Gorilla to break his character, as we can see visible confusion in his eyes. He also starts speaking for the first time and begins to pass all of this as a joke, but as that doesn’t work, he calls his friend “George,” saying that “they’re on to us!”

George quickly comes to his rescue and asks Gorilla to jump on his back. Not something I would do myself, considering Gorilla’s heavyweight; don’t tell him I said that.

Afterward, we see both George and Gorilla riding into the horizon as the latter keeps hitting the former’s back. As they do so, the two SpongeBob halves, Patrick and Sandy, keep watching as the words “The End” appear on the screen. The episode ends with a family of four watching the episode on their T.V. The father turns it off with visible confusion.

Gorilla’s Other Appearances in the Show

Episode: Friend or Foe: the Replacement

“Friend and Foe” is the second episode we get to see Gorilla. But this time, we see him flipping burgers rather than terrorizing the world underneath the sea. Let us see a small recap of the events that led to this ferrous villain like “Dirty Bubble” becoming a fry cook like SpongeBob.

This episode starts with the camera rolling over a fast food joint, “The Poop Deck,” where we see Patchy the Pirate doing what he does worse, flipping burgers. It’s pretty ironic seeing one of the biggest fans of SpongeBob (one of the best fry cooks in Bikini bottom) is also one of the worst fries cooks in the series. 

Throughout the episode, this fact becomes all the more apparent as we see him making random silly mistakes. Unfortunately, this doesn’t go unseen as Mr. Pirateson ends up firing him for his lack of culinary skills and experience. 

This is when Gorilla enters the scene as a replacement fry cook for Patchy. Something Patchy thought could never happen, which leads him to call Gorilla a “smelly, hairy fleabag.”

I don’t think Patchy can make that remark seeing his own stash. Patchy may not have realized it, but what he said was enough to make Gorilla angry. And this leads Gorilla to end the episode by throwing everything he could find toward Patchy.

Episode: Shell Shocked: One of the Options for Gary

In the episode shell “Shell Shocked,” we see Gorilla’s suit for a split second as one of the alternatives to Gary’s broken shell. But this time, with more of the cartoonish tone, which gives it a resemblance to the suit Patrick wears in the episode “I Had an Accident.” Makes me wonder what it was doing in SpongeBob’s treasure chest?

gorilla costume

Episode: SpongeBob’s Last Stand: Part of the Song

Maybe briefly, but Gorilla is mentioned in the song “Give Jelly Fish a Chance.” In the episode “SpongeBob’s Last Stand,” while signing the song, SpongeBob is seen holding a board with an Illustration of Gorilla.

While it may only come up for a fraction of the episode, it does signify that SpongeBob and Patrick believe that even Gorilla would also like to save the Jellyfish Field. It’s good the song worked, or Gorilla would have personally taken care of the matter.

My Opinion about Gorilla: a Character with a Lot of Layers

In my opinion, Gorilla is one of the most underrated characters in the series, and this is only because of his overall little screen time. But this doesn’t make him any less significant, as I still vividly remember his presence. 

I found his general character and charm very difficult to ignore, and, in my eyes, it set him apart from the rest of the cast. There was a time when I was scared of him, but as the hidden layers in his personality were revealed, I couldn’t stop myself from liking the guy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Was Gorilla a better fry cook than Patchy the Pirate?

Answer: Patchy The Pirate was originally the fry cook of “The Poop Deck.” But due to his lack of cooking skills and rude behavior, he was fired by the restaurant owner. After that, we see Gorilla working as the fry cook at the restaurant.
Due to him having only a few seconds of screen time and a lack of reviews about his food, I can’t clearly say he was a better cook. By looking at Gorilla’s preparation skills, he doesn’t look much better than Patchy. Don’t tell him this, or he will undoubtedly tear me apart in two halves as he did to SpongeBob.

Question: Did Gorilla have any friends?

Answer: In his first appearance in the episode “I Had an Accident,” we can see his having an acquaintance, in the form of a white horse with black patches, named George. George first enters the scene when Gorilla calls him, afraid that maybe their secret may be exposed. This line also signifies that Gorilla considered George a close friend or colleague. 

Question: Why did Gorilla’s appearance change throughout the series?

Answer: As we can see in the episode “I Had an Accident,” Gorilla had a rough overall look, spaced teeth, and realistic hazel eyes. But when we see him in “Friend or Foe,” his teeth are all white and sharp, with no apparent spaces.
The eyes in that episode are also quite different, now looking more like an eye you would see on a mask rather than eye cutouts. The only reason I can think off is that two separate suits were used to film the episodes. Maybe because the original was lost in the three-year gap between filming.

Question: Who Portrayed Gorilla throughout the series?

Answer: In the episode “I Has an accident,” Gorilla was played by Andre Sogliuzzo as the suit performer. Frank Welker was chosen as his voice, and Dee Bradley Baker was cast as the voice of George, Gorilla’s only friend. 

SpongeBob Gorilla Guide: Ending Remarks

Gorilla is one of the antagonists in the SpongeBob SquarePants series. He is only seen once in Bikini Bottom, so I can only call him a beginner at best. Throughout his appearances, he was caught breaking and throwing things. This makes him all the more unpredictable while also adding another reason why fans enjoy him so much.

One of his essential roles was that he helped SpongeBob lose his fear of the outside world. On the other hand, he did flip burger at The Poop Deck once, but that also resulted in, yeah, you guessed it, utter destruction. 

These weren’t the only parts he played, as his suit is also seen a couple more times in the series. One thing still unanswered is what Gorilla was trying to hide from SpongeBob’s gang; maybe we will get to know that in future episodes. In my opinion, Gorilla was a small star in the SpongeBobverse, who may not have shinned the longest but definitely left a massive fusion reaction in all of our hearts.

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