Have you ever re-watched a movie or TV show that used to be your absolute favorite when you were a kid? Nine times out of ten, things are gonna be pretty different than you remembered.

These folks on AskReddit shared the pop culture characters they can no longer view the same now that they’re adults.

1. Poor Helga

“Not sure if this has already been mentioned but Helga Pataki from Hey Arnold. As a kid, I thought she was a weird girl. As an adult, my mind was blown when I realized how neglected she was. Her mom was an alcoholic and her dad was a narcissist who favored Olga and made her the golden child. Most of the characters have pretty sad stories honestly. That show was deep and I never realized it as a child.”

2. Issues

“Hank Hill. Growing up I thought Hank was just kind of an a** to his kid for no reason. Now I realize that he’s got a whole host of emotional issues caused by his upbringing, even if he doesn’t do much to address them. He’s really doing the best he can and usually comes around in the end.”

3. Endearing

“Team Rocket.

As a kid they were just the goofballs appearing constantly for slapstick humor and episode drama.

Re-watching the series as an adult they are actually a lot more endearing pair than any of the main cast and get a fair amount of development and depth throughout the series. And that’s not including the puns and jokes that slipped by me in my childhood.”

4. Good reasons

“Daniel Hillard from Mrs. Doubtfire

Kid Me thought it was unfair that his wife would leave him and take the kids when he was such a hilarious, fun guy. Adult Me thinks ‘Yeah, there are multiple good reasons why she divorced you, Daniel.’”

5. Bad parenting

“Mr. Wilson from Dennis the Menace. That kid really is a destructive force of nature, and his parents don’t do crap to stop it.”

6. Identify with Donald

“Donald Duck. As a child I thought he is lazy AF and just boring. The older I get, the more I can identify with him.”

7. Different views

“King Triton. As a kid, you look at him as the powerful and oppressive father who is preventing Ariel from getting what she wants. As an adult, you realize more and more how stupid Ariel is and how much he is trying to actually protect her.”

8. Perspective

“Mulan.

Growing up Asian I felt a connection to the character but in a way that children would (i.e. she was rebellious, she was cool since she could wield a sword, and she was praised at the end).

As a full grown man now I see her as someone who just wanted to help out her parents regardless of what people said. Sure she was a woman and people practically looked on her even going so far as to shame her and her family just because she wanted to prevent her father from having to go out to fight in his old and injured state. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do and show all the morons who say you’re not worth it that you are and that they have no control over you.”

9. Heartbreaking

“Nani from Lilo & Stitch.

As a kid she was the overly strict “mother”, and always overly angry, while Lilo was the poor lost kid who was blamed for everything.

As an adult, the film is heart-breaking. Nani is herself a young kid doing her best to keep her family together, under the worst circumstances, and she’s become one of my favorite characters of all time just for how relatable she is.”

10. Messed up

“Cyclops from the X-Men

As a child: Boring tighta** who doesn’t respect Wolverine’s awesomeness and doesn’t deserve Jean.

As an adult: Brainwashed child soldier who was given too much responsibility too young and consequently holds himself accountable for everything, constantly screws up, but keeps on trying to do the right thing.

He’s still a terrible husband, of course, but that’s part of his constantly messed up.”

11. That’s what happened

“It took me a long time to realize what was up with Penny Johnson in Dirty Dancing. As a kid I just thought she had a stomach ache or something, only recently did I realize she was pregnant and had a botched abortion.”

12. The best and worst

“Boromir. As a kid, I judged him as weak for not being able to resist the ring and as foolish for not liking the plan of the Council. As an adult, I realize that his weakness is the weakness of almost all mortals. Very few people could resist the Ring.

Also, Gondor was in the most immediate danger and had been bearing the brunt of Sauron’s power for the longest time. As the next Steward of Gondor, his people’s safety was his first concern. In the end, he shows his quality by sacrificing himself for the hobbits. He really exemplifies the best and worst parts of men.”

13. On his way to jail

“I used to think Bart Simpson was cool. Now I’m sure he’s heading straight into a lifetime of incarceration.”

14. A dark character

“Woody from Toy Story.

He was always a fun toy but now I see his desperation to be played with and his jealousy when Andy plays with someone else. He is actually quite a dark character if you think about it.

And also the fishing rod with barbie legs, it looked fun when I was young but now I know it was a hooker =) “

15. I can relate…

“Squidward.

I too have worked in the service industry. I was also grumpy and miserable doing it. You either quit a Spongebob or work long enough to see yourself become a Squidward.”

The post People Share the Pop Culture Characters They See Differently Now That They’re Adults appeared first on UberFacts.