Animated or otherwise, all shows must eventually come to an end. But it’s also natural for fans to long for more even after that final fade to black. Whether we’re looking to tie up loose ends or simply want more time with the world and characters, we all have that one title we wish had gone on forever, and FANDOM is no different. So, here’s our list of animated series we never wanted to end.
Kim Possible
Kim Possible could — quite literally — do anything. She was a high school cheerleader, a crime-fighter, a globetrotter, a detective, and the list goes on. With her clumsy, yet lovable sidekick, Ron Stoppable, by her side, Kim utilized her exceptional cheerleading skills to save the world from madcap supervillains — the most notable being the fiendish Dr. Drakken and his assistant, Shego.
“Graduation,” our final outing with Team Possible, sees Kim and Ron conclude high school as a couple. Drakken and Shego, meanwhile, are embraced as international heroes for having helped save the world. Though a satisfying sendoff, this finale (and the show’s basic premise) left us with enough potential to fill another couple of seasons. How do Kim and Ron manage as adults? What new heroes and villains do they meet along the way? What became of the apparent reformation (and romance) of Drakken and Shego?
House of Mouse
Revolving around the premise of Mickey Mouse running a dinner theater-style nightclub frequented by our favorite Disney characters, it’s no surprise that Disney’s House of Mouse delivered nothing but pure fun — until it ended in 2003. Since then, Disney has acquired Pixar, Marvel, and the Star Wars properties (there’s also been a renaissance at Disney Animation).
So, if House of Mouse were still going today, we could see Darth Vadar in a betting pool with the Disney villains, or get a cutaway gag of Maui bodybuilding with Thor. If the enthusiastic reaction to the princess scene in Ralph Breaks the Internet is any indication, the hunger for Disney crossovers is more prevalent now than ever before.
As for new shorts to act as the club’s floor show, the creative team can easily utilize Paul Rudish’s series of modern Mickey Mouse cartoons, which have been ongoing since 2013 (highly recommend checking these out on YouTube, they’re a blast!)
Teen Titans
Cartoon Network’s anime-inspired action series, Teen Titans, left us with a lot of unanswered questions. The final episode sees the mysterious return of Terra — long assumed dead by the Titans — but fails to explain how she survived or why she had no memories of her past. There is also Red X, whose identity is never revealed despite being a major mystery in the show. Naturally, fans assumed the next season would answer some of these questions.
Sadly, such a follow-up never came, and we were instead given spinoff projects like New Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!. As these were more elseworld stories, they did not address the unfinished plot threads left behind by the original series. As such, we’ve been clamoring for a proper continuation of Teen Titans for over a decade.
Gravity Falls
Taking place in a small town filled with monsters, demons, and a ton of unsolved mysteries, Gravity Falls chronicles the summer adventures of twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, who are under the care of their miserly great-uncle, Stan. The tales were as hilarious as they were thrilling, making Gravity Falls stand out from the crowd.
What makes Gravity Falls even more unique is that its brief lifespan was not a result of cancellation. Rather, it was at the behest of its creator, Alex Hirsch, who set out to tell a story with a definitive beginning, middle, and end. Having managed to do so with only two seasons, Gravity Falls ended with its climactic Season 2 finale, “Weirdmaggedon 3: Take Back The Falls.”
Unsurprisingly, such a short run left many fans wanting more. Whether it’s the continued adventures of Stan and Ford or further development of the relationship between Dipper and Pacifica, it would have been satisfying to see what other adventures await these characters (maybe even in regions beyond Gravity Falls, itself). The very nature of the show made the possibilities endless.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
We all knew how Avatar: The Last Airbender was going to end — Aang would master the elements, end the Fire Nation‘s genocidal reign, and more than likely blossom a romantic relationship with Katara. The brilliance of Avatar comes from the fact that its obvious endgame never devalued the journey it took to get there. With equal doses of lighthearted fun, beautifully choreographed action, and heart-wrenching angst, Aang’s battle against the Fire Lord remained widely compelling from start to finish.
While The Legend of Korra did reference what became of Team Avatar and even featured appearances from the surviving members, the 70-year gap between the two shows remained largely unseen. Aang was only 12 by the series’ end. There are multiple chapters of his life still left for us to explore. To actually see the old gang again, as they grow and develop in a world recovering from war, would be something special.
