In addition to the ten main characters, SpongeBob SquarePants has a large amount of background characters. They are identified by the artists and animators with individual model numbers. These model numbers correspond to when the characters were designed in production. The following is a list of background characters, sorted by their model numbers.

"Squeaky Boots," the second episode made for season 1 in production order (code #102), was the first produced episode to feature incidental characters. As a result, the first row of incidentals (incidentals 1-11) were all first designed for "Squeaky Boots."

Some characters, such as Incidental 35 and Incidental 70, were removed from the model sheets, mainly between the second and fourth seasons. Like most animated series, many SpongeBob episodes are worked on at the same time, leading to several incidentals with later numbers appearing in episodes before others with earlier numbers.

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Regular Incidentals

"F__" Incidentals

The F incidentals (likely standing for Fancy) are a group of fancy fish designed for "Culture Shock." Some of these fish are actually regular incidentals but with minor edits and fancy suits (Fred, Incidental 2, Incidental 15, Incidental 23, and Incidental 63).

"Teen" Incidentals

These Incidentals first appear in "The Chaperone".

"Pirate" Incidentals

A crew made out of four pirates first appear in "Dying for Pie." The third pirate is the captain. An additional group of pirate Incidentals were added to this group for "Grandpappy the Pirate", those are edits of pre-existing character models with new pirate outfits.

"G__" Incidentals

These nerdy looking Incidentals first appear in "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic." The "G" in their names likely stand for Geek.

"K__" Incidentals

These incidentals first appear in the "Friend or Foe" flashbacks, along with other regular incidentals reduced to the size of a child. The "K" very likely stands for kid. This is also the only incidental sheet where every member in it is known.

"Viking" Incidentals

"A__" Incidentals

These Incidentals have only appeared in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and the "Thank Gosh It's Monday" short. The "A" likely stands for Apocalyptic.

Unnumbered Apocalyptic Incidentals

An unnumbered duo of Apocalyptic Incidentals are neither regular Incidentals nor "A__" Incidentals.

"BM__" Incidentals

In the rough Storyboards for "Stuck on the Roof" and SpongeBob's Place," three fish with the labels of "BM__" (which likley stand for Businessmen) appered with models that are recycled from older ones. The first apperences of these Incidentals was likley "The Executive Treatment."

"D__" Incidentals

"M__" Incidentals

A total of five incidentals whose model numbers start with "M" (possibly standing for musician) appear in "Krusty Katering." They are recycled from other models, just recolored and dressed up with suits. Only three numbers are known: M2, M3, and M4.

"NF__" Incidentals

A total of 7 well dressed fish marked with a "NF" (possibly standing for "New Fancy") made their debut in "Krusty Katering."

"PM__" Incidentals

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Number Image Debut

A total of at least 16 Krabby Patty monster Incidentals were created for "Krabby Patty Creature Feature". Some of these are regular Incidentals turned into Krabby Patty monsters.

This list is incomplete, but you can help Encyclopedia SpongeBobia by expanding it.

"C__" Incidentals

A total of at least 22 clown incidentals were designed for "Don't Feed the Clowns".

"Senior"/"S__" Incidentals

These elderly fish were designed for "Old Man Patrick".

Number Image Debut Incidental S1 Unknown Incidental S2 "Old Man Patrick" (episode 1132) Incidentals S3-4 Unknown Incidental S5 "Old Man Patrick" (episode 1132) Incidental S6 "Old Man Patrick" (episode 1132)

"BB__" Incidentals

These fish children were designed for "Old Man Patrick" for the scene when SpongeBob and the elders go to the arcade. They later reappear in "Insecurity Guards" and "The Goofy Newbie."

"HB__" Incidentals

These hillbilly characters (which is likley what the "HB" stands for) were designed for the Wagon Wheel hoedown sequence in "Karen's Virus". One of them is based on an older model.[1]

"EHS__" Incidentals

These fish make up the members of the Empty Head Society in "The Nitwitting." Four of them are recycled from older models, and one of those recycled models has a different labeling to the rest.

"CM__" Incidentals

These fish appear in "Mind the Gap" Some of them are recycled from older models, and the "CM" might stand for "Club Member" or "Cool Music."

"RL__" Incidentals

At least ten "RL" incidentals were created for SpongeBob in RandomLand. Only one model number is known.

Trivia

Most background characters have two models: one for their daytime color palette and another for their nighttime color palette. For example, Fred's palettes are labeled "001-DAY" and "001-NIGHT."

According to Jay Lender, several of the original incidental characters were removed from the model sheets during the second season after their models were lost in the shuffle during revisions. [2] As a result, many episodes featuring them in storyboards (such as "Christmas Who?" and "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III") had them replaced with different character models. The numbers for these characters are known from storyboards. Specifically, numbers 33, 35, 61, 62, 70, and 71 are known from the storyboards of "Christmas Who?." It's been proven possible that if a removed incidental has its model retrieved it could return to the show and stay. For example, Incidentals 95-101 returned by "The Inmates of Summer" and Incidental 33 returned by "Patrick's Tantrum". Why the official model sheets haven't updated since then is unknown.

As a result, many episodes featuring them in storyboards (such as "Christmas Who?" and "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III") had them replaced with different character models. Fred, Scooter, Sandals, and Old Man Walker are currently the only incidental characters with official confirmed names by the SpongeBob crew. Other characters have been given various names throughout the show, but these are limited to single instances and do not carry over to other episodes.

crew. Other characters have been given various names throughout the show, but these are limited to single instances and do not carry over to other episodes. The models for Incidentals 30 and 30A are redraws of the anchovies from "Help Wanted." Unlike the anchovies in "Help Wanted," these incidentals are solid blue and brown, and the brown anchovies have blue shirts instead of white ones.

In many episodes, duplicate background character fish can be seen in crowds.

Gallery

Each incidental has a separate character model. At various points in the show's production, the models have been compiled onto model sheets, separate from the Main Model Pack also used by the animators. The earliest known sheet for the regular incidentals divided them by their appearances. For example, tall rounded fish were grouped together under a category called "hotdogs."

Before the production of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, another compilation sheet was made, this time listing the characters in order of number. The sheet has gaps for the numbers of removed incidentals, who are incorrectly labeled as "non-existant" (sic). Vincent Waller uploaded the pages of this sheet to his Twitter account in February 2018, and Adam Paloian uploaded photographed sheets to his Twitter account in April 2019.

The character models for the Rock Bottomites were in the files of the PS1 version of SuperSponge. Adam Paloian uploaded to his Twitter Incidental F4's character model on August 1, 2017, two hillbilly sheets in November 2018, and three Empty Head Society sheets in January 2019.

Videos

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