This picture is from The Real Ghostbusters, which was a children’s cartoon from the late 80s and early 90s.

The story for this particular episode is interesting in that it is based on the idea that there exists a creature called a Grundel, which is a supernatural parasite that preys on at-risk youth by turning them evil. If the targeted child invites the Grundel into his life, he falls under its malignant control. If this child then fully submits to the Grundel’s will, he is transformed into a Grundel and the cycle repeats.

For kids watching this on a Saturday morning, a potential answer is proffered to the question “What makes a good kid go bad?” This is an inquiry that on some level crosses the mind of all children who experience any amount of familial disharmony while growing up, and all children who witness once-innocent friends or peers grow into the bad paths in life that were theirs to inherit.

Throughout, writer J. Michael Straczynski treats children as if they are intelligent enough to comprehend the complicated but also relatable subject matter. Ironically, idiot parents used quotes like “come out and play child”, “so fresh, so pure, but not for long!”, and “open the window, we’ll go away… far from all the adults” as an opportunity to protest that the Grundel character was a child molester.

This is why there are so many shitty children’s cartoons. Sadly, The Real Ghostbusters would also become a shitty cartoon shortly after this episode aired.