Whatever Happened to Victor Virus?

> "It's not quantity that makes a series great, it's quality."
>
>

- Matthew Littlemore

**"*Whatever Happened to Victor Virus?*"** is the thirty-second episode of CartoonMania. It was first confirmed on Twitter on September 7, 2018. A screenshot was later posted on April 24, 2019. It premiered on YouTube on June 6, 2019.

It is the first and only episode in the third season.

## Plot

Matthew tells Victor the story of how he was created and how he became a computer virus.

## Detailed plot summary

Matthew finishes painting a wall when Victor accidentally sneezes adware onto the wall, Victor apologizes and flies off. Ryan makes snarky comments about Matthew's "virus problem" and he and Matthew get into an argument while Victor silently watches from up the stairs. Ryan claims that Matthew has only himself to blame because he's the one that created Victor. Matthew, frustrated, accidentally lets it slip that Victor wasn't supposed to be a virus and that he was "an accident". This causes Victor to cry and fly away while Matthew tries to explain himself. Ryan sarcastically says "and the award for cartoonist of the years goes to..." and Matthew punches him in the face and chases after Victor.

In Victor's room, Matthew tells Victor he wasn't accident, but the fact that he is a computer virus is an accident. In a flashback, Matthew explains to Victor how he makes his cartoon characters using the Animated Life Form Printer 3000. Matthew then explains that during Victor's creation, he realized had forgotten to put color on his model sheet while Victor was printing, so he downloaded a software that would let him color Victor as he was printing, but the software contained a bug. So Victor turned black with green binary code and his legs turned into a tail.

Matthew, thinking Victor was dead on arrival, began crying. But his tear drop woke Victor up and Victor sneezed adware onto the wall for the first time. Professor Qwertyson enters the room and tells Matthew that he reminds him of Victor Frankenstein because he creates life, which gives Matthew the idea to name the then new character Victor Virus.

In the present, Victor is not sure what to think about his origin. Later, he has a conversation with Penny about it and questions if anyone in the house is what they were meant to be. Penny reassures him and kisses him. Meanwhile, on the 96th floor, Matthew is sitting behind boxes and convinced that Victor hates him. Suddenly, Matthew's negative emotions creates a negative version of himself that antagonizes him and his characters. The negative Matthew tries to get Matthew to leave the house but Matthew refuses. Negative Matthew disappears and then all of his portraits start repeating "Your fault" to him. Matthew tells them to shut up and that it was an accident.

That night, Matthew has a nightmare about Victor containing enough evidence that he should go to a mental hospital. When Matthew wakes up, he screams all the way to Victor's room. Matthew apologizes to Victor and tells him he has every right to hate him. Victor reassures Matthew that he doesn't hate him and has a small speech about we are who we are. Matthew hugs Victor and cries. Matthew says he's going to get a glass of water and Victor joins him.

In the elevator, Matthew hits the button for the first floor and before the elevator shuts, Victor asks if Mr. Incredibone was meant to be a skeleton. Matthew says "oh boy..." and the elevator shuts as Victor laughs.

Mr. Incredibone, who overheard, says "Was I?" and the episode ends.

## Characters

* Victor Virus
* Matthew Littlemore
* Ryan
* Penny Bleat
* Moe and Joe
* Chompy
* Roy (*flashback*)
* Anne Mermaid (*flashback*)
* Captain McMallard (*flashback*)
* Wacky Quacky
* Mr. Incredibone
* Professor Qwertyson (*flashback*)
* Negative Matthew

## Objects

* Web Cartoon Series Stones
* Animated Life Form Printer 3000
* Matthew's self-portraits

## Floors And Rooms

* 2nd Floor
* 8th Floor
* Victor’s Room
* Matthew's Office
* 96th Floor
* 100th Floor
* 99th Floor
* 78th Floor
* 34th Floor
* 19th Floor

## Trivia

* This is the first eleven minute episode of the series, which also makes it the longest episode that isn't a special.
* This is the first and only time the CartoonMania theme has played before an episode, since the 2017 series has ended and a reboot for it has been announced.
* This is the third longest episode of the series, far behind  Handle With Scare and Xmas Marks The Spot, which were two of the longest episodes.
* Victor speaks for the second time in the series since "*Handle With Scare*", however he is played by Tenor R. instead of Matthew.
* Penny speaks for the first time in the series and is played by PinkGalaxxy.
* The characters are given thicker outlines in this episode.
* Blood appears for the first time.
* It's revealed that Victor being a virus was a mistake and that Matthew brings his characters to life using the Animated Life Form Printer 3000.
* Kat and Ruff, Foolmates, The Mr. JB Show and other
* Web Cartoon Series make a cameo as posters and stones in the background.
* The Web Cartoon Series Stones from "*Acknowledgement*" make an appearance.
* The title is a reference to the Cartoon Network series *Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?*
* Matthew arguing with himself is a reference to *Samurai Jack's* fifth season.
* This is the first non-special episode to have an actual title card and ending credits, as opposed to the black screens with the title and credits beforehand.
* Victor's creation is noted as being four months ago, making the flashback sequence take place at least four months or longer before all of Victor's appearances in the series.
* Victor is character 318, which means two more characters were created sometime during the last four months.

## Commentary

On June 17, 2019, Matthew Littlemore released a commentary of the episode with himself on Twitter. On June 18th, it was released to YouTube. As of October 2019, the video has been privatised for reasons that have not yet to be confirmed by Matthew Littlemore.

### Notes

* Some sequences in the theme song might become future episodes.
* It is confirmed the title is a reference to *Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?* and that Matthew's argument with himself is a reference to *Samurai Jack's* fifth season*.*
* Matthew mentions the fact that he used to voice Victor.
* Tenor will also voice Timmy Tiger alongside Victor and Matthew wants to make a Timmy episode next.
* Ryan getting punched in the face was satisfying to animate.
* The story of *Whatever Happened to Victor Virus?* is a story Matthew has wanted to do for a long time.
* The webtoon statues were included because Matthew wanted to include ones he forgot in other episodes, as well as fix the outdated designs.
* Tenor helped out with the glitching and sound effects during Matthew's nightmare.
* The binary code on Victor's floor says "P and V" (meaning Penny and Victor).
* This is the beginning of Matthew's slow descent into madness.

Unofficial reupload: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhNS7GYkAMM

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/animator320/status/1038228574514249728
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/animator320/status/1121132082640695297
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/animator320/status/1140707593695817728