History SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped / WesternAnimation

!!Main: SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped
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!! Works with their own pages:
[[index]]

* ''SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''
* ''SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped/TheSimpsons''

[[/index]]
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!! Other examples:
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues'' tackles an AntiEscapismAesop - but manages to do so ''without'' coming off as [[BrokenAesop hypocritical]]. In "Moderation", Zach finds a NicheNetwork that he really enjoys, and watches it to the point where he neglects to do other important things in his life such as his chores and homework. He's never told that ''watching'' TV is a "Bad" thing, it's just that he's doing it to an excess. In all it is a pretty good aesop.
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''
%%** The episode "Surro-Gate", which is about gay people adopting. Sure, the episode isn't as sentimental as the other episodes listed here but it's nice. It also shows that extremists on both sides can be complete hypocrites.
** "American Dad After School Special" shows that eating disorders aren't just something that affect teenaged girls, as anyone (boys, men, women, etc.) can become just as obsessed with their bodies and their weight to the point of becoming bulimic and/or anorexic--even though the eating disorder counselor doesn't realize this, as he still refers to Stan as a teenaged girl and thinks the fact that Stan doesn't have his period is from anorexia drying up his ovaries like tobacco in the sun.
*** Another thing that people can interpret from this episode is that just because someone's "thin" or "skinny," that doesn't automatically mean that they're healthier and/or in better shape than someone who isn't, as being underweight can be just as bad as being overweight--in fact, some studies have proven that being underweight is actually a lot more harmful to a person's health that being overweight.
%%** "Daddy Queerest" shows that some homophobes can have no reason to dislike gays, and that sometimes, you can't change their ways. Here Stan tries to convince Terry's father to accept him for who is, but he instead tells them he just doesn't like them and leaves. When Terry gets incensed at it, his husband Greg tells him to forget it and move on. Also, loved ones and family members who can't accept who you really are don't love you as much as you think they do.
%%** "I Can't Stan You:" People often talk shit about each other, even their friends, and it's a part of everyday life to gossip and it doesn't necessarily mean that they hate the people they gossip about. You can't force people to like you.
%%** "The Boring Identity" and "Haylias": Trying to change someone just to fit your own needs is a '''''very''''' bad idea.
%%** "Vision: Impossible" shows that it is better to take some risks in life than constantly worrying about whether the outcome of your actions will be good or bad in the future.
%%** "Stan's Best Friend": Sometimes euthanasia is necessary when it comes to pets.
%%** "The Shrink": The world is often scary and unpredictable, and you can't control what happens. But you ''do'' control what you do after those things, and your family will always help you through it.
%%** "[=LGBSteve=]" not only had a VerySpecialEpisode on gender identity that was quite popular with adult animation in UsefulNotes/TheNewTens, but also claimed that even the most seemingly open-minded and progressive people can make mistakes, but that it doesn't automatically make them a bad person.
** "Home Adrone": When you break somebody's trust, a single act to help them isn't going to fully restore it. As Stan says, it takes a long time for trust to be reestablished, but also says the road to doing so can always be started. In other words, broken trust is not always instantly repaired but can be over time.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong''
%%** One episode that had the moral that just because someone is plain, that doesn't make them a nice person any more than being physically attractive makes someone mean or cruel; it's the character underneath the appearance that determines what kind of person they are.
%%** Haley's SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to her grandfather drops the anvil that expecting someone, ''especially'' a minor, to fulfil thankless duties with minimal at best support from a mentor/authority figure is both unfair and unhealthy; this comes with a side of "Just because they're an adult, that doesn't mean they're always right".
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' had a very realistic Aesop in the episode "Bully for Skippy." As the title suggests, Skippy has problems with a bully at school. Instead of attempting to solve the problem himself, he tells the adults in his life--including the school principal and a guidance counselor--who give the type of advice usually seen in children's cartoons, such as "Just ignore him" or "Become his friend." Skippy diligently tries every suggestion, but the bully still harasses him, so Slappy teaches him how to defend himself without instigating a fight. This turns out to be the only thing that works, much to the chagrin of the in-universe MoralGuardians, but it drops the important lesson that while you should always try to be empathetic and use non-violence, there ''will'' be bullies and jerks in your life who won't respond to those tactics, and sometimes you have to get physical if it means protecting yourself. Similarly, responding in kind [[HeWhoFightsMonsters doesn't make you a bully yourself]], as Skippy is still a sweet kid after the fact--there's a big difference between self-defense and being cruel to others for no good reason.
* ''WesternAnimation/AsToldByGinger'':
** "Ms. Foutley's Boys": You shouldn't be in a relationship just for the sake of it. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being single, and if you're going to date then it should be with someone you love. Ginger tries to force her mother Lois to date Buzz because she's afraid of her mother being alone forever despite how much she finds Buzz and his sons a headache to deal with. And when Lois does eventually remarry, it's after a full season of dating and making sure that Dave is the right man for her.
** "Fast Reputation" digs into the anvil on SlutShaming. Fed up of being called a nice girl, Ginger decides to crash a high school party. After having a NotWhatItLooksLike moment with a boy called Jake, she instead gets a reputation of being "fast". She realises she preferred her old reputation.
** Joann Bishop is a great anvil on what someone who only craves popularity is like. Back when she was in Jr High, The very people she wanted to be friends with could sense her wannabe attitude a mile off, and the attempts she went through to get popularity never got her what she wanted, hence why she's such an utter grump in the present day.
%%** "Losing Nana Bishop": You don't have to like your relatives; just respect them. A very good lesson that is all too relevant for people who grew up in dysfunctional families and have tense relationships with relatives.
* ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
** The central plot of [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender the original series]] is that WarIsHell.
--->'''Zuko''': Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history and somehow, the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist What an amazing lie that was!]] The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation! They don’t see our greatness -- they hate us! And we deserve it. We’ve created an era of fear in the world. And if we don’t want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness.
*** Relating to the previous example, fascism, nationalism and imperialism is innately cancerous and will both ruin the nations surrounding you and your nation itself, and those that prop it up are will quickly become only concerned about extolling their own power over anything else. Sozin's initial attempts at "spreading prosperity" to the rest of the world by military conflict only leads to horrific suffering on a scale that disgusts him, and his descendants continue to use the excuse to justify conquest while ultimately only caring about becoming as powerful as they can be. The degradation into militarism completely bankrupts the Fire Nation's culture and leads it to a diplomatic nightmare that Zuko will have to spend the rest of his adult life attempting to clean up.
** The show features two notable ones which Iroh gives out: "No one can give you honor or self-worth except yourself." (Zuko) "Power and perfection are overrated." (Aang)
** In the episode "The Deserter", Aang discovers a Firebending master and is eager to learn firebending. The master is reluctant because he knows Aang has not mastered water and earth (and true focus) yet. To start with baby steps, the master gives Aang a tiny leaf to burn in a very controlled fashion, [[CynicalMentor though he doesn't bother to explain the lesson's purpose]]. But an impatient Aang yearns to show off his potential and creates giant flames that badly burn Katara, much to his horror. Distraught, Aang decides he will never firebend again and suppresses his firebending abilities (until the later 3rd season). Katara reminds Aang that he has to learn firebending someday, just not now. Even if you feel you have more potential, dangerous lessons must be learned gradually. And if you mess up real terribly, it does not mean you must abandon learning it; you will learn it someday, but not today. A later third season episodes completes the Aesop that a dangerous ability can be beautiful and vital once you understand control and its meaning. Zuko and Aang learn this when [[spoiler: they witness the last two dragons on Earth fire beautiful flames around them without burning them.]]
** "Zuko Alone" has two: Even the 'good' side in a war can be morally ambiguous, and it's unrealistic to expect long-lasting enmity to be smoothed over by a single act.
** The horrific breakdown of Azula drives home the point that [[MachiavelliWasWrong you can't keep people from hurting you by controlling them with fear]], because love, like the love Mai had for Zuko, is more important.
** Being a good parent isn't about loving your child because they meet your expectations, it's about ''always'' loving your child even though they've lost their way. The series demonstrates this by contrasting [[AbusiveParents Ozai]] and [[ParentalSubstitute Iroh's]] relationships with Zuko, and showing that Iroh was more of a father in the three years he spent with him than Ozai was for the other thirteen. On top of that, a real parent is the one who always loves you no matter what, rather than just being biologically related to you.
** "The Southern Raiders" takes {{Forgiveness}}, an Aesop commonly found in children's shows and completely [[JustifiedTrope justifies]] it. Katara does ''not'' forgive the man who killed her mother, and makes it clear that she will never forgive him, especially since he doesn't regret it. Instead, she realizes that letting revenge, even ''[[KickTheSonOfABitch incredibly justified]]'' revenge, dominate her life will destroy her. In the process, she ''does'' finally forgive Zuko for betraying the Gaang at the end of the second season, recognizing that he's trying to atone. It was an intelligent way of handling the Aesop that counts as a {{Reconstruction}}.
** Killing people isn't always the answer. It pulls it off rather well by means of WhatYouAreInTheDark; "Aang? If you really want to [[spoiler:defeat Ozai without killing him]], you'll have to ''[[FateWorseThanDeath risk your immortal soul]].'' '''How far are you willing to go for your ideals?"''' Answer: [[spoiler: Aang is without a doubt an AllLovingHero - so he '''''[[EarnYourHappyEnding EARNS his Happy Ending]].''''']]
** The theme of sticking to your ideals is especially prevalent, since his mentors (previous avatars), his friends, and pretty much everyone else in the story told him to [[spoiler: kill Ozai]], but instead he stuck with what he thought was right and it worked out for the best.
** "It's okay if you've made mistakes - it's never too late to do the right thing", as shown with Zuko's [[spoiler:HeelFaceTurn]], ''especially'' after it had been subverted (he had made the wrong choice) in the season 2 finale.
** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' also follows these up.
*** For example, the moral that when trying to fight evil, one should be careful to not become [[HeWhoFightsMonsters as bad as those you fight.]] (For example, many people became anti-bending Equalists so they could prevent the damage that some benders do. When they themselves became dangerous terrorists, powerful benders such as Tarrlok resorted to martial law and internment of the innocent. Both these reactions were wrong).
%%** The major theme of both series seems to be the importance of balance and harmony between different people, aspects of nature and ideals and philosophies. Korra's book 4 episode "The Calling" reinforces this by addressing (via Toph) how the villains of the past seasons had noble intentions, yet were too imbalanced in their methods and their goals when they tried to realize those intentions.
%%** A major message of the second season is that you have worth as an individual, no matter what else you are. Tenzin accepted that he was more than just the son of Aang and Korra realized that she has worth beyond simply being the Avatar.
%%** Just because someone is the son or daughter of a [[NiceGuy good]] [[TheHero person]] or a [[BigGood great]] [[TheLeader leader]] doesn't mean they are destined to turn out exactly like them. This can be both for the better or for the worse. On the [[DeconstructedTrope negative]] side, you have the kindly, humble, bear-loving Earth King, whose daughter Hou-Ting grew up to be a short-tempered, arrogant tyrant who dislikes animals. On the [[{{Reconstruction}} positive]] side, Tenzin might not be ''the'' hero of the story like his father Aang before him (and may [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome lack his playful and laid back personality]]) , but he's still a good father who managed to raise a loving family. (Heck, he turned out a ''better'' father than [[ParentsAsPeople Aang]] ever was.)
%%** The third season opener has Tenzin give a YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre speech loaded with anvils. For one thing, that change can be either good or bad, depending on your viewpoint, that even someone like the Avatar can't solve all the problems of a city, that even if what you're doing is ultimately to help the world as a whole there are going to be people who don't agree with your choices, and finally that true wisdom comes from accepting reality, and that once some things change, they can never go back to the way they were.
*** A major message of Book 4 is that fighting for what you believe in does not make it true. It comes across strongly when Bolin discovers that what he believed was right ended up harming others, even the ones he loves.
%%** [[BrokenBird Horrible things happen that can haunt people for the rest of their lives]], but refusing to accept that they happened will only make sure they stay in that [[HeroicBSOD sorry state]]. The strongest method against this weakness is [[FaceYourFears to accept that it happened]], rather than pretend it didn't [[spoiler:as Korra did with her TraumaCongaLine with Zaheer in the conclusion of Season 3]].
*** This [[http://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/2014/12/korra-series-finale-recap-gay-asami article]] gives an insightful and beautiful description of how and why ''The Legend of Korra'' is one of the first cartoons to show the things most TV shows, animated or live-action, don't always do: Racial representation. Body positivity. Badass women who can still be vulnerable, aren't over-sexualized, and aren't over-exaggerated for either being too girly or too tomboyish. The complexity of politics and religion. No agenda of showing that "only girls are awesome", but both genders can be equally as awesome. And probably the most significant impact: [[spoiler:The portrayal, if subtle one, of two women (Korra and Asami) of different races becoming an OfficialCouple]].
%%*** Avatar had its badass girls as well, see [[http://im-still-flying.tumblr.com/post/106294323816/badass-women-of-avatar-update-of-this-post this post]] for more examples.
%%** [[http://bryankonietzko.tumblr.com/post/105916338157/korrasami-is-canon-you-can-celebrate-it-embrace This post]] by one of the creators averts NoBisexuals in regards to [[spoiler: Korra and Asami becoming an OfficialCouple]].
%%---> '''Bryan Konietzko''': Despite what you might have heard, bisexual people are real!
%%** Parents are not perfect, they won't always make the right choices no matter how much they love us, but we shouldn't let ourselves be blinded by resentment, either for them or our siblings, even when rightly or wrongly they get better lives than us, even if it's not fair for them to get better lives than us. Having said that, back to the show's themes of balance, parents should never prioritize one child over the others, even if there are legitimate safety reasons for it or serious global and environmental importance riding on it, and while parents shouldn't be too controlling they also shouldn't be too hands off when raising their kids, because both can be very damaging to their kids and cause their kids to become alienated from them and their family. Also, parents should never just assume that kids can raise themselves just because the parents might have done that, and parents should not just insensitively ignore their kids personal issues or ignore when their kids hurt each other or side with the kid who inflicted the pain in the first place just because addressing those issues or punishing the kid who did wrong would be inconvenient for the parent. Also, it's really not a good idea to act like it's not your fault when your poor parenting blows up in your face.
%%** LoveAtFirstSight, alone ''doesn't. work.'' It takes an investment of time, effort, honesty, forgiveness, cooperation and understanding with a bedrock of friendship ''first'' before going further. Without these, a healthy relationship cannot exist and they'll be a lot of hurt feelings, but if you mess up, that's ok, you can at least be civil, if not BetterAsFriends. However, if you ''do'' have these virtues with that special someone then whether they're your FirstLove or fifteenth, the person you always wanted to be with or someone you initially never imagined you'd be with, you'll have a healthy, fulfilling relationship for the long haul.
*** [[https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/legend-of-korra-trauma This article]] appreciates the sensitive way in which Korra's trauma was approached and how she had to deal with a severe case of PTSD.
%%* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVkDrIacHJM The Backwater Gospel]]" drops a couple of anvils. It's wrong to persecute/{{scapegoat}} those that are different, and paranoia can absolutely destroy a society.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''
** The episode "Mean Seasons" had VillainOfTheWeek Calendar Girl, who was once a renowned model but was fired for being unable to compete with younger women. She eventually decides to extract revenge on all the companies and networks who had casually dismissed her and ruined her career. Throughout the episode, she always wears a full-face mask since she had so much plastic surgery done before turning evil. But when the police unmask her, she begins to scream and writhe on the ground, horrified that they see her "ugly" face. She is in her late-thirties and just as attractive as the other models seen.
-->'''Batgirl''': She's beautiful.
-->'''Batman''': She can't see that anymore. All she can see are the flaws.
:: This one earns bonus points because Calendar Girl was voiced by Sela Ward, who in 1995 was passed up for the role as a [[Film/JamesBond Bond girl]] because "What we really want is Sela, but Sela ten years ago", prompting her to make a documentary called "[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0476645/ The Changing Face of Beauty]]", focusing on the media's obsession with youth and its effect on women.
** A huge one regarding domestic abuse is dropped in "Mad Love." Not only does it portray it as a serious issue, but it also shows why victims keep going back to their abusers; the Joker convinces Harley that he still loves her and that's enough to get her back in his grip.
** The episode "Never Fear" deconstructs the idea of having no fear by showing why that's not a good thing. Scarecrow uses a poison that causes a person to act without fear. A man who fears heights foolishly swings through Gotham like Batman and almost plummets to his death. A timid employee at Wayne Industries storms into Bruce's office, loudly quits and kisses Wayne's secretary without her consent. Batman murders a crocodile, nearly gets himself killed several times, and threatens to have a man fall to his death for information on where Scarecrow is and doesn't bother saving him when it happens, though fortunately Robin (Tim Drake) steps in. Fear might be something that holds us back, but it can also keep us in check so we don't foolishly endanger our lives or anyone else's.
* In the original ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' series, Ben almost invariably tried for one of the physically strong characters in the watch-at first. The Omnitrix would often shift him to a form that could actually handle the crisis better, or just required him to think to see how it could be useful. Sometimes the anvil was dropped (much) harder then others on the lessons: 1) muscle isn't everything; 2) if you're not handed what you wanted, work with what you have. "Don't be a selfish hothead" also had the anvil dropped a few times.
** "You shouldn't be a hero for the thrill of it and the praise afterwards. You should be a hero because it's the right thing to do." An entire episode was dedicated to teaching Ben this, and it's something that can easily apply to other fields. You shouldn't do good things because of praise and[=/=]or because you find it exciting. You should do good things because it's the right thing to do.
** The sequel, ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' has an amazing anti-bullying message, when Ben (who could've easily curb-stomped his old bullies) gives them one hell of a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech instead:
--->'''Ben:''' You know what? You two aren't even worth it. It's ridiculous. You've been doing the same old bully routine since the second grade, Cash, it's tired. Spilling my drink? Seriously. I can't believe I used to be afraid of you. Look around, Cash. We've all grown up, but you're still the same pathetic loser who has to torment others to feel good about himself. You're just... sad.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'':
%%** "Sacred Cow": Eating meat isn't inherently bad, but animal cruelty and exploitation are.
%%** "The Equestrianauts": Don't let a few bad apples sully a generally righteous group's core beliefs.
%%** "The Grand Mama Pest Hotel": If you suspect your daughter is abandoning you, don't coddle too much or you'll worsen the situation.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'':
** A recurring theme in this show is StopBeingStereotypical; that African-American people shouldn't keep [[UncleTomfoolery stooping down to boorish, anti-social, or anti-intellectual behavior]]. "Return of the King" is the most prominent example of this, with UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr giving a fiery rant criticizing ''everything'' he thinks is wrong with the current generation of black Americans.
** Although racism against black people (both current and historical) are frequently discussed and lampooned throughout this show, a few swipes are also made against PositiveDiscrimination.
*** "The Trial of R. Kelly": Music/RKelly, an obviously guilty, perverted celebrity who engaged in {{ephebophil|e}}ia, is acquitted due to his lawyer making [[EverythingIsRacist repeated accusations of racism]], along with [[ScrewTheRulesImFamous his loyal fans not wanting him to go to jail]].
*** "It's a Black President, Huey Freeman": The episode takes shots at people who voted for UsefulNotes/BarackObama because of his race and shallow campaign promises, while also ignoring his actual flaws.
** The OnceASeason StoryArc about [[{{Jerkass}} Colonel Stinkmeaner]] and [[ConflictBall Nigga Moments]] drops a serious anvil about the consequences of having a thin skin, [[DisproportionateRetribution pointlessly fighting other people over stupid shit]], and how [[CycleOfRevenge violence begets violence]]:
*** "Granddad's Fight": Robert's short fuse eventually led him to kill an annoying (but ultimately harmless) old man, and this only created ''more'' conflicts for him later down the road, as described below.
*** "Stinkmeaner Strikes Back": Stinkmeaner's ghost possessed Tom to seek vengeance upon Robert. [[spoiler:And Stinkmeaner was defeated not through violence, but by Huey persuading Ruckus to show [[ThePowerOfFriendship compassion]] towards Stinkmeaner, who rode on ThePowerOfHate.]]
*** "Stinkmeaner 3: The Hateocracy": Stinkmeaner's old acquaintances, the Hateocracy, went after the Freemans to avenge Stinkmeaner. [[spoiler:And they were only defeated when someone bothered to [[BoringButPractical call the police and have them arrested]].]]
*** "Stinkmeaner: Begun the Clone War Has": Robert finally ends his Nigga Moment by [[spoiler:sparing the life of Stinkmeaner's clone, and agreeing to make peace with each other, letting go of the bad blood and moving on]].
** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Ed Wuncler I]] and [[AristocratsAreEvil his family]] are walking caricatures of [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney the abuses of corporate America]], and how they are [[KarmaHoudini always allowed to get away with it]].
* The series ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}'' features an episode, "The Price", on drugs. While most shows tend to do the "Drugs aren't cool" presentation and show the users simply being worse at school or sports, this episode drops all subtlety and shows just how far drug abuse can get, as one teen ended up paying [[KilledOffForReal the ultimate price]]. On the flip side, kids who see others doing drugs need to inform their parents or other responsible adults before the worse can happen.
* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'':
** ''If It's Doomsday, This Must Be Belfast''. For all its faults[[note]]such as attempting to condense complex history into a version for children, complete with lots of AsYouKnow exposition, [[{{Scotireland}} mangled Scotirish accents]], the implication that AllJewsAreAshkenazi, and Wheeler as the embodiment of AmericaSavesTheDay[[/note]], it delivers a very clear Aesop that long histories of violence and bloodshed are complex, difficult problems without clear heroes and villains or quick, easy solutions, a secondary one that ''nobody'' wins when a nuclear war is waged, and a ''tertiary'' one that sometimes, people will not be able to be friends.
%%** The episode about radiation mentions that radiation itself isn't bad - in the right amounts it can actually be used as medicine. (Example: Radiotherapy)
** "Bitter Waters" is one of the better episodes of the series because of this. First off, it shows the poverty that many Native Americans live in (a message relevant in both US and Canada) and how little is done to help them. Then, it shows Looten Plunder actually showing a rare PetTheDog moment - he wants to open up an agricultural firm on the reservation, which will provide its residents with jobs and money. However, where he messes up is the fact that he is using cash crops that are a little too thirsty for the land it grows on, which [[http://www.columbia.edu/~tmt2120/environmental%20impacts.htm is very similar to what happened in the Soviet Union]] when they tried to grow cotton. in the end, he even admits their ideas were better when they use native and more appropriate agricultural products ''and'' use the land for green energy plants. The road to hell is paved with good intentions after all.
** Also, the episode that focused on a kid being infected with HIV due to a blood transfusion mishap. It wasn't even remotely subtle about showing that people with HIV or AIDS victims ''don't'' spread the disease by just being around other people, need all the love and support they can get, and can be anyone you know and/or love.

* ''WesternAnimation/ChinaIL'':
** The episode "Total Validation" gives a particularly twisted take on couples therapy clinics, but does conclude that love is not without compromise and that relationships where one person is "always right" and the other "always wrong" are not good for either person.
** In "Bi-Topping Ality", the Mayor's refusal to sell anchovy pizza at his Church of Pizza restaurant sparks a controversy quite similar to the gay marriage debate that was going on in America at the time. When the Mayor finally decides to have all the anchovy eaters in town arrested, Baby Cakes, who has spent the whole episode curious about the forbidden topping, explains that people should be free to make their own choices, live their own lives, and be who they are.
---> '''Baby Cakes''': Who cares why people choose stuff? Maybe DNA, maybe not, maybe you just want to be someone else for a day? What I mean is... all right, here's a metaphor. If a guy chooses to marry another guy, he should be able to right?\\
'''Mayor''': Well, of course right.\\
'''Baby Cakes''': So,I'm 95% of the time a pepperoni guy, but some days I see an anchovy and I want him in my mouth. And it's that freedom of choice that we need to protect, not science. Science is dumb.
%%* The horror-comedy series ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog'' ended with an episode entitled "Perfect." In the episode, Courage was depressed that he always seemed to mess up things, and that he was imperfect. Therefore, he conjures up a teacher that only he could see so that she could teach him how to be perfect. Courage undergoes many challenges, and nightmares (like the infamous [[UncannyValley CGI-fetus/trumpet creature]]), so that he could be perfect. It's when he's alone in the bathroom, [[ItMakesSenseInContext a fish appears to him in the bathtub]]. The fish tells him that there's no such thing as perfect and that he was beautiful as the way he is, and he reminds him that with all his imperfections, he could do anything he set his mind on. The teacher then tells Courage to make a perfect number six, which he does, in his own way. The teacher then [[ImMelting melts]] and the episode ends on a high note. The message is essentially: be yourself, and don't take what anyone else tells you with face value. You're beautiful just the way you are.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/DanielTigersNeighborhood'' has two episodes on voting. Daniel doesn't get his choice, but he's told to think of positive things about the alternative. It's a good lesson for everybody. Not bad for a preschool show.
%%* The very premise of "''WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk''" is essentially this, in regards to the ending of [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon the first]] ''"[[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon Dragon]]"'' [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon movie]]: sure, your actions can end up reforming your society and open the door to a brighter future, but the thing about change, even when it's for the better, is that ''[[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome it doesn't happen overnight]]''. Old habits die hard, it takes longer for a new status quo to register for some, and some people will actively oppose you due to deeply-ingrained preconceptions that don't simply vanish just because the majority is faring better. It's also entirely possible for the majority to fall BACK to the old ways if the person bearing the prejudice has enough cunning or clout to manipulate them.
* The ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' episode "[[Recap/Ducktales2017S2E16TheDuckKnightReturns The Duck Knight Returns]]" is an exploration of reboots and drops a few regarding many of the reactions a fan base will have about them:
** Just because a reboot isn’t an exact copy of the original doesn't mean it's going to be bad. The only important part of a reboot is whether or not it gets the heart of the franchise correct. SocietyMarchesOn and a few tweaks here and there are necessary in order for the work to appeal to a new generation of fans. Original fans need to accept that they don't "own" a franchise, and that changes can be made without sacrificing what made it work.
** On the other hand, while those changes are necessary, removing everything that made the franchise appealing in the first place will leave the reboot a poor successor that turns off fans old and new. Executives can't expect people to automatically enjoy a work just because they slapped a beloved franchise's name on it.
** Your favorite voice actor can't play the part forever for a variety of reasons, making TheOtherDarrin necessary. Additionally, a replacement actor isn't necessarily a bad choice for the role just because they're not the actor you're accustomed to. Chances are they love the character and the franchise just as much as you do, and are eager to give it their all, well aware that they have big shoes to fill.
* Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''WesternAnimation/EducationForDeath'', as a WartimeCartoon, seems like it'd be an unlikely candidate for this. However, it hammers in the point that ThoseWackyNazis are people just like you, and most of the soldiers are victims of propaganda and a cult of personality around the REAL monsters, like Hitler, Goebbels and Goering, and they're just as afraid of Hitler as you are.
%%** The short "WesternAnimation/ReasonAndEmotion" tells how overly emotional responses to fear and anxiety leads people to believe terrible people who sow hatred by appealing to your hatred and bigotry (granted the short has mild sexism, it holds up very well nowadays).
%%** Then there is original [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnp4kj5lLOU Chicken Little]] short, which shows how people can be taken advantage of, if they'll not think for themselves, but unquestionably believe everything they're told..
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'':
%%** The first episode with Chip Skylark shows that celebrities are real people just like us tropers, and some of them might not even like being famous.
%%** "The Boy Who Would Be Queen" is a fan-favorite episode for showing that it's okay for somebody to like stuff that targets the opposite gender.
** In "Ruled Out", Timmy gets fed up with all the rules his parents enforce when they won't let him watch a violent TV special, so he wishes that his parents would "[[ParentalNeglect care less]]" about him. At first, he enjoys it as he's allowed to do whatever he wants, but two weeks into the wish, Timmy gets sick from eating nothing but junk food and the Turners' hygiene and the house goes to pot. The whole episode demonstrates that while it might be annoying for your parents to not let you do whatever you want, the rules are there because your parents care about you and want you to be healthy and safe.
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
%%** "The Juice is Loose" delivers two: [[AffablyEvil Cold-blooded, psychopathic killers can behave just as normally and friendly as your next-door neighbor]], and [[BrokenPedestal idol worship sometimes isn't worth it, especially if your idol is a cold-blooded psychopathic killer.]]
%%** "Friends Of Peter G.": Keep your addictions in moderation.
%%** Peter's speech at the end of "Boys Do Cry" saying that TV viewers with children should actually be the ones who care about what their children watch and not have to constantly complain to TV show creators to tone down the content.
** In "McStroke", Peter tries to blame McBurgerTown after being diagnosed with stroke due to him eating 30 burgers endlessly. The silver lining is that no matter how terrible your bodies have become, it's your own responsibility and faults instead of them and that you shouldn't blame them for ending up like this in the first place.
** There's also "Peter-assment" for challenging the DoubleStandard by having Peter a nervous wreck from being sexually harassed by his female boss and his family and friends not giving a crap about it, as they either believe that women can get away with sexually harassing men, or they think the notion is ridiculous. In fact, one reviewer of the episode criticized the plot, but praised it for actually showing that sexual harassment isn't always a man giving a woman unwanted attention.
%%** "Extra-Large Medium": Not every person with special needs (i.e., the girl with Down Syndrome Chris had a crush on) is a nice person and using DisabilityAsAnExcuseForJerkassery is not okay.
%%** "I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar":
%%*** Feminism is about what women can choose to be (even if they choose to get married and have kids) and men need to be more sensitive to women and realize they're people too.
%%*** Being ''over''sensitive can be just as bad as being ''in''sensitive.
%%*** Being overly-supportive of a cause can be just as damaging as being discouraging of it. Peter learned the problems women face but he became loyal to a fault and became unfairly irate towards men.
%%** "Farmer Guy": If you have problems in your community, you don't leave town (unless it's a threat to yourself or your family). You stay and try to make things better.
** In "Baby Got Black", Peter and Jerome get into an argument over the latter not letting his daughter date Chris because he’s white, and Jerome says that black people can't be racist when Peter claims that he is. Jerome learns that, either way, racism is racism no matter which group is discriminating.
%%** The episode "Road to the North Pole," drops a very, ''very'' harsh anvil about Christmas consumerism, and how taking advantage of someone's magnanimity will destroy their goodwill.
** "The Dating Game": The plot of the episode has Quagmire sign up for Tinder but develop an obsession with it due to its simplicity towards sexual liaison. The "Tinder is Gross" song highlights the anvils about the dangers of having too much of a good thing and how constant sex loses the emotional passion in a genuine relationship.
** "Trans Fat" addresses the issue of transphobia and discusses the issue in a far better manner than they did in "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS8E18QuagmiresDad Quagmire's Dad]]". For context, Peter decides to identify himself as transgender so he can exploit people's sympathy and excuse how he treats others. After an injury, Peter is given sexual reassignment surgery and has now transitioned from male to female. After people start being transphobic towards him, Ida (Quagmire's mother who is actually transexual as male to female) berates Peter for his behaviour. Ida tells him how she had struggled for 47 years to come to terms with her identity, how she was suicidal and terrified of coming out to her own family. She finishes her story by telling Peter how he had tarnished the struggle by making transsexuality sound like a joke and how he had made it more difficult for people like Ida to come out without fear of mockery or resentment.
** "Livin' on a Prayer" delivers a surprising message about Christianity and tolerance (it almost reads as a response to the backlash against "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven"). Lois discovers that Stewie's new friend Scotty has cancer, but his parents won't seek treatment because they are Christian scientists, who believe that prayer is enough to heal. Though Lois attempts to persuade them, she eventually goes as far as to kidnap Scotty and bring him to the hospital against his will. When word gets out, Scotty's parents beg Lois to return him. Instead of losing her temper, though, she makes a carefully-reasoned, well-delivered speech about how medical advancements can be viewed as answers to prayers for healing, and those who work in the medical field may be "the instruments of God's will." Scotty's parents are convinced and allow him to get treatment, and Lois thanks them by saying "God bless you both." All told, it's an important anvil about how not all religious people are intolerant fundamentalists (Lois never gives up on her belief in God, and Scotty's parents are polite and sincere in their own beliefs), that science and faith ''can'' (and often do) coexist, and that people's minds can be changed through conversation and discussion.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'' has a surprising view on the modern school systems for a Disney cartoon.
%%** In "Test of the Tested", Ingrid, the smartest student in the school, fills out the Satty-9 test effortlessly and soon feels guilt for those who struggled through it. She points out that kids have much more intelligence than what they can show on standardized tests (Seth, the suspect of the week makes cartoons and invented a wallet that keeps candy bars from melting in your pocket) and says it’s a terrible system to put in place. Considering that this was made during the Bush administration and this subject hasn't gone away, it’s pretty timeless.
%%** ''Masterstroke of Malevolence'' drops one for artists, saying that ''any'' work can mean something to its audience and that meaning is important, even if it’s not the one the creator intended.
** In "South of Friendship, North of Honor", Wayne [[BrokenBird is broken]] after his partner Emily was bullied off the force and out of their school, an event for which he blames himself and which he deals with by looking the other way no matter what the rest of the [[CorruptHick corrupt safety patrol]] do. Through Fillmore's encouragement, Wayne (and the audience) realize that lying down and watching wrongdoing be done is not only a surefire way for a place to become unsafe for citizens but also a way to turn you into something you don't like and can't respect.
* ''WesternAnimation/FiremanSam'' had a OnceAnEpisode Aesop about some aspect of personal safety that was never even remotely subtle, but highly effective. Being [[BackedByThePentagon Backed By The Fire Brigade]] helped.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'':
%%** "The Cyber House Rules": Your real friends are the ones who care about you no matter what you look like. Fitting in for shallow reasons is overrated, and people who are shallow don't care about you as much as you think.
%%** "The Why of Fry": You're more important than you think you are. In fact, you could be the most important person to someone else.
%%** "The Luck of the Fryish" and "Cold Warriors": Your family does love you at the end of the day, even if it looks like they don't show it.
%%** "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz": As unpleasant as it may be, hunting is a necessity, not evil and helps prevent overpopulation, depletion of food sources and mass starvation.
* The Creator/DiCEntertainment ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'' two-parter "The Greatest Evil" may have been another DrugsAreBad episode, but it realistically demonstrates the consequences of drug addiction by having Falcon's addiction to [[FantasticDrug spark]] drive a wedge between him and his half-brother Duke, a Cobra member's sister ending up in a coma, and the villain the Headman meeting his end from [[KarmicDeath overdosing on his own drug]].
* ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'':
** "Binky Gets Canceled...Again!" [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin As the title implies,]] Binky's popular kids' show is canceled after parents complain that the program isn't educational. Binky points out that his show does teach educational stuff: "I make children laugh! I entertain!" The station manager then declares that entertaining simply isn't enough for children's shows anymore -- they need to have "social content" to get airtime. This seems to be a reaction against {{Anvilicious}} programs that treat kids like idiots while hammering home countless Aesops. It's not subtle, but it does make the legitimate claim that it's OK for children to simply have fun and enjoy themselves while watching television, rather than constantly having to learn something from it. This is even more obvious in a later episode where the Buddy Bears constantly ruin Garfield’s fun by explaining the jokes and every little thing he does (including his name).
** Thanks to show writer Creator/MarkEvanier, every time the Buddy Bears show up, we get a message about groupthink and TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong, namely that blindly following the group and being unable to form your own opinions is not the way to be. This is particularly effective in "Big Bad Buddy Bird," because it frames the Buddy Bears as a ShowWithinAShow. Roy leaves the farm and looks for a new job in showbiz; he's placed on the Buddy Bears Show as their new friend "Big Bad Buddy Bird," who, in his own words, "never agrees with the group and sets a bad example for impressionable children everywhere." Towards the end of the episode, which features one member of the Bears constantly giving up what they want to do to go with the group and outright telling children "NEVER have an opinion of your own!', Roy--who's been punished with sixteen-ton safes being dropped on his head whenever he disagrees--delivers a speech that summarizes exactly what's wrong with the groupthink; it helps that he's literally pressed up against a television screen while the Bears try to pull him off, which makes it seem like he's [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall actually speaking directly to children watching]] ''Garfield and Friends''.
----> NO! No more examples! Kids, don't listen to any of this--these Bears are dangerous. You should have opinions of your own! You should think and decide and not listen to what everyone else says! Use your own mind--don't do everything your friends do just because they do it, ''have a brain of your own!'' LET GO OF ME! THE GROUP ISN'T ALWAYS RIGHT!
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'':
** The episode "Deadly Force" is anything but subtle about its message, but is generally considered one of the best episodes of the series for treating its subject matter with respect, and instead of using the easy [[AnAesop Aesop]], "Guns will kill you if you even so much as think about them," they opt for the more mature and reasonable, "Guns are only dangerous if you don't know how to handle them."
** The show also lays it on thick about the pointlessness of revenge and how [[CycleOfRevenge killing causes more problems than it solves]]. This is reinforced by David Xanatos. Why is he such a successful, well regarded, and enduring villain? Because he ''doesn't go in for revenge''-- '''ever'''. While villains in other cartoons inevitably [[MotiveDecay forget their original goals to seek revenge on the heroes]], Xanatos never even holds a grudge because, as he put it, "Revenge is a sucker's game."
** It's also reinforced by "City of Stone" and "Hunter's Moon."
--->'''Goliath:''' No! Killing [Demona] won't solve anything! Death never does!\\
'''Luna:''' He is right, Macbeth. Duncan was afraid that your father would make you king. [[SelfFulfillingProphecy Did your father's death stop you from becoming king?]]\\
'''Macbeth:''' [[YouCantFightFate No!]]\\
'''Seline:''' You wanted revenge for your father. [[CycleOfRevenge Did Gillecomgain's death settle that score?]]\\
'''Macbeth:''' No.\\
'''Phoebe:''' [[SenselessSacrifice Did your own death save your son Luach from Canmore?]]\\
'''Macbeth:''' No...\\
'''Goliath:''' Death is never the answer; life is!
** One episode, "Temptation," has Brooklyn falling under Demona's sway. First, she saves his life from some bikers who blindly attack him when they realize he's not human. She then offers to "educate" him in the ways of humanity, and shows him various terrible things in the city, including a mugging, a couple angrily fighting over their son and the boy running away, and a murder scene. When Brooklyn argues that Elisa is a kind human being, Demona responds that she might be the exception that proves the rule, but as a whole, HumansAreBastards. She [[VillainHasAPoint comes across as having solid points]], something Brooklyn echoes when he remarks that much of what she said made sense to him in his confusion about humanity and their reactions to him. Goliath points out that Demona was only speaking half-truths that speak to her own hate-ridden interpretation of humans, which refuses to see any potential good in them. It's an excellent anvil about how extremists can seem comforting and even correct when speaking to confused young people (who are very often made targets of cults and extremist movements for that very reason); that while a person's intentions can be (or at least seem to be) good, what really matters is how they ''act'' on those intentions; that issues are not a plain case of black and white (Demona certainly wasn't ''wrong'' about the people who fired on Brooklyn); and that the actions of the few cannot be used as justification for hatred or prejudice against the many.
* The ''WesternAnimation/GodTheDevilAndBob'' episode "Bob's Father" makes it clear that, even though Bob's father ''did'' love him and was good enough to get into heaven, his {{Jerkass}} behaviour towards Bob was nowhere near justifiable, and even though Bob has his own flaws, he's still a much better father than his own was.
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', among other things, is known for the lessons it ''will'' drop hard when it needs to be said.
%%** A sad, but true, one is presented with "Summerween": at some point, the world is going to tell you that you're too old for things like Halloween and trick-or-treating, so it's better to enjoy it while you can than spend time worrying about what older kids think of it.
%%** "Boss Mabel" shows that while there's nothing wrong with treating your employees with more respect, don't be too nice or else your employees will walk all over you.
%%** "Sock Opera": you should be willing to make sacrifices for the ones you love, and if someone has aided you at detriment to their own goals, you should help them in return.
%%** "Soos and the Real Girl": Girls in video games, dating sims in particular, are no substitute for actual women. Talking to girls in the real world isn't as hard as you think - all you have to do is be yourself. And even though there is always the possibility of rejection, meeting people and forming real relationships are well worth the risk.
%%** "Society of the Blind Eye" gives the message that while everyone has things they'd rather forget, extreme denial isn't healthy. Instead you should learn from the experiences.
%%** "Blendin's Game": The people worth your time are the ones that care about you and are willing to go the extra mile to make you happy. If a relative abandons you, they are not worth your time and attention.
%%** "Northwest Mansion Mystery": Just because you have such a despicable upbringing doesn't mean you're doomed to follow in your family's footsteps. It's never too late to change your ways.
%%** "Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons": You don't have to like or play something someone else likes or plays. However, that still doesn't give you the right to mock them for liking it either. Especially notable, as it subverts the average "try it and you'll like it" {{Aesop}}.
%%** "The Stanchurian Candidate" explains to political candidates the dangers of speaking your mind without getting your priorities straight.
%%** "The Last Mabelcorn": Don't just blindly take the word of someone who tells you to your face that you're a bad person. Sometimes good intentions are just as important as good deeds.
** One of the overriding themes of the series is the PowerOfTrust. Lying to people, especially your loves ones, in a misguided attempt to protect them or yourself, or doing so out of a sense of mistrust can lead to conflict. The biggest mistake [[spoiler: Grunkle Ford]] made was not telling [[spoiler: Stan the truth about the portal, instead keeping the danger from him]]. Stan nearly destroyed his relationship with Dipper, Mabel, and even Soos [[spoiler: by lying to them about the portal and what he was planning]]. Dipper [[spoiler: nearly erased Ford's memories after discovering the fact that he didn't tell him about his work with Bill]].
** No matter how unlikely it may seem, if you can truly get to and understand them, there will be opportunities for you to bury the hatchet with former enemies. Pacifica was able to befriend Dipper and Mable after spending time with them and letting them know about her, [[spoiler: Ford and Stan were able to rekindle their friendship after talking with each other and realizing they had let their anger go too far, and Gideon [[HazyFeelTurn (To an extent)]] has realized what he's done and decided to try and become a better person.]]
* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqziaQxAsMA The Hangman]]'' tells the story of a moral coward who watches as everyone in his town is hung one by one. First a foreigner, then a man who protested the first hanging, then a jew, then a black, and so on. Eventually the cowardly narrator gets his turn on the gallows tree for the crime of being too cowardly to stand up for the previous victims. The message is very obvious (You have a moral duty to stand up to injustice, or you'll be a victim of it), but it's horribly effective in its beautifully macabre style.
%%* In one of the AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle segments in ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'', He-Man and She-Ra addressed the problem of sexual abuse. After the episode ran, at least one kid was able to come forward and admit to his or her parents about being sexually abused.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold''
%%** The episodes "Helga and the Nanny" and "Helga on the Couch" say that while {{Jerkass Woobie}}s like Helga need all the love and help they can get, they have to drop their hostilities and accept that help for it to do any good.
%%** The infamous "Arnold Betrays Iggy", though hated for being mean-spirited in Arnold's humiliation, does teach an important moral in [[DownerEnding Arnold angrily severing all ties with Iggy at the end]]: it's not worth staying friends with someone who is unwilling to forgive their grudge against you, especially if they refuse to hear your side of the story and/or blame you for something that was ''not'' your fault.
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'': The "Better World" two-parter drops a solid aesop. Tyranny is ''not'' an acceptable way to create a peaceful society. This is shown in the scene where Batman and his Justice Lord counterpart visit the alternate Gotham City: clean, prosperous... [[DisproportionateRetribution but you can go to jail for complaining about a restaurant check.]] Yes oppression doesn't have to mean masses of chained individuals being whipped, but it can be oppressive in other ways. It also justifies ThouShaltNotKill, with a simple notion. [[ItGetsEasier The more you kill, the easier it can become.]] The whole Justice Lords world starts when Superman kills Lex Luthor: after a few years, the Justice Lord Superman has [[JumpingoffTheSlipperySlope no qualms about killing the Flash]] when it was his murder by Luthor that turned them into the Justice Lords.
* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor''
** "Operation: F.U.T.U.R.E." explores an allegory about how [[DeconstructedTrope wrong]] [[YouGoGirl misandry]] is. In the present, young Margaret claims that her brothers pick on her and boss her around. ''However'', this is the same girl who's going to grow up to the tyrannical Madame Margaret who will create a dystopic future where girls have became oppressors to innocent boys everywhere, making her no better than the boys she despises (and no better than the adults the KND fight). Meanwhile, Numbuh 4 has grown to be the jaded leader of a rebel band of boys who are trying to take down Madame Margaret. What sets them apart is when an ally comes forth in the form of a girl (Numbuh 3's granddaughter Sally) wanting to join the boys, Numbuh 4 eventually acknowledges boys and girls ''can'' be allies.
%%** On a more [[LighterAndSofter lighter]] side, we have "Operation: F.U.G.I.T.I.V.E", where Numbuh 86's nasty attitude towards the boys of Sector V sheds some light on the issue.
%%* The ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' episode "Tick-Tick-Tick" drops the very important {{Aesop}} "The rules apply to ''everyone'', and you should never expect to get off light for breaking the rules because of your station in life". In the episode's major subplot, Mr. Barkin sends Kim to detention after she's repeatedly late to class, which ends up getting Kim ridiculed by her peers because she's a cheerleader. Since cheerleaders are at the absolute top of Middleton High's social totem pole, everyone takes it as a given that "cheerleaders don't ''do'' detention". It seems like a pretty light-hearted plot, until you realize that [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything the message could be pretty aptly applied to a story about an upper-class woman breaking the law and expecting lenient treatment from the police]].
%%-->'''Mr. Possible:''' Sounds like your Mr. Barkin is tough but fair.\\
%%'''Kim:''' Dad, I'm a cheerleader! We don't ''do'' detention!\\
%%'''Mrs. Possible:''' Really? Who ''does'' do detention?\\
%%'''Kim:''' I don't know. Other kids. ''({{beat}})'' Ones who break the rules.\\
%%'''Mr. Possible:''' Like ''you'' did.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''
%%** "Petriot Act": "Don't let blind patriotism rule your decisions. If you wanted to do something big like care for a soldier's pet, do it after you have your huge vacation that your family has been dreaming of for awhile." Hank learned that [[CatsAreMean the hard way]].
%%** The episode in which Luanne's mother returns ("Leanne's Saga") reminds us that a domestic abuser is a domestic abuser, regardless of gender, and just because the abuser is a woman doesn't mean she can get away with it.
%%** "Get Your Freak Off" drops two of them; one on Hank, who has to accept that kids can't stay sheltered forever and will have to mature and become adults at some point, and against Bobby and the other kids, who come to understand that they're still just kids, and shouldn't feel pressured into making grown-up decisions when they're not ready to handle the responsibilities that come with them.
%%** What keeps the episode about Bobby learning to shoot a rifle from falling into ValuesDissonance territory are two things -- first off that Bobby is instructed to attend safety courses, as well as the fact that Hank is (rightfully) mortified at Bobby suggesting he take a rifle to school. "Guns are not toys and must ''always'' be handled safely and responsibly" is a very important message that both sides of the debate wholeheartedly agree on.
%%** "Husky Bobby": Not everyone appreciates fat people, kids can be cruel, and parents really do know what's best for their kids, even if what they do feels unfair or "not right." (In fact, the other two Aesops can apply to a lot of episodes where Bobby does something that embarrasses Hank and Hank has to bail him out)
%%** The episode about carbon offsets drops the anvil that fad environmentalism should not discredit the fact that many earth-friendly measures are down-to-earth, practical wisdom that are still valid.
%%** "Transnational Amusements Presents: Peggy's Magic Sex Feet": Peggy gets depressed after a creep insults her larger-than-normal feet, which prompts Bobby to deliver this excellent response:
%%-->'''Bobby:''' Mom, I'm fat. But big deal. I don't feel bad about it, and you never made me feel bad about it. And just because there are people out there who want me to feel bad about it doesn't mean I have to. So Bobby Hill's fat. He's also funny, he's nice, he's got a lot of friends, a girlfriend. And if you don't mind, I think I'll go outside right now and squirt her with water. What are ''you'' going to do?
%%** "The Peggy Horror Picture Show" has a similar message, with Peggy's drag queen friend assuring her that being a woman is about more than just being a thin supermodel, and that traits like self-confidence and courage are far more important than looks or adhering to any traditional norms of femininity. The episode even teaches that Femininity, just like Masculinity and Beauty, is relative and can be taken off easily. Peggy came from a meeting with her friends feeling unfeminine because she has large feet, can open jars easily, and wears very practical clothing with Hank comforting her that she is feminine because she is a wife and a mother; the drag queens consider Peggy a model of femininity because, like their favorite icons, she takes fashion risks and is very confident; Caroline's Mother even reminds her and the audience that being a man or a woman isn't defined by your assigned sex either.
* ''WesternAnimation/LetsGoLuna'':
** The show manages to address the topic of eurocentrism and why it's wrong in some episodes. In "Bonjour, Au Revoir, Adios", Senor Fabuloso and the French clown twins (Bonjour and Au Revoir) argue over whether New Orleans is more Spanish or French. They learn that obsessive nationalism isn't good, and that other people shaped New Orleans such as Africans and Native Americans. In "Kick It Good", Andy thinks that Thailand copied volleyball with their sport takraw, but learns that sports from around the world can be similar, but also different and just as good.
** The show also does a good job talking about trauma and mental health, two topics almost ''never'' covered in preschool shows. Many characters have bad mental health as a result of childhood trauma (Salami being bullied by his sisters, Senor Fabuloso's friends abandoning him, [[spoiler:not to mention his 10th birthday disaster]]) or just in general (Leo is fearful of everything, craves approval, and wants things to be the way ''he'' likes it). The show, through episodes like "Not Home on the Range", "Volcano Boy", "Meet the Strongs", "Time of Goodbye", and "Gaja's Birthday", show us that ''it's okay not to be okay'', and that your past is not your present or future. It also encourages talking to someone you trust about these issues so they can help you (i.e, Luna).
** Multiple episodes, such as "Aren't We a Pair?" and "Hip Life", teach us to separate stereotypes from reality, as nonwhite countries like Egypt and Ghana ''aren't'' ancient like they're commonly depicted to be in media. Interestingly, both these episodes involve Carmen.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleDrummerBoy'': Throughout the special, Aaron is embittered with hatred for all humans due to the murder of his parents until playing for the newborn Jesus. When his lamb returns, Greer Carson's narration mentions that "Aaron's heart was filled with joy and love. And he knew at last that the hate he had carried there was wrong. As ALL hatred will ever be wrong." A valid point regardless of when it aired, but especially for its original airing in 1968 (a year that saw, among other things, the assassinations of [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement Dr. Martin Luther King]] that April; followed exactly two months later by the assassination of New York Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate [[UsefulNotes/RobertFKennedy Bobby Kennedy]] along with riots following Dr. King's death and at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago).
* ''WesternAnimation/LloydInSpace'':
** The FantasticRacism episode drops a very heavy handed but still decent lesson about the nature of prejudice. Kurt and Douglas's families get caught up in a legendary feud between their species and it affects their children's friendship. Kurt and Douglas quickly realise that holding onto past prejudices is a silly notion and scold their parents for it.
--->'''Douglas:''' "My ancestors might have been from Cerebellian, but ''I'' am from Intrepidville. And I choose to be friends with Blobulans, Earthlings, Verdigrians or what have you."
%%** Another good anti-prejudice moral is found when everyone suspects that Norah's date is after her. It turns out he was only trying to pass for a Verdigrian to ''avoid'' the kind of prejudice they all came up with. Another powerful message against judging someone by their appearance or because they have a different background.
%%** A good lesson about accepting others for who they are would be in “Double Date”. Lloyd decides to try to change Cindy’s mean head into becoming nice. When that fails and he dumps her because of it, Eddie tells Lloyd that if you really like someone, you have accept their good and bad traits.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** "WesternAnimation/ChowHound'' really got into this one. The titular character, a greedy dog, abuses a cat and a mouse for the simple mistake of failing to get the gravy along with the meat (literally, in the cat's case). When he buys up a butcher shop, he gets a little too greedy and (based on his grossly obese appearance on the operating table in the final scene) consumes all the stock at once. The cat and mouse show up with a massive can of gravy in tow and proceed to gleefully force-feed the immobilized dog his JustDesserts. Also, bullying doesn’t pay.
** The classic short "WesternAnimation/DuckDodgersInTheTwentyFourthAndAHalfCentury" features Duck Dodgers in an EscalatingWar over Planet X with Marvin the Martian, to the point where they both use their "Secret Weapons". Dodgers succeeds in claiming Planet X, by which time it's roughly the size of an end table. [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything A parable of the futility of nuclear war?]] Maybe. Jones probably didn't intend it to be so and he didn't actively set out to teach viewers this, but, if you know anything about the Cold War and the fears people had about nuclear war, it's hard not to see this.
** "WesternAnimation/TheDucktators" shows that sometimes, peace talks won't change the policies of evil dictators and that war is the only solution. The ducks nearly take over the world before the FDR peace dove decides to fight back, at which point they are easily subdued.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'':
** A series-wide anvil is this: yes, family can drive you insane in ways that no other person in the world can. Yes, family is hard to deal with. But in the end, they're the people who love you the most and who have your back no matter what. Specific episodes that emphasize this theme include "Project Loud House", "Overnight Success", "Attention Deficit", "House Music", "Roughin’ It", and "One of the Boys".
** Another highly prominent message is that you shouldn’t be ashamed of spending most of your time around people of the opposite gender. Examples include "Roughin’ It" and "One of the Boys".
** Many episodes have the message that being in a large and chaotic family isn't an excuse to be selfish, since your other siblings deal with the exact same thing, too. Examples include "Out on a Limo", "Cereal Offender", "It’s a Loud, Loud, Loud, Loud House", "Linc or Swim", and "Funny Business".
** In "Toads and Tiaras", the lesson of "Be yourself" manages to pair quite well with "New and different doesn't mean bad" because while Lana wins the competition by being herself, she does admit to enjoying dressing up to play the part of Lola, something she never would have discovered otherwise.
** "The Green House" shows that you need to protect the planet for the ''planet's'' sake, not for yours.
** "A Tale of Two Tables" uses Lincoln wanting to sit at the adult table as a metaphor for not being in a rush to grow up. Growing up will happen eventually, so don't rush to do so and enjoy your childhood while it's still happening.
** In "Gown and Out", Lola worries that she will lose when she moves up to a higher-profile regional child pageant than the ones she easily won in her hometown, and she fakes being sick to avoid the loss. Lori then delivers the moral that if you take your passions seriously you will always be facing stronger competition, victory will never be a guarantee and that you cannot expect to achieve greatness if you insist on remaining a big fish in a small pond.
%%** "Ties That Bind": Don’t come to conclusions based on hearsay, like the Loud family did when they overheard their parents wanting to throw away 11 ties and thinking they wanted to get rid of their own children.
%%** "Save the Date": Yes, people tease each other over romance all the time. It’s nothing to be ashamed about. Your friends may actually be happy for you.
%%* The 1938 Creator/FrankTashlin directed cartoon ''WesternAnimation/WhollySmoke'' is an interesting example of this. Had the cartoon been made today, it would seem anvilicious beyond belief. However, in the late-1930's (when most people had little to no awareness of how bad smoking was for them), a cartoon with a direct anti-smoking message was practically unheard of. So, given its context, this short certainly qualifies. (That is, if it was made for health reasons. Plenty of people opposed smoking in the '30s, but for moral/religious reasons rather than medical ones.)
%%* While tracking down Norman's nemesis via his trail of destruction in ''WesternAnimation/MightyMax'', they arrive at a house whose occupants were slaughtered. Norman was the only one to see the carnage and absolutely refused to allow Max to enter. Max tried to reason that he has plenty of experience with violence on television. Max tries to enter, but is blocked by Norman, who replies that he should not go in there. When Max asks why, Virgil responds simply, "Real violence has real consequences." It makes it clear that there is a difference between the violence you see on TV and the violence that happens in the real world.
* ''WesternAnimation/MoralOrel'': The show's portrayal of ActivistFundamentalistAntics and the cruelty and hypocrisy of religious extremism on a person's psyche is '''unflinchingly''' brutal. At the same time, it takes steps to demonstrate how faith is not an inherently corrupting influence in a person's life, and indeed, it's implied by the end of the show that his faith is what allows Orel [[spoiler: to [[EarnYourHappyEnding eventually become a happy and well-adjusted person with a loving family of his own.]]]]
%%* Just like its [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic parent franchise]], ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'' has a number of messages worth listening to as well.
%%** A big one is the importance of avoiding PoorCommunicationKills (which sometimes causes problems in [=FiM=] as well). In the first movie, it would have taken ''five minutes max'' for the Humane Five to patch things up between them and expose Sunset Shimmer's manipulations if they had talked to each other face to face about everything. In ''Rainbow Rocks'', Twilight trying to avoid letting everyone down, the Humane Five not talking their issues with the band out with each other at the start (thus letting tension build up), and Sunset's uncertainty of her place in the group and fear of speaking up (especially about the previous problems) [[spoiler:allow the Sirens to [[NearVillainVictory come dangerously close to succeeding]]]].
%%** Though it wasn't the main message, the second film shows how nasty things can get if a friendly competition goes too far.
%%** The second film also shows that redemption is a very long and difficult process. No matter how hard you try, people are still going to dislike you, and even your friends will not fully trust you, and that when it comes to bullying, turnabout is ''not'' fair play. The bullying Sunset endures from the student body ([[AdultsAreUseless and Principals Celestia and Luna]]) utterly breaks her and [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything real world victims of similar actions]] were often DrivenToSuicide.
%%** "Friendship Games" also drives home that a competition should be done fairly, and that the participants shouldn't carried away. [[spoiler:Sci-Twi causing a RealityBleed that could destroy the human world b/c her school pressured her into trying to use magic to win is just a worst case scenario]].
%%*** In the same film, we get shown how paying it forward when others give us a second chance to be better often results in a better outcome than trying to pay them back and that often a kind hand extended to someone who's lashing out because they're hurting is a much more effective "weapon" than blasting things in the face or throwing a punch.
%%** "Forgotten Friendship" has the very necessary but oft forgotten Aesop of "There's a difference between not being mean and being kind and sometimes the former can be more hurtful than actively being mean".
* The 1939 short ''WesternAnimation/PeaceOnEarth'' is a Christmastime story. In it, {{Funny Animal}}s discuss a not-so-funny topic; that is, how "men" went extinct due to warfare (UsefulNotes/WorldWarII was clearly on the horizon at the time and this was ''before'' nuclear weapons were developed, mind you). We see some of the horrors of warfare depicted WWI-style. And when the men had gone, the animals afterwards read the "[[Literature/TheBible humans' book of rules]]" and express disappointment that the humans had some good rules (e.g. ThouShaltNotKill) but weren't able to follow them.
%%** The same goes for its 1955 remake ''WesternAnimation/GoodWillToMen''.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'': "No More POW Cards" delivers two rather heavy-handed, but important, messages: it's possible to enjoy flawed or "problematic" media for the good things about it, but positive representation of marginalized groups is still important.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'':
** One episode "The Intruder" ends with Eda admitting she's cursed, and she drinks her elixer in order to function as a witch. If one [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything likens]] it to an illness that requires medication, it comes across as a very important lesson: you should never be afraid to share with your loved ones that your have a condition. Eda also makes a point that acknowledging and treating your illness doesn't have to be a bad thing.
%%-->'''Eda:''' No one likes having a curse, but if you take the right steps, it's manageable.
** A later episode, "Keeping up A-fear-ances" builds upon it when Eda's mother Gwendolyn insists on using natural remedies to somehow "cure" the curse, despite that the potion was working fine. Not to mention a witch from the healing coven even recommended the potions to keep Eda's curse at bay in the first place. Gwendolyn chooses to discredit the use of potions because [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything her "expert" Wartlop claims potions are scams by the Potion Coven to get more money]]. But after learning [[spoiler: Wartlop's really a pack of goblins who scam desperate witches]], Gwen ultimately learns a lesson that can't be emphasized enough: stick with proper treatments that ''real'' doctors recommend, because the so-called "experts" and their remedies may not have your best interest.
** Luz learns the hard way that there is no such thing as a chosen one, and that it is her duty to make some purpose for her life. In the season 2 episode "Hunting Palismen," after Luz fails to bond with a palisman, she comes to the realization that she had no clue what she truly wanted as both her wishes of becoming a witch whilst also returning home would cancel each other out. At the end, she decides to carve her own palisman with the lesson being that sometimes you would not know what you want to do with your life, and that's perfectly fine and often would take time.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': The episodes "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted" and "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo" dish out some Anvils about how children shouldn't have their creativity and imagination restricted, and how they should pursue what they want. While the Anvil-dropping itself isn't particularly subtle (in fact, the dropping of the Anvils incorporates some dark themes and even some AndIMustScream elements for a show directed to 6-11 year-olds), the Aesop is notably important (especially towards parents who are keen on having their children follow in their footsteps, and in the process stifling their kids' imagination and having their true identity obliterated.)
** ''Phineas and Ferb'' also gives us a bearable health food aesop that has been slipped into kids shows since ever: the episode "Candace's Big Day". In the B-plot of the episode, [[HarmlessVillain Dr. Doofenshmirtz]] hatches a plan to use his Junkfoodinator to coat all of the Tristate area's food with various hydrogenated oils and other fatty preservatives, making everyone become fat and lazy, while he hoards fruits and vegetables to keep himself healthy. But before he unleashes his scheme, he covers the healthy food with the oily mixture, tries some, and instantly becomes addicted to it. By the episode's end, he's eaten all of the fuel for the Junkfoodinator, which causes him to become covered with acne, [[BalloonBelly grow a bloated stomach]], and completely lose all of his energy, all while he brags about how "healthy" he is. This over-the-top reaction is part of what makes the Aesop so effective, but it's also nice to see a kid's show explaining that foods aren't inherently "good" or 'bad" for you; rather, it's how they're prepared and how much of them you eat that determines whether or not they're healthy.
%%** "Attack Of The 50-Foot Sister" gives the message that you shouldn't be too obsessed with your looks because there are people who can take advantage of your obsession for their own gain, like how the beauty products woman made people feel worse about themselves so that they would buy her products, and the freakshow man who made people feel better by comparison to his attractions so they would spend money on his show.
%%** The underlying theme of all the episodes, but made most obvious in songs like "Summer Belongs to You" and "Carpe Diem" is to make the most of what you've got. You don't need to do the amazing, unbelievable things that Phineas and Ferb do to have the most exciting, fulfilling life possible.
%%** The finale drops 2 on antagonists (loosely speaking) Candace and Doof. Doof realizes that he's been letting his past control him and make him act like a villain, which he's terrible at, instead of the decent human being he actually is (bonus for his daughter Vanessa being the one to show him this). And Candace learns that allowing yourself to be consumed by a goal that isn't healthy doesn't just hurt you but everyone around you (learned by [[spoiler: accidentally erasing her brothers from existence]]).
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' episode "Equal Fights" introduced Femme Fatale, a StrawFeminist villain who convinces the girls that they should let her go, as both crimefighting and crime itself are male-dominated fields. The girls are so taken with Femme Fatale's teachings that they start acting completely nasty to all of the men in Townsville (even boys their own age)--including the Mayor and Professor--whenever they're asked to do something. Eventually, Ms. Bellum and Ms. Keane, the girl's kindergarten teacher, help bring the girls back to their senses by pointing out that they ''weren't'' being mistreated by the Mayor and the Professor--the men were legitimately asking for their help after they did a fair share of the work. The girls, taken aback, claim that women have to "look out for each other," at which point three women (one a bank president, one a police officer, and one a ValleyGirl) enter and [[ArmorPiercingQuestion ask]] if Femme Fatale was "looking out for them" when she robbed the bank, broke the officer's arm, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking copied the last woman's hairstyle]]. Finally, the girls themselves deliver a speech to Femme Fatale about Susan B. Anthony, who Fatale claims is her hero. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup explain that, after Anthony was arrested for voting in the nineteenth century, the judge considered simply letting her off because she was a woman and, according to both him and popular thought at the time, not capable of handling the pressures of a prison sentence; Anthony instead ''demanded'' that she be put in jail, as she had broken a law. The whole point was clear: feminism isn't about attacking men or saying that women deserve special treatment; it is about giving women the same opportunities and choices as men while making them full citizens with the same rights; furthermore, going down the path of Femme Fatale will empower an anti-feminist backlash and hurt real feminism (strangely, a lot of anti-feminists think the episode supports their cause). It's a refreshing {{Deconstruction}} of the YouGoGirl trope.
* The ''WesternAnimation/PrivateSnafu'' shorts gave really helpful anvils to the soldiers they were shown to, and some of them may apply to regular life as well...
** "Gripes": What the Army puts you through may be rough, but without proper authority and training, soldiers' morale can go to pot. In a sense, this can also be applied to the workforce, as without proper guidance, things can go to hell.
%%** "The Goldbrick": Cheating your way out of training can end up making you unfit and unprepared for when such taught tactics can be of good use.
%%** "Fighting Tools": Your weapons can be powerful and effective if given the proper care and maintenance.
** "Rumors": It shows how a small rumor can develop into a force that devastates morale and heightens fears.
%%** "Infantry Blues": All branches of the military have their discomforts and problems, so do your very best in the position you're in instead of wishing you could do something else.
%%** "Censored": You may not like having your letters censored, but it's necessary to ensure that no vital information falls into the enemy's hands.
** "Snafuperman": it is necessary to study your maps and field manuals before you go out into the offensive, just like how it’s important for using it to explore unknown areas.
%%** "Outpost": [[ReassignedToAntarctica Being assigned to remote and/or unpleasant stations]] may seem like a punishment to a soldier, but is important for the Army's offensive.
** "Three Brothers": Your job in places like Army may seem boring, or even embarrassing, but every little thing counts to ensure success.
** As a whole, the shorts constantly remind viewers that, while the military's training and regulations may be burdensome, war is a life or death situation and these things are necessary to achieve victory and survive.
* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'':
** In "Space Junk", the kids help clean up some of the junk in space after they find out about it from Sean's mom. The moral of the said episode is that knowing there's a problem should make you want to help solve it. Sean even states it outright. It's important for everybody.
** In "Jet's Time Machine", there's the moral that you ''cannot'' change the past, you can only learn from it.
** From "Racing on Sunshine", we have the moral that you shouldn't let pride get the better of you because if it does, you will head for a fall.
** "Astronaut Ellen Ochoa" gives out the moral that creative play is important for children and you should enjoy life while you're still young.
** "Fact Or Fiction?" delivers the moral that you can't believe everything you see and hear, and you should do your own research to get the real facts.
** Even though the Aesop in "Who Messed Up The Treehouse?" was {{Anvilicious}}, it does get the message across that it's everybody's responsibility to take care where they live, whether it be the treehouse or Planet Earth.
** A series-wide anvil: you are more than your mistakes or your past. The mistakes you make are just stepping stones to doing better next time. Your struggle now does not negate how far you've come. Everyone is good at heart no matter how bad they may seem, and sometimes all someone needs are love and friends.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Reboot}}'': Matrix's CharacterDevelopment from ''Number 7'' to ''Web Riders on the Storm'' have the moral of "PTSD is not an excuse to be an asshole". While Matrix's lack of social skills is understandable due to [[spoiler:his past of having to fight inside games with only [=AndrAIa=] and Frisket for company for years]], his jealousy and short temper are called out by everyone around him constantly and make situations much worse for everyone around him, causing [=AndrAIa=] to [[spoiler:nearly die when she leaves the ''Saucy Mare'' after getting angry at Matrix for his sour attitude towards Ray Tracer]] and is attacked by a Web Creature. Matrix becomes ashamed of his behaviour many times and realizes he needs to be a better person.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'':
** "The Rules" dropped a surprisingly thoughtful message about blindly following laws and revering past generations. When King Bob recovers an old playground rulebook written by a past King of the Playground, he immediately starts enforcing the old King's rules on how to properly play games at recess, employing a private force of "fun police" to punish any kids who break the rules. He's so set on following the old rules that he never considers that some of the more baffling ones (requiring the kids to play four-square with an old stump, for example) are completely irrelevant to their lives, and that a previous generation's king might not have had all the answers.
** The message of "The Rules" grows another layer when it turns out that King Mort, the author of the rulebook, devised his special set of rules because he went to Third Street Elementary during the Great Depression, when the school was too poor to afford proper playground equipment; with limited resources, Mort had to teach his friends to entertain themselves with what little they had. With that in mind, the children realize that they've spent so much time squabbling over how to "properly" have fun that they've forgotten to appreciate how fortunate they are.
** The show as a whole repeatedly dropped the same anvil: Children ''need'' time to have fun, play together, build friendships, and in general just be kids. This is most clearly stated in "Recess Is Canceled." In the episode, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Third Street School cancels recess]] in an attempt to improve the kids' test scores. As the weeks go by, all of the children gradually become soulless, emotionless shells of their former selves who can't recognize each other or even formulate thoughts. It's only after their test scores drop dramatically that recess is reinstated, and the kids are immediately brought back to their original, joyful selves.
** The episode ''Nobody Doesn't Like TJ'' revolved around TJ learning that Gordy doesn't like him. He spends the episode trying to figure out ''why'' Gordy doesn't like him; learns from Ms Finster that, even if she puts him into detention, that doesn't mean she hates him and finally trying to show Gordy how cool and fun he is, so Gordy ''would'' like him. Everything backfires and Gordy admits that his 'reason' for not liking TJ is just that: he just doesn't like him. It dropped two anvils: Just because someone punishes you for breaking the rules, doesn't mean they hate you or are nothing but horrible people (Ms Finster above) and that, harsh as it may seem, you cannot be liked by everyone in the world. Sometimes, a person just doesn't like you, for no apparent reason and trying to change that will only worsen things. Just accept it.
%%* WesternAnimation/RegularShow:
%%** Several episodes ("Appreciation Day", "The Best Burger in the World", "Wall Buddy", "Paint Job") show that taking elaborate shortcuts to avoid work leads to more trouble than just doing the job you're asked to do.
%%** "House Rules": Some rules exist for a reason.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'': The ''[[WesternAnimation/RockosModernLifeStaticCling Static Cling]]'' special lives up to its title by having both Rocko and Mr. Bighead struggling to adapt to change. Mr. Bighead can't accept that his son, Ralph, is now his daughter, Rachel. Rocko wants his favourite cartoon "The Fatheads" revived, then reacts with outrage when it introduces a new character. Both have to come to terms with the fact that even though things are different, by looking closely enough they can see the improvements; Rachel Bighead is happier after her transition and the changes in "The Fatheads" come from allowing the original creator to helm the story rather than from executive meddling.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries'':
%%** The ChristmasEpisode did a unique spin on the typical ''Christmas Carol'' plot where a Scrooge (AlphaBitch Gemini "Gem" Stone) is scared into being nice for the holidays. Sabrina is fed up with Gem's attitude to Christmas (which itself gets cranked up for the episode, even having Gem make people line up to hear what gift they have to buy her, based on their family income and popularity in school) and tries to cast a spell to scare her with the Christmas Carol touch. However, it doesn't work and only makes Gem love herself even more (even after being told that she will die alone and no one will visit her grave, Gem counters that she still has her popularity even in death) so Sabrina ends up giving her a gift anyway and wishing her Merry Christmas. Gem then realizes that no one else cared to be with her on Christmas and so joins Sabrina's family for dinner. So the message becomes "Don't try to change someone just because you don't like their attitude. Instead, try being nice in the hope they'll reciprocate".
%%** There's an episode where Sabrina gets fed up with so many restrictions like PG-13 rated movies, curfews, lack of money etc that she casts a spell to become an adult. She soon learns that being an adult does not involve having fun all the time and that there are lots of responsibilities she has to contend with. If she doesn't reverse the spell soon she'll be stuck like that forever.
%%** The dieting episode stresses that girls shouldn't try to lose weight to impress boys or be popular. The girls of course don't try the healthy ways to lose weight like eating right or exercising - but look for a quick fix that ultimately doesn't work.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'':
%%** The episode "Jack and the Creature" drops an anvil on a rarely touched upon aspect of pet ownership. In the episode, the eponymous Creature bonds with Jack, who, after failing to convince it to return to the wild, trains it to assist him in his quest. Unfortunately, just when the two find a way to [[SeriesGoal return Jack to his time]], the Creature eats it. Jack's anger is ''very'' understandable, but the Creature is just too simple-minded to understand and be held accountable for what he did, and why his best friend suddenly wants nothing to do with him. In the end, the Creature [[BigDamnHeroes saves Jack from a gang of bounty hunters]], teaching the moral that while it can be hard to be patient with a pet's mental incapabilities, their {{Loyal Animal Companion}}ship is worth putting up with it in the long run.
%%** Season Five hits audiences with a lesson: people's beliefs on right and wrong can't simply be changed (''if'' they can be changed at all) by simply getting the person to "see the light". It's a drawn-out, complex process that often people need to figure out themselves. Ashi couldn't care less about Jack saving her life multiple times, as she still values his death over her own life, and ''still'' wants to kill him once they're both in safety. [[spoiler:It takes seeing Jack being equally kind to ''others'' and not just to her that she really starts to question her worldview.]]
%%* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' delivers one in the Season 3 finale. Throughout their lives, Adora and Catra have lived with the unhealthy viewpoint that, respectively, one was at fault for [[ItsAllMyFault everything]] whilst the other's misfortunes was [[NeverMyFault everybody else's fault]]. When Catra [[spoiler: activates the machine to end all existence and then blames Adora for it all to [[KickTheDog spite her]]]], Adora finally sees the light and delivers the anvil: If someone you know makes no effort to change their bad behavior, you're not responsible for it. Likewise in Catra's case, only ''you'' are responsible for what kind of person you are, and only you can change that. There's also a message Adora learns when [[spoiler: she speaks with a vision of the Late-Mara]]: Living for your loved ones is more important than senselessly sacrificing your life for them.
%%* In WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs episode "Gargamel the Generous," we get the moral that just because someone who has repeatedly tried to hurt you before says they've [[HeelFaceTurn changed]], they're probably lying and you should not give your trust to them.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/SolarOpposites'':
%%** Yumyulack delivers it to Jessie in the second episode; sometimes there ''is'' no FreudianExcuse for why a person decides to be mean and violent. People can choose to be assholes for no reason just as they can choose to be good. [[spoiler:To drive the point home, he sets a murderous suit on autopilot and wipes out the Neo-Nazis threatening to kill them for crashing their bar]].
%%** The ending of episode 7 [[spoiler:gives a lesson about rebellions; when The Duke is finally overthrown, Tim betrays Cherie so he can become the next leader. This shows how rebellions can just as easily install new dictators when it lacks an end goal or a plan to create a long-lasting diplomatic structure. Stephen's character arc also shows how anyone can become a soldier of a tyrant if they suffer enough tragedies without the means of processing those tragedies healthily. The soldiers of a tyrant aren't born evil or just suddenly decide to do evil for the rest of their lives, they can just be regular people who are suffering the same thing as you.]]
%%** Episode 6 gives one on gender politics: Feminism is about what women can choose to be and the stereotype about feminists being misandristic wet blankets is just a small minority that was exaggerated by the media for profit and attention. At the same time, men should take responsibility and treat women as equals. The episode also shows that anyone can be sexist without realising; Corvo and Terry didn't understand what a man cave is and were just following a trend. While Jesse was just looking for something patriarchal to fight against because she was trying to finish an assignment that had expectations that were too high for her to complete.
%%* The ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' episode "Eggman's Anti-Gravity Ray" gives the audience a good explanation of feminism (and subsequently destroying the YouGoGirl trope) in one short scene:
%%-->'''Amy''': [[ThirdPersonPerson It all comes down to this one penalty kick. Can the young woman break the glass ceiling and prove once and for all that a female can be just as good as an athlete than a male]]?
%%-->'''Knuckles''': You know, Amy, anytime someone calls attention to the breaking of gender roles, it ultimately undermines the concept of gender equality by implying that this is an exception and not the status quo. ''(Everyone stares in stunned silence)'' [[DefensiveWhat What?]] [[DumbassHasAPoint Just because I'm a meathead doesn't mean I'm not a feminist]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''
** "Patty Hype", where [=SpongeBob=] starts to sell Pretty Patties, a brand of brightly colored Krabby Patties. The Pretty Patties become a runaway hit, despite Mr. Krabs and Squidward laughing in [=SpongeBob=]'s face. First of all, it shows you that you shouldn't give up on your dreams, even if you're laughed at because of them. And then when Mr. Krabs cheats [=SpongeBob=] out of the Pretty Patty franchise, it comes back to bite him in the ass.
** From the later seasons, "[=SpongeBob=]'s Last Stand", where [=SpongeBob=] opposes a superhighway being built through Jellyfish Fields. Initially, only Patrick supported him, but still, he tried, and in the end, he succeeded. It was a pretty good aesop about not harming the environment and caring about wildlife.
** There's also the episode "Not Normal", in which Squidward convinces [=SpongeBob=] that he needs to act "more normal." [=SpongeBob=] watches a self-help video on the topic, and eventually transforms into a [[FacelessMasses bland, mediocre office worker]]. But instead of this making him happier and more accepted, it leaves him bored and miserable because he's lost all of his unique talents and the things that he used to enjoy. Even Squidward doesn't want anything to do with him after he takes his normality too far. He and Patrick end up spending the rest of the episode trying to [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong turn SpongeBob "weird" again.]] The message, that "normal" is incredibly overrated and the quest to fit in can destroy the best things about you, feels very clear and strong in this episode.
** In its early days, [=SpongeBob=] had a talent for dropping anvils in very non-Anvilicious ways:
*** "Squirrel Jokes" shows that racist/sexist jokes are more hurtful than you think, and if you are going to use politically-incorrect humor, [[EqualOpportunityOffender make sure everyone gets poked fun at equally]].
*** "Hooky" was a realistic look at addiction. Patrick introduces [=SpongeBob=] to the hooks (fish hooks) that pull you up, from which it is great fun to float down. [=SpongeBob=] tries it, seeing that Patrick's not being hurt by it, and heeds his warning "not to get too high." After Mr. Krabs gives them a [[DrugsAreBad Hooks Are Bad]] speech, [=SpongeBob=] rides the hooks one more time, and gets his body hooked, which effectively means death. In a scene that wouldn't be out of place on the show Series/{{Intervention}}, [=SpongeBob=] faces [[spoiler:his own mortality, and then humiliation. Mr. Krabs tells [=SpongeBob=] he's doomed, and puts out a Help Wanted sign. [=SpongeBob=] then has to take his clothes off in front of Pearl and the other girls to free himself. It turns out Squidward was on other end of the fishing pole.]] We also learn that people who don't seem affected by addiction really are, as Patrick is [[spoiler: canned as tuna fish, having apparently been captured]].
*** Similarly, "Skill Crane" illustrates the seductive nature of gambling. Mr. Krabs installs a skill crane game at the Krusty Krab, and Squidward becomes so obsessed with winning that he spends his life savings in quarters to do so. Bonus points for framing the issue in terms of a game children are familiar with, and probably was/will be their first introduction to the concept.
*** "Jellyfish Hunter" has a message about animal abuse that goes on in food processing plants. When [=SpongeBob=] introduces jellyfish jelly to the Krabby Patty menu to much popularity, Mr. Krabs sees this as an opportunity to expand business and gets [=SpongeBob=] to hunt every jellyfish he can find. The problem arise when [=SpongeBob=] thoughtlessly hunts all but one jellyfish down from their habitat to feed Mr. Krabs' need. He soon learns Mr.Krabs has made a giant assembly line [[NightmareFuel that essentially drains all the jellyfish of their jelly]] [[FridgeHorror and likely kills them.]] [=SpongeBob=] frees all the imprisoned ones and its made quite clear that [=SpongeBob=]'s method of getting jellyfish jam, taking out a small amount and leaving them alive to replenish themselves so it can be done again, was the correct one and not Mr. Krabs' practice of overfishing them to death.
*** "Ripped Pants" shows that while some jokes can be funny, they can very easily overstay their welcome and become annoying instead. It also makes it very clear that pretending to be dying or seriously hurt for the sake of a joke is ''[[DudeNotFunny not okay]]''.
*** As Patrick puts it in "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic", hero worship is unhealthy. When [=SpongeBob=] meets his jellyfishing idol Kevin, he's completely oblivious to Kevin's nastier traits due to his adoration of him. Kevin takes advantage of [=SpongeBob=]'s naiveté to humiliate him like he has with so many of his fans and [=SpongeBob=] eventually learns that Kevin is not even the jellyfish expert he presented himself as. Ultimately, [=SpongeBob=] learns that he can still appreciate the things he loves without having to fit in with any elite cliques to validate his enjoyment.
*** In "Can You Spare a Dime?", after Squidward quits his job at the Krusty Krab due to Mr. Krabs accusing him of stealing his first dime, he ends up jobless and homeless. [=SpongeBob=] offers to let Squidward stay at his house and help him until he's able to get back on his own feet. However, Squidward soon takes advantage of [=SpongeBob=]'s kindness and relentlessly freeloads off of him for months on end (to the point where even the narrator gets tired of waiting and a new one is hired). Eventually, [=SpongeBob=], frustrated by Squidward's selfish behavior and unwillingness to get back on his feet, tries to give him gradually less-than-subtle hints to get a job, which Squidward chooses to ignore, driving [=SpongeBob=] off the edge. The episode shows that being ''too'' nice can result in people selfishly taking advantage of that person's kindness and freeloading of them, and you should ''not'' let them walk all over you and know when to stand up for yourself.
*** In "No Weenies Allowed", [=SpongeBob=] tries to enter a tough sailors’ club, eventually getting in when he has Patrick pretend to be beaten up by him. However, [=SpongeBob=] injures himself immediately afterwards and is taken to the hospital. This teaches a very important moral about not biting off more than you can chew.
*** "Nasty Patty" has [=SpongeBob=] and Mr. Krabs try to catch an impostor health inspector by feeding him a tainted, garbage-filled Krabby Patty. However, they soon realize that the inspector who came to the Krusty Krab was real and try to hide the body. In short, stopping crime is something best left for highly trained law enforcement officials, not civilians who could get innocent people hurt.
*** "Just One Bite" teaches Squidward that you can’t say you don’t like something you’ve never tried, while also teaching [=SpongeBob=] that if someone doesn’t want to do something, then no means no.
*** "Artist Unknown" teaches lessons about not taking credit for others’ work and for teachers to let students express themselves rather than trying to control them.
*** "Sailor Mouth" has a very obvious message about profanity. These words are curse words because they are very hurtful to others, and they are not meant to be thrown around casually.
* While one might be inclined to think that the morals of sharing, compromise, and getting along belong solely in little kids' shows, The ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan'' episode "Elephant Logic" challenges that line of thinking. Throughout the episode, the neighborhood kids are able to solve their problems efficiently thanks to the lessons from their ''Animal Buddies'' show, while Lance and Ilana are stuck squabbling. After checking out what ''Animal Buddies'' has to say, Octus [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments hilariously]] drops the anvil that one shouldn't write off these morals for little kids, as there are many grown-ups who could stand to learn them.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' had its fourth season with Leonardo becoming more brooding and prone to anger due to the near death battle with the Utrom Shredder in the season 3 finale. For those episodes, he was prone to treating his brothers more strictly and would scold them for clowning around or not taking their fights seriously. In the episode "The Ancient One" during a training match, his growing anger at not getting better caused him to hurt Splinter, finally breaking him out of this. This was the first aesop, deal with your problems instead of ignoring help, which he did when Usagi tried to talk to him the previous episode, or else your anger will cause you to hurt people you care about. Being sent to the Ancient One during a very Empire Strikes Back like adventure with the Ancient One as Yoda, Leo also learned that failure isn't always a bad thing as once can learn from it and grow stronger. Being obsessed with perfection and avoiding failure can make you your own worst enemy.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'' sometimes has individual aesops for an episode, but overall the series stresses kindness and mercy towards all, and that self-absorbed pride can have dire consequences. The series starts out with Thundera being destroyed by the lizards once they get a hold of lost technology, because the cats were so racist and oppressive of the other races due to arrogance. The rest of the series has Lion-O, the new king, repeatedly defy the ways of his people and tries to aid everyone regardless of race or faction. This includes letting lizard soldiers go and giving them the choice to desert the army and go back home, then freeing them when they were going to be executed. Even before that, lizard prisoners he freed in Thundera freed him when Thundera fell. Lion-O's actions frequently pay off for him in the end, when someone he helped in the past comes to aid him in a time of need. This is in contrast to Mumm-Ra, who uses the lizards' hatred of the cats to recruit them, and then recruits generals who are just psychotic {{Blood Knight}}s to scare the rest of the troops into fighting on. The anvil being dropped is be good to others, and they'll be good to you.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' episode "Webworld" had two messages. First, institutionalized medical care can't cure mental illnesses and could actually make the patient worse, Second, forcing someone to have therapy, despite how good their intentions are or how desperately they need it, won't work.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' had a nice one in an early episode when Jack demands that the Bots go after his school bully when said bully is mistakenly abducted by the Decepticons: yes he may not like said bully and yes said bully ''is'' a jerk but he's still a ''person'' and also an innocent bystander in the Cybertronian conflict.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/TwelveForever'' has a theme that although growing up is inevitable, one doesn't have to change or give up the things they love in order to do it. If anything, abandoning your personal interests to be "grown up" isn't necessarily the same thing as [[CharacterDevelopment personal growth]].
%%* While the main message of ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' is that ThePowerOfLove is stronger than ThePowerOfHate, as reflected by AllLovingHero Wander always escaping Lord Hater, the show does drop a number of other anvils.
%%** The second main message, similar to ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', is that TheWorldIsJustAwesome, and you should appreciate it.
%%** "The Good Deed" shows that you should be careful when you try to do a good deed, or you can make things ''worse''.
%%** "The Fremergency Frontract" and "The Boy Wander" both carry the message that while friendship and fun are good, it's wrong to force them on people who don't want it.
%%** "The Wanders" has the message that you have to accept ''all'' parts of yourself and the people you care about.
%%** "The End Of The Galaxy" gives a harsh but important message: Not everyone is going to accept the nice things you do for them, and even ''if'' they do, it won't automatically make them better people.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheWeekenders'':
%%** One episode highlights Tino's overwhelming fear of clowns, to the point he's reverted to the fetal position when just seeing ''an image'' of one. It's all somewhat PlayedForLaughs, but his friends and his mom try to convince him that his fear is wrecking his life and that he should try and face it. He admits he does need help and does face his fear... at a nearby circus clown school. By the end of the episode he isn't fully ''cured'' of his phobia, but he can "live with it now", even saying that fear is okay as long as it doesn't take over your life.
** An in-universe example in another episode has Tish deciding to conduct a study on human behavior. She acts horribly to all her test subjects, eventually causing them to walk out on her. She's learned her lesson by the end of the episode and announces to her friends that - in a touch of {{Irony}} - ''she'' ended up the subject of her own study: that when you need someone to help you, they respond better to positive reinforcement. Tino then points out that it took three days for her to basically learn "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar". Still a good lesson though.
%%** The episode where Tish is part of a Shakespeare play has a nice one about how something outside of your comfort zone can still be fun; Tino, Lor and Carver all loved the play despite only going for Tish's sake.
%%** Another episode basically tells you that it's alright to not want to be in a romantic relationship. It's alright to have interests besides boys or girls.
%%** Tino's mom drops a nice one after she finds out he's trying to change his image to attract girls. She first tries the whole "Tish and Lor like you for you right?" which he takes to mean that being himself will get him girls. Most shows would stop there but not this one. She then extends it to "No. You can be yourself and people still won't like you. Be yourself because yourself is who you should be. Because if you're not you, you won't like you." It's been pointed out that the additional message to BeYourself models a ''much'' better mindset and if followed, will make a person a much better romantic partner.
%%** In "Grow Up", two related ones get dropped when Tino tries to act "grown up" after an embarrassment involving a juvenile trampoline. One, growing up doesn't mean you have to give up all parts of being a kid (highlighted by his mom jumping on the trampoline with the rest of the kids). And two, just because something isn't targeted at your age group (or whatever group you belong to), that doesn't mean [[PeripheryDemographic you can't like it]].
%%** "Charity Case" drops the refreshing [[AnAesop Aesop]] "People who are different from you are perfectly capable of forming meaningful friendships with people they love, and you should never try to befriend them out of simple pity". The message comes up in a story where Tish convinces her friends to hang out with a socially awkward girl named Bebe Cahill for the weekend, assuming that she doesn't have any friends because she has some rather odd mannerisms and nerdy interests. The kids end up having an utterly miserable time--since [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome they have nothing in common with Bebe]]--and ultimately find out that she's not actually as lonely as they assume. She's close friends with [[ThoseTwoGuys Bluke and Frances]], and [[{{Irony}} assumes that Tish and her friends must be desperately lonely]] because they insist on following her around.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub''
%%** Divorces are hard, and getting over it is even harder. Most people who get divorces ''won't'' get back together. But those who get divorces can still be good parents. Actively wishing and dreaming that they'll get back together is ''not'' the right thing to do. Those getting a divorce simply need to listen to each other. That doesn't mean get back together, it means being understanding of the other person, and anyone else who may be affected by all of this.
%%** Not all your teenage loves will last, and AllGirlsWantBadBoys is a ''[[UnfortunateImplications horrible]]'' [[UnfortunateImplications mindset]] when the "bad boy" [[TookALevelInJerkass has become such an asshole over time.]] [[spoiler: Musa and Riven]] were an unstable couple with little hope of making things better, and it's better for everyone that it ended.
%%** You ''can'' move on after your first love, even if he/she has died. That doesn't make that love any less "real," it just means that you are able to move on with your life.
%%* The 1972 ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' TV special ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'' is based off a series of strips from October 1964 in which Linus runs for school president. Linus becomes a messianic figure in the election, making a number of outrageous campaign promises such as doing away with kindergarten graduations, demanding wage increases for faculty, and welcoming dogs on school grounds. [[spoiler: Ultimately he wins, with his opponent casting the deciding vote. At the end, Sally takes him to the principal to talk about his platform, where he is grimly reminded that he's still a student and has no real power whatsoever. Sally, who was hoping Linus would do something about the locker she was too short to open, angrily storms off...managing to open one of the lockers when she kicks it in anger.]] Basically, it shows that political candidates can promise you the world but don't always deliver, and sometimes you're better off solving your own problems rather than relying on other people to fix things for you.
%%* In an episode of the series "Auto-B-Good", lead character EJ is told by his soccer coach to be a good sport during the game because that's what she expects from her players. He's noticeably annoyed with this request and it quickly becomes apparent why when he starts casually handing the ball to opposing players and generally acting bored with the game, apparently under the impression that "being a good sport" means "let the other team win". His best friend Izzi and the coach both clarify that a good sport does try their best to win but they do so while following the rules and respecting their opponents; they also point out that handing the game to the other team is ''very'' disrespectful.
* ''WesternAnimation/XavierRiddleAndTheSecretMuseum'':
** Heroes aren't reality TV stars or people who are famous for being famous. Real heroes are ordinary people who change the world. People who are kind and caring. People who made mistakes. People who struggled along the way, but kept on trying and achieved their goal. That's what makes a hero.
** Nobody is perfect. The show makes it clear that none of the heroes featured are perfect human beings whatsoever, as they are shown making mistakes, and there are even some that had made questionable decisions or said questionable things in real life. [[note]]Like George Washington and Winston Churchill, to name a few[[/note]] But the show is about believing the best of everyone and remembering people for the good they put into the world.
** "I Am Billie Jean King" teaches that boys and girls can do the same things. Girls are allowed to play sports, boys are allowed to do ballet, etc. It promotes gender-nonconformity in a way kids can understand, and this moral is very much needed.
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%%* The famous episode "WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain...and Larry" is a TakeThat at ExecutiveMeddling adding another character to a show. It shows that basically, Pinky and the Brain are meant to be a comedy ''duo'' whose opposite personalities even out the comedy and that another character will throw everything off balance. It's a [[WesternAnimation/PinkyElmyraAndTheBrain shame]] that the executives [[IgnoredAesop didn't get the message]].

%%** There's an episode where Sabrina gets fed up with so many restrictions like PG-13 rated movies, curfews, lack of money etc that she casts a spell to become an adult. She soon learns that being an adult does not involve having fun all the time and that there are lots of responsibilities she has to contend with. If she doesn't reverse the spell soon she'll be stuck like that forever; a very poignant moral on how childhood should be enjoyed while it lasts or it'll be gone forever.

%%* The episode of "Ready, Set, Fail" in ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBusRidesAgain'' has Ms. Frizzle set up a task for the students to perform and ''specifically'' wants them to fail, so they could learn from their failures and eventually come up with a design that will work to achieve their desired goal. This is how real life science works, and that you shouldn't treat failure as the end of the world but a temporary setback. ''And'' use it as a learning opportunity - there is a reason why a lot of cases of engineering failure are taught in engineering schools, after all, since people have actually learned ''of'' scientific concepts from them.

%%* "WesternAnimation/MonsterHigh and Kind Campaign: The Shockumentary." Anyone-on-anyone hostility, especially bullying, is NEVER hot or right and we should never think it can be either one no matter what. Just as bullying can be our problem, so too the solution can come from us as well. We must always try to "find kind"--the kindness within everyone.
%%** "Fright On!" has a surprising one: It's good to be in touch with your culture/heritage, but you shouldn't let it take over your identity and prevent you from accepting others.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/MuppetBabies2018'': In "Kermit's Big Show", Kermit wants to put on a play for Miss Nanny based on ''Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs''. When the other kids incorporate changes to the story, Kermit gets annoyed and wants the story to be exactly like the original. When he quits out of frustration, Nanny assures him that you don't have to make things exactly the same and it's okay to add a few small changes, because it's part of being creative and those changes sometimes can be for the best. This is a good lesson and a good TakeThat to people who complained about the reboot before it even premiered.

** The same goes for its 1955 remake ''WesternAnimation/GoodWillToMen''.