Pops Maellard (born Mega Kranus), was one of the seven main characters of Regular Show. He was the adoptive son of Mr. Maellard, who was originally the owner of the park until Benson owned the park as of the series finale. In Season 8, he was revealed to be the 'Chosen One' and 'The Embodiment of Pure Good' and was the twin brother of Anti-Pops, as both siblings were born on the planet Lolliland.
Biography[]
Before the Start[]
It started when Pops was born as Mega Kranus, which is considered the highest state of the species in Lolliland. However, in order to balance with Pops, it created his evil brother, Malum Kranus. For many times, both brothers fight each other with one trying to save the universe and the other trying to destroy it. Earl accompanied Pops and trained him every cycle of the universe. Each cycle the brothers fight each other in the universe and the battle resulted in a stalemate, causing the universe to repeat itself with a different result. It is unknown how many times it took place but through Earl tattoos, it's probably about 20 times. The last battle ended the same thing except Pops landed on Earth where Mr. Maellard found him.
Life as a Normal Person[]
Mr. Maellard named him Pops due to his grizzly old face and took him as a son. He wanted Pops to live a normal life but he had no choice but to fulfill the destiny given to Pops. He made preparations for Pops with the fire VCR and the ice tape and the dome experiments as preparations for the park going to space. For the full story, see "The Ice Tape". During this time, Pops live a normal life as a person but in a slower time as he grows much slower than a normal being.
As a child in Pops' Favorite Planet, he looked through his telescope and saw his favorite pink planet, called Lolliland, which he didn't know was his home planet until the Season Eight episode "Meet the Seer". He tried to see his planet when he was older but interrupted by Mr. Maellard every single time. This made Pops angry which shows his hidden powers but not its full potential since Pops reluctantly joined his father's business. He always wishes to see his favorite planet once more.
Appearance[]
Pops was a pale, pink lollipop-shaped man. His body and limbs were all very stick-like, while his head had an abnormally large sphere shape. He usually wore a gentlemanly outfit, consisting of an always buttoned-up black vest; a long-sleeved, off-white dress shirt; lighter gray pants; dress shoes in the same color as his vest; and a black top hat with a grey stripe. Pops also sported a white handlebar mustache. Aside from his mustache, Pops was entirely bald. In the finale, it's revealed that he had a six-pack.
Personality[]
Pops was a naïve, lollipop-shaped man who was almost always in a jolly mood. Pops works with Benson as a park manager, but he acts as a groundskeeper. He tends to be overly ecstatic about every situation and expresses himself as an upright gentleman to the point where he overly extends his words and sentences formally. Despite being an elderly man, Pops is very childlike and naïve about the world around him. Therefore, he serves as somewhat of a non sequitur character. He also seems to like Mordecai and Rigby more than Benson, ironically, despite Mordecai and Rigby's irresponsible behavior and Benson's more responsible behavior (and Benson being his good friend). Pops' father, Mr. Maellard, owns the park. Even so, Pops relies on Benson for the upkeep of the park. Benson also seems to be responsible for taking care of Pops due to his childlike nature. Pops' character is taken from Quintel's short animation "The Naïve Man from Lolliland". In "Prank Callers," it is implied that Pops was once a (somewhat) more serious man, until Mordecai and Rigby (who had travelled back in time to the 80s) collided with his younger self, causing him apparent brain damage and turning him into the quirky character he is known as in the series. Pops was in a perpetually optimistic mood, and most of the time, he can best be described as bubbly. However, Pops isn't one to be jolly when disrespected. Whenever he was not acting childishly, Pops acts like a gentleman, always addressing others politely, with one sole exception in "Think Positive", where he demands Benson to stop yelling at Mordecai and Rigby. Pops' childish demeanor makes him very gullible, but even though anyone can take advantage of this, most people still respect Pops as a friend. Pops also possesses the most pleasant voice out of all the characters; his language style is unique where he will go to larger extents to scientifically or vividly describe an object that would normally be said in a few words.
In spite of being seen as naïve, Pops has shown himself to be quite intelligent. This is best seen in “Win That Prize”, where he successfully escapes detainment from a television studio by deceiving the staff into disguising him and make a clean getaway. This implies Pops is greatly underestimated by those around him.
He is also known to take an interest in little things, such as butterflies. An example of this is when, in "The Power", he laughs when a butterfly flies near him, and in "Think Positive," he is trying to catch butterflies in a jar. Another example would be in "Saving Time", when he says that the songbirds don't usually visit him until the afternoon. Pops is also known to love his car, which he polishes and waxes in nearly every episode it is in.
Pops seems to be easily amused as seen in "Jinx," when he laughs at his reflection in the water.
Skills/Habits[]
- Keyboard Player - As seen in "This Is My Jam", "But I Have a Receipt", and "Return of Mordecai and the Rigbys," Pops is adept at playing the keyboard. He is also said to play his harpsichord at night, but he might have stopped this because Benson made a rule against this.
- Butterflies - Pops most likely has an interest for butterflies, as seen in "Think Positive."
- Skilled Artist - As seen in "Think Positive," Pops can draw very well.
- Skilled Wrestler - In "Really Real Wrestling," Pops is a very good wrestler. This is because he used to wrestle in his high school or college days. He can easily also wrestle a polar bear in "The Christmas Special."
- Fanciness - As shown in "Fancy Restaurant," Pops is an expert in the art of being fancy and has even published a book on the subject, titled Fanciness Theory and Practical Application.
- Singing - Pops can sing fairly well in "Karaoke Video" when he sang "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins.
- Easily Scared - Benson claimed that Pops can't stand scary stories in "Terror Tales of the Park II." However, Pops claims otherwise.
- Baking - In "Pie Contest," Pops is an excellent baker, and appears to have a fondness for it. His pie was the only one Mordecai and Rigby actually liked. As such, he has won 1st place for his pies for ten consecutive years. And in "Meat Your Maker" he made pies for the BBQ. Lastly, he suggested a bake sale as a fundraiser in Grave Sights.
- Poetry - As seen in "Rap It Up" it is shown that he likes and is talented at poetry.
- Surfing - In "Catching the Wave" Pops learned how to surf and became one with nature.
- Carsick - In "Terror Tales of the Park II," he suggested that they play I Spy. Rigby then replied sharply that Pops got carsick the last time they played I Spy.
- Bird-watching- It's shown in "Free Cake" that Pops is using binoculars and looking around, possibly bird-watching.
- Cosmic Power - Pops possesses godlike strength and speed. He's capable of flying past numerous planets and stars within seconds. He's also so strong that when he and his brother punch each other, the entire universe including time itself resets.
- Telekinesis - Pops, along with his brother were born to have this power from beginning to levitate object and themselves. Ironically, Pops himself is the "Chosen One", embodied by a power of good. His brother is the embodiment of evil.
- Teleportation - Pops can teleport himself in different location.
- Energy Manipulation - Pops can fire energy blast that strong enough to set a tree on fire.
- Shield Generation - Pops can form an energy shield to protect himself from harm.
- Weather Manipulation- Pops can create a large army of rain clouds by simply saying "rain."
- Size Shifting- Pops can transform himself into a very abnormally large figure much like his brother.
Relationships[]
Mordecai[]
Mordecai, along with Rigby, seem to be really good friends with Pops. Whenever they are seen together, the two seem to get along and have no problems. Pops is also easily amused with their contests, like punchies and rock-paper-scissors. When Pops sacrifices himself to save the universe in "A Regular Epic Final Battle", Mordecai is shown crying along with Rigby because of how much Pops means to the both of them.
Rigby[]
Despite Rigby's wild nature, the two seem to get along very well. For example, Pops has let Rigby borrow his phone and his old-timey radio. Despite his naivety, Pops seems to know Rigby is wild and a bit dumb, an example being "Trash Boat." When Pops sacrifices himself to save the universe in "A Regular Epic Final Battle", Rigby is shown crying along with Mordecai because of how much Pops means to the both of them.
Benson[]
Though they seem to have trouble with each other, there is still respect between the two. In "Think Positive," Pops made Benson control his anger with Mordecai and Rigby, or else he'd lose his job a second time, showing that Pops can, and will, exercise his actual superiority over Benson. Benson reluctantly tried to keep it in, and he never yelled once until Pops changed his mind. Along with the rest of the park, Benson mourned during Pops' funeral.
Muscle Man[]
The two seem to be good friends, as Pops tried to help Muscle Man become fancy in "Fancy Restaurant." Muscle Man also felt unbearably guilty when his prank went wrong and almost killed Pops in "Prankless." Muscle Man also seems to think that Pops is funny (and/or cool) in multiple episodes, as the two hang out sometimes. It looks like after High Five Ghost and Mordecai and Rigby, Pops may be Muscle Man's best friend.
Skips[]
There is not much interaction in the series, but when there is, they get along well. Skips has been in Pops's life since he was little, as indicated in Skips vs. Technology, when he fixes his toy. Also, he tried to help Skips feel better after he lost an arm-wrestling competition to Rigby in Over the Top.
Hi Five Ghost[]
There is little to no interaction throughout the series. In "Gut Model" it hints they could be friends as they were laughing eating Fry it Up. In "Guy's Night" he along with Rigby, Mordecai, and Muscle Man let him in free pitying him.
Thomas[]
Pops and Thomas haven't interacted much, but although Pops does yell at Thomas like the rest park workers sometimes, they have worked together and have been on good terms. After Thomas became a navy, and shown when the park which includes his friends and Eileen are launched to space while he bidding his friend a good luck, Thomas is now likely aware of Pops' origins as the Chosen One.
Anti-Pops[]
Pops' archenemy and illegitimate brother who is after Pops, due to their unspecific different gift from their birth.
Mr. Maellard[]
Mr. Maellard is revealed to be the adoptive father of Pops in Season Eight's episode "The Ice Tape". Previously seen in Skips vs. Technology, Pops has been in the care of him and his wife since the early 1900's. Though he is considered a megalomaniac and forgetful, a soft spot remains for his only son, even after his death.
Pops-Themed Content[]
- Pops' Taxi (Ello Gov'nor)
- Pops' Harpsichord (Mordecai and the Rigbys, Fists of Justice)
- Pops' House (Just about every episode, excluding High Score, Camping Can Be Cool, That's My Television and Spacey McSpace Tree)
- Pops' Ironing Board (Prank Callers)
- Pops' Outfit
- Pops' Junk (Terror Tales of the Park)
- Pops' Keyboard (This Is My Jam)
- Pops' Phonograph (A few episodes)
- Pops' Poetry Outfits (Rap It Up)
- Pops' Portraits (Majority of episodes)
Trivia[]
- In the pilot, Pops reveals that "Rock-Paper-Scissors" is called "Quartz-Parchment-Shears", according to where he comes from.
- Pops owns three cars, his Checker Taxi cab from "Ello Gov'nor", his flying Mini Cooper from "Really Real Wrestling", and Carmenita. Out of all of them, only the latter appeared after its debut.
- He makes an appearance in the short "The Naive Man from Lolliland" as the main character, but with the name Lolliland Man.
- He also made a cameo appearance in "2 in the AM PM" when the two clerks are fighting, the proto-Mordecai becomes proto-Pops.
- He is the only main character who has not been an antagonist to Mordecai and Rigby before. Margaret and Eileen were rivals with them in Cruisin', Skips tried to stop the two from having fun in The Power, Thomas helped to prank them in Starter Pack and posed a threat in The Real Thomas. Benson, Muscle Man, and Hi Five Ghost are regular antagonists to them.
- However, in "Brain Eraser", although directly not an antagonist, Mordecai's memory of a naked Pops antagonizes him throughout most of the episode.
- An explanation for Pops using lollipops, instead of money, is that he is from Lolliland, where it is possible that lollipops were used as a form of currency. (For instance, a butterscotch ripple equates to $100). However, his father does not seem to share this confusion. In the short "The Naive Man from Lolliland," Pops is beaten by restaurant employees because he paid his bill in lollipops.
- Pops' favorite magazine to read is Mustaches Monthly.
- In "Dizzy," his last name is revealed to be "Maellard".
- In "This Is My Jam," it is revealed that he can dance and play music because he said that he is not going to use his "best dance moves" and he can play the keyboard.
- In "Prank Callers," Pops has no mustache in the 1980s, but he has one while he was in high school as shown in "Really Real Wrestling".
- He was born sometime between 1879 and 1910, as revealed in Skips vs. Technology.
- However, it was also revealed by Mr. Maellard and Earl that he is just as old as the universe, perhaps even older due to the universe supposedly resetting each time he and Anti-Pops fought.
- In "Skips vs. Technology," Pops is shown as a child with brown hair in the year 1910.
- He was almost killed by Mordecai's bed falling on him, due to a prank by Muscle Man in "Prankless."
- It was confirmed in "Terror Tales of The Park" that Pops had a doll named Percy, but he got rid of him because Mordecai and Rigby told him it wasn't cool.
- Pops is the third oldest in the park gang, the second being Mr. Maellard and the first being Skips.
- However, it was also revealed by Mr. Maellard and Earl that he is just as old as the universe, perhaps even older due to the universe supposedly resetting each time he and Anti-Pops fought.
- Pops, along with Mordecai and Rigby, are the only ones who live in the park house.
- His name Pops comes from one of two places, the fact that he's based on a lollipop, as seen in "The Naive Man from Lolliland," or because of his age.
- He is shown to be good at drawing in "Think Positive".
- In Caveman, Pops was seen playing the violin, revealing that he could play more than one instrument.
- In Cool Cubed, when Dr. Henry comes to help Thomas, he mentions to Pops "How's that ol' Pinky?" Because of this, it is safe to assume that Pops somehow broke his pinky finger on his right hand in an earlier episode, or before the series takes place.
- As shown in "Rigby's Body", Pops seems to have lost the ability to identify rude words, as when Rigby uses the word 'turd' to insult Mordecai. Pops breaks the argument by quoting "We can all be turds!" In the same episode, Pops uses the word 'turd' to greet Skips, and Skips says he wishes Mordecai and Rigby would stop teaching him those words.
- In Catching the Wave, Pops finally becomes one with nature by learning how to surf.
- Even though Pops attempts to buy the "worst expired food they've got" with lollipops in "White Elephant Gift Exchange", it was successfully purchased.
- However, Hi Five Ghost may have paid for it instead.
- Many have made jokes about Pops' huge head in various episodes, leading to a singular gag in Terror Tales of the Park IV, when Pops' head still stuck out of the gaping hole, even after Benson stomped on his head.
- Pops and Muscle Man are the only workers at the park who always wear shoes.
- It is shown that Pops can be really smart and cunning, as he was able to fool everyone and get away from the TV station in Win That Prize.
- From when he was a child to grown-up Pops seems to hold telekinesis when he was upset for not seeing his planet in "Pops' Favorite Planet".
- Pops is the only main character to never be seen in a romantic relationship.
- Pops' actual origin is almost identical to some alien character who is adopted by Earthlings, like DC Comics' Superman.
- Pops is the only main character to die onscreen along with his twin brother.
- He is seen watching the life of the park crew during the 25 years of their life in the afterlife after his death.
- It is revealed in ''Meet the Seer'', Pops' favorite planet is actually Lolliland his birth planet.
- His destiny as the Chosen Ones is a reference of the destiny of the One from the Matrix franchise. His fate is similar to Neo since both of them break the cycle of destruction and reborn (Pops end the cycle of universal destruction and reborn by destroying himself and his brother similar to Neo refuses to submit his prime program to restart the Matrix instead he fights Smith to save both the Machine and the human race as well as ending the cycle of destruction and rebuild of Zion).
- Strangely, a Future Pops appeared in the introduction of Regular Show: The Movie, even though this segment is supposed to take place a long time after his death in A Regular Epic Final Battle. It is unknown whether this is just a continuity error or Pops is alive/will be resurrected and eventually he will come back.
- Pops says the last line of the series "Jolly Good Show".
- In the Brazilian Portuguese version of Regular Show, Pops is called "Pairulito", a portmanteau of the words "Pai", which means "Dad", and "Pirulito", which means "Lollipop".
Gallery[]
The gallery for Pops can be viewed here.
Main Characters of Regular Show
|