Motherhoodis a tough job. In fact, it’s one of the hardest tasks in human history. It takes a strong woman to deal with the mental and physical fatigue inherent in raising a child and keeping a family together. Real life is a prime example of that, but animation presents a whole new set of rules.
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In that, there are no rules. Characters routinely defy physics and accomplish the impossible within the animated landscape. What’s more, animated sitcoms amplify these aspects for comedy. Anyone would struggle to keep up with all the cartoonish antics. Miraculously, some onscreen moms manage to do just that.
8Emma Leroy - Corner Gas Animated
The animated follow-up toCorner Gashas many qualities carried over fromthe live-action version, with Emma being among these. She looks like a harmless old lady, and she doesn’t partake in much physical comedy. That said, she makes up for it with her inherent authority.
Decades of dealing with a cranky husband and a disobedient son have afforded her unparalleled knowledge in taking charge. She knows exactly how to use words and wit to psyche people out. If she willed it, everyone in Dog River could be subject to her whims. This being an animated iteration, she can even handle slapstick and other physical feats, which wouldn’t have been possible in the original show. Again, though, Emma never needed that advantage.
7Marge Simpson - The Simpsons
The matriarch ofThe Simpsonsnormally isn’t a pillar of strength, but that can easily change with the right situation. One such instance comes when she gets mugged. The experience frightens Marge so much that she takes up bench-pressing.
Her efforts yield beefy arms with stick out like a sore thumb. More noticeable are the feats she’s now capable of, like casually lifting full-grown men above her head like toys. Granted, this change isn’t permanent; she eventually returns to her normal frame to restore the status quo. However, she could easily regain these muscles anytime, soHomer had better watch out.
6Judy Neutron - The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius
It’s clear whereNickelodeon’s titular boy genius got his brains.Judy Neutron is as sharp as a tack, and she has to be when dealing with two extremes: a moronic husband and a son who thinks he knows everything.
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The latter’s crazy creations sometimes throw her off, but they’re never too much for her to handle. She proves this on several occasions, such as when she bests a robotic duplicate of herself. This demonstrates considerable combat prowess, and ingenuity further cemented when she whips out inventions of her own. For example, she has a molecular blasting ray for removing tough stains. She only uses these skills for cooking, cleaning, and caring, but she could do far more if she wasn’t so altruistic. Thankfully, she settles for maintaining order in a chaotic house.
5Dexter’s Mom - Dexter’s Laboratory
The second boy genius mom to make the list, Dexter’s mother has all the grace and precision that viewers expect from aGenndy Tartakovsky work. She demonstrates this by her dogged pursuit of household vermin and masterful balance of dishes, putting the most coordinated waiter to shame. These abilities only amplified after the creator’s departure.
More than ever before, theCartoon Networkseries' revival makes Dexter’s mom capable of shocking violence. This shows when she gets into a brutal brawl with another woman for the last pair of latex gloves in the store, reducing her rival to a bloody pulp. Such drastic actions take fighting germs to a whole new level.
4Gladys - The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy
At first glance, Billy’s mother has all the traits of a cutesy-wootsy caregiver. Her bubbly personality means she always tries to keep things positive, looking after her husband and son despite their slobby ways. However, these gross habits eventually crumble the facade.
Gladys is prone to psychotic rages whenever her perfect world is thrown out of alignment. She becomes a murder machine who can make a deadly weapon out of even the most mundane household tool. In this state, she can go toe-to-toe withthe Grim Reaper. Yep, Death himself is no match for this unhinged mother.
3Della Duck - Ducktales (2017 TV Series)
Not manyDisneyaudiences know about Della Duck, as she hasn’t been present in her children’s lives. That’s because she’s been stuck on the moon for ten years, fighting colossal insects and searching for a way home. That alone would be impressive, but she’s been an avid adventurer for most of her life.
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Della embarked oncountless globetrotting exploits with Scrooge McDuck and her brother, Donald. She now continues those journeys with her sons: Huey, Duey, and Luey. Being stranded for so long would have dampened most people’s spirits, but Della’s enthusiasm knows no bounds. She gladly jumps into any death-defying scenario, not only for the sense of exploration but also to protect her family. Traveling the world and learning to be a parent are both Herculean tasks in themselves, but Della is daring enough to take on both.
2Poison Ivy - Harley Quinn
It stands to reason that a supervillain would be a tough customer, andPoison Ivy maintains much of her power fromDC Comics. The mutated femme fatale cares for countless plants as her children, and they fight for her in return. She wields the greenery as an extension of herself, slinging vines and spewing spores in ways that would make botanists blush. However, that strength is more apparent here.
Harley Quinn’s solo sitcomis an immensely violent show. Characters routinely rip people apart in comically grotesque ways, and Ivy gets in on that gore. Her plant-based attacks are less “slow and sensual” and more “quick and deadly.” She can turn someone inside out with a flick of her wrist. In the wake of these scenes, one can’t help but marvel at the demented creativity of the animators.
1Wilma Flintstone - The Flintstones
In many ways, Wilma is the prototypical housewife, but think about what that means in prehistoric times. She not only handles rambunctious kidsbut also wrangles dinosaurs.The Flintstonesmother tames the creatures and uses them as appliances. That obviously takes some degree of strength.
More importantly, it takes guile–the mind to use that strength effectively. This invaluable trait helps her and Betty Rubble bail their husbands out of their frequent misadventures. It also aids her superhero exploits with Captain Caveman. Finally, her later years see her put her managerial expertise and boundless energy to work in the food business. Wilma is truly a jack of all trades, making her one of the most endearing moms in TV history.
