Top 10 Weirdest and Creepiest Things About Dora the Explorer
You thought it was just a harmless cartoon about a little girl on adventures with a monkey and a magical backpack. But the more you watched, the more things started feeling... off.
If you've ever found yourself wide-eyed in the middle of an episode wondering what sort of fever dream you're witnessing, you're not alone. This list shines a flashlight into the unsettling jungle that is Dora the Explorer, where logic takes a vacation and reality is just a suggestion.
Scroll through and vote for the things that made you pause, laugh nervously, or straight-up question your childhood. These aren't just quirks. These are the moments that make you wonder if the real map was leading straight to a therapist's office.
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Everything has a face
The backgrounds in Mario 3 have eyes too, but in Mario, it's actually cute. Can't say the same thing for Dora...
I would scream and hide under the sheets of my bed if everything had a face.
I'm the map, I'm the map, and my tune sounds like crap.
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Dora can't see anything even when it is right in front of her
Dora: Where is Swiper?
Me: There! Behind you!
Dora: Where?
Me: He is right behind you!
Dora: Is he behind me?
Me: Yes!
Dora: Where is the bridge? Left or right?
Me: Left
Dora: Is it on the right?
Me: It's on the left, you blind 1 IQ 7-year-old girl.
Dora: Left, you are right!
Me: I said left!
In the episode "Choo Choo":
Dora: Do you see Swiper?
Me: Yes, in the back of Azul.
Dora: Where?
Me: I told you already.
Boots: He's going to swipe the whistle.
"Vamos a Pintar":
Dora: Where is Swiper?
Boots: I saw him.
Dora: I don't see him.
Me: Dora, you idiot. He was in front of you.
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Swiper goes away whenever Dora tells him to
Dora: Swiper no swiping!
Me: Like that's going to work.
Dora: Swiper no swiping!
Boots: Uh Dora, that won't work!
Me: You're right, Boots!
Dora: Swiper no swiping!
Swiper: Oh man! Runs like a coward.
Me: How is that possible?
Swiper is the only good character, but he is cowardly. He needs to build up more courage and someday lecture Dora about his name being Swiper and that he swipes stuff. There was actually a comic strip about that.
If Swiper got better. If Dora said "Swiper, No Swiping," Swiper would just take their belongings because that's not how you make a thief go away.
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Dora's parents are portrayed as bad parents
Her parents don't even have a problem with Dora exploring. How old are these parents?
I'm sure her parents let her go outside alone, or the world has gone too soft.
Imagine if Dora went to a river and ended up drowning, her parents would barely care about it.
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The show is naturally disturbing
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Dora stops and waits for the viewer's answer, like she knows you're there
This scared me when I was young. Honestly. They just wait and stare at you with blank, lifeless faces for a few seconds and then carry on with what they were doing.
To be fair, this is to engage the target audience - little toddlers or kindergartners. Many shows use it.
When she asks a question, everything stops. It's like the world is in shock because she doesn't know something so obvious.
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Dora almost dies in most episodes
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The map can talk
A map that changes every single episode. So logical! What if Dora had a tablet with a map system? It might be better, in my opinion. Explorers possibly don't use paper maps anymore, I think.
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The show frequently breaks the fourth wall
She needs to leave the fourth wall alone.
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Dora is constantly being stalked by Swiper
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Swiper is portrayed as a coward
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Boots is a walking, talking monkey who wears boots
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Dora goes exploring without her parents' permission
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Dora doesn't sleep
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Dora goes out on her own without a responsible adult
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Dora asks, "What is your favorite part?"
Dora: What's your favorite part?
Me: When you're par-
Dora: I liked that part too.
Me: What the hell!
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Dora's IQ is questionable given her actions
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Dora has a big head
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Dora eats ice cream and throws away the cone without eating it
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Dora's singing voice is strange or unsettling
Her flute playing too. She didn't even play it! All she said was "dink dink the dink dink!"
I would send Ursula to steal Dora's singing voice!
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Every episode follows the same plot
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Dora's dancing is odd or unsettling
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Dora appears to be crazy based on her behavior
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Dora can only count to 8 despite being 7 and bilingual
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Dora is best friends with a monkey
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Boots always follows Dora like a stalker
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Dora has unusually large pupils