Aahana Swrup
‘Exploding Kittens,’ the Netflix animated show, builds itself on a “good vs. evil” premise but adds a humorous twist to the situation by casting God as the protagonist, stuck inside a cat’s body. Likewise, his enemy, the devil cat, or Beelzebub, the CEO of Hell, also finds herself in the same furred situation. Both entities are cast out to Earth to improve their understanding of humans, which will help them perform their jobs better as Heaven and Hell’s bosses. Thus, they remain in close proximity to the dysfunctional Higgins family, whose development is instrumental to God-cat’s return to his former glorious self. As next-door neighbors, the duo carry on their rivalry on Earth in the form of two superpowered kitties. Therefore, one can’t help but question how the title, ‘Exploding Kittens,’ fits within this narrative about exiled divine entities. SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Exploding Kittens Card Game
The explanation behind the Netflix show’s title remains two-fold. The first and the more obvious origin for the show’s name comes from the eponymous card game, introduced into the market by The Oatmeal in 2015. The game has been described as Russian roulette, which is played with a deck of cards. It can be played between two to six players, with each player taking turns to draw a card until an Exploding Kitten gets drawn, signifying the player’s exit from the round. A variety of other cards with their unique functions enhance the gameplay, allowing space for variety.
Initially, Elan Lee and Shane Small— two of the creators behind the game— came up with the idea for it, with the trigger card as a bomb, and called it the “Bomb Squad.” However, once they presented the idea to The Oatmeal’s Matthew Inman, he molded it into its final form by suggesting that they change bombs into kittens. “I thought this is a really fun game— it’s got a terrible theme, it’s got no soul, and I think I can make it funny,” Inman said in a 2016 interview with NBC. “What if, instead of a bomb, everybody was stressing and worrying about a kitten? A kitten would kill you— a kitten would blow you up.”
Therefore, ‘Exploding Kittens,’ the card game, was born. Subsequently, Netflix’s show, which is based on the same game, retains its title. Since the show’s plot has a sense of disconnection from the cards and their gameplay, the title becomes the most crucial point of association between the two media. Furthermore, before the show’s release, the card game received a new expansion pack, ‘Exploding Kittens: Good vs. Evil,’ featuring characters and special cards from the show.
The Show’s Ending References the Title
While the connection between ‘Exploding Kittens,’ the card game, and the show offers the real-life reason behind the latter’s title, a narrative explanation also exists for the Netflix show’s quirky name. As the story follows God-cat and Beelzebub, who are in their cat forms, most of the time, both characters are constantly utilizing their heavenly and hellish powers to blow stuff up. Be it a small portion of Heaven or unsuspecting teenage boys, the duo pounce at the chance to wreak some havoc— intentionally or otherwise. Therefore, there are numerous instances when these cats are harbingers of explosions.
Even so, it isn’t until the story’s very end that these characters bring about the kind of destruction the card game warrants. After charting a whacky path, God-cat, Beelzebub, and the Higgins family arrive at Earth’s near destruction as an asteroid hurls towards the planet. Nevertheless, with the help of some teamwork— and two unwitting Cherubs— God is able to save humanity from its doom. Therefore, unlike the card game where kittens bring about the end, cats end up saving the day in the show.
However, another high-stakes plot point awaits God-cat back on Earth, where Beelzebub— still in her cat form— is currently pregnant with his kid. With the looming end of the world out of the way, Beelzebub finally gives birth to her children— who quite literally shoot out of her as an explosive litter. Consequently, hundreds of kittens disperse across the globe, sporting halos and angel wings, becoming the actual titular exploding kittens. Thus, as the screen starts bursting with kittens— half of them angelic and half devils— the show’s title clicks into place. As such, the story ends with the final joke referencing its title, leaving its narrative in chaos, wide open for the possibility of a potential continuation.
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