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The best The Powerpuff Girls quotes show why the adventures of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are fondly remembered as one of the most memorable Cartoon Network series of their era. Although the show was generally geared towards young girls, audiences of all genders and ages warmed to the feminine superhero cartoon, which twisted or outright broke many of the sexist stereotypes and tropes of the 1990s and early 2000s.
The Powerpuff Girls is so fondly remembered because of the girls themselves. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup were all incredibly endearing, but each had distinct personalities. The many lessons both the reboot and the original run taught audiences contributed to the show's staying power, and all three of the super-powered sisters have provided some of the best Powerpuff Girls quotes from the show's initial six seasons and the 2016 reboot.
25 "I Want To Wreak Vengeance On Those Who Have Forsaken Me."
Bubbles - Season 1, Episode 20 - "Bubbles Of The Opera"
In the season 1 episode, "Bubbles of the Opera," Bubbles finds herself distressed when she takes a bad school photo and believes she has lost her cuteness. Blossom and Buttercup try to help but only make things worse, and it causes Bubbles to run off and join forces with Mojo Jojo as a new villain, intent on a rampage of Townsville. This leads to her very passionate quote about getting vengeance on everyone around her.
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Between the name of the episode and the fact that Bubbles is wearing a half-bunny mask to cover her face, this is clearly a homage to The Phantom of the Opera, with Bubbles in that main role. Between her sisters laughing at her and them actually making things worse, it sends Bubbles over the edge and makes her think she is a freak like Mojo Jojo, but in the end, all it takes is the power of friendship to get her back on the side of good.
24 "Squirrels Eat Nuts, Stupid!"
Bubbles - Season 4, Episode 9, "Stray Bullet"
In "Stray Bullet," Bubbles saves an injured squirrel and gives it Chemical X. The entire episode starts off funny when her sisters show up and realize that Bubbles is "talking to squirrels again," which is hilarious because she uses squirrel chirps, which it actually understands. However, it all leads to the moment they give it superpowers with Chemical X and then start working with the squirrel to fight crime. However, the girls are trying to come up with a name for the squirrel.
For the adults watching, it ended up being very memorable thanks to the connotations
Bubbles and Blossom both come up with girl names for the squirrel (Lady Josephine or Miss Fluffy), but then Buttercup suggests they name the squirrel Bruce. While her sisters don't know why they would name it a boy's name, Buttercup says they don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Finally, Bubbles blurts out this quote. For the kids, it didn't mean much, but for the adults watching, it ended up being very memorable thanks to the connotations, made better thanks to Bubbles' naivete.
23 "Scissors Beats Paper."
Blossom - Season 5, Episode 27, "Curses"
A lot of the humor in The Powerpuff Girls comes from its wordplay and visual gags. Often, there are jokes the show pulls out that it doesn't even bother to explain because a viewer will get it or they won't. This happened in the season 5 episode "Curses." In this episode, Bubbles overhears the Professor saying a curse word, and not knowing any better, she and her sisters start using it, thinking it is good. However, when a toilet monster starts using it, too, things get out of control.
However, the quote in this episode takes place before any of that happens. The entire episode opens with Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom playing a game of Rock Paper Scissors. Bubbles loses, as she always does. However, what makes this absolutely hilarious is that the Powerpuff Girls have no actual fingers and just one long digit for each hand. There is no way that they can form the rock, paper, or scissors with their hands, but somehow, they know what the other did.
22 “'Be Non-Violent Or Angry, Peace Lies Within.' What A Stupid Fortune! It Wasn’t Even Funny!”
Buttercup, Season 6, Episode 3, "Makes Zen To Me"
In the season 6 episode "Make Zen to Me," Buttercup's anger seems to be out of control. She opens the episode by beating up Fuzzy Lumpkins and not even stopping when he surrenders. She then heads to a Chinese restaurant to have dinner with her sisters and the Professor after the battle, and that is when she opens up her fortune cookie. As she reads it, she gets frustrated since the fortune isn't funny.
Buttercup seems oblivious to the fact that it is telling her she needs to calm down.
However, it is clearly aimed at her, and Buttercup seems oblivious to the fact that it is telling her she needs to calm down and stop being so angry all the time. Bubbles' fortune said to "bring sunshine," and Blossom's was "to be a leader." Her entire expression as she reads this "non-funny" fortune is funny in itself, but it does lead to the main storyline where Buttercup tries to find some "zen" to curb her anger and aggression issues while remaining a "buttkicker."
21 "You're An Accident."
Blossom, Season 3, Episode 8, "Gettin' Twiggy With It"
In "Gettin' Twiggy With It," the class bully, Mitch Michelson, takes home the class's pet hamster, Twiggy. While he promises to take care of it, the girls don't trust him — and for good reason. When they go to his home, they see him torturing the hamster. Eventually, he straps a rocket to it and flushes the hamster down the toilet. This angers the Powerpuff Girls, who approach Mitch. He claims it was an "accident," to which Blossom exclaims, "You're an accident."
The quote is a great one to remind viewers that these buttkicking superheroes are still young kids, and this childhood insult thrown back at Mitch is par for the course for children their age. Of course, this then leads to Twiggy returning as a mutated monster thanks to the sewers under Townsville. In the end, Mitch ends up getting his comeuppance for his bullying, but the entire situation with the girls lashing out at the bully was a great moment before they ended up racing into action.
20 “Give Me A Break, You Two. Yap, Yap, Yap. Can I Toss This Guy Already?”
Buttercup - Season 4, Episode 12, "Power-Noia"
Many Powerpuff Girls quotes come from the fact that Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are young superheroes still figuring out the rights and wrongs of the world. However, this particular line from the season 4 episode "Power-Noia" shows another reason they're so beloved by fans — while there's a time and a place for moral lessons, there's equally the odd villain or two who simply needs to be punched.
No Powerpuff Girls villain is more despicable than the devilish HIM, and what makes this quote from Buttercup so great is that she fully understands that, with so devious and outright evil a foe, fists speak better than words. After tormenting the girls for the episode by plunging them into their darkest nightmares, HIM has the audacity to plead for mercy. While Blossom and Bubbles attempt to explain to HIM why his evil plan was doomed to failure, Buttercup knows it's not worth wasting their breath.
19 "Why Shouldn't You Put A Toaster In A Bathtub?"
Blossom - Season 2, Episode 6 "Too Pooped To Puff"
The Powerpuff Girls stand out among superheroes for many reasons, and an often overlooked one is in the city they protect. Batman defends Gotham from the most twisted individuals in Arkham Asylum, and Superman keeps Metropolis safe from every kind of existential threat imaginable, be it from Earth or outer space. The Powerpuff Girls, on the other hand, keep the citizens of the City of Townsville safe from themselves just as much as villains like HIM and Mojo Jojo. The populace of Townsville severely lacks common sense, which was the subject of the Powerpuff Girls episode "Too Pooped to Puff".
When Townsville inevitably falls into chaos, Blossom gives the gathered crowds a lecture trying to get them to see their lack of common sense, and it's from here this hilarious Powerpuff Girls quote stems.
In this installment, the girls decide they've had enough of Townsville's inability to keep itself safe, so they take time out and relax on a cloud. When Townsville inevitably falls into chaos, Blossom gives the gathered crowds a lecture trying to get them to see their lack of common sense, and it's from here this hilarious Powerpuff Girls quote stems. Blossom exasperatedly tries to get them to understand why taking a bath with a toaster is a bad idea, and is even more exasperated when none of the Townsville inhabitants realize it's due to the risk of electrocution.
18 "I Now Understand Why Mojo's Always Robbing Banks."
Buttercup - Season 3, Episode 23, "Moral Decay"
The Powerpuff Girls aren't perfect, and, due to their age, are still learning some of the finer points of right and wrong (though never to the extent that they become villains). Many Powerpuff Girls episodes focus on one or all three of the girls learning some kind of valuable lesson, such as season 3's "Moral Decay." In this episode, Bubbles loses a tooth after accidentally being punched by Buttercup.
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When Buttercup sees that Bubbles has a dollar under her pillow from the Tooth Fairy the next day, Buttercup hatches a brilliant plan to make money — by knocking out the teeth of bad guys and leaving them under her own pillow. All her riches quickly go to her head, which leads to this hilarious Powerpuff Girls quote from Buttercup due to suddenly empathizing with Mojo Jojo.
While Buttercup learns the error of her ways by the end, it's nevertheless both an incredibly humourous moment and one that shows why the Powerpuff Girls are more endearing than many heroes with a fully developed code of morals and ethics.
17 "OK, Let's Take Care Of These Knuckleheads And Get Back To School."
Buttercup - Season 2, Episode 2, "Schoolhouse Rocked"
When they're not fighting crime and trying to save the world, the Powerpuff Girls attend Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. However, their two worlds collide in the season 2 episode "Schoohouse Rocked" when the mischievous Gangreen Gang is forced to attend by a truant officer (despite the fact they're clearly teenagers). This goes about as well as viewers would expect, since the gang become instant bullies, only stopping when the Powerpuff Girls put them in their place.
While the plot isn't among the best Powerpuff Girls episodes, it does contain one of its most memorable quotes, and one that shows another trait of the girls that makes them endearing characters.
While the plot isn't among the best Powerpuff Girls episodes, it does contain one of its most memorable quotes, and one that shows another trait of the girls that makes them endearing characters. Living the superhero life means the girls could probably forgo a formal education and still be OK, but Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup take their schooling seriously, which Buttercup demonstrates when she suggests they return to learning after taking care of the "knuckleheads" that are the Gangreen Gang.
16 "Oh, It's 'Cause I Have Ice Power, And They Don't, And They're All Jealous."
Blossom - Season 1, Episode 16, "Ice Sore"
Initially, the Powerpuff Girls all had matching powers, though this changed in the season 1 episode "Ice Sore". In the episode, Blossom learns that she has an ability her sisters don't, which is breathing ice (and it's also revealed that Bubbles has the power to naturally speak fluent Spanish). She quickly begins to use this new ability all the time, which makes Bubbles and Buttercup incredibly jealous. Not only does this lead to one of the most memorable episodes of the show's entire run, but also one of the best Powerpuff Girls quotes.
Blossom doesn't seem at all surprised by the jealousy her sisters show
Blossom may be the leader of the trio, but she's not always the most socially aware. Such is the case with her ice abilities, and it takes her a while to figure out that her constant showing off is causing no shortage of chagrin for Bubbles and Buttercup.
When she eventually realizes this, she expresses the situation to herself in a matter-of-fact way that, perhaps unintentionally, comes across as incredibly funny. Blossom doesn't seem at all surprised by the jealousy her sisters show, and while she's exactly right, it is nevertheless humorous that she clearly sees herself as someone who should be envied to a degree.
15 "I'm Gonna Be The Prettiest Girl At The Party!"
Bubbles - Season 6, Episode 27, "Octi-Gone"
The Powerpuff Girls was an instant hit for many reasons, but a notable one was the show's mix of cartoon superhero violence with a stereotypically "girly" aesthetic (especially by the standards of the 1990s when the show first aired). Of the trio, Bubbles was easily the best example of a character who fully embraces her femininity while still being an undisputed action hero who's just as capable as her sisters. In the season 5 episode "Octi-Gone", Blossom and Buttercup were exasperated with Bubbles wanting to spend extra time brushing her hair so she’d look the prettiest at a party.
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While her sisters came across as judgmental — at least, in this instance — viewers loved Bubbles all the more because she was sure of herself finding delight in prepping herself up. It's one of the many Powerpuff Girls quotes that highlight the Cartoon Network show's breaking down of traditional "boy show" vs. "girl show" stereotypes of many 1990s cartoons.
14 "I'm... Sorry!"
Buttercup - Season 1, Episode 7, "Buttercrush"
Powerpuff Girls always made it clear that Buttercup was the meanest of the three sisters. While she isn’t outright nasty, she can be a little rough around the edges when she’s not feeling the nicest. This is why it was a big deal when she finally did apologize to someone in the season 1 episode "Buttercrush". For Blossom or Bubbles, an apology isn’t a big deal. Buttercup, on the other hand, struggles to say sorry, and an entire episode was hilariously dedicated to the buildup toward her doing so.
Buttercup reluctantly apologized at the end of the episode when she realized her crush on Ace (one of the members of the slimy Gang Green Gang) had resulted in her sisters almost getting dropped in a vat of acid.
Buttercup reluctantly apologizes at the end of the episode when she realizes her crush on Ace (one of the members of the slimy Gangreen Gang) had resulted in her sisters almost getting dropped in a vat of acid. While it was funny, it was also quite a touching moment too. What makes this an especially memorable Powerpuff Girls quote, despite only being two words, is the fact that they're the only two words Buttercup says in the entire episode.
13 "It Takes A Lot More Than A Couple Of Cheap Shots To Make Us Cry."
Buttercup - Season 1, Episode 23, "The Rowdyruff Boys"
The season 1 episode "The Rowdyruff Boys" was memorable as it introduced the inverse versions of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. Bick, Boomer, and Butch are the Rowdyruff Boys, male equivalents of the Powerpuff Grisl created by Mojo Jojo out of snips (underarm hair), snails, and a puppy-dog tail, all mixed with a dash of Chemical X in a prison toilet. Their powers are more than a match for the Powerpuff Girls, who in the end realize the way to defeat Mojo Jojo's creation is with a game of kiss chase.
However, before the girls eventually save the City of Townsville once again, Buttercup's response to Brick's exclaiming that the sisters should cry when they're hit because they're girls makes for a truly memorable Powerpuff Girls quote. Not only does it show how unafraid Buttercup is, but it's a direct putdown of a common sexist stereotype young girls on the playground in the 1990s faced daily.
12 "Being A Powerpuff Girl Isn't About Getting Your Way. It's About Using Your Own Unique Abilities To Help People And The World We All Live In."
Blossom - Season 2, Episode 1, "Stuck Up, Up And Away"
The Powerpuff Girls roles complemented each other perfectly, with Blossom being the necessary leader who makes the girls a cohesive unit. This led to Blossom being the voice of reason, not just for her sisters, but for the audience too. The character of Princess was introduced in the second season and was meant to represent entitled children who exploited their privileges.
This Powerpuff Girls quote came when Blossom told Princess — and the viewers — that having wealth and privilege didn’t make them better than anyone else.
Princess wanted to become the fourth Powerpuff Girl, using her father's wealth to acquire a cartoonishly vast array of fantastical gadgets to put her on par with the abilities of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup (which, of course, didn't work). This Powerpuff Girls quote came when Blossom told Princess — and the viewers — that having wealth and privilege didn’t make them better than anyone else. Rather, it was what they did with their power that made them stand out.
11 "I'll Prove That I Can Be... Hardcore!"
Bubbles - Season 1, Episode 17, "Bubblevicious"
At times, everyone feels as if they have something to prove — perhaps not only to their peers but also to themselves. Bubbles is known for being the sweet sister, the "sugar" that goes along with the "spice and everything nice." However, her soft and feminine attitude meant she was constantly being underestimated, not only by the various villains the girls faced but also by Professor Utonium and even her sisters.
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Bubbles losing her temper always makes for some memorable Powerpuff Girls quotes, but none top when she dedicates herself to being "hardcore". In the season 1 episode "Bubblevicious", Bubbles gets tired of the patronizing attitude that she gets from others and, when her tough side comes out, it's overwhelming. Not only did Bubbles prove she was just as powerful as her sisters, but when she tapped into her "hardcore" self, the results were so unstoppable that she singlehandedly took down Mojo Jojo.
10 "Don't You Know You Can Never Beat Us?"
Blossom - Season 2, Episode 23, "Speed Demon"
While Buttercup is boistrous and aggressive, the most self-confident of the three Powerpuff Girls is arguably Blossom — which is why the Powerpuff Girls episodes when her faith in her own ability wavers are always so memorable. This Powerpuff Girls quote sounds as if Blossom was being arrogant, but the context of the scene in the season 2 episode "Speed Demon" quickly reveals she was being anything but.
It was so important to hear Blossom say that she knew Him still couldn’t beat the Powerpuff Girls, as it was the one bright spot in a scenario where everything was its darkest
In this scene, HIM — one of the most genuinely disturbing villains in any cartoon — had the girls beaten by taking over a dark future where the girls had gone missing, leading them to be wracked with grief. This was why it was so important to hear Blossom say that she knew Him still couldn’t beat the Powerpuff Girls, as it was the one bright spot in a scenario where everything was its darkest. Deep in her heart, Blossom’s leadership ability had some life in it, and she managed to rally her sisters in a moment where all seemed lost.
9 "And We're Not Afraid Of Anything As Long As We Have Each Other."
Blossom - Season 4, Episode 12, "Power-Noia"
"Power-Noia" is easily one of the best Powerpuff Girls episodes, and it contains more than one memorable quote. Just as it had a hilarious moment when Buttercup showed that the villainous HIM wasn't worth giving a moral lecture, it also contained a line in the same scene from Blossom that was incredibly heartwarming. HIM attempts to mentally break the girls in the season 4 episode "Power-Noia" by showing them that their greatest enemies aren't monsters, but are often their own worst fears.
This leads the girls find out that the true foe wasn't the creature they fought, but their own inner demons. However, HIM's plan completely backfires as learning that their fears are their greatest enemy does nothing but bolster Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, making them stronger and more connected than ever before. Blossom once more rallies her sisters as they band together to defeat the evil HIM — and their own worst fears — in this inspiring quote.
8 "Those People Aren't Our Loved Ones. Our Loved Ones Would Never Want To Hurt Us!"
Buttercup - Season 1, Episode 12, "Tough Love"
Almost every episode of The Powerpuff Girls has a teachable moment or an underlying moral that it's conveying to younger viewers, and it's from these that many of the best (and most touching) quotes arise — and such is the case with this line from Buttercup in the show's first season. Sometimes it's hard to face the truth, especially when that truth is painful and unpleasant.
The episode, and this quote from Buttercup, offered a powerful message that taught young audiences who they can rely on when the going gets tough.
When the citizens of Townsville turn against the girls in the episode "Tough Love," the girls have to recognize what's really happening in order to defend themselves. It turns out that the animosity of their friends and neighbors was really one of HIM's evil plots, but the girls used their unity to defeat the villain. The episode, and this quote from Buttercup, offered a powerful message that taught young audiences who they can rely on when the going gets tough.
7 "There's Nothing Wrong With Talking To Yourself."
Bubbles - Season 2, Episode 17, "Imaginary Fiend"
Of all three Powerpuff Girls, Bubbles is the one who appears to act her age the most, often engaging in imaginative play and other childlike activities that the overly-adult Blossom and boisterous Buttercup seem to mostly eschew. Her sisters often remark how the absentminded Bubbles often appears to be in her own little world and blissfully ignorant of reality — and that’s not always a bad thing.
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Despite her inattentiveness, Bubbles enjoys her life and is undoubtedly the most optimistic of the sisters. This Powerpuff Girls came from an episode where a child's imaginary friend caused havoc at their Kindergarten. While the other kids think the child is weird, Bubbles sticks up for him, and is proved right by the end of the episode when the girls create a joint imaginary friend of their own to save the day.
6 "Don't Call Me Princess."
Buttercup - Powerpuff Girls 2016, Episode 6, "Man Up"
Reaction to the 2016 Powerpuff Girls reboot was, as is often the case with rehashings of beloved cartoon properties, mixed. While it didn't get the overwhelmingly positive response from fans that the creators and Cartoon Network had perhaps hoped, it did still have some great Powerpuff Girls quotes in certain episodes.
While it was a bit of an on-the-nose portrayal of girl power, Buttercup took objection to being labeled a " princess " and promptly thrashed the antagonizer.
The reboot made a fair few changes, but Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup at least retained the personality traits for which they were known, something Buttercup displayed early on when she thwarted a villain who was obsessed with masculinity in the episode "Man Up". While it was a bit of an on-the-nose portrayal of girl power, Buttercup took objection to being labeled a "princess" and promptly thrashed the antagonizer. It was anything but subtle, but the moment clearly displayed why Buttercup is not meant to be trifled with.
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