Bobo: Mr Burns' teddy bear
956 words | Reading time: 5 minutes
CharacterBoboMr. Burns
Carried off to Paris by Charles Lindbergh, found in Hitler's hands in Berlin, then frozen into the polar ice: Mr. Burns's teddy bear crossed a century before resurfacing in a bag of ice from the Kwik-E-Mart. "Rosebud" (season 5, 1993) parodies Citizen Kane, and two widespread beliefs fall along the way: Burns never says the word "Rosebud", and it is Bart, not Maggie, who gets his hands on the toy. The billionaire's secret weak spot, explained.
A teddy bear abandoned in the snow by a rich child, tossed across a century of history all the way to the Kwik-E-Mart freezer.
Behind this silent toy hides Mr. Burns's "Rosebud": the symbol of the billionaire's lost innocence. Here is the breakdown.
Contents
Who is Bobo?
Bobo is Charles Montgomery Burns's childhood teddy bear. A silent object without a single line, he sits at the heart of one episode alone, "Rosebud" (1993) — one of the show's most celebrated. It reveals that even the coldest billionaire in Springfield once knew innocence.
🌙 Before he became the coldest billionaire in Springfield, Charles Montgomery Burns had his childhood teddy bear, Bobo; a teddy goes to bed with you, and when your own bedtime comes, our Simpsons pajamas round off the same ritual as you turn out the light.
"Rosebud", The Simpsons' Citizen Kane
The episode's title parodies the last word of Citizen Kane (1941). Beware two famous confusions: in the film, "Rosebud" refers to a sled, not a bear — Bobo is only its Simpsons equivalent. And on screen, Burns in fact never says the word "Rosebud": he moans "I want my teddy…" then whispers "Bobo", before awkwardly covering for himself. A flashback reveals that, as a child, young Burns left his poor but loving family to follow a rich man, dropping Bobo in the snow.
🧦 In the flashback, young Burns drops Bobo in the snow to follow a rich man; when it's your turn to brave the snow, our Simpsons socks will at least keep your feet warm.
A teddy bear's journey through history
The salt of the episode is the toy's far-fetched journey: carried off by Charles Lindbergh to Paris, found in Adolf Hitler's hands in Berlin, then frozen into the Arctic ice. Decades later, it is Bart — and not Maggie — who gets his hands on Bobo, by buying a bag of ice at the Kwik-E-Mart to treat a bump. He then gives it to Maggie. Beside himself, Burns cuts off all of Springfield's beer and television to get it back… before Maggie, softened, hands it over of her own accord.
🧊 From the Arctic ice to a bag of ice at the Kwik-E-Mart, Bobo spent decades in the cold; our Simpsons insulated tumblers make your own ice cubes last, at the office or out and about.
The owner
Simpsons Figure - Mr Burns Excellent
The billionaire as a figurine: the man who moved heaven and earth for a teddy bear.
€29.90 View product →
Summary table
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| Identity | Mr. Burns's childhood teddy bear (silent) |
| Episode | "Rosebud" (season 5, 1993), a Citizen Kane parody |
| The trap | Burns never says "Rosebud"; in the film, it is a sled |
| Who finds it | Bart, in a bag of ice at the Kwik-E-Mart |
| The ending | Maggie gives Bobo back to Burns, who keeps him |
FAQ
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Who is Bobo?Mr. Burns's childhood teddy bear, at the heart of the episode "Rosebud" (1993).
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Does Mr. Burns say "Rosebud"?No: on screen, he whispers "Bobo", not "Rosebud". The word appears only as a nod in the title.
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Who finds Bobo?It is Bart, in a bag of ice bought at the Kwik-E-Mart — not Maggie, contrary to a widespread belief. He then gives it to Maggie.
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Which film does the episode parody?Citizen Kane (1941); Bobo plays the part of the famous "Rosebud" sled.
Conclusion
Silent, knocked about and strangely moving, Bobo is the secret weak spot of Springfield's most indestructible villain. A simple teddy bear that proves that even Mr. Burns once had a child's heart.
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