Futurama was a deceptively large-scale series, with goofy comedy and bittersweet character beats playing out in front of the show’s overarching plot-lines and the cast’s emotional evolution. Over the course of seven seasons, Futurama’s main cast went through a lot of evolution and growth.
Their assorted adventures and relationships turned a loosely-connected bunch of weirdos and malcontents into a surprisingly capable group of galactic heroes. Some of the biggest changes to befall the crew included their unexpected paths toward parenthood, with Fry, Leela and Bender all ending up with unlikely children. While some of these shifts ended up impacting the show’s overarching storylines, only one of the three actually turned out to be a good parent.
How Fry Became His Own Grandfather
Season 3’s “Roswell That Ends Well” follows the Planet Express crew on one of their first forays across the time stream. Landing in Roswell, New Mexico in the year 1947, the crew’s time there is largely spent trying to find a way back to their present (and inadvertently becoming the infamous extraterrestrials rumored to be found there). Fry also gets the chance to meet his paternal grandfather Enos, and his attempts to protect his life only get the dim-witted soldier killed.
Fry’s existence continued though, thanks to a gross time-loop he accidentally activated. Informing Enos’ girlfriend Mildred of his fate, the grieving woman ends up sleeping with Fry as a means of coping. This leads to the conception of Fry’s father — making him his own grandfather. This bonkers development actually ended up being a big part of Futurama’s world-building, as the unique circumstances of Fry’s origins meant he was born without the Delta-Brainwave. This made him immune to the effects of the Brain Spawn and giving Fry the chance to save the universe from their destructive habits.
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