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Norm and The Timeline (And Why it Doesn't Bother me Too Much)

The thing about the Norm retcon is that it's far from the first time PNF has done this. I mean, Doof becoming good at the end of s4 is technically a retcon--in all the holiday episodes, we see him being evil. This has been a thing from the get-go. Phineas and Ferb has always held onto continuity more than other (episodic) cartoons, but it's never been perfect. I feel like there's an idea that retcon=bad. But... I don't think there's ever been an episodic cartoon with a perfect, flawless timeline. Being episodic lets writers be a little more flexible. If you want to change something because it's funny (i.e. the two Candaces in Rollercoaster: The Musical), or because it's a good opportunity for character development (i.e. Norm in Vendpocalypse: The Musical) you can.

Phineas and Ferb is far from the only show that does this. The Simpsons is BEYOND guilty of doing this. I know people tend to point to newer episodes but, god, those older episodes changed a ton of shit around. I mean, what year decade Homer and Marge meet? The 70s? 80s? The fucking 90s?? It can be any decade, it doesn't really matter. And that's a smaller thing, but you know what's not? The nature of their wedding. The first time the show flashes back to it, Marge and Homer have an impromptu wedding.This is where it happens:

also there's no guests because they plan it all last minute. This changes drastically in the movie. In one of its most famous scenes, Homer watches him and Marge dancing in their wedding tape. When did they get a wedding tape? Why are they dancing? There wasn't a dance orignally! Why does the entire thing seem super formal and planned?

Honestlyyyy the answer is just that they changed it. But that's ok! This a great scene and it doesn't matter that they tweaked things to make it happen. Sometimes cartoons do that. Sometimes that's ok.

Whether or not you think the Norm stuff works or not, it's definitely not a new thing in PNF or in cartoons as a whole. It's not a sign of ultra-lazy-writing, it's just a normal thing cartoons do. And you know what? I like it. A lot. I think Norm's new backstory is really sweet, despite some questions it brings up. (I just answer those questions with my headcanons lol)