Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Futurama season 11, episode 6!
Summary
Robot Santa's backstory and timeline in Futurama are unveiled. It is revealed that he was created in the year 2801 and subsequently embarked on an annual killing spree during Christmas time as a result of a malfunction in his sensor.
In episode 6 of season 11 in Futurama, Professor Farnsworth successfully fixes Robot Santa's sensor. This development prompts Bender and Zoidberg to take action by kidnapping Santa and causing chaos.
The episode concludes with Robot Santa's demise, transforming his head into a punchbowl, seemingly putting an end to his reign of terror. However, there is the possibility of his return in the future.
Robot Santa, one of the longstanding villains in the world of Futurama, has been tormenting New New Yorkers during Christmas for 25 years. Here's a breakdown of the character's history and the unexpected twist he encounters in season 11. Known for striking fear into the hearts of New New Yorkers, Robot Santa has repeatedly clashed with the Planet Express crew. However, in season 11, Robot Santa makes a comeback to continue instilling fear and chaos. While Robot Santa's backstory has remained constant, season 11 of Futurama introduces a significant change to the character.
Futurama returns with an eleventh season on Hulu, bringing back Matt Groening's beloved sci-fi series. In Futurama season 11, episode 6 titled "I Know What You Did Next Xmas," there are callbacks and sequel episodes to previous storylines. The plot revolves around Professor Farnsworth fixing Robot Santa's sensor, which affects the holiday season for everyone else. However, Bender and Zoidberg develop resentment towards Christmas and decide to use the time travel machine to kidnap Santa, causing chaos once more.
Futurama's Robot Santa Claus Origins & History Explained
Robot Santa Claus has a long history in Futurama, providing an unexpected amount of information about his origins and past. In the year 2801, the Friendly Robot Company created Robot Santa with the intention of bringing the beloved holiday figure to life. Unfortunately, a flaw in Robot Santa's naughty and nice sensor caused him to perceive everyone as naughty, resulting in a deadly rampage every Christmas. Armed with his robot reindeer and deadly holiday-themed gadgets, Robot Santa instills fear in anyone unfortunate enough to encounter him in the world of Futurama.
The introduction of Robot Santa Claus took place in "Xmas Story," the fourth episode of Futurama's second season. Here, Fry discovers the precautions people in the 3000s must take to defend against Robot Santa's annual attacks. Although the episode concludes with Robot Santa being launched into space, he makes a comeback in the third episode of season 3, "A Tale of Two Santas." Fry, Leela, and Bender embark on a mission to Santa's Neptunian stronghold in an effort to eliminate him once and for all. Robot Santa returns as a malevolent force once more in season 7's "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular," where he successfully eliminates the Planet Express crew.
Futurama season 11, episode 6 brings about a significant alteration in the origins of Robot Santa, completely redefining everything that was known about him previously. Prior to season 11, it was implied that a mere glitch was responsible for Santa's destructive antics. However, in season 11, Farnsworth takes the initiative to travel back in time and rectify Robot Santa's erroneous naughty and nice sensor, effectively restoring him. To Farnsworth's surprise, he soon realizes that his own time travel is what actually causes Robot Santa's sensor to become reversed, indicating that Robot Santa was initially constructed correctly. This unexpected twist profoundly impacts Robot Santa's narrative and forever changes the concept of Christmas.
What Happened To Robot Santa After Futurama Season 7's Holiday Special
The last sighting of Robot Santa was in "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular," the seventh season of Futurama, leaving many to ponder his whereabouts in recent years. In this episode, an inadvertent action by Bender triggers a catastrophic event that wipes out all life on Earth. Remarkably, Robot Santa emerges as the sole survivor and is presumed to have moved on to another planet to spread joy through gift-giving. However, it is important to note that the season 7 special comprises three non-canonical tales, implying that the true Robot Santa has not made an appearance since the release of the movie "Bender's Big Score." It is in this movie that Robot Santa misplaces his infamous naughty list, although he manages to retrieve it by the time we reach season 11, episode 6.
How Futurama Season 11 Ends Robot Santa’s Reign Of Terror
Despite Robot Santa's long existence, his reign of terror seemingly comes to an end in season 11 of Futurama. In the final episode, Bender and Zoidberg travel back in time to the present day and abduct Santa, resulting in his demise. Although Robot Santa's decapitated head is still able to communicate, it currently serves as a decorative piece in a punchbowl at the Planet Express building, raising doubts about his ability to continue his annual killing spree of naughty individuals next Christmas. Nevertheless, there remains a possibility that Robot Santa could somehow resurface, although this alteration in Futurama appears to be fairly permanent.
New episodes of Futurama are available for streaming on Hulu every Monday.