It’s weird thinking about a cartoon bird and raccoon as middle-aged men. You probably remember the finale of J.G. Quintel’s masterpiece, where "Heroes" by David Bowie played and we got that fast-forward montage. It felt final. It felt earned. But Regular Show 25 years later isn’t just a nostalgic "where are they now" thought experiment; it’s a canonized expansion of the universe that actually makes the original series feel more grounded.
Most fans think the show ended when the park went into space. It didn't.
The story actually continues in the Regular Show: 25 Years Later comic series, published by BOOM! Studios. If you haven't read it, you're missing the part where Mordecai and Rigby stop being slackers and start dealing with the crushing weight of being "lame" parents. It’s funny. It’s also deeply stressful.
The Park After the Time Skip
Twenty-five years is a long time. In the world of the show, the park is still there, but the vibe is completely different. Mordecai and Rigby aren't the guys dodging work anymore—they’re the guys worrying about property taxes and whether their kids think they’re losers.
Mordecai became a professional artist. Sorta. He’s successful, but he’s also got that "dad energy" where he’s trying to balance his creative passion with the fact that he has two kids, Daryl and Neila. Rigby? He married Eileen—obviously—and they have two daughters. Seeing Rigby as a girl-dad is honestly one of the best character developments in the entire franchise. He’s still loud. He’s still impulsive. But he’s fiercely protective in a way that makes you realize how much he grew up since the days of "The Power."
The New Generation of Slackers
The 25-year jump introduces the kids, and they are basically reflections of their parents' worst and best traits. Mordecai’s son Daryl is a lot like Mordecai was—insecure but well-meaning. The conflict in this era of the story isn't about fighting a giant floating head or a god of pranks (though that stuff still happens). It’s about the generational gap.
The kids think the "legendary" stories of the park are mostly exaggerations. They look at Muscle Man and see a guy who's maybe past his prime, not the guy who saved the universe. It’s a bit heartbreaking, honestly.
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Why the "25 Years Later" Arc Hits Different
The reason Regular Show 25 years later resonates with the original audience is simple: we grew up too. If you watched the pilot in 2010, you were likely a kid or a teenager. By the time the 25-year-later stories started hitting, you were probably dealing with "real world" nonsense yourself.
The stakes changed.
In the original series, if they messed up, Benson yelled at them. In the 25-year-later era, if they mess up, they lose their connection with their children. Or they lose the park for good. The villain of the comic series, Vic, is a literal corporate vulture who wants to turn the park into a high-tech "Experience." It’s a perfect metaphor for how the world tries to suck the soul out of the places we loved as kids.
Benson and the Weight of Management
Benson is still around, and surprisingly, he hasn't had a heart attack yet. But he’s older. He’s the director of the park now, and his relationship with Mordecai and Rigby has shifted from "angry boss" to "old friend who still knows you’re an idiot."
There is a specific nuance to Benson in the later years. He represents the legacy of the park. While everyone else moved on to have families, Benson stayed. He’s the keeper of the memories. When the kids start discovering the secret "weirdness" of the park—the stuff their parents tried to hide from them to keep them safe—Benson is the one who has to decide how much to reveal.
The Mystery of the "Great Disappearance"
One of the biggest plot points in the 25-year-later lore is the fact that the "magic" of the park started to fade. For years, things were normal. Boring, even. Then, the kids accidentally stumble upon a hidden bunker that contains all the supernatural artifacts from the original run.
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This is where the story gets "Regular Show" weird again.
It turns out the parents made a pact to keep the weirdness away to give their kids a normal life. It’s the ultimate "dad" move. They thought by burying the chaos, they were protecting the next generation. But, as anyone who has watched five minutes of this show knows, you can't bury the weirdness. It just comes back louder.
Muscle Man and High Five Ghost: The Ultimate Uncles
You can't talk about the future without Mitch "Muscle Man" Sorenstein. He’s still married to Starla, and they have a massive family. He’s exactly what you’d expect: a guy who still makes "my mom" jokes but now directs them at his own children. High Five Ghost is still his ride-or-die.
Their role in the 25-year-later narrative is to provide the muscle (literally) when things go south. They represent the part of the group that never really lost their edge. While Mordecai and Rigby got soft in their suburban lives, Muscle Man stayed... well, Muscle Man.
Addressing the "Mordecai and Margaret" Question
Let’s be real. Every fan wanted to know what happened there. The 25-year-later timeline confirms what the series finale hinted at: Mordecai didn't end up with Margaret or CJ. He married Stef, a bat lady he met at an art gallery.
Some fans hate this. They spent years rooting for Margaret.
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But from a storytelling perspective, it makes sense. People rarely marry their college or "park-slacker" sweethearts. Mordecai’s relationship with Stef represents his growth. He didn't need the drama of his 20s. He needed someone who understood the person he became, not the person he was when he was dodging chores.
The Realism of Falling Out of Touch
The comic handles the "friendship drift" quite well. You see that Mordecai and Rigby haven't spent every single day together for the last two decades. They have lives. They have responsibilities. When they finally reunite at the park for the big 25-year anniversary, there’s an awkwardness that feels incredibly human.
They have to re-learn how to be a team.
The synergy isn't there immediately. Rigby is slower. Mordecai is more cautious. They have to realize that they aren't those kids anymore, but they still have that core "Regular Show" energy that can solve any problem—usually by making it worse first.
Actionable Steps for Fans of the Series
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of Regular Show 25 years later, you shouldn't just wait for a new TV season that might never come.
- Track down the BOOM! Studios Comics: Specifically, the six-issue miniseries titled Regular Show: 25 Years Later. It was written by Clay McCormack and illustrated by Taylor Wells. It’s the definitive look at this era.
- Re-watch "The Power" and the Finale back-to-back: To truly appreciate the 25-year jump, you need to see where they started and where they ended. The contrast is where the emotional weight lives.
- Look for J.G. Quintel’s "Close Enough": While not a direct sequel, this HBO Max (now on various platforms) series captures the exact "adulting is hard" energy of the 25-years-later comics. Many fans consider it a spiritual successor.
- Support the Creators on Social Media: J.G. Quintel and the original crew often post behind-the-scenes sketches or "what-if" scenarios. Following them is the best way to stay updated on any potential "New Era" announcements for the show.
The 25-year-later narrative teaches us that the park wasn't just a place. It was a phase of life. And while you can't go back to being 23 and lazy, you can carry that weirdness with you into your 40s. Just make sure you don't accidentally summon a demon while you're trying to fix the lawnmower.