If you grew up in the 80s, you probably remember the neon-soaked, cloud-dwelling bears with lasers in their stomachs. But honestly, if you rewatch The Care Bears Movie (1985) today, it isn’t the titular bears that stick with you. It’s the kids. Specifically, Kim and Jason. They weren't just background characters; they were the emotional anchor of a film that—let's be real—got surprisingly dark for a G-rated flick about plushies.
Most people remember the "Care Bear Stare," but they forget the opening act. We’re introduced to Kim and Jason as two incredibly cynical, lonely children wandering through a park. They’ve been dealt a rough hand. They’re orphans. Their parents "went away" (a soft 80s way of saying they died), and as a result, the kids have basically decided that caring about anything is a trap. It’s heavy stuff for a Saturday morning vibe.
What Really Happened With Kim and Jason?
When we first see The Care Bears Movie Kim and Jason, they aren't looking for magic. They’re actively rejecting it. Friend Bear and Secret Bear descend from the clouds to cheer them up, but the kids aren't having it. Kim, the older sister, is a bookworm who wants to be a nurse. Jason, the younger brother, dreams of being a jet pilot.
But their grief has turned into a sort of emotional armor. They tell the bears they don't need friends. It’s a pretty sophisticated portrayal of childhood trauma. Then, things get weird. Thanks to some accidental interference from Baby Hugs and Baby Tugs back at Care-a-Lot, Kim and Jason are sucked up into the sky via the Rainbow Rescue Beam.
👉 See also: Album Hopes and Fears: Why We Obsess Over Music That Doesn't Exist Yet
Suddenly, these two skeptical orphans are standing on solid clouds. Can you imagine the whiplash? One minute you're grieving in a park, the next you're being given a tour of a high-tech cloud kingdom by a bear with a heart on its butt.
The Forest of Feelings and the Cousins
The plot thickens when a "Cloud-Quake" hits. This wasn't just bad weather; it was caused by The Spirit, a terrifying green face trapped in a magic book that was busy corrupting a lonely boy named Nicholas. The quake breaks the rescue beam, and instead of going back to Earth, Kim and Jason are dumped into the Forest of Feelings.
This is where the movie expands its lore. We meet the Care Bear Cousins—animals like Brave Heart Lion and Swift Heart Rabbit who don't have "tummy symbols" yet.
✨ Don't miss: The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads: Why This Live Album Still Beats the Studio Records
- The Struggle: Kim and Jason have to survive several attacks from the Spirit, who takes the form of a giant bird, a tree, and a spearfish.
- The Shift: Through these trials, the kids start to realize that "caring" isn't a weakness. It’s actually what keeps the world from falling apart.
- The Climax: They eventually make it back to Earth to face Nicholas at an old amusement park.
It’s actually Kim and Jason who play the pivotal role in the finale. While the bears are doing their "Stare" and the Cousins are doing their "Call," the kids are the ones who reach out to Nicholas. They explain that they felt just as lonely and angry as he did. That human connection—more than the rainbow lasers—is what finally breaks the Spirit's hold on Nicholas.
The Voice Talent Behind the Kids
Did you know Kim was voiced by a legend? Cree Summer (credited as Cree Summer Francks) provided the voice for Kim. This was one of her earliest roles before she became a powerhouse in the industry, voicing characters in Rugrats, A Different World, and basically every cartoon you loved in the 90s.
Jason was voiced by Sunny Besen Thrasher, another prolific Canadian child actor from that era. Their performances gave the characters a grounded, slightly raspy reality that contrasted perfectly with the high-pitched, saccharine voices of the bears.
🔗 Read more: Wrong Address: Why This Nigerian Drama Is Still Sparking Conversations
That Mind-Bending Ending (Is Mr. Cherrywood Nicholas?)
Okay, we have to talk about the framing story. The whole movie is actually a bedtime story being told by an old man named Mr. Cherrywood (voiced by Mickey Rooney) to a group of orphans.
At the end of the film, we see Kim and Jason as adults—sort of. The story concludes with the kids being adopted by a nice couple who takes them to a magic show. The magician? A reformed, adult Nicholas.
But the real kicker is the "theory" that is basically confirmed by the visuals. Mr. Cherrywood is almost certainly an older Nicholas. He wears the same colors and runs an orphanage to give back. And his wife, Mrs. Cherrywood? While it’s never explicitly stated, the movie heavily implies she is Kim. It’s a bit of a "full circle" moment that adds a layer of depth to the whole "Care Bear" universe.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to revisit the story of Kim and Jason or share it with a new generation, here’s how to do it right:
- Watch the 1985 Original: Don't settle for the newer CGI reboots. The 1985 film has a specific hand-drawn grit and a soundtrack by Carole King that makes the emotional stakes feel real.
- Look for the "First Printing" Books: If you're a collector, the tie-in books from the mid-80s often contain slightly different dialogue or expanded backstories for Kim and Jason that didn't make the final cut of the film.
- Check Out Cree Summer’s Career: If you liked Kim’s voice, follow Cree Summer’s work. She’s a pioneer in voice acting and often speaks fondly of her early days in Canadian animation.
- Analyze the "Dark" Elements: Next time you watch, pay attention to the Spirit’s dialogue. It’s a masterclass in how 80s kids' media handled themes of isolation and the "occult" without being too overt.
The story of Kim and Jason works because it acknowledges that life can be genuinely sad. It doesn't tell kids to just "be happy." It tells them that it's okay to be hurt, but you can't let that hurt turn into a wall that keeps everyone else out. That’s a lesson that still lands, even decades later.