Larry the Lobster

Larry the Lobster is a supporting character in The SpongeBob Musical. He is a red lobster and a bodybuilder with an affinity for exercise.

Act I
On SpongeBob’s way to work, he sees Larry weightlifting and says hello. Instead of returning the greeting, Larry tells SpongeBob to get out of his way and boasts about the vigorous workout he’s about to have.

During the town discussion, Plankton suggests the people of Bikini Bottom evacuate with an escape pod and a discussion begins on how to pay for it. Plankton suggests that the funds be raised, but Larry notes that he does not donate unless asked by a celebrity.

Perch Perkin has a special bulletin where he goes to civilians around Bikini Bottom and asks them how they’ll spend their last few hours before the eruption. Larry says that he’ll be serving The Mayor.

Act II
Larry makes good on his statement in Act I. On SpongeBob’s walk to meet Sandy, he is stopped by Larry, who points a jellyfish on a stick towards SpongeBob and asks for identification. The Mayor has now become a dictator and Larry is serving as The Mayor’s enforcer, barring people from certain areas on her command. SpongeBob is allowed to pass this particular area, but when he asks if Larry is holding a jellyfish on a stick, Larry threatens to zap him with it.

During “Bikini-Tevka”, The Mayor leads the Bikini Bottomites to the bandshell, with Larry pushing the elevated platform she’s on. After it's revealed that the band has quit, a tremor begins. A giant boulder rolls towards the characters, squishing Old Man Jenkins. Larry intercepts the boulder and rolls it away from the citizens and zaps the bolder with his jellyfish-on-a-stick while screaming. In the musical, post everyone the flattened Old Man Jenkins, Larry tells everyone that The Mayor will know what to do. The Mayor finally sheds her facade, and screams, revealing that she’s clueless as to how to solve this situation. This leads to everyone fighting.

When the trio of SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy return after dropping the Erupter Interrupter into Mount Humongous to the chaos Bikini Bottom has fallen into, SpongeBob sings “Best Day Ever” to encourage everyone to spend their potential last few moments in peace and in happiness. During this song, SpongeBob takes away Larry’s jellyfish-on-a-stick, Sandy puts a flower in it, and SpongeBob hands it to Patrick.

Act I

 * “Bikini Bottom Day”
 * “No Control”
 * “Tomorrow Is”

Act II

 * “Bikini-Tevka”
 * “Best Day Ever”
 * “Bikini Bottom Day” (reprise III)
 * “SpongeBob SquarePants Theme Song”

Appearance
In the animated series, Larry is a muscular crimson lobster. To symbolize this, Larry’s costume includes a red puffer jacket. He wears blue swimming trunks with a bright mixture of designs and red leggings. His footwear consists of red sneakers and socks. Larry has red dreadlocks and a red bandana on his head. On his face, the actor playing Larry wears yellow makeup and lilac eyeshadow.

Personality
Contrasting Larry’s vain but cordial personality in the animated series, Larry is portrayed in a much more acerbic and arrogant light. On his way to work, SpongeBob greets Larry, who tells SpongeBob to watch where he’s going and boasts about his upcoming workout instead of returning the greeting. Larry thinks very highly of public figures. He reveals that he does not donate unless prompted by a celebrity and wholeheartedly believes that The Mayor is capable of handling the crisis.

Voice
Larry speaks with bravado but in an otherwise generic voice in the cartoon. In the musical, Larry has a “Surfer Voice”, speaking in slang terms such as ‘dude’, ‘bro’, ‘gnarly’, etc.

Skills

 * Advanced Strength: Because of Larry’s fondness of physical fitness, he is one of the strongest citizens in Bikini Bottom. He is capable of lifting weights with a single hand as well as stopping a large moving boulder and pushing it to his desired location.

Paraphernalia

 * Weights: In Larry’s first appearance, he is lifting car tires that act as weights and boasting about the workout he’s about to go through.
 * Jellyfish-on-a-stick: At the beginning of Act II, Larry wields a jellyfish-on-the-stick to enforce The Mayor’s dictatorship. He uses it on the boulder that flattens Old Man Jenkins.

Themes
Out of all the supporting characters, Larry chooses the most effective way to spend his possible last few hours; serving his government and helping in any way he can. However, he is blind to the fact that The Mayor is not the selfless and competent leader he thinks she is. He seemingly has no qualms enforcing The Mayor’s harsh rules during Act II and doesn’t notice the dictatorial role she’s taken. Larry’s character could be considered a commentary on what happens when citizens become attached to officials and don’t hold them accountable.

Larry is also the character used to promote the musical’s message on gun violence, one of its smaller themes. In Act II, Larry wields a jellyfish-on-a-stick, a metaphor for guns. He wields this weapon frivolously, threatening to use it on SpongeBob simply due to him asking questions about it and using it on a boulder when it wasn’t necessary in the slightest. Characters that have the jellyfish-on-a-stick pointed at them react with trepidation and fear. During “Best Day Ever”, SpongeBob takes away the jellyfish-on-a-stick and puts a flower in it.

SpongeBob
Larry directly interacts with SpongeBob at the beginning of both acts. In Act I, Larry tells SpongeBob to get out of his way while weightlifting, calling him “puny” in the process. This implies Larry looks down on SpongeBob for being less fit. In Act II, SpongeBob is on his way to meet Sandy when he’s aggressively stopped by Larry, now serving as The Mayor’s enforcer.

The Mayor
Of all the characters in the musical, Larry is the closest to The Mayor. As revealed during Perch Perkins’ special bulletin, Larry decides to do his “civil duty” by serving The Mayor. He is the only character who refers to The Mayor by “Ms. Mayor”, displaying Larry’s admiration and hope in The Mayor. By Act II, The Mayor has become a dictator and Larry is her enforcer, following all of her orders and providing security.

Quotes

 * “Watch where you're going, puny dude! I’m getting these claws swole!”
 * “Yeah, the only way I ever give money is if a celebrity asks.
 * “I’m going to do my patriotic duty in this gnarly hour. Ms. Mayor, this dude is ready to serve!”
 * “Freeze! State your name.”
 * “Don’t make me zap you, bro.”

Trivia

 * In the animated series, Larry is the lifeguard of Goo Lagoon. Neither his occupation nor Goo Lagoon are mentioned in the musical.