The Griffin’s twisted and genius baby Stewie is often misunderstood on Family Guy, and could this theory explain why? Although he may look like a normal one year old child, Stewie has shown on multiple occasions in the show that he is anything but. He is much smarter than the average baby and even has the ability to talk (with his fake British accent) in complete, profanity ridden, sentences.
Despite this appearance that Stewie is far superior intellectually to the average one year old, Family Guy is not very consistent with how his speech is portrayed. The most confusing aspect of is who can and cannot understand what Stewie is saying. His best friend (and speaking) dog Brian always knows what he is saying, but the other members of the Griffin family do not always hear what he is saying. The same goes for strangers that he’ll meet in public, although it appears fellow babies have no problem understanding him. This has long been a question fans have had and the explanation may be found in this theory.
In the latest Screen Rant video, we take a look at the theory that Family Guy is actually being told from Stewie’s perspective and is the reason why his words are not always understood. The basis of the theory is that Stewie’s child imagination is responsible for the show’s more outlandish moments and even some of the characterizations. Check out the full theory in the video below:
Although this could all simply be explained as creator Seth MacFarlane deeming this aspect of Stewie a necessary part of his character and one that helps make the show stand out, this deeper explanation could work. It does make sense that if the show is being told from a baby’s point of view that the events and people in it could be misrepresented. A child can only comprehend so much at this age, so Peter’s efforts to entertain Stewie make him a bumbling father, while Lois being a strict mother turns her into Stewie’s arch-nemesis. And since young children can still often be misunderstood or sound like they are uttering nonsense, the times Stewie can’t be heard may simply be people ignoring the random noises a baby would make.
As entertaining as the theory may be, it is admittedly unclear if it will ever be addressed by the show. Family Guy has continued throughout these years without feeling the need to truly explain Stewie’s abilities and behavior, and there is no sign that they plan on starting now. With the series being renewed for season 18 though, there is a certainly room for more evidence to mount as Family Guy continues on.
