Matt Stone and Trey Parker have gotten themselves into near-endless trouble for their Comedy Central sensation, South Park. That's what most people around the world think of when they think of South Park. That and the fact that the animated satire is about a bunch of kids with about the most offensive vocabularies known to man. But fans of the show know that South Park is so much more...
While the creators of South Park may regret a couple of their episodes, they know that their show is doing what so many can't. It's analyzing our societies, our ideologies, and ourselves in a brutal, thoughtful, and simultaneously hilarious way without really coming to a conclusion. Some episodes of the show are unbelievably intelligent in how they hold a mirror up to the world. And the characters are the vessels for these observations and critiques. A few of Matt and Trey's characters have become so popular that even those who've never seen an episode of the show are aware of them. Fans will argue which character is the most thoughtfully or hilarious written, but there's no doubt that these are the most popular...
6 Mr. Garrison
Mr. Garrison has been featured in some of the most famous, outrageous, and groundbreaking storylines on South Park. The journey that Matt Stone and Trey Parker have taken him on is pretty impressive given his somewhat limited role in the first few seasons. He even became a stand-in for Donald Trump for a couple of seasons. This only made the character more popular, especially as the 2016 U.S. Presidential election was unfolding. But the seeds for this creative decision were planted early on in the character's somewhat conflicting opinions about some highly charged social issues.
5 Kyle And Stan
You can't separate Kyle from Stan. In many ways, they are stand-ins for Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Whenever the two of them are grappling with a question or issue, they funnel their feelings through these two intricately crafted characters in the hopes that their journeys will lead them to an answer. While Kyle and Stan certainly have differences, they are more similar than not. It's usually one or both of them that guides the audience through each episode's philosophical or moral argument. And, yes, there tends to be a speech at the end. Given that they are undoubtedly the main characters, their popularity amongst fans is a no-brainer.
4 Butters
Butters may just be South Park's heart. While he didn't become a main character until the second half of South Park's ongoing run, Butters is one of the most important parts of the show. He's the foil to the angry, self-absorbed, drama-filled, characters that dominate the series. While he may not be the most recognizable around the world, he's certainly a fan favorite. Butters is just SO lovable... even when he adopts his super-villain persona or becomes the leader of an anti-feminist movement.
3 Randy Marsh
As Matt and Trey got older, as well as evolved the premise of their show, their focus shifted toward the adult characters in South Park. Even though Cartman, Kenny, Kyle, Stan, and Butters are the focus, Randy Marsh has certainly received a major spotlight in recent years. Because of this, he has quickly become a fan favorite. His storyline of secretly being the singer Lorde has made him extremely popular in the mainstream. Stan's dad is a wonderfully nuanced character who is simultaneously highly intelligent and deeply ignorant. That makes for great comedy.
2 Kenny
It's arguable that Kenny is actually the most famous character on South Park due to his absolutely iconic look. But he didn't get the top spot on this list. Still, coming in at number two is pretty good. Like the top spot (which should be obvious by now), Kenny's voice is downright recognizable regardless of whether you're a fan of the Comedy Central show or not. Then there's the fact that most people know about the character's gimmick on South Park. In the earlier seasons at least, Kenny would be killed off in every single episode and miraculously revived without explanation. This creative choice makes the character stand out above the rest.
1 Cartman
Is there anyone else who could be at the top of this list? Cartman has not only become synonymous with the show but also with the adult-animation genre itself. Not only is he the most popular and usually the best-written character on the Comedy Central series, but he may just be one of the best characters of all time. Why? Because he's one of the worst characters of all time. Matt and Trey have described Cartman as the personification of everyone's worst inclinations, habits, beliefs, and feelings. Yet, even Cartman is awarded a surprising level of depth in a few episodes of the show. He may be a total racist, antisemitic, sexist, and murderous sociopath, but he's also lovable... That's an incredible accomplishment on the writers' part. No wonder millions of people around the world know who he is.
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