"Kenny Dies" is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 78th episode of the series overall. "Kenny Dies" originally aired in the United States on December 5, 2001 on Comedy Central and in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2002 on Sky One. In the episode, Cartman comes across a truckload of fetuses he cannot sell thanks to a recent government ruling on stem cell research. When Kenny is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Cartman uses it to lobby Congress to restore stem cell research.
The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker and is rated TV-MA in the United States, except on syndicated broadcasts and post-2017 reruns on Comedy Central, where the episode is instead rated TV-14. The gag of Kenny dying in almost every episode was dropped after this episode, and he did not reappear bodily until "Red Sleigh Down", due to fans being upset over his absence all throughout season 6 in 2002. This was the final appearance of the "4th Grade" title sequence, which was first seen in "4th Grade." On the DVD commentary for the episode, Parker and Matt Stone state that they had originally planned to kill Kyle off for a year, but decided to kill Kenny instead as they were running out of original ways to kill him.
Plot
The episode begins in an abortion clinic, a woman is giving her permission for scientists to use her dead fetus for stem cell research. However, during the transport of the fetuses the driver swerves and falls off a mountain road due to a deer running across the road and the truck gets destroyed which was carrying all the fetuses from the clinic to Alder Research Group. Cartman happens to be passing the crash at this moment, and he notices the fetuses from the truck. He then steals the fetuses, he starts calling companies hoping that he would be able to resell the fetuses and get a huge profit off of them.
Meanwhile, the boys find out that Kenny has been diagnosed with a terminal disease, which while not named in the show is confirmed to be muscular dystrophy. Everyone is shocked by the news, and everyone except Stan tries their best to be confident for Kenny's sake. Stan, however, is too upset to be near Kenny in his state and refuses to even visit him.
Cartman wants to restore stem cell research, and a researcher explains to Cartman about how the studies actually work. With this information, Cartman realizes that the SCR might also be used to help Kenny recover from his illness. He then thinks that the research could also be used to duplicate a "Shakey's Pizza". The researcher recommends using lumber for that second idea.
Then Cartman goes to the government court and gives a very thoughtful speech to the House of Representatives, requesting that the SCR ban be lifted, explaining about his best friend, Kenny, who is slowly dying as they speak. He then says that he believes the research can save Kenny's life. The House of Representatives committee then lifts the ban after Cartman sings "Heat of the Moment". Cartman begins visiting abortion clinics throughout the area, in order to collect even more aborted fetuses.
Meanwhile, after Chef gives Stan a little lecture on death, and why God lets it happen at any given time, Stan finally comes to terms with Kenny dying. He also finds out that Stem Cell Research has been made legal again, and with the hope that a cure might be found, rushes to visit Kenny. Unfortunately, Kenny's hospital room is empty, and the teddy bear he was given is on the floor, seemingly holding onto the unmade bed Kenny slept in. Stan knows what this means - Kyle says he just stopped breathing, and it was over. He also adds that Kenny's last words were "Where's Stan?"
At the funeral, Stan's feels extremely guilty over not seeing Kenny before he died, and considers himself to have been Kenny's worst friend. As the funeral takes place, though, Cartman comes rushing in and drags Stan and Kyle out of the ceremony, explaining that they have to see the "miracle" that has just occurred. The boys are shocked and disgusted to see that, instead of using the stem cells to save Kenny, Cartman only wanted them so he could duplicate a Shakey's Pizza. Kyle is absolutely furious that Cartman used Kenny's illness and death just so he could have his own Shakey's and launches a furious beating against him, while Stan feels better now that he knows it was Cartman who was Kenny's worst friend.
Reception
Serene Dominic of the Detroit Metro Times called the scene where Cartman leads members of the United States Congress in a sing-along of "Heat of the Moment" as the "Greatest Cartoon Moment" in the career of the original four members of Asia.[1] In an article for ESPN.com, Tim Kavanagh discussed stem cells and how they were used in the episode, writing, "This, as with many other important topics of our day, I learned from "South Park," specifically Episode 513, entitled 'Kenny Dies.'"[2] In a review of the South Park season 5 DVD release, Choire Sicha of The New York Times gave a "not-so-surprising surprise ending alert" that "Kenny finally really dies" at the end of the episode.[3] Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times cited the episode when noting that the political commentary on South Park, like The Simpsons and Freak Show, was genuinely "provocative" satire, unlike the "safer ... mainstream iconoclasm" of Saturday Night Live.[4]
Home media
"Kenny Dies", along with the thirteen other episodes from South Park: the Complete Fifth Season, was released on a three-disc DVD set in the United States on February 22, 2005. The set includes brief audio commentaries by Parker and Stone for each episode.[5]
