The Horse That Couldn’t Be Broken: The Butterscotch Horseman Story

Wouldn't you agree that there are some cartoon shows that develop characters in a predictable and one-dimensional way - they hardly ever evolve over the course of the plot - these shows don’t tend to really touch on human topics or our reality. However there are other shows where the characters are more than one-dimensional, they’re fully-dimensional, just like some human beings can be, this level of depth really captures emotions and thoughts in ways that can make us relate to the characters and our own life and predicaments. One of such shows is Bojack Horseman. 

It seems just a few months ago, Netflix’s Bojack Horseman came to an end. While the series also had the time to flesh out several other characters (even Bojack’s own mother, Beatrice), I felt like the show didn’t really explore enough nor fleshed out the backstory of Bojack’s father “Butterscotch Horseman”, besides for several flashbacks of him showing of what a “Great Father” he was to Bojack as a child (knowing that he, in fact, wasn't great at all). The only “real moment” when Butterscotch got to shine was in the episode “Time’s Arrow (as we’re finally introduced to how Bojack’s Parents met & what made them so bitter towards their own son), so allow me, Ethan Stranger, to best flesh out Butterscotch Horseman & how he actually “relates to reality today”... 

As I mentioned, in the episode “Time’s Arrow (my favorite episode out of the entire series)”, we’re introduced to a young/hipster Butterscotch Horseman, attending Beatrice’s dumb party, where he manages to use his manipulative charms to please her, as well as announcing that he’s gonna to write “The Next Great American Novel” (with a story he hardly fleshed out) as well as getting Beatrice to make out with him. It isn’t long before eventually he learns that he made Beatrice pregnant. Seeing that Beatrice considers herself to be a “Ruined Woman”, Butterscotch once again attempted to charm her, using this problem as a way to tell a story where they moved to San Francisco & live happily ever after (with him as a successful writer). However (by the time Bojack is born), reality rolls in a like a hurricane, Both Butterscotch & Beatrice aren’t really living the good life, as it’s revealed that Butterscotch’s writing has been turned down by several of his greatest heroes (including “Squirrellengetty”), Beatrice (coming from a wealthy family) urges Butterscotch to take a job at her Father’s company, but Butterscotch refuses, feeling like working & getting paid at her father’s company is like “Slavery” , to which Beatrice points out is the opposite of Slavery.

  

As Bojack got older, Butterscotch worked at a Fish Cannery for low income while still working on his “Never-Ending Goddam Novel”, eventually both Butterscotch & Beatrice admit that they can no longer live like this, ending with Butterscotch finally/angrily accepting the job offer at Beatrice Father’s Company (makes me wonder if Butterscotch ever met Beatrice's father, in person. During this time, we learn that Butterscotch attempted to cheat on Beatrice (in a way to escape the cold-hearted reality that he brought upon himself & Beatrice), abusing Bojack and “blaming him for not completing his Great American Novel & even getting to drink alcohol with him to cover up him cheating with his secretary” (as seen in the 1st episode in season 6).

By the time Bojack had moved out of his parent’s home, Butterscotch ended up getting the maid “Henrietta Platchkey” pregnant (a mistake he made with Beatrice), broken down & not feeling responsible for his own actions, Butterscotch begged Beatrice to fix this for him. Hell, he wasn’t even present when Henrietta gave birth to “Hollyhock” & didn’t stand by Beatrice until after Bojack came down of her. Following this unfortunately mayhem, Butterscotch finally got his novel published (entitled: “The Horse That Couldn’t be Broken”, plus the cover resembles Ralph Ellison's “The Invisible Man”)...

However, it wasn’t as successful as Butterscotch had hoped for, as it gain no attention & only one newspaper wrote a review that literally “tore him to shreds”, which caused him to announce that “for those who hated his book, he challenged to a duel”, but this lead him to his own demise in a stupid way, when this news hit some “Kook in Montana” who took him up on the offer, they met at golden gate park & agreed, 10 paces, then shoot, but during the 10 pacces, Butterscotch asked the guy if he actually read the book & what he thought, but ended up tripping over an expose root & bashed his head on a rock (without knowing if the Kook read his book or not, but pretty sure he didn’t), here’s a reenactment of the duel (drawn by my cousin, picture, below) and a video of Bojack himself explaining how his Father’s death took place (all he ever wanted was loved & respect for writing his “Next Great American Novel” that ultimately backfired on him): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cYiSF2aX2Q&ab_channel=queefburgler3

I find that Butterscotch Horseman is relatable to all of our lives in many ways. On one side of things, he represents all of the men that have tried to avoid their responsibilities in life, to their families, their societies or even to themselves. This even made me remember that I have heard several stories (within today's society) about those who ended up getting pregnant at a young age & eventually their “man (that may have some kind of Butterscotch Persona)” left them because they were afraid of owning up to their decisions. Unfortunately, and this is something that can happen to anyone out there, those people had to give up on their own dreams & forced to work hard as a single mother. I myself can also relate to  Butterscotch in a way, as he dreamed of being a great American writer, but his spite and narcissism for the world around him, is what fueled his ego, and made him delusional about his faith as a writer & that’s what worries me whenever I either do my own writing or my blog posts, I myself don’t know if I’m a good writer or just following nothing but a pike dream, but I sure love what I do.  If you think about it Butterscotch himself is a walking social criticism of what society was back then, and even is, right now.

So if my drawing doesn’t encourage Bojack Horseman Creator (Raphael Bob-Waksberg) to do a lost episode on the backstory of Butterscotch Horseman, then I don’t know what well (for I would’ve like to see that), as I get an unlikely “Thaaaank Youuuuu?” from Butterscotch himself for doing this post, Ethan Stranger Signs off.