Film Theory: Dora is CURSED! (Dora The Explorer)

Matpat going insane from watching kid shows with his son wasn’t a character arc I was expecting, but I like it so far.

Matpat is slowly going insane. But we still love the theorys

Creators of Dora: Let's make a fun filled adventure show which teaches kids good values!
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Matpat: Swiper is haunting Dora....

I used to watch Dora when I was younger and I was so happy when I saw you made a video about this mattPat! Thank you for crushing my childhood this really made my day/gen

The live-action Dora movie was amazing, except for one thing. They never gave any explanation for Swiper! He's just there and everyone points out how weird it is that he exists at all. The fact that this theory actually gives a semi-solid explanation is honestly a relief and lets my poor mind relax and enjoy the movie more.

When I was 5 I just gave up yelling at dora and letting her find it her self 😂

you can tell what shows Ollie is obsesed with, and how long hes been obsessed, by the fact that matpat makes these kinds of videos. i love these.

Dora was one of my childhood shows that I watched. My parents say that I learned Spanish (I am a Filipino kid) by watching it and now that I'm getting older... I kinda screamed that the thing she was looking at was there but she couldn't hear us.

Something else to solidify MatPat's theory:
The number 3 is associated with the devil and spirits; the devil knocks 3 times on a door and the 3rd hour past midnight being the demonic witching hour. Dora says her chant "Swiper no swiping" exactly 3 times for him to stop and run away.

I feel like this was a pretty accurate conclusion. My family has had encounters with spirits and the way they would ward them off was by repeating prayers over and over again.

You could expand this by saying that the reason she had to keep participating in the game was cos she didn't know Swipers full name. So she could ward him off (temporarily) but never truly exorcise and get rid of him.

Live action Dora talking to the invisible audience from the parents' perspective reminds me of those stories where kids have "imaginary friends" that they talk to, usually tied with ghosts or demons...

I always felt Swiper was just a kleptomaniac and Dora and friends were just helping him calm his addiction. "His Aw man" is just him getting upset that he nearly gave in. Swiper even goes to the future and sees his older self, now no longer able to be stopped, and looks horrified.

This very much feels like one of those old school creepypasta theories, ones that have become urban legends- like Red killing Blue’s Raticate, Phineas and Ferb being figments of Candace’s imagination. Dora being a real kid stuck in a video game tormented by Swiper the demon fox is one that fits snugly with that crop.
If this theory existed 15 years ago I’m sure Matpat would’ve made a video debunking it by now.

I like how this guy constantly makes dark theories about kid shows. It’s funny, scary (sometimes), and he tries to make as much sense as possible. Which is what many theorists do.

As a kid I always assumed that the chanting worked because it was sort of showing Swiper that they had spotted him, and Swiper's thought process is that he can't exactly grab stuff out of Dora's hands, he has to sneak it away from her, hence why he always runs off when he realizes Dora and Boots have spotted him, also now that I think about it, given that Swiper seems to have the thinking and speaking capabilities of a human, is much bigger than a normal fox and is clearly meant to be an adult, it's weird that he's going after a girl who's something like 5 years old and clearly stalking her since he's always around no matter where she is, like wtf dude, Swiper is honestly a major creep

The intro gives me more chills than every horror movie in existence

I love how he makes us question life and then be like “BUT THATS JUST A THEORY”

I just love how Mat can turn any kids show into a literal creepypasta and always has the evidence to back him up.

One of the best things about this dude is that he never takes credit for himself when he uploads something. He always respects us, the audience, and he is always full of energy in his videos. Keep up the hard work!!supagreatman

There are a couple of things you glossed over.
Dora's parents that exhibit pregnancy.
That one episode where Swiper was *encouraged* to swipe to help a whale.
Dora's cousin Diego with his own TV series.

10:12 I always found this to be the best intro of Dora cuz of how neat it is😁

That moment of Dora respawning gives me massive Jumanji vibes.

I like most of MatPat's theories, but I love this one! It makes so much sense! (And I had no idea the movie was so good. I might have to actually watch it lol)

The way matpat can go from just a normal show to the fact that swiper is a bloody demon is amazing

MatPat’s cartoon self (which is the style of Dora) is absolutely adorable!
Why? Because it is and it’s him😊

We actually need a madness combat episode, it has some genuine lore in it

I use to have nightmares of Swiper and genuinely be terrified when he'd come on screen when I was a kid. Something about the spray bottle sound effect and Dora asking where Swiper is. Hearing the spray bottle in my dreams as I frantically look around to find where Swiper is before it is too late.

These videos are always more entertaining than I expect them to be lol

Someone should make an analog horror series based on this theory, I'll definetely watch it

Let me guess little Ollie watched an episode so Matpat just had to make a dark theory. I love it

Even as a kid seeing the IRL footage and then being lead to the video game that is the show, gave me a weird feeling. I just never knew why!

Actually there is a Christmas Special where they show a dark future where Swiper became an old miser who would swipe stuff even after someone said Swiper No Swiping three times. Of course its one of the episodes where Swiper (or in this case Present Swiper) is a supporting character rather than an antagonistic (Swiper isn't really a villain in the show as should he successfully swipe something which happens in a few episodes where he swipes the object before they can finish the No Swiping chant, he just throws it away laughing saying you'll never find it now, only for Dora & Boots with the assistance of the audience finding said object. Additionally there Dora & Friends Return to the Rainforest special also somewhat implies Swiper is something of a klepto as he once again playing the frenemy role eyes Dora's magic bracelet like he wants to swipe it but resists the urge as he's helping Dora & her friends (both from the original series & new) save Backpack! Swiper is very similar to other pre-school antagonists such as Mayor Humdinger from PAW Patrol (who originally started out as a rival of Mayor Goodway's to the shows primary antagonist along with the KCC, though there are episodes where he's more of a supporting character) & Zeta from Shimmer & Shine. Personally I find it interesting how some pre-school show primary antagonists end up more like frenemies of the main cast rather than just straight up villains.

I love such dark stories in a child cartoons! The same with Peppa Pig, I've heard from one Clip-Sharer that she thinks that the characters can't get out from the city and only one character is aware that they're trapped and is trying to escape.

my brother walked past at 8:12 and went “oh is that dora” and we died laughing as we realized how only mat pat can make us associate demons and exorcisms with a childhood favorite

MatPat... this episode destroyed everything I thought about my favorite childhood show. You have a talent. MAN I LOVE THIS CHANNEL!!!!!😍😍😍 We are almost at 12 million KEEP GOIN!!!!

This really is MatPat at his finest. There’s not supposed to be something here to find. Unlike creepypastas, ARGs, and other baited mysteries, Matt is out here digging up fresh cadavers in a children’s show. Perfection.

6:30 "If that wasn't intentional, well, it is certainly one heck of a coincidence" literally the best way to resume the theorist channels

I absolutely remembered the live action intro to the show and nostalgia just hit me like a train
Edit: I missed out on the Dora movie, never saw it

I watch Dora when I was a kid it’s still makes me creep out and that is one of the most darkest fears I ever see😱

I recently watched pearl and x and I have to say, it would potentionally be a awesome movie series to do a theory on. It’s a deep character analysis and it’s fascinating- sounds really upyour alley

I remember Steph saying on her insta story that how Ollie learns languages is he learns how to count in them first🥺 which not only is SO cute and fascinating, but this makes me think of that whenever i turn this on as background noise

Everybody: We want Don't Hug Me I'm Scared theories!
MatPat: *Have you considered Dora the Explorer is haunted by a Demon?*

This hit me right in the childhood.. Speaking of demonic spirits, I suggest a film theory on the Thai horror movie that came out in 2021 called The Medium. My biggest question is what possessed the young girl? And was the psychic aunt really the medium of the goddess?

Boots has a deeper meaning. I believe that swiper represents the devil while boots represents God. This is due to the fact that boots seems to be leading Dora out of the simulation while swiper is always tryna hold them back.

The "Swiper no swiping" thing is almost exactly how teachers at my school told kids to deal with bullying. Hand gesture and everything.
It didn't tend to work quite as well as in the show.

Oh, this brings back memories. Me and my cousin loved watching this show as kids. To the point ware my family's nickname for me will forever be boots.

Matpat is working so hard not to be insane for our entertainment and the theories i hope he is still sane

Love that MatPat completely ignores that Dora's ENTIRE family lives inside the game and she even got episodes dedicated to her mom being pregnant and giving birth to her twin siblings 😂

It's honestly so wholesome that he does videos on content that is age appropriate for his kid. That's being a good dad and not letting your work keep you from your kid

Dora’s cousin’s name is Diego. My mom’s name is Dora and my dad’s name is Doug. Doug is the English equivalent of Diego.
I always found this hilarious to bring up as a kid, especially considering the faces my parents would make. 😆

Love the theory, but what about the times Dora goes out of her way to help Swiper? She's at least celebrated his birthday and helped him out of a magic bottle

OK but where does Diego fit into all this?

MatPat is the type of guy to look at a kids show, ask “is anyone gonna make a traumatizing theory about that?” And not wait for an answer

My favorite part of the Dora series was the specials related to Dora finding the crystal necklace from the Snow Princess

This was super cool, yet very unsettling! Awesome video!

Okay, but... Numerous episodes have Swiper being an ally rather than an enemy. Two episodes that stand out to me are the episode where Swiper and Dora travel through time with the troll's Travel Cape (don't remember why but I Doramember it was a Christmas Special) and the episode where Swiper is making a blueberry pie for his grandma (I think, haven't watched Dora in ages). Both episodes have Dora (kind of) taming Swiper and while sure, those episodes in particular are where she helps him, there's also times where _Swiper_ helps _her_ , like the many times Swiper decides to give back whatever he swiped because he felt bad. If Swiper _is_ a demon tormenting Dora, why would Dora help him and, even more perplexing, why would he help Dora, the person he trapped?

i like the idea that dora and boots are extremely religious people and swiper is just a normal fox, so they're just randomly chanting "SWIPER NO SWIPING" at this poor animal and hes so freaked out by it he tries to brush it off and run away

The exorcism thing gets me every time

A blind man can locate a waterfall, whereas Dora take one eternity to even find a mountain.

I used to watch Dora the explorer when I was little, but it wasn't until I was older and babysitting this kid that I noticed how weird the show was. I never thought she was cursed, I thought she was hallucinating or something and she was saying swiper no swiping as a thing to make the dillustions go away.

I am afraid that MatPat is losing his mind and I'm here for it.

i love watching the insane evolution of these theories. first alien blue, now demon dora

I actually own that Dora doll from the intro that holds the star; she's life-sized! Super huge doll that definitely towers over a kid who watches Dora

I love this. Foxes are my favorite animals, and the Kitsune has always been my favorite mythical creature. My favorite is the one from Okami.

Honestly when I was a kid I always thought Dora jumped in the game from the theme song, but her being sucked in makes a lot more sense. Maybe the theme song is the demons enticing Dora

Yet more childhoods completely destroyed...way to go Matt!

Brief pause on the Swiper bit: Swiper no swiping is the vocal equivalent of a quick time event. If you don’t say “Swiper no swiping” a third time fast enough he takes your item and you have to look for it or face back tracking.

honestly I enjoy the outlandishness of these theories especially around the beginning.

If I were to make my own theory, I would assume that Dora is actually a custom character if anything. While the whole room being deserted with the computer being left on with merch of the characters that never includes Dora makes sense, you could also argue that the doors opening also debunks it, because who is coming into the room? Maybe Dora is a dimensional traveler and she frequently visits the game, thus the whole adventure thing going on. Let's not forget that this theory is based on the first season intro and the live action movie, not the subsequent season intros that follow the series. Oh, and let's not forget that her cousin Diego is in on it. If we're talking Dora, let's also talk about Diego, who also has his own show. If you notice, whenever he's a guest star, the animals he talks to never speak, or at least their vocabulary is never understood. In Diego's own spinoff show, Go Diego Go, all animals talk, and you can actually hear them. Swiper being a demon is hard to disprove, but Dora being stuck in the game is debunkable when Diego is involved in the conversation. If Dora is stuck in a video game, then how does she appear on Diego's show, which doesn't feature the gaming mechanics Dora is known for? And why is his sister Alicia never around in the show? And Dora's family, how do they fit into all this?

I think its good to call out the fact that dora and boots specifically use their left hand; you see them put the banana in their other hand when confronting swiper. And yes this could be because their left handed but I just wanted to mention it because I dont see why they couldn't just use their right hand

I love the fact that Matpat ruthlessly shoots down another part of my childhood

As a roman Catholic, I can verify that that hand-extension is very similar to an exorcism, if a bit simpler lol. I honestly, was thinking along the same lines before you gave that as part of your theory. Definitely not a stretch.

Well~ I wasn't expecting the mention of kitsune, or foxes/fox spirts in general for that matter. Very interesting episode, overall.

Dude I watched this show til 4th grade and interacted every time with Dora. However, I did always question how swiped can be defeated so easily, and hearing that he might’ve been excorcised every time they say swiped no swiping helps with some of my sleepless nights so thank you film theory ✨

It is believed that the Nick Jr. star, Dora the Explorer, has Down Syndrome, and that she also has hydrocephalus, which explains her uniquely large head. Dora's also believed to speak about three times louder than the other characters in the series, because of her mental disability. She also suffers from classic ADHD, which is why she can't remember what map told her three times. Boots is actually her guiding animal, and the yellow bracelet on Dora's wrist is actually a tracking device that would serve as a means of finding her if she were ever to get lost.

I actually think that he could’ve been one of her past relatives that is looking for her attention. I know it may be strange to see this being the case. But the relative of hers could’ve been the one developing the game, and unfortunately during the programming of the game, they also got sent into it by accident and took the appearance of the (sort of)-villain since that was the first character they wrote code for in the game. This relative essentially grew to control the mechanics of the game in every way, including how it can be a portal once whenever the game CD is inserted. They could be trying to collect stuff from her in an attempt to find a way out of the game that they were sent into. His subsequent response to her telling him to go away, is essentially saying "I could’ve had (object of the day), but I guess I’ll try again later"
(She is possibly reuniting with a long lost relative who was the mastermind that helped her with writing the educational video game by going through its portal-style thing).

You just never know what to expect from Matpat and his theories anymore.

Matpat!! Don't hug me I'm scared has come out with another season!! Please do a theory on this! There is six episodes to watch and they are terrifying and amazing at the same time

Never would I see Matpat making a theory of my favorite childhood TV show

I didn't realize till over a decade later, that Dora was supposed to be like a point and click adventure game. To be fair, the only video games I played back then was DVD bonus features games.

Imagine fox studios secretly working on the movie and the reboot of dora but in the new metaverse. That would be surreal

Matpat is slowly ruining our childhoods and I’m so here for it

Growing up learning english with Dora, I came to the conclusion that Dora was a real person stuck inside the game from how wierd she acts. It feels eerie how someone else came to the same conclusion.

This theory is crazy but a lot of fun. Though I kinda feel swiper might not be the only demon. I mean there’s the grumpy old troll who lives under the bridge and that giant red chicken just isn’t normal

It's so... odd to hear Matpat detail the plot of Dora the Explorer.

As a kid, I never talked to Dora. I just sat there and giggled because Dora looked so dumb she was talking to nobody and every time they asked for help I just waited. They always figured it out without my help so

I have to poke some little holes in this theory, MatPat. I grew up Catholic and even went to Catholic school my entire life and never once heard anything about foxes. It was an interesting tidbit, but I wouldn't say that Dora would be familiar with it just because of how Catholic Latin America is.

Something that I haven't see anyone really point out yet:
I personally believe one of the main reasons Dora isn't included in the "Hide and Seek" minigame and why there isn't any merch of Dora in the house when the person walks up to the computer, isn't because she's part of a game she's not supposed to be in, but because the person that walks up to the computer in the first place to play the game IS Dora herself. I think Dora's in the game because it's supposed to be representative of how kids imagine themselves in the world of something that they're really obsessed with.
I think this can be supported by episodes that involved her actual family, like for instance, the special "Dora's Big Birthday Adventure!" I think if she were actually trapped in the game, it would show her family in the same world as well, so I would use this as evidence of Dora imagining two things that she really loved, her family and this particular video game, coming together. But that's just a comment theory!

MatPat coming in and absolutely tearing one of my childhood favourite shows and saying it's basically Amanda the Adventurer but actually just Dora is something I definitely didn't expect

Mat talking Spanish and ruining my childhood just made my day

Gotta say, this is matpat's most believable and plausible theory yet!

Matpat said something that got me thinking quote " foxes symbolize tricksters, thieves, and bad omens." end quote my thought is what if swiper rather than the demon is like Dora is a victim after all growing up I always was curious why Swiper was almost reluctant to antagonize Dora, too easy to stop, and seemed happiest when teaming up with and helping her like that is what he wants but something stops him something that makes Swiper almost it's puppet or pawn but Swiper sees Dora like Boots, Backpack, Map, and Benny fondly as if he like them regards her (Dora) as a cherished friend he wants and likes to help as his happiest and freest is when he teams up with and helps Dora almost as if he's shaken off something that makes him become the worst part of his original design a Video Game Antagonist more than likely to Boots who I believe is the main protagonist as shown in the intro two toys on the desk one is Boots and crazily enough the other one is Swiper which seems a clue as what toy set is complete without the main hero ( protagonist) and the main villain ( antagonist) just a MatPat/Film Theory inspired thought

I love watching this guy's theories

Matpat really gets creative with these intros

Leave it to MatPat when turning people’s childhood shows into nightmares because of his theories.

Very interesting! Just wondering, have you watched any of the show Bluey? There are a few interesting theories floating around for it; maybe you could discuss your opinions on some of them. Or perhaps you could do a theory analyzing why Bluey, MLP:FIM, and early Steven Universe gained such a large adult following considering they’re really just aimed at younger kids (SU kinda changed tones as the show went on, but it started out as little kid fair). Thank you! ❤

Whenever I wanna watch something scary I just watch you by the way love your videos

I've noticed a lot of anomalies that led to me finding this video. I used to have a Dora picture in my desktop wallpapers, and it comes up WAY too often on my slideshow. There is a video called Dora the Destroyer boss theme by Marko that will NEVER GO AWAY! If you are watching Emkay videos it will haunt you forever.

I have a film theory: Phineas and Ferb, from Phineas and Ferb, are evil and are on a mission to drive Candace insane. The theme song has "or driving our sister insane" written into it. They never get caught. And they even have an alliance with Doctor Doofenshmirtz because he is Phineases DAD. Doof and Linda went on a date, and you can even see how Phineas inherited his fathers triangle-head shape. That explains why a brilliant doctor/engineer always puts self-destruct buttons on his machines, and why he SEEMS not to recognize Perry unless he has a fedora on. It's all acting. While all this happens, everyone sees candace as a crazy person, her parents, her friends, her crush, and her little brothers just sit there in the backyard, with a smile on their faces.