Bluey is all grown up in 'Surprise' episode on Disney+. Now fans are even more confused.
Spoiler alert: This article contains details about the "Surprise” episode of “Bluey.”
A new unexpected episode of "Bluey" has left fans emotional and confused once again about what's next for the popular Australian children's series on Disney+.
One week ago, the Heelers almost moved to another city but decided not to sell their house in extended-length episode "The Sign," which many believed was the Season 3 finale.
Surprise! On Sunday, fans of "Bluey" were treated to a bonus episode literally titled "Surprise." Though the episode returned to the series' typical 7-minute length, it was no less poignant than the 28-minute emotional rollercoaster that left viewers reeling a week earlier when patriarch Bandit ripped out the family's "For Sale" sign in their front yard.
Following "The Sign" episode billed as the season finale, producers were quoted in multiple outlets assuring fans "Bluey" was not ending altogether. But after the newest "Bluey" episode, those concerns have been freshly renewed after the title character showed up as an adult in a flash-forward before the credits rolled.
Here's what we know about the "Bluey" episode "Surprise" and how fans are reacting to it on social media.
Previous 'Bluey' coverage:Parents are sobbing over 'Bluey' episode 'The Sign'
What happens in 'Bluey' Season 3 finale 'Surprise?'
Having decided to stay put at their home on the hill, the Heeler family is back to their normal shenanigans for the bulk of "Surprise."
While Chilli cleans, Bandit, who only wants to watch a race on television, finds himself juggling playing two different games with daughters Bluey and Bingo. While Bandit babysits Bingo’s pretend babies, he also has to fend off Bluey, who keeps surprising her dad with attacks with a ball blaster.
The episode itself may have been unanticipated, but the real surprise comes at the end in a time jump when Bluey, now a full-grown adult, visits her parents who still live at her childhood home. And waiting in ambush for Bandit behind the door armed with a ball blaster? Bluey's future child.
Fans have questions: Is the series is ending? Who did Bluey have a baby with?
In an episode that began with Bluey asking her mother what it's like to have children, the full-circle moment that punctuated the episode's climax left many fans wondering if what they had just watched was not a season finale, but a series finale.
"For a show that isn't ending, the last two eps sure FELT like a series finale + epilogue," one fan wrote on social media site X.
Other fans speculated about who could possibly be the child's father, with many theorizing that it could either be French-speaking Labrador Jean-Luc or Bluey's childhood border collie friend Mackenzie.
What's next for 'Bluey?'
Of course, the biggest question on every "Bluey" fan's mind is, what's next for the series and the Heeler family?
A spokeswoman for Disney+ declined to respond Monday to USA TODAY's request for comment, while Brisbane, Australia-based Ludo Studio, which produces the series, could not immediately be reached. But producers of the series beloved by parents and children alike have in the past insisted that Bluey's adventures are far from concluded.
After "The Sign" debuted, "Bluey" executive producer Daley Pearson told the Los Angeles Times that the episode was a test to see how audiences respond to a longer format of the show, which debuted in 2019. He even hinted that a feature film could be on the horizon.
"We have more in store and we are thinking what would be next," "Bluey" producer Sam Moore told BBC. "I'm sure we have many more surprises in store for you."
How to watch 'Bluey'
Three seasons of the show are available to stream on Disney+. Monthly subscription rates start at $9.99.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]