Original artwork, not a still
Cowboy Bebop, the closing card of most episodes
See you space cowboy...
— Cowboy Bebop • 1998
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the show's goodbye to its own hero, and it works because Spike was always the space cowboy of the title: a drifter in a genre dressed in jazz and Westerns. Director Shinichiro Watanabe planned the ending from early on, so the card also reads as the creators bowing out. The phrase has become the standard farewell among fans, used for retirements, deaths and the end of anything beloved.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Cowboy BebopShow the scene
Cowboy Bebop signs off most of its episodes with an end card reading "See you space cowboy...", set in the Cheltenham typeface. In the finale Spike Spiegel leaves the Bebop for the last time and storms the Red Dragon syndicate to settle things with Vicious. The series ends there on Spike's "Bang...", and the last card is a different line: "You're gonna carry that weight."
Sources (3)
- Wikipedia: Cheltenham (typeface)Usage notesReference checked
- Cowboy Bebop Wiki: See You Space Cowboypage introReference checked
- Wikiquote: Cowboy BebopSession 26 final linesReference checked
Context reviewed
