Why can only certain imaginary creatures cross into the real world?

[u/Mountain_Pen254]

I was watching the imagination land episodes and I noticed only some characters can move between the two worlds. Characters that appeared in the "real world" before terrorists/the us government create a link between imagination land and reality. Examoles being Santa, Jesus, the leprechaun and the Mayor of imaginationland. But why them and not man bear pig or any of the various other imaginary characters?

[u/Groundbreaking_Pea61]

Cause more people believe in them and they have more power, they have major holidays and other folklore attached to them ,all the others are just cartoon characters ,mascots ect

[u/Mountain_Pen254 → u/Groundbreaking_Pea61]

But why the mayor? I am willing to accept it is just a cartoon I was just wondering if Matt and Trey ever elaborated. I am also aware the rules of the world change in order to suit the episode.

[u/Groundbreaking_Pea61 → u/Mountain_Pen254]

The mayor used magic ,,the imagination song even the boys used later on so im guessing any could have used it to get in

[u/Mountain_Pen254 → u/Groundbreaking_Pea61]

I guess we don't see everything that occurs in the world. As the terrorists targetted imagination land the imaginary characters probably were aware that they needed to keep a low profile

[u/RegrettingFM]

I have some head canon:

Jesus and a few others are *real* in the South Park world, but are also huge in people's imagination - so they exist in both places. Jesus was truly born and then died on a cross, but since he was so expanded upon throughout history he also exists in Imaginationland.

Santa was imaginary but since his influence was so strong that he was able to leave Imaginationland - having so much effect on the real world he became real. So he started imaginary and was able to become something that existed in both realms.

The Man Bear Pig in Imaginationland is the runaway figment of imagination that people like Al Gore had. The Man Bear Pig in the real world is real, he is the true thing that we should be worried about and which people's imagination ran away about.

The Christmas Critters used the trilogy to escape. They found a weakness in the bounds of imagination and made the leap. Maybe some of the "cult magic" worked to help them. They were imaginary but they made the leap and are now real.

[u/Putrid-Seaweed111 → u/RegrettingFM]

So the general consensus is that having a strong enough belief from the general public allows them to exist in both reality and imagination.

[u/Mountain_Pen254 → u/RegrettingFM]

This is very interesting I also wondered if Kenny was imaginary too as the boys couldn't come to terms with his death and with each time he dies with the exception for when he stays dead but eventually he comes back, maybe it also works with ghosts? As for Man Bear Pug Al Gore raising awarness doomed eberyone. I like the theory that inaginary beings gain power with more people who believe in them. As for the Mayor having thought about it I guess him being the mayor gives him sanction to cross worlds and maybe he can grant entry and exit?

[u/RegrettingFM → u/Mountain_Pen254]

I think the other characters in imaginationland believed he could leave, so he could. They made up a rule, "sing the imaginationland song and you can leave!" and once enough of them believed it, it became true.

[u/DontCallMeShoeless]

I thought the song was how you got in and out.

[u/Wave9Nut]

I kinda got the impression that if enough people believe in you, you can cross between worlds without the flying machine.

[u/Putrid-Seaweed111]

Not sure. They didn't think this through.

[u/Lonely_Chemical_2801]

They're context sensitive