Why is Ladybird missing from the King of the Hill Season 14? Possible reason explored

King of the Hill has finally returned with the revived Season 14 set in modern-day Texas on August 4, 2025.

The revival features a 7-8-year-long time jump for the Hill family after the thirteen-season run on Fox. As the characters return to HBO Max, evoking a nostalgic feeling for fans who've grown up with this animated show, there's one part of the beloved show that has not returned.

In a heartbreaking development, one notable part of the Hill family was nowhere to be found in the ten episodes of the revived Season 14. Hank and Peggy's only child, Bobby, is all grown up in present-day Texas and runs his own restaurant as a professional chef.

However, another member of the family, who was, in a way, Hank and Peggy's first kid, their adorable dog Ladybird, is missing this season, and the reason might break your heart. While the show doesn't directly address her absence, we can deduce from the time jump and the fact that Ladybird was already an old dog in Season 13 that she may have passed away off-screen.

Keep reading to find out what happened to the adorable fourth member of the Hill family.

Who is Ladybird in King of the Hill?

When King of the Hill was announced to be revived for Season 14, fans were excited about the return of their favorite characters who graced their screens for 13 long years.

Additionally, it was exciting to find out that the characters were going to be placed in modern-day Texas with almost a decade-long time jump instead of returning them to the period where Season 13 was set. This meant that viewers would get the chance to witness the cranky old Hank in the world of Zoom meetings and gender-neutral bathrooms.

However, Ladybird never made it to the revival with Hank and Peggy. The Georgia bloodhound, 13-14 years old, was first seen in the pilot episode of King of the Hill when Hank brought her home in order to help cheer up his depressed wife.

She was an important member of the family, with Hank jumping through several hoops to try and ensure that she could have puppies, but ultimately failing. At one point in time, Peggy was jealous of how much Hank cared for Ladybird's pregnancy, but wouldn't jump through the same hoops to try for a second baby for her. Even Bobby was especially close to the family dog.

Why is Ladybird missing in King of the Hill Season 14?

However, when the revival premiered with ten episodes on August 4, 2025, Ladybird was nowhere to be seen, and this is in all probability because the dog, who was already very old when first adopted, passed away soon after the events of Season 13.

While animated cartoons aren't expected to stick to the truths of real life, such as aging or death, as is seen on other shows, such as Family Guy. King of the Hill has always been somewhat grounded in truth and tried to maintain some semblance of real life with just a slower, floating time.

Considering that the King of the Hill Season 14 revival features a very long time jump for the Hill family, there is a very high possibility that the family dog did not survive that long after the show wrapped up in Season 13. She was already showing signs of old age in the years that the show ran.

King of the Hill Season 14 has also avoided any mention of the family dog, in pictures or in conversations. The show has, on previous occasions, dealt with the circle of life and death on the show when Cotton Hill died. It has also dealt with the aspects of mourning the death of someone close, when Luanne's boyfriend Buckley died, and even though she mourned his death for some time, she eventually learned how to live again, and he was rarely mentioned again.

Similarly, the Hill family has likely grieved for their family pet and, after the time jump, has learned to live without her. So, the absence of her memory can be interpreted positively in this sense.

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