The world is grieving after Nickelodeon confirmed today  that Spongebob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg has passed away at the age of 57. Hillenburg had been quietly battling ALS and is survived by his wife and son. The Rocko's Modern Life dreamed up Spongebob 20 years ago, and was shocked by the program's wild and global success. Spongebob Squarepants has been dubbed in over 60 languages, and its status as a cult show is very evident in the loud grief fans are showing on the internet. It's truly a sad day for everyone, from Spongebob fans to meme creators. Our hearts go out to Hillenburg's friends and family today.

To look back on some of the finest moments and top Spongebob memes that are and were instant classics, go back. You missed it.

This trending Spongebob meme proves once again why Squidward Tentacles is our favorite character on the show. His snarkiness and cynicism make him the most relatable of all the characters, and we greatly appreciate him for that. So here are 15 of the best "Squidward's Clock Closet" memes we could find on the internet! Or, if you need a reminder of some of the best Spongebob memes ever, we are happy to provide you with such a collection.

SpongeBob SquarePants, the legendary cartoon that continues to transcend generations. And to this day it's 11 seasons and 247 episodes has given the internet plenty of meme material to work with.

Recently on Reddit people gathered to share their favorite moments from the show. What are yours? If you want to see our collection of Spongebob favorites, check out some of the series highlights and make sure you are fully in nostalgia mode.

The latest version to go viral from the Bikini Bottom Kingdom is "Tired SpongeBob," who's leaning on a rock, out of breath. We've collected the very best ones the web has to offer for your viewing pleasure. Life can be tough sometimes, and no more so than when you do something that just wipes you out. This meme is for all of us who have ever felt that something so simple, or even complicated, even after a short while, is just unbearable. But besides this classic moment, there are all sorts of unforgettable hilarious Spongebob memes that will always be part of our personal collection.

As we bid a sad farewell to Spongebob creator Stephen Hillenburg, people are looking back at all the ways the iconic kids' show has influenced pop culture. We bet you'd never guess that rap music was one of those ways.

Genius, a site that allows users to look up interpretations of music and other art forms, tweeted a list of rap lyrics that reference our yellow friend and his pals. And if you want to relive some of the best moments in Spongebob history, don't get up from your chair because its ready for you here.

"Larry the Lobster Observe" memes combine two of our favorite things: dankness and Spongebob. What started as a memorable quote by Larry the Lobster turned into a sarcastic meme about showing off things that definitely do not deserve to be shown off.

And be sure to stroll on over to Know Your Meme for more, or check out some classical Sponge bob memes to catch up on this meme in case you've been living under a rock the past few years. Or just look back at some of the top Spongebob moments ever, and keep the nostalgia going.

These memes really hit us where it hurts! Right in the feels. Keep the sucker-punches coming with even more savage Spongebob memes If you had any to begin with. But you don't your an empty homonculus like the rest of us. So brush it off and keep on grinding. 

Just like Patrick and Spongebob somehow became the epitome of insanity in their daily attempts to remain as bumbling and gormless as ever, we have an endless supply of hilarious Spongebob classics to supply you with. Or, if you want to walk down memory lane with some of Spongebob's finest moments, you definitely won't be disappointed, and might even remember something you forgot.

We have to admit that here at Memebase we're a little Spongebob-obsessed, but can you blame us? Who doesn't love Spongebob? 

What better combination of things is there than Spongebob and dank memes? Well, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are up there, so maybe it's the second best combination in existence. So sit back, grab a crabby patty, and enjoy the best of the best dank Spongebob memes around. But if you want to go the more nostalgic route, these hilarious classic Spongebob memes will simply never get old.

Is it just us, or do Spongebob memes just keep getting funnier the older we get?

The grand misadventures of Spongebob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward, Mr Krabs and of course, Plankton. To this day I have the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. song stuck in my head... down in the deep blue sea.

We all have a tough week ahead of us, but as exhausted as it will get, you can always relate to these knackered Spongebob memes or these relatable Spongebob Memes or these cynical ones.  

German cartoonist Vincent Kunert is killing it with these clever drawings and animated GIFs. 

Apparently, cows have a great sense of humor. 

Sorry if we are assuming your general malaise. 

There's a bit of a meme rule that's been floating around since as early as 2003. It's called "Rule 34" and it states that if it exists, there's a porn of it. Well, we think there should be another rule regarding the "ruination" of classic cartoons. These creepy renditions of everyone's favorite Monday-hating cat have been popping up largely thanks to horror artist Will Burke. His incredibly creepy drawings of Garfield stalking Jon went viral, and have since inspired similar pieces from many artists. We've rounded up a bunch of creepy examples for your viewing displeasure.

These retro comics really highlight how much slang has changed over the years. The language of yore makes for some seriously raunchy fun! 

Another day, another super exploitable meme format. 

"Hey Man You See That Guy Over There" started in April as a webcomic by Facebook user Florkofcrows. The comic, which features two sock men is supposed to represent the feeling of outrage when a person likes someone you don't. This outrage is basically the premise of many internet exchanges, so naturally the macro has been edited to reference various video games, comics and fandoms. Here are some of our favorite examples.