They say opposites attract, but Eustace and Muriel's relationship has you questioning that common phrase in Courage the Cowardly Dog. Muriel is a sweet Sottish woman who takes in an abandoned pup and bakes pies, but her husband Eustice is everything but nice. He has a dislike for Courage and often likes to scare him to near death or berate him.
Eustace also tends to be demanding and often scolds Muriel for not having his dinner ready or just grunts angrily. He is the definition of a grumpy old man. Yet, throughout the show, Eustice does have his occasional nice moments, if you can call them that. Let's take a look at his nicest moments—or his less-grumpy moments, to be more precise.
Mission To Save The Sun
In "Mission to the Sun," you can consider the storyline a show of Eustace's kindness. The Bagge's family are, for some reason, given the mission to stop the sun from burning out under the ruse that they're taking a trip for a timeshare. Instead of only Courage saving the day, as usual, Eustice tags along, and so does Muriel.
This can be considered an act of kindness, seeing as Eustace hates being involved in anything that doesn't involve sitting in his chair. If Muriel goes, so does Eustace, even if he proves unable to help in the end.
Compliments Muriel's Sick Remedy
Eustace isn't easy to please in any way and doesn't like to complement Muriel in any way. But, in "Hard Drive Courage," he does have a slight nice moment at the very end. Eustice suffers from a horrible cold, and Muriel tries some of the grossest remedies to heal him.
He shows his disgust to all of them, but, at the very end, he happily gulps down artichoke syrup soup and compliments Muriel because it's not too bad and actually gives a smile.
Buys Courage A Meal
Eustace's dislike for Courage is blatantly obvious, and it's rare for him to show kindness towards him. When Eustace goes out to buy a burger in "Heads of Beef," he buys one for Courage, as well. He even agrees to buy a pastry for Murial from a bakery.
When Courage's stomach grumbles at the diner, Eustice decides to show some compassion and order him a hamburger. Even though he tells the cook to make Courage the smallest burger they have. At least Eustace is willing to not let Courage go hungry.
Makes Breakfast In Bed
This act of kindness by Eustace has a catch to it. In "The Duck Brothers," a pair of alien duck siblings try to use Muriel with their mind control device. Courage comes to the rescue and offers the brothers a deal for their mind control device.
This time Courage uses the device on Eustace for some generous fun. Because Eustace is under mind control, he performs an act of kindness that baffles Muriel. He makes her breakfast in bed, and he even makes an extra meal for Courage. It's the most generous thing Eustice has done, even if it's because Courage is making him do it.
Worried After He Messes Up
Eustace does do a lot of the handyman jobs around the house. In "Dr. Le Quack, Amnesia Specialist," while fixing the roof, he accidentally hits Muriel on the head, causing severe amnesia. He looks physically worried and shows some kindness towards her.
He carries her inside with a sad look on his face. He offers her a cup of tea to try and see if it helps soothe her. This may not seem like much, but, for Eustice to care for in the slightest way is an act of kindness for him.
Is She Going To Be Safe
It's rare that Eustace and Muriel go on any form of outside excursions. But, in "Serpent of Evil River," they go on a "cruise," but only because it's free. Unfortunately, there's a sinister plot behind it all, and Eustace and Muriel are suckered into helping the captain capture a special sea serpent.
It sounds like dangerous work, especially when Muriel is going to be the one to go in the cage that will be lowered into the water. This is where Eustace shows one of the rare occasions of worry for his wife. He inspects the cage and asks in a worried tone if the cage is safe. He doesn't want Muriel to get hurt. Aww.
Helping With The Little Things
Eustace can be a real hothead, and it's proven in the episode "Hot Head." Even though a new hair growth serum proves to be explosive whenever Eustace gets mad, it also proves his kindness. Eustice may not be the most attentive husband, but he does help in the little things.
After many requests, Eustace tries to fix the squeak in Muriel's chair. He also helps her with the things she can't do. He helps her try to open a jar in the kitchen and thread the thin thread through the needle. Maybe it's the small acts of kindness that matter to Muriel.
Helps Exorcise The Demon
When Muriel buys a new bed to replace her old lumpy one, she didn't realize it harbors an evil spirit. The spirit then possesses her in an homage to the classic horror film The Exorcist. Courage finds a how-to guide to exorcise the spirit, and Eustace is there to help. In an act of kindness to save his wife, he follows the steps, even if it means wearing Muriel's nightgown and speaking nonsense.
Even though he fails the first time, he decides to take some precautions. He comes back ready to fight wearing a hazmat suit to try and save Muriel from the spirit.
A Boy Needs A Hat
In "The Curse of Shirley," Eustace gets cursed by a medium for slamming the door in her face when she seeks spare change. He is cursed with a dark cloud over his head that constantly rains. Eustace soon turns delusional, and Courage seeks a solution.
Eustace must look into a mirror and confuses Courage for the child version of himself. The young Eustace weeps and is in pain because his head burns, causing his hair loss. Eustace feels sorry for him and realizes he doesn't have a hat. In a moment of generosity and kindness, Eustice gives his young self his own hat.
Momma Is Pretty
The nicest moment Eustace has ever displayed is towards his mother. Eustace goes to visits his mother in "Mother's Day". His mother would rather care and attend to Courage than show any love for her son. You start to feel bad for Eustace, as his mother also favored her other son, who is now deceased.
When trying to prove himself, his mother sneezes, revealing that she wears a wig. She is distraught, thinking Eustace can't love her as a mother if she has no hair. Eustace does the sweetest thing and consoles her. He assures her that, even without hair, she always looks good to him.