Disney added a little chaos to its collection of classic animations with the release of Lilo & Stitch in 2002. This sci-fi comedy-drama tells the story of an alien who crash-lands in Hawaii and gets adopted by a little girl who is at risk of being taken away from her older sister.
While the film packed in quirky dialogue and big laughs, it also contained a few plot points and inconsistencies that didn't add up. We're here to dive into these now. Before we get started, it's worth noting that we're going to get picky here. Additionally, we won't be considering any material discussed in the Lilo & Stitch sequels or TV series. With that said, it's time to venture out to the islands of Hawaii; here are ten things that don't make sense about Lilo & Stitch.
Nani And Lilo’s House Is An Actual Wreck
Though social worker Cobra Bubbles comes around by the end of the film, he's concerned about the Nani and Lilo's living conditions at the start.
Nani leaves food boiling on the stove while she isn't home, the dishes are piling high, and the front door is nailed shut (courtesy of Lilo). You've got to sympathize with Bubbles. He's not crazy for thinking Lilo and Nani's house is kinda crazy.
Why Did Nani Let Lilo Get A Dog Just Days Before Bubbles' Deadline?
Bubbles warns Nani that she has three days to get the house (and her parenting skills together), otherwise, he’ll take Lilo away from her. Nani doesn’t want to lose her sister and takes the warning seriously, so why does she let Lilo adopt a dog right before the deadline? How could this be a good idea?
Even though Lilo is lonely, a dog would add a lot of chaos to the girls’ already chaotic household. Nani should have waited just a few more days.
Why Does Nani Let Lilo Adopt Stitch?
Stitch is clearly not a dog. He doesn’t resemble any breed of dog and his mannerisms are far wilder. Why then would Nani let Lilo adopt Stitch?
Nani then waits until the newly-formed trio gets home to tell Lilo that she must take Stitch back to the kennel. It doesn't make sense to let her little sister get attached to an ugly creature when she could have stopped the mess right from the start.
Why Does The Kennel Have Stitch In The First Place?
Lika Nani, the front desk worker at the kennel is shocked when Lilo chooses to adopt Stitch. She says that they thought Stitch was dead. If this is true, however, why did they lock him up in a cage as if he was one of the dogs?
Isn't there a far better way to dispose of a dead dog than put it with the other pets? Why would the kennel even allow a little girl to catch sight of a dog that they thought was dead?
Does The Social Worker Have Nothing Better To Do?
As previously mentioned, it’s understandable why any social worker would be concerned about Lilo’s living conditions. However, Bubbles seems to be hovering awfully close to the case.
Couldn’t Bubbles just return in three days as he promised? Why does he feel the need to follow Nani and Lilo around town, even to the beach? It's kind of creepy, like it's almost stalking, especially when he should have other things to do.
What Did Stitch Say To Jumba And Pleakley To Make Them Rescue Lilo?
Nani understandably freaks out after Lilo is taken away by Captain Gantu. She pleads with Jumba and Pleakley to bring Lilo back, but they claim there's no way; it would be a misuse of galactic resources.
Realizing that Nani and Lilo are his family, Stitch pleads with the aliens to save Lilo. Jumba agrees, explaining to Pleakley that Stitch was persuasive. Sadly, we never get to find out what Stitch said to change the minds of these aliens. The audience is left wondering.
The Social Worker’s Requirements Are Inconsistent
We already covered the fact that Bubbles is far too tuned into Lilo's family, but that's not the only problem with him. Bubbles isn't very clear about what Nani must do to keep Lilo. He at first talks about getting the house under control, but he ultimately decides to take Lilo after she almost drowns at the beach. How is it Nani's fault that Stitch pulled her down in the water? Bubbles watched the whole event play out. He knows Nani was doing the best any guardian could in the same situation.
Later, Nani gets excited over a new job prospect, believing that if she gets it, Bubbles will let her keep Lilo. The problem? Her lack-of-job isn't the reason Bubbles decided to take Lilo in the first place.
The Grand Councilwoman Forgot About Earth
When Stitch is at first sent to earth, the Grand Councilwoman acts as if she doesn't know where that is. While there's nothing wrong with this, it doesn't explain how she knows Bubbles.
Grand Councilwoman recognizes the social worker, and he reminds her they met once in 1973 when he was part of the CIA. How could they have met if she hadn't been to earth? Perhaps he traveled to space instead, but this still isn't covered.
Why Don’t The Other Aliens Go Home?
While Stitch is banished to a lifetime on Earth, Jumba and Pleakley aren't. Nevertheless, they choose to stay on earth, but this is never explained.
Yes, the Grand Councilwoman doesn't allow the two aliens to board her spaceship, surely, there was something else the two aliens could have done. Were they that ready to leave behind the only life they knew to join a family they knew nothing about? We see them repairing Nani and Lilo's house, watching TV, and even sharing Thanksgiving with the crew.
Why Is Lilo Instantly Accepted Again?
Lilo gets a better home life after the whole almost-being-abducted-by-aliens incident. As mentioned, we see the aliens and Bubbles joining in on the family fun. That being said, improvements at home shouldn't automatically free Lilo of her social-outcast status.
We get glimpses of Lilo hanging out with the other girls again, and they even let Stitch join in on the fun. Lilo literally bit Mertle near the beginning of the film, so why are the friends so willing to let Lilo back into their group?