27 Years Later, Linus’ Final ‘Peanuts’ Quote Is a Brilliant Comic Strip Callback

Linus’s final *Peanuts* strips show how Charles Schulz continued to use the character’s philosophical wit near the end of the comic’s run. An October 1999 exchange about waiting for the school bus stands out: Linus says the children are learning how their lives are controlled by those in power, a line that recalls his earlier, irreverent political views.

Many characters and recurring jokes had their last appearances in the months before Schulz retired for health reasons, often without being intended as farewells. Linus’s last speaking role was on 14 December 1999, his security blanket appeared for the last time on 13 November, and his final appearance was a wordless snowball fight on 1 January 2000, the last weekday strip.