Experiment 625's Full Story: The Cousin Before Stitch!

Today we are exploring the tragic full story of Experiment 625, who would eventually be known as Reuben. Who is Jumba's last failure before Stitch? How did his friendship with Gantu develop? Was he destined to be a lazy sandwich lover forever?

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ABOUT ME
I’m Isaac Carlson, a creator based out of Orlando, Florida. For the past 10 years, I've been a YouTuber focused on spreading magic by discussing Disney, movies, television series, and the art of animation. Through every project I take part in, I remain committed to creating a positive impact within my community by encouraging every person to remain connected to the nostalgia of childhood so they can follow their passions and pursue their dreams.

Have a magical day, fun people! #liloandstitch

[pinstripecool]

The idea that he’s basically the exact same as stitch the only difference that hes just chill and likes to make sandwiches is so funny to me.

[ajmorningstar]

Reuben is the best character in the series being a friend/dad to gantu, funny, helping lilo and stitch. Reuben is a goat

[TheeHAILSTORMBREAD]

Let's just appreciate the fact that jumba being the underrated character he is managed to create 600 life forms over and over without reaching the point of pure insanity. This guy has more dedication to his experiments than the entire staff of umbrella corporation.

[crazykids]

That was great Reuben is a Iconic person and has a wonderful personality

[deshawnedwards]

How about doing a full Backstory video on Pleakley?

He have not gotten that much attention on the channel when it comes to Lilo and Stitch topic.

[JoeFanik]

It wasn’t until Leroy and Stitch that I not only remembered that Reuben has the same abilities as Stitch, but was pleasantly surprised at him using his potential

[stitchfan]

Reuben is definitely my favorite character in the series

[HeraclesN-fpbw]

Reuben is my favorite of the experiments not only because we are both sandwich 🥪 lovers but also because he is voiced by Rob Paulsen (Dave Wittenberg in the Stitch anime dub while the Japanese voice was Kōji Ochiai)

[nitzan]

I don't think Reuben was "programmed to be lazy" as much as he wasn't programmed with an innate destructive urge. Therefore, like many other sapient, sentient creatures capable of empathy(which we're shown with the pet roach for example), the purpose Jumba assigned him - to destroy everything he touches - rung hollow. He was never a "lazy coward", he just spent most of his life completely unmotivated until he encountered the one primal need he WAS programmed with - food - and could apply himself creatively within it, hence his obsession with sandwiches. It was the only thing he was allowed to create. I think the "I'm lost" moment Stitch went through is something Reuben went through very early in his existence, maybe even as early as his first thoughts(think the Rick and Morty butter-passing robot), and the abandonment just rubbed salt into that old wound that never healed - until the latter half of Leroy and Stitch.

As for the dynamic between him and Gantu, I think they have a lot in common: they were both raised by fathers who saw them as nothing but failures, they're both "evil" out of necessity - you already covered how broken Gantu is, but Reuben literally didn't know better. All he was was a faulty weapon of mass destruction turned sidekick to a mad scientist and then to the henchman of the guy who funded said mad scientist. He mocked, heckled and undermined Gantu because that was their shared normal. He never fought the experiments or aided Hamsterviel because they neveer gave him a reason to. That is until Lilo came to him with a sandwich of her own and offered him literally any other path. The Grand Councilwoman considered all experiments rehabilitated because 625 never needed rehabilitation, he all but jumped at the chance to be good. In reality, he's been a subtler, thoroughly jaded version version of 262 all along.

[xcarnage]

Dude is the definition of "I could, but I'd rather chill and eat." 😂

[JT]

i love how 625 is smarter than a super computer but just uses it for sick burns.XD

[falcoskywolf]

Thank you for this in-depth look at not just Reuben's life, but also the timeline of the Lilo and Stitch series as a whole. It would be great if Disney+ would put series like this into an organized timeline- where it clearly shows which films fall in which order and before/after movies. Because with a franchise like this one, it gets a little muddled.

The television series did a pretty good job of expanding on the depth of the original movie. There are a lot of hidden details and gems that give context and heart.

[arbytv]

I met Reuben’s voice actor, Rob Paulsen, once at Orlando Mega Con 2015.

[ianfortuna]

Right when Captain Gantu was redeemed in Leroy and Stitch I couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the movie

When he named Ruben as his galley officer my smile turned open mouth and brought up how much he loved his egg salad right there I just shook my head and said out loud “It’s a good thing they’re aliens because these guys are too pure for this world!” A wonderful bunch of characters perfectly put together

[royalpain]

I wanna keep Reuben forever!!! He’s so cute and hey fluffy boi makes sandwiches which is always a plus

[MultiverseStevie]

When it comes to the question, if you had one of any of the experiments from Lilo and Stitch as a pet/companion/partner who would it be and why, my answer nowadays would be Reuben. Sure when I was a kid I loved the idea of having Stitch as my best friend, since he had all that drive and energy and power. But more recently I realized that if I was put in a matching machine on what experiment I would get it would 100% be Reuben! We are both, pretty lazy but will stand up for what we believe in when we have to, love food (especially ones that can be put between two pieces of bread.), and both of us have so much more than meets the eye. I feel me and Reuben would balance each other out perfectly. I also ask this question. Disney when are you going to make a plushie for Reuben?! Seriously if Angel has a plushie than Reuben absolutely should too, seeing as they are both iconic characters from the Lilo and Stitch franchise.

[wolfsoldner]

I back then thought that 625 was obsessed with sandwiches, because he was supposed to able to create sandstorms but a translation error turned him into a sandwich guy instead.

[melo]

I really appreciate this video lol as a character that no one talks about

[FireBreather]

He got all of Stitches powers but is too lazy to use them, but he does make nice sandwiches, you could say he's a sandwich connoisseur.

[jadjason]

In the german dub, the other experiments are referred to as "siblings" instead of cousins.
Something I honestly like more since it makes it more personal.
Furthermore, it makes sense.
I mean they were all created by the same guy and therefore have the same "father". ^^