Named like the flower, baby Swee’Pea was in the care of Olive Oyl and Popeye, first appearing in E.C. Segar’s comic strip Thimble Theatre in 1933. The Popeye strip, which began in 1929, also featured other characters including Wimpy, Bluto, Harold Hamgravy, and Castor Oyl.

In the comics, after Popeye discovers a baby on his front porch, the pipe smoking spinach guzzling sailor decides to adopt the baby and raise him as his own. The bundle of joy is given the name Swee’Pea, a term of endearment Popeye had used for girlfriend Olive Oyl. At first, Swee’Pea is only able to muster the sound, “glop.” As time went on, he increased his vocabulary and was even able to throw punches like Popeye, although he stayed at baby size.

The story of baby Swee’Pea’s arrival differs in the animated cartoons created by Fleischer Studios (later Famous Studios). Instead of arriving at Popeye’s front door, the baby is delivered to the Oyl home, where Popeye also lived. Although, the storyline was unclear as to whether Olive gave birth to Swee’Pea. Fleischer Studios also stated baby Swee’Pea was the Crown Prince of Demonia, and his mother left him for a sailor to take care of him, meaning Popeye. Swee’Pea’s life was in danger because his birth father was killed for his throne, so his mother hid him for safety from his uncle.