Bushroot

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Bushroot
First appearance	"Beauty and the Beet" (September 1991)
Created by

Dr. Reginald Bushroot is a fictional character, a supervillain from the animated television series Darkwing Duck, produced by The Walt Disney Company. Bushroot is voiced by Tino Insana.

[edit] Background

This duck scientist-turned-villain was once a renowned botanist, but his funding for his experiments into grafting the ability to photosynthesize onto animals was about to be cut off. Desperate to prove his theories were correct and the experiment would work, Bushroot performed the experiment on himself and was permanently transformed into a half-duck half-plant creature. He used his newfound talent to pursue revenge on rival scientists Dr. Gary and Dr. Larson (probably named after Gary Larson, the cartoonist behind The Far Side) who had nicknamed him "Reggie the Veggie", as well as to woo Dr. Rhoda Dendron, a comely fellow female scientist, who had previously defended Bushroot from bullies. After learning of his powers, Bushroot manages to kill Dr. Gary and Larson with his vines for revenge. However, Rhoda was dismayed by Bushroot's lack of scientific ethics, and shunned him when he appeared before her. Heartbroken and not a little insane, Bushroot took her hostage, intending to perform the same experiment that turned him into a half-duck, half-plant creature on her, only to be stopped by Darkwing Duck.

In later episodes Bushroot mainly commits crime to fund his experiments, though sometimes he acts in a manner reminiscent of an ecoterrorist. Bushroot has the ability to control any and all forms of plant, though some seem to obey better than others, and he sometimes has to use chemicals or fertilizers to make a plant of any actual use in a fight. In one episode, he attempted to create a mate for himself; however, he mistakenly used the wrong seeds, and his prospective bride turned out to be a giant slobbering mutant potato. With this, he has a pet plant named Spike, which resembles a large Venus Flytrap. Bushroot has the ability to regenerate himself when cut and, thus, is virtually impossible to kill. He has also been known to fake his death through leaving dried dummy husks behind and regenerating through various methods, including seedlings, tiny running plants, or even an ordinary-seeming log. Aside from his many villainous plant cohorts, Bushroot was also allied as a member of the Fearsome Five, acting as one of NegaDuck's henchmen.

When Negaduck stole all his powers, Bushroot, like Liquidator, didn't revert back to his original form. Instead, his altered appearance was kept even though he didn't have his powers.

[edit] Themes

The first episode to feature him may well be the darkest episode of the show; Bushroot murders the two scientists who bullied him, and is seemingly killed himself. More than any other villain, he seems to be a homage to the darker Batman comics, possessing a true backstory and sympathetic qualities.

Loneliness and alienation are the major themes of Bushroot-related episodes. On several occasions he attempts to create a companion for himself, someone who will understand him and share his existence and ideals. These plans invariably fail.

[edit] Influences

The most easily noticeable derivation of his likeness is the similarity to his original episode title, "Beauty and the Beet," which refers to the fairy tale and draws a comparison of Bushroot to the Beast. This similarity lasts only so long as the episode does however.

Bushroot seems largely to be based on the DC Comics supervillain, the Floronic Man, whose plant-based powers and transformation from human scientist into man-like plant creature (due to a biochemical accident) parallel those of the cartoon villain. Like Bushroot, the Floronic man's actual name is a combination of two plant-related words (Wood + rue).

Another inspiration for Bushroot could be the Batman villain Poison Ivy, as her origin story is remarkably similar, as is her M.O. of eco-terrorism and the style of adversary she faces (i.e., Batman). Notably, she is also a creation of the Floronic Man.

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Characters
Main Characters	Darkwing Duck/Drake Mallard | Gosalyn Mallard | Launchpad McQuack | Honker Muddlefoot
Villains	NegaDuck | Megavolt | Bushroot | Quackerjack | The Liquidator | F.O.W.L. | Splatter Phoenix | Taurus Bulba | Hammerhead, Hoof and Mouth | Dr. Fossil | Phineas Sharp
Minor Characters	Herb, Binkie and Tank Muddlefoot | J. Gander Hooter | Vladimir Goudenov Grizzlikof | Gizmoduck | Morgana Macawber | Stegmutt | Dr. Sarah Bellum | DarkWarrior Duck
Other
Misc	St. Canard | Calisota | Darkly Dawns the Duck | Characters
Media	Episodes | DVDs | Darkwing Duck video game
See also	Tad Stones | DuckTales | Double-O-Duck | The Disney Afternoon