Bushroot
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| Bushroot | |
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| Image:Bushroot2.jpg --> | |
| First appearance | "Beauty and the Beet" (September 1991) |
| Created by | |
| Also known as | |
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.
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[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 (identified in a later episode as Lycium nycanthropus). 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; they are drawn similarly to how Larson drew scientists himself) 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 environmentalist, such as Greenpeace or PETA. 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 named Posie. 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 own 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.
[edit] Appearance
Bushroot has dark green feathers (or more precisely that film that covers the plant's stem) over his torso and face, roots for legs (with some of the roots' wood making up his pelvis area), an orange beak, turquoise eyes, vines for arms, ivy leaves for hands, and shaggy magenta foliage for hair.
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.
He has also been known to befriend Darkwing Duck in one episode, aiding the hero with his plant controlling powers. This mutual friendship, which Bushroot began to enjoy towards the end, is cut short when he no longer serves a use for the hero. It is also thought that Darkwing enjoyed Reggie's company as well, but he reminds himself that villains and heroes are like water and oil and thus pushes Bushroot to run from the police towards the end of the show.
[edit] Influences
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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 modus operandi of eco-terrorism and the style of adversary she faces (i.e., Batman). Notably, she is also a creation of the Floronic Man.
[edit] Trivia
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- A recurring theme in episodes featuring Bushroot involve his pet flytrap, Spike, to be chemically altered making him either smaller or larger than usual.
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