Gloria (Happy Feet)
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| Happy Feet character | |
|---|---|
| Gloria | |
_&_Gloria.jpg/150px-Mumble_(Regular)_&_Gloria.jpg) |
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| Gloria (left) dances with Mumble (right) after the latter has fully lost his youth down. | |
| Species | Emperor Penguin |
| Voiced by | Alyssa Shafer (chick), Brittany Murphy (adult) |
| Sex | Female |
| Heartsong | "Boogie Wonderland" (Earth, Wind & Fire) |
| Mate | Mumble |
Gloria is a fictional emperor penguin, and the romantic interest of Mumble of the 2006 animated film, Happy Feet. She was voiced by Alyssa Shafer as a chick, and Brittany Murphy as an adult.
Contents |
[edit] Happy Feet Story
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The plot summary in this article or section is too long or detailed compared to the rest of the article. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. |
[edit] As a chick
Gloria is the offspring of Maurice and Michelle, fellow colony members and friends of Memphis and Norma Jean. She is slightly older than her best friend, Mumble, and knew him from before he hatched. When Memphis feared that Mumble's egg was stillborn, Gloria tapped on it with her bill - and a pair of feet thumped back. When the egg moved around and made muffled sounds, Gloria named the chick "Mr. Mumble," and the name stuck.
In Miss Viola's class in Penguin Elementary, Gloria quickly established herself as a musical prodigy, and Mumble is entranced by her wonderful voice. When Mumble himself tries to sing, he can accomplish nothing more than squeaky screeching. The entire class laughs at him - all except Gloria, who defends him. In subsequent singing classes, Mumble spends his time at the back of the class and daydreams, while Gloria sings more beautifully by the day.
[edit] As a young adult
Gloria grows to be the "popular girl" in her class, and graduates as the best singer of her generation. During their celebratory swim after graduation, Mumble runs awkwardly into Gloria, and tries to express his feelings for her. A rare school of fish suddenly appears, and though Gloria doesn't secure one, Mumble offers her his catch. The fish is nearly snatched away by a hungry skua, but Mumble holds fast and wins it back, insisting that Gloria have it. Realizing the significance of his gift, Gloria takes it and graciously thanks him.
On graduation night, Gloria performs a rousing rendition of "Somebody to Love," and Mumble is so moved by her voice that he tries to harmonize with his own. Mumble is angrily shouted down by his peers, and in an attempt to protect him, Gloria tells him, "it's better you just... you listen, you know?" Regardless, Mumble is shunned by the party, and becomes separated from his class by morning.
[edit] Soul mates
During Mumble's time in Adélie Land, Gloria gains hundreds of interested suitors, as her reputation precedes her. By the time Mumble returns, Gloria is nearly overwhelmed by the amount of attention. She sings her Heartsong, "Boogie Wonderland," endlessly - but none of the males interest her in the least. Mumble attempts to impress her with a lip synced Spanish rendition of "My Way," but Gloria is too shrewd to be fooled by his ruse. Though she and Mumble are true companions, Mumble simply does not have a Heartsong. When Gloria starts heading back to the mob of suitors, Mumble attempts to harmonize with her Heartsong by tapping in rhythm. He proves so successful that not only does he win over Gloria, but nearly the entire colony begins to dance along with the couple. Their fun is cut short by Noah, the Emperor Nation's wizened leader. He calls Mumble's dancing "unruly nonsense" and scapegoats him for bringing famine to the colony. According to the elders, Mumble's "happy feet" are a deviant "pagan" practice that is displeasing the emperor's deity, the Great 'Guin, and the god is withholding the fish as punishment. When Mumble is banished from Emperor Nation, Gloria greatly protests the action taken, and has to be restrained by her parents as Mumble leaves.
Unbeknownst to Mumble and the amigos, however, Gloria follows them and catches up to the group. Professing love for her chosen mate, Gloria wants to journey with him. Mumble doesn't want her to come in harm's way, though - and he insults her repeatedly, driving her away so he can continue on. Gloria doesn't realize that Mumble is only trying to protect her, however - she takes his words seriously as she turns to leave. Hurting, but determined, Mumble continues onward.
[edit] Reunion
About three months later, Mumble returns to the Emperor Nation, exclaiming that he has found the source of the food shortage. "I found out who's taking the fish. They're big, and uh... kind of ugly, but oh Gloria, the things that they can do! And they're coming here!" Gloria, both angry and happy to see him again, is just as skeptical as the rest. Mumble sees her first approaching him fellow classmate Seymour at her side, and a group of rowdy chicks in tow. Thinking she has paired up with Seymour, Mumble asks which chick is her own. "All of them... this is our singing class! He (Seymour) teaches rhythm, I teach the blues," she responds. Gloria "never heard the right song," and remained alone the entire period of Mumble's absence. She is the first to notice Mumble's radio tracker that the aliens attached when they freed him from captivity.
When Mumble is subjected to a vicious and irrational verbal attack by Noah for coming back to the colony, Gloria defends him and undermines Noah's fear-mongering, faulty logic. Soon the colony is divided - those who believe Mumble, and dance as he suggests, and those who support Noah and colony tradition, singing to show their support. When a helicopter of five researchers suddenly lands at the outskirts of the colony, Gloria is the second/third to join in with Mumble's cue to dance, his father being the first and mother coming in on the same beat as she does. The entire population - including the elders - follow suit.
Apparently Mumble's odd display worked, because the fish return in droves, and he is heralded as a hero. Most importantly, he and Gloria are finally together, as they were fated from the start. A little chick is seen in the end that appears to be Mumble and Gloria's chick because it was seen dancing in the middle of the two and seen dancing in the credits.; it is most often viewed as such.
