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“
You don't need to be afraid. I know it's dark, but you'll get used to it.
„
~ Botticelli Remorso making his first appearance.
Botticelli Remorso is the main antagonist of the 2003 fantasy novel The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo and its 2008 computer-animated film adaptation of the same name by Universal Pictures. He is a cruel and manipulative sewer rat who serves as the tyrannical leader of the rat world.
When Roscuro falls into the sewers after being abandoned by his friend Pietro and accidentally causing the Queen of Dor to have a fatal heart attack, Botticelli comes across Roscuro and takes him to his kingdom. As a result of the Queen's death, the King passes a law that would ban soup and outlaw rats. Because of that, the citizens of Dor fell into depression and the kingdom became a gloomy place. At his kingdom, Botticelli prepares a feast for his people, but notices Roscuro not eating. He asks him why he is not joining them and tells him that nothing in the outside world is there for him as he leaves. His right-hand servant informs him that he is not going turn Roscuro in and Botticelli tells him that he is still a rat, no matter where he is from.
When Despereaux is later banished to the dungeon for his courageous behavior, he comes across a prison guard named Gregory, who is sleeping and being mugged by the rats. After Gregory awakens, Despereaux explains to him about Princess Pea wanting the kingdom to go back the way that it was, but Gregory doesn't believe him and throws Despereaux aside before the rats capture him. Despereaux is then placed in a coliseum in which Botticelli unleashes a ferocious cat to kill him. The cat proceeds to attack Despereaux and Botticelli prepares to have him finished off, but Roscuro intercepts him and offers to eat him instead. Roscuro rescues Despereaux and takes him to his hideout, where they talk about Princess Pea.
As Roscuro later tries to apologize to Princess Pea about what happened earlier, she, upon recognizing him from the incident, lashes out at Roscuro which causes him to retreat into the dungeon. Upon feeling hurt, Roscuro uses Pea's servant Miggery Sow as his pawn to kidnap the princess and send her to the rats before locking her up in a prison cell after double-crossing her. Pea finds Despereaux and informs him to take the necklace to the King in order to warn him about the danger, but he fails when ends up losing it on the way up. Despereaux does his attempt to warn the King and his people by telling them that Pea is in danger and needs help, but to no avail as the King is too despondent to listen and the mice being afraid by Despereaux's presence as they think he is dead. Meanwhile, Chef Andre decides to bring back soup and happiness to the kingdom while he also brings back Boldo. Despereaux finds the two and informs them about Pea in danger, but Andre doesn't believe him and refuses to listen. However, Boldo takes Despereaux to the coliseum, but not before getting attacked by the rats and losing his body.
As Botticelli prepares to have Pea mauled, he announces that there will be rats in the outside world. Botticelli has Roscuro signal the other rats to kill the princess, but when he sees the apologetic sincerity in her eyes, he suddenly realized what he had done and has a change of heart, deciding not to do the deed. Enraged, Botticelli decides to do it himself and the rats head over to kill the princess. However, Despereaux arrives and unleashes the cat, causing the rats to retreat in terror. Botticelli orders the other rats to attack Despereaux, but he easily manages to defeat them all. However, Botticelli captures Despereaux and attempts to kill him by preparing to feed him to the cat. Before he could finish off Despereaux, Botticelli is suddenly distracted when he is blinded by light reflected off Pea's necklace. Roscuro blinds him even more, causing Botticelli to fall to the ground, where he is confronted by the cat. The feline attacks him and chases Botticelli into the knight helmet, whereupon Pea locks it as the cat kills Botticelli inside.
Personality
Botticelli is domineering, oppressive, pompous, and tyrannical. He is a greedy and manipulative sewer rat who plans to devour all the humans of the kingdom, so that he and the rats could have a commanding influence on the outside world and roam the city for life. He is shown to be a sadistic and deceptive trickster, as he loves to trick others and watch them suffer.
In the book, Botticelli Remorso is not killed off; rather, he lives in the darkness of the dungeons with the rest of the rats after Despereaux de-tails Roscuro, meaning that Boticelli does not get the proper comeuppance for his deeds compared to his fate in the movie. Thus, he is a Karma Houdini in the book, but not in the movie.
His fate in the video game is similar to his fate in the book, as he wasn't killed by the cat.
Nathaniel Parker and Rainn Wilson were both considered for the role of Botticelli Remorso before Ciarán Hinds was cast.
Boticelli's surname comes from the word "Remorse". However, it's very ironic for this character; Boticelli Remorso can feel anything but remorse.
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