Everard Maltravers (known as Baron Vandertilt in the sequel) is the main antagonist of the 1999 critically panned Italian animated film The Legend of the Titanic and returns as a minor antagonist in its 2004 sequel In Search of the Titanic.
He was voiced by Gregory Snegoff, who also played Scott Bernard in Robotech.
Biography[]
Maltravers is a tall, middle-aged man with graying hair (colored red in the sequel) and an eyepatch over his right eye. He is a greedy, selfish whaler who is also the captain of a whaling fleet. He is assisted by his butler Jeffries, as well as the Duchess of Camden. Despite his butler's loyalty, Maltravers is quite cruel to him.
Maltravers is first seen boarding the RMS Titanic. He has asked for Elizabeth's (The Duchess's stepdaughter) hand in marriage, which he needs to obtain global whaling rights from her father. The much younger Elizabeth is repulsed at this idea, though her stepmother pressures her into marrying Maltravers. However, Elizabeth falls for a gypsy by the name of Don Juan. Upon discovering this, Maltravers orders his butler to keep an eye on both Elizabeth and Juan.
It is also revealed that Maltravers is working with a gang of talking sharks. With their help, Maltravers plans to sink the Titanic but escape alive.
When Elizabeth denies him her hand in marriage, Maltravers resorts to drastic measures. He has Jeffries kidnap the Duke of Camden and bring him to his office. While Jeffries holds the Duke at gunpoint, he and Rachel force the Duke to sign a whaling concession. The Duke is nervous, but Maltravers threatens to kill Elizabeth and Juan if the Duke doesn't sign it. The Duke is left there, but is later rescued by Elizabeth and Juan. Maltravers also gets the sharks to sink the Titanic by tricking a giant octopus into throwing an iceberg, which lands in the Titanic's path. Right before the ship hits the iceberg, Maltravers and his cohorts escape by stealing one of the Titanic's lifeboats.
Nevertheless, Maltravers' plans are thwarted. He and his cohorts end up lost in the North Atlantic. Despite this, he appears as an antagonist (of more minor importance) in In Search of the Titanic. It is never explained how he managed to survive.
Trivia[]
- Maltravers is similar to Cal Hockley, the main antagonist of the live-action film Titanic (which the animated films were obviously based on): They are wealthy and have loyal butlers who aid them, and they also seek to marry the heroine by any means necessary.