|
| “ | Sasha: A bird? You guys are scared of a bird? Grime: Quiet. It's not just a bird. It's a heron, a murderous predator that happens to love the taste of flesh. |
„ |
| ~ Grime explains the danger of the herons to Sasha. |
| “ | It was a few years ago. I was on a journey when the herons attacked Wartwood. Sprig and Polly survived. But their parents... weren't so lucky. | „ |
| ~ Hop Pop tells Anne what happened to Sprig and Polly's parents. |
The Giant Herons are major antagonists in the Disney Channel series Amphibia. They are a duo of ravenous birds that terrorized Wartwood and the surrounding valley for years, and are responsible for killing Sprig and Polly’s parents.
Appearance[]
The Giant Herons are significantly larger than their Earth counterparts, possessing beaks with sharp teeth, long necks, and dangerous talons on their feet. One of them has red eyes, a purple beak, and dark teal plumage, while the other has yellow eyes, a red beak, and navy blue plumage. The latter has an X-shaped scar under its left wing, given to it by Hop Pop. When outfitted with mind-control technology by King Andrias and The Core, they were outfitted with gray armor on their heads, necks, and wings, along with mind-control collars which turn their eyes pink.
Biography[]
For many years, the herons had savagely attacked Wartwood and the surrounding valley. One attack occurred while Hop Pop was away on a journey. Sprig and Polly’s parents died in the attack protecting their children from the herons. By the time Hop Pop returned, it was too late to save his family, but he managed to permanently scar one of the herons before they left. Hop Pop blamed himself for their deaths, believing that if he had been there he could’ve protected them. From then on, he vowed that he would do anything to protect his family.
In “Prison Break”, Captain Grime’s interrogation of Sasha Waybright is interrupted when Braddock alerts him that the herons are nearing the South Toad Tower. Grime tells Sasha about how dangerous the herons are, and says that the birds should leave them alone as long as they remain very quiet. Unfortunately, Percy (who had been convinced to quit the Toad Army by Sasha) leaves the tower while playing multiple instruments, which attracts the herons to the tower, with one of them breaking through the wall of Sasha’s prison cell. Most of the toads besides Grime were too scared to fight back, but Grime, recognizing Sasha’s fighting skill, agrees to free her if she helps fight the herons off. Grime berates the toads for their cowardice, but Sasha pulls him aside and explains that the army will be more willing to listen to him if he stops insulting them and encourages them instead. Sasha’s advice works, and she and the toads successfully fight off the herons, and then throw a big feast afterward.
In “Bizarre Bazaar”, when Hop Pop discovers the Calamity Box is dangerous from Leif’s book, he panics and buries the box outside the Plantar home, not wanting anything that could potentially endanger his family, including Anne. In “After the Rain”, Anne is furious when she discovers this and decides to leave the Plantar house and live somewhere else. The next day, Hop Pop finds Anne and apologetically explains how he considers himself responsible for Sprig and Polly’s parents’ deaths to the herons. A brief flashback shows the herons in Wartwood with many of its buildings on fire. Anne forgives Hop Pop, though things are awkward between them for a while.
The herons reappear in the penultimate episode “All In”, where they are mind-controlled by Andrias to take part in the invasion of Earth, where they attack several vehicles and buildings. Initially, the U.S. military attempts to fight the herons with their tanks, but this has little success. The Plantars attempt to join the fight, but are paralyzed with fear thanks to their trauma from the Wartwood attack. However, the Plantars overcome their fears when they see the herons about to kill the Boonchuys. While riding Frobo, Polly shoots a grappling hook at one of the herons while it’s in the air, causing it to fall to the ground and crash into the other one. The impact breaks the mind-control collars, and the Plantars then tame the birds using the Plantar family hunting dance. Later, Sprig flies on one of the tamed herons up to where Anne was fighting Andrias so he could read him Leif’s letter. The heron attacks Andrias but he throws it back down to the ground.
The herons are last seen after the battle is over, cleaning up wreckage under Mr. X's supervision. It’s unclear what happened to them afterward, but they are seemingly still on Earth.
Trivia[]
- The herons are referenced in “Adventures in Catsitting”, where the Plantars encounter an ordinary Earth heron and are horrified to see it.
- The herons from "Prison Break" are not the same herons from "All In" as they lack the scars.
External Links[]
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
Newtopia Frobots Others Toad Army Los Angeles Others | ||