Henry J. Waternoose III/Synopsis

Synopsis

The history of the corrupt CEO of Monsters, Incorporated Henry J. Waternoose III from Monsters, Inc.

Beginnings[]

Waternoose in the Monsters, Inc. commercial.

Henry J. Waternoose III was born into the wealthy Waternoose family. For three generations, Monsters, Inc. has been in Mr. Waternoose's family ever since its creation, owning and founding by his grandfather, Henry J. Waternoose I, and was inherited from his father, Henry J. Waternoose II, by the age of 142. At one point, Waternoose married a monster from New Squealand named Wendy Rogers. Together, they had a son who Waternoose named after himself as well as his father and grandfather. His and his son's relationship becomes strained in the ensuing years, however, most likely because Mr. Waternoose was more focused on business. Due to this, Henry J. Waternoose IV changed his name to Roger Rogers (the latter half being his mother's maiden name, and the former half being a one-letter difference for a new first name). It's also said that Waternoose and Wendy divorced and she gained custody over Roger and she moved back to New Squealand and raised him there (though, as of now in Monsters at Work, Roger moved back to Monstropolis and became part of Monsters, Inc.).

His family troubles aside, Waternoose told the Scarers that came to his company that all human children were toxic and deadly and that a single touch from a child could kill a monster, accidental or not (which later became disproved).

Many years later, Mr. Waternoose was recently troubled, disappointed and stressed that Monsters, Inc. was starting to fail because children were increasingly no longer scared of monsters like they were used to be. Therefore, the energy used to power the city (scream energy) was being decreased and forcing Mr. Waternoose to desperately look for ways to save the company and end the crisis before it's too late.

Monsters University[]

A middle-aged Waternoose greeting teenage Sulley and Mike at Monsters, Inc.

In the prequel, Mr. Waternoose did not physically appear, but was seen making a cameo appearance in a photo shaking hands with a teenage Sulley and Mike when they are promoted as new members of the scaring team at Monsters, Inc.

In the photo, he was seen as a younger, middle-aged monster with an Afro and facial hair, which he would later lose as the years go by.

Upon meeting Sulley and Mike after they tried-out to become official scarers, Waternoose was pleased and welcomed them to their new workplace after working from promotion to promotion.

Between Monsters University and Monsters, Inc.[]

A little while after that, Waternoose was soon approached by another Scarer he hired named Randall Boggs, who proposed that, to end the forthcoming energy crisis, they would construct a machine that Randall dubbed the "Scream Extractor" and kidnap children from the human world to use as subjects. Waternoose had his doubts, but when the energy crisis starts to get larger, he reluctantly approves of Randall's idea. In order to create the Scream Extractor, Waternoose would have to order parts from outside manufacturing facilities.

Soon, the head of the M.I. Mail Department, the Abominable (later Adorable) Snowman, ends up reading Waternoose's letter detailing the Scream Extractor. Waternoose soon finds out about his snooping, and to avoid him reporting his plans to the authorities, Waternoose banished him to the Himalayas. Rumors about why Adorable got the boot have since been passed around in the company.

Randall and Waternoose soon finished making the Scream Extractor and hid it away in a covert boiler room contained in M.I.

Monsters, Inc.[]

Waternoose first appears when Thaddeus guesses that leaving a door open could let in a draft, correcting him and saying that it could let in a child. Everyone is surprised to see that their somewhat intimidating yet well-meaning boss has arrived. Waternoose warns them that there is nothing more toxic or deadly than a human child since they could get killed if it touches them even once. After telling Thaddeus to leave the door open so that the child could walk right into this factory, right into the Monster World, one of the monsters gets scared and tells Mr. Waternoose that he cannot make them go in a child's room, but the boss tells him they must because they need power for the screams as he uncorks a scream can and lets a scream split the air.

After this, Waternoose proceeds to explain that the city needs the children's screams, as it's their source of power, and since it is dangerous work, they really need to do their best. He also tells them that he needs Scarers who are, as he describes, "confident, tenacious, tough and intimidating" like his top Scarer; James P. Sullivan.

Waternoose asking Sulley to perform a terrifying demonstration on the participants tomorrow.

That afternoon, Mr. Waternoose congratulated Sulley on scaring a whole sleeping slumber party. Shortly afterwards, the CDA arrives by alert of a "2319" when George Sanderson had a sock taped to his back. Mr. Waternoose expresses his displeasure at how the entire Scare Floor is being put out of commission at the moment. Shortly after, Mr. Waternoose asks Sulley in the coffee break room to come into the training room and perform a terrifying demonstration on the participants tomorrow, all while explaining about how his company has been with his family for over three generations and would often keep it from going under. Sulley agrees and says he will start with the "Old Waternoose Jump and Growl", in which Sulley roars at his boss, causing him to bounce in shock and drop his now-empty coffee cup and be scared at first, but laughs and regained his composure, seeing that Sulley's trick never gets old at all, and Mr. Waternoose puts his arm around his best employee, telling him "That's my boy".

The next day, when Sulley and Mike disguise Boo in a monster costume, as well as telling the boss and the CDA agents that she is Sulley's cousin's sister's daughter, they make up a blunt and simple, but cunning and effective lie to Mr. Waternoose, claiming that it is "Bring an Obscure Relative to Work Day" and Waternoose obviously believes them, saying that he must have missed the memo. Then, after wishing the three luck, he and the CDA agents leave to go to an audition in the training room for monsters practicing their scare tactics.

Afterward, when Sulley and Mike were carrying Boo after Mike is rescued from Randall, they try to report to Mr. Waternoose and tell him about Randall's plan to kill them when he is attending a training session for new monsters with Thaddeus, to which Thaddeus scared the demonstration kid poorly by doing a “snake/ninja approach” and has to enter the room properly. However, Mr. Waternoose insists Sulley demonstrate his scare tactics (to which Sulley reluctantly accepts) and when Sulley roars at the simulation child, he accidentally scares Boo, who reveals herself as a human child. After Mike tells Waternoose about Randall's plan and reassuring him that Boo is not toxic, to which Waternoose fully sympathizes, he takes Boo and promises to set things right for them. Instead, he brings a different door, a banishment door, which Randall appears next to and opens, revealing that he is Randall's boss. He then betrays Sulley and Mike by pushing them into the door and quickly closes and deactivates it before Sulley can run back in, trapping the duo in the Himalayas (where they end up having a fallout over Sulley listening to Mr. Waternoose rather than Mike). Only worried about going back to Monsters, Inc. and saving Boo, Sulley quickly scavenges parts from stockpiles from Adorable Snowman, abandons a formerly-upset Mike, and goes to the nearest village in Nepal to use a door and return to Monsters, Inc. to stop Waternoose.

A remorseful Waternoose arguing with Randall Boggs about banishing Sulley and Mike.

Inside the secret lair, Mr. Waternoose has second thoughts about trusting Randall with his plans and ultimately regrets banishing Sulley and Mike earlier. After Randall puts a scared Boo into the seat to extract her screams, Waternoose then approaches Randall and tells him that he should never have trusted him with the plan since he had to exile his top Scarer and assistant all because of him. Randall nonchalantly brushes this off, telling Waternoose they will not need Scarers with the Scream Extractor and that Sulley "got what he deserved" anyway. An offended Mr. Waternoose tells Randall that Sulley was twice the Scarer he will ever be, which makes Randall lowly growl in frustration and anger at Mr. Waternoose.

Waternoose is forced to accept the plan and stand back and to use the Scream Extractor on Boo. Fungus tests the Scream Extractor on Boo fearfully as Randall watches with an evil smile while Waternoose watches it uncomfortably and sternly.

Before it can get to her mouth, Sulley roars and intervenes at the last moment and pushes the Scream Extractor away with his strength after ripping it off its hinges, to which the villains are surprised to see his sudden return. Sulley destroys the machine and throws it at the evil gang to hit them, pinning Mr. Waternoose against the wall and causing him a little pain. And for that, Waternoose now sees that Sulley is no longer his friend as he thought he would be. After Sulley rescues Boo, he then orders Randall to stop Sulley and get Boo, and an already enraged Randall does so.

As well, Waternoose tells Randall to finish Sulley off (which Randall had already intended to do as well). However, Mike (who has followed Sulley back into the monster world) accidentally gives away Randall's cloaking abilities by throwing a snow cone at him instead of Sulley, who then punches Randall in the face and knocks him out. After the three escape, Mr. Waternoose orders Randall to go after them and says that there cannot be any witnesses, to which Randall replies that there will not be.

While Sulley, Boo and Mike lead Randall on a wild chase through a large chamber where thousands of doors to the human world are kept, Waternoose rallies the CDA to arrest Sulley and Mike, framing them as the "criminals" who are responsible for the entire incident and shows no intention of ever letting Boo go home to the human world. After the trio defeats Randall and goes back to Scare Floor F, Mike, with just the costume in hand, distracts the CDA by driving them away into a room via a sock Mike hid on his tongue while Waternoose catches sight of Sulley with Boo and her door as they accidentally bumped into some scream cans and chases them into the simulation room. While Sulley was using a pipe to barricade the door (where Mr. Waternoose was trying to get in), Sulley put Boo's door in the simulation room to make it look like Boo's room as he slams the door (as Waternoose is pounding on the barricaded door).

Waternoose confronting Sulley in the simulation room.

As Sulley puts Boo in the bed (while Boo is hiding under the bed), telling her to be a good girl and that they stopped him and she's safe, Waternoose busted into the room where Sulley was and confronted him, saying this has gone far enough. Defending Boo, Sulley yells at Waternoose that she's home now and to just leave her alone, but Waternoose refuses, saying that she and Sulley have seen too much of his plan. Sulley tries to reason with Mr. Waternoose by telling him things don't have to be the way they are, only for Waternoose to say that he has no choice since times have changed and scaring isn't enough anymore to stop the energy crisis. A shocked and enraged Sulley asks Waternoose if kidnapping innocent children are worth saving the company, to which Waternoose declares that he would kidnap a thousand children to save the company and end the energy crisis, and will silence anyone who stands in his way. After pushing his former friend aside, Mr. Waternoose tries to grab Boo from her bed, but he instead grabs the simulation child, leaving him shocked and confused.

Just then, the wall goes up to reveal that Mike was behind the controls this whole time, and that he managed to get the CDA to side with him. Mike, who has recorded the entire confrontation, plays back his favorite part to where Mr. Waternoose reveals his plot to kidnap children as he watches in shock and bewilderment. With this incriminating evidence, the CDA turns on Waternoose and arrests him for his crimes. As he is being dragged away, Mr. Waternoose angrily blames Sulley, who looks on with disappointment, for "destroying" Monsters, Inc., proclaiming that the energy crisis will only get worse because of him. He is then placed in a police van and sent to lock-up, leaving many of the employees in despair that the factory will be shut down.

However, Waternoose's final statement to Sulley is eventually proven wrong as Sulley replaces Mr. Waternoose as the CEO and makes children laugh instead, thus generating even more power than screams and finally ending the power cut crisis and the cycle of monsters scaring children for good. Thus, both the monster and human worlds can live in a better lifestyle as they collect laughter from now on.

It is unknown how Waternoose reacts to the changes made to his factory, but it can be safely assumed that he gradually realizes how much more powerful laughter is compared to screams as well as realizing how wrong he was to attempt to kidnap children.

Monsters at Work[]

Waternoose doesn't make any physical appearance in the show, but he was nevertheless mentioned numerous times throughout the series. Despite being absent, it shows that his actions have still left an impact on Monstropolis.

In the pilot episode Welcome to Monsters, Incorporated, news of his arrest and the reasons for it make the headlines and employees of the factory start worrying about the factory's future. Later, there was a video of him shown to a wannabe Scarer named Tylor Tuskmon, which was shown to him by the M.I. resources director, Mr. Crummyham, that shows he's no longer esteemed.

In the episode Adorable Returns, Tylor inadvertently brings Adorable back to the monster world and after sending him back to the human realm, Tylor learns from his friend Val Little about why Waternoose banished Adorable in the first place: he found out about Waternoose's plans for the Scream Extractor. Soon, Tylor and Val bring Adorable back home and tell them about this development, causing Sulley to reverse Waternoose's banishment of Adorable. During all of this, it's revealed that M.I. has cut loose any reminders of Waternoose due to his criminal acts, including files regarding him.

Waternoose's jail photo is seen in a couple of episodes of the second season of Monsters at Work. It also shows that a majority of Monstropolis has become disillusioned to Waternoose on account of his crimes against humans. During the season, his son, Roger, having heard of his father's criminal acts, came back to Monstropolis and is hired by Mike and Sulley to be the new member of MIFT, but he told them of his familial ties to Waternoose and, out of sympathy for Roger, they agree to keep his real name on a need-to-know-basis in order to avoid scrutiny from employees. The head of MIFT, Fritz, conveniently has a policy against reading up on his subordinate's files due to being overly trusting.

In the episode Lights! Camera! Chaos!, someone has vandalized the scare floor of Monsters, Inc. (it was Randall, who was brought back to the monster world via Johnny Worthington III, CEO of rival energy company, Fear Co., all part of an elaborate scheme to take down Monsters, Inc.). Roger thinks his father hired someone to vandalize the company and secretly calls him from the phone in the back of Fritz's office to accuse him of the crime. Based on the confrontational phone call, it would appear that Waternoose denied his son's accusations, but Roger is skeptical and angrily hangs up the phone, implying that the relationship between Waternoose and Roger has become very estranged. This was witnessed by Tylor and Val, with the former suspecting him of being the saboteur that's been making trouble for Monsters, Inc. Tylor soon reads Roger's file in Fritz's office and he and Val soon find out that Roger is Waternoose's son. After sharing this news with the other monsters, Mike and Sulley eventually admit that they knew about Roger being Waternoose's kid and that they kept it a secret for the exact reason that Tylor exposed him for. Roger makes it clear that he is nothing like his father, as he believes that laugh power is better than scream power.

In the season 2 finale Powerless, Roger was told by Tylor that Randall was the true vandal on behalf of Fear Co., and that Waternoose had nothing to do with it at all. With this information, Roger and the rest of the MIFT team help Tylor in exposing Worthington and Randall for their crimes to the public, resulting both Worthington and Randall to be arrested by M.E.R.C. agents. However, while Randall manages to escape from M.E.R.C. custody and remain at large, it was told that Worthington has become Waternoose's new cellmate in prison. Judging from his body language, Waternoose feels no interest about Johnny being his cellmate, and wants nothing to do with him.