| “ | No prison can contain me! | „ |
| ~ Hämsterviel telling Jumba that no prison can hold him. |
| “ | Well, why not write your memoirs? Diary of an Incompetent Fish-headed Minion: The Idiot Years! (laughs evilly) | „ |
| ~ Hämsterviel making up a joke about Gantu after firing him. |
Dr. Jacques von Hämsterviel (simply known as Dr. Hämsterviel) is a major antagonist of the Lilo & Stitch franchise. He is the main antagonist in the 2003 animated Disney film Stitch! The Movie, and a recurring antagonist in the TV series. His first appearance is in the aforementioned movie, where he begins plotting to take over the galaxy. He is Gantu's boss and the former partner of Jumba Jookiba, who later becomes one of his main enemies.
He was voiced by Jeff Bennett, who also played H.A.R.D.A.C., Big Bad Wolf, Scarecrow, Mr. Smee, Bradley Uppercrust III, 2-D Man, Robert Canler, Dick Hardly, Tong Fo, Henri Ennui, Morty, The Huntsman, Ozzy, Jasper, Big Billy, Ace, Grubber, and Xavier the Villain. In the Stitch! anime, he was voiced by Kirk Thornton in the English dubbed version, and by Hiroshi Yanaka in the Japanese version.
Personality
Hämsterviel has a bit of a Napoleon complex, as despite, his short stature, he has a large, imposing character and wants nothing less than total galactic domination, as he is extremely self-absorbed, manipulative and narcissistic, viewing no one as his equal. He is very uncomplimentary and vituperative, as he insults everyone he sees, even when they do something for him or have done nothing at all. Not to mention, he often acts like a spoiled brat, throwing a temper tantrum when he doesn't get his way, and will take his exasperation out on anyone.
He is also very cunning, diabolical, argumentative, traitorous, and abusive towards Gantu, whom he frequently assaults with a plethora of ill-formed, demeaning, opprobrious, and redundant insults for his failures to capture the experiments; even when Gantu manages to capture a few experiments, Hämsterviel never thanks him for it. He also doesn't care about his minions, so as long as they outlive their usefulness to him. However, despite Gantu's loyalty, he promptly fired Gantu after Hämsterviel's objectives were achieved, saying that since he had Leroy to do a better job, Gantu was worthless to him. This horrible treatment was one of the things that proved to be his destructive downfall, as Gantu would later help Lilo and Stitch into defeating Hämsterviel out of spite against him.
Hämsterviel also hates his old business partner Jumba, as well as Stitch, Lilo, and Pleakley. His schemes have occasionally been directed at them, either to enslave them or even kill them. Originally, he schemes to capture the 625 experiments that Jumba created before Stitch and use them in his bid to conquer the galaxy, viewing them as his own property because he financed their creation using his shady business deals.
In spite of Hämsterviel's treacherous nature, he is shown to be a coward in the face of danger, he only shows it if he ever faces conflict himself or caught in a helpless situation that puts him in the face of death. After Sparky freed Stitch, the two restrained him in the same restraints he used on Stitch to slice him in half, prompting him to say that it was a joke. This was shown again after Leroy and his clones were shut down, Hämsterviel got nervous when he was left alone and defenseless at the angry 623 experiments. Back in the years, when he and Jumba were friends, Hämsterviel was shown to be somewhat of a jokester. In three newspaper articles of their graduation, business, and their first experiment, Hämsterviel was waving his posture at him.
Appearance
Hämsterviel is a short, chubby, rodent-like alien with white fur and red eyes. While Hämsterviel views himself as a hamster, his appearance is more to a gerbil or rabbit, he has long ears like the latter with pink innards, buck teeth, a pink nose, and a long tail with bushy brown fur at the tip. Hämsterviel always wears a red cape with a gold "H" brooch attached to it.
History
Background
Hämsterviel worked alongside Jumba Jookiba as a scientist. It was Hämsterviel that went to the authorities about the illegal experimentation. Hämsterviel was more than likely arrested as well because of the heavy affiliation. Apparently, Hämsterviel's plan was to; fund Jumba's experiments, then take them for himself, squeal on Jumba, and take over the universe.
Little did Hämsterviel know, Jumba was released to capture his latest experiment 626. During these events, Jumba reformed and spent his days on Earth with a new family. Eventually, Hämsterviel would escape, recruits Gantu (the former captain of the Galactic Federation) as his henchman, and seek to regain "his" from periments. Hämsterviel's attempts failed, but the constant failures did not prevent the mad scientist from trying from again. Years after these events, Hämsterviel sets out, to harvest absolute power instead.
Stitch! The Movie
Hämsterviel appears as the main antagonist of the film, setting up his role for the rest of the franchise. Here, with his new associate Gantu, Hämsterviel plots to take over the galaxy by using the power of Jumba's 625 experiments who have been podded since Jumba's arrest. He orders Gantu to find the pods which are located in Jumba's room in Hawaii. Once the experiments are captured, Lilo and Stitch head over to Gantu's ship before the plan can be complete. Lilo is captured as well as Stitch. While Lilo is put into a cell, Hämsterviel plots to cut Stitch in half via a laser. However, Stitch breaks free and traps Hämsterviel onto the platform. After Lilo's rescue and a scuffle with Gantu, the experiments are accidentally released on Hawaii. With Hämsterviel under arrest, Lilo and Stitch prepare a hunt for each experiment with the exception of 625, whom Hämsterviel unleashed thinking he would be another Stitch power wise, but instead, he was a lazy sandwich maker.
Lilo & Stitch: The Series
Hämsterviel currently resides at the Galactic Prison, where in his cell he communicates with his minion Gantu. He constantly appears on a giant screen in Gantu's home, giving him orders and constantly berating and scolding him about his endless line of failures. On occasion, he has escaped prison and went to Earth. In one episode, he accidentally became the pet of Lilo's rival, Mertle. Eventually, he has grown to like her and is currently her only friend, but this was only in that one episode.
Leroy & Stitch
In Leroy & Stitch, Hämsterviel escapes from prison with the help of Gantu and forces Jumba to create a new experiment, which the alien rodent names Leroy.
He even arranges for Jumba, Pleakley, and Stitch to be sent into a black hole. After Lilo and 625 (or Reuben as he calls himself) are captured, Hämsterviel personally leaves for Earth to eliminate the experiments to ensure that he remains in power. However, before Hämsterviel leaves, he ungratefully fires Gantu, declaring that he has outlived his usefulness to him since he has the Leroy clones to do a better job serving for him. Angered of being used and betrayed, Gantu (with a change of heart) breaks Lilo and Reuben out of prison and they reunite with Jumba, Pleakley, and Stitch (who have managed to evade the black hole). When Hämsterviel goes to watch Leroy and his clones destroy the other experiments, his plan is thwarted by the arrival of Gantu, Lilo, Stitch, Reuben, Jumba, and Pleakley, who team up with all the other experiments to fight against Leroy and his clones. After Lilo, Stitch, and Reuben defeat all of the Leroys with "Aloha `Oe," the angry experiments toss Hämsterviel around like a beach ball, much to his dismay. With the Galactic Alliance now safe, Hämsterviel is sent back to prison with all the Leroys. He is last seen angrily tapping his foot in his cell while the Leroy clones start to dance in their cells to the tune of "Jailhouse Rock".
Stitch! anime
In the anime series, Hämsterviel appears as the main antagonist, plotting against Yuna and Stitch alongside his lackeys, Gantu and 625. Unlike the previous series, Hämsterviel frequently goes out into the open to take control over Stitch. In one special episode entitled Stitch Vs. Hämsterviel, his goal was completed but ended after an epic battle with Stitch. A running gag in the series includes several characters mistaking Hämsterviel for a mouse-like creature as opposed to a hamster-like.
Trivia
- At the start of Lilo & Stitch, a Hämsterviel look-alike briefly appears in one of the prison cells while Pleakley and the Grand Councilwoman make their way towards Jumba's jail cell. However, this was a mere background appearance with no significance whatsoever.
- Hämsterviel's design is likely to have been inspired by Dr. Habbitrale, a villain from the video game Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626. Within the Lilo & Stitch universe, it is likely that they are the same species.
- In the Polish dubs of the Lilo & Stitch franchise, his name changes from Chomikviel (meaning literally "Hämsterviel") to Chomikvader (Hämstervader), which is an obvious reference to Darth Vader. However, Hämsterviel is referred to as Chomikviel in the series only, and as Chomikvader in a majority of other media.
- Dr. Hämsterviel is perhaps the most significant villain related to the Disney animated canon to not feature in the original film of his property and only appear in sequel media.
- Indeed, Hämsterviel is so far the only character created and featured in sequel media (which is mostly disregarded from canon) that has been present in Disney parks as a walkaround character.
- Hämsterviel is an expert laser-sword duelist.
- Hämsterviel's phone number is: 555-019-829-3434-533-65-5882.
- His prison in Xenon Sector: Prison Asteroid K-37 is Cell 750.
- Hämsterviel is a play on the term "hamster wheel", an exercise decoration commonly placed inside most hamster enclosures.
- This is actually a running gag throughout the franchise, as his name is usually mispronounced as "Hamsterwheel".
- It is unknown if Hämsterviel's accent is supposed to be either French or German, since "Jacques" is obviously French (the equivalent of "John"), and "Hämsterviel" is clearly German-sounding with an accent over the "a" in his last name.
- Accent-wise, he sounds like one of the French knights from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but uses ambiguous language when he speaks.
- Hämsterviel's quote: "No prison can contain me!" is similar to Boris the Animal's line from Men in Black III.
- Many other characters mistake him for a gerbil-like creature or a rat-like creature given his appearance, though he insists that he is hamster-like. However, despite this, and the fact that he has the word "hamster" in his name, Hämsterviel actually looks more like a rabbit than a gerbil or hamster.
- He also resembles a rabbit with albinism due to his bright red eyes and almost complete lack of pigmentation in his fur, although it is unknown if he suffers from the condition himself.
- After the events of Leroy & Stitch, Hämsterviel was freed by Gantu. It was also revealed in the Stitch! anime that Hämsterviel partnered with Delia whom he and Jumba met long ago in "Stitch's Birthday: Part 1".
- Hämsterviel appears in the online game Lilo & Stitch: Alien Interception.
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