Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom!
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~ Marvin the Martian
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Isn't that lovely?
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~ Marvin the Martian
Marvin the Martian is a major antagonist in the Looney Tunes franchise and is the main antagonist of the Duck Dodgers series. He is K-9's owner and is the archenemy of Daffy Duck (also known as Duck Dodgers) as well as Bugs Bunny's 3rd archenemy (the other two being Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam.) Marvin makes his debut in the episode Haredevil Hare. He also serves one of the two main antagonists (alongside Mr. Chairman) of the 2003 film, Looney Tunes: Back in Action.
Since 2011 to this day, he is voiced by Eric Bauza.
Biography
Since Elmer Fudd was considered too dimwitted and affable to be a threat, Wile E. Coyote was just a predator, Taz was overly ravenous, and Yosemite Sam was quickly becoming just as hopeless, Chuck Jones felt the time had come for Bugs Bunny to meet a new kind of villain altogether, a villain who is both very clever and who posed a true threat.
So the alien menace known as Marvin the Martian was born, being a more calculating, polite, calm and dangerous opponent than those that came before him he nevertheless found himself defeated in the end by Bugs Bunny - though due to his popularity he returned and has stayed on as one of the Looney Tunes' most popular villains, appearing in many cartoons and films as well as countless merchandise, Marvin has even been adopted as the mascot of a few NASA vehicles among other things.
Many of his villainous acts involve intending to destroy the Earth with a deadly weapon called the "Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator" (sometimes pronounced "Illudium Pu-36" or "Uranium Pu-36") which looks like an ordinary stick of dynamite. However, this plan is always foiled and the modulator ends up exploding near him instead.
Appearance
Marvin is depicted as a strange humanoid dressed in a vaguely Roman-style suit with a pair of oversized sneakers, this design was chosen due to Mars being the name of the Roman god of war and has served him well as it makes him stand out from the crowd as a distinctive villain. Chuck Jones, who directed most of his shorts, stated that he based Marvin's blank black face on black ants, which he found scary.
In other media
Films
Marvin appeared in "Space Jam", but was not a villain, only a referee to the game likely because he is a Looney Tune character and an martain/alien.
In "Looney Tunes: Back In Action", he appeared as one of the two main antagonists (alongside Mr. Chairman) and released various aliens like the Daleks in Area 52.
He also appeared as the main antagonist of "Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run", who only appeared in the climax. This is most likely a way to surprise the audience that he is the main villain and not Sam.
He also appeared as the main antagonist of the Kids WB online game "Martian Invasion", where he and the Instant Martians hijack George Jetson's office, forcing him to get his way back and fight back in the process.
He is set to appear in "Space Jam 2" most likely again as a referee.
Duck Dodgers
He also appeared in the 2003 animated series Duck Dodgers as the main antagonist, and under the name of the Martian Commander X-2, serving for the Martian Queen. He also serves as a rival to the power-hungry Martian General Z-9, who once betrayed both him and the Queen in an attempt to rule both Mars and Earth under his iron fist. He sometimes teams up with Duck Dodgers to defeat greater threats.
DC/Looney Tunes
He attempts to blow up the Earth, but is defeated by Kyle Rayner.
DC meets Looney Tunes
He sends out a signal to all Martians in the multiverse and Martian Manhunter answers the call. He goes to the DC Universe and tries to wipe out humanity. He is foiled when Manhunter tricks him with an illusion of him destroying Earth and he is captured by the army.
The Looney Tunes Show
Marvin appears in the 2011-2014 animated series The Looney Tunes Show. Marvin is far less villainous and evil in this show being a friend of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig and being the best friend of Pete Puma as well believing you need to be polite to be people. While Marvin mentiones he plans to destroy the Earth, he never attempts to do so in this show.
