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| “ | Breaker, breaker, little mate. I forgot to tell you around here, you need to be QUIET! Or the Rangers might hear you. Now, sit down, relax, enjoy the view. Nothing but abandoned opal mines as far as the eye can see. And dead ahead is home sweet home. ♪ Home, home on the range Where the critters are tied up in chains I cut through their sides And I rip off their hides And the next day, I do it again ♪ Everybody! ♪ Home, home on the range... ♪ |
„ |
| ~ Percival C. McLeach to Cody and then he sings his own twisted version of Home on the Range. |
Percival C. McLeach, also simply known by his surname McLeach, is the main antagonist of Disney's 29th full-length animated feature film The Rescuers Down Under.
He is an evil, cunning, bloodthirsty, aggressive, heartless and ruthless poacher who is motivated out of sadistic pleasure and greed, as he sought to capture a rare eagle and sell her for a fortune. McLeach was so utterly antisocial that he was willing to feed Cody to a swarm of crocodiles once the boy had outlived his usefulness. This makes him one of the most sadistic Disney villains to date. He is also the archenemy of Cody and Bernard.
He was voiced by the late George C. Scott, who also played Smoke in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue. His singing voice was provided by Frank Welker.
Contents
Personality
McLeach is an extremely traitorous, ruthless, cruel, murderous and greedy man, a person who is so evil, brutal, menacing and merciless that he would willingly kill anyone, including children, if they got in the way of his sinister designs. He is a remorseless and wicked sadist, even with his attempts at being affable masking his true self. McLeach is an insanely immoral, unstable and treacherous poacher who hunts down rare animals and then keeps them in torturous conditions only for him to kill or sell them to the highest bidder; and would stop at absolutely nothing to achieve his evil goals, whether it is through lies, bargaining, threats, or blackmail. Despite knowing that the animals that he hunt are sapient, he's delighted to "tear off their hides." However, McLeach does have something of a comedic edge, but this only highlights his cruelty and sadism, as well as the fact that it is normally at the expense of others. Thus, his funnier moments do not contradict his crimes.
Contradictory to his appearance and manner of speaking, McLeach is a smart person who has actually shown to be quite canny and intelligent, so much that he did not underestimate Cody even though he was a boy because he knew that he could still tell the rangers on his poaching and decided to kidnap and then fake that he was eaten by the crocodiles. He also realized that Cody possessed an emotional connection between the boy and the eagle he was hunting, so he pretended to free and then sadistically lied that the eagle was dead and followed him to her nest where he was able to capture her. So, McLeach is utterly psychopathic and certifiable that he was willing to eat the eagles' eggs so that it stayed rare and would have fed Cody to a swarm of hungry and vicious crocodiles. McLeach, on top of almost killing Cody, showed delight in tormenting him. He went as far as to dunk him inside the corcodiles several times for fun. This indicates that on top killing various animals and possibly humans, he also tortures them for no reason other than pure sadism.
As shown by his own twisted version of "Home on the Range", McLeach enjoys inflicting pain on animals, which is also revealed by the conditions he kept the animals that he poached and the way that he constantly threatens and insults his pet lizard named Joanna. However, despite how much McLeach is irritated by Joanna, he still does not kill her; although he does come close in parts of the film. This shows that he is willing to spare animals that are useful towards him.
He is also shown to be highly sarcastic, vituperative, cynical, uncomplimentary and contumelious, after cornering Cody he mockingly pretends to be scared that he might call the Rangers and turn him in to justice. He is also not above torturing people for information and has also shown to possess extreme arrogance, as shown when he had fended off a swarm of crocodiles, McLeach proceeded to yell triumphantly and did not realize that a waterfall was behind him and later fell to his death, as well as boasting about having a third grade education, showing that he is all too sure of himself when overestimating his intelligence. That said, his feats show that he was capable of anything he wanted as long as it involved making a profit.
Overall, Percival C. McLeach is one of the evilest villains ever created by Disney. His sadism, greed and attempted murder of a child make him an example of someone who is smart regarding being as vile as possible in spite of lacking an education.
Biography
Early life
| “ | I didn't make it all the way through third grade for nothing! | „ |
| ~ McLeach before pursing Cody in his truck. |
Not much known about McLeach's early life, but he had 3 years of formal education before either being needed at home, quitting, or being expelled. He considers this a great achievement. It is unknown how he got his pet monitor lizard named Joanna, although he accepts her as his poaching partner, he constantly disliked her incompetence and shows her little patience. At an unknown point, he captured several animals, including a frill-necked lizard named Frank and a koala bear named Krebbs, for a profit and held them all in the same room for an unknown period of time prior to the film. Krebbs found it surprising that McLeach would add a human to this collection.
The Rescuers Down Under
McLeach was first introduced to Cody when the boy fell into a pit-trap after he befriended a rare and magnificent eagle known as Marahute beforehand. The boy still had one of her feathers as a parting gift, which would prove to be a mistake as McLeach noticed the feather and decided to kidnap the boy to help him track down the eagle (though McLeach was also intending on kidnapping the boy regardless, so as not to risk being found by the authorities). Cody told him the feather was a secret and he could not tell McLeach who gave it to him, but McLeach insists that he knows who gave him it seeing as to how he has the exact same feather of Marahute's mate whom he killed.
McLeach proceeds to toss Cody's backpack to crocodiles to trick the rangers into believing that the boy had been eaten by the animals and thus covering his tracks. Meanwhile, Cody is driven to McLeach's lair where he is soon put in a cage alongside a collection of rare and protected Australian wildlife, many of which are living in terrible conditions.
However, Cody is in luck as two mice from the Rescue Aid Society are soon sent to aid him, being none other than Bernard and Bianca, the heroes of the first film. Upon arriving in Australia, the two mice become aware of McLeach's true plan once they track him down.
Knowing that Cody was emotionally attached to the eagle, McLeach cruelly lied to the boy, telling him that he heard from the radio that the Marahute had been shot by another hunter and thus, nobody was around to guard her eggs. However, this was a facade and when Cody ran off to find the eggs, McLeach followed in his bushwacker. He also brought along his lizard sidekick named Joanna, so that she could eat the eggs and thus, ensure that McLeach gets even more wealth via making Marahute the last of her kind (not knowing that Bernard had managed to save the eaglets and put three egg-shaped rocks in their place).
McLeach proceeds to capture Cody and Marahute, taking them to a cliff where he ties Cody up and decides to feed the boy to a swarm of saltwater crocodiles since he had outlived his usefulness, but Bernard manages to stop the machine McLeach was using to lower Cody into the river.
McLeach has responded by getting out of the vehicle and personally started firing at the rope holding Cody with a shotgun, but Bernard once again thinks fast and tricks Joanna into chasing him, causing her to knock both McLeach and herself into the river in the process.
While in the river, McLeach is attacked by crocodiles, but he fends them off. After a while, the crocodiles departed and McLeach taunts them triumphantly thinking that he out did them. However, as McLeach turned around and notices Joanna waving goodbye, he realizes in horror that the crocodiles were not actually afraid of him, but were swimming away from a huge waterfall. McLeach panics and tries to escape, but is swept over the falls and plunges from the waterfall to his watery grave.
House of Mouse
McLeach was briefly seen in the episode "House of Crime", where he got into a heated and acrimonious argument against Stromboli from Pinocchio. He also makes a possible cameo appearance in Mickey's House of Villains, but he does not take part in the takeover.
Quotes
| “ | JOANNA, YOU BEEN DIGGING HOLES OUT HERE AGAIN?! | „ |
| ~ McLeach kicks Joanna. |
| “ | I'm gonna kill her. I'm gonna kill that dumb, slimy, egg-sucking salamander! | „ |
| ~ McLeach angered with Joanna. |
| “ | You're coming with me, boy. | „ |
| ~ McLeach to Cody. |
| “ | Think you're pretty smart, don't ya? Huh? Who outsmarted who? Who outsmarted who, huh? I still gotta get that boy to talkin', huh? (he suddenly sits up straight.) I'm hungry. Can't think on an empty stomach. (gets out of his chair.) Gotta have protein. Gotta have... eggs. (his pet goanna Joanna wakes up at the word "eggs" and eagerly follows McLeach to the kitchen.) Everyone's got his price. All I gotta do is offer him whatever he wants; and then not give it to him. (as his back is turned, Joanna lifts open the egg box and swipes an egg and hides it in her mouth. He glares at Joanna.) Did you take one of my eggs? (Joanna shakes her head.) Open your mouth. [Joanna: Ahh!] (Joanna opens her mouth, McLeach looks inside while Joanna hides the egg in her tongue and from McLeach's view.) THESE ARE NOT JOANNA EGGS! (McLeach slams the egg box shut.) Let's see. The boy's got the eagle. I want the eagle. The boy won't give me the eagle. (the box opens and closes. McLeach moves it to the other side of the table.) If I could just find the boy's weak spot, I could get him to tell me where the eagle is. (Joanna tips the box with her tail. McLeach pushes it back into her waiting arms and she grabs another egg. He moves the box again but leaves his arm on it.) But the boy's only got one weak spot - and that is the eagle. (Joanna moves a bowl with her tail. McLeach reaches for it when the box's lid opens and closes again.) Maybe if I stuck him in a giant anthill, that would loosen his tongue, and then... I GOT HIM! (he slams the lid on Joanna's fingers and she squeals in pain.) Heheheh! Got your hand caught somewhere in the cookie jars, didn't you? Who do you think you're messing with, you dumb animal? My mental facilities are TWICE what yours are doing, ya peabrain! (McLeach opens the box to find it empty. Joanna runs and hides in the closet.) Joanna. I give you platypus eggs. I give you snake eggs. Why, I'll even give you eagle eggs! BUT I WANT YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM MY--! (McLeach suddenly stops mid-sentence and a devious smirk slowly forms on his face.) The eagle's eggs! That's it! That's the boy's weak spot! | „ |
| ~ McLeach discovering Marahute's eggs are Cody's weakness after Joanna steals his. |
| “ | It's all over, boy. Your bird's dead. Someone shot her. Shot her! Right outta the sky! Bang! | „ |
| ~ Lying to Cody about Marahute. |
| “ | Arr, that meddling little brat! I'm gonna get rid of him for good. | „ |
| ~ McLeach attempting to kill Cody. |
| “ | Joanna! Did you know there was a razorback in my truck? (Joanna nods yes and no.) Did ya? Did ya?! THERE WAS A RAZORBACK IN MY TRUCK! Now, you quit playing around and do your job, you four-legged python! | „ |
| ~ McLeach after he noticed a Razorback was in his truck. |
| “ | You, crocodile ha! Get! Get away! Git it! Git! Ha? Ha-ha! I whooped ya! I whooped ya' all! You'll think twice before messing with Percival C. McLeach! (cackles and Joanna waves him goodbye and McLeach looks back noticing the waterfall.) .... Huh? Aah!! Whoa! Whoa! NO-O-O-O-O! | „ |
| ~ Percival C. McLeach's last words before he plunges off a waterfall to his death. |
Trivia
- His wanted poster resembles one of the classic posters for the criminals from the old west. In addition, his clothes make him look like one.
- If one looks closely at McLeach when he goes over the Crocodile Falls, one can notice that he actually curls into a ball before he disappears into the mist at the bottom. According to many survivalists, curling into a ball is the best way to survive going over a waterfall, as it will minimize the damage taken by the body. If this is anything to go by, it is more than likely that McLeach was able to survive going over the falls even if he was panicking and struggling to escape before going over. However, this cannot be confirmed, as he was never seen again after his plummet.
- Bryan Brown, Clint Eastwood, Paul Hogan, the late John Mahoney, the late Jack Palance and Mandy Patinkin were considered for the role of McLeach before the late George C. Scott was cast. John Mahoney also played Robert Terwilliger Sr. in The Simpsons and Management in Burn Notice. Jack Palance also played Rothbart in The Swan Princess, Carl Grissom in Tim Burton's Batman and Voltan in Hawk the Slayer. Mandy Patinkin also played Huxley in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland by Columbia Pictures and Satan in Touched by an Angel.
- Although he is the main antagonist of the second film of the series, he is considered to be more evil than his predecessor Madame Medusa, who was as greedy as he was, but never murderous, nor as dangerous as McLeach was. His crimes are generally far worse than hers even disregarding his attempted murders.
- However, he is to her as they both kidnap a little child to get an item they want to become rich. They both have vicious pets. Both have shotguns. And they both end up being chased by crocodiles in the climax of each movie.
- The shotgun that McLeach uses is a Winchester Model 1912 with heavy modifications inclusive of a scope.
- Ironically, George C. Scott was actually an animal lover.
