| 1 | [[center:[[header:''Characters/{{Cars}}'' [[Characters/{{Cars}} franchise character index]]\ |
| 2 | [-'''First Film''' | [[Characters/CarsSecondFilm Second Film]] | [[Characters/CarsThirdFilm Third Film]]\ |
| 3 | ''Characters/CarsRaceORama'' | ''Characters/{{Planes}}'' [[Characters/{{Planes}} films]]-]]]]] |
| 4 | |
| 5 | Characters of the ''Franchise/{{Cars}}'' franchise introduced in [[WesternAnimation/Cars1 the original 2006 film itself]]. |
| 6 | ---- |
| 7 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 8 | |
| 9 | !!Radiator Springs |
| 10 | [[folder:As a whole]] |
| 11 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cf7cba59_7ca6_43de_a95d_a1f10b500c40.jpeg]] |
| 12 | [[caption-width-right:350:The gang’s all here.[[note]]From Left to right: Front and center: [[TheHero Lightning [=McQueen=]]]. Second row: [[NiceGirl Sally]] and [[CoolOldGuy Doc Hudson]]. Third row: [[ThoseTwoGuys Luigi, Guido]], [[ManChild Mater]], [[TheSheriff Sheriff]] and [[SassyBlackWoman Flo]]. Back row: [[DrillSergeantNasty Sarge]], [[NewAgeRetroHippie Fillmore]], [[GentleGiant Red]], [[TheFashionista Ramone]] and [[DirtyOldWoman Lizzie]]. Not pictured: [[SixthRanger Cruz Ramirez]].[[/note]] ]] |
| 13 | |
| 14 | * AlmightyJanitor: Although they come from an obscure town, its residents are highly proficient in their respective fields, just like Lightning and Doc are in racing, with Guido's pit work and Ramone's artistic skills being examples. Lightning's presence has helped to bring more recognition to them. |
| 15 | * BadassCrew: In ''Cars 2'', they save Lightning, Mater, Finn, and Holley from the Lemons and help them out in defeating them. |
| 16 | * BeautyBrainsAndBrawn: The townsfolk can be divided into three distinct groups: |
| 17 | ** Beauty: Sally (a very attractive car to Lightning), Ramone (an artist who repeatedly gives himself new paint jobs) and Flo (a stylish showcar). |
| 18 | ** Brains: Doc (a retired racecar who's knowledgeable in both racing and repair work), Luigi (knowledgeable in tires and Ferraris), Guido (capable of changing tires in seconds), Fillmore (knowledgeable on alternative fuels), Lizzie (knowledgeable about Radiator Springs' history). |
| 19 | ** Brawn: Lightning (an incredibly fast, powerful racecar), Mater (a bulky tow truck), Sheriff (a bulky police car who can keep up with Lightning), Sarge (a tough-as-nails army jeep), Red (a large fire truck with a powerful hose), [[spoiler:Cruz (like Lightning, a fast, powerful racecar)]]. |
| 20 | * CommunityThreateningConstruction: Before Lightning's arrival, Interstate 40 was constructed, resulting in the town to get bypassed to save driving time. As a result, the town literally vanished from the map, but the folk never gave up on trying to attract customers again. |
| 21 | * DyingTown: Their home was initially this with thanks to the nearby interstate being constructed. Finally averted by the end of the film when Lightning permanently moves there. |
| 22 | * LetsGetDangerous: They may be goofy, simple townsfolk, but when one of them is threatened, they can all band together to fight in their own unique ways. |
| 23 | %%* NiceMeanAndInbetween: |
| 24 | %%** Nice: Mater, Sally, Luigi, Fillmore, Lizzie, Red, [[spoiler: Cruz]] |
| 25 | %%** Mean: Doc, Sarge, Sheriff |
| 26 | %%** In-between: Lightning, Ramone, Flo, Guido |
| 27 | * OnlyOneName: Luigi, Guido, Flo, Ramone, Fillmore, Sarge, Red, Sheriff, and Lizzie do not have last names. |
| 28 | * OutOfFocus: Their roles have gotten slightly smaller in later movies, with only Luigi, Guido, Fillmore and Sarge accompanying Lightning throughout most of the second movie. The first two accompany him throughout most of the third movie. |
| 29 | * PalsWithJesus: |
| 30 | ** All of them to Lightning after he permanently moves in with them. [[spoiler:Also with Cruz, after becoming Lightning's student.]] |
| 31 | ** Also with Doc, who is revealed to be a former racer himself. At least until his death. |
| 32 | * SixthRanger: [[spoiler: Cruz Ramirez joins the gang at the end of ''Cars 3''.]] |
| 33 | * TownGirls: Showgirl Flo is femme, boisterous Lizzie is butch ([[spoiler:Later joined by feisty Cruz]]), and sweet Sally is neither. |
| 34 | * TokenMinority: Luigi, Guido (Italian) and Ramone (Mexican), are the only members of the gang who are foreign. [[spoiler:Later joined by Cruz (Hispanic).]] |
| 35 | * TrueCompanions: Initially averted at first upon Lightning's destruction of the town, but played straight in the climax of the first film onward. Most of them are part of his pit crew, and are there for him. They all act like this toward each other as well. |
| 36 | * WorldsBestWarrior: The town is home to not just two of the best racecar drivers, it also includes cars like Guido as a one-man pit crew. |
| 37 | * VagueAge: All of them act like young adults, with Doc as the oldest. They are also old enough to live on their own. However, they seem to keep the same appearances as years pass (as seen in the "Our Town" montage where they look the same as they do now and in Doc's newspaper where he still looks as old as he does today), and don't even show any signs of aging at all. |
| 38 | %%* VitriolicBestBuds: All of them love and respect each other. |
| 39 | [[/folder]] |
| 40 | |
| 41 | [[folder:Montgomery "Lightning" [=McQueen=]]] |
| 42 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lightning_cars_3.png]] |
| 43 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"[[CharacterCatchphrase Ka-chow!]]"'' ]] |
| 44 | ->'''Voiced by:''' |
| 45 | -->Creator/OwenWilson (Films, ''Mater and the Ghostlight'', ''Cars: The Video Game'', ''Fast As Lightning'', ''The Radiator Springs 500 1/2'', ''Cars On The Road'', theme parks) |
| 46 | -->Creator/KeithFerguson (''Mater's Tall Tales'', ''Mater-National Championship'', ''Race-O-Rama'', ''Cars 2: The Video Game'', ''Tales From Radiator Springs'' (except ''The Radiator Springs 500 1/2''), ''Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool'') |
| 47 | -->Ben Rausch (''Cars 3: Driven To Win'') |
| 48 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' |
| 49 | -->Creator/GuillaumeCanet (European French in the films) |
| 50 | -->Creator/DanielBruhl (German in the first film) |
| 51 | -->Creator/GuillaumeCanet (European French in the films) |
| 52 | -->Ofer Shechter (Hebrew in the first two films) |
| 53 | -->Yuval Segal (Hebrew in the third film and Cars on the Road) |
| 54 | -->Kuno Becker (Latin Spanish in the films) |
| 55 | -->Creator/SergioGutierrezCoto (Latin Spanish; recurring voice in other works) |
| 56 | ->'''Basis:''' 2006 Custom-built Piston Cup racer ("A hybrid between a stock car and a more curvaceous Le Mans endurance racer") |
| 57 | |
| 58 | |
| 59 | ->''"The racing is the reward, not the stuff!"'' |
| 60 | |
| 61 | The central character of the franchise, a young, ambitious but arrogant, self-centered race car who wants to win the Piston Cup. His desire to be the first to California leads him getting lost and stranded in Radiator Springs. However, his time with the eccentric townsfolk open his eyes to his own demeanor and learns to slow down in life, turning him into a better person. In ''Cars 2'', he participates in the World Grand Prix. In ''Cars 3'', he is outmatched by a new, high-tech generation of racers led by rookie Jackson Storm, [[CareerEndingInjury causing him to suffer a near-fatal crash which puts his career in jeopardy]], and struggles to get back on top with the help of fellow racing technician Cruz Ramirez, who has a dream of becoming a racer just like him. |
| 62 | |
| 63 | Unlike most of the other characters in the franchise, [=McQueen=] is not based on any one real world design, instead incorporating design features from many different sports and racing cars. |
| 64 | ---- |
| 65 | * TenMinuteRetirement: When he isolates himself in Doc's garage for four straight months following his near-fatal crash, thinking the same that happened to Doc will happen to him. |
| 66 | * TheAce: A champion in the racing world. |
| 67 | * AffectionateNickname: "Stickers" by Sally. |
| 68 | * AlliterativeName: His real first name is '''M'''onty. |
| 69 | * AlmostKiss: He and Sally in the first film before Mater interrupts. |
| 70 | * AlwaysSomeoneBetter: In ''Cars 3''. First Jackson Storm, then [[spoiler:Cruz Ramirez]]. |
| 71 | * AmusingInjuries: He suffers from some at the expense of the audience in the first movie when he's practicing at Willy's Butte, from crashing into cacti, to getting a hairful of dirt and grass, to falling out of the track, and concluding with a godforsaken ''saguaro'' falling on top of him. |
| 72 | -->'''Lightning:''' OOOOOWWWWWWWWWW! |
| 73 | * BadassBoast: He gets a pair in the first film. |
| 74 | ** His self-RousingSpeech at the start, to help concentrate: |
| 75 | --->''(whispering to himself) "[[SuperSpeed Speed...]] '''[[SuperSpeed I]]''' [[SuperSpeed am speed.]] One winner, forty-two losers. I eat losers for breakfast. [...] I'm [[FastestThingAlive faster than fast, quicker than quick]]... '''I am [[FastAsLightning lightning]]!'''"'' |
| 76 | ** His brief one before he and Doc race at Willy's Butte: |
| 77 | --->''"Speed, I am speed! Float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beemer!"'' |
| 78 | * BadassDriver: Literal example as he's a race car with mad skills. Demonstrated at the Dinoco 400 in the first film as he squeezes past a car by tilting and jumping clear of a wreckage, and at the Los Angeles 500 and Florida 500 in the third film when he manages to pass several next-gens quite easily. |
| 79 | * BerserkButton: |
| 80 | ** He is offended every time Jackson insults him or overtakes him during a race, but overtaking him in the Los Angeles 500 is what [[RageBreakingPoint cranks his rage level to 100%]]. |
| 81 | ** He also doesn't like it every time someone calls him old or unfit, though on a minor detail and played for humor. |
| 82 | * TheBet: |
| 83 | ** Doc offers him a deal in the first movie. If Lightning wins the race, Doc will fix the road instead. It's a BatmanGambit, however, as Doc knows Lightning doesn't know how to drive on dirt (until his appearance in the second movie). |
| 84 | ** Ends up going through one in ''Cars 3'' -- he has to win the Florida 500 or he'll lose his job forever. |
| 85 | * BewareTheNiceOnes: After becoming a nice guy, Lightning is usually laid-back, easy-going, and plays fair, but the moment when someone insults him or threatens his friends, Lightning will get serious and get payback. |
| 86 | * BigNo: He says this in ''Cars 3'' (along with a RapidFireNo) as he struggles to catch up to Jackson; notably the last thing he says before his iconic crash. |
| 87 | * BishieSparkle: Often when he is seen speeding by from a long enough distance, his paintwork briefly gives off a faint glow. One of his lightning bolt stickers also glows whenever he strikes a pose and says his famous catchphrase. |
| 88 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: He was this as a rookie: He acts nice and gentle when racing and with his fans, but the real him was spoiled, vain, rotten, and extremely self-centered, this even caused his own crew to quit on him. Averted as of his change of heart due to the time he spent in Radiator Springs, since he’s now a good-natured friend when and when not racing. |
| 89 | * BreakTheHaughty: Happens to him in the first movie where he gets stranded in Radiator Springs after an accident involving the Delinquent Road Hazards and him being separated from Mack and he is forced to fix the road he destroyed while worrying that Chick is in California schmoozing Dinoco. [[TookALevelInKindness He eventually learns to be more humble while he stays in Radiator Springs]]. |
| 90 | * BrokenAce: At the start of the first movie, he's an extremely talented, popular, charismatic racer who was one of the three top picks (alongside [[AlwaysSecondBest Chick Hicks]] and [[TheAce The King]]) to win the Piston Cup. He's also an arrogant, impulsive {{jerkass}} who [[MeanBoss mistreated his crew to the point where they left]] and [[LonelyAtTheTop doesn't seem to have any friends besides Mack]]. |
| 91 | * BuffySpeak: "I think you're forgetting the insulting part of that insult." |
| 92 | * ButtMonkey: In ''Mater's Tall Tales'' and some of the other ''Cars Toons''. It is rare for one to not involve something bad happening to him. Though he does have his moments in the films as well. For example falling into cacti twice, getting forced on a train track, and having a drip pan put underneath him just in case he leaks. |
| 93 | * CallingYourAttacks: In "Tokyo Mater" whenever he is about to execute a "dragon" skill, an announcer shouts out what he's unleashing. |
| 94 | -->''SPINNING DRAGON ATTACK! LIGHTNING DRAGON FIREBALL!'' |
| 95 | * CatapultNightmare: He has one in the first film where he, The King, and Chick Hicks are racing on Motor Speedway of the South and are on the last lap until Frank appears out of nowhere and mows Chick while the King moves out of the way, and so does Lightning, but it costs him the win where Frank crosses the finish line first and wins Dinoco while Lightning gets licked by tractors and he wakes up screaming [[BigNo No!]]. |
| 96 | * CharacterCatchphrase: |
| 97 | ** ''"Ka-chow!"'' |
| 98 | ** "[[BadassBoast Speed... I am speed.]]" |
| 99 | ** "I'm sorry, Mater. That did not happen." ''(in Mater's Tall Tales)'' |
| 100 | ** "Wow!" ''(a quirk inherited from his voice actor)'' |
| 101 | ** "[[YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe You gotta be kidding me.]]" |
| 102 | * CharacterDevelopment: In the first film, he starts off as [[{{Jerkass}} an egotistical, conceited, and arrogant racer]] who [[ItsAllAboutMe couldn't care less about others and cared only about his image]], but later discovers that there's more to racing than just winning after hearing Doc's backstory and becomes friends with the townsfolk of Radiator Springs. [[spoiler:Come the third film, not only is he still the warmhearted racing legend of today, he is also a wise and proud teacher just like Doc was.]] |
| 103 | * CharacterTics: Lightning often sticks his tongue out when thinking of something. He also licks his upper lip at seldom moments, such as when the last lap of the tiebreaker race begins, when he's being interviewed by Shannon in the Dinoco Light 350 post-race coverage, and when Storm taunts him before the start of said race. When racing, he usually smiles with determination, but when he gets serious or tries to catch up, he clenches his teeth furiously. He also fidgets one of his wheels sometimes when he's confused or draws a blank. He also flashes a lucky sticker or revs up when showing off or flirting. |
| 104 | * ChickMagnet: Sally, Lizzie, Mia, and Tia all get a crush on him in the first movie. Also, during the first race, a woman can be heard screaming "I LOVE YOU, LIGHTNING!" at one point. |
| 105 | * ChildhoodFriends: With Carl in ''Cars Origins: Struck By Lightning'', albeit not as kids, but young adults. At least until their friendship soured after Carl betrays him in the last race of the semester. |
| 106 | * ColorCodedCharacters: Vibrant red with gold flash bolts. |
| 107 | * ColorMotif: |
| 108 | ** Normally his paint jobs are a luminous vivid shade of red, representing his confidence. At the beginning of ''Cars 3'' however, he has a different paint job that is a more dull red shade, complete with a different version of the Rust-eze logo. This represents he's being blindsided by Jackson Storm and the next-gens and unintentionally foreshadows the violent crash he will suffer later on. |
| 109 | ** In addition, while he had his usual vibrant red shade with his first paint job in the first film, this represented his original personality where he was stuck-up and vain. When Ramone gives him a new paint job to impress Sally, he changes to a darker red with sparkles, to show he's warming up to the others and learning the film's moral. Come the finale, he has combined this paint job with portions of his racing getup. |
| 110 | * TheComicallySerious: Lightning can be funnily sarcastic around [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Mater]] when he's out of it. |
| 111 | * CostumeEvolution: |
| 112 | ** As of ''Cars 2'', his sticker decal headlights and taillights are removed and replaced with actual working ones. |
| 113 | ** Before his CharacterDevelopment, the lightning bolt motif on his sides was patterned out in yellow-to-red halftone. Following such, the bolts have been filled in and became solid colored, and were also eventually tipped with flames. |
| 114 | ** After moving to Radiator Springs, Lightning's first "casual" paint job was a cross between his Piston Cup getup and the "cruisin'" getup he received from Ramone, while his second was just his Le Mans-esque appearance from ''Cars 2'' with the WGP decals replaced with those for Radiator Springs and the Piston Cup. Come ''Cars On the Road'', he now sports a total casual appearance with the Radiator Springs logo on the hood and sides in place of the Rust-Eze sticker, the perfect off-season apparel for a race car. |
| 115 | * DeadGuyJunior: Meta example: His surname is in honor of animator Glenn [=McQueen=], who passed away during production of ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo.'' |
| 116 | * DeadpanSnarker: He has his moments of witty banter, particularly pre-HeelFaceTurn towards the Radiator Springs folk. |
| 117 | -->'''Sally:''' ''(after Lightning "[[SarcasmMode fixes]]" the road)'' It looks awful!\ |
| 118 | '''Lightning:''' ''Now it matches the rest of the town!'' |
| 119 | * DecoyProtagonist: |
| 120 | ** Becomes this throughout ''Cars 2'' due to Mater taking up most of the story. |
| 121 | ** The ''Cars 3'' advertisements play up his return to the role of protagonist, but [[spoiler:it's ultimately Cruz Ramirez's rise to glory as a racer. Though he does play a pivotal part in it]]. |
| 122 | * TheDefroster: Him and Doc go both ways in this. Though Doc was bitter with Lightning at first, Lightning's change helps Doc to make peace with his racing past, becoming a happier mentor who treasures every moment with him. |
| 123 | * {{Deuteragonist}}: In ''Cars 2'', he's the second main focus behind Mater. |
| 124 | * DreamworksFace: Generally this is one of his default ways of smiling, half-closed eyes with one slightly raised upward, along with a smile that stretches out further at the side he's showing. He mostly drops it after his HeelFaceTurn, in favor of a more, genuine smile instead. He still uses it on occasion, though. |
| 125 | * DrearyHalfLiddedEyes: Often sports this expression when showing off, especially back when he was obnoxious. |
| 126 | * {{Determinator}}: Being a racer, he gets this feeling ''a lot'', especially when he skips a pit stop and refuses a tire change as an excuse to remain in the lead. |
| 127 | * DueToTheDead: [[spoiler:At the end of ''Cars 3'', he paints himself up in Hudson's colors to commemorate him.]] |
| 128 | * DudeWheresMyRespect: In ''Cars 3'', he gets a lot of guff about his age from Doc's old racing friends who are ironically decades older then him. And, most (if not ''all'') of the next gen racers, especially [[TheRival Storm]], have little to no respect for him. Also, while she is a fan of his, Cruz unintentionally insults [=McQueen=] about his age by calling him her "senior project". For the most part, his reaction ranges from mild annoyance to agitation. |
| 129 | * EmbarrassingFirstName: In the tie in book; ''Cars Origins: Struck by Lightning'', his actual name is Monty [=McQueen=]. He changed it once he became a rookie. Even Sarge comments the name ''Lightning'' is more fitting. |
| 130 | * EmergingFromTheShadows: How we first meet him in the first film. |
| 131 | * EstablishingCharacterMoment: |
| 132 | ** His self-centered persona in the first film was revealed once announced as the only racer to not take a pit stop after the tragic wreckage caused by Chick, and again when he refuses a tire change to maintain his big lead. It is then established verbally during his interview after the race: |
| 133 | -->'''Lightning:''' Am I sorry I don't have a crew chief? No, I'm not. 'Cause I'm a one-man show. |
| 134 | ** However, in the same race as the above scene, he also notably races fairly without resorting to underhanded methods like Chick, and, after the race, he shows nothing but respect and deferance to racing veteran Strip "The King" Weathers, despite the two racing as direct competitors previously. Overall, despite his arrogance and ambition, it demonstrates he's [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold a good guy under it all]], and that he has a genuine passion for racing beyond simply being a path to fame and fortune. |
| 135 | ** In the climax, his new, selfless persona is established just after Chick purposefully causes The King to crash on the infield near the end of the tiebreaker race, causing him to stop just before the finish line and let Chick win. He then proceeds to help The King finish the race, which shows the audience he's the true winner. It is established even further when he politely turns down the Dinoco sponsorship in favor of Rust-eze, and moves to Radiator Springs and sets up his racing headquarters there. |
| 136 | * EtTuBrute: Needless to say, betrayal is a sore spot for Lightning. |
| 137 | ** The tie-in book ''Cars Origins: Struck by Lightning'' shows this was his FreudianExcuse as to why he became his former arrogant self: his first friend, Carl, had his pit crew remove his lug nuts and then lied to Lightning that they were loose. After this, Lightning stayed away from his classmates, his trust broken and refusing to make any more friends. |
| 138 | ** He also felt this way after Mater causes him to lose the first race in the World Grand Prix. Though after grilling Mater with words and learning he planned to return to Radiator Springs, Lightning does regret doing that to his friend. |
| 139 | * EveryoneHasStandards: Despite being selfish and arrogant during the first half of the first film, Lightning played by the rules and never resorted to using dirty tricks to win. |
| 140 | * ExoticEyeDesigns: If examining Lightning really closely, you can see a faint star-shaped highlight on his iris. |
| 141 | * ExpospeakGag: "I'm a precision instrument of speed and aerodynamics." |
| 142 | -->'''Mater:''' You hurt your what?\ |
| 143 | '''Lightning:''' ''I'M A VERY FAMOUS RACE CAR!!'' |
| 144 | * FamedInStory: His racing career has made him very famous. |
| 145 | * FastAsLightning: He {{invoke|d Trope}}s this trope right in his name, and is one of the best racers to live up to it. |
| 146 | * FishOutOfWater: After he first enters Radiator Springs. |
| 147 | * FiveStagesOfGrief: Lighting hits all five beats throughout his stay in the first film; he's unfriendly toward the townsfolk at first (denial), is annoyed that he has to fix the road (anger), races Doc at Willy's Butte in an attempt to leave only to fail (bargaining), breaks down for the first time prior to his departure for the race and is reluctant to go (depression), and gives up the Piston Cup to help The King finish, realizing what is really important in life (acceptance). |
| 148 | * FourTemperamentEnsemble: Sanguine and choleric; he's often excitable and full of energy, but can sometimes get frustrated. |
| 149 | * FreudianExcuse: The tie-in book ''Cars Origins: Struck by Lightning'' reveals how he became his former arrogant self as shown in the first movie. His first friend Carl [[EtTuBrute betrayed him during the final race of the semester]] by tricking him into thinking his lug nuts are loose when really, his pitties removed them on purpose so he can win and get a sponsorship deal. As a result, he stayed away from his classmates and never made any more friends, vowing never to trust anyone. |
| 150 | * FriendlessBackground: He didn't have any friends other than Mack before befriending the locals at Radiator Springs, as evidenced by his downcast expression after he ends his call with Harv. |
| 151 | * GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: InUniverse, Lightning seems to be very popular in Japan. |
| 152 | * GratuitousItalian: The films show he can speak at least some Italian. |
| 153 | * GratuitousRap: He uses Cruz's workout song to his advantage to get her to accept his apology and makes up his own rap out of it. |
| 154 | * HeroicBSOD: Suffers at least one of these in each film. |
| 155 | ** First film: After ending his call with Harv, when he learned about Doc's crash and felt bad for himself, and shortly before his departure when saying goodbye to Sally. |
| 156 | ** Second film: When he reads Mater's note and feels sorry for him. |
| 157 | ** Third film: When he is stunned after Jackson taunted him at the Los Angeles 500 just before his crash, and during his TenMinuteRetirement in Doc's garage. |
| 158 | * HeroicRROD: His crash in ''Cars 3'' counts as one since seconds before his tire blows out, he can be heard breathing heavily as he struggles to catch up to Storm. |
| 159 | * HeterosexualLifePartners: With Mater, even calling Mater his best friend at the end of the first film. |
| 160 | * HonorBeforeReason: At the end of the first film. He gives up his shot at the Piston Cup in favor of making sure The King can finish his last race and retire with dignity, remembering what happened to Doc as a result of ''his'' big wreck. |
| 161 | * HiddenDepths: |
| 162 | ** His sudden appearances in ''Mater's Tall Tales'' hint at a few extra talents he can do. "Heavy Metal Mater" shows he can sing and play the keyboard, while "Tokyo Mater" shows he's skilled at karate, though he hasn't demonstrated those skills in real time yet. |
| 163 | ** While it's hinted as far as the first movie, the first episode of ''Cars on the Road'' reveals that he's highly knowledgeable about paleontology and dinosaurs. |
| 164 | * HistoryRepeats: Just as what happened to Doc, following the introduction of Jackson Storm and the next-gens, he suffers a violent, near-fatal crash that questions the future of his career, and worries about an imminent retirement. [[spoiler:While he doesn't retire, he still becomes a mentor to Cruz, a car who's just starting her racing career, and before that --like what happened with The King-- she helps him finish the race.]] |
| 165 | * HopelessWithTech: As shown in ''Cars 3'', he isn't quite used to the racing center's simulator and goes out of control the moment it starts up, to the point of destroying it. In the [[VideoGame/Cars3DrivenToWin video game]] and ''Lightning [=McQueen=]'s Racing Academy'', which both take place afterwards, he's shown to have gotten better. |
| 166 | * HotPaintJob: Has at least one of these in each film, courtesy of Ramone... |
| 167 | ** The sparkly, darker red paint job he receives to surprise Sally in the first, which he combines with bits of his racing getup near the end. |
| 168 | ** His World Grand Prix paint job in the second, which features green-tinted flames that reach all the way up to his rear fenders, as well as a Le Mans-esque spoiler. |
| 169 | ** The high-tech electronic suit [[spoiler:and his "Fabulous Lightning [=McQueen=]" paint job]] in the third. His regular racing paint job to a lesser extent, which features a small flame job similar to the one used for the World Grand Prix. |
| 170 | * HumanizingTears: Happens in the first film prior to his departure for California, not to mention this is also a sign of his CharacterDevelopment taking effect -- he immediately wanted to leave Radiator Springs upon getting lost, but after spending so much time there, he breaks down for the first time and is reluctant to go. |
| 171 | * ICantDance: Averted as he's shown to be a good dancer, though in ''Radiator Springs Adventures'' Ramone says his moves are too "embarrassing" when he shows him. |
| 172 | * IChooseToStay: |
| 173 | ** At the end of ''Cars'', he turns down Dinoco and chooses to stay with his current sponsor Rust-eze, and stays in Radiator Springs permanently, setting up his Racing Headquarters there which puts it back on the map. |
| 174 | ** [[spoiler: In the finale of ''Cars 3'', he decides to continue racing upon winning his deal with Sterling.]] |
| 175 | * IcyBlueEyes: Goes with how he was originally, when he was obnoxious and vain. {{Subverted|Trope}} by the end of the film, realizing there's much more to racing than winning and friendship is more important than just that. |
| 176 | * ImageSong: |
| 177 | ** The songs "Real Gone" and "Run That Race" from the first and third films respectively can be seen as these for him, though with different meanings. The former is alluding to his former self when he was self-absorbed and arrogant, while the latter alludes to his current selfless image, and shows his love of racing and how much he enjoys it. |
| 178 | ** "Collision of Worlds" from the second film is about his and Mater's friendship with each other. |
| 179 | * IncomingHam: |
| 180 | ** When being added to Mater's story in "Tokyo Mater", an announcer yells, "LIGHTNING DRAGON MCQUEEN!" |
| 181 | ** Another occurs in "Heavy Metal Mater" when he screams, "ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?!?!" |
| 182 | * InkSuitActor: Has a few features inherited from Owen Wilson's face, most notably the eye color. |
| 183 | * InsufferableGenius: He does grow out of the insufferable attitude, but it does originally stem from the fact that he ''is'' a talented racer. |
| 184 | * {{Irony}}: In the first film, he said the reason he didn’t have real headlights is because racers don't need them due to the track being lit at nighttime. He then receives them in the sequel. |
| 185 | * ItsAllAboutMe: The old him acted this way, only being concerned with his problems. |
| 186 | * JackOfAllStats: In the ''2'' and ''3'' tie-in games, he has perfectly balanced speed and weight. In the movies, he's also noted to have good performance regardless of terrain unlike other racers such as Francesco. |
| 187 | * JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Despite his moments of meanness, [=McQueen=] is always shown to have a good heart beneath the rotten surface. |
| 188 | ** [=McQueen=] spends the bulk of the first movie as a selfish jerk who [[ItsAllAboutMe cared more about himself than others]], [[MeanBoss treated his own pit crew poorly, forced Mack to drive all night without sleep]], and repeatedly badmouthed the citizens of Radiator Springs. He wasn't too horrible of a guy though, as seen by how he [[EveryoneHasStandards played by the rules]] and showed respect towards his racing elders. After being [[MiseryBuildsCharacter trapped in Radiator Springs for days on end]], he loses his vanity and rudeness, and becomes a much more nice and likable guy who truly appreaciates the friends he made in the town. |
| 189 | ** In ''Cars 2'', he harshly calls out Mater for his immature behavior throughout the movie, but still considers him his best friend. Reflecting the CharacterDevelopment he got on the first film, his new pit crew is also shown to be much more collaborative with him. |
| 190 | ** In ''Cars 3'', [[spoiler:he goes on a tirade about how Cruz Ramirez is slowing him down and how she doesn't understand what is at stake for him since she is just a trainer. He then makes up for it later, when he takes her to Thomasville to find Doc Hudson's crew chief and when she's racing in the final race that would determine his fate]]. |
| 191 | * JerkassHasAPoint: In ''Cars 3'', [[spoiler:his TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to Cruz about how she didn't understand what was at stake might have been scathing, but he was right about it given he hadn't been able to improve by the course of their regimen]]. |
| 192 | * KarmicJackpot: [[spoiler:In the first film's final race, when Lightning sees The King's crash, he gives up the Piston Cup (even if it means [[TheBadGuyWins Chick will win]]), just so he can make sure The King can finish his final race and retire with dignity. The whole crowd cheers Lightning on for his sportsmanship and recognizes him as the true winner of the race instead of Chick, and he is even offered the Dinoco sponsorship, which he has always wanted. He politely turns it down, but he keeps his promise to Mater by getting him a ride in the Dinoco helicopter.]] |
| 193 | * LargeHam: |
| 194 | ** He really loves hamming it up for the audience during his races. "KA-CHOW!" |
| 195 | ** When he becomes a monster truck in the video games, he takes on a new persona, and most of his dialogue involves him shouting and roaring. |
| 196 | --->'''Lightning''': ''(Upon being selected as a playable character)'' All fear the mighty BOLT! |
| 197 | * LastNameBasis: Subverted and inverted. He is often called by his first name most times, but other times characters tend to refer to himself by his last name "[=McQueen=]". |
| 198 | * LawOfChromaticSuperiority: His bright red coloring probably helped him on his rise to fame. |
| 199 | * {{Leitmotif}}: Almost any scene focusing on Lightning is accompanied by orchestral or rock music, especially when he's racing. |
| 200 | * LikeASonToMe: In ''Cars 3'', Lightning remarks to Smokey that racing had been the best part of Doc's life. Smokey tells him that, while Doc did love racing, it wasn't the best part of his life. [[spoiler:Lightning was.]] |
| 201 | * LivingLegend: He's won seven Piston Cups in a row by the time of the third film, making him this. |
| 202 | * LoopholeAbuse: Unintentionally pulls this in the third film. His agreement with Sterling was that if Lightning won, he could keep racing but if he lost, he would have to retire. Realizing he wouldn't be able to beat Jackson Storm during the race, Lighting chooses to withdraw so Cruz Ramirez can take his place in order to give her the chance to race like she had always wanted, even coaching her to victory. But since Lightning participated in the race, it still counts as his win too even though Cruz was the one who actually won it, allowing Lighting to choose whether or not to retire on his own terms. [[PlayingWithATrope It's worth noting, however]], that Lightning didn't know about the loophole; he just wanted to give Cruz her start. |
| 203 | * LonelyAtTheTop: Shows signs of being this in the first movie. |
| 204 | ** It's first indicated when Harv talks about inviting his friends to a party to celebrate winning, and Lightning struggles to name anyone. |
| 205 | ** Later, when Sally admits that her previous highly-successful career wasn't very happy, he shows signs of understanding what she means before quickly covering it up with intrigue. |
| 206 | ** Fortunately subverted at the end, thanks to making deep connections to everyone in Radiator Springs. |
| 207 | * MadeOfIron: There is almost never a moment where he succumbs to a lasting injury, but one exception would be falling into the cacti twice upon arriving in Radiator Springs. A larger exception would be his near-fatal crash. |
| 208 | * MeanBoss: As a rookie, he repeatedly mistreated and insulted his original pit crew (causing them to quit on him), fired three crew chiefs before then, and forced Mack to drive for days without rest. |
| 209 | * MeaningfulEcho: When he and Doc are about to race at Willy's Butte, he rouses himself with a brief "Float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beemer!". Doc later turns it into an IronicEcho after [=McQueen=] loses. However, both repeat it later during the tiebreaker race when he is about to win. |
| 210 | * MeaningfulName: "Speed. Faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am Lightning." Also, he has a lightning bolt motif. The tie in book ''Cars Origins: Struck By Lightning'' reveals he got his name by breaking his racing school's all-time record. |
| 211 | * MentorArchetype: [[spoiler:Becomes Cruz's teacher at the end of ''Cars 3'' after she helps him save his job.]] |
| 212 | * MoonwalkDance: He performs this near the end of "Tokyo Mater". |
| 213 | * MyGodWhatHaveIDone: He felt this way in the sequel after lashing out at Mater for causing him to lose the Tokyo race of the World Grand Prix and Uncle Toplino gives him words of wisdom. |
| 214 | * {{Narcissist}}: Part of his original personality. The inside of his trailer was decked with trophies, merchandise and neon lights, even fancy gadgets. After dropping this attitude, the trailer has been stripped completely of the fancy stuff in favor of a simple Willy's Butte wallpaper and photos of his friends. |
| 215 | * NearDeathExperience: So far, Lightning has experienced at least one of these in each film. |
| 216 | ** In the first film, he barely manages to beat a train. He then crashes into a cacti patch twice, with a large saguaro falling on him the second time, while attempting to make the sharp turn at Willy's Butte. And later, he was also almost murdered by Frank. |
| 217 | ** In the second film, he was planned to be exploded by a bomb, but it was put in Mater instead. The lemons also tried to make him explode with the camera, but his Allinol gas was switched with Filmore's organic fuel so he was not affected. |
| 218 | ** In the third film, this is then PlayedForDrama; he lost control while trying to catch up to Jackson and suffered a violent crash, but survived afterwards. The junior novel even goes so far as to imply that he almost didn't make it. He was also almost killed by Miss Fritter in the Demolition Derby. |
| 219 | * TheNicknamer: Under protest, he has named his tires "Lefty", "Righty", "Backy", and "Backy Junior". |
| 220 | * NonStandardCharacterDesign: Unlike most other race cars, his body type is quite unique. His hood area is squished in a little and the sides are raised up slightly, and his spoiler is bigger and curves in at the middle. This sets him apart from the others. This is later alluded to in ''Cars 3'''s specs, with Lightning's claiming he's a ''custom built racer''[[labelnote:*]]As noted above, his design is a hybrid of a Le Mans racer and a turn-of-the-century stock car[[/labelnote]]. |
| 221 | * OddFriendship: With Mater. Lightning's an ultra-sleek, pampered racecar who was initially disgusted by rusty cars while Mater's a rusty, humble tow-truck with a goofy, cheerful personality. |
| 222 | * OfficialCouple: With Sally. |
| 223 | * OhNoNotAgain: He felt this way at the end of ''Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool'' when the force of Miss Fritter's scream from the TV causes the Crazy 8 trophy he fixed to fall and break apart once more. |
| 224 | * OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: In the third film, he faces Jackson Storm, a newcomer to the Piston Cup racing series who is arrogant and narcissistic, exactly how he was originally. |
| 225 | * OlderThanTheyLook: He's a veteran in the third film, yet he looks the same as he did as a rookie and kept that appearance since then, years apart. This is repeatedly teased throughout said film when characters say he's old, despite the fact he still looks young. He still even ''sounds'' young as well. |
| 226 | * OriginsEpisode: The tie in novel, ''Cars Origins: Struck by Lightning'', in which he recounts the time he became a racer to Mater, Sarge and Fillmore on a camping trip. |
| 227 | * OutOfFocus: In the sequel, a result of Mater taking the spotlight. He regains it in the third movie. |
| 228 | * PaperThinDisguise: While at the Thunder Hollow Crazy 8, he covered himself entirely with mud, passing off as a participant named "Chester Whipplefilter". He managed to fool everyone until he got soaked with water after the match, revealing himself to the crowd. |
| 229 | * PassingTheTorch: [[spoiler:Ultimately allows Cruz to finish the Florida race for him under his number. When she wins, his racing career is saved, and [[MentorArchetype he becomes her personal coach]].]] |
| 230 | * PreAsskickingOneLiner: He is prone to these, hence being a racer. |
| 231 | -->''"Oh yeah, Lightning's ready!" (The first film, before he exits his trailer after doing his pre-race RousingSpeech)''\ |
| 232 | ''"He is SO getting beat today!" (''Cars 2'', before racing Francesco in the World Grand Prix Tokyo race)''\ |
| 233 | ''"I'll see you at the finish line, buddy!" (''Cars 2'', said to Mater at the end of the film when he overtakes all the races in the friendly race at Radiator Springs)''\ |
| 234 | ''"I'm coming for you, Storm..." (''Cars 3'', after being repainted prior to his departure for the Rust-eze Racing Center)''\ |
| 235 | ''"You've just insulted the wrong town. Looks like our leisurely drive just turned into a ''race!''" (''The Radiator Springs 500½'', when being challenged by the Baja pros)'' |
| 236 | * PrecisionFStrike: "I'm in ''hillbilly'' Hell!" |
| 237 | * PrettyBoy: Chick calls him this in the comic "Rally Race". In-universe, he's got quite the amount of female fans for this, notably Mia and Tia. |
| 238 | * PrimaryColorChampion: He is red with yellow lightning bolts, and has blue eyes. And he is a piston cup racer and multi-champion. |
| 239 | * RedIsHeroic: He is red, and the hero of the series. |
| 240 | * RedOnesGoFaster: Red and very fast. |
| 241 | * RedOniBlueOni: In the first movie, he plays the energetic, hot-tempered red oni to The King's calm, experienced blue oni. This is reflected in their [[ColorCodedCharacters color schemes]]. |
| 242 | * TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: He delivers a rather hurtful, yet [[JerkassHasAPoint correct one]], to [[spoiler:Cruz when he has come nowhere to being ready for the race due to helping her instead]]. |
| 243 | -->'''Lightning:''' Do you know what happens if I lose this race?! [[spoiler:Every mile of this trip was to get me ''faster'' than Jackson Storm! ''FASTER!'' I start off getting nowhere for a ''week'', on a simulator! I lose a whole day with you on Fireball Beach! AND THEN, ''I WASTE TONIGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF MISS FRITTER!!!'' I'M STUCK IN THE SAME SPEED I WAS A MONTH AGO! ''I CAN'T GET ANY FASTER BECAUSE'' '''''I'M TOO BUSY TAKING CARE OF MY TRAINER!!!!!''''' This is my last chance, Cruz! LAST! FINAL!! FINITO!!! If I lose, I ''never'' get to do this again!! If you were a RACER, you'd know what I'm talking about, BUT YOU'RE ''NOT!'' '''SO YOU''' '''''DON'T!''''']] |
| 244 | * ReformedButNotTamed: Lightning's generally more laid-back after his stay in Radiator Springs, but he's still arrogant, loves the spotlight, and can be pretty cruel to those he's otherwise friendly to if he's annoyed by them. He gives a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to Mater in ''2'' and Cruz in ''3'' out of frustration at their apparent uselessness, but quickly regrets driving them away. |
| 245 | * ReluctantRetiree: His conflict throughout ''Cars 3'', following a rather horrible crash similar to Doc's and The King's. [[spoiler: Thanks to Cruz taking his place in the final race and finishing it for him, they both share the victory and he doesn't have to retire.]] |
| 246 | * RetiredBadass: Zig-zagged. [[spoiler: Despite Cruz winning the race for him and allowing him to continue racing if he wanted which he happily accepts, he chooses to spend the rest of the current season as her crew chief, teaching the new generation of racers the tricks of the trade. This makes him sort of ''semi''-retired.]] |
| 247 | * RightOutOfMyClothes: He does this in the third film, complete with his electronic suit ripping to shreds when he does an astounding leap in the forest, reverting to his natural appearance. |
| 248 | * RousingSpeech: [[spoiler:Gives one to Cruz after she takes over for him and has a HeroicBSOD after Storm taunts her.]] |
| 249 | -->'''Lightning:''' [[spoiler:You got into ''his'' head, don't you understand? He would never have done that if you didn't scare him! He sees something in you that you don't even see yourself. Made me believe it, now ''you've'' gotta believe it too! You are a racer. ''[[BorrowedCatchphrase Use that.]]'']] |
| 250 | * SmugSuper: Initially. He's fast, skilled, and proud of it -- but through character development, drops the smugness in favor of becoming a nicer guy. |
| 251 | * StealthPun: His current racing getup as of ''Cars 3'' has the Rust-eze logos on his hood and fenders slightly enlarged. This exaggerates the fact that he is all grown up. |
| 252 | * SuperSpeed: In racing. He ''is'' speed and all. |
| 253 | * SupportingProtagonist: In the second movie. |
| 254 | * SweetHomeAlabama: He speaks with a light southern twang in his voice (like his voice actor, which fades in an out time to time), hinting he's from the southern US, most likely Texas. The song "Real Gone" from the first film has the line "I was born in the south", alluding to this. |
| 255 | * SymbolMotifClothing: True to his name, he has lightning bolts on his sides. These are also tipped with flames for the World Grand Prix in ''Cars 2'', which carry over to his usual racing getup as of ''Cars 3''. |
| 256 | * TearsOfRemorse: Sheds these in the first film shortly before his departure, notably the first time he actually broke down. |
| 257 | * TookALevelInBadass: Even as a rookie, he's already talented enough to compete with the world's best racers and avoid massive car crashes, but he becomes even better after his stay in Radiator Springs, learning several new tricks such as powersliding and backwards driving which almost wins him a Piston Cup (and winning several of them in subsequent seasons). |
| 258 | * TookALevelInKindness: His time in Radiator Springs really improved his demeanor. |
| 259 | * TransformationSequence: He is shown having this in each film whenever he changes into a special paint job. |
| 260 | * TrashTalk: "I eat losers for breakfast!" |
| 261 | * UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: In the first movie, before his CharacterDevelopment. Everything that happens to him as a result of his rudeness is LaserGuidedKarma at its finest, though it helps him [[MiseryBuildsCharacter become a humbler guy]]. |
| 262 | * UnwantedAssistance: His initial attitude towards Cruz's training methods in the third film. |
| 263 | * VagueAge: In ''Cars 3'', [=McQueen=] is teased about his age a lot, though it's never explicitly said how old he is. Brian Fee implies in an interview that Lightning is in his mid to late 40s. Especially helped that he and most other cars are NotAllowedToGrowOld. |
| 264 | * VerbalBackspace: As Lightning tells Mater about his aspirations of fame, he tells Mater about how he wouldn't have to deal with any more "rusty old cars". Mater asks what's wrong with "rusty old cars", having Lightning awkwardly scramble to say he isn't talking about Mater. |
| 265 | * VitriolicBestBuds: |
| 266 | ** With Mack and Mater in the first and second films. |
| 267 | ** With Cal Weathers, Bobby Swift, and Cruz Ramirez in ''Cars 3''. |
| 268 | ** In ''Cars Origins: Struck By Lightning'', he was this with Carl, until [[EtTuBrute his harsh betrayal]]. |
| 269 | * WeUsedToBeFriends: In ''Cars Origins: Struck By Lightning'', he was friends with the top student of his racing academy, Carl. They were close to each other and enjoyed good times, until the events of the last race of the semester came along and Carl betrayed him by removing the lug nuts of his rear tire. After that, Lightning never saw Carl again. |
| 270 | * WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: ''Cars on the Road'' reveals that Lightning is afraid of clowns, spending an entire circus trip trembling in his seat because of it. |
| 271 | * WorthyOpponent: After his time in Radiator Springs, [=McQueen=] respectfully treats every opponent as a friendly opposition, and even at worst regarded Jackson Storm in ''Cars 3'' as a goal to surpass rather than an enemy. Even ''before'' his CharacterDevelopment, he had a warm and profound respect for his seniors and heroes who came before him, The King in particular, a trait that Chick notably ''lacked'', though Chick (and Storm) seems to get along with their crews better than [=McQueen=], who fired his crew chief thrice and had his pit crew fed up against him. |
| 272 | * WhenHeSmiles: Though he did sport a bunch of [[GrinOfAudacity grins of audacity]] even before his arrival in Radiator Springs, the first ''genuine'' smile he flashed was when Mater deemed him his best friend, and it's really cute. |
| 273 | [[/folder]] |
| 274 | |
| 275 | [[folder:Sir Towbert "Tow" Mater]] |
| 276 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mater_cars_2.png]] |
| 277 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"My name's Mater. Like 'Tuh-Mater', but without the 'tuh'!"'']] |
| 278 | ->'''Voiced by:''' |
| 279 | -->Creator/LarryTheCableGuy |
| 280 | -->Adam Burton (''Cars 3: Driven to Win'') |
| 281 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' |
| 282 | --> César Bono (Latin Spanish) |
| 283 | --> César Filio (Latin Spanish, in some other works) |
| 284 | ->'''Basis:''' 1951 International Harvester L-170 "boom" truck |
| 285 | |
| 286 | A rusty 1951 International Harvester tow truck. Mater comes off as a simple-minded stereotypical Southern hick, but he is a GeniusDitz, knowing a lot about engines, and can drive backwards using his rear view mirrors. He has a strong crush and affection for Holley Shiftwell and he’s best friends with Lightning. He becomes Lightning's best friend and initial crew chief in ''Cars 2'', where he is mistaken for a spy by Finn [=McMissile=]. |
| 287 | ---- |
| 288 | * TheAce: Given all the tall tales he's told, [[spoiler:and proving them to be true]]. |
| 289 | * AscendedExtra: Mater went from a secondary character who [[PluckyComicRelief primarily existed for comic relief]] in the first movie to TheProtagonist of ''Cars 2'', getting his own series of shorts in-between. |
| 290 | * BadassBoast: While teasing Lightning about his growing crush on Sally, Mater drives backwards to keep the act up. [=McQueen=] gets nervous about Mater driving backwards and tells him to stop before he wrecks himself. Mater takes offense and proves himself to be more than he seems. |
| 291 | -->'''Mater''': "Wreck"? Shoot, I'm the world's best backwards driver! Just watch this right here, lover boy. |
| 292 | * BeenThereShapedHistory: If "Time Travel Mater" is any indication, Mater is the reason Radiator Springs exists. It's because of him going back in time to tell Stanley to sell radiator hubcaps near a spring that the latter chose to found Radiator Springs where he did. |
| 293 | * BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler: In ''Cars 2'', after discovering that others think that he is just clueless and distracting]]. |
| 294 | * BreakoutCharacter: He has spun off into his own series of shorts, and even managed to become the main character of the sequel. |
| 295 | * CharacterCatchphrase: Several of which he shares with his voice actor. |
| 296 | ** "Dad gum!" |
| 297 | ** "Fu-un!" |
| 298 | ** "Shoooot!" |
| 299 | ** "Git-r-done!" |
| 300 | ** "I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!" |
| 301 | ** "I used to be a (insert job here)." (In ''Mater's Tall Tales'') |
| 302 | ** "Don't you remember? You was there, too!" (In ''Mater's Tall Tales'') |
| 303 | * ChildishToothGap: Hence being a southern hillbilly, he has huge buck teeth that protrude outwards and away from each other. |
| 304 | * {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: He comes off as slow-witted and silly. |
| 305 | * ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: In ''Cars'', the main character is Lightning, a HotBlooded racer who tries to get over his selfishness by spending time in a remote town called Radiator Springs. In ''Cars 2'', the main character is Lightning's friend Mater, a ditzy tow truck who is far more sensitive then Lightning and gets involved in a spy mission. |
| 306 | * CreepyMortician: {{Inverted}}: He's a tow truck working at a salvage/scrap yard in a world populated by sapient cars, thus making him their equivalent of a mortician. However, he's a genuinely friendly, jovial and nice fella. |
| 307 | * CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: The sequel and shorts definitely elevate him to this. |
| 308 | * ADayInTheLimelight: Don't let the ''Cars 2'' poster fool you - Mater is the star this time. |
| 309 | * TheDefroster: Along with Sally and Doc, Mater is one of the few cars responsible for making [=McQueen=] become nice during his time in Radiator Springs. Mater's the first resident of Radiator Springs to truly break through Lightning's [[DefrostingIceKing frosty exterior]] and befriend him, in part because he doesn't actually know about Lightning's status as a celebrity and genuinely wants to be his friend. |
| 310 | * DemotedToExtra: After being the main character of ''Cars 2'', ''Cars 3'' demotes him back to a secondary character who stays out of the main plot and only appears whenever Lightning needs some encouragement or advice. |
| 311 | * {{Deuteragonist}}: He's the second most prominent character in the franchise behind Lightning, and wherever Lightning goes, Mater is sure to follow. While he's only the main character proper in ''Cars 2'', he still gets a lot of focus in various titles, such as having entire subplots and minigames dedicated to him in the tie-in games or acting as the main character in ''Mater[='=]s Tall Tales''. |
| 312 | * DoNotCallMeSir: [[spoiler:Is knighted at the end of the second film, but [[HumbleHero prefers to just be acknowledged by his normal name]].]] |
| 313 | * DubNameChange: His name is ''Hook'' in the German Dub. |
| 314 | * {{Eagleland}}: Mater is viewed as a mix of Types 1 and 2 by foreign cars. |
| 315 | * EstablishingCharacterMoment: The very second he first appears, he happily gives Lightning a wake-up call in the impound and immediately befriends him. |
| 316 | * FlyingCar: [[spoiler: Mater is able to fly by using his rocket boosters together with his parachute.]] |
| 317 | * FourTemperamentEnsemble: Sanguine. |
| 318 | * TheGadfly: Mater's usually friendly, but he also loves screwing with others for his own amusement. As the first two movies show, he partakes in "tractor tipping" - scaring tractors into tipping over by honking his horn at them - and in ''Mater and the Ghostlight'', he repeatedly pulls pranks on the other residents of Radiator Springs. |
| 319 | * GatlingGood: In ''Cars 2'', he is equipped with machine guns powerful enough to shred enemy cars. When he accidentally fires them, the lemons have to hide behind a table for safety, and even then they're only safe because Mater has no idea what he's doing and is aiming way high. |
| 320 | * GeniusDitz: Despite seeming rather simple minded, he has very broad knowledge of car parts and engines and can identify any engine at a glance. |
| 321 | * GoodIsNotDumb: Being a GeniusDitz, [[spoiler:he manages to figure out Axlerod's involvement with the Lemons and his plot to discredit alternative fuel sources, forcing Axlerod to disarm the bomb]]. |
| 322 | * GoofyBuckteeth: He's the comic relief and Lightning [=McQueen=]'s sidekick, and he has crooked buckteeth. |
| 323 | * HalfWittedHillbilly: Mater certainly looks and acts the part of a redneck who is not very bright, but his encyclopaedic knowledge of car parts and problem-solving skills suggest that [[ObfuscatingStupidity he's a lot smarter than he lets on]]. |
| 324 | * HappilyMarried: In ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'', he mentions having "wedding flaps", which may hint that he's getting married to Holley Shiftwell. |
| 325 | * HeroProtagonist: He becomes the main protagonist of ''Cars 2'', gets involved in a spy mission, and thwarts the BigBad by the end of the film. |
| 326 | * HiddenDepths: |
| 327 | ** He reveals in the first film that he used to be a good whistler until he got rusty fluids built up in his engine block. He later mentions in the third film that his cousin Doyle taught him to sing and whistle at the same time, which probably contradicts the former. |
| 328 | ** Despite his goofy exterior, Mater is genuinely distraught over the idea that people only think of him as "the idiot tow-truck". |
| 329 | * HumbleHero: Even while [[spoiler:getting knighted by Her Majesty the Queen, Mater [[DoNotCallMeSir simply requests that other cars acknowledge him as just Mater]]]]. |
| 330 | * IChooseToStay: At the end of ''Cars 2'', he denies the deal be a full-time spy with Finn and Holley and prefers to stay in Radiator Springs with his friends. |
| 331 | * IWasQuiteALooker: During the "Our Town" sequence that shows Radiator Spring in the past glory days, Mater is shown to have had a cleaner and finer paint job. |
| 332 | * IdiotSavant: He's a savant like Rain Man, but mostly in ''Cars 2''. |
| 333 | * ImageSong: "Collision of Worlds" from the second film can be said for his and Lightning's friendship with each other. "Nobody's Fool" also seems to be the musical equivalent of the part in said film when he realizes what he did and feels sorry for showing Lightning up. |
| 334 | * IncomingHam: "MORNIN', SLEEPIN’ BEAUTY!" |
| 335 | * InkSuitActor: Kinda has a few elements of his voice actor's face, even sharing a famous catchphrase as well. |
| 336 | * JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Does this to [[spoiler:Miles Axelrod by threatening to blow both of them up with the bomb Axelrod put in Mater's filter unless he disarms it, proving him to be the mastermind in the process.]] |
| 337 | * KidAppealCharacter: He is mostly adored by kids of all ages. Kids just love him because he's so lovable. |
| 338 | * KindheartedSimpleton: Mater is the most sweet-natured and loyal car in the franchise. |
| 339 | * {{Knighting}}: [[spoiler:By the Queen of England herself.]] |
| 340 | * LargeHam: |
| 341 | ** Mater is a very loud, bombastic character who loves yelling and making a scene wherever he goes. "GET-R-DONE!" |
| 342 | ** When he becomes a monster truck in ''VideoGame/CarsMaterNationalChampionship'', Mater goes full ham, shouting everything he says and constantly growling and roaring. |
| 343 | * LaserGuidedKarma: In ''Mater and the Ghostlight'', Mater spends the night pulling pranks on the residents of Radiator Springs. After he is spooked by Sheriff's story about the Ghostlight, Lightning and Guido put a bluish lantern on his tow hook to make him think the Ghostlight is after him, scaring him senseless. |
| 344 | * LastNameBasis: He almost always goes by his last name, Mater, throughout the films. His first name is actually Towbert or Tow for short. |
| 345 | * MadnessMantra: Utters one in ''WesternAnimation/Cars2'' as he struggles to find an open bathroom stall: |
| 346 | -->'''Mater:''' I never leak...I never leak...I never leak... |
| 347 | * {{Manchild}}: Mater has the mental/emotional capacity of a small child, even though he's technically an adult. |
| 348 | * MightyGlacier: In the ''2'' and ''3'' tie-in games, he's the heaviest playable racer bar none. This makes him extremely slow, but capable of shrugging off damage and ramming lighter opponents with ease. |
| 349 | * MistakenForSpies: By Holley and Finn, partially as a result of his fanciful storytelling. Mainly done because their ''true'' contact slipped the information on him, and due to his profession he knew the reconnection phrase. |
| 350 | * MomentKiller: Towards the end of the first film, he shows up in the Dinoco helicopter at the Wheel Well just as Lightning and Sally were about to share their first kiss, and Lightning points it out seconds later. |
| 351 | * MultipleChoicePast: The "Tall Tales" series presents numerous potential backstories of Mater's life before the events of the movies. Among other things, he's been a firetruck, surgeon, daredevil, matador, street racer, monster truck wrestler, metal singer, astronaut, detective, and pilot, and has both befriended a UFO and travelled through time by driving backwards. It's left vague on which of these, if any, are true (given Mater's nature as an UnreliableNarrator and Lightning being present for all of them but not remembering it), but it's jokingly implied that all of them [[RealAfterAll somehow happened]] after all. |
| 352 | * NiceGuy: Very kind-hearted, cheerful, and an incredibly loyal friend to a fault. |
| 353 | * NoSocialSkills: Mater is socially awkward and socially inept. He has a hard time communicating his thoughts and feelings to others and doesn't know what topics to talk about in front of other people. He has a hard time with others' opinions, too, either not understanding them or thinking that if they don't like his friend [=McQueen=] they must be bad people. He sometimes says inappropriate things at the wrong times and unintentionally embarrasses his friends in public places when talking to new people. |
| 354 | * OddFriendship: With Lightning. Mater's a rusty, humble tow-truck with a goofy, cheerful personality while Lightning's an ultra-sleek, pampered racecar who was initially disgusted by rusty cars. |
| 355 | %%* OfficialCouple: With Holley Shiftwell. |
| 356 | * OnlyFriend: The only resident of Radiator Springs who immediately befriended Lightning after he gets lost there. |
| 357 | * OutOfFocus: In ''Cars 3'', he stays out of the main plot and only exists to provide [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]] or give Lightning advice. |
| 358 | * PluckyComicRelief: In the first and third movies, Mater provides a lot of the movie's humor with his [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} goofy personality]]. ''Cars 2'' downplays it by making him TheProtagonist, but even then most of the movie's jokes still come from him. |
| 359 | * ThePollyanna: Usually has an optimistic and positive attitude. |
| 360 | * ProneToTears: He gets very upset over every little thing, which is first seen from the first trailer of the first film. He's a very sensitive person and there were signs that he got upset in the first film but he showed more emotions in the second film. |
| 361 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: Has these briefly as part of his vampire disguise in ''Cars 2''. |
| 362 | * SecretlyWealthy: [[spoiler:Or at least from a wealthy background. ''On the Road'' reveals that he grew up in a mansion with his sister, but it's never stated [[AffluentAscetic why he chooses to work in a desert town living in a shack]].]] |
| 363 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: In ''Cars 3'', he only appears in a few scenes and doesn't contribute much to the plot. However, he inadvertently gives Lightning the idea to go back to Thomasville to learn tricks from Doc's mentors, which in turn allows Cruz to [[spoiler:learn the flip that lets her beat Jackson Storm in the climax.]] |
| 364 | * SouthernFriedGenius: Mater knows everything about engines and engine parts, but in an {{idiot savant}} kind of way. |
| 365 | * SpotlightStealingSquad: In the sequel, where he's crucial to the plot and even gets top billing. |
| 366 | * SweetHomeAlabama: Has the appearance of a hillbilly dead-on, even having a crazy Southern drawl to match. |
| 367 | * TookALevelInBadass: As the protagonist of the sequel, he has done this. While still being [[ManChild the way]] [[TheDitz he is]], he used whatever intelligence he has left to figure that [[spoiler:Axelrod was the Lemon Kingpin]]. He also used some karate of all things on some of the Lemons and Ivan. |
| 368 | * UglyGuyHotWife: While it's ambiguous at best whether they're already married or not yet, his strong relationship with Holley definitely takes this dynamic; a rusting tow truck and a sleek, shiny sports car. |
| 369 | * UnreliableNarrator: Of his own "Tall Tales" series. Given how he adds [=McQueen=] in them it justified, but his tales are true. |
| 370 | * VitriolicBestBuds: With Lightning. |
| 371 | * WeaponizedCar: Is outfitted with various gadgets like machine guns, holographic disguises, rocket boosters and a parachute during his time as a spy in ''Cars 2''. He loses most of the gadgets by the end of the movie, but gets to keep the boosters as a reward for [[spoiler:foiling Axelrod's plan]]. |
| 372 | * WhyAmITicking: [[spoiler:The Lemons plant a time bomb in his air filter as a backup plan to kill Lightning.]] |
| 373 | [[/folder]] |
| 374 | |
| 375 | [[folder:Doc Hudson/Fabulous Hudson Hornet]] |
| 376 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/doc_hudson.png]] |
| 377 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"You've got a lot of stuff, kid."'']] |
| 378 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/PaulNewman (Film), Creator/CoreyBurton (Video Games) |
| 379 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' Creator/BernardPierreDonnadieu (European French), Pedro Armendáriz Jr. (Latin Spanish, in ''Cars'' and ''Mater and the Ghostlight''), Héctor Lama Yazbek (Latin Spanish, in ''Cars 3'' |
| 380 | ->'''Basis:''' 1951 Hudson Hornet |
| 381 | |
| 382 | A 1951 Hudson Hornet, Doc Hudson is Radiator Springs' medical doctor and judge. He sentences Lightning to fix the town's road after destroying it. He hides his past from his friends, which Lightning accidentally discovers, which Doc does not like one bit. |
| 383 | ---- |
| 384 | * TheAtoner: [[spoiler:After having ratted [=McQueen=] out to the press and alienating all of his neighbors who were enjoying his rejuvenation of the city, Doc decides to repair the damage he caused by becoming his pit crew chief at the tiebreaker race]]. |
| 385 | * BigGood: The closest thing the series has to one, even after his death. |
| 386 | * BlueIsHeroic: He is navy blue with chrome accents. |
| 387 | * BusCrash: He's mentioned in the second film to have died sometime after the first due to Paul Newman's death. |
| 388 | * CoolOldGuy: Despite being cold towards Lightning, he's actually a cool judge, doctor and [[spoiler:former racing champion and helps Lightning during the climax in the first film]]. |
| 389 | * DarkAndTroubledPast: Back in 1954, he crashed in the middle of a race and everyone worried about his future. After being repaired, he was replaced by a rookie and lost his career for good. |
| 390 | * DeadpanSnarker: He can be quite dry, especially towards Lightning. |
| 391 | ** After the former crashes into the cacti, Doc wastes no time on poking at Lightning's ego. |
| 392 | --->'''Doc:''' Hey, [[IronicEcho was that floatin' like a Cadillac, or was that stingin' like a Beamer]]? ''[[LampshadeHanging I'm confused.]] You drive lika ya fix roads: [[PretenderDiss lousy]]!'' |
| 393 | ** When he reveals himself [[ChangedMyMindKid as Lightning's pit crew chief]] in the Los Angeles race, he also drops this gem. |
| 394 | --->'''Lightning:''' I thought you said you'd never come back!\ |
| 395 | '''Doc:''' Well, I didn't really have a choice. ''Mater [[NeverGotToSayGoodbye didn't get to say "good-bye"]].'' |
| 396 | * TheDefroster: Along with Mater and Sally, Doc serves as this to [=McQueen=], as he's responsible for making him have his HeelRealization. |
| 397 | * DefrostingIceKing: He initially starts the movie off cold and distant towards [=McQueen=] - with it being implied that he sees the rookie as an unpleasant reminder of his racing past - but as the movie goes on and Lightning discovers Doc's past as a racer, Doc eventually learns to open up towards him and re-embrace his love for racing. By the end credits, Doc has happily accepted Lightning as a student, and it's mentioned in the third movie that he was at his happiest when he was training Lightning. |
| 398 | * {{Deuteragonist}}: While Lightning gets the bulk of the CharacterDevelopment, the first film also focuses on Doc coming to terms with his past and regaining his love for racing. |
| 399 | * DidNotGetTheGirl: He rejected Louise Nash, who was madly in love with him, because he ironically didn't have a thing for fast women. |
| 400 | * FakeShemp: Paul Newman died in 2008. His unused voice recordings from the first film were pieced together to provide the character's lines in the third one. |
| 401 | * ForYourOwnGood: How he justifies selling out Lightning to the Piston Cup officials. Sally, Mater, and the rest of the town don't take it well. |
| 402 | * FourTemperamentEnsemble: Melancholic and choleric. |
| 403 | * FreudianExcuse: His [[CareerEndingInjury career-ending crash in 1954]] was the main reason why he disliked the auto circuit, since his sponsors quit on him after he was repaired following his crash. He later returned to the circuit when he became [[spoiler:Lightning's crew chief during the tiebreaker race in Los Angeles]]. |
| 404 | * GoodIsNotNice: The series' BigGood, a ReasonableAuthorityFigure within Radiator Springs, and initially highly scathing towards Lightning. He knocks the rookie off of his pedestal and teaches him a lesson in humility, even after the latter starts to wind down. Though Doc himself mellows down after [[spoiler:appearing as Lightning's pit crew chief in the Los Angeles' 200's]]. |
| 405 | * GrailInTheGarbage: He uses his Piston Cup trophies to hold his tools in his garage/clinic. |
| 406 | * HangingJudge: PlayedForLaughs during [[EstablishingCharacterMoment his introductory speech]], it being so scary it [[ThisIsGonnaSuck causes Lightning]] to [[LoudGulp gulp]]. |
| 407 | -->''"All right! I wanna know who's responsible for wrecking my town, Sheriff. I wanna his hood on a platter! I'm gonna put him in jail till he rots! No, check that. I'm gonna put him in jail 'till the jail rots on top of him, and then I'm gonna move him to a new jail and let that jail rot."'' |
| 408 | * {{Hypocrite}}: He asks Lightning, after he finds out that Doc Hudson used to race, if he ever thought about anyone [[ItsAllAboutMe except himself]]. Lightning responds by accusing Hudson of doing the same thing, since he told ''no one'' in Radiator Springs about his racing past. |
| 409 | * ICouldaBeenAContender: Sort of. [[spoiler:Doc did have a very successful career, holding the record for most wins in a single season and winning three consecutive Piston Cup championships. [[CareerEndingInjury But after his wreck in '54, instead of returning to a hero's welcome he was labeled finished and replaced with the next rookie in line]].]] |
| 410 | * IcyBlueEyes: Not only do they represent his tough, former racing nature, and the fact he starts off cold at first (this contrasts with Lightning who has the "innocent" variant though he has the "icy" variant prior to his CharacterDevelopment), but also his voice actor's famously bright blue eyes. |
| 411 | * InkSuitActor: Believe it or not, his features were inspired by his voice actor's face, and his racing career was inspired by Newman’s love for motorsports. It's hard to explain it, but dammit, Doc somehow looks exactly like Paul Newman despite being a ''car.'' |
| 412 | * IHatePastMe: The main reason he's so hostile toward Lightning at first [[spoiler:is because he sees much of himself in the younger racer, much to his chagrin]]. |
| 413 | * ItsAllAboutMe: Sally accuses him of this when he alerts the Piston Cup officials to pick up Lightning. |
| 414 | * JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Comes off as quite bitter towards [=McQueen=] at first, but helps support him during his race. |
| 415 | * LikeASonToMe: The third film shows that he comes to view Lightning like the son he never had the chance to have in their time training and bonding. |
| 416 | * LivingLegend: [[spoiler:Even after disappearing from the race scene after his nasty accident and the following mistreatment from his sponsors, everyone in racing remembers his achievements and considers him a legend. When he makes his public reappearance at the final race, everyone goes into a frenzy when they realize who he is. During the credits, The King is seen telling the other racers how Doc was ''his'' inspiration for racing just as he had been for them.]] |
| 417 | * TheMedic: He isn't called "Doc" for nothing; his establishment treats cars whenever they need a checkup. After Sheriff starts backfiring a gasket during the start of the movie, he is seen being checked by Doc during the main plot. |
| 418 | * ParentalSubstitute: Doc acted as a paternal figure to Lightning. |
| 419 | * PosthumousCharacter: Becomes this in the third movie. He's been long-established as having passed away, but his memory is largely what drives and inspires Lightning at that point. His past and the effect Lightning had on him in his later years also becomes even more of a focal point in the course of the movie. |
| 420 | * ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Even though Doc Hudson prefers not to discuss his racing past, he alerts the media to Lightning's whereabouts after he leaves town, not wanting to be hounded by the paparazzi, and he even shows up at the Piston Cup race in his old racing colors as the head of Lightning [=McQueen=]'s pit crew to lend his support. |
| 421 | * RetiredBadass: He was forced to retire from racing for good following his crash in '54, but still has the skills within to help Lightning. |
| 422 | * RichesToRags: Originally a Piston Cup racing star, he was forced to retire after being repaired and replaced with a rookie, and now works as the town doctor of Radiator Springs. |
| 423 | * SmallNameBigEgo: According to his old racing friends, he was calling himself the ''Fabulous'' Hudson Hornet even when he was just starting off. He then proceeded back in the day, to earn every right to that ego. |
| 424 | * SternOldJudge: Apart from being TheMedic, he's also Radiator Springs' judge. Judging from his introductory speech, he seems to be a HangingJudge, but later tones it down after the citizens agree to Lightning being liable to fix the town. |
| 425 | --> |
| 426 | * TookALevelInCheerfulness: [[spoiler:Its clearly shown at the end credits of ''Cars 1'' that he becomes increasingly joyful in teaching Lightning. In ''Cars 3'', its all but stated that he treasured every moment in coaching Lightning, including how he treated the young racer as his biggest achievement.]] |
| 427 | -->'''Smokey:''' I'd never seen the old grump so happy. |
| 428 | * TricksterMentor: A version of this for Lightning towards his racing career. |
| 429 | [[/folder]] |
| 430 | |
| 431 | [[folder:Sally Carrera]] |
| 432 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cars_3_sally_small.png]] |
| 433 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Don't fear failure. Be afraid of not having the chance, you have the chance!"'']] |
| 434 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/BonnieHunt |
| 435 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' Creator/KateDelCastillo (Latin Spanish, in ''Cars'' and ''Mater and the Ghostlight''), Rosalba Sotelo (Latin Spanish, since ''Cars 2'') |
| 436 | ->'''Basis:''' 2002 996-series Porsche 911 Carrera |
| 437 | |
| 438 | A Porsche 911 Carrera, Sally is an Los Angeles attorney who grew tired of her life in the big city and ended up in Radiator Springs. She becomes the town attorney and runs the Cozy Cone Motel. She longs to see the town restored to its former glory, and becomes Lightning's girlfriend. |
| 439 | ---- |
| 440 | * AlmostKiss: She and Lightning in the first film [[MomentKiller before Mater interrupts]]. |
| 441 | * AllThereInTheScript: Her last name "Carrera" is not stated in the animation so far. |
| 442 | * ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: In the games. For one reason or another --speculated to be usage issues with the real-life Porsche company-- many of the game adaptations omit her from the cast without a mention, disappearing after the first game in 2006 until [[TheBusCameBack she came back]] in ''Driven to Win'', [[LongBusTrip 11 years later]]. |
| 443 | * DeadpanSnarker: She has her sassy and sarcastic moments, particularly towards a pre-CharacterDevelopment Lightning in the first movie. |
| 444 | -->'''Lightning:''' It's like a clever little twist; the motel's made out of caution cones, which, of course, [[{{Irony}} cars usually try to avoid]]. [[CaptainObvious But now we're gonna stay in one.]] ''(chuckles)'' [[ActuallyPrettyFunny That's funny]].\ |
| 445 | '''Sally:''' ''(unimpressed) Figure that all out on your own, did you?'' |
| 446 | * TheDefroster: Along with Mater and Doc, she is the one who first makes [=McQueen=] start to become nicer. |
| 447 | * DemotedToSatelliteLoveInterest: After the first movie, her role in the franchise is little more than "Lightning's girlfriend". You wouldn't even know she's an attorney and motel owner if you only saw the second and third movies. |
| 448 | * EmbarrassingTattoo: She has a pinstripe tramp stamp under her spoiler. She's extremely embarrassed when Lightning points it out. |
| 449 | * FourTemperamentEnsemble: Phlegmatic. |
| 450 | * HelloAttorney: Lightning is immediately smitten when he sees her. |
| 451 | -->'''Lightning:''' ''(to himself)'' [[OhMyGods Holy Porsche!]] She's gotta be from my attorney's office! |
| 452 | * InformedAttractiveness: Lightning falls in love with her and keeps going on about how hot he thinks she is, even though she's just a car with eyes. |
| 453 | * InnocentBlueEyes: Has light teal eyes which represent her adoration towards the town, and for being the first one who deeply cared about Lightning. |
| 454 | * NiceGirl: Sally is nice, friendly, pleasant, and kind to others. |
| 455 | * TheNicknamer: She calls Lightning "Stickers", referring to the various decals on his body. A few times throughout ''Cars 3'', she accidentally calls him "Stinky" due to his grey undercoat, only to correct herself. |
| 456 | * OfficialCouple: With Lightning. |
| 457 | * PrecisionFStrike: "Even in hillbilly hell, we have standards." |
| 458 | * ReasonableAuthorityFigure: She is this to the town, believing that after Lightning's arrival, fixing the road will bring customers back. [[spoiler:This is played even further in the climax of ''Cars 3'' -- Lightning discovers that since he started the Florida 500 and Cruz finished under his number, they both share the victory and Lightning wins the bet against Sterling. Sally proves this word-per-word following this reveal.]] |
| 459 | * TrueBlueFemininity: She is light blue, representing her feminine nature. |
| 460 | * {{Tsundere}}: The Sweet kind. She's friendly towards others [[JerkassToOne except Lightning]] at the start of the movie, even snarking at him, but warms up to him after he starts to grow nicer and does a better job at fixing the road, culminating in them becoming an OfficialCouple. |
| 461 | * YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: Her first impression of Lightning is him flirting with her. The only response she can offer is rolling her eyes and convincing Doc to assign Lighting to fixing the road he destroyed. |
| 462 | [[/folder]] |
| 463 | |
| 464 | [[folder:Fillmore]] |
| 465 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Fillmore_3_9470.png]] |
| 466 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"I'm telling you, man. Every third blink is slower."'']] |
| 467 | |
| 468 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/GeorgeCarlin (''Cars''), Scott Wood (''VideoGame/CarsMaterNationalChampionship''), Lloyd Sherr (''Cars 2'' onward) |
| 469 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' Eduardo Tejedo (Latin Spanish) |
| 470 | ->'''Basis:''' 1960 VW Bus |
| 471 | |
| 472 | A Volkswagen Microbus, a NewAgeRetroHippie who sells organic fuel. Has a fiery friendship with Sarge. |
| 473 | ---- |
| 474 | * ActualPacifist: Goes with his hippie nature. More specifically, [[spoiler:he, along with Sally, were the only ones not to participate in the Radiator Springs vs. Lemon Gangs in London.]] |
| 475 | * ConspiracyTheorist: As fits his NewAgeRetroHippie motif, he's deeply distrustful of the government and of big corporations. |
| 476 | * DrearyHalfLiddedEyes: He has the top of his windshield covered to invoke half-closed eyes. These go with his NewAgeRetroHippie nature and role as TheStoner. |
| 477 | * GRatedStoner: Never outright stated, of course, but his overall attitude, spacey nature and tendency to get deeply fascinated about things like traffic light patterns leave very little doubt that he's probably on ''something.'' |
| 478 | --> '''Fillmore:''' ''[staring at the aforementioned blinking stoplight]'' I'm tellin' you, man, every third blink is slower...\ |
| 479 | '''Sarge:''' ...TheSixties weren't good to you, were they? |
| 480 | * InkSuitActor: His look and personality are based almost entirely on George Carlin's hippie weatherman character, Al Sleet. |
| 481 | * NewAgeRetroHippie: Shaped like the hippies' signature vehicle, sells organic food and speaks with a calm ''duuude'' voice. |
| 482 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He and Sarge are pretty minor characters in ''Cars 2'', but it's [[spoiler:Fillmore's organic fuel, as replaced for Lightning's Allinol by Sarge, that saves Lightning's life in the finale]]. |
| 483 | * SymbolMotifClothing: Has 60s graphics painted all over. |
| 484 | * VerbalTic: He often ends sentences with "man", man. |
| 485 | * VitriolicBestBuds: With Sarge. |
| 486 | [[/folder]] |
| 487 | |
| 488 | [[folder:Sarge]] |
| 489 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sarge_3_1927.png]] |
| 490 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"A-TEN-SHUN! Kiss the pavement ''goodbye'', gentlemen! When I'm finished with you, you'll have mud in places you didn't know you '''had'''!"'']] |
| 491 | |
| 492 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/PaulDooley |
| 493 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' Polo Ortín (Latin Spanish; in the first two films and ''Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales''), Héctor Lee (since ''Cars 3'') |
| 494 | ->'''Basis:''' 1941 Willys model jeep |
| 495 | |
| 496 | A 1941 Willys MB Jeep, Sarge is Fillmore's best friend and neighbour. He runs a surplus store. |
| 497 | ---- |
| 498 | * AllThereInTheManual: Promotional material reveals that he is a veteran of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and received honors for towing a de-tracked tank to safety during the Battle of the Bulge. |
| 499 | * TheCavalry: [[spoiler:He calls in a regiment of ''the British Army'' to arrest the Lemons in London through a friendship he has with someone's father in the army.]] |
| 500 | * DarkIsNotEvil: Though painted a dark olive, he's not really ''that'' bad, just rather strict. |
| 501 | * DrillSergeantNasty: Sarge does this during the end credits montage when running a boot camp for pampered [=SUVs=]. |
| 502 | -->"A-TEN-SHUN! Kiss the pavement ''goodbye'', gentlemen! When I'm finished with you, you'll have mud in places you didn't know you '''had'''!" |
| 503 | -->"Yo, I never been off road!" |
| 504 | ** Funnier considering that [[HummerDinger the complaining SUV is a Hummer -- an off-road gas-guzzler known for being more commonly used for suburban driving.]] |
| 505 | * MeaningfulName: He's a jeep with an olive drab paint job who acts and sounds like a drill sergeant. He also plays "Reveille" every morning, which is almost drowned out by Fillmore's music. |
| 506 | * NoIndoorVoice: Often speaks like this. |
| 507 | * ProperlyParanoid: [[spoiler: He greatly distrusts Axlerod and switched out Lightning's Allinol with Fillmore's organic fuel. This is what actually saves Lightning from being killed later on.]] |
| 508 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: In ''Cars 2,'' he and Fillmore have pretty small roles overall, but [[spoiler:Sarge switching out Lightning's Allinol for Fillmore's organic fuel is what saves Lightning's life in the finale]]. |
| 509 | * SymbolMotifClothing: The military star on his hood along with the icon of his Surplus Hut on his doors, which were standard ID markings for vehicles back in [=WW2=]. |
| 510 | * VitriolicBestBuds: With Fillmore. |
| 511 | [[/folder]] |
| 512 | |
| 513 | [[folder:Luigi and Guido]] |
| 514 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Luigi__Guido_5595.png]] |
| 515 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Luigi know what you want."''\ |
| 516 | ''"Peet stop!"'']] |
| 517 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TonyShalhoub (Luigi) & Guido Quaroni (Guido) |
| 518 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' Salvador Nájar, Creator/ArturoMercadoJr (Luigi; Latin-American Spanish, in the first two films; since ''Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales) & Raúl Aldana (Guido; Latin Spanish) |
| 519 | ->'''Basis:''' 1959 Fiat 500 (Luigi) & Custom Isetta forklift (Guido) |
| 520 | |
| 521 | An Italian Fiat 500 and Isetta-based forklift. Guido and Luigi run Luigi's Casa Dell Tires, which has a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa made from tires. Luigi is a big fan of race cars, particularly Ferraris. Guido only speaks in Italian, and can change tires in seconds, wanting to perform a pit stop on Lightning during his time in town. |
| 522 | ---- |
| 523 | * AscendedExtra: Secondary characters throughout the movies, but in ''Cars 3'', they get a more prominent role as the only Radiator Springs citizens who accompany [=McQueen=] on his journey. |
| 524 | * AscendedFanboy: In-universe. Guido dreams of performing a pit stop on a famous racecar. Come the climax of the first movie, he gets to become part of Lightning's pit crew and perform a pit stop on Lightning himself. |
| 525 | * BilingualBonus: Pretty much everything Guido says, seeing as how he can only speak Italian. |
| 526 | * BilingualDialogue: Guido speaks Italian exclusively, but seems to understand English just fine. |
| 527 | * BunnyEarsLawyer: Guido is pretty silly, but his tire changing skills are something to behold. |
| 528 | * ChasteToons: Luigi's Mama Topolino and Uncle Topolino, who are introduced in [[Characters/Cars2 the second film]]. |
| 529 | * CulturalTranslation: For the Italian dub, Guido doesn't speak standard Italian, but rather the distinctive local dialect of Ferrari's home city of Modena. His Italian voice was race driver and future Paralympic handcyclist [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Zanardi Alex Zanardi]], a native of Bologna (a city not far from Modena that has a similar dialect). |
| 530 | * DoesNotSpeakCommon: Guido's dialogue is almost entirely in Italian, seemingly by personal preference, as even Luigi speaks to him in English. |
| 531 | * FanBoy: Luigi's a hard core Tifosi and Michael Schumacher supporter. [[spoiler:He gets to meet Schumacher and gush all over him at the end of the film]]. |
| 532 | * FlippingTheBird: One could make a heck of a case that Guido did this during the first film's final race. Chick Hicks' pit crew goes about making fun of Guido for being little, and not knowing how to do his job. Guido of course didn't appreciate the bullying one bit, and yells back at them while sticking up one of his forklift arms at them in such a way that if Guido was human, it would look like he's giving them the middle finger. |
| 533 | * {{Keet}}: Guido especially, but both of them count. |
| 534 | * GratuitousItalian: Both of them, but Guido exclusively speaks in Italian. |
| 535 | * MeaningfulName: While also a legitimate name, "Guido" is Italian for "I drive". |
| 536 | * MrFixIt: Guido. A very fast one too, much to the Chick's forklifts' amusement. |
| 537 | * OneManArmy: Guido is capable of performing pit work better than an entire crew, even when he is alone. |
| 538 | * ThirdPersonPerson: "Luigi know what you want." |
| 539 | * ThoseTwoGuys: Luigi and Guido are the Italian mechanic version. |
| 540 | [[/folder]] |
| 541 | |
| 542 | [[folder:Flo]] |
| 543 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Flo_2_5823.png]] |
| 544 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"How 'bout somethin' to drink? Stop at Flo's V8 Cafe: finest fuel on Route 66!"'']] |
| 545 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JeniferLewis |
| 546 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' Roxana Castellanos (Latin Spanish; in ''Cars''), Simone Brook (Latin Spanish; since ''Cars 2'') |
| 547 | ->'''Basis:''' 1957 Motorama show car |
| 548 | |
| 549 | Flo is the wife of Ramone, and is manager of Flo's V-8 Cafe gas diner. Her design is a stock 1950s show car. |
| 550 | ---- |
| 551 | * AllThereInTheManual: A deleted scene revealed Flo was a Motorama showcar, and came to Radiator Springs during a tour, falling in love with Ramone after he refused to alter her chassis out of admiration. |
| 552 | * HappilyMarried: To Ramone. |
| 553 | * SassyBlackWoman: She may be a car, but she shows a lot of sassy behavior, is voice-acted by a black woman, and has similar mannerisms to characters that embody the trope. |
| 554 | [[/folder]] |
| 555 | |
| 556 | [[folder:Ramone]] |
| 557 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Ramone_3_8398.png]] |
| 558 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"But you do need a paint job, man! Ramone will paint you up right."'']] |
| 559 | ->'''Voiced by:''' [[Creator/CheechAndChong Cheech Marin]] |
| 560 | ->'''Basis:''' 1959 Chevrolet Impala Lowrider |
| 561 | |
| 562 | Radiator Springs' body artist and husband to Flo, Ramone is a 1959 Chevrolet Impala. He is very proud of his art deco, usually altering his paint job in every new scene. |
| 563 | ---- |
| 564 | * GratuitousSpanish: He spouts a few Spanish lines in the movie, particularly using a Mexican dialect. |
| 565 | * TheFashionista: A male example. He owns a paint shop, and the paint that is applied to him has in every other appearance in the movies, he has a RunningGag of having a fresh coat, especially for special purposes, such as the London race in ''WesternAnimation/Cars2'', when he has the Union Jack colors applied to him. He’s even given Lightning a fresh coat of paint in all 3 films! |
| 566 | * HappilyMarried: To Flo. |
| 567 | * HotPaintJob: He's fond of giving these, as well as usually sporting one himself. |
| 568 | * IconicOutfit: He has a different paint job in every scene he's in, but the purple paint job with orange flames that he wears early on in the movie is the most iconic one. In most of his playable appearances (even those that feature other paint jobs to choose from), the purple one's his default look. |
| 569 | * OriginsEpisode: The deleted scene "Motorama Girls" explains how he first met Flo and fell in love with her. |
| 570 | * PassingTheTorch: After Doc's death, he appears to have taken over repairing broken cars and healing them. |
| 571 | * PimpedOutCar: Aside from his numerous paint jobs, he possesses impressive hydraulics as well. |
| 572 | * SouthOfTheBorder: Heavily implied to come from Mexico, given he sometimes peppers his dialogue with GratuitousSpanish. The Latin American Spanish dub takes it and runs with it further. |
| 573 | -->''(when Lightning turns on his engine during the Willy's Butte race) "Hijole! Check that out!"'' |
| 574 | * ThirdPersonPerson: Often speaks like this. |
| 575 | * UnlimitedWardrobe: Ramone's got a different paint job in almost every other scene. |
| 576 | [[/folder]] |
| 577 | |
| 578 | [[folder:Red]] |
| 579 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Red_3_1130.png]] |
| 580 | [[caption-width-right:300:''"Oh, he's still a little bit shy, and he hates you for killin' his flowers."'']] |
| 581 | ->'''Voiced by:''' [[Creator/PixarRegulars Joe Ranft]] (''Cars'') |
| 582 | ->'''Basis:''' 1960s style fire truck |
| 583 | |
| 584 | A gentle fire truck. He is not one for words, is quite shy, and very fond of the plants in Radiator Springs. |
| 585 | ---- |
| 586 | * ADayInTheLimelight: Gets a ''Tales from Radiator Springs'' short to himself titled "Bugged". |
| 587 | * FourTemperamentEnsemble: Melancholic. |
| 588 | * GentleGiant: He's the largest vehicle, but he also has the biggest heart. |
| 589 | * MeaningfulName: Red is a ''red'' fire truck. |
| 590 | * MundaneUtility: While his fire hose is useful for putting out fires, most of the time he's seen using it to water his flowers. He's also notably used it to wash cactus pieces off of Lightning and to clean the Leaning Tower of Tires in front of Luigi and Guido's shop. |
| 591 | * ProneToTears: He is a very sensitive truck who is shown to break down into tears when Lightning insults Radiator Springs. He also cries whenever Lightning leaves the town in all three films. |
| 592 | * TheQuietOne: The only sounds he makes are small gasps and crying noises. He never speaks onscreen due to his shyness, but after the death of his actor he becomes TheVoiceless in the sequel. |
| 593 | * ShrinkingViolet: He's very shy when it comes to meeting new cars. In fact, he hid from Lightning during an attempt at a conversation. |
| 594 | [[/folder]] |
| 595 | |
| 596 | [[folder:Sheriff]] |
| 597 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sheriff_3_2175.png]] |
| 598 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Boy, you're in a heap of trouble."'']] |
| 599 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Michael Wallis |
| 600 | ->'''Basis:''' 1949 Mercury Club Coupe |
| 601 | |
| 602 | Sheriff of Radiator Springs, a 1949 Mercury Eight police car. |
| 603 | ---- |
| 604 | * BerserkButton: Speeding in Radiator Springs, as Lightning [=McQueen=] and the Delinquent Road Hazards learned the hard way. |
| 605 | -->'''Sheriff:''' Not in my town you don't! |
| 606 | * ByTheBookCop |
| 607 | * DarkIsNotEvil: He's generally black and white, but he's not really mean, just rather strict. |
| 608 | * FourTemperamentEnsemble: Choleric. |
| 609 | * DefrostingIceKing: Much like Doc, Sheriff isn't too fond of Lightning after he unceremoniously tears up the town road. However, after Lightning's change of heart and fixing the road, Sheriff offers to escort Lightning back to the stadium. |
| 610 | * GenerationXerox: According to a guidebook on the blu-ray version, his entire family were cops. |
| 611 | * HisNameReallyIsBarkeep: His name is his literal occupation. |
| 612 | * InkSuitActor: He looks like a car-ified version of his voice actor dead-on, especially the mustache-esque grille. |
| 613 | * JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Gruff and strict attitude aside, Sheriff does in fact care about Radiator Springs and warms up to Lightning in the end. |
| 614 | * NoIndoorVoice: Hence being the police officer, he has his moments. |
| 615 | * TheSheriff: Sheriff of Radiator Springs. |
| 616 | * SweetHomeAlabama: Speaks with a faint Dixieland accent, suggesting he came from the south. |
| 617 | [[/folder]] |
| 618 | |
| 619 | [[folder:Lizzie]] |
| 620 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Lizzie_2_7853.png]] |
| 621 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"You keep talkin' to yourself, people'll think you crazy."'']] |
| 622 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/KatherineHelmond |
| 623 | ->'''Basis:''' 1923 Ford Model T |
| 624 | |
| 625 | An elderly 1923 Ford Model T coupe, Lizzie is the widow of the town's founder Stanley. She runs Radiator Springs Curio, which sells car souveneirs and accessories. |
| 626 | ---- |
| 627 | * AbhorrentAdmirer: To Lightning. |
| 628 | * {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: A bit of one, presumably due to age. Refers to the television as the radio and after mentioning Big Al in the courtroom, Ramone points out he left town years ago, to which Lizzie asks Ramone why he brought him up. |
| 629 | * DarkIsNotEvil: She's black, but really friendly and humorous. |
| 630 | * DirtyOldWoman: Lizzie is an old Model T who delights in very bad comedy and slapping stickers onto the rears of male cars. At one point in the first movie, she calls Lightning sexy. |
| 631 | * MeaningfulName: Her name comes from the term "Tin Lizzie" which is a nickname for the Ford Model T. |
| 632 | * SeniorSleepCycle: Will often be scene napping outside her shop. |
| 633 | [[/folder]] |
| 634 | |
| 635 | [[folder:Stanley Steamer]] |
| 636 | [[quoteright:100:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Stanley_2_820.png]] |
| 637 | |
| 638 | The late founder of Radiator Springs and husband to Lizzie. A statue of him stands outside the town's firehouse. |
| 639 | ---- |
| 640 | * AscendedExtra: Takes on a notable role in the short ''Time Travel Mater'', which shows how he ultimately came to found Radiator Springs. |
| 641 | * HappilyMarried: To Lizzie. Before he died, at least. |
| 642 | * JumpScare: One of the many things when Lightning wrecks havoc in Radiator Springs, is that Stanley's statue rockets up and lands in front of the scene from Lightning's first person perspective complete with a ScareChord. |
| 643 | * NiceGuy: From what we saw of him in "Time Travel Mater", it can be said that he was a pretty amiable fellow. |
| 644 | * OurFounder: For Radiator Springs. |
| 645 | * PosthumousCharacter: Is deceased by the time the first movie takes place. |
| 646 | * SpeciesSurname: And ''species first name''. Stanley Steamer was a car company, and he likely was one. |
| 647 | [[/folder]] |
| 648 | |
| 649 | !!Piston Cup racers and authority |
| 650 | [[folder:Mack]] |
| 651 | [[quoteright:175:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Mack_2_3340.png]] |
| 652 | [[caption-width-right:175:''"They did give you your big break. Besides, it's in your contract."'']] |
| 653 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JohnRatzenberger |
| 654 | ->'''Basis:''' 1985 Mack Super-Liner |
| 655 | |
| 656 | A Mack Superliner truck who is Lightning's transport and the closest thing he has to a friend. |
| 657 | ---- |
| 658 | * ClothingAppendage: The top of his cabin resembles a cap. |
| 659 | * ADogNamedDog: A Mack truck named Mack. |
| 660 | * GentleGiant: A gigantic red semi-truck and also a NiceGuy. |
| 661 | * NiceGuy: Nothing but kind and supportive to everyone, even a pre-CharacterDevelopment Lightning. |
| 662 | * TheNicknamer: Sometimes he calls Lightning "boss". |
| 663 | * OnlyFriend: Was this to Lightning prior to his redemption. |
| 664 | * PaperThinDisguise: While at the Thunder Hollow Crazy 8, he disguised himself as a delivery truck for "Jocko Flocko's Party Supplies" to hide his identity. |
| 665 | * VitriolicBestBuds: With Lightning. |
| 666 | [[/folder]] |
| 667 | |
| 668 | [[folder:Harv]] |
| 669 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/harv.jpg]] |
| 670 | [[caption-width-right:250:]] |
| 671 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JeremyPiven (US) and Creator/JeremyClarkson (UK) |
| 672 | |
| 673 | Lightning's agent who is only heard over the phone. America assumes that Harv is a 1996 Oldsmobile, while Clarkson believes that he is a 1979 Ford Granada Ghia. |
| 674 | ---- |
| 675 | * TheBusCameBack: Even if it took him 11 years to [[Literature/CarsOrigins make a second appearance]]. |
| 676 | * CastingGag: This isn't Creator/JeremyPiven's first time playing [[Series/{{Entourage}} a hot shot agent.]] |
| 677 | * InformedAttribute: Billed as the ''World's Greatest Agent'', yet he hasn't the time to care for Lightning [=McQueen=]. Could be justified due to being MarriedToTheJob. |
| 678 | * LargeHam: Jeremy Clarkson [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8KCZQ9YrLU in the UK version]] plays up Harv as one. You can clearly tell that he's channelling his famously boisterous and egotistical ''[[Series/TopGearUK Top Gear]]'' self in the role. |
| 679 | * MarriedToTheJob: Despite being Lightning's agent, he has virtually no time for his client. |
| 680 | * MeanBoss: Harv threatened to fire Mack if he didn't get Lightning back in his trailer, and when Lightning is finally found, Harv is more overjoyed with the publicity than actually getting his racer back. |
| 681 | * RhymesOnADime: "Is this Lightning [=McQueen=], the world's fastest racing machine?" |
| 682 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He's only in two scenes, but both are important to Lightning's story: the first shows how lonely Lightning truly is, while the second is when Lightning's forced to return for the race. |
| 683 | * TheVoice: He is only heard over Lightning's phone. |
| 684 | [[/folder]] |
| 685 | |
| 686 | [[folder:Strip "The King" Weathers]] |
| 687 | [[quoteright:275:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Strip_Weathers_3_1724.png]] |
| 688 | [[caption-width-right:275:''"This ain't a one-man deal, kid. You need to wise-up and get yourself a good crew chief and a good team. And you ain't gonna win unless you got good folks behind you, and you let them do their job, like they should."'']] |
| 689 | ->'''Voiced by:''' UsefulNotes/RichardPetty |
| 690 | ->'''Dubbed by:''' |
| 691 | -->UsefulNotes/NikiLauda (German in the first film) |
| 692 | ->'''Basis:''' 1970 Plymouth Superbird |
| 693 | |
| 694 | A 1969 Plymouth Superbird, Strip Weathers, better known as "The King", is the golden boy of Dinoco. He is participating in his last championship before retiring. |
| 695 | ---- |
| 696 | * BackForTheFinale: [[spoiler: He shows up again at the very end of ''Cars 3''.]] |
| 697 | * BlueIsHeroic: He is painted Petty blue, and the nicest of the three leaders. |
| 698 | * BrutalHonesty: He's a {{nice guy}}, but he also bluntly tells Lightning that he's being stupid by not valuing his pit crews and arrogantly believing he doesn’t need anyone’s help. |
| 699 | * ColorCodedCharacters: Sky blue with hints of white and orange. |
| 700 | * CoolOldGuy: Not as old as [[spoiler:Doc Hudson]], but he has been in the race scene for some time and is about to retire, and gives some advice to the aspiring champion Lightning not to be so greedy and listen to his team. |
| 701 | * DoomedMoralVictor: [[spoiler:Although he doesn't die, he becomes severely injured by a crash caused by Chick Hicks during the final lap of the tie-breaker race.]] |
| 702 | * FriendlyRivalry: He's on much better terms with Lightning compared to Chick. |
| 703 | * HistoryRepeats: [[spoiler:His crash at the end mirrors Doc's crash. However, unlike Doc, he had someone -- Lightning -- to help him finish his last race.]] |
| 704 | * InkSuitActor: He is Richard Petty's 1970 Plymouth Superbird anthromorphized. |
| 705 | * MentorOccupationalHazard: Downplayed; he doesn't die, but he suffers a pretty serious crash at the end courtesy of [[BigBad Chick Hicks]]. |
| 706 | * NiceGuy: The King always plays fair and is very respectful towards his fellow competitors. He calls Lightning stupid at one point, but only to make him understand how important his crew is. |
| 707 | * TheParagon: In the racing scene, he not only dominates as a legendary figure but also sets himself as a role model for other racers to follow, such as winning fairly and lecturing Lightning on his crew's dismissal. |
| 708 | * RedOniBlueOni: In the first movie, he plays the calm, experienced blue oni to Lightning's energetic, hot-tempered red oni. This is reflected in their [[ColorCodedCharacters color schemes]]. |
| 709 | * RetiredBadass: He retired after the first film, but still has a lot left in him, such as when he acted as crew chief for his nephew Cal. |
| 710 | * SpellMyNameWithAThe: Lightning addresses him as "Mr. The King" upon their encounter before the race results are revealed. |
| 711 | * SweetHomeAlabama: Speaks with Petty's North Carolina drawl, something shared among his family members. |
| 712 | * TokenGoodTeammate: Out of the three cars that were tied for the season (the other two being pre-character development [[ItsAllAboutMe Lightning]] and [[GreenAndMean Chick]]), The King was the only one who showed respect and wasn't a selfish or a dirty racer. However, by the end, Lightning is a nice guy, too. |
| 713 | [[/folder]] |
| 714 | |
| 715 | [[folder:Chick Hicks]] |
| 716 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Chick_Hicks_3_3216.png]] |
| 717 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Hey, [=McQueen=], that must be really embarrassing. But I wouldn't worry about it. '''Because I didn't do it!''' Hahaha!"'']] |
| 718 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/MichaelKeaton (first film); Creator/BobPeterson (third film), Creator/SamuelLeBihan (European French) |
| 719 | ->'''Basis:''' 1986 Buick Regal Stock Car |
| 720 | |
| 721 | Lightning's obnoxious rival who is AlwaysSecondBest to the King. He is a green 1986 Buick Regal racing car. |
| 722 | ---- |
| 723 | * AbusiveParents: The comic Rally Race shows that before he became a racer, Chick had an overbearing father who would chastise him for helping other cars in need and was also the cause for Chick becoming as obnoxious as he is. |
| 724 | * AdaptationalNiceGuy: "Boom!Studios" comics cast him in a more positive light than any other official works. He never performs a full HeelFaceTurn, but he does gain a few [[FreudianExcuse sympathetic]] [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe qualities]], something he lacks in movies and games. |
| 725 | * AlwaysSecondBest: Was this to The King. And when Lightning breaks onto the scene, he slips into Always ''Third'' Best. |
| 726 | * AppropriatedAppellation: His nickname of "Thunder" comes from him always placing after Lightning [=McQueen=]. After his surge in popularity after [=McQueen=]'s disappearance however, he takes the nickname and ''runs with it.'' |
| 727 | * ArchEnemy: The ''Cars'' franchise has a lot of villains and rivals, but Chick is Lightning's most common and recurring foe. Their rivalry started all the way back before the events of the first movie, and the two have nothing but mutual distain for each other as they repeatedly compete to see who's the better racer. |
| 728 | * TheBadGuyWins: Played with. [[spoiler:While he technically does win the race and Piston Cup by ramming into the King and knocking him off the track, damaging him badly (in a very similar fashion to what happened with Doc years ago), he receives absolutely no praise or cheering after his victory, but rather a series of boos, his own merchandise being pelted at him, and likely a permanently ruined reputation as a racecar.]] |
| 729 | * BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork: In the "Route 66 Dash" comic, [[spoiler:he is the one to deliver comeuppance to Bubba, knocking him out for hogging his glory and paying evil unto Mater's kindness. Not that he cared for Mater, it's just that it was too jerkish [[EvenEvilHasStandards even for him]].]] |
| 730 | * BigBad: The closest thing to a main villain the series has: |
| 731 | ** The main antagonist of the first film. He competes with The King and Lightning to be Dinoco's new face, and in the last race [[spoiler:he pushes The King off the tracks, causing a devastating accident similar to Doc Hudson's]]. |
| 732 | ** He returns as the main villain of the [[VideoGame/{{Cars}} tie-in game]], where he's once again trying to get in the way of Lightning's attempt to win the Piston Cup. He spends most of the early story as a stadium-exclusive opponent, but jumps up to become the main villain once more upon the revelation that [[spoiler:he paid off the Delinquent Road Hazards to harass Mack and steal Lightning's gear.]] |
| 733 | ** He's also the main villain of ''VideoGame/CarsRaceORama'', where he's trying to prove the Chick Hicks Racing Academy is better than Doc's own and is willing to cheat in any way possible to do so, hiring Candice, Stinger and El Machismo to beat Lightning. |
| 734 | ** In the ''Cars'' playset for ''VideoGame/DisneyInfinity'', Chick is the main antagonist. He comes to Radiator Springs to finally get a rematch against [=McQueen=], and repeatedly causes trouble until someone can beat him in a race. |
| 735 | ** In ''Lightning [=McQueen's=] Racing Academy'', he hacks into Lightning's training simulation midway through the show and challenges him to a race, during which he cheats by repeatedly messing with Lightning's controls and stats. |
| 736 | * BorrowedCatchphrase: "Ka-chicka! Ka-chicka!" |
| 737 | -->'''Lightning:''' [[HeyThatsMyLine Hey, that's ''MY bit!!'']] |
| 738 | * TheBusCameBack: He was completely absent after being robbed of his victory in the tie-breaker race until ''Cars 3'', where it's revealed that he hosts a racing talk show. |
| 739 | * ColorCodedCharacters: Shocking green with hints of white and neon yellow. |
| 740 | * ClassicVillain: He's practically envy and pride ''incarnate''. |
| 741 | * ADayInTheLimelight: He gets one in the ''Boom!Studios'' comics, as the "Rally Race" series gives him the most focus out of the racers. |
| 742 | * DeadpanSnarker: He is very snide towards Lightning. |
| 743 | -->'''Chick:''' ''(after Lightning rushes out thinking he won the race)'' Hey, [=McQueen=], that must be really embarrassing. But I wouldn't worry about it. ''Because I didn't do it!'' Hahaha! |
| 744 | * DependingOnTheArtist: Whether Chick has his thunderbolt sticker varies depending on the media: he wears it in the PSP version of the [[VideoGame/{{Cars}} first game]], the [[VideoGame/Cars2 game based on]] ''WesternAnimation/Cars2'', ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'' and ''VideoGame/Cars3DrivenToWin'', but he doesn't wear it in the console or DS versions of the [[VideoGame/{{Cars}} first game]], ''VideoGame/CarsRaceORama'' or ''VideoGame/CarsFastAsLightning''. |
| 745 | * DudeWheresMyReward: {{Subverted}}: Even though he wins the Piston Cup, it isn't accompanied by a cheering crowd; instead the audience decides to boo him instead for shoving The King off the track and displaying poor sportsmanship. |
| 746 | * EstablishingCharacterMoment: His first appearance in the movie has him casually sideswipe another racer off the track, causing them to spin out and setting up how he's willing to cheat and hurt others if it means winning. |
| 747 | * EvenEvilHasStandards: [[spoiler:By the end of "Route 66 Dash", even ''he'' gets fed up with his partner Bubba, finally seeing him as nothing more than a bully after he kicks Mater into dirt.]] |
| 748 | * EvilCannotComprehendGood: |
| 749 | ** He is actually confused why everyone starts booing him after he wins the Piston Cup, seemingly unaware that sabotaging a beloved racer on his final race just because he didn't want to come in behind him again is not something people would look up to or respect. |
| 750 | ** In the "Rally Race", he refuses to believe that Lightning would organize a charity race without an ulterior motive. |
| 751 | * EvilCounterpart: To Lightning [=McQueen=]. Both are portrayed as mean and arrogant racecars who cared about nothing but themselves and made fun of other cars. However, Chick goes against the racing code and actually hurts others on the racetrack, and stays that way while [=McQueen=] undergoes [[HeelFaceTurn character development]], hinting at what he could've ended up as if he hadn't ended up in Radiator Springs. At the end of the film, Chick ends up winning the final race but losing everyone else's respect for making Strip "The King" Weathers crash, while [=McQueen=] gains respect for helping Strip finish the race even when it leads to his own defeat. It's further reinforced given that he UsedToBeASweetKid who helped others, but the abuse of his loved ones turned him into a cruel Jerkass willing to do whatever it took to win, whereas [=McQueen=] ultimately improved as a person due to people being willing to push him to be better. |
| 752 | * FatalFlaw: His ego. He thinks that winning the Piston Cup will make him the Dinoco sponsor off principle alone. He doesn't realize that Dinoco only offers the deal beause the prestige of the title is a good image for their company. He's so blinded by his own ambition and ego, it never occurs to him that sponsoring someone that resorts to dirty tactics to win will be a terrible image for their company and the principle of having a Piston Cup would just be a MedalOfDishonor on their company. As a result, Dinoco has no choice but to do what's in their best interest in the long run and revoke the offer immediately. Because Chick thinks that they were offering the sponsor for his sake, he's absolutely befuddled to why he lost. |
| 753 | * FreudianExcuse: Chick's [[{{Jerkass}} unsympathetic demeanor]], as seen in the "Rally Race" comic, stems from an [[AbusiveParents abusive father]] who chastised him whenever he tried to help other cars. He would tell him that they're a family of winners who don't "coddle losers who'll bring them down" and drilled the mindset of "win at all costs" into him. |
| 754 | * TheFriendNobodyLikes: In ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'', no one, be it his film crew or any guest being hosted, seems at all fond of Chick himself, they merely tolerate him for the sake of his show. Everyone still remembers what he did to earn that Piston Cup; Chick constantly trying to show it off as if it still held relevance doesn't help matters. |
| 755 | * GloryDays: Slightly touched upon in the third movie, he always has his Piston Cup trophy by his side during his show just to let the audience know he won it... despite being known to have done it through dirty means. |
| 756 | * GreenAndMean: Green paint and the dirtiest racer of the Piston Cup. |
| 757 | * GreenEyedMonster: Chick is deeply envious of The King for always beating him in races, and for his status as Dinoco's golden boy. Plus, he's green to boot. |
| 758 | * HateSink: Downplayed. He's an utterly [[ItsAllAboutMe egotistical]] {{j|erkass}}ackass who's willing to cheat and harm anyone who gets in his way, causing a multi-car pileup solely to get ahead in the first race, and later [[spoiler:causing The King to crash so badly he would have been unable to finish his final race had Lightning not sacrificed his victory to help him]]. To top it all off, even gaining his own talk show in ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'' has done nothing to humble him. However, he has a FreudianExcuse as to why he behaves so obnoxiously, this being an [[AbusiveParents abusive dad]] who drilled his pragmatic mindset into his son at the expense of not helping other cars in need. Regardless, his eventual failure to get the Dinoco sponsorship remains all the more satisfying given his lack of empathy towards Lightning helping the King, made more apparent by how ''nobody'' in the public nor his production team approve of him. |
| 759 | * HatedByAll: He becomes this in the end of the first movie, after attacking The King. |
| 760 | * JacobMarleyWarning: Basically he represents what Lightning would've become if he hadn't gone to Radiator Springs and humbled himself. |
| 761 | * {{Jerkass}}: Even more than Lightning was at first due to him being the BigBad of the first film, albeit Chick seems to get along with his (equally asshole) racing crews better than Lightning gets along with his. He caused The King's wreck. By the third movie, he was somehow able to gain his own sports talk show where he does nothing but rip into Lightning for his continued losses against Storm. |
| 762 | * KarmaHoudiniWarranty: [[ZigZaggingTrope It's complicated]], but ultimately seems to be the case. He causes tumult during the opening race by injuring the other racers though a mass pile-up, but gets away with it. He's not so lucky when he does the same to The King though, as [[PyrrhicVictory despite winning the Piston Cup]], his former fans turn on him and boo him off, causing him to quit racing permanently. However, by ''Cars 3'', instead of being punished for what was essentially ''attempted murder'', Chick instead became host of a popular television show that's watched by millions, which ''really'' leaves a sour taste in one's mouth; that said, it's clear that his career was ''still'' never the same again, having to give up racing before he likely got the show, the Piston Cup being the '''only''' other thing to his name, with his constant bragging about it being sure to remind his audience how he got it, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and others like his cameraman just barely putting up with his behavior]]. Even Jackson Storm, [=McQueen's=] new nemesis, [[EveryoneHasStandards finds Chick's attitude to be a bit much]]. |
| 763 | * LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:While he does unfortunately win the Piston Cup, it's still easily quite satisfying when his former fans turn on him and throw his merchandise at him, expelling him from racing permanently.]] |
| 764 | * LaughablyEvil: |
| 765 | ** A few of the scenes with him can be quite funny. |
| 766 | --->''"You know that was some pretty darn good moves out there... BY ME!"''\ |
| 767 | ''"I know that must have been really embarrassing, but I wouldn't worry about it... BECAUSE I DIDN'T DO IT!"'' |
| 768 | ** His "Ka-Chicka" catchphrase ''never'' gets old. |
| 769 | * MeanBoss: |
| 770 | ** Surprisingly downplayed compared to Lightning (considering they're still by his side for the tiebreaker race in California), but Chick still has moments of being rude to his own pit crew. During the opening race in the first movie, he harshly yells at them to hurry up when they take too long to change his tires and gas. |
| 771 | ** Played straight in ''VideoGame/CarsRaceORama'', where he actively teaches his students to cheat (and later has them turned into [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul VINs]] when they fail him one too many times), and actively mocks and insults his "sidekicks" Candice, El Machismo, and Stinger, when they lose against [=McQueen=]. Before the final race, he openly admits to Lightning that he was only using Candice, El Machismo, Stinger and the VINs to learn the best way to beat him, causing the former three to pull a HeelFaceTurn. |
| 772 | * MeaninglessVillainVictory: He [[spoiler:wins the Piston Cup only because Lightning forfeited his own chance, stopping just short of the finish line to go back and help The King after Chick rammed him off the track. This, combined with his gloating, results in him being denied the opportunity to represent Dinoco and everyone hates him and boos him off the stage at the cup presentation after seeing what a selfish jerk he is, rendering his victory hollow and meaningless]]. |
| 773 | * NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity: In-universe. Chick retired from racing following ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'', but ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'' shows that he channelled his newfound (or rather increased) notoriety as a TV show host and is surprisingly popular despite constantly reminding the audience of his ill-acquired Piston Cup. |
| 774 | * ObviouslyEvil: His sponser is called Hostile Takeover Bank, for crying out loud! |
| 775 | * PornStache: It's... Just look at it. |
| 776 | * PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler:He wins the Piston Cup, but only because he caused The King to crash horribly and Lightning went back to help him. Chick doesn't get his Dinoco sponsor like he dreamed and is booed off the stage at the cup presentation.]] |
| 777 | * ReplacementPedestal: During Lightning [=McQueen=]'s absence, Chick Hicks becomes more popular, taking away the former's fanbase. [[spoiler:But after he deliberately crashes The King during the final race just to win, [[BrokenPedestal his entire fanbase as well as the press turn on him]].]] |
| 778 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:He fled the stage when the audience jeered him at the cup presentation]]. |
| 779 | * SecondaryColorNemesis: A green racecar who happens to be Lightning's first major rival. |
| 780 | * ShadowArchetype: While [=McQueen=] also starts out as a mean, selfish and arrogant racecar, he eventually moves out of this thanks to CharacterDevelopment. Chick represents what [=McQueen=] could have been had he continued down the path of arrogance. |
| 781 | * ShoddyKnockoffProduct: Becomes this after Lightning vanishes, not only ripping off his trademark Lightning Bolt sticker with a Thunderbolt sticker but also copying [=McQueen=]'s "Ka-chow!" CatchPhrase with a much more forced "Ka-chicka!" |
| 782 | * SellOut: Implied. Compared to both Lightning and The King, who only have a handful of sponsor stickers each, Chick is absolutely ''covered'' with stickers from just about every sponsor under the sun. Unlike Lightning, who eventually grows to stay loyal to Rust-eze and turns down an offer to join Dinoco, Chick never outgrows his desire to join Dinoco at the expense of his original sponsor (Hostile Takeover Bank). |
| 783 | * SmugSnake: He’s a smug {{Troll}} who enjoys mocking his fellow racers. |
| 784 | * SoreLoser: In the beginning of the first movie, footage is shown of Chick losing races and judging by his lips, [[NarrativeProfanityFilter swearing]]. |
| 785 | * TokenEvilTeammate: Out of the three racers for the season (the other two being pre-character development [[ItsAllAboutMe Lightning]] and [[NiceGuy The King]]), he is the meanest and dirtiest racer and never has a change of heart. |
| 786 | * TookALevelInKindness: |
| 787 | ** After being repeatedly called out for his {{jerkass}} attitude in ''VideoGame/CarsFastAsLightning'', Chick tries to be nicer to his opponents and even genuinely attempts to compliment them (albeit in his [[ItsAllAboutMe own backhanded way]]). |
| 788 | ** In ''VideoGame/Cars3DrivenToWin'', he makes quick commentaries at the end of races where he'll talk about a specific racer, praising the car that came in first, being polite about cars who places second to fourth, and not being malicious when talking about about cars that came in last. Although, if he talks about [[ArchEnemy Lightning]], it'll still be in a condescending manner even if Lightning wins a race. |
| 789 | * {{Troll}}: Chick constantly taunts Lightning in the first movie. In the third movie, he also makes a lot of smug comments about Lightning’s continued losses to Storm and brags about how he “beat” Lightning in the first movie. |
| 790 | * UnnecessaryRoughness: He causes a massive thirty-car pileup in the opening to try and shake [=McQueen=], and later [[spoiler:causes The King to crash in the tie-breaker match.]] |
| 791 | * UsedToBeAGoodKid: You didn't misread that. When Chick was younger, he was a kind soul who would actually help other cars. But his father instilled his win at all cost mindset into him that would turn him into the cheating JerkAss he is in the films. |
| 792 | * VillainExitStageLeft: He angrily runs offstage when the press boos him for making The King crash on purpose. |
| 793 | [[/folder]] |
| 794 | |
| 795 | [[folder:Tex Dinoco]] |
| 796 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/texdinococars3artwork.jpg]] |
| 797 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Oo-ee! That was one close finish. You sure made Dinoco proud."'']] |
| 798 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Humpy Wheeler |
| 799 | ->'''Basis:''' 1975 Cadillac Coupe De Ville |
| 800 | |
| 801 | The founder and owner of Dinoco. With The King's retirement, Tex intends to make whoever wins the Piston Cup into Dinoco's new spokes-car. |
| 802 | ---- |
| 803 | * BenevolentBoss: Seems to be a good guy to work for. [[spoiler:In ''Cars 3'', he buys Rust-eze to get Lightning and Cruz to work for him.]] |
| 804 | * CoolOldGuy: Old, rich, powerful, but still pretty nice. |
| 805 | * {{Determinator}}: He's ''still'' trying to get [[spoiler:Lightning]] to come work for him years later in ''Cars 3''. [[spoiler:He finally buys out Rust-eze in order to get it.]] |
| 806 | * FictionFiveHundred: Runs the largest oil empire in the world. |
| 807 | * FurryConfusion: Not him specifically, but the horns placed near his grille resemble real horns from longhorn cattle. |
| 808 | * MeaningfulName: Tex is an oil baron from Texas. |
| 809 | * RagsToRiches: Maybe not "rags" exactly, but it is stated he started out with one tiny oil well and built that into the world's largest oil company. |
| 810 | * ReasonableAuthorityFigure: [[spoiler:Although Chick wins the Piston Cup, Tex refuses to make him Dinoco's "new face" on account of ''[[UnnecessaryRoughness how]]'' he won it. He offers the position to Lightning instead.]] |
| 811 | -->'''[[spoiler:Lightning]]''': [[spoiler:But, I didn't win.]]\ |
| 812 | '''Tex''': Son, there's more to racin' than winnin'. |
| 813 | * RunningBothSides: A non-villainous example. [[spoiler:After he buys out Rust-Eze, he technically sponsors both Lightning and Cruz, so once the former is back on track, this means Tex's racers will compete against each other.]] |
| 814 | * SouthernGentleman: A wealthy yet personable Texan oil baron. ''"Oo-ee!"'' |
| 815 | [[/folder]] |
| 816 | [[folder: Rust-eze Pit Crew, Sponsors and Associates]] |
| 817 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Tom Magliozzi & Ray Magliozzi (Rusty and Dusty Rust-eze), Andrew Stanton (Fred), Mike Nelson (''Not'' Chuck) |
| 818 | |
| 819 | Lightning's sponsors who got him his big break. |
| 820 | ---- |
| 821 | * AbhorrentAdmirer: All of the rusty cars are big fans of Lightning, but Lightning is quite disgusted with their dirty appearance, before he goes through character development and becomes a nicer person. |
| 822 | * AccidentalMisnaming: My name is not Chuck! |
| 823 | * AscendedExtra: Fred appears (though isn't playable) as a racer in VideoGame/CarsMaterNationalChampionship and VideoGame/CarsRaceORama in the Rustbucket Races. |
| 824 | * CastingGag: Rusty and Dusty were voiced by the hosts of the radio show, ''Radio/CarTalk'', hence why they're essntially playing [[InkSuitActor car versions of themselves.]] |
| 825 | * CharacterOutLivesActor: Rusty's voice actor, Tom Magliozzi, passed away in 2014, three years before the third film was released. Dusty had more speaking lines while Rusty's only had eight, all consisting of unused lines from the first film. |
| 826 | * ImYourBiggestFan: Fred is one of Lightning’s biggest fans. |
| 827 | * InkSuitActor: Rusty and Dusty are just the Magliozzi brothers doing their schtick from ''Radio/CarTalk''. The vehicles the characters are based on are themselves [[TheAllegedCar alleged cars]] owned by the brothers that were often referenced on the show. |
| 828 | * JawDrop: Fred's bumper has a tendency to fall off whenever he gets too excited. |
| 829 | * ParentalBonus: When Lightning states racecars don't need headlights because "the track is always lit." Rusty replies: [[TheStoner "So's my brother, but he still needs headlights!"]] |
| 830 | * PutOnABus: At the start of the third film, Rusty and Dusty have sold Rust-eze to Sterling as they felt they were unable to provide Lightning with the necessary training and resources he needed to take on the Next-Gens. They're shown in the credits enjoying a tropical vacation and have shown interest in returning [[spoiler:after Tex buys Rust-eze from Sterling.]] |
| 831 | [[/folder]] |
| 832 | |
| 833 | !!Others |
| 834 | [[folder:The Delinquent Road Hazards (Boost, Wingo, DJ, and Snot Rod)]] |
| 835 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DRH_2_5905.png]] |
| 836 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Jonas Rivera (Boost), EJ Holowicki (DJ), Adrian Ochoa (Wingo) and Lou Romano (Snot Rod) |
| 837 | ->'''Bases''': 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse with custom bodywork (Boost), "slammed" 2004 Scion xB (DJ), 2000 Nissan Silvia S15 (Wingo), and 1970 Plymouth Barracuda with drag-racing wheel kit and blower (Snot Rod) |
| 838 | A quartet of souped-up troublemakers who distract Mack, causing Lightning to roll out of the back of his trailer and get lost when they make their way over to Mack. |
| 839 | ---- |
| 840 | * AllThereInTheManual: |
| 841 | ** Of the four, only Boost's name is never mentioned on-screen and is only visible on his license plate. |
| 842 | ** The group are only referred to as the Delinquent Road Hazards in the tie-in game, not in the movie. |
| 843 | * AscendedExtra: They have bigger roles in the first game, even having a minigame centered around them. |
| 844 | * CharacterTic: Whenever Snot Rod sneezes, his exhaust pipes gush up and he rockets forward uncontrollably. |
| 845 | * EmbarrassingFirstName: DJ's full name is Devon Montegomery Johnston the Third. |
| 846 | * HeelFaceTurn: In the short "Spinning", DJ is in the crowd watching Guido and Ramone seems to get along with him, as he asks him to play some tunes while Guido spins his sign, suggesting that at least he has mended his ways. |
| 847 | * {{Jerkass}}: All four of them are jerks who enjoy messing with random cars on the highway. Their one scene has them putting a tired Mack to sleep and bumping him around on the highway, not caring if he gets hurt. |
| 848 | * KarmaHoudiniWarranty: They initially get away with screwing with Mack and causing Lightning to get lost in Radiator Springs, but karma catches up with them during the end credits when they get caught by Sheriff and covered with tar from Bessie. |
| 849 | * TheKlutz: Due to his sneezing problem, Snot Rod is very clumsy and uncoordinated. Several of his animations in the movie and games have him just about to boost out of control, only to reign himself back in at the last second. |
| 850 | * LaserGuidedKarma: During the end credits, they make the mistake of speeding around Sheriff in Radiator Springs, and they are forced to use Bessie as a result. |
| 851 | * MeaningfulName: |
| 852 | ** '''Boost''' runs on boost tanks, and his license plate says he's from "Nitropolis". |
| 853 | ** '''DJ''' likes to play music on his built-in system. |
| 854 | ** '''Wingo''' has an upturned spoiler that looks like a wing. |
| 855 | ** '''Snot Rod''' has a habit of sneezing from time to time. Also combined with PunnyName. |
| 856 | * NiceJobFixingItVillain: If they didn't mess with Mack on the highway when they did, Lightning wouldn't have gotten lost and developed as a character in the first place. |
| 857 | * PunnyName: Snot Rod earned his name from "snot" and "hot rod", and Wingo's name comes from wings, which his spoiler resembles. |
| 858 | * TheQuietOne: Most of Snot Rod's dialogue consists of groaning, laughing and sneezing. He can talk, but doesn't speak full sentences often. |
| 859 | * RiceBurner: Three of them have utterly ridiculous-looking spoilers, and Snot Rod has large exhaust pipes. They also have garish paint schemes. |
| 860 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: Them playing around with Mack is what really caused the disappearance of Lightning [=McQueen=]. If not for them, Lightning wouldn't have ended up in Radiator Springs. |
| 861 | * UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Them messing with Mack on the highway causes Lightning to fall out of his trailer and get lost in Radiator Springs. |
| 862 | [[/folder]] |
| 863 | |
| 864 | [[folder:Tractors, Frank and Vroomaroundus Bugus]] |
| 865 | The animals of the ''Cars'' world. Tractors stand in for cows, being rather docile creatures who Mater likes to scare via tractor tipping. Frank is a combine harvester who resembles a bull. The Vroomaroundus Bugus are small insects resembling Volkswagen Beetles. |
| 866 | |
| 867 | * BrutishBulls: Frank is the vehicle stand-in for a bull, guarding the tractors (cattle) at night and angrily chasing Lightning and Mater when he catches them on the field. |
| 868 | * ButtMonkey: The tractors are rather silly, dim creatures who are constantly tipped over by Mater. |
| 869 | * CanisLatinicus: Being fictional "carified" bugs, Vroomaroundus Bugus is a made up Latin name. |
| 870 | * FurryConfusion: They are normal vehicles like everyone else, but are animalistic. |
| 871 | * RunningGag: Tractors getting surprised before tipping over and venting their exhaust. |
| 872 | * StealthPun: Cow Tipping, Mater's favorite prank to play. |
| 873 | * VisualPun: The Volkswagen Beetles are literally beetles in the ''Cars" universe. |
| 874 | [[/folder]] |
| 875 | |
| 876 | [[folder:Mia and Tia]] |
| 877 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Mia_And_Tia_2_8915.png]] |
| 878 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Lindsey Collins (Mia) & Elissa Knight (Tia) |
| 879 | ->'''Basis:''' Mazda Miata Convertibles |
| 880 | |
| 881 | A pair of twin Mazda Miatas who are huge fans of Lightning. |
| 882 | ---- |
| 883 | * AlwaysIdenticalTwins |
| 884 | * TheCameo: They have a brief appearance at the end of ''WesternAnimation/Cars2'', where they're shown cheering for Lightning as he races by in the Radiator Springs Grand Prix. |
| 885 | * ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: They are completely absent from ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'' with no explanation as to what happened to them. |
| 886 | * CoordinatedClothes: Rarely will you find Mia or Tia with a different outfit than her sister. |
| 887 | * [[{{FanGirl}} Fan Girls]]: To Lightning [=McQueen=] in ''Cars'' and ''Cars 2'', and Mater in ''Mater's Tall Tales''. They also briefly became fans of Chick Hicks in ''Cars''. |
| 888 | * FirehouseDalmatian: They sport this look in the ''Mater's Tall Tales'' episode ''Rescue Squad Mater''. |
| 889 | * [[{{GenkiGirl}} Genki Girls]]: They basically fill the role of cheerleaders for [=McQueen=] (& Mater in ''Mater's Tall Tales''). |
| 890 | %%* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition. |
| 891 | * HospitalHottie: They appear as nurses near the end of ''Rescue Squad Mater''. |
| 892 | * IdenticalTwinIDTag: They are both completely identical save for their license plates, which have their respective names. |
| 893 | * ImYourBiggestFan: To [=McQueen=]. They briefly followed Chick when [=McQueen=] disappeared, but switch back to Lightning’s side by the end. They're also this to Mater in the [[WesternAnimation/PixarShorts Tall Tales]], for some reason. |
| 894 | * SingleMindedTwins: They have the exact same personality and usually speak in unison. |
| 895 | * [[{{SmittenTeenageGirl}} Smitten Teenage Girls]]: They both have a major crush on Lightning. |
| 896 | * [[{{StalkerWithACrush}} Stalkers With A Crush]]: Their official Disney bio says that they haven’t missed a race in over a year, but that they’re not race fans, they’re Lightning [=McQueen=] fans, & at the end of the first movie they moved to Radiator Springs and become waitresses as Flo’s cafe just so they can be close to Lightning. |
| 897 | * TagTeamTwins: Mia & Tia work together in two races in ''Cars: The Video Game'' & in one race in ''Cars: Mater-National Championship.'' |
| 898 | * ThemeTwinNaming: They're named after their model, the Mazda Miata. |
| 899 | * UnlimitedWardrobe: They have a different look in each of their appearances: |
| 900 | ** ''Cars'': Red with Lightning [=McQueen=] stickers while they're fans of Lightning (this look is reused for the tie-in game and ''Mater-National''), then green but still with their [=McQueen stickers=] (except for a Chick Hicks one on their hood) along with a foam "C" on their roofs while they're fans of Chick, Dinoco blue and plain [[GoldMakesEverythingShiny gold]] in [=McQueen=]'s fantasies, then finally at the end red with waitress hats and trays while they're working for Flo at her cafe. |
| 901 | ** ''Mater's Tall Tales'': |
| 902 | *** ''Rescue Squad Mater'': White with black spots, like [[FirehouseDalmatian dalmatians]], firefighter helmets that read "Rescue Squad Mater [[{{Groupie}} Groupie]]", and bigger-than-normal mirrors. (resembling dalmatian ears) Later surgical green with masks, whitewall tires, and hairnets when they're [[HospitalHottie nurses]] assisting Mater. |
| 903 | *** ''Mater The Greater'': [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead Red, white, and blue]] with souvenir tow hooks, blue rims with white stars, and souvenir buck teeth. |
| 904 | *** ''El Materdor'': Plain red with black lace headdresses. |
| 905 | *** ''Tokyo Mater'': First red with white tires and wings and their names written on their doors in Japanese, then red with tomato decals and green tires and wings. |
| 906 | *** ''Unidentified Flying Mater'': Pink with camo patterns and green side caps, along with "UFO" decals on their doors (in this episode they work for the military instead of being Mater's fans, but they are nonetheless still humored by one of his comments). |
| 907 | *** ''Monster Truck Mater'': Pink with their names bedazzled on their doors and pink cowboy hats. |
| 908 | *** ''Heavy Metal Mater'': First pink and white with waitress hats and trays when they're working at the Top Down Truck Stop, and then white and black with "Heavy Metal Mater" decals and black wings resembling bows. In addition this short marks the start of Mia and Tia wearing lipstick. (with the exception of "Air Mater" below) |
| 909 | *** ''Moon Mater'': White with "Boarding Specialist" decals on their doors. |
| 910 | *** ''Mater: Private Eye'': Unknown color with whitewall tires. |
| 911 | *** ''Air Mater'': Red and blue with "Mater Hawk" decals and flags. |
| 912 | ** ''Cars: Race-O-Rama'': A darker red than in the first movie and lacking their stickers (as well as their "Mater The Greater" outfits in the "Mater The Greater" Cars Toon minigame). |
| 913 | ** ''Cars 2'': Same as the first movie, but with lipstick. |
| 914 | * ValleyGirl: Both of them. |
| 915 | * WearingAFlagOnYourHead: Mia & Tia are decked out in the colors of the American flag in ''Mater The Greater.'' |
| 916 | * WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: In the epilogue of the first film, it's shown that they've moved to Radiator Springs and are working as waitresses at Flo's. |
| 917 | [[/folder]] |
| 918 | |
| 919 | [[folder:Minny and Van]] |
| 920 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Minny_and_Van_4163.png]] |
| 921 | ->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/EdieMcClurg (Minny) & Creator/RichardKind (Van) |
| 922 | |
| 923 | A married couple who wander into Radiator Springs whilst looking for the freeway, but are terrified by the clingy and pushy townsfolk. Van is a Ford Windstar and Minny is a Dodge Caravan. |
| 924 | ---- |
| 925 | * TheCameo: They appear at the end of the second film in Radiator Springs, listening to Mater's spy adventure in Europe. |
| 926 | * DirectionlessDriver: Van refuses to ask for directions while the two of them are looking for an on-ramp, claiming that he can use the GPS. Unsurprisingly, they end up getting lost in the desert. |
| 927 | %%* HappilyMarried |
| 928 | * MinnesotaNice: Minny has a prominent Midwestern accent and tries to be as polite and approachable as possible to other cars. |
| 929 | * MommyMobile: Anthropomorphized. They're an extremely dorky Midwestern married couple who are also minivans. |
| 930 | * PunnyName: They are both ''mini-vans''. |
| 931 | * SanitySlippage: In TheStinger [[spoiler:Van has essentially lost his mind in the desert, convinced he can find the interstate]]. In the sequel, [[UnexplainedRecovery he's fine again]]. |
| 932 | [[/folder]] |
| 933 | |
| 934 | [[folder:Todd]] |
| 935 | [[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_2281.jpeg]] |
| 936 | |
| 937 | A [[Franchise/ToyStory Pizza Planet Truck]] who makes regular cameos across the films. |
| 938 | ---- |
| 939 | * AllThereInTheManual: His name is revealed in the toyline and the Car Finder interactive game on the Blu-ray release. |
| 940 | * EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: In the first ''Cars'', he has windshield wipers and his mouth is attached to his front bumper. In all later ''Cars'' media he appears in, his mouth is placed separately from his front bumper and he lacks his windshield wipers. |
| 941 | * HiddenDepths: In his brief appearance in ''Cars 3'', he is shown to be a racer in the Crazy Eights demolition derby race. |
| 942 | * RecurringExtra: Cameos in all three of the movies and the ''Cars on the Road'' series. He's a natural extension of the Pixar-wide tradition of hiding the Pizza Planet truck from ''Franchise/ToyStory'' in each film (except ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'', for unknown reasons). |
| 943 | * TheVoiceless: Has never been shown speaking. |
| 944 | [[/folder]] |
| 945 |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext Characters / CarsFirstFilm
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
