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Charles F. Muntz is the main antagonist in Disney Pixar's Up. He is a famous explorer, and was admired by Carl Fredrickson and Ellie as children. He is voiced by Christopher Plummer.
Backstory
Muntz was a renowned adventurer idolized by Carl Fredrickson and Ellie in their younger years, and he often travelled in his blimp, the Spirit of Adventure, collecting many rare specimens that are now preserved in the museum of his blimp. He was accompanied on his adventures by dozens of dogs, which were able to communicate with humans due to Muntz's advanced collars designed for them. During one of his adventures to Paradise Falls, Muntz discovered the skeleton of a rare bird species, titled the "Beast of Paradise Falls".
However, scientists accused Muntz of fabricating the skeleton and he was publicly disgraced and was also removed from the National Explorers Society. To clear his name, Muntz set off to capture the bird, and vowed never to return to the United States until he did. With that, Muntz and his many canine companions set off to Paradise Falls to capture the bird.
However, as decades passed with no results, Muntz began to slip into insanity as he became obsessed with capturing the bird and reclaiming his glory. In his paranoia, he murdered many visitors of Paradise Falls, believing that they were trying to steal the bird as well.
Role in the film
Many years later, Muntz encounters an elderly Carl, Russell, and one of his dogs, Dug. Muntz is initially amiable towards the two, inviting them to dinner in his dirigible. However, when Muntz begins to talk about the Beast of Paradise Falls, Russell mentions that he had befriended Kevin, the bird Muntz is after. Believing that Carl and Russell are out to capture Kevin, Muntz orders his dogs to attack them. However, Dug helps the two escape, along with Kevin. Muntz is enraged at Dug's betrayal, but comes up with another plan to acquire Kevin.
Using Dug's collar as a tracking device, Muntz follows the group and ambushes them, netting Kevin. To distract Carl, Muntz sets his house aflame. As Carl struggles to put the fire out, Muntz claims Kevin and leaves in his dirigible. However, Russell uses several balloons to fly towards Muntz's dirigible and infiltrate it, but he is quickly captured. Realizing that Carl will soon come after Russell, Muntz uses him as bait as he returns to pilot the dirigible. Eventually, Carl arrives in his house and rescues Russell, but Muntz orders his dogs to attack Carl's house.
Carl and Dug infiltrate Muntz's museum and free Kevin, but Muntz attacks them, locking Dug out of the museum. Muntz and Carl battle each other with Carl fighting with his cane and Muntz uses a sword, nearly killing Carl. Eventually the blimp is turned sideways, saving Carl. Then, Carl and Kevin retreating up the side of Muntz's dirigible. In response, Muntz acquires his hunting rifle and takes another way to the top of the dirigible and begins firing at Carl's house. As Russell, Dug, and Kevin retreat into Carl's house, Muntz follows them inside and prepares to kill them. However, Carl attracts Kevin's attention using chocolate, and she crashes outside the window, along with Russell and Dug. Muntz jumps out after them, but his leg gets tangled in several balloons, causing him to plummet hundreds of feet to his death.
Physical Appearance
Charles F. Muntz has white hair. He wears a white dirty short-sleeved shirt with a brown winter jacket. He wears tan pants and brown shoes, and carries a cane. His eyes are aqua. He also has a moustache.
Personality
Prior to setting out to find Kevin, Muntz was an admired individual by many. However, after he was humiliated and discredited, Muntz became increasingly unhinged as he attempted to reclaim his former glory by capturing Kevin. As a result, Muntz became insane, as evident when he implied that he had murdered visitors of Paradise Falls, believing them to be trying to steal Kevin.
Trivia
- According to Pete Docter, the director of Up, Charles is 23 at the beginning of the film and Carl is 9. As Carl is 78 when he meets Charles, this means that Charles is 92. This makes him one of Pixar's oldest main antagonists.
- Muntz is named after Charles Mintz, an enemy of Walt Disney.
- Muntz is the third Pixar main antagonist to die, after Hopper and Syndrome.
- Pete Docter indirectly mentioned that Muntz represents the side of Carl that gave up on his sanity after losing their most prized possession. As a result, Muntz's death symbolizes Carl overcoming his grief.
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