Judge Doom: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Judge doom.jpg|thumb]]

'''Baron von Rotten''', also known as '''~~Judge Doom~~''', is the main antagonist, portrayed by [[Christopher Lloyd]] in the film ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit (film)|Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]''. He is the much-feared Judge of [[Toontown]]. Despite presiding over a city of [[:Category:Toons|Toons]], Doom is totally without mirth and passes capital punishment on Toons who break the law, placing them in a chemical vat of turpentine, acetone and benzene (paint thinner) which he dubs the "[[The Dip|Dip]]". This concoction will dissolve Toons, permanently murdering them when submerged. The Judge employs Toon henchmen (the [[Toon Patrol]]) to assist him in hunting down [[Roger Rabbit (character)|Roger Rabbit]] for the murder of [[Marvin Acme]].

'''Baron von Rotten''', also known as '''{{PAGENAME}}''', is the main antagonist, portrayed by [[Christopher Lloyd]] in the film ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit (film)|Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]''. He is the much-feared Judge of [[Toontown]]. Despite presiding over a city of [[:Category:Toons|Toons]], Doom is totally without mirth and passes capital punishment on Toons who break the law, placing them in a chemical vat of turpentine, acetone and benzene (paint thinner) which he dubs the "[[The Dip|Dip]]". This concoction will dissolve Toons, permanently murdering them when submerged. The Judge employs Toon henchmen (the [[Toon Patrol]]) to assist him in hunting down [[Roger Rabbit (character)|Roger Rabbit]] for the murder of [[Marvin Acme]].

== Appearances ==

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== Personality ==

Judge Doom started off as a xenophobic austere judge who holds a hatred towards Toons, even abusing his own Toon Patrol when they laugh at something amusing. However, this was shown to be a facade to cover his true nature as a heartless, psychopathic, homicidal, manipulative, and pitiless Toon who enjoys doing terrible things for his own pleasure, even gleefully boasting to a shocked Eddie that he killed Eddie's brother Teddy. And he is also known as evil, murderous, fearsome, mean, stingy, abusive, cruel, cold-blooded, merciless, chicken-hearted, calculating, monstrous, relentless, prideful, petty, loathsome, intimidating, serious, strict, power-hungry, hammy (at times), brilliant, accountable, rational, obstinate, negative, violent, organized, no-nonsense, reasonable, obsessive, nightmarish, testy, thoughtless, efficient and nasty.

Judge Doom started off as a xenophobic austere judge who holds a hatred towards Toons, even abusing his own Toon Patrol when they laugh at something amusing. However, this was shown to be a facade to cover his true nature as a heartless, psychopathic, homicidal, manipulative, and pitiless Toon who enjoys doing terrible things for his own pleasure, even gleefully boasting to a shocked [[Eddie Valiant]] that he killed Eddie's brother [[Teddy Valiant|Teddy]]. And he is also known as evil, murderous, fearsome, mean, stingy, abusive, cruel, cold-blooded, merciless, chicken-hearted, calculating, monstrous, relentless, prideful, petty, loathsome, intimidating, serious, strict, power-hungry, hammy (at times), brilliant, accountable, rational, obstinate, negative, violent, organized, no-nonsense, reasonable, obsessive, nightmarish, testy, thoughtless, efficient and nasty.

== Powers and abilities ==

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== History ==

When the film first introduces Judge Doom, Lt. Santino confides to Eddie Valiant that Doom bought the election. Later, at the Terminal Bar, Doom uses the "Shave and a Haircut" trick to lure Roger out, then prepares to execute him. After a brief scuffle inside the bar, the Judge orders the weasels to capture Roger and Eddie Valiant. Roger realizes he's in trouble with Doom after him, and begs Eddie to hide him. When Eddie learns that studio head R.K. Maroon is connected to the plot to frame Roger, Eddie interrogates him, but Maroon pleads that he is "a dead man" if he confesses. Just as Maroon is about to spill everything, he is killed by an unseen gunman who nearly shoots Eddie as well.

When the film first introduces Judge Doom, [[Lt. Santino]] confides to Eddie Valiant that Doom bought the election. Later, at the Terminal Bar, Doom uses the "Shave and a Haircut" trick to lure Roger out, then prepares to execute him. After a brief scuffle inside the bar, the Judge orders the weasels to capture Roger and Eddie Valiant. Roger realizes he's in trouble with Doom after him, and begs Eddie to hide him. When Eddie learns that studio head R.K. Maroon is connected to the plot to frame Roger, Eddie interrogates him, but Maroon pleads that he is "a dead man" if he confesses. Just as Maroon is about to spill everything, he is killed by an unseen gunman who nearly shoots Eddie as well.

Upon chasing the killer to Toontown, Eddie catches Jessica Rabbit, thinking she's the murderer, but Jessica reveals that Judge Doom was the one who killed Acme and Maroon. At the film's climax, Doom traps Eddie, Jessica, and Roger in the Acme Factory to explain his scheme: Literally erase Toontown from the map using [[Dipmobile|a giant, mobile vat of Dip linked to a high-pressure water cannon]], and then build a freeway over it. Doom then plans to retire from being a judge and control all the profits from the new road system. Doom also reveals that he is the sole stockholder of Cloverleaf Industries, and explains that he bought the "red car" (a variant on the name of the Pacific Electric Railway) for the sole purpose of putting it out of commission. He then orders Jessica and Roger Rabbit to be tied up and raised into the air via skyhook to be sprayed by the Dip cannon.

Upon chasing the killer to Toontown, Eddie catches [[Jessica Rabbit]], thinking she's the murderer, but Jessica reveals that Judge Doom was the one who killed Acme and Maroon. At the film's climax, Doom traps Eddie, Jessica, and Roger in the Acme Factory to explain his scheme: Literally erase Toontown from the map using [[Dipmobile|a giant, mobile vat of Dip linked to a high-pressure water cannon]], and then build a freeway over it. Doom then plans to retire from being a judge and control all the profits from the new road system. Doom also reveals that he is the sole stockholder of Cloverleaf Industries, and explains that he bought the "red car" (a variant on the name of the Pacific Electric Railway) for the sole purpose of putting it out of commission. He then orders Jessica and Roger Rabbit to be tied up and raised into the air via skyhook to be sprayed by the Dip cannon.

Valiant escapes and defeats the weasels then attempts to rescue Roger and Jessica when he is interrupted by Doom. The two men then square off, duelling with various ACME props. During the fight, Judge Doom is run over by a steamroller. He survives, revealing himself as a toon. Doom re-inflates himself with a helium gas tank. As he did, his hat pop off of him and his eyes popped out as well, revealing them to be fake. After Doom re-inflates himself with a helium gas tank, he reveals himself, much to Eddie's horror, as the same Toon who murdered Eddie's brother, Teddy Valiant, thus triggering his hatred towards Toons and explaining how Doom managed to buy the judicial election and the trolley car company. His voice grew higher until it reaches a horrifyingly high pitch and his eyes turn to daggers, showing Doom's intent that he is now out to kill him, as well. Doom taunts Eddie and exhibits his hidden Toon powers, leaping after Eddie with springs in his shoes, changing his right hand into a massive anvil and a circular saw. After Eddie breaks open a vat of Dip with a boxing glove hammer, Doom is doused in his own Dip. While he is dissolving to his death, he shrieks the familiar "melting" lines of the Wicked Witch of the West, cursing Eddie. Following Doom's death, his scheme is finally exposed and all charges against Roger are dropped.

== Graphic novel version ==

In the graphic novel Roger Rabbit: The Resurrection of Doom, it is explained that Doom was originally a Toon named Baron von Rotten, who took up the role of playing the antagonist in animated movies, until a filming accident in which he suffered a concussion, and awakens believing he is a real villain. Von Rotten thus begins his crime career, robbing the First National Bank of Toontown, then killing Teddy Valiant by dropping a piano on his head from 15 stories, and spreading the stolen money all over the town in order to buy the election for Judge of Toontown, assuming the new name of Judge Doom.

In the graphic novel ''[[Roger Rabbit: The Resurrection of Doom]]'', it is explained that Doom was originally a Toon named Baron von Rotten, who took up the role of playing the antagonist in animated movies, until a filming accident in which he suffered a concussion, and awakens believing he is a real villain. Von Rotten thus begins his crime career, robbing the First National Bank of Toontown, then killing Teddy Valiant by dropping a piano on his head from 15 stories, and spreading the stolen money all over the town in order to buy the election for Judge of Toontown, assuming the new name of Judge Doom.

== Trivia ==

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**[[Wikipedia:John Cleese|John Cleese]] expressed interest in playing Doom, but both [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[Robert Zemeckis]] refused, thinking nobody would take a former member of [[Wikipedia:Monty Python|Monty Python]] seriously as a sadistic villain.

***[[Wikipedia:Roddy McDowall|Roddy McDowall]], [[Wikipedia:Robin Williams|Robin Williams]], [[Wikipedia:Eddie Deezen|Eddie Deezen]], Sting, and [[Wikipedia:Jon Pertwee|Jon Pertwee]] were considered as well.

*Doom's death is an allusion to the [[Wikipedia:Wicked Witch of the West|Wicked Witch of the West]]'s death in [[~~Wikipedia:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|~~Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]'s ''[[Wikipedia:The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', as they both melt while shouting, "I'm melting! Melting!".

*Doom's death is an allusion to the [[Wikipedia:Wicked Witch of the West|Wicked Witch of the West]]'s death in [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]'s ''[[Wikipedia:The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', as they both melt while shouting, "I'm melting! Melting!".

**In addition, both have weaknesses to liquid. The Witch's demise comes from water while Judge Doom's demise is the Dip.

*The character was originally going to have an animated pet vulture (one of the two that appeared in ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'') named [[Voltaire]] (after the [[Wikipedia:Voltaire|French philosopher]]) that sat on his shoulder, but that idea was dropped in the interest of saving time. However, the vulture later resurfaced with Doom when a bendable action figure was produced.

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== Gallery ==

Who-framed-roger-rabbit-disneyscreencaps_com-10706.jpg|Judge Doom revealing his true nature and evil grin

Who-framed-roger-rabbit-disneyscreencaps_com-10771.jpg|Doom sprouting a toon anvil