Prince Charming (Shrek)

Shrek character

name=Hoogie Harold Charming
gender=Male
form=Human
spouse=Rapunzel
family= Fairy Godmother (mother), (unknown father, possibly deceased)
voiced by=Rupert Everett, James Arnold Taylor (in the video games)

Prince Charming is a character in the "Shrek" franchise of films, appearing in "Shrek 2" as a supporting antagonist and in "Shrek the Third" as the main villain. He is voiced by Rupert Everett. He gains only brief mention in "Shrek", in which Princess Fiona reveals that she thought she would be rescued by "Prince Charming", while he has a much larger role in "Shrek 2" and "Shrek the Third." According to the image of a typical "Prince Charming" his look is somewhere near to "ideal". His most remarkable asset is his "soft and bouncy hair". [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rW5fJ9Rf0w]

Character history

"Shrek 2"

In his first scene in "Shrek 2", he travels to the castle where Fiona had been imprisoned prior to the first movie, only to discover that Shrek has already found her and married her, and that the Big Bad Wolf (without any explanation to how the wolf got there in the first place) has taken to sleeping in her tower. His narration in this scene, as well as his conversation with the Wolf, reveal the most important aspects of the plot from the first film.

It is later revealed that Charming is in fact the son of the Fairy Godmother, and that the two of them want him to marry Fiona so that he can become king (similar to Lord Farquaad's intentions from the first movie). As such, in contrast to his fairytale namesake, this version of Prince Charming plays a more villainous role. He is characterized as a selfish and arrogant mother's boy, and she his doting parent, as well as vain about his appearance. Later in the movie, he deceives Fiona into believing that he is Shrek, having been turned human by a "Happily Ever After" potion. Nevertheless, his foul attitude shines through the disguise and Fiona realises the truth before the end of the movie. At the end, he is forced into dancing with the ugly bartender (Cinderella's stepsister) who runs The Poisoned Apple. He also sings I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred in Far Far Away Idol. Though during the song Shrek and Fiona press a button opening the ground below him due to his horrible singing.

"Shrek the Third"

"Shrek the Third" finds Charming, as the new main antagonist, stuck in the theatre, rather a stage in a bar, playing himself. Despite being the hero of his own play, the audience cheers when the Shrek character comes on stage. Finally, in a version of a Buster Keaton gag, a prop tower falls on Charming, but he escapes injury as the window passes around him. Charming leaves the theatre upset and goes to his "dressing room," in reality the back alley behind the bar. There he vows to his mother that he'll become the King of Far, Far Away. He organizes an army of classic fairy tale villains, all upset that they've not gotten their 'happily ever after.' While Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots are in search of the heir to the Kingdom, Fiona holds off a coup d’etat by Prince Charming. Upon Shrek's return he is captured by the Prince. He places Shrek in the play, now being performed in an auditorium before the entire kingdom. Shrek begins to ruin it (for Charming) by making a fool of the Prince. As he is about to kill Shrek on stage, Fiona and the others burst in. Before a confrontation ensues, Artie, the true heir, convinces the villains to give up their evil ways. Charming refuses and apparently stabs Shrek but, as Shrek reveals to the others, he is completely unharmed; Charming merely stuck the sword between the ogre's arm and side. Shrek throws him before Dragon, who tips a stone tower over Charming and leaves nothing but his crown.

It is unknown if Prince Charming was actually killed by the falling stone tower. When the building fell it is possible that, like in the beginning of the film, the porch window fell over him, allowing him to have survived.

External links

* [http://www.shrek2.com/ Shrek 2] (official site)
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rW5fJ9Rf0w Prince Charmings "soft and bouncy" hair!]