| File:Inspector Gadget | “ | I'll get you next time, Gadget! NEXT TIME!!! | „ |
| ~ Claw's famous ending line |
| File:Health Spa | “ | I give the orders!!! | „ |
| ~ Dr. Claw |
| “ | Dr. Claw! | „ |
| ~ Penny |
Dr. Claw is the main antagonist of the Inspector Gadget (1983) TV series and its animated follow-ups.
Routine[]
Dr. Claw always intends to do what he can to achieve wealth or world domination, not to mention eliminating his arch nemesis, Inspector Gadget. However, his plans tend to constantly backfire when his men get arrested, or by Gadget, Penny, or Brain interfering with his plans.
Personality[]
Claw is arrogant, greedy, malicious, ruthless, callous, sinister, short-tempered, sadistic, and a major threat to all of Metro City. He is a psychotic criminal mastermind that will stop at nothing to destroy Inspector Gadget and take over the world. Most of his plots consist of terrorism and global attacks. Even though he is an evil mastermind, and a certainly menacing psychopath, he thinks Gadget's stupidity is an act to mock him and views him as his worst enemy, and has no idea that Penny and Brain do all the real work. In Gadget and the Gadgetinis, it is shown that he has had his claw since he was a baby, so he probably lost his arm when he was young or he was born without his right arm.
He is usually at a computer terminal where he monitors his various schemes, often in a creepy old castle. Although he's aware of Gadget's idiocy, he believes the Inspector to be his greatest enemy, never realizing that it is actually Penny and Brain who foil his plots in each episode (although he or his M.A.D. agents have captured Penny and her computer book and he has jammed her watch and sometimes Brain a number of times). He is usually seen with his fat pet cat M.A.D. Cat, who reaps the benefits of his brief victories and bears the brunt of his defeats. Claw's catchphrase at the end of every episode is, "I'll get you next time, Gadget! NEXT TIME!!!".
Claw's face[]
Throughout the entire series, Claw is an unseen character, only just his arms and gloved hands are visible, leaving the viewer to guess as to his face and body, though a shadow of his body can be seen in "Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas" and "The Japanese Connection". Though his face is never shown, evidence suggests that he has the appearance of a mad scientist. Despite sitting down in an executive chair for most of the series, it is clear that he possesses an intimidating physical stature (as others are usually shown cowering when he stands).
There were only 5 instances where his face was visible:
- In the SNES game where he is fought as the final boss, half of his face, based on his action figure, is seen.
- In the Gadget and the Gadgetinis episode "The Weather Machine," the viewers get to see a closeup of his face while he wakes up from his nap. This version of Claw has a muscular body and a square-shaped head. His face is usually hidden in shadow with only his glowing yellow eyes visible, but in "The Weather Machine," the outlines of his nose and mouth are visible.
Trivia[]
- In Gadget and the Gadgetinis, his real name is George Claw.
- One popular fan theory is that he might be the real Inspector Gadget.
- Frank Welker reprised his role as Claw in the Robot Chicken episode, Adoption's an Option. Cree Summer also returned as Penny.
- Dr. Claw's voice in the first season is known to have an echo effect, possibly to make him sound scarier. The echo effect was absent in a couple Season 1 episodes, and in Season 2 and animated follow-ups. It made a return in Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas.
- The inspiration for the character is likely to have come from the renowned James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, as they both have a cat and their arms are all that we see of them.
- His Polish name is Dr Klauf AKA doktor Szpon and Dr Gang, and dubber is Jerzy Słonka.
- Claw always escapes justice, but he gets captured in Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever. He does manage to escape, however.
- In a few episodes of the 1983 series and the Gadgetinis, Claw doesn't curse Gadget at the end.
Theme[]
Gallery[]
