The Grappler is a character in Inspector Gadget. He is Professor Doomkauf's creation and former son and henchman who was created and sent to destroy Gadget. However, this plan was foiled when Penny convinced the Grappler to be good in exchange for a lolly.
Physical Description[]
Grappler is a pale skinned and bulky creature with a small tuft of black hair and his two bottom teeth sticking out from his lower lip. He wears a white shirt and red bow tie under a purple tattered suit and black shoes. His face and boddy are littered with scars, making it seem like he had been put together by Professor Doomkauf using various different bodies, Frankenstein style.
Routine[]
When the Grappler was first introduced by Doomkauf to Claw inside Claw's castle, he burst through a wall instead of taking the door. M.A.D. Cat was especially startled by this. Doomkauf asked Claw's permission to give a simple demonstration. The Grappler ran at a pole dressed up like Inspector Gadget and tore it apart. He then received tidbits to eat as a reward. Claw was impressed and hired the Grappler on the spot. Claw and Doomkauf learned that Gadget wanted to hire some cleaning help and intercepted a phone call made by Corporal Capeman so that they could send the Grappler over instead.
Penny saw the Grappler approaching and put the house on full alert. Neither the steel bars on the doors and windows nor the high fence stoped the Grappler from crashing though a wall right into Gadget's living room. Gadget assumed him to be a cleaning man and set him to work. Capeman felt that since the Grappler was a hired help, he should use the kitchen entrance to navigate the house at all time, but the Grappler picked up the Corporal and carried him over his shoulder. When Capeman asked to be put down, Grappler threw him accross the yard, which delighted Capeman, who thought he was flying. Grappler tried to grab Gadget from behind, but missed. He was then told to clean Gadget's gym, and began to tear all the equimpent from the floor and throw them out. This impressed Gadget, who felt Grappler was a real "cleaning wiz". Gadget and Capeman were both hit several times by the equipment the Grappler was tossing, but neither of them was seriously hurt.
Having looked Grappler up on her Computer book, Penny learned of his affinity for tidbits and had the Gadget Kitchen Helper make some chocolate-covered doughnuts. She presented them to the Grappler, which called him down. He politely asked her for more tidbits, but was told to stand on a trap door that deposited him inside the Gadget washing machine. This angered the Grappler, who broke free from the washer and stormed up the stairs to get Gadget. He noticed Brain holding two donuts, grabbed them and this calmed him down enough to follow Gadget to his van when the Inspector asked him to. However, Grappler was too large to comfortably fit into the van, and tore off most of the back half so he could take a seat. Before leaving, Grappler once again grabbed Capeman and threw him into the pool. During the ride, Grappler tried to grab Gadget, but was handed a bag full of tidbits (given to Gadget by his niece just before they left) which temporarily distracted him.
They arrived at the station where the Oriental Express was just about to leave on it's mystery tour. Claw had made sure the train was fully automated and all the passengers were replaced by dummies. The only living being on board apart from Gadget and the Grappler was Doomkauf, disguised as a lady. He asked Gadget how he would handle a M.A.D. assassin, and Gadget decided that he and Grappler would give a demonstration. Gadget asked Grappler to try to get him, hard, and was promptly knocked off the train, together with Brain (who was hanging onto a train cabin from the outside at the time). Gadget returned himself and Brain to the dining car using his Gadget Legs, and Doomkauf told Grappler to go get him. This time Brain distracted Grappler by handing him more tidbits while disguised as a train steward. Gadget told Grappler it was demonstration time, but when he tried to switch cabins, he ended up in wagon filled with cows. Penny and Capeman arrived in the diner by diesel locomotive and together with Brain, began to throw food at Grappler to distract him. Grappler threw Capeman out a window, but he was picked up by Chief Quimby and some officers on a pump trolley, who had already been joined by Gadget.
Penny managed to override Claw's control of the train and stopped the train. This caused the Grappler to be catapulted through the cabin. When Grappler was about to get Gadget one more time, Penny ordered him to stop and redeem himself, by holding up a lollipop, and said she would give it to him if he promises to be a good boy, Grappler agreed and redeemed himself, much to Doomkauf's disgust and Claw's fury.
Personality[]
Originally, the Grappler was created by Professor Doomkauf to eliminate Gadget in exchange for tidbits.
The Grappler did as ordered and went on a rampage through Metro City in an attempt to kill Gadget and his friends. Just as he was about to strike again, Penny asked the Grappler to redeem himself and the delighted creature did so, thus betraying his master and foiling Claw's plans.
Appearance[]
Inspector Gadget (1983 TV Series)[]
Season 2 (1983 series)[]
Quotes[]
- Grappler love tidbits. Grappler is good guy!
Trivia[]
- Gadget initially mistook Grappler for a cleaning man.
- He is probably the inspiration for Sykes, with both being big, devious henchmen who are inspired to change their ways through an encounter with Penny.
Gallery[]
