- “But that's the best part, Shrek! It's a magical contract. No one will even know you're gone. And by the time this day is up, you are gonna feel like a changed ogre.”
- ―Rumpelstiltskin to Shrek
Rumpelstiltskin is the main antagonist of DreamWorks Animation's 2010 animated feature film Shrek Forever After. He is a very evil short man who makes magical transactions with people, claiming to solve all their problems, but when the people sign the deal they find that they have signed their life over to Rumpel. However, Donkey claims that there is an escape clause in the contracts; in the case of Shrek's contract, sharing true love's kiss would break the contract.
Background[]
Rumpelstiltskin become a dealmaker thanks to the recommendation of King Midas and adopted a magical pet goose named Fifi, who Rumpel always loved. Since the beginning he was known for being evil, cruel and manipulative, with Fifi being the only exception to his cruelty. He lived in an egg-shaped carriage on a trailer camp inhabited by wicked witches, whom he seemingly got along with. Years before the events of the fourth film, if any displeased customer wanted to break one of his deals with him, Rumpel allowed his contracts to break if his customers found out his real name and told him, but after so many broken contracts and the public knowledge on his name, Rumpel ceased to allow his contracts to be broken so easily.
Personality[]
Rumpelstiltskin can best be described as an ill-tempered, derisive, sleazy, sinister, devious, manipulative, perfidious, odious, despicable and power-hungry con artist. He will do anything to gain power, as he would even lie to Fiona's parents to get to their throne and have them both disappeared, which means it would be like they never existed.
He also throws a fit of rage after learning that Shrek rescued the Princess and the King ripped up the contract, blaming the ogre who would later become the king's son-in-law, Rumple wished that Shrek was never born. However, he does love his pet goose Fifi, as he pampers him a lot and was horrified when he explodes to death. He is also shown to be a charismatic and comedic villain, as he has a good sense of humor. However, his comedic moments don't detract from his crimes and consider himself pure evil, although he deeply cares for his pet bird, Fifi.
Physical appearances[]
Rumpel is quite short, has brown hair and a large face. He wears an orange and brown medieval costume, a yellow ascot and boots.
In the alternate Universe where he's the king of Far Far Away, Rumpel wears a white and red suit, and sometimes wears eccentric wigs depending on the occasion (like a business one or a messy one when he's angry).
Powers and abilities[]
Rumpelstiltskin has no magical powers, but does have a variety of magic contracts that he calls "magical transactions" (as shown in Shrek Forever After). These contracts seem to be able to warp dimensions based on the details written within that had been agreed upon by Rumpelstiltskin and his recipients. This helps with creating alternate realities, as was demonstrated by Shrek being tricked into signing a deal that allowed him to null away the day the ogre was born (subsequently allowing Rumpel to illegally succeed the throne of the Kingdom of Far Far Away).
However, these contracts are not perfect. Donkey (from the alternate reality) claimed and later showed that all of Rumpel's contracts have an "exit clause" that can render the contract invalid if the recipient succeeds in fulfilling the clause. Details of the "exit clause" can only be found on the contract once it has been rearranged via origami.
Appearances[]
Shrek Forever After[]
King Harold and Queen Lillian making deal with Rumpelstiltskin to break Fiona's curse.
Rumpelstiltskin first appears in the film, where he is about to get King Harold and Queen Lillian sign away the kingdom of Far Far Away to him to free Princess Fiona (despite their deal with Prince Charming and Fairy Godmother), cause Lillian didn't trust her well. However, the contract would not actually lift Fiona's curse, but instead make the king and queen disappear entirely, effectively killing them and allowing Rumpel to usurp the position of Harold and Lillian as king of Far Far Away. At first, Harold is tempted to sign the deal, but at the last minute, he and Lillian are informed by one of their servants that Fiona has already been saved by Shrek (in accordance with his and Donkey's own deal with Lord Farquaad who would promise to give Shrek his swamp back and have all the fairy tale creatures that he terrorized gone). With Rumpel's deal now pointless, Harold happily rips the contract in half and leaves with Lillian, much to Rumpel's complete distraught contract, sharing true love's kiss would break the contract.
Rumpelstiltskin wishing that Shrek was never born.
Following the defeats and demises of Farquaad, the Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming, Rumpel's deal making business becomes decimated, leaving him scrounging in the streets with a hateful grudge against Shrek. He was later at a bookstore in Far, Far Away reading the Shrek Forever After book, and begin to rip pages off the books in anger. He was soon confronted by Pinocchio who tells him to pay for that. Rumpel stated that they could make a deal about it, and calls him a boy. Pinocchio then tells him that he is no real boy, until Rumpelstiltskin asked him if he wants to be, which means they could make deal from the Deal of a Life Time. But Pinocchio kicks him out of the store, telling him that nobody needs his deals anymore, and calls him Grumpel Stinkypants and shuts him out. Enraged Stiltskin grabs that last page he ripped from the book and wished that Shrek was never born, while fuming in anger. He is also vowing revenge on Shrek for unwittingly botching his plan to seize kingdom of Far Far Away (since Shrek had already rescued Fiona, he rendered Rumpel's deal pointless). Ever since, his held a hateful grudge against the ogre and wishes he had never existed.
Rumpel and Shrek discussing the deal of a life time.
Rumpelstiltskin appears outside the Candy Apple (formerly known as The Poison Apple) ransacking in the trash, possibly looking for food, or stalking Shrek, unless he knew that he would be at the Candy Apple, which he was after bursting out of it in anger. Rumpel hides quietly spies on Shrek arguing with Fiona. Eventually, Rumpel discovered Shrek is feeling frustrated that he is no longer feared as an ogre during his kids' birthday party. Deciding to get his chance, Rumpel fakes an accident with his carriage, and eventually catches the eye of Shrek, inviting him to a roast rat for dinner. He pretends to sympathize with Shrek by giving him a ride in his carriage and offers a deal contract that will let Shrek be a real ogre like he used to be for a day in exchange for one other day from his past being erased, specifically a day that he does not remember. Shrek signs the contract, unaware that the day in question was actually the day when he was born. With the contract signed, reality gets changed, and Shrek is horrified to find out that in the alternate dimension that he was transported to, Rumpel has taken over as king of Far Far Away and terrorized the people with an army of witches that hunt ogres.
Rumpelstiltskin as ruler of Far, Far, Away wearing his angry wig.
Rumpel is later seen to have become the new king of Far, Far, Away after Shrek signed his contract and turned the whole kingdom into a poor wasteland, and none of Shrek's friends recognize him.
Trivia[]
- A running gag in the fourth movie is the inability for other characters to remember/pronounce his name.
- Paul McCartney, David Morrissey and Tom Cruise were rumored to voice Rumpelstiltskin.
- Rumpelstiltskin is the only Shrek villain known not to die, although whether Prince Charming survives or not is unknown.
- He is the second villain of the Shrek franchise, whom is small, after Farquaad.
- He is the third villain of the Shrek franchise, who wanted to be king, the first two being Farquaad and Prince Charming.
- In the Shrek Forever After Soundtrack, he runs a radio show which takes place after the events in the film.
- King Harold said he was recommended by King Midas. It's a reference to the short film "The Golden Touch", in which an elf named Goldie made a pact with greedy King Midas. Rumpel has some slight resemblance to Goldie.
