Penny (The Rescuers)

Penny is a character from Disney's 1977 film The Rescuers. She is one of the main protagonists in the film and serves as the representation that anyone's dreams can come true if one has enough faith. She is regarded as one of Disney's bravest characters. She is also voiced by Michelle Stacy.

Personality
Penny is a timid child, but is gutsy and very brave, shown when she stood up to Medusa's alligators. She desires to go back to the orphanage so that she can be adopted and gain a family and is very insecure about not being like by any of the familys.

Role in the film
Little is known about Penny's backstory. However, it is known that she was left at Morningside Orphanage in New York City, when she was still young. Since then, she had desperately sought adoption. One night, Rufus, the orphanage's elderly cat, saw the girl sitting sadly on her bedside at the orphanage, and asked her what was wrong. Penny told him that it was adoption day at the orphanage. A man and woman looked at her, but adopted a little redheaded girl instead, to what Penny concludes was that the redhead was prettier than herself. It is then that Rufus comforts the girl telling her to have faith, through the poem, "Faith is a Bluebird". Penny then feels better, but it is then that things turn for the worse.

The evil treasure huntress Madame Medusa needs a child to fetch a certain diamond, hidden within a crack too narrow for adults to fit down, and thus kidnaps Penny to fetch the diamond for her. For weeks afterward, the police search for the girl, but have no success in doing such.

When a message in a bottle from Penny finally arrives in New York Harbor, some hobo mice discover it and send it to the Rescue Aid Society of mice. Miss Bianca and her co-agent Bernard read the message and soon find out that Penny is being held in Devil's Bayou. So the 2 mice set about in search of the girl.

With the help of Orville the albatross, the mice soon arrive at the bayou. At the same time, Penny attempts to escape, but is recaptured by Medusa's alligators Brutus and Nero (where she shows no fear of the 2, even going so far as to threaten Nero should he get her Teddy wet). Later in the night, Penny is called in by Medusa after putting her nightgown on. Medusa tells her that she is willing to let bygones be bygones if she can find the Devil's Eye. Penny tells her that she is trying her best and asks Medusa if she'll take her back to Morningside Orphanage as she promised. Medusa then asks why she would want to leave, and Penny tells her that if she doesn't go back, she'll never be adopted. Medusa then says that no one would want "a homely little girl like her." This brings Penny to tears (one of which she pours on her Teddy to make it look like he's crying). With her spirit shattered, Penny then goes up to the deck of the boat and looks out to the bayou, still in tears. While the song plays, Penny looks out to the night sky where she sees a star glowing brightly. This sight puts a smile on Penny's face, signifying that she should keep her hopes as bright as the star. The mice later confront Penny in person for the first time ever. After rescuing the diamond from the black hole and successfully defeating Medusa, the 3 friends soon return to New York City, where both the diamond is donated to the Smithsonian Museum and Penny is adopted.

Trivia

 * Originally, the Disney animators were considering using the story of Bernard and Miss Bianca setting out to rescue an old poet from a prison in Norway, which was taken from Margery Sharp's first novel. This idea was scrapped, however, since the poet lacked personality. It was then that Penny was created, instead.
 * Penny, herself, was inspired by Patience, the orphan girl in Margery Sharp's second novel, Miss Bianca. Patience, too, is centered with the theme of a diamond, in her case, many, which she is forced to polish everyday. Patience is also key to the book's heartwarming atmosphere.
 * Originally, the film Oliver & Company was to have starred Penny, now living with her new adoptive parents and Rufus. However, due to concerns that the story wasn't convincing enough, a similar girl, Jenny was created in her place.