Brutus and Nero

Brutus and Nero
Background information
Feature films	The Rescuers Fantasia 2000 (cameo)
Animators	Frank Thomas
Voice	Candy Candido (primary) Clarence Nash (briefly)
Inspiration	Tick-Tock the Crocodile Tyrant and Torment the Bloodhounds from the novel Miss Bianca by Margery Sharp
Character information
Other names	Creepy old dragons (referred to by Penny) Leatherheaded lizards (referred to by Mr. Snoops)
Occupation	Madame Medusa's pet crocs
Home	Swamps of Devil's Bayou
Likes	Capturing Penny, playing a pipe organ, eating mice, and bullying Snoops
Dislikes	Penny trying to escape, being mistreated by Madame Medusa
Powers and abilities	Swimming abilities

Brutus and Nero are Madame Medusa's two pet American crocodiles and the tertiary antagonists of Disney's 1977 animated feature film, The Rescuers.

Background

It is unknown how Madam Medusa acquired these crocodiles. While she applauds their competence, she has little patience for their antics.

Personality

Brutus and Nero are both ferocious, mean, and harmful. For unknown reasons, they show nothing but loyalty to Madame Medusa until the end. However, to Mr. Snoops, they show neither loyalty nor respect to him. They heartily dislike him, no matter how many times Mr. Snoops tries to make friends with them. It is clear that they can understand every word that is said around them.

Appearances

The Rescuers

Brutus and Nero first appear watching Penny, an orphaned little girl, and making sure she doesn't escape, all while knowing she is not intimidated by them.

They later have to find Penny because of Medusa's incompetent assistant, Mr. Snoops. When the crocodiles find Penny, Brutus grabs Penny by the straps of her dress while Nero takes her Teddy Bear. Penny bravely chides the crocodiles for ruining her escape and threatens Nero for if he gets her Teddy Bear wet. When they return to the riverboat, Brutus carries Penny upside down by her underwear. Mr. Snoops taunts Penny for her failed escape. Then Penny orders Brutus to put her down. Brutus smugly drops her to the floor where she lands on her head. Penny calls him a "freaky little dragon" for that. Brutus and Nero are congratulated by Medusa while she confronts Mr. Snoops. Later, Brutus and Nero try to eat Bernard and Bianca, two rescuing mice, who are going to rescue the kidnapped Penny. However, when Medusa hears them playing the organ, where the mice were hiding in, she stops them from making a lot of racket. Medusa sees the mice and she, Mr. Snoops, Brutus and Nero try to kill them both, but they all fail.

Brutus and Nero, after Penny is forced to get the diamond for Medusa, take Penny back to Medusa's home. Again, Brutus holds her upside down by her bloomers, prompting her to demand he put her down. This time, he ignores her, swings away from the cave and continues carrying her while Medusa and an arguing Snoops follow.

The animals help Penny by attacking Medusa and outsmarting her on every move. Brutus and Nero are tricked into going after Bernard and Bianca, and they become trapped in the elevator by the mice. Brutus and Nero are freed after the riverboat is blown up by Snoops' fireworks. Medusa then hits them both with a rope in the final chase, presumably to make them go faster. However, they all race towards a smokestack from the sunken riverboat. The two narrowly avoid it, while Medusa rams right into it. Realizing that their mistress has no real respect for them, Brutus and Nero attempt to eat Medusa in revenge for her abuse towards them in the end.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Despite not appearing in the game, Brutus and Nero have a cameo in the Graphic Novel as random crocodiles in Bog Easy, which make sense given that Madame Medusa's boat already appeared in the same place in Epic Mickey.

Trivia

• Candy Candido's grave voice was used for the crocs' growling. Though he is uncredited, it can be assumed that some of their growls are recycled from Maleficent's dragon form from Sleeping Beauty. Curiously enough, Candido also voiced Captain Crocodile from Robin Hood.
• Brutus and Nero have been variously identified as both alligators and crocodiles. Bianca refers to them as "crocs" in the movie while planning her, Bernard, and Penny's escape, but they are repeatedly described as alligators in the movie's concept art. Their head shapes are more like those of crocodiles (long, narrow snouts, protruding lower teeth), but alligators are also often inaccurately drawn with these features.
• The idea of Brutus and Nero understanding everything that is said to them makes sense since crocs are surprisingly intelligent. *Brutus perhaps was named after the adopted son of Julius Caesar, who in the end betrayed him; or either with another Brutus who assassinated the last King of Rome, Tarquinius, and started the Roman Republic, which was however later turned into an empire; and Nero was named after a tyrannical Roman Emperor named Emperor Nero. *An unnamed crocodile with a similar design to Brutus and Nero appears as a minor villain in Jungle Cubs.
• The scene of Brutus and Nero attacking Bernard and Miss Bianca is parodied in the non-Disney animated film The Swan Princess, where two alligators attack Jean-Bob the frog.

v - e - d

Media The Rescuers (Soundtrack/Video) • The Rescuers Down Under (Soundtrack/Video) • House of Mouse • The Lost Chords: The Rescuers Disney Parks Parades: Disney's Party Express Minnie's Tiara of Dreams Fireworks: Wondrous Journeys Characters The Rescuers: Bernard • Miss Bianca • Chairmouse • Rufus • Penny • Madame Medusa • Mr. Snoops • Orville • Brutus and Nero • Ellie Mae • Luke • Evinrude • Swamp Folk The Rescuers Down Under: Jake • Cody • Cody's Mother • Faloo • Marahute • Percival C. McLeach • Joanna • Sparky • Wilbur • Dr. Mouse • Frank • Krebbs • Red • Baitmouse • Crocodiles Deleted characters: • Louis • Cruella De Vil Objects Penny's Teddy Bear • Devil's Eye • McLeach's Bushwacker Locations New Orleans • Devil's Bayou • New York City • Morningside Orphanage • Medusa's Pawn Shop • The Cave of Devil's Bayou • Australia • Abandoned Opal Mine • Rescue Aid Society • Colorado Songs The Journey • Rescue Aid Society • Tomorrow Is Another Day • Someone's Waiting for You • For Penny's a Jolly Good Fellow