Dave Stutler

Dave Stutler
Background information
Feature films	The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Portrayed by	Jake Cherry (young) Jay Baruchel (adult)
Inspiration	The Apprentice from the poem The Sorcerer's Aprentice by Goethe Sorcerer Mickey
Character information
Full name	David Stutler
Other names	Dave Prime Merlinean
Occupation	Student majoring physics Balthazar Blake's apprentice The Prime Merlinean
Home	Manhattan, New York
Likes	Physics, being with Becky, succeeding, magic
Dislikes	Magic (formerly), being threatened, Becky in danger, disappointing his master, villains, evil
Powers and abilities	Magic and Science
Family information
Other relatives	Merlin (ancestor) †

David "Dave" Stutler is the main protagonist from Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

Background

Dave is a New York University physics major, lacking confidence and poise, not very popular with girls or even his fellow students. At the age of 10, he experiences a frightening incident when he encounters sorcerer Balthazar Blake after wandering into the bizarre Arcana Cabana curio shop. He’s given a dragon ring that comes to life on his finger, and he’s told that he’ll be a very important sorcerer himself. He then witnesses a furious battle between Balthazar and another sorcerer named Maxim Horvath which made him want to forget the whole matter. Until both Balthazar and Horvath re-enter his life 10 years later, forcing him to confront a destiny he would very much like to ignore!.

Personality

Dave's actor, Baruchel, states that; "Dave is his own worst enemy, the architect of his own misery. He spends his life trying to live down that moment in the Arcana Cabana when he first encountered Balthazar and Horvath. He gravitates towards physics, which is the discipline he gives his life to. When he meets up with Balthazar again, the sorcerer tells Dave that it was no coincidence that he drifted towards physics because although illusion and magic are different, magic and science are the same thing". Some of this mainly refers his trauma that he struggles with since he accidentally humiliate himself when Balthazar and Horvath fight each other, in which Horvath accidentally wet the young Dave's pants, something that his peers laughed at. This is also something that he berates on Balthazar when they reunite on Chrysler Building, implying that he was traumatized so much to the point that only psychiatrists could help him get better.

Though he can be a brave person when in the later fight against Morgana le Fay (especially after learning that Balthazar was feeling lonely for centuries and Horvath uses this against him by using a Disguise spell on a pedestrian that made her became Veronica's look-alike), Dave's actual personality are akin to nerdy, clumsy, and insecure college student lacking confidence and poise (though these traits became lessened as the movie progressed). He is also a bad liar, something that Balthazar likes.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Magic: As a descendent of Merlin, Dave is immensely powerful, unlike other sorcerers he can use his magic without a magic ring; Dave is the only one of Merlin's descendents to inherit his ancestor's powers.

Abilities

• High-Level Intellect/Skilled Tactician: Dave is highly intelligent. As a sorcerer and college student, Dave is a capable tactician.

Trivia

• Jay Baruchel stated that "Dave is his own worst enemy, the architect of his own misery. He spends his life trying to live down that moment in the Arcana Cabana when he first encountered Balthazar and Horvath. He gravitates towards physics, which is the discipline he gives his life to. When he meets up with Balthazar again, the sorcerer tells Dave that it was no coincidence that he drifted towards physics because although illusion and magic are different, magic and science are the same thing.", referring at destiny and past misfortune which Dave struggled with throughout the film.
• Dave's character basis are the Apprentice from "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" poem by Goethe as well as Sorcerer Mickey in its Fantasia segment adaptation.
  • Dave's clumsy attempt to cut one of his animated mops into pieces is a direct homage to Fantasia's The Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment where Sorcerer Mickey attempted to do the same thing albeit less successful owing to the former's clumsiness. The difference however, is the danger that they faced from inexperienced use of Cleaning Spell: Whereas Mickey came close to drowning, Dave was nearly electrocuted as the flooded water ended up electrified by one of his electronic equipment.
• It's implied Dave had experienced being bullied during his high school years as, when Drake Stone briefly threaten him while unveiling his status as a sorcerer (using telekinesis-enhanced strength to lift Dave up at men's bathroom and briefly left him hanging on the wall), he sighed with a reply, "It's high-school all over again!".

Gallery

Dave becomes Balthazar's apprentice

"These are old man shoes."

Trying to create a plasma ball

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!..."

v - e - d

Media Films: Fantasia (video/soundtrack) • Fantasia 2000 (video/soundtrack) • The Sorcerer's Apprentice (video/soundtrack) Video Games: Fantasia • Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance • Disney Infinity • Fantasia: Music Evolved • Disney Emoji Blitz • Disney Sorcerer's Arena • Sorcerer's Apprentice Disney Parks Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour • Disney Animation Building • Fantasia Carousel • Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf • Fantasy Gardens • Primeval World • Le Pays des Contes de Fées • Mickey's PhilharMagic • Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom • The Sorcerer's Hat • Voyage to the Crystal Grotto Entertainment: Disney Classics: The Music & The Magic • Fantasmic! • Mickey's Magical Book • Mickey's Gift of Dreams • Mickey's Magical Celebration • Mickey and the Magical Map • Rivers of Light: We Are One • Once Upon a Mouse • Villains Tonight! Restaurants: Fantasia Gelati Parades: Disney's Fantillusion • Disney's Party Express • Dreaming Up! • Festival of Fantasy Parade • Jubilation! • Magic Happens • Parade of the Stars • SpectroMagic Fireworks: Celebrate the Magic • Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland • Disney Enchantment • Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration • Momentous • We Love Mickey! • Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams • Wonderful World of Animation • World of Color • Wondrous Journeys Summer: Club Mouse Beat Halloween: Happy Hallowishes Characters Fantasia: Sorcerer Mickey • Sugar Plum Fairies • Nutcracker Suite Dancers • Yen Sid • Magic Brooms • Tyrannosaurus Rex • Stegosaurus • Triceratops • Pteranodon • Corythosaurus • Apatosaurus • Diplodocus • Ornithomimus • Brachiosaurus • Ceratosaurus • Kannemeyeria • Edmontosaurus • Parasaurolophus • Dimetrodon • Tylosaurus • Plateosaurus • Ankylosaurus • Compsognathus • Archaeopteryx • Troodon • Oviraptor • Bacchus • Jacchus • Centaurs • Centaurettes • Melinda • Brudus • Iris • Morpheus • Diana • Zeus • Apollo • Vulcan • Boreas • Mother Pegasus • Father Pegasus • Pegasi Siblings • Peter Pegasus • Cherubs • Satyrs • Unicorns • Madame Upanova • Ostriches • Hyacinth Hippo • Hippos • Elephanchine • Ben Ali Gator • Alligators • Chernabog • Chernabog's Minions Fantasia 2000: Donald Duck • Daisy Duck • Colorful Triangles • Black Triangles • Humpback Whales • Duke • Flying John • Killjoy Margaret • Foo-Foo • Joe • Rachel • Nasty Nanny • Tin Soldier • Ballerina • Jack-in-the-Box • Toy Soldiers • Yo Yo Flamingo • Snooty Flamingos • Noah • Spring Sprite • The Elk • The Firebird The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Balthazar Blake • David "Dave" Stutler • Maxim Horvath • Rebecca "Becky" Barnes • Drake Stone • Veronica Gorloisen • Morgana le Fay • Merlin • Abigail Williams • Sun Lok Deleted/Unused: Otika • Sunflower • Nutcracker Sentries • Dahlia • Chronos • Lorenzo • Molly Segments Fantasia: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor • Nutcracker Suite • The Sorcerer's Apprentice • The Rite of Spring • The Pastoral Symphony • Dance of the Hours • Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria Fantasia 2000: Symphony No. 5 • Pines of Rome • Rhapsody in Blue • Piano Concerto No. 2 • The Carnival of the Animals • Pomp and Circumstance • The Firebird Suite Locations Yen Sid's Tower • Mount Olympus • Bald Mountain • New York City • Prehistory Deleted and unused concepts Unused Fantasia Segments • Clair de Lune • Sunflower • Otika • Egret Couple • Naiads • Destino • The Little Matchgirl • One by One • Lorenzo Objects Sorcerer Hat • Grimhold • Merlin's Ring • Encantus