Paul is a minor antagonist in Disney•Pixar's 2020 animated feature film, Soul. He is a bully to the film's protagonist, Joe Gardner.
Personality[]
Paul is a run-of-the-mill naysayer, always belittling others for their happiness and confidence. His favorite guy to spread doubt upon is Joe Gardner, who has aspirations of playing in a band, to which Paul tries to bring him down, but luckily for Joe, he knows that Paul's insults are completely idle and he doesn't give them the time of day.
Role in the film[]
Paul is one of Dez's customers who goes to his barbershop where he hears Joe Gardner (being controlled by 22) about Dorothea Williams to which Paul makes a rude comment about Joe while Dez tells him to ignore what he says to him. When Joe (controlled by 22) talks about having no style, Paul interrupts the conversation to which Joe continues talking to Dez. He then interrupts again upon hearing Joe talking about performing with Dorothea Williams to which Joe (controlled by 22) explains to Mr. Mittens (controlled by Joe) that Paul is criticizing to cover up his own failed dreams just before Joe leaves. He then appears again outside a convenience store where Joe gives him a lollipop. Terry spots Joe and hide behinds a brick wall laying out a portal to entrap Joe only to find out that she caught Paul instead. Paul's soul is separated from his body, where it has a hairstyle akin to his human form. However, Terry realizes the mistake and reintegrates Paul's soul with his body. Terry apologizes, saying Paul's time has not yet come, but remarks that Paul will soon be heading to The Great Beyond if he keeps eating processed foods. Paul sits by the brick wall traumatized by this near death experience. Paul is not seen afterwards, though it could be surmised this experience with Terry was a comeuppance for his bad attitude on Earth.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In the 2021 Pixar short Nona, Leg Day, a character in E.W.W. Smashdown Wrestling, reuses the model for Paul from Soul, but is much muscular than the latter.
