The Pep Squad[1] is a cheerleading team featured in the 2013 Disney/Pixar animated feature film Monsters University.
Background[]
The Pep Squad consists of female monsters who perform their cheerleading routine often during games at Monsters University. Each cheerleader wears a blue cheerleading outfit with a Monsters University logo engraved on it to match the logo's colors and would root for their university. According to the Monsters University Fearbook, no sporting event taking place within the stadium would be complete without the Pep Squad supporting the institution. They are shown to be punctual in time whenever they are present at every sporting event, including some events that simultaneously took place within the event. Additionally, it is also said that neither member offered an explanation for an event and that no one asked them for one.
Appearances[]
Monsters University[]
During a football game, four cheerleaders accompanied by a drummer are seen cheering for the Monsters University team to help beat the Fear Tech team where they shout, "Go, Monsters U! You know what to do!" while Mike who is at the bleachers continues studying for the Scare Games, which a halfback player named Van Earl, Jr. who plays for the Monsters University team manages to score a touchdown. Two more cheerleaders are seen passing by having a private conversation while Mike tells his Oozma Kappa team to get ready for the "Avoid the Parent" event. They do not appear again throughout the rest of the film.
Other appearances[]
During the premiere of Monsters University in Los Angeles, cast members dressed as cheerleaders (dubbed the "Scare Squad") from the film took part in the premiere, giving them a major role. Female members of the cheerleading team wore blue fluffy shoes themed after Sulley. Additionally, unlike in the film which consisted of solely female members of the cheerleading team, there were also male members of the cheerleading team who took part in the show as well. Guests were encouraged to participate with the cheerleading team during the premiere to promote the film. Like in the film, the cheerleaders were accompanied by a live band as well.
Disney Parks[]
Pixar Play Parade[]
The Monsters University cheerleaders also appear as face characters in the Disney Parks, often during parades, compared to most Monsters, Inc. characters who are mascot-style characters at the parks. Depending on what parade they appear within, the cheerleaders would occasionally use regular pompoms or sentient pompoms (represented as puppets) which have mouths with sharp teeth inside. During the former Pixar Play Parade, they passed by the Monsters University-themed unit during the parade, marching alongside Roz during the parade.
Trivia[]
- According to a game highlight stat in the Monsters University Fearbook, it is said that during the competitions between Monsters University and Creature College that one of the cheerleaders' pompoms went missing during the game and then it was later discovered within the equipment room cozying a spare football.
- An individual cheerleader can be sporadically seen on the poster for Monsters University.
- Although they have not yet made a physical appearance in Monsters at Work, an indirect reference to the cheerleaders was made in the Season 2 premiere episode, "A Monstrous Homecoming", which showed Celia (whose snakes forming her hair held flags in their mouths) encouraging Tylor to root for Monsters University, where she tells him, "Go, M.U.!".
References[]
- ↑ Monsters University Fearbook (Page 41)
