- “There's no need to fear! Underdog is here!”
- ―Underdog
Underdog, also known as Shoeshine, is a canine superhero and the titular protagonist of the live-action film of the same name. He was previously a normal dog until he was exposed to a variety of DNA of different animals, which modifies the beagle's DNA and gives him supernatural powers and abilities (see character infobox). He's able to speak like a regular human. He is also able to emit a bark that is so strong it can shatter glass.
Personality[]
Shoeshine is heroic, brave, kind, selfless, humorous, adventurous, dependable, and sarcastic. He saves those in need of rescuing from criminals on the street and has fallen in love with Sweet Polly. He cares very much for his family, especially pointing out that he had lost the one thing he cared about: his family rather than his powers. He is also best friends with his owner Jack Unger, who is initially the only one to know of his identity as Underdog.
Role in the film[]
Underdog/Shoeshine is a former bomb-squad canine who is rejected from the other dogs. He is abducted off the street by Cad, who takes him to Simon Barsinister's lab. Luckily, Shoeshine escapes and is found by Dan Unger after running from Rottweiler Riff Raff and his lackeys. Dan's son, Jack, becomes jealous of Shoeshine's attention. He is left home alone, unaware of his powers, even setting off a very large mess. Jack initially runs away, but after they reach a park, Jack and Shoeshine talk and bond over their respective attraction to Molly and Polly, Jack's friend, and her dog. After the girls leave, Jack and Shoeshine test the latter's powers. Shoeshine has super speed, strength, hearing, and smell.
When Molly and Polly are mugged, Shoeshine rushes to their aid, discovering he can fly. After discreetly rescuing them, Shoeshine returns home with Jack, making Jack promise to never reveal his powers. Cad shows up at the door with posters of Shoeshine, but Jack fools him into leaving just before Dan comes home to discover the mess. Shoeshine disguises himself and saves the hostages, but Cad escapes. Shoeshine adopts the alias Underdog and becomes the city's resident superhero, donning a red sweater and blue cape as his disguise.
Simon repeatedly fails to recreate his serum and sends Cad to obtain a sample of Underdog's DNA. Shoeshine is rebuffed by Polly but gets a date with her as Underdog. Cad fails to capture Underdog but obtains his collar, which contains Underdog's name and address. Barsinister and Cad kidnap Dan and force him to call Shoeshine for help. Shoeshine and Jack attempt a rescue, but Barsinister uses both Jack and Dan as hostages to convince Shoeshine to give up his DNA. Barsinister synthesizes Underdog's superpowers into pills, injects Shoeshine with an antidote to the serum, and feeds the super pills to three trained German Shepherds. However, after they escape, the trio pursue Barsinister with a hypodermic needle filled with the antidote.
Despite being powerless, Shoeshine smells the bomb and, conquering his self-doubt, enters the building despite having lost his powers. During a scuffle with Barsinister, Shoeshine accidentally rips open Barsinister's pocket and swallows a super pill, restoring his powers. Shoeshine temporarily incapacitates the German Shepherds after he hears Molly and Polly cry for help, but Barsinister eats a pill and distracts Shoeshine by tossing a shield like a Frisbee. When the German Shepherds recover, Shoeshine convinces them to turn on Barsinister, who has not treated them well.
While they restrain Barsinister, Underdog shows up at the bomb location, removes the mind-control serum from the bomb, and the bomb itself, saving Molly and Polly, who take the mind-control serum to the police. Shoeshine, dressed now as Underdog, buries the bomb in a tunnel at the park as it explodes. Underdog tries to escape, but is caught in the explosion, launched into space, and presumed dead, but a mournful crowd is overjoyed when he recovers. Shoeshine returns to protecting Capital City as Underdog.
Trivia[]
- The scene where Underdog and Sweet Polly eat spaghetti together is a parody of the similar iconic scene from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.
- Underdog is a canine spoof of the famous comic book superhero, Superman. Also, Shoeshine is based on Superman's secret identity, Clark Kent.
- In the original animated series, Underdog was an anthropomorphic character named Shoeshine because he literally shined shoes for a living, and he would always take his super energy pill whenever he was weakened or in a jam. He was also voiced by Wally Cox.
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