Wiggins is a supporting character in Disney's 1995 animated feature film, Pocahontas. He was Governor Ratcliffe's manservant.
Personality
Despite once being the manservant to Governor Ratcliffe, he isn't bad, merely clueless and giddy ditz. But despite his foolishness, he does have moments of brilliance. He displays great skill in that art, as he is seen making topiary animals out of the bushes, and makes a head decoration out of an arrow he found. Wiggins also seems to possess a certain Decorator's Aesthetic. Through most of the movie, Wiggins is seen following Ratcliffe's banal orders, which range from disposing of food to bathing Percy to dressing Ratcliffe in his armor.
Appearances
Pocahontas
Wiggins is first seen with Ratcliffe when the governor is boarding the ship and is responsible for carrying Percy on board. During the voyage, Wiggins is seen holding an umbrella over Ratcliffe as he is giving an inspirational speech to the sailors. When the ship arrives in the New World, Ratcliffe speaks with Wiggins about the gold he hopes they find. When Wiggins asks what they intend to do about any savages, Ratcliffe responds that they will give the savages a proper English greeting. In response, Wiggins holds up gift baskets, which causes Ratcliffe to complain about Wiggins being highly recommended.
After John Smith is ordered to take a crew ashore, Ratcliffe explains that he is jealous of Smith's popularity among the men. Ratcliffe notes that he is not a popular man in London (though Wiggins insists that he likes Ratcliffe). When Ratcliffe goes ashore to oversee the colony building, Wiggins is shown to be making certain that Percy bathes as well as complimenting Ratcliffe's speech through a porthole.
As the colonists are tasked with digging gold, Wiggins is seen doing a variety of jobs. He is seen pushing a wheelbarrow for the dirt to go in, and later brings a portrait of King James I from the ship. He is then seen trimming bushes into a topiary and is ordered by Ratcliffe to dispose of his half-eaten chicken leg, which he attempts to feed to Percy but the pug ignores it. When a group of Indians attacks, Wiggins fearfully hides behind a bush.
Later on, during a rainy night, Wiggins comes into Ratcliffe's tent having apparently been shot through the head with an arrow. Ratcliffe is shocked, but Wiggins happily notes it to be a joke, having made the contraption himself using a broken arrow. Ratcliffe derides the thing as silly, but it gives him an idea about why they haven't found any gold. Ratcliffe asks Wiggins why the Indians attacked them earlier. Wiggins correctly points out that they invaded the Indian's land and began stealing their resources, but Ratcliffe dismisses this. Ratcliffe explains his belief that the Indians are hiding the gold, and begins forming a plan to take it from them.
Later, John Smith returns from an apparent scouting mission, only to learn that Ratcliffe is planning an attack on the Indians. John reveals that he has met one of the Native Americans and that they can help the struggling settlers. As proof, he shows them an ear of corn, saying that it is better than hardtack and gruel. Wiggins pops in and says that he enjoys gruel, but is pushed out of the way by Ratcliffe.
After John is captured by Powhatan's warriors, the settlers decide to mount a rescue mission. Wiggins is told by Ratcliffe of the greedy governor's plan to use the rescue as an attempt to kill all the Indians and take the gold he believes that they are hiding. As the settlers prepare for battle, Wiggins helps get Ratcliffe into a suit of armor, and then he passes out guns to the settlers. Afterward, Wiggins is not seen until the end of the film. As the traitorous Ratcliffe is being loaded into the ship to go back to England, Wiggins is shown to be disappointed, noting that Ratcliffe had been highly recommended (ironically the same words that Ratcliffe stated about him when expressing his disdain for him).
Wiggins does not return for the sequel, but it is likely that he now resides in Jamestown, as he is never seen attending Ratcliffe. The Jesters serve the governor instead.
House of Mouse
Wiggins makes a cameo appearance in the episode "Humphrey in the House".
Pocahontas: Six New Adventures
Wiggins makes an appearance in two of the storybooks included in this collection, "Keep an Eye on Meeko" and "On the High Seas". In Keep an Eye on Meeko it is revealed that Wiggins still misses Governor Ratcliffe and is at a loss for his purpose in life. He eventually settles on becoming an innkeeper and dedicates the inn to his mother.
Trivia
- Ironically, Wiggins shares his voice actor, the late David Ogden Stiers, with his boss, Governor Ratcliffe. This time, Stiers voices Wiggins, with a high, squeaky tone (like Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast), compared to Ratcliffe, with a lower, more mature tone (like Jumba Jookiba from Lilo & Stitch).
- Unlike Ratcliffe and other Englishmen in the film, this character is totally fictional and not based on an actual historical person.
- In Keep an Eye on Meeko, Wiggins is shown to be a skilled painter and has an interest in poetry.
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