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“ | Hide, little toadlets... Erebus is waiting. | ” |
— Erebus, "One for All" |
Erebus (voiced by Rick Jones) is a snake that lives in the Great Forest. He is the recurrent villain of the show, chasing the Toad Patrol wherever they go. There isn't a single trick Erebus won't do in order to get a bite out of some toadlets.
Like many of the animals living in the forest, Erebus knows about the toad Great Migration and the curse that befalls the toadlets that do not reach the Fairy Ring in time. He uses this knowledge to his advantage in several occasions.
Physical appearance[]
Based on the hognose snake[1] (possibly the Heterodon genus), Erebus looks rather portly with a long, thick body and an upturned nose. Because of his size, he's rather slow and can be quite clumsy at times.[2] He also has a wide jaw that, when closed, gives him sort of an underbite. Like nearly all snakes, Erebus has a long forked tongue, which is coloured blue. His back is dotted with dark navy spots while his underbelly is beige.
Personality[]
From day one, Erebus has proven to be quite a conniving character, always up to tricks and other tactics to catch the Toad Patrol. Throughout the series, he uses the group's inexperience and the toadlets' individual weaknesses to trap them.[2][3][4][5] He even plays dead once to lure Elf Cup and Fur Foot closer,[6] but fails to do the same on his second attempt after the Toad Patrol learned their lesson.[4] Later on, he even exploits the fact that the Toad Patrol always sticks together, holding Panther Cap hostage and using him as bait to lure out the rest of the group.[3]
But despite his tricks, it has been shown that Erebus actually isn't all that smart depending on the situation. In "Trapped", for example, he fails to notice Panther Cap's escape despite guarding the stove he cornered the toadlet in. Later in the same episode, after trapping the rest of the Toad Patrol inside the same contraption, he still doesn't notice them flee via a tunnel. But his most shining moment in terms of idiocy happens in "Journey's End", in which Mistle Toad manages to fool him into guarding regular mushrooms, thinking they are Toadstools on the verge of turning back into toadlets.
Another interesting point to note is that, although he's a predator, Erebus does have a bit of sensibility. When Panther Cap calls him mean, the snake acts offended and retorts that it's simply what snakes do.[3] He also deplores the fact that the little toadlet refuses to keep a long conversation going between them.[3]
Relations with other characters[]
Enemies[]
Cleopatra[]
Not quite enemies but not friends either, Erebus would rather steer clear of Cleopatra's path.[2] The skunk's odorous spray is hinted to be the reason for that, although certain skunks are also known to eat snakes.
Earth Star[]
Even though Erebus and Earth Star rarely share the screen together, their relationship still clearly follows the predator and prey archetype. Erebus won't hesitate to chase the toadlet across the Great Forest,[4] just like he would with any other toad.
Mistle Toad[]
Although it is unclear how long they have known each other, Erebus and Mistle Toad obviously share some kind of history. When talking to the toad, Erebus shows a certain level of respect for him, but still considers him like prey.[4]
Toad Patrol[]
Since he's a toad-eating snake, Erebus constantly chases after the Toad Patrol whenever they happen to cross paths. Because he often fails to capture them, he has grown to despise them and to target them specifically, even if another potential meal is available.[3] Unlike most of the other predators, he actually converses with the toadlets.
Memorable quotes[]
One for All[]
- "Hide, little toadlets... Erebus is waiting."
- (singing) "Toad Patrol. I'm going to eat a Toad Patrol."
The Crystal Caverns[]
- "Toad à la mud... How sweet."
Trapped[]
- "Peekaboo!"
Songs[]
I'm alert, I'm awake
I'm a very wary snake
Who doesn't plan on getting any thinner
So beware, and take care
'Cause the forest is my lair
And everyone's invited as my dinner
I'm alert, and I'm smart
But you see I have no heart
And you'd have to come this way eventually
'Cause you know I have your friend
And by haunt he will be your end
And I'll eat you one by one most casually
Prepare to make my tummy ache
At last, you've made your big mistake
Did you think that you would get a break?
From a sneaky snake who's always wide awake?
HA!
Sung by: Erebus ("Trapped")
Trivia[]
- While toads are his most favourite snack, moles are Erebus' second meal of choice.[3]
- Because he's a reptile, Erebus has no trouble swimming in water or mud.[3]
- Erebus cannot sleep on an empty stomach.[3]
- During the winter, Erebus goes into hibernation. Instead of digging his own burrow, he uses a Toad Tunnel.[7]
- In the second season, Erebus is revealed to be overly obsessed about the Toad Patrol, to the point of actually dreaming about them.[7]
- Erebus is named after the god of darkness of Greek mythology, his name roughly meaning "deep darkness" or "shadow."
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Back of The World of Toad Patrol DVD. KaBOOM! Entertainment Inc., 2005. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The Giver of Names", Episode 2 (season 1); Toad Patrol, 1999.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "Trapped", Episode 9 (season 1); Toad Patrol, 1999.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "The Fairy Ring", Episode 13 (season 1); Toad Patrol, 1999.
- ↑ "The Bridge", Episode 25 (season 2); Toad Patrol, 1999.
- ↑ "The Cure", Episode 11 (season 1); Toad Patrol, 1999.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Cry for Help", Episode 14 (season 2); Toad Patrol, 1999.