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"Doctor" Hudson Hornet (also known as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet or simply Doc) is the deuteragonist of Pixar's 7th full length animated feature film Cars and a posthumous character in its 2011 sequel Cars 2 and its 2017 threequel Cars 3.
He is a car of few words, but many talents. He not only serves as the town judge, he's also Radiator Springs' resident doctor. Doc is respected and admired by the townsfolk for the way he looks out for their health and tends to their aches and pains. No one knows too much about Doc before he came to town. He keeps his private life about being a famous race car private and after Lightning McQueen came to town he was first upset and hates him due to he is a race car and he wrecked the road by accident but after he shown he changed he lets Lightning set up his racing headquarters in Radiator Springs and become McQueen's mentor.
He was voiced by the late Paul Newman (in one of his final film roles) and by Corey Burton in the video games.
Biography[]
"Doc is a car of few words but many talents. He not only serves as the town judge, he's also Radiator Springs resident doctor. Doc is respected and admired by the townsfolk for the way he looks out for their health and tends to their aches and pains. No one knows too much about Doc before he came to town. He keeps his private life private. But if you've got a bad spark plug or a rattle in your engine, his door is always open."
Personality[]
Doc is portrayed as a grumpy old man who wants to leave his racing career behind after the painful rejection of the racing world, and stay out of the public line. Doc enjoys peace and quiet, and loves the town of Radiator Springs and its citizens. However, despite his fondness for his friends, he never told them of his past of being a race car as he wanted to forget and distance himself from anything that reminded him of his past. Even though Doc never told his friends about his past, he did felt shame and regret for lying to them about who he used to be.
When Lightning McQueen arrives in Radiator Springs and accidentally rips up the main road, Doc's initial reaction is highly negative, as the rookie racecar was a reminder of Doc's past and the racing world he left behind. Hesitant to kick him out of town, he decides to sentence McQueen to community service by fixing the road, causing their relationship to be strained at first. This is when Doc revealed his tragic past to McQueen, explaining why he wanted to have him leave town at first, as well as that the trophies he won are just nothing but "a bunch of empty cups" during the second half of the film. However, at one point, Doc did try be friendly with McQueen, giving him well-meaning advice on how to turn on dirt, to which McQueen ignored. When McQueen decided to stay in Radiator Springs after fixing the road, Doc took it upon himself to get rid of McQueen by informing the press on his whereabouts, believing it to be best for everyone when it was really only to satisfy himself after Sally calls him out. However, upon seeing how sad his friends were to see McQueen leave, Doc realized how important and well-loved McQueen became to all of them. Doc then immediately made amends with his decisions by informing his friends of his former racing career and became Lightning's crew chief to support him in his race, even realizing that the race could be worse due to Chick Hicks. Doc was later impressed when he found out that McQueen conceded the Piston Cup to Chick Hicks so he can help The King finish his last race, having realized the lesson he taught McQueen about how people quit on him following his crash that forced him into retirement.
After becoming McQueen's mentor, Doc showed who he truly was on the inside: a caring, supportive grandfather-like figure as he finally came to terms with his past and be at peace with the former sport he loves doing.
Physical appearance[]
Doc Hudson is based off of the real 1951 Hudson Hornet, which is where his name, number and paint scheme came from.
During his Piston Cup racing days, Doc was painted in a dark shade of blue, with a chrome bumper and grille. On his doors were the number 51 painted in yellow, as well as the words Fabulous Hudson Hornet painted in both white and yellow. He also had the words Twin-H-Power on both sides of his hood, and the Piston Cup logo beneath them. While Doc had red racing wheels during his racing career, official artwork seems to suggest that he had chrome rims at one point or another.
After arriving in Radiator Springs to set up his own medical clinic, Doc attempted to hide his past by removing most of his decals, leaving only his dark blue coat of paint and the his chrome grille, bumper, and lining.
Powers and abilities[]
Doc was considered the best dirt track racer of all time. Despite his age, Doc can still race with great skill, with incredible statistics, even being able to compete with other Piston Cup race cars in Cars: The Video Game. Drifting is one of Doc's most well-known abilities, being able to easily take turns on dirt tracks.
Doc also had medical experience that was handy even before he got his doctorate in internal combustion, and it was that knowledge that inspired him to go to medical school. Additionally, Doc serves as the judge for Radiator Springs, having the knowledge to serve in a courtroom.
Appearances[]
Cars[]
He was once one of the most famous racecars in history; he won three Piston Cups, and still holds the record for most wins in a single season. However, it all changed for Doc when he was involved in a terrible crash during the final lap of the 1954 Piston Cup championship race, which saw him put out for the next full season. Upon his return, he was received with a complete absence of fanfare and told that he was a has-been who had been passed up for the next rookie in line. He reluctantly resigned from the sport, and vanished from public. He eventually settled in a forgotten town called Radiator Springs and moved into a house in the nice town. In his house he kept a newspaper article on the career-ending crash as a reminder never to return to the life that nearly killed him.
Jaded by the racing scene, he left that world, apparently taking out time to study medicine. The famous #51 disappeared into obscurity, leaving many wondering where he had gone. He instead opted for a simple navy blue paint job and the life of a physician in the tiny town of Radiator Springs, the "shining Gemstone" of the Mother Road - Route 66. He runs the Ornament Valley Mechanical Clinic as a "Doctor of Internal Combustion". As times changed and the town got bypassed in favor of Interstate 40, Doc stayed on, even when the population had dwindled to a meager dozen or so residents. He is respected, well-loved, and serves not only as the town's physician, but as its judge as well. However, nobody in the town had any idea of his past as a racer; he was just an ordinary Hudson Hornet to them.
Upon meeting Lightning McQueen, who had accidentally destroyed the main road in town, Doc saw far too much of his past in the rookie. He wanted to send the racecar out of town but Sally persuaded him to commit Lightning to community service by paving a new road. Only after an hour, the rookie attempted to quickly finish the job, only to do a sloppy job. Doc ordered him to tear up the road and redo it. However, he challenged Lightning to a one-lap race around Willy's Butte if he wanted his freedom. He anticipated that the racecar who is too used to asphalt would not do well on the dirt track and lose control on the final turn right into a cactus patch. As he prepared to go to sleep, Doc watched with smugness as Lightning miserably began to work overnight.
The next day, everyone wakes up to find that Lightning had paved a good road up to the intersection, at least half of the job; Sally commented that Doc should've thrown the rookie into a cactus patch a lot sooner. Doc then found Sheriff watching Lightning attempted to make the last turn around Willy's Butte, having ran out of asphalt in the middle of the night. Doc volunteer to take over watching Lightning and attempts to give him racing advice on how to make the turn. However, Lightning failed to understand it and rudely drove off to try the course again, so Doc let him be.
On the third day, Doc is operating on Sheriff when Lightning rudely burst into his office, wanting to ask for his gas ration. Doc ordered him to wait by Flo's V8 Cafe. Soon after, he finds Lightning in his garage, having discovered his identity as the Hudson Hornet. He was less than happy when Lightning discovers his past. Doc refused to speak of his past and called his trophies "just an empty cup". Later in the day, Doc put on his racing tires to take a lap around Willy's Butte and successfully made the turn. But when he realized that Lightning was spying on him and prompted drove back to his home. Lightning followed him and asked why he gave up on racing. Doc then reminded him of his crash in '54 and how the sport rejected him after he recovered. Though Lightning insisted that he's not like the sportscars who rejected him, Doc demanded to know if he had ever cared about anyone besides himself. When the rookie hesitated to answer, Doc tells him that the Radiator Springs residents look out for each other and he doesn't want them reliant on a selfish car like him. Lightning then retorted that Doc is no better than him, not opening about his past to his friends. Instead of countering, Doc angrily tells him to finish the road and leave town.
On the fourth day, Lightning had finished fixing the road and decided to stay for a while, Doc was unable to bear having him around any longer and called the news and press to immediately take him away to the Piston Cup, as Sally saw him talking to one of the reporters thanking him for the call, Sally was shocked and upset by this, as he declares that it is best for everyone only for Sally to retort "best for everyone or best for you? Seeing how disheartened everyone was by Doc's selfish unknown problem towards McQueen, and Sally calling him out on his selfishness, and McQueen's unplanned departure, as he's taken away without saying goodbye. Doc realized that Lightning had become more important to them than he thought and instantly regretted his actions as he is left alone at the blinking traffic light.
He eventually admits the truth to everyone about his racecar days and he took back his old #51 colors to become Lightning's pit crew chief, bringing nearly the entire town (except Sally, Red, and Lizzie-- who watched the race on TV) to the Piston Cup to support Lightning as his pit crew (and in an ironic twist of fate, finally received that long awaited fanfare for his return). Everyone recognized Doc as the Hudson Hornet. When Chick Hicks caused Strip "The King" Weathers to crash, in a similar manner to Doc himself, Lightning chose to forfeit the race to help the King cross the finish line. Doc then expressed how proud he is of Lightning.
By the end of the film, Doc opts to keep his racing colors, and becomes a trainer as well as a friend to Lightning. Just like Lightning, Doc learned some lessons: friendship, promises, how greed affects others, and that secrets can't be kept forever.
Mater and the Ghostlight[]
Doc appears in the short film, where he scares Mater into believing in a monster called the Screamin' Banshee, which actually ends up existing.
Cars 2[]
Doc died before the events in Cars 2, but posters of him are still shown in his museum. In memory of him, the Piston Cup was renamed the Hudson Hornet Memorial Piston Cup, and gets a new logo with an image of the Hudson Hornet and the words "Hudson Hornet" above it. It appears prominently on Lightning McQueen's hood. Doc’s office was converted into the Hudson Hornet Racing Museum.
The circumstances of how Doc died are unknown.
Cars 3[]
Doc has appeared in flashbacks, which appears almost the entire film. After his crash and defeat by Jackson Storm, Lightning watch a video of 1954 of how Doc crashed and ending his career. He is voiced by the unused recording of Paul Newman in the first film. After Cruz Ramirez defeated Jackson Storm, Lightning inherited Doc's color as the "Fabulous Lightning McQueen" and his backside for Doc Hudson.
In other media[]
The Incredibles[]
A blue Hudson Hornet (supposedly a non-anthropomorphic Doc Hudson) can be seen in The Incredibles during the battle against Syndrome and his Omnidroid v.10. Even though Cars was released after The Incredibles, development of the film was already well under way. This could be a reference to Pixar's next film, Cars where one of the characters is an anthropomorphic Hudson Hornet.
Cars: The Videogame[]
In Cars: The Videogame, Lightning is dreaming about racing against Doc in the Radiator Springs Grand Prix when he is awakened by Sally, who tells him that Doc is looking for him out at Willy's Butte. When McQueen meets up with him, Doc gives him a powersliding lesson, and immediately follows with a two-car race around Willy's Butte and Sarge's Compound. After the race, Lightning and Doc stare suspiciously at Chick Hicks, who is watching from a distance. Doc then serves as Lightning's crew chief in his first Piston Cup race at the Palm Mile Speedway.
Later in the story, Doc challenges Lightning, Fillmore, Ramone, and Sheriff to a race around the back roads of Radiator Springs, as a check-up of sorts. At Lightning's fourth Piston Cup race, the Smasherville International Speedway event, when Lightning confronts Chick for stealing his gear, Doc separates the two and tells McQueen to save their conflict for the track.
After McQueen wins the final Piston Cup race at the Los Angeles International Speedway, Lightning, Doc, Mater, and Sally are driving through Ornament Valley, and McQueen tells them that his trophy is alongside Doc's Piston Cups in the window of Doc's Clinic.
Doc also appears as an unlockable playable character in the arcade and versus modes and can be obtained by purchasing him for 5,000 Bonus Points. He has above average speed and stability but lacks in handling and acceleration.
Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures[]
In Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures, Doc appears in the cutscene for the Doc's Tune Up activity, in which he asks McQueen to help him out with his medical work. He is also the second-to-last opponent that Lightning must face in the Legends Races series of events.
Cars: Mater-National Championship[]
In Cars: Mater-National Championship, Doc appears in the cutscene for Radiator Springs Circuit, where he yells at Lightning, Philip, and Fred for blocking the main road. The conversation eventually leads to a race, which Doc competes in, but loses to Lightning. Shortly after, Doc competes in a Relay Race against the newcomer Giovanni, where he is on the player's team, along with Lightning and Mater. Not too long after this, Lightning and Doc are heading up to Lightning's new stadium to see how the construction is going, and they start a race with Luigi, Barry, and Otto.
Doc later appears as an opponent in Rustbucket Grand Prix, as well as an opposing player in all nine levels of Fillmore's Fuel Frenzy. He is also on the player's team in Team Relay #3 and Team Relay #4.
In the arcade and versus modes, Doc is a playable character that is available from the start of the game. He has excellent handling, stability, and boost, but limited acceleration skills.
Cars: Race-O-Rama[]
In Cars: Race-O-Rama, Doc Hudson now owns his own racing academy, which contains members that race in the Race-O-Rama series.
Throughout the game, Doc serves as the player's instructor; before each event, he explains how to complete them and provides tips for being successful. Additionally, during races, Doc will also give advice to the player, through what sounds like a headset.
Doc appears in many of the game's races, and in the first Transporter event, the player must collect something and return it to him. In the final cutscene of the game, Doc congratulates Lightning for performing well in the Race-O-Rama series.
Doc returns once again as a playable character in the arcade and versus game modes, where he can be unlocked by obtaining a certain amount of Bonus Points.
The World of Cars Online[]
Doc appeared in the World of Cars Online, where he would give missions for the player. However, when the Cars 2 update was released, Doc was removed from the game, as to coincide with his death.
Cars 3: Driven to Win[]
In Cars 3: Driven to Win, Doc appears in the Thomasville simulation introduction of the game. He is an unplayable character.
Disney Parks[]
Doc Hudson appears in Radiator Springs Racers at Cars Land in Disney California Adventure. Set between the two films to allow for his presence, Doc Hudson serves as the crew chief for the guests, appearing in Audio-Animatronic form before the race to offer advice as well as providing radio chatter in the cars while they are out on the track.
His medical office and the museum established inside of it is also part of the dining complex for Cars Land's version of Flo's V8 Café.
During every Halloween season since 2017, an ofrenda of Doc was set up in Ramone's House of Body Art.
Trivia[]
- Jeff Bridges, Bryan Cranston, the late James Caan, Christopher Lloyd, Clint Eastwood, Kurt Rusell, Ron Perlman, John Goodman, Robert De Niro, Mel Brooks, Dustin Hoffman, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, the late Christopher Plummer, Colm Meaney, Danny DeVito, Sam Elliott, Bill Murray, Sylvester Stalone, Tommy Lee Jones, Jonathan Banks and Burt Reynolds were all considered for the role of Doc Hudson before the late Paul Newman was casted.
- Despite the fact that Doc died before the events of Cars 2, he actually appears in Cars Land in the Radiator Springs Racers ride, implying that the events of that ride may have occurred after the events of the first Cars film, but before the events of the second. After you get tires from Luigi or a paint job from Ramone, you'll meet Doc, who is your crew chief for the race. Doc will be giving you some racing advice through out the race. At the end, Doc will say that you did a good job. All his lines are performed by Corey Burton for this ride.
- He is the first main character of Pixar to die, followed by Bing Bong from Inside Out.
- He is the only character in the Cars franchise to die off-screen.
- Doc Hudson was Paul Newman’s last acting role.
- Like Paul Newman, Doc has blue eyes.
External Links[]
- Doc Hudson on the Protagonists Wiki
- Doc Hudson on the Heroes Wiki
- Doc Hudson on the Disney Wiki
- Doc Hudson on the Pixar Wiki
- Doc Hudson on the Pixar Cars Wiki
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 Antagonists
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Abby Park | Anglerfish | Anton Ego | Archie the Scare Pig | Bernie Lumen | Sparkler Customer | Bird | Broken Toys | Carrie Williams | Ciccio and Guido | Cleveland Truck Drivers | Commander Burnside | Darla Sherman | Dean Hardscrabble | Doc Hudson | Dragon the Cat | Frank | Frank and Dave | Francesco Bernoulli | Fun Meal Buzz Lightyear | Gary | Gary Gibbs | Giant Squid | Gusteau's Employees | Health Inspector | Jellyfishes | Jerry Recycled Batteries | Jin Lee | Mabel | Machiavelli | Mind Worker Cop Jake | Miriam Mendelsohn | Paul | Philip Sherman | Priya Mangal | Python Nu Kappa | Security Man Sam | Seagulls | Squishy | Sterling | The Crabs | The Fishermen | The Scuba-Divers | The Squirrel | Tetrapodophis | The Riveras (Elena Rivera, Enrique Rivera, Luisa Rivera, Imelda Rivera) | Utility Belt Buzz | Wally B. See Also | ||
 Antagonists
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Animals Monster Truck Wrestlers Others | ||
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Air Conditioner |
Ares |
The Ashleys (Ashley Armbruster |
Ashley Boulet |
Ashley Quinlan |
Ashley Tomassian) |
Atka |
Audrey Ramirez |
Aunt Sarah |
Baboons |
Baby Baboon |
Bees |
Benjamin |
Bent-Tail the Coyote |
Bent-Tail Junior |
The Bimbettes |
Bobo the Bear |
Bradley Nicholson |
Brom Bones |
Bruin |
Candace Flynn |
Chef Louis |
Chi-Fu |
Copper |
Crocodiles (The Rescuers) |
Crocodiles (Tarzan) |
Denahi |
The Director |
Dixie |
Doña Paloma |
Double Dan |
Dutch Spackle |
Eddie Valiant |
Elliot Decker |
Farouk |
Fates |
Fawn |
Felix |
Fibber |
Fife |
Flunkey |
Flynn Rider |
Georgette |
Goofy's Boss |
Gregory |
Hildegard Johnson |
Hocker |
Humphrey the Bear |
Huntsman |
Ice Ogre |
Jane |
Kerchak |
King Freddie II |
King Leonidas |
King Mamood |
King Trevor |
King Triton |
King Triton's Guards |
Kovu |
LaCienega Boulevardez |
Lampwick |
Lord Redbrick |
Louie the Hot Dog Man |
Mandy |
Manners |
Manotaurs |
Marshmallow |
The Matchmaker |
Mertle Edmonds |
The Milkman |
Miriam Cho |
Mongo |
Monty |
Mother Eagle |
Mr. Gribbish |
Muriel Finster |
Nassor |
Ned Frischman |
Ned the Elephant |
Nyx |
Officer Ester |
Officer Martin |
Percy |
Pink Elephants |
Pleakley |
Porcupine |
Prince Hugo |
Princess Amber |
Princess Hildegard |
Principal Hickey |
Principal Mazur |
Principal Crosby Strickler |
The Prosecutor |
Puck |
Python |
Pãgala |
Richardson Mole |
Ringmaster |
Alma Madrigal |
Rodney Glaxer |
Rose |
Roxanne's Father |
Royal Guards |
The Seaclops |
Smitty |
Spike the Bee |
Stan Pines |
Tiggerosaurus Rex |
Wynnchel and Duncan |
Sugar Rush Racers (Taffyta Muttonfudge, Candlehead, Rancis Fluggerbutter) |
Sir Ector |
Sir Kay |
Supreme Commander |
Toshiaki |
Trevor Trengrove |
Velociraptors |
Warren Peace |
Wendy |
Wilhelmina Packard |
Wolves (Beauty and the Beast) |
Wolves (Frozen) |
Zugor |
Adonis |
Andre's Cats |
Bonnie Rockwaller |
Brad Morton |
Crows |
Foxy Loxy |
Gideon Grey |
Goosey Loosey |
The Gross Sisters |
Johnny McBride |
LaCienega Boulevardez |
Woodchuck Bully See Also | ||