Rhino (James and the Giant Peach)

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“	You're not even a real rhino! You're just a lot of smoke and noise! I'm not afraid of you!	„
	~ James to the Rhino.

The Rhino (also commonly known as the Rhinoceros) is the overarching antagonist of the 1996 Disney live-action/stop-motion animated film James and the Giant Peach (which is based on the 1961 children's novel of the same name by the late Roald Dahl).

It is a giant, demonic cloud-like entity in the form of a monstrous rhinoceros who is the archenemy of James because it is responsible for the deaths of James' parents, as well as the reason he moved in with his cruel aunts, Spiker and Sponge. It also represents his greatest fear.

Its vocal sound effects were provided by both Frank Welker who also did the sound effects of the Harvesters in Independance Day, Dragon Ludmilla in Bartok the Magnificent, Rudy in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Max 3000 in Man's Best Friend, Stripe in Gremlins, V-Rex in King Kong, Sharptooth in The Land Before Time, The Big One and her pack in Jurassic Park, Barn Owl in Once Upon a Forest, Scar Snout in The Rugrats Movie, Sabor in Tarzan, Carnotaurus in Dinosaur, Barracuda in Finding Nemo, and Megatron/Galvatron in Transformers Cinematic Universe and Mor'du in Brave.

Personality[]

The book showed the Rhino as a savage and bloodthirsty animal that devoured people like a carnivore, similar to that of an alligator or possibly a giant snake. However, like all rhinoceroses, the Rhino is still a herbivore, as it feeds on plants.

In the movie, the Rhino appeared to be a sadistic and intimidating monster when it haunted James' dreams.

Appearance[]

In the book, the creature is an actual rhinoceros that escaped from the zoo and killed James' parents.

In the film, the Rhino is a demonic cloud-like entity in the form of a rhinoceros with glowing yellow eyes.

History[]

In the book[]

The rhino is a normal rhinoceros that escaped from the London Zoo and has consumed James' parents when they attended.

In the film[]

The Rhino is a demonic force of nature that came out of nowhere and devoured James' parents before he ended up with his two nasty aunts named Spiker and Sponge.

Spiker and Sponge used the Rhino to extort James into obedience. It is unknown whether it was once a real rhinoceros when it killed James' parents or if it is just a monstrous spirit that haunts James (the second possibility is much more likely since actual rhinoceroses are herbivores and do not eat meat).

That night, James had a nightmare about his aunts who came to attack him with their pesticide weapon in order to summon their rhino. He ran away from them, rushes into a tunnel-like can of turnip soup and hides inside a rock, only for the Rhino to catch him and kill him.

“	Mr. Grasshopper: Could it be! Mr. Centipede: No, it couldn't be! James: It's the Rhino!	„
	~ James, Mr. Grasshopper, and Mr. Centipede's exchange after seeing that the Rhino has appeared once again.

When James and his insect friends finally reach New York, the destructive Rhino appears and tries to slow down their progress. Slowly, it approaches the giant peach, using the power of fear. When James manages to muster up the courage to say that he is no longer afraid of the Rhino, it attempts to get closer to James so it can attack him, only for the Rhino and the clouds to disintegrate, but not before it weakly fires a lightning bolt at the giant peach.

It is later revealed that James' insect friends are still alive and have survived the thunderous Rhino's lightning bolt thanks to the remaining seagulls after the giant peach finally landed in New York, and they proceed to get rid of Spiker and Sponge and rescue James. With the Rhino dead, James' parents are avenged and James has now overcome his greatest fear.

Powers and Abilities[]

Intangibility: The Rhino's body is made of clouds, so it probably cannot be physically harmed.
Atmokinesis: The Rhino seems to have the ability to control the weather, because when it is seen, a strong wind comes and a destructive storm cloud appears. When it arrives, lightning appears afterwards followed by thunder.
Fear Embodiment: The Rhino also uses fear as a weapon; the more a person fears it, the stronger it gets. In fact, it represents James' fear.

Enemies[]

James
James' parents
Earthworm
Glowworm
Mrs. Ladybug
Mr. Grasshopper
Ms. Spider
Mr. Centipede

Trivia[]

Despite being the overarching antagonist, its role in the film is small.

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Literature
King Nicholas

Manga
Ansem, Seeker of Darkness | Xemnas

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Animated Features
Boggis, Bunce and Bean | Rat | Giants (Fleshlumpeater, Bloodbottler & Bonecruncher)

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