| “ | Your luck will run out, eventually. | „ |
| ~ Dean Hardscrabble to Mike Wazowski. |
Dean Abigail Hardscrabble is the overarching antagonist of Pixar's 14th full-length animated feature film Monsters University.
She is the head of Monsters University's School of Scaring, anticipating any potential worthy Scarer from the institution's students. After recognizing Mike Wazowski's inability to pull of a good scare, she made a bet with him that if he ever ultimately fails to live up to the institution's expectations, he'll be expelled from it.
She was voiced by Helen Mirren.
Appearance[]
She is a dark red, dragon-like creature with crimson bat wings and centipede legs. For her uniform as a dean, she wears a white long-sleeve that's covered under a red cardigan.
Biography[]
When Dean Hardscrabble first appears, she is shown swooping into Professor Knight's classroom and, with a single flap of her wings, turning off all of the lights. Then, Hardscrabble informs all of Prof. Knight's pupils—including Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan—that they must pass a final test in order to be admitted to the Scaring Program; if they don't, they will be expelled. Regretfully, Mike is unable to frighten anyone, even if he really wants to. And even though Sulley is already terrifying, he never does his homework or studies. As a result, in the game of Hardscrabble, Mike and Sulley engage in a furious roar-off that ends with both monsters unintentionally shattering the dean's valuable scream canister. Hardscrabble, unfazed by the situation, banishes both Mike and Sulley from the School of Scaring: Mike for not being frightful, and Sulley for roaring before she had completed narrating a scenario involving a child who was afraid of snakes and would not be scared by roars.
But Mike and Sulley discover that competing in the Scare Games with the Oozma Kappa fraternity of rejected monsters is the only path back into the School of Scaring. Consequently, Mike strikes a bargain with the dean, promising to leave Monsters University if Oozma Kappa loses and their whole squad is readmitted to the institution. Dean Hardscrabble is surreptitiously seeing Mike and Sulley compete at the Scare Games, knowing full well that they will both lose. However, OK prevails in the Games after using the fear simulators to defeat Roar Omega Roar in the championship round. Since Mike can't scare, Sulley informs Hardscrabble that he cheated by setting Mike's simulator level to easy in order to achieve an OK win. According to Sulley, this puts them in a losing position. until Sulley learns that Mike has surreptitiously entered the door lab, the dean is ready to dismiss him until he rushes there to save his friend. When the authorities show up, Hardscrabble closes the door in question, which led to a cabin at a campsite. However, Mike and Sulley are able to escape again by frightening a group of adult humans in the guise of police officials.
After that, Hardscrabble permanently bans both Mike and Sulley from Monsters University. Although she was disappointed to see them depart, she was taken aback by their acts, which she had not anticipated as a serious transgression against her institution. Hardscrabble intercepts Mike and Sulley as they are leaving and helps them to "keep surprising people," wishing them success in the process.
In the end, Hardscrabble's prophecy comes to pass when Sulley and Mike discover a new way to generate energy—laughing, which is far more potent than yelling. She might need to rewrite the curriculum in order to teach and prepare future jokers because of this disruptive shift in the profession.
Personality[]
Hardscrabble embodies the quintessential rigid and uncompromising school principal, who is not much amused. She doesn't hesitate to call out someone's flaws and will even playfully make fun of pupils who don't win her over. Hardscrabble is incensed when a team in the Scare Games cheats and when Sulley acknowledges that he fixed the equipment at the last tournament to give Mike the advantage, but she nevertheless maintains her belief in fair play.
Despite her tough demeanor, Hardscrabble is shown at the movie's finale to be somewhat sympathetic, as she warms up to both Mike and Sulley after she boldly places a bet with her and surprises her at the end of the Scare Games. She is obviously upset about the prospect of throwing them out of the university and tries her best to support and wish them luck in the future.
External Link[]
- Dean Hardscrabble on the Monsterpedia Wiki.
