Elephant Matriarch

Elephant Matriarch Background information Feature films Dumbo Television programs House of Mouse Video games Park attractions Portrayed by Portrayed by Animators Voice Verna Felton Performance model Designer Inspiration Honors and awards Character information Full name Other names Personality Strict, grumpy, short-tempered, big-headed, pompous, smart, and stern. Appearance Obese gray elephant, hazel eyes, circles under her eyes, crimson headwear with a lime lining, yellow tassel hanging on the front, and gold designed top that holds white feathers, purple rug with both crimson border and gold fastener Birthday Occupation Female leader of the circus elephants Affiliations Neutral, later good Goal Home Relatives Pets Allies Catty, Prissy, Giddy, Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo Minions Enemies Dumbo (formerly), Timothy Mouse (formerly), Mrs. Jumbo (briefly), Ringmaster (formerly) Likes Orderley conversations,her friends. Dislikes the Ringmaster's rambling and showmanship and disgrace. Powers and abilities Weapons Trunk Fate Gets peanuts sprayed all over her by Dumbo and reforms. Quote "Ahhhh, this is a proud, proud day!" "Steady, girls!" "Aren't we a bit clumsy?" "That windbag! Why doesn't he come to the point?!" "Out of my way, assassin!" "Don't forget that we elephants have always walked with dignity. His disgrace is our own shame."

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The Elephant Matriarch is the one of the main characters from the 1941 Disney film Dumbo. She is the leader of the circus elephants. She is voiced by Verna Felton.

Appearances

Dumbo

The Matriarch appears at the beginning of the film during the loading, boarding Casey Junior's circus train with the other. She taps Mrs. Jumbo in the back when she looks up and impatiently pushes her into the train car using her head on Misses Jumbo's rump. She gets stuck in the train entrance while running in, but the circus employees close the door on her pushing her in. As the train goes on, Mr. Stork delivers Mrs. Jumbo's baby. At first, the Matriarch and the other elephants coo over the baby, but then become surprised when they see his large ears. They laugh with him and call him "Dumbo". When Casey Junior arrives at the circus grounds that night, the elephants are unloaded to help set up the circus tent. The next morning, the elephants march down the street with the rest of the circus.

After a while, they learn that Mrs. Jumbo is in solitary confinement and discuss it; with the Matriarch and Catty blaming Dumbo for it. When they see Dumbo coming, the Matriarch instructs them to form a tight circle to block him out and "to pretend they don't see him". Timothy Mouse, having seen everything, marches into the circle and frightens them, causing them to scramble in fear of him. He gives them a stern lecture about picking on "little guys" and calling them "overstuffed hay bags" before scaring them again while leaving.

Later, the elephants are part of an act in which they form a "Pyramid of Pachyderms". The Matriarch is the base elephant standing on a large ball as the other elephants climb on top of her back, showing her true strength. Throughout the act, the Matriarch tries to keep the others focused on their work instead of each other, constantly having Prissy losing her footing and falling down on her, smothering her head with her rear. When the pyramid is formed, Dumbo comes to jump onto the top as the climax, but he trips on his ears and hits the ball that the Matriarch is standing on. This leads to the elephants crashing down on each other and bringing down the circus tent. After that, the elephants discuss about what happened, with all of them wearing bandages, ice packs, etc... They learn through Catty that Dumbo is now a clown and that they no longer consider him an elephant.

Near the end of the film, as Dumbo jumps off a burning building for his clown act, he reveals his flying ability in front of everyone. As he flies, he sucks peanuts through his trunk from a peanut seller's stand and shoots them at the Matriarch and the other elephants as revenge for their bullying. The Matriarch and the other elephants are later shown singing in the reprise of "When I See an Elephant Fly" at the film's end, implying that they have finally accepted Dumbo.

House of Mouse

Elephant Matriarch and the other elephants make an appearance in the House of Mouse episode, Super Goof.

Trivia

• The Elephant Matriarch was a character which inspired people to create another elephant character almost like her named Eloise in Goliath II.
• The animation of Elephant Matriarch and the other Gossipy elephants getting spooked by Timothy Q. Mouse was recycled for use in Goliath II for the scene with the elephant herd getting spooked by a mouse.
• She has been shown to be incredibly strong(arguably even by elephant standards) during the Pyramid of Pachyderms scene, where she holds the weight of 6 similar sized elephants on her back while standing on a large ball.
  • Admittedly, she started sweating from exhaustion after the formation was complete, but she still managed to hold the formation until Dumbo accidentally ran into it.