Wreck It Ralph Script PDF Download Plot Quotes and Analysis Featured

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Wreck-It Ralph Script PDF Download — Plot, Quotes & Analysis

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W reck-It Ralph smashed onto the cinema scene in 2012 with some state-of-the-art animation, great voice performances, and a uniquely sharp script. We’re going to break down the Wreck-It Ralph screenplay by looking at its quotes, characters, and meta-references. By the end, you might be inspired to write a meta-textual script just like Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee did!

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Wreck-It Ralph  Script PDF Download

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WHO WROTE Wreck It Ralph SCRIPT?

Written by phil johnston and jennifer lee.

Based on a story by Rich Moore, Phil Johnston, and Jim Reardon.

Phil Johnston is an American screenwriter, director, producer and voice actor. He’s most famous for co-writing Wreck-It Ralph , Zootopia , and Ralph Breaks the Internet .

Jennifer Lee is an American screenwriter, director, and CCO of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Lee has screenwriting credits on Wreck-It  Ralph , Frozen , Zootopia , and Frozen II — she also served as the director of both Frozen films.

STORY BREAKDOWN

Structure of wreck-it ralph screenplay.

Here is the story structure for Wreck It Ralph screenplay:

Ralph, a brute with a heart of gold, serves the role of the “bad guy” inside an old arcade game called Fix-It Felix. Inside the game, Felix is revered as a hero while Ralph is relegated to the dumps. Felix fears Ralph is going to end up like Turbo – who went AWOL after losing his star-status in the arcade.

Inciting Incident

On the night of the game’s 30th anniversary, Ralph confronts Felix (and the denizens of the game-world) by saying that they treat him unfairly. The denizens say that if he can find a medal to prove he’s a good-guy, they’ll let him live in the game-world’s penthouse.

Plot Point One

Ralph leaves the world of Fix-It Felix to find a medal in another game. After a night of drinking, Ralph steals the armor of a character from Hero’s Duty and secures a shiny medal from the game. Meanwhile Fix-It Felix falls into disarray without Ralph’s presence.

Rising Action

Ralph is rocketed out of Hero’s Duty into Candy World. A young girl named Vanellope steals the medal from the ship’s wreckage and uses it to enter a grand prix race. 

Ralph learns that Vanellope is a glitch and is treated like an outcast by everybody in Candy World. Out of sympathy, Ralph protects Vanellope despite the fact she stole his medal. 

Plot Point Two

Felix and commander Calhoun from Hero’s Duty are hot on Ralph’s trail. Ralph helps Vanellope design a kart to compete in the grand prix.

While Ralph teaches Vanellope how to drive, King Candy goes into the game’s code and steals the medal. Felix is captured at the castle by King Candy’s underlings.

King Candy tells Ralph that if Vanellope wins the race, she’ll be added to the game’s roster and players will think the game is broken because she’s a glitch – which would ultimately put the game out of service. King Candy gives Ralph the medal and tasks him with wrecking her cart for her own good.

Ralph learns Fix-It Felix is going to be retired and realizes that winning the medal meant nothing. When all hope seems lost, Ralph sees Vanellope on the promotional art for the kart-racing game and correctly deduces she’s not a glitch. He then learns King Candy turned her into a glitch out of spite.

Ralph and Felix fix Vanellope’s kart and send her to the race. Calhoun returns to tell everybody the bugs are attacking the game. Vanellope races neck-and-neck with King Candy, who reveals he’s actually Turbo. Turbo plays dirty and knocks Vanellope off course.

Ralph confronts King Candy and embraces his “bad guy” qualities before smashing into the diet-cola mountain. Felix fixes the finish-line and ushers Vanellope over it, restoring her right as princess of the land.

Vanellope embraces her true personality and pledges to change the land for the better. Ralph returns to his game with a newfound appreciation for life.

Wreck-It Ralph Script Takeaway #1

Wreck-it ralph makes meta-references.

The Wreck-It Ralph screenplay is chock-full of references to other works. We imported the Wreck-It Ralph script into StudioBinder’s screenwriting software to highlight some of the best meta-references.

In this scene, King Candy makes a not-so-subtle allusion to one Jack Nicholson’s famous line from Batman ; one of Tim Burton’s best movies . Read through the scene and try to catch where the reference is hidden.

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 Wreck-It Ralph Script  •   Read Batman Reference Scene

Jack Nicholson’s line “You wouldn’t hit a guy with glasses would you?” is one of the most famous lines in superhero cinema – and his delivery of the line is one reason why he’s considered one of the best Joker actors of all-time . Disney movies are often littered with references to classic cinema. Inside Out for example has a subtle-nod to Roman Polanski’s Chinatown when the police officer says “forget about it, it’s cloud town.” But perhaps no Disney movie has more meta-textual references than Wreck-It Ralph .

Here are a few of the best meta-textual references in the film.

  • When Ralph says, “what’s going on in this candy-coated Heart of Darkness?” Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a classic novel that served as the basis for Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now .
  • Hero’s Duty is a direct riff on Call of Duty and the pervading popularity of first-person shooters compared to traditional arcade games.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog appears in the game-station.
  • Several famous video-game characters appear in the “bad guys club,” including Bowser, Zangief, and Dr. Eggman (Robotnik).
  • Dance Dance Revolution is featured in the arcade.

Here are some other easter eggs that appear in the final cut of the film:

Wreck It Ralph Movie Script to Screen  •  Wreck It Ralph Easter Eggs by MsMojo

I hate to say it but there is an inherent value in things that make us say “oh I know that.” When we see Pac-Man show up in Wreck-It Ralph , we treat him like a celebrity showing up to an after-party. His presence makes us say “he’s here? Who else is gonna be here?”

And as it turns out, a lot of other people are at the party that is Wreck-It Ralph – and watching them show up is an exercise in constant engagement.

Wreck It Ralph Script Takeaway #2

Wreck-it  ralph characters are flawed.

One of the reasons why Wreck-It Ralph characters are multi-dimensional is because they’re deeply flawed. Take Vanellope for example: she’s a glitch in the game’s system. Her flaw is inherent. Turbo’s flaw is a need for adoration — which proves to be a tragic flaw, his hamartia , because it leads to his undoing. But Calhoun is perhaps the most flawed character of them all. 

Let’s go back to the script to see why Calhoun is the cold, abrasive soldier she is. As you’re reading, think about how this scene accomplishes two things: the establishment of her backstory while satirizing video game cliches .

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Wreck It Ralph Characters Backstory  •   Read Flawed Characters Scene

Here, we see that Calhoun was traumatized by a cy-bug attack on her wedding day. This makes her vendetta against the cy-bugs personal and further endears us to her mission. Let’s check out the scene from the film:

What is Wreck It Ralph About?  •  Sergeant Calhoun’s Backstory

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the way this scene was framed. By framing it as a flashback , the writers skip all the unnecessary fluff and get straight to the point. We learn what happened to Calhoun and why she’s so cold within 30 seconds. A concise way to cover a supporting character backstory.

Wreck-It Ralph Script Takeaway #3

Wreck-it ralph quotes are mematic .

There are a lot of great Wreck-It Ralph quotes but only one has become a fan-favorite. Can you guess which one? Read through the scene below and you might recognize some wise words from Zangief.

Wreck It Ralph Script Teardown Anonymous Scene StudioBinder Screenwriting Software

Wreck It Ralph Screenplay PDF  •   Read the Wreck It Ralph Bad Guys Anonymous Scene

Leave it to Disney to sprinkle in some profound commentary on identity issues in a movie about arcade games. Zangief’s quote, “Zangief, you are bad guy. But this does not mean you are bad guy ” serves as a thematic basis for the whole script. It’s also become a meme but that’s neither here nor there. 

Let’s jump ahead to see how this quote is resolved in the final act of the film. Here, Ralph embraces the mantra of the bad guys club even though we know his actions prove he’s a good guy.

Wreck It Ralph Script to Screen  •  Wreck It Ralph – I’m Bad, And That’s Good

So is Ralph a good guy or a bad guy? Well, he’s a good guy but everybody thinks he’s a bad guy. Perhaps screenwriters Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee aim to say that you can’t control what others think – and you can’t let what they think weigh you down. In the end, all you can do is all you can do. And even if everybody thinks you’re a bad guy, that doesn’t mean you are a bad guy .

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Narrative First

Pioneering the Future of AI-Enhanced Storytelling

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Wreck-It Ralph

An emotionally moving narrative that tells us something more about who we can be.

Simply tremendous. Disney's Wreck-It Ralph restores Disney Animation to the storytelling prowess it once enjoyed in the early 90s. At times hilarious and at others heartfelt, even daring to venture into an emotionally dark place unseen in most modern animated films, Rich Moore's feature directorial debut both delights and entertains those who loved the arcade and those who love competent storytelling.

If there is but one critique to be had (ignoring a several generations-behind lighting aesthetic) it is the film's unfortunate by-the-book use of Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! ("Hey sad Q-Bert, you wanna cherry? Good thing I picked these up so I could show everyone what a nice guy I am...") Unfortunate in that many will attribute Wreck-It Ralph's success to its dogmatic approach to STC's meaningless fifteen " beats ", when in reality it is the film's effectiveness at making a solid and complete argument that elevates it above the rest. Ironic really, especially when one takes into account the grand argument Wreck-It Ralph makes: It's not the superficial surface labels that count (All is Lost moment quickly followed by the Dark Night of the Soul moment, etc.), but rather the programming within that truly defines who and what you are.

Regardless of how they got there, the filmmakers behind Wreck-It Ralph created a story and characters that will last long after the quarters have run out.

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Don't miss out on the latest in narrative theory and storytelling with artificial intelligence. Subscribe to the Narrative First newsletter below and receive a link to download the 20-page e-book, Never Trust a Hero .

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Wreck-It Ralph/Transcript

  • 1 01. Opening
  • 2 02. 30 Years
  • 3 03 Hero's Duty
  • 4 04 Sugar Rush
  • 5 05 The Glitch
  • 6 06 Going Turbo
  • 7 07 Making a Car
  • 8 08 Driving Lessons
  • 9 09 King Candy's Secret
  • 10 10 Out of Order
  • 11 11 Every Day of my Life
  • 12 13 Cy-Bug Invasion
  • 13 14 Can't Leave the Game
  • 14 15 One Game at a Time

01. Opening [ ]

The movie opens with a view of an arcade machine named “Fix-It-Felix.” We hear the rattle of a coin being inserted and the game comes to life. We see a pixelated muscular man named Ralph walk up to a stump, yawn, and sleep in it.

RALPH (V.O.): My name’s Ralph, and I’m a Bad Guy.

A bulldozer moves Ralph and the stump to a dump. Ralph’s head pops out of the stump.

RALPH (V.O.): Let's see...I’m 9 feet tall. I weigh 643 pounds. Got a little bit of a temper on me.

RALPH (ON-SCREEN): Hey, you moved my stump! Aaaarrggghhhh!

The NICELAND APARTMENTS are constructed where the stump was.

RALPH (V.O.): My passion bubbles very near the surface, I guess. Not gonna lie. Anyhoo, what else? I’m a wrecker. I wreck things. Professionally.

Ralph : I’m Gonna Wreck It!

Ralph wrecks the building. He throws a Nicelander..

RALPH (V.O.): I mean, I'm very good at what I do. Probably the best I know. The thing is, fixing is the name of the game. Literally, "Fix It Felix Jr."

NICELANDERS: FIX IT, FELIX!

Felix: I Can Fix It!

RALPH (V.O.): So yeah, naturally the guy with the name Fix-it Felix is the good guy. He’s nice enough as good guys go. Definitely fixes stuff really well. But if you’ve got a magic hammer from your father, how hard can it be?

MARY: YOO-HOO!

MARY pops up in a window with a pie. Felix eats the pie, and a protective, shiny hard-hat appears on his head.

RALPH (V.O.): If he was a regular contractor, carpenter guy, I guarantee he would not be able to fix the damage that I do as quickly.

All the damage is repaired in seconds. The screen reads “YOU FIXED IT!” From behind the clouds appears a little medal which places itself around Felix’s neck, and a Nicelander gives him a peck on the cheek. The Nicelanders pick up Ralph and thrown him off the roof.

RALPH (V.O.): And when Felix does a good job, he gets a medal. But, are there medals for wrecking stuff really well? To that I say, “Ha!”

RALPH: Ahhhhhhhh!

He lands on the ground in the mud. KER-PLUNK.

RALPH (V.O.): A-a-and no, there aren't.

We pull back from the game console. We’re in

INT. LITWAK’S FAMILY FUN CENTER

The place is bustling.

TEXT: "30 YEARS AGO"

TIME LAPSE -- The arcade expands over the years. Old games get wheeled out. New games get wheeled in. Owner LARRY LITWAK takes real good care of the place through the years.

RALPH (V.O.): 30 years I've been doing this, and I've seen a lotta other games come and go. Kind of sad. I think about all those guys from Asteroids? Boom! Gone. Centipede? Who knows where that guy is, y'know? Hey, a steady arcade gig is nothing to sneeze at; I'm very lucky. It's just, I gotta say, it becomes kinda hard to love your job when no one seems to like you for doing it.

TEXT: “TODAY”

The arcade is older now, and all the other games are more modern. A giant first-person shooter game gets wheeled in. The arcade closes. The “Open” sign shuts off.

IN DDR: The dancer relaxes.

DANCER: All clear! The arcade's closed!

IN STREET FIGHTER: Two fighters, RYU and KEN stop beating each other.

RYU: Shoryuken! Whoo! What a day. So, you want to head to Tapper's, Ken?

KEN: If you're buying, buddy.

BACK ON THE FIX-IT FELIX CONSOLE: Felix and the Nicelanders are still on the roof.

FELIX: Quittin’ time!

We push through the game screen...

EXT. NICELAND - DAY

The game is now in toon 3D. Most everything is squared like pixels, being a game from the 80s. The Nicelanders and their machines have jerky, snappy motions while Ralph and Felix have smooth and fluid movement.

RALPH (V.O.): I don't know. Maybe I wouldn't be feeling this way if things were different after work. But it is what it is.

FELIX: Good job, everyone!

RALPH (V.O.): Felix and the Nicelanders go hang out in their homes which he's just fixed, and everyone, you know...

Ralph picks himself up from the mud. He watches sadly as the Nicelanders ignore him and carry Felix to the penthouse.

RALPH (V.O.): They go to their homes, I go to mine which happens to be a dump. And when I say "a dump," I don't mean like a shabby place. I mean an actual dump, where the garbage goes and a bunch of bricks and smashed building parts, that's... That's what I call home.

Ralph climbs up the brick pile he calls home.

RALPH (V.O.): I guess I can't bellyache too much. I got my bricks, I got my stump.

He pummels the bricks into dust and pulls a pile of bricks over him like a blanket. He stares longingly at the building.

RALPH (V.O.): It looks uncomfortable. It's actually fine. I'm good. But, if I'm really honest with myself, I see Felix up there, getting patted on the back, people are giving him pie and thanking him and so happy to see him all the time.

RALPH’S POV: Through the penthouse windows, he can see Felix being ushered over by the Nicelanders over a hot pie.

RALPH (V.O.): Sometimes I think...

FADE TO CLOSE ON RALPH: As he speaks out-loud.

RALPH: Man, it sure must be nice being the good guy.

Ralph sits in a room full of VIDEO GAME BAD GUYS. They all clap in response to Ralph's confession. A sign on the wall reads: “BadAnon: One Game at a Time.” If you hadn’t guessed, it’s AA but for video game bad guys, of all shapes, sizes and genres. Even Bowser is there.

CLYDE (PACMAN): Nice share, Ralph. As fellow Bad Guys, we've all felt what you're feeling and we've come to terms with it.

RALPH: Really?

ZANGIEF (STREET FIGHTER): Right here. I am Zangief. I am Bad Guy.

ALL: Hi, Zangief.

RALPH: Hi, Zangief.

ZANGIEF: I relate to you, Ralph. When I hit bottom, I was crushing man's skull like sparrow egg between my thighs. (smacking his thigh) And I think, "Why do you have to be so bad, Zangief? Why can't you be more like Good Guy?" Then I have moment of clarity. If Zangief is Good Guy, who'll crush man's skull like sparrow's egg between thighs? And I say, "Zangief, you are Bad Guy, but this does not mean you are ‘bad’ guy ."

Claps of understanding.

RALPH: Right. I'm sorry. You lost me there.

ZOMBIE: Zombie! Bad guy!

ALL: Hi, Zombie.

RALPH: Hi, Zombie.

ZOMBIE: Zangief saying labels not make you happy. Good! Bad! (GROWLS) You must love you .

KANO/CY-BORG: Yeah! Inside HERE!

Kano/Cy-borg rips out Zombie’s heart, shows it to Ralph.

RALPH: Okay. All right, I get you. Watch out. It's dripping.

CLYDE: Question, Ralph. We've been asking you to Bad-Anon for years now, and tonight you finally show up. Why is that?

RALPH: I don't know. I just felt like coming. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that... Well, today is the 30th anniversary of my game.

SAITINE: Happy anniversary, Ralph.

RALPH: Thanks, Satan.

SAITINE: Uh, it's Saitine , actually.

RAPLH: Got it. But here's the thing. (SIGHS) I don't wanna be the Bad Guy anymore.

Bowser breathes fire balls; Clyde turns blue; the other Bad-Anon members gasp.

KANO/CYBORG: You can't mess with the program, Ralph!

BISON: You're not goin' Turbo, are you?

RALPH: Turbo? No, I'm not going Turbo! C'mon, guys! Is it Turbo to want a friend? Or a medal, or a piece of pie every once in a while? Is it Turbo to want more out of life?

ZOMBIE: (bluntly) Yes.

CLYDE: Ralph, Ralph, we get it. But we can't change who we are. The sooner you accept that, the better off your game and your life will be.

ZANGIEF: Hey. One game at a time, Ralph.

CLYDE: Now, let's close out with the Bad Guy Affirmation.

They all stand up and join hands, or whatever they have instead of hands. Clyde, having no limbs, has two other villains with their hand and saw on his back.

ALL BAD GUYS: I'm Bad, and that's Good. I will never be Good, and that's not Bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.

Ralph hasnt recited the Affirmation. His eyes are wide open, a non-believer.

The TITLE burns in over Ralph:

WRECK-IT RALPH

CLYDE: Okay gang, see you next week.

The bad guys break the circle. Satan puts a supportive hand on Ralph’s back.

M. BISON (O.S): Listen, I can't do snacks next week.

SAITINE: Hang in there, Ralph.

CLYDE: Hey, Zombie, don't forget your hatchets .There you go.

We pull out to see that the meeting was held in the center room of Pac-Man. Ralph filches two cherries and catches up with the others.

02. 30 Years [ ]

Cherries in hand, he catches up to the group on a cable train headed to

GAME CENTRAL STATION

The train runs through the power cord of a Pac-Man console and reaches the power strip. The Bad Guys get off and enter the station, which resembles New York's Grand Central Station, providing entrances to other games in the arcade and full of VIDEO GAME CHARACTERS bustling about.

Ralph passes through the entrance, and a rent-a-cop, SURGE PROTECTOR, appears out of nowhere. A buzzer sounds.

RALPH: Ugh.

SURGE: Step aside, sir. Random security check.

RALPH: Random, my behind! You always stop me.

SURGE: I'm just a surge protector doing my job, sir. Name?

RALPH: Lara Croft.

SURGE: Name?

RALPH: Wreck-It Ralph!

SURGE: And where are you coming from?

RALPH: Uh... Pac-Man.

SURGE: You bring any fruit with you?

Ralph hides the cherries behind his back.

RALPH: Nope! No. No fruit.

SURGE: Okay, then. Where are you heading?

RALPH: Uh, Fix-It Felix Jr.

SURGE: Anything to declare?

RALPH: I hate you.

SURGE: I get that a lot. Proceed.

As Ralph walks through the station eating his cherries, Paperboy falls out of his bike.

ANGEL KID: Bad guy coming!

Two Angel Kids, Dig Dug and Frogger scurry, dig and hop away at the sight of Ralph. He passes a screen displaying a PSA video narrated by Sonic.

SONIC (IN PSA): If you leave your game, stay safe, stay alert, and whatever you do, don't die. Because if you die outside your own game, you don't regenerate. Ever. Game over.

Ralph comes upon a group of homeless characters, Q*Bert amongst them, who hold a sign: “Out of Order. Please Help!” Feeling kind, Ralph hands Q*Bert a cherry.

RALPH: Here you go, buddy. It's fresh. Straight from Pac-Man's. Hang in there, guys.

He approaches the entrance to the Fix-It Felix portal. The buzzer sounds and Surge Protector appears.

RALPH: (GRUNTS IN FRUSTRATION)

In a gorgeous penthouse, Disco lights spin, Nicelanders dance and drink. SKRILLEX DJs, a clown mixes drinks, and Felix passes out hors d'oeuvres.

EXT. NICELAND - FIX-IT FELIX

Ralph arrives at a small station on the trolley. CRACK! SIZZLE! Ralph looks up just as “WE LOVE YOU FELIX” fireworks burst over the Niceland apartments. He notices lights flashing in the penthouse and grabs two empty bottles to use as binoculars.

RALPH: " Happy 30th Anniversary"? They're having a party without me.

Eating his way across the buffet table is PAC-MAN.

RAPLH: Pac-Man? They invited Pac-Man!? That cherry-chasing dot-muncher isn't even part of this game! (SLAMS THE BOTTLES ON THE GROUND, SHATTERING THEM)

INT. NICELAND PENTHOUSE

Felix struts through the room, happy and proud.

ROY: Great party, Felix.

FELIX: Why thank you, friend.

DEANNA: Felix, you’re needed on the dance floor!

Deanna drags him onto a colorful dance floor. Felix does his Fix-it Hammer dance. Everyone follows along.

NICELANDERS: Oooh-oooh! Fix-It Felix! Oooh-oooh! Fix-It Felix!

The door bell RINGS.

FELIX: Oh! I'll bet that's Mario. Fashionably late, per the norm.

GENE: I'll get it, Felix.

Gene dances to the door and opens it.

A smiling Ralph fills the door frame. Before the Bad Guy can speak, Gene slams the door on him.

GENE: It's Ralph!

SHRIEKS AND MURMURS of shock and confusion.

DON: He'll wreck the party!

MARY: Hide the stemware!

ROY: Get rid of him, Felix.

FELIX: Oh, right. I'll go talk to him. Carry on, everyone.

INT. PENTHOUSE HALLWAY

Ralph still stands at the door. Felix slips out, unassuming.

FELIX: Ralph, can I help you?

RALPH: Hey, Felix. Just wanted to check on you. I saw a big explosion or something go over the building there.

FELIX: Oh, those were just fireworks.

RALPH: Fireworks. Okay. Phewf. Somebody's birthday, or...

FELIX: Well, it's more of an anniversary. The 30th anniversary of our game, actually.

RALPH: What? Is that today?

FELIX: I know!

RALPH: Oh, I'm such a dummy with dates. Anyway, uh, congratulations.

FELIX: Thank you, Ralph. And to you, too.

Awkward silence. They’re not enemies, but Felix is very unconfortable. Finally, the door opens. A Frogger TURTLE sticks his head out.

GLEN: Hi. Just a heads-up, Felix. They're bringing out the cake in a few shakes.

RALPH: Hey, Glen.

GLEN: Ralph.

Glen shuts the door, fast.

RALPH: Cake? Heard about this cake stuff. Never had it. No one ever seems to throw it out so it never ends up in the dump. I never actually tasted it. Uh... I've always wanted to try cake.

FELIX: ( shaking his head) I don't suppose you'd like to come in and have a slice, would you?

INT. PENTHOUSE

RALPH: (bursting in) Hey-o, everybody! Oh!

Ralph’s head slams into the ceiling.

A large chunks falls down on Felix and he drops DEAD. A little flower floats above Felix, and we hear a quick cycle of DEATH MUSIC. Everyone GASPS in horror.

Felix suddenly regenerates next to Ralph.

FELIX: I'm okay. I'm okay. Fit as a fiddle.

The guests all exhale in relief.

FELIX: Now, you all know Ralph.

RALPH: Evening-

Ralph breaks the stairs with a single step.

RALPH: Evening, Nell, Lucy, Don, Dana...

DEANNA: Deanna...

RALPH: Big Gene!

GENE: Why is he here???

FELIX: He's just here for a slice of cake.

RALPH: And I'm a big part of the game, technically speaking. Why are you here, Gene?

Ralph bends down and he and Gene face off. Felix steps between them, breaking it up.

FELIX: Oh, look! The cake!

Mary wheels out an elaborate cake of the Niceland apartment building, complete with “We Love Felix” candy fireworks.

FELIX: Well, I'll be dipped. You've really outdone yourself, Mary.

NORWOOD: Oh, and look! There's all of us at the top.

A little Felix stands on the roof, reaching for a medal, surrounded lovingly by Nicelanders. But there’s no sign of Ralph.

MARY: Each apartment is everyone's favorite flavor. Norwood's is red velvet.

NORWOOD: Guilty!

MARY: And lemon for Lucy, rum cake for Gene, and for Felix...

Ralph looks for his figurine, and finds himself in the mud, looking like some sort of deranged troll. His face sinks.

RALPH: Hey, Mary. Um... What's the flavor of that mud that I'm stuck in there?

MARY: Hmm? Oh. Uh, chocolate.

RALPH: I've never been real fond of chocolate.

MARY: Well, I did not know that.

RALPH: One other little thing. I hate to be picky, but, y'know, this angry little guy here...

Ralph picks up the little Ralph figurine.

MARY: My cake!

RALPH: ...might be a lot happier if you put him up here with everyone else.

He puts him on the roof, smooshing the cake a little. Ralph pushes an ugly smile onto his figurine’s face.

RALPH: See that? Look at that smile.

GENE: No, no, no. You see, Ralph, there's no room for you up here.

Gene knocks Little Ralph back into the mud.

RALPH: Well, what about this? We can make room. Here. We could take turns. Easy.

Ralph puts Little Ralph back on top of the cake and places Little Felix into the mud instead. The Nicelanders GASP.

FELIX : How about we just eat the cake!

GENE: Hang on. Felix needs to be on the roof because he's about to get his medal!

RALPH: Well, how about we just take that medal and give it to Ralph for once?

Ralph rips the medal off, breaking the delicate fireworks, and puts it on little Ralph.

RALPH: Would that be the end of the world, Gene?

GENE: Now you're just being ridiculous.

Gene rips the medal off little Ralph, puts it on little Felix, and puts Felix back on the top. Gene takes little Ralph off the cake.

GENE: Only Good Guys win medals, and you, sir, are no Good Guy.

RALPH : I could be a Good Guy if I wanted to, and I could win a medal!

GENE: Uh-huh. And when you do, come and talk to us.

RALPH: And then would you finally let me be on top of the cake with you guys?

GENE: If you won a medal, we'd let you live up here in the penthouse! But it will never happen, because you're just the Bad Guy who wrecks the building.

RALPH: No, I'm not.

Gene slams Little Ralph back in the mud upside down.

GENE: Yes, you are!

RALPH: No, I'M NOT!!!

Ralph slams his fist down right on the cake. SMASH! Chunks of cake and frosting cover the Nicelanders. Pac-Man stops eating. His mouth falls open in shock. Ralph pulls his hand back and takes a gander at what he's done.

GENE: Y es. You. Are.

RALPH: All right, Gene. You know what? I'm going to win a medal. Oh, I am going to win a medal! The shiniest medal this place has ever seen! A medal that will be so good that it will make Felix's medals wet their pants! And good night! Thank you for the party.

Ralph exits.

ROY: Is he serious?

GENE: Oh, please! Where's a Bad Guy going to win a medal? Of course he's not serious.

INT. TAPPER’S BAR

RALPH: I've never been more serious about anything in my life. That's why I came straight here, Tapper. You've never given me a bum steer. Now, come on. Where can a guy like me go and win a medal?

TAPPER : I don't think such a game exists, Ralph.

RALPH: Oh, come on. You know people. There's got to be...

MALE CUSTOMER: Tapper, I need a root beer.

TAPPER: Coming! Hold that thought.

OUTSIDE THE GAME CONSOLE: we watch the 8-bit view of the Root Beer Tapper game as Tapper zips down a row of bars, sliding beers to other customers.

BACK INSIDE THE GAME: Tapper returns to Ralph’s side.

TAPPER: Okay. As you were saying.

RALPH: I was saying, I can't spend another 30 years living alone in the garbage. I'm not going back without a medal.

TAPPER: Well, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe somebody left a medal here. You're welcome to dig through the lost and found.

INT. BROOM CLOSET

Ralph digs through the “lost and found” crate. Behind him we see a hallway with the saloon doors on one side and restrooms on the other.

RALPH: Okay, let's see what we got here.

Ralph rummages through the box. A little cockroach scurries out of the box. Ralph SHOOS it.

RALPH: Oh! Shoo! Shoo! Go on, get out of here. (back rummaging; Mario mushroom) Mushroom? No. What is this? (Metal Gear exclamation point) No. (a pair of red briefs) Oh, come on, Zangief! Gross.

Ralph sighs, pushes the crate back into the closet, sighs.

RALPH: What am I doing?

Just then, a heavily-armored space marine bumps past Ralph.

RALPH: Hey, excuse you!

The marine staggers on and right into the wall again and again, in a walk cycle. Meet PVT. MARKOWSKI.

MARKOWSKI: (mumbling, shell-shocked) We are humanity's last hope. Our mission? Destroy all Cy-Bugs. We are humanity's last hope.

Ralph stands and looks at him, curious.

RALPH: Uh... You okay there, space cadet?

Markowski whips around quickly and grabs Ralph by the collar.

MARKOWSKI: (traumatized) We've only been plugged in a week, and every day it's "Climb the building, then fight bugs. Climb the building, fight more bugs!"

RALPH: Yeah, yeah. Right. Look. Easy on the overalls, spaceman. It's tough all over, all right?

MARKOWSKI: And all for what? A lousy medal?

RALPH: (Ding!) Medal? You win a medal?

MARKOWSKI: Yeah, Medal of Heroes.

RALPH: Ooh. Is it shiny?

MARKOWSKI: Eh-Pretty shiny.

RALPH: Ooh! And it says "hero" on it?

MARKOWSKI: Uh-huh. Oh, yeah.

RALPH: And you say you win it by climbing a building?

MARKOWSKI: AND FIGHTING BUGS!!

RALPH: Right, bugs. Listen, is there any chance I could go with you to your game and, you know, maybe get one of those medals?

MARKOWSKI: Negatory.

RALPH: Does that mean maybe?

MARKOWSKI: No! Look, only the bravest and the best serve in our corps.

The little cockroach climbs up Ralph's shoulder.

MARKOWSKI: BUG! (SCREAMS)

Markowski runs off but slams into the wall and passes out. His helmet rolls before Ralph's feet. Ralph looks down at him and gets an idea. He also flings the cockroach again.

INT. BROOM CLOSET — MOMENTS LATER

MARKOWSKI: (dazed) We are humanity's last hope....

We see Markowski passed out in Zangief's briefs. An armored foot kicks Markowski’s leg in, slams the door, and breaks off the door handle. It’s Ralph in Markowski’s armor, his gut hanging out. He SUCKS in his breath, PULLS UP his pants. Breathes a sigh of relief. His gut pops back out.

03 Hero's Duty [ ]

INT. GAME CENTRAL STATION

FEMALE ANNOUNCER ON PA: Attention! The arcade will open in five minutes. Please report to your games.

A clumsy armored RALPH steps out of the Tapper’s entrance.

RALPH (to himself): I can't feel my legs. What is all this stuff?

The helmet's visor is cluttered with stats and meters. The surge protector gives him a sideways glare.

RALPH (to himself): Smells like Ralph in here. Okay, what was it called? Hero-Hero something. Hero’s -- Duty! Hero’s Duty. Oh, there it is.

He sees soldiers in the same uniform going into the HERO’S DUTY outlet. He follows. He trips over Q*Bert.

Q*BERT: @#!

RALPH: Sorry, Q*bert. (LIFTS HIS VISOR) It's me, Ralph. Shh!

Ralph runs to the entrance of Hero's Duty, bangs into an archway...

RALPH: The wall.

...before continuing on.

Q*BERT : (suspicious) @!?#?

INT. LITWAK’S FAMILY FUN CENTER — MORNING

The sun is up over Litwak’s. Litwak lights up the OPEN sign.

LITWAK: Morning, kids. Come on in. Good to see you. Good to see you. You, too, little fella.

INT. HERO’S DUTY - TRAM STATION

A high-speed shuttle sweeps up to a stop. The doors open. A smiling Ralph and a few other soldiers run out. MUSIC STARTS.

Ralph looks around in awe.

ANNOUNCER OVER PA: Quarter alert! Quarter alert! This is not a drill.

RALPH: Ooh! Sweet golden medal!

Ralph follows the other soldiers.

QUARTERS GO INTO A MACHINE.

A MOPPET GIRL picks up the gun in front of the Hero’s Duty console.

NARRATOR: On a planet with no name, a top-secret experiment has gone horribly wrong. You are humanity's last hope.

INT. HERO’S DUTY, DARK HULL — DAY

It’s chock full of soldiers. Ralph drops his gun and bumps into soldiers while trying to retrieve it.

RALPH: Rooting-tooting, ready for shooting! (CHUCKLES)

Just then, SERGEANT TAMORA JEAN CALHOUN steps up before her men.

CALHOUN: All right. Now listen up, because I'm only going to say this once. Fear is a four-letter word, ladies. If you want to go pee-pee in your big-boy slacks, keep it to yourself. It's make your mamas proud time!

RALPH: I love my mama!

OFFICER: Heads up! First-person shooter, coming through!

Soldiers make way for a rinky-dink robot with a flat-screen head that displays the count-down to game play. Stiff mechanical arms hold a gun. The wheels are wobbly to simulate walking. Meet the FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER (“FPS”).

RALPH: Ooh, robot! Boop, boop, boop. (CHUCKLES)

ANNOUNCER OVER PA:

CALHOUN: We are humanity's last hope. Our mission? Destroy all Cy-Bugs. You ready, rookie? Let's find out.

The door opens and the view is vicious.

RALPH: ( TERRIFIED) Sweet Mother Hubbard!

The wind is wild. The terrain is dark, sharp and twisted. Giant CY-BUGS swarm by the millions. They’re part machine, part arthropod, with razor-sharp pincers, thrashing metal teeth and laser wings. A 99-story caustic building rises up out of the twisted ground behind them.

Ralph is pushed out of the hub with the other soldiers.

RALPH: No, no, no! Wait a second! Aah!

The soldiers shoot at Cy-Bugs from all directions.

CALHOUN: Cy-Bug, twelve o'clock. Take it, newbie.

As the girl starts killing bugs, Ralph runs around in a panic.

RALPH: No, no! Wait, wait!

He raises his gun and shoots randomly.

CALHOUN: Watch it, rookie! These monsters become what they eat.

A Cy-Bug grabs Ralph’s gun out of his hands and eats it.

RALPH: My gun! Give me that back.

The Cy-Bug’s arms MORPH into guns. It starts shooting. Ralph SCREAMS and runs away.

CALHOUN: (to the FPS) Shoot the eggs before they hatch!

A Cy-Bug lays some eggs in front of Ralph.

RALPH: Oh, no, no! Something's coming out of their bottom!

OUT IN THE ARCADE: The moppet girl looks confused.

RALPH: Oh, gross!

Calhoun steps into frame, grabs Ralph, and throws him off-screen.

CALHOUN: Markowski! Get back in formation! (getting back on script) All right, ladies, the kitten whispers and tickle fights stop now.

BACK INSIDE HERO’S DUTY

CALHOUN: The entrance to the lab is straight ahead.

Ralph peeks up from behind a rock, looks at the building.

RALPH: I'll meet you guys inside!

CALHOUN : No!

He runs for the building.

RALPH: Oh! Sanctuary! Sanctuary!

As soon as he crosses the bridge, he sets off a sensor. The lab doors fly open and a crowded swarm of Cy-Bugs pours out. Ralph runs up to the FPS, pleading to the screen.

RALPH: I thought this was going to be like Centipede! When did video games become so violent and scary!?

OUTSIDE THE GAME: The gamer is even more dumbfounded seeing his face pressed up against the screen as he blubbers.

RALPH (O.S) : Please, get me out of here!

BACK INSIDE THE GAME: Ralph uses the FPS droid as a meat shield.

RALPH: Take her! (MOPPET GIRL SCREAMS)

OUTSIDE THE GAME: The gamer watches the camera angle whips up to the jaws of a giant Cy-Bug, then turns red as if the FPS has fallen dead.

ANNOUNCER: GAME OVER...

The “GAME OVER” flashes on the screen. The girl slams the gun into its holder and marches away.

MOPPET GIRL: What a rip-off!

BACK INSIDE HERO’S DUTY: Ralph grapples with the Cy-Bug who tries to eat him.

RALPH: Ah! Get off me! It's game over. Stop it!

It’s not listening. It’s just an animal. Good thing it’s contained in this game and not in the station... right? Anyway, a beacon light suddenly shines through the center of the building and out the top.

SOLDIERS: Beacon up!

OFFICERS: Cease fire! Ceasefire!

The Cy-Bug suddenly stops attacking Ralph. It turns to the light and its eyes turn blue, charmed by it. It flies into the light and is zapped into oblivion, along with all the other bugs.

ANNOUNCER: Attention! Return to start positions. Return to start positions.

The fallen soldiers regenerate. The FPS robot rises back towards vertical. Ralph dusts him off.

RALPH: Here, let me help you. Sorry about that.

Irritated, its mechanical arms swat Ralph away. It rolls off.

RALPH: Yeah, you must be upset.

CALHOUN: Markowski!

RALPH: Who? Whoa! Oh, yeah, me. I'm Markowski.

Ralph stands at attention, chin raised, to avoid detection. Calhoun CLOCKS his helmet with hers.

CALHOUN: What's the first rule of Hero's Duty?!

RALPH: No cuts, no butts, no coconuts?

She clocks him again.

CALHOUN: Never interfere with the first-person shooter. Our job is to get the gamers to the top of that building so they can get a medal, and that's it! So stick to the program, soldier!

RALPH: Right. Right. Aye, aye.

ANNOUNCER: Quarter alert! Quarter alert!

CALHOUN: All right, pussy willows. Back to start positions!

RALPH: (Clocked a third time) Oh! Yeah, right. No way I'm going through that again.

He looks at the top of the formidable building.

RALPH: So that's where they keep the medal, huh?

INT. LITWAK’S ARCADE

The moppet that had been playing Hero’s Duty now walks up to a cheerful racing game called SUGAR RUSH. The marquee advertises: “New Racers Daily” and “Build your own kart.” Two BIG KIDS are playing it.

MOPPET GIRL: Hmm. "New racers daily." Sweet! I got next game.

The moppet goes to put a quarter on the console. The Big Kid slides her quarter off with a whole roll of quarters.

BIG KID ONE: Go away, kid! We're gonna play all nine of today's racers.

BIG KID TWO: Yeah!

MOPPET: Sorry.

The Moppet sighs, goes over to Fix-It Felix, Jr. instead.

INSIDE NICELAND: The intro music plays. Nicelanders take their positions. But Ralph does not, still being in Hero's Duty. A quote bubble pops up where he should be, reading: I’M GONNA WRECK IT!

BACK ON THE MOPPET: She looks confused.

MOPPET: Hmm. Where's the wrecking guy?

INSIDE NICELAND

The quote bubble just floats there.

MARY: Where's Ralph? He should be wrecking the building.

GENE: Shh! Stick with the program.

OUTSIDE OF CONSOLE

NICELANDERS: FIX IT, FELIX

FELIX: I can fix it!

He GASPS in shock to see there’s nothing to fix, but quickly recovers and smiles for the gamer, tossing his hammer slightly in a “technical difficulties fashion."

FELIX: (through gritted teeth) Ralph! Quarter alert! Game on!

The moppet tries to play normally. Felix, unable to resist, follows with the girl's actions.

DEANNA: Do something, Felix!

FELIX: Just act natural. I'll fix it.

BACK ON THE MOPPET

She freaks as the joystick moves on its own. Felix takes control, climbing down the building and waddling off screen.

FELIX: Ralph! Ralph!

MOPPET: What the???

FELIX: Ralph! RALPH!!!

Felix runs towards Ralph’s garbage pile. Ralph’s not there. Felix’s reassuring face turns to concern.

FELIX: Oh, my land! Where is he?

BACK ON THE MOPPET: She’s fed up.

MOPPET GIRL: Mr. Litwak!

LITWAK: What's the trouble, sweetheart?

MOPPET GIRL: The game's busted.

Mr. Litwak takes a look. He can see the Nicelanders panicking on screen while Felix tries to calm them down, and hears nonsensical computer chatter.

FELIX: I can fix it! I can fix it!

MR. LITWAK: Oh, boy. Looks like the game's gone cuckoo, like my nana. Sorry, sweetie. Here's your quarter back.

He gives her back a quarter.

MOPPET GIRL: But what about the game?

MR. LITWAK: I'll have someone look at it tomorrow, but if he can't fix it, it might be time to put old Ralph and Felix out to pasture. Like my nana.

INSIDE NICELAND: Felix and the Nicelanders watch in horror as an orange OUT OF ORDER sign eclipses the arcade light.

GENE: Ladies and gentlemen, we're out of order.

MARY: Sweet mercy! Without Ralph, we're doomed!

ROY: They're gonna pull our plug!

Double the panic.

FELIX: Okay, everybody, calm down. Ralph probably fell asleep in the washroom of Tapper's again.

Just then, a light approaches through the cord.

FELIX: (relieved) See? There he is now.

The tram arrives, and out comes Q*Bert, not Ralph.

FELIX: Why, it's Q*bert. What brings you here, neighbor?

Q*BERT: @;&?@#

GENE: What's he saying, Felix?

FELIX: Stand by. My Q*bert-ese is a little rusty. (CLEARS THROAT) #?@=&!

Q*BERT: @!#?&;

Felix: ☁️🌪️%?

Q*BERT:  %!&?÷£

FELIX: (GASPS) 💣 🦴💀❓

Q*BERT: 💣☠️⚡

FELIX: Ralph's gone Turbo!

HERO'S DUTY, TOWER

Lightning flashes across the sky. Ralph’s forgone the armor and he’s climbing the building. Ralph reaches the top. He peers in the window, sees:

A sea of eggs leads to a chamber in the middle of the room. Inside the chamber floats the Medal of Heroes.

RALPH: Ooh! Shiny.

ANNOUNCER : Attention! The arcade is now closed.

SOLDIER: Did you get a load of Markowski?

Calhoun stops, squints, sniffs. She raises her hand, quieting her troops.

CALHOUN: Shut your chew holes. (Hears something) Cy-Bug.

We hear a BLING. BLING. Felix steps out of the shadows.

Calhoun reels around starts firing.

CALHOUN: Taste it!

Soldiers open fire on Felix, too. He springs into action, bouncing, dodging bullets and laser beams. BLING. BLING.

Calhoun finally tackles him, straddles him and pins him down.

CALHOUN: Slick Tiddlywinking, pint-size.

She drives her gun’s muzzle into his face.

FELIX: I'm Fix-It Felix, Jr., ma'am. From the game, Fix-It Felix, Jr.

From the low angle, looking up at her.

FELIX: (lovestruck) Jiminey jaminey! Look at that high definition. Your face! It's amazing!

CALHOUN: Flattery don't charge these batteries, civilian.

She lets him up. Her soldiers share sly smirks.

CALHOUN: Now, state your business.

FELIX: Oh. I'm looking for my colleague, Wreck-it Ralph?

CALHOUN: Never heard of him.

FELIX: Well, Q*bert saw him come in here.

CALHOUN: Impossible. Nothing gets past me.

A CLANKING is heard from above.

KOHUT: That came from the tower.

ON THE TOP FLOOR OF THE LAB:

Ralph punches the window, breaks it, and steps in. The medal floats above a stage circled by airborne slabs of armor. He does his most careful TIP-TOE across a sea of eggs.

RALPH: Nice eggs. Nice eggs! Okay. That was easy.

He climbs the steps up to the chamber, triggering a giant hologram head to appear.

GENERAL HOLOGRAM: Congratulations, soldier. It is my honor to bestow upon you the Medal of Heroes.

RALPH : Wow!

INT. RALPH’S PENTHOUSE - PARTY — VISION

-Ralph bursts in triumphantly with the medal.

-Mary wheels out a cake with a handsome Ralph on top.

-Ralph is on the dance floor surrounded by Nicelanders doing the Wreck-it Ralph dance.

-Gene is outside in the brick pile looking longingly up at the party through bottles. He cries.

BACK TO REALITY: The medal lands around Ralph’s neck.

RALPH: No way!

GENERAL HOLOGRAM: Ten-hut!

More holograms of space Colonels and Generals surround him.

RALPH: (LAUGHS) Wow!

All the holograms salute, as does the General.

GENERAL HOLOGRAM: History will long revere your courage and sacrifice.

RALPH: Well, thank you!

GENERAL HOLOGRAM: You have etched in the rock of virtue a legacy beyond compare.

RALPH: Thanks, guys. At ease!

GENERAL HOLOGRAM: You are the universe's greatest hero.

CRUNCH! Ralph steps on an egg.

RALPH: Oops! Aye-yai-yai.

The egg hatches to reveal an adorable baby Cy-Bug.

GENERAL HOLOGRAM: The living embodiment of all this corps represents..

RALPH: Oh. (SCREAMS)

The baby bug attacks him. As Ralph fumbles, every egg he touches glows green. All he does is the exact opposite of what the hologram says:

GENERAL HOLOGRAM: Bravery. Integrity. Grace under pressure. And above all, dignity.

Ralph stumbles around, flies back and into one of the space pods. A harness immediately locks him in place. The door slams shut.

FEMALE ANNOUNCER: Escape pod activated.

The engine fires and then BOOM! The space pod bursts out of the top of the building and zooms away.

INSIDE THE POD: Ralph struggles to pull the Cy-Bug off him.

RALPH: (struggling) Get off my face!

KOHUT: Incoming!

In slomo, the pod flies right by Calhoun and Felix. As it passes by, Calhoun sees the Cy-Bug on Ralph’s face.

FELIX: Ralph!

CALHOUN: Cy-Bug!

The pod flies out of the game through the tunnel to Game Central.

INT. GAME CENTRAL STATION - MOMENTS LATER

Ralph’s pod blasts into the terminal, spiralling like an out-of-control bottle rocket off the floor and walls. The pod launches into the tunnel of another game before bumping into Sonic, causing him to drop all the scattered rings. Ralph tries to pry the bug off of his face. POP! It lets go.

RALPH: A-ha!

But then the bug starts to grow, fast.

RALPH: Oh, no!

The blackness of the tunnel turns pink.

04 Sugar Rush [ ]

A CANDY WORLD

The pod slips out of a giant chocolate-dipped cone with sprinkles and flies through cotton candy clouds. Some of the candy is sucked through the vent, shorting out an engine. The pod flies through more cotton candy, then dives under a layer of brown liquid candy, and crashes through a forest of peppermint stick trees. It comes to a halt at the edge of a cliff, and Ralph and the Cy-Bug slam against the dash.

Something beeps. It’s the EJECT button!

Ralph and the Cy-Bug are catapulted out of the ship. Ralph is flung into a tree. The Cy-Bug continues on and slams into a nearby tree. It falls into a taffy pool and sinks as if dead.

RALPH: Sayonara, sucker!

From the red and white stripped tree top, Ralph turns to see the vast, colorful land of candy before him.

RALPH: Sugar Rush?

A huge SUGAR RUSH sign glistens. Dessert go-karts whizz across a red candy curvy race track.

RALPH: Oh, no! This is that candy go-cart game over by the Whac-A-Mole. I gotta get out of here.

He wipes the stickiness off on his shirt and realizes that his medal is gone.

RALPH: Oh, no! My medal! (Stutters)

He spots the medal dangling from the highest branch of another peppermint tree.

RALPH: No, no, no, no, my medal!

Ralph quickly climbs down the tree as it shakes from his weight.

EXT. THE MEDAL IN THE PEPPERMINT TREE — MOMENTS LATER

RALPH: No, no no! My medal!

The tree is surrounded by a bubbling taffy pool. Ralph teeters across some wobbly gum drops floating in the pool. He grabs the tree and climbs, eyes on the medal.

??? (O.S.): Hi, mister!

RALPH: AHHH!!

He falls down a few feet, terrified. But it’s only VANELLOPE VON SCHWEETZ, an 11-year-old girl with black hair and a high ponytail, looking down from a branch above him.

VANELLOPE: Hello.

RALPH: Man, you scared me, kid. Ah, I nearly soiled myself.

VANELLOPE: What's your name?

RALPH: Uh... Ralph. Wreck-It Ralph.

VANELLOPE: You're not from here, are you?

RALPH: No, well, yeah. I mean, not from right in this area. I'm just doing some work here.

VANELLOPE: What kind of work?

He continues climbing.

RALPH:  Some routine candy tree trimming. You probably want to stand back. In fact, this whole area is technically closed while we're trimming.

VANELLOPE: Who's "we"?

RALPH: Candy tree department.

He climbs higher.

VANELLOPE: Oh! Where is everybody else?

RALPH: Ah, it's just me today.

VANELLOPE: So you just meant like the royal "we"?

RALPH: Yep. That's right.

Vanellope springs up to a branch by his face and hangs upside down.

VANELLOPE: Are you a hobo?

RALPH:  No, I am not a hobo. But I am busy, so you go, go home.

VANELLOPE: What’s that? I didn’t hear you. Your breath is so bad, it made my ears numb.

RALPH: Listen, I tried to be nice --

VANELLOPE:  (mimicking him) I tried to be nice.

RALPH: You’re mimicking me.

VANELLOPE (still mimicking) You’re mimicking me.

RALPH:  Okay, that is rude, and this conversation is over.

He climbs on.

VANELLOPE: (still mimicking) That is rude and this conversation is -- hahaha. (watching him) I wouldn’t grab that branch if I were you.

RALPH: I’m from the candy tree department, so I know what...

He grabs the branch. Bloop-bloop!

VANELLOPE : It’s a double stripe.

POOF. Ralph Falls but catches a single-stripe.

VANELLOPE: Double stripes break. Guh-doy! Hey, why are your hands so freakishly big?

RALPH: Uh, I don't know. Why are you so freakishly annoying?

VANELLOPE: Well, why are you so freakishly...

Just then, she notices the glistening medal.

VANELLOPE: Sweet mother of monkey milk! A gold coin!

RALPH: Don’t even think about it. That is mine.

VANELLOPE: Race you for it!

Vanellope moves like a monkey up the branches. Ralph follows.

RALPH: Hey! I don’t have to race you for it, because it’s mine!

Grabs a double stripe.

VANELLOPE:  Double stripe!

POOF! It BREAKS!

RALPH:  Come back here! Give it back, give it, give it!

Vanellope makes it to the top and grabs the medal.

VANELLOPE: The winner!

RALPH: Give it back! Give it!

VANELLOPE: Whoa!

Ralph grabs the branch she’s on and flings her off. She drops the medal, he catches it. She dives for it, misses. Ralph lands on a double-stripe.

VANELLOPE: Double stripe!

POOF. He falls. The medal goes flying again. He grabs the bottom branch and hangs inches above the BUBBLING taffy. The medal flies up into Vanellope’s hand.

VANELLOPE: Thank you.

She hops off the tree to the ground, safely beyond the taffy.

RALPH: Look, wait! Let me talk to you for one second. Here’s the thing, I’m not from the candy tree department.

VANELLOPE: Lying to a child. Shame on you, Ralph.

RALPH: But I wasn’t lying about the medal. That is my medal! That’s why I was climbing the tree. It’s mine! It’s precious to me.

Vanellope polishes the medal, admiring it.

RALPH: That thing is my ticket to a better life!

VANELLOPE: Well, now it’s my (glitches) ti-i-i-i-i-i-i-icket.

RALPH: What the…

VANELLOPE: See ya, chump.

She runs off.

RALPH: Come back! I’ll find you! I will find you!

VANELLOPE (O.S.): Double stripe!

Ralph falls into the gooey taffy pool! He bubbles up, looking like a taffy beast.

RALPH: Nowhere to hide!

He disappears back beneath the sticky surface.

INT. GAME CENTRAL - OUTSIDE SUGAR RUSH ENTRANCE

Surge Protector shows Felix and Calhoun the damaged entrance to Sugar Rush.

SURGE: Yeah, he banged around in here like some kind of hot shot. Then he went barrelling down there into that sweet, little game like a crazy person.

Calhoun studies the entrance to Sugar Rush.

CALHOUN: Sugar Rush. (a steely Clint Eastwoodesque squint) Cy-Bugs’ll chew up/take over that game faster than a chicken hawk in a coop of crippled roosters.

FELIX: (following close behind) What was that now?

She turns on him, dead serious.

CALHOUN: What’re you, thick? There was a Cy-Bug on that shuttle! (Off his confused look) Do you even know what a Cy-Bug IS?

FELIX: I can’t say that I do, ma’am.

CALHOUN: (like talking to a child) Cy-Bugs are like a virus. They don’t know they’re in a game. All they know is eat, kill, multiply. Without a beacon to stop them, they’ll take over/consume Sugar Rush. But do you think they’ll stop there?

FELIX: Yes!

CALHOUN: WRONG! Viruses do not stop!

She stands up straight and majestic and looks over Game Central to all the tunnels leading to so many games and all the characters from them.

CALHOUN: Once those Cy-Bugs finish off Sugar Rush, they’ll invade/take over every other game until this arcade is nothing but a smoking husk of forgotten dreams. (Resolute) Kohut! My cruiser. [Gimme my cruiser!]

Kohut hands her what looks like a folded surf board. Calhoun heads down the steps to the tunnel.

FELIX: Jeepers. Is she always this intense?

KOHUT: It's not her fault. She's programmed with the most tragic back-story ever. The one day she didn't do a perimeter check...

INT. CHURCH

KOHUT (V.O.): ...her wedding day.

Calhoun and her incredibly handsome fiance, BRAD, are about to exchange vows at the altar. Just then, a giant Cy-Bug crashes through the stained-glass window and CHOMPS down on the groom. Calhoun pulls out her automatic weapons and starts shooting through RAGING WAILS.

CALHOUN: She tries to shake it off. Felix hurries up to her in the tunnel.

FELIX:  Wait, Ma’am! I’m going with you.

CALHOUN: (reloading her gun) Like fun you are, short stack. You die outside your game, you don’t regenerate.

FELIX: Well neither do you, ma’am. And it is my job to fix what Ralph wrecks. And I cannot ask you to risk your life cleaning up his mess. No flex on this one, ma’am. I am coming along with you.

She gives him a hard look, then scoots aside on her hover board, snaps, and points behind her on the board. He leaps onto it. And off they go.

EXT. THE SUGAR RUSH RACE TRACK

Contestants roll up to the start line as their individualized cheering squads watch from their boxes. A huge trophy cup sits atop of assorted candy in a curvy design above the START Line. A blonde girl with strawberry-pink gear and a lollipop in her mouth waves to the audience and goes to the front of a group of racers.

Vanellope peeps out from beside one of the boxes labelled “Taffyta”. A green candy ball dresses the audience from the tallest box.

SOUR BILL (O.S.):  (flat, sad voice) Citizens of Sugar Rush…

VANELLOPE: Just in time!

SOUR BILL: All hail our rightful ruler, King Candy.

Up in the tallest box, a curtain opens and KING CANDY with his Ed-Wynn-like mug and style, jumps out.

KING CANDY: Hello, my loyal subjects! Ha-ha! Have some candy!

King Candy throws handfuls of candy into the crowd.

KING CANDY: Thank you for that stirring introduction, Sour Bill.

SOUR BILL: Mmmmhmmm.

KING CANDY (over microphone): And thank you to today’s avatars. It was a wonderful day of racing, it was. But now the arcade is closed, so it’s time to wipe the slate clean and race to decide our new roster.

ON THE TRACK: We scan across the racers standing proud in all their candy racing gear as King Candy explains the rules.

KING CANDY (over microphone): The first nine racers across that finish line will represent Sugar Rush as tomorrow’s avatars!

CROWD: ( chanting) RACE! RACE! RACE! RACE!

KING CANDY (over microphone): Yes, okay. Calm down. Listen, this event is pay-to-play. We all know this. The fee to compete is one gold coin from your previous winnings, if you’ve ever won, which (CHUCKLES) I have. Let me go first!

King Candy pulls a lever and tosses his coin onto a red lollipop which flips it into the huge cup. King Candy’s name appears on a CONTESTANT board.

ANNOUNCER (O.S.): King Candy!

King Candy leaps into the air with a flourish and poses. The crowd goes wild!

The blonde girl tosses up her coin. We follow it and watch it land in the cup, where it turns into game code and then disappears into an abyss.

ANNOUNCER (O.S.): Taffyta Muttonfudge!

Taffyta does her signature leap and pose in the air and gives the fans her catch-phrase.

TAFFYTA: Stay sweet!

CROWD: (chanting) CANDY POPE!

More kids throw in their coins as Vanellope pushes her covered kart to the starting line.

ANNOUNCER (O.S.): Adorabeezle Winterpop! Gloyd Orangeboar!

Vanellope scurries up to the back of the line.

ANNOUNCER (V.O.) : Crumbelina Di Caramello!

ON RALPH: Ralph, covered in taffy, trudges his way towards the race track.

RALPH: Little stealer. Wait ’till I catch that brat.

BACK AT THE TRACK: Racers continue throwing their coins into the cup.

ANNOUNCER: Minty Zaki! Snowanna Rainbeau! Rancis Fluggerbutter! Jubileena Bing-Bing! Swizzle Malarkey! Candlehead!

It’s Vanellope’s turn. She kisses the Medal of Heroes and throws it. It bounces around the rims of the cup while she stares at the leaderboard, grimmacing.

KING CANDY: Sour Bill, who’s that last one?

The medal drops into the cup, swirls inside it, turns into game code, and disappears into the abyss.

A new racer appears on the board:

ANNOUNCER (O.S.):  Vanellope Von Schweetz!

The crowd gasps in horror.

VANELLOPE: (Glitches) Yi-i-i-i-ippe-e-e-e! I’m in the race!

KING CANDY: VANELLOPE?!?

Taffyta rips the tarp off of Vanellope’s kart, revealing a sad, shabby kart made from recycled junk with the name “Lickity Split” written on the side.

TAFFYTA: (GASPS) The Glitch!

The crowd starts to panic.

KING CANDY (over microphone): Now, now! (LAUGHS) Everything is all right! SECURITY!!!

Two donut cops, WYNNCHEL and DUNCAN, step toward the Glitch with batons.

DUNCAN: C’mere, kid!

WYNNCHEL: We're not gonna hurt you, you little freak!

Vanellope makes a break for it.

WYNNCHEL : Get back here!

DUNCAN: Slow down! Slow down a little bit!

Just then, a taffy-covered Ralph, twigs and candy stuck to him, comes barrelling onto the track, looking like a creature from the taffy lagoon.

RALPH: You! Give me back my medal right now!

VANELLOPE: (glitching) A-a-a-h b-o-o-oy!

KING CANDY: What is that???

Ralph chases Vanellope across the line. Vanellope slips under a spectator’s box, but Ralph lifts it up. Ralph follows her, flipping over box after box. Spectators scatter.

KING CANDY: Careful! What are you doing?!

Vanellope runs out from under the stands. Ralph keeps following. He slams into a giant cupcake water tower. It tips.

RALPH: (looking up) Huh?

The giant cupcake falls on Ralph, trapping him inside. His taffy-covered head and hands pop out the top. He tips over.

RALPH: Come back here!

He tips over. Vanellope slips away.

RALPH: I can't move!

WYNNCHEL: Now we got him!

The donut cops rush up to a helpless Ralph, who points to where Vanellope went and mumble-yells.

RALPH: Oh, good, the cops. She went that way!

They ignore him and knock him with their batons.

DUNCAN: Hold still!

WYNNCHEL: Take that!

RALPH: What are you doing??

KING CANDY: (into his microphone) Okay folks. Calm down! Everything’s all right. The monster’s been caught! We’ll repair all the damage. Don’t worry, we will have our race before the arcade opens.

VANELLOPE: And I’m in it. Yes!

Vanellope hops into her kart and pedals off.

TAFFYTA: (to the other racers) There’s no way that I am racing with a glitch. Rancis, Candlehead, come on.

KING CANDY: Sour Bill, that glitch cannot be allowed to race! (point down to Ralph) And bring THAT thing to my castle.

RALPH: Guys! She too-

Wynnchel tases Ralph.

05 The Glitch [ ]

EXT. KING’S CANDY CASTLE

OREO GUARDS march and chant outside a grand candy palace.

OREO GUARDS: (chanting) O-re-o. O-ree-o. O-re-o. O-ree-o.

INT. KING’S CANDY CASTLE

The donut police roll the Ralph cupcake/taffy ball into a frilly throne room. King Candy drives his kart right into the room and backs it into his THRONE parking spot.

KING CANDY: Sour Bill, de-taffify this monster so we can see what we’re up against here.

SOUR BILL: Mmmm-kay.

Sour Bill pulls off a giant glob of taffy, exposing Ralph’s face and head.

RALPH: (SCREAMS)

KING CANDY: Milk my duds! It’s Wreck-it Ralph?!

RALPH: (getting his bearings) Yeah. Who are you, the guy that makes the donuts?

KING CANDY: Please. No, I’m King Candy.

RALPH: I see you’re a fan of pink.

KING CANDY: (bluffing) Salmon. Salmon. It’s obviously sal- What are you doing here?

RALPH: Look, Your Candiness, this is just a big misunderstanding. Just get me out of this cupcake, I’ll get my medal, and I’ll be outta your way.

KING CANDY: Your medal? (LAUGHS) Bad Guys don’t win medals.

RALPH: Well, this one did. I earned it over in Hero’s Duty.

KING CANDY: You game-jumped? Ralph, you’re not going Turbo are you?

RALPH: What? No, no no.

KING CANDY: Because i-if-if you think you can come in here to my kingdom and take over my game, you’ve got another thing coming!!!

RALPH: EASY, Your Puffiness. It’s not my fault one of your children of the candy corn stole my medal.

KING CANDY: Children of the candy corn? Who’d- (realizing, GASP) The Glitch! The coin she used to buy her way into the race, that was your medal?

RALPH: She did what?! I need that back!

KING CANDY: Well, I’m afraid I can’t help you. It’s gone, it’s nothing but code now. And it’ll stay that way until someone wins the cup at the end of the race.

RALPH: Well, maybe I’ll just have to have a little talk with the winner then.

KING CANDY: Is that a threat I smell? (GAGS) Beyond the halitosis you so obviously suffer from?

RALPH: Listen, Nilly-Wafer, I’m not leaving without my medal!

KING CANDY: Yes, you are. Wynnchel, Duncan, get him out of that cupcake and on the first train back home. And if I EVER SEE YOU HERE AGAIN, WRECK-IT RALPH, I’ll lock you in my Fungeon.

RALPH: “Fungeon?"

KING CANDY: Fun Dungeon. It’s a play on words -- Nevermind. Now, I’ve got a glitch to deal with, thanks to you. Goodbye, Wreck-it Ralph! It hasn’t been a pleasure.

King Candy hops into his kart and drives out of the room.

Wynnchel knocks on the cupcake.

DUNCAN: This thing’s hard as a rock.

WYNNCHEL: I can see that. Get the tools.

RALPH: What tools?

Wynnchel hits Ralph with the baton.

WYNNCHEL: Quiet, you.

Duncan goes over to a chest, pulls out a chain-saw, and revs it up.

RALPH: What? No! Ah! Stay away from me!

WYNNCHEL: Hey, take it easy, big boy.

Ralph flails. He rolls back onto his feet and starts hobbling towards the door.

DUNCAN: He’s getting away!

EXT. OUTSIDE THE DOUBLE CASTLE WINDOWS

Ralph and the cupcake burst through the wall and fall.

INT. BACK INSIDE THE CASTLE

Wynnchel and Duncan run to the window. They look down and see the smashed cupcake on the ground and Ralph running away.

WYNNCHEL: Quick, call out the Devil Dogs!

EXT. LOLLISTIX FOREST - A SHORT WHILE LATER

DEVIL DOGS on leashes bound through the trees and down the ravine. They stop by a chocolate stream. They lose the scent and run off down river.

A pixie stick, poking out of the stream, moves. Ralph breaks the surface.

RALPH:  Argh -- I hate chocolate. (scrambling to the shore) Got to get my medal back.

He hears the ROAR of engines. Sees a bunch of racers speed by on nearby road.

RALPH: The pot goes to the winning racer!

He runs after them.

RALPH: Hey, kids! Can I talk to you for a second?

He just misses them, as they disappear around the bend and approach Vanellope, who is working on her handmade kart. It’s up on a jacks.

The racers sweep in and surround her. She pushes away any evidence of fear and stands tall to meet them.

VANELLOPE:  Hello, fellow racers!

Ralph peeks over the hill.

RALPH: It’s that little crumbsnatcher.

Taffyta gets out of her kart and approaches Vanellope.

VANELLOPE: Candlehead, Taffyta, Rancis, you’re looking well. Came by to check out the competition, huh? Well, here it is, The Lickity-Split!

ON RALPH: unimpressed.

RALPH: Jeesh. Looks like she built it herself.

BACK ON THE KIDS

VANELLOPE: Built it myself. Fastest pedal-power west of the Whack-A-Mole. Check her out.

Vanellope hops in her kart and starts pedalling. The gears catch and spin. She honks a quite silly horn.

TAFFYTA: Oh, Vanellope, it’s so... you. But you have to back out of the race, yeah.

Vanellope gets out of her kart and approaches Taffyta.

VANELLOPE: Oh, no, I don’t, because, y'know, I paid my fee and I’m on the board. So, yeah, I’m definitely racing.

TAFFYTA: Yeah, well, King Candy says glitches can’t race.

VANELLOPE: I’m not a glitch, Taffyta. (she glitches) I’ve just got pixlexia, okay?

Ignoring her, Taffyta walks over to Vanellope’s kart.

TAFFYTA: The rules are there for a reason, Vanellope. To protect us. (getting in Vanellope’s kart) Say I’m you. I’m in my weird little car, and I’m driving, and I actually feel kinda cool for once. And then, all of a sudden, oh no! I’m gl-gl-gl... gl-gl-glitching!

Taffyta rips the steering wheel right off.

VANELLOPE: Hey!

TAFFYTA: See? You're an accident just waiting to happen.

JUBILEENA: Oh, no! I g-g-g-glitched, too!

Jubileena goes over to the kart, flails and smacks the hood loose. Vanellope rushes over to her kart, but other racers get in her way and block her.

ON RALPH: Disturbed by what he’s seeing.

RALPH: Uncool.

BACK ON THE KIDS: The other racers tear apart the kart, mocking Vanellope’s condition.

VARIOUS RACERS: Oh no, I glitched. I glitched. Look out, I’m glitching.

VANELLOPE: Stop it! Stop! You're breaking it! Please!

Vanellope grabs Taffyta (glitching her as well) and spins her around to face her.

VANELLOPE: I just wanna race like you guys!

TAFFYTA: You’ll never be a racer, because you’re a glitch. And that’s all you’ll ever be!

Taffyta pushes Vanellope, who goes flying back, and lands SPLAT in the mud.

ON RALPH: That’s the last straw; he jumps up.

RALPH: Hey! Leave her alone!

He runs down the hill, yelling, flailing his arms. They SCREAM in terror and run to their cars.

TAFFYTA: Let’s get out of here!

The racers drive off.

RALPH: Scram, you rotten little cavities, before I throw YOU in the mud!

Ralph puffs up. He turns to Vanellope.

She wipes away tears, while sifting through the wreckage of her kart.

VANELLOPE:  What are YOU looking at?

RALPH: You’re welcome, you rotten little thief.

VANELLOPE: I’m not a thief. I just borrowed your stupid coin. I was gonna give it back to you as soon as I won the race.

RALPH: It’s not a coin. It is a medal.

VANELLOPE: Coin. Medal. Whatever. Just go back to your own dumb game and win another one.

RALPH: I can’t. I didn’t win it in my game. I won it in Hero’s Duty.

VANELLOPE: Hero’s Doodie? (SNIGGERS)

RALPH : It’s not that kind of duty.

VANELLOPE: I bet you really gotta watch where you step in a game called Hero’s Doodie! (LAUGHS) What did you win a medal for, wiping? I hope you washed your hands after you handled that medal.

RALPH: Listen!

VANELLOPE: One more. One more: why did the hero flush the toilet? Say why.

RALPH: Why.

VANELLOPE: Because it was his doodie!

RALPH: How dare you insult Hero’s Duty, you little guttersnipe! I earned that medal, and you better get it back for me, toot-sweet, sister!

VANELLOPE: Well, unless you’ve got a go-kart hidden in the fat folds of your neck, I can’t help you!

Ralph makes like he wants to crush her, but takes his anger out onto a few nearby candy trees instead. He then punches a giant jawbreaker. It doesn’t so much as crack. He tries again.

Nothing. Incensed, he repeatedly pounds on it-- temper-tantrum style.

VANELLOPE: What a moron. (calling to Ralph) Hey genius, it’s a jawbreaker! You’re never gonna break --

It cracks clean in half. That gives her an idea.

VANELLOPE: Huh.

Ralph plops down on a rock, out of breath. Vanellope comes over and leans against a nearby jawbreaker.

VANELLOPE: Enjoy your little tantrum, diaper baby?

RALPH: Leave me alone.

VANELLOPE: Look, you want that medal, right? And I want to race. So, here’s what I’m thinking; you help me get a new kart, a REAL kart, and I’ll win the race and get you back your medal.

RALPH: You want me to help you?

VANELLOPE: All you got to do is break something for me. Come on, what do you say, friend?

She holds out a hand. He doesn’t take it right away.

RALPH: We are not friends.

VANELLOPE: Oh, come on, pal. You son of a gun. Come on, buddy. Let's shake on it. Ah. Come on, chumbo. Ralph, my man. My main man. Hey. My arm's getting tired. We have a deal or not?

RALPH: (GRUNTS) You better win.

He takes her little hand, and they shake on it.

06 Going Turbo [ ]

EXT. SUGAR RUSH - CRUISER - FLYING - DAY

Felix and Calhoun get a bird’s eye view of Ralph’s wreckage.

CALHOUN: I’ll say this much, they don’t call your friend Wreck-It for nothing. There’s the shuttle.

She lands the cruiser.

EXT. SUGAR RUSH - THE BROKEN SHIP

Calhoun does a military run up to the ship, gun raised. She circles it, checks the cockpit.

Felix approaches cautiously.

FELIX: Is he in there?

CALHOUN: Nope. Lucky for him, otherwise I would have slapped his corpse -- No Cy-Bug either.

She pulls out her tri-quarter bug sensor and starts scanning.

CALHOUN: Got to find it before it lays its filthy eggs.

EXT. CANDY CANE FOREST - TAFFY PIT

Calhoun and Felix pass the pit. She’s getting a faint signal on the sensor. It scrambles. She smacks it. It scrambles more.

CALHOUN: It came this way, but the sugar particles in the atmosphere are jamming my sensor; can’t get a read on it.

They walk on.

CALHOUN: So, what is it with this Wreck-it Joker, huh? Why’d he go AWOL?

FELIX: I wish I knew, ma’am. He was acting all squirrelly last night, going on about cake and medals. (distraught) But I never thought he’d go Turbo.

CALHOUN: “Go Turbo”?

FELIX: T hat’s right, you guys just got plugged in. Well, back when the arcade first opened…

NT. LITWAK’S ARCADE - EARLY 80S - FLASHBACK

Simpler days. 80s music. 80s kids play classic games, FFJ, PAC MAN, and an 8-bit racing game called TURBO TIME. We meet TURBO, basically a giant smiley face in a generic car, racing on a generic road.

FELIX (V.O.): …Turbo Time was by far the most popular game.

Turbo crosses the finish line and gives us a giant thumbs-up.

TURBO: TURBO-TASTIC!

FELIX (V.O.): And Turbo-- well, he loved the attention.

Turbo takes the first-place spot on a podium. He blocks the second-place racer down with a wave of his trophy and blocks the third-place racer from view with his Turbo thumbs-up.

FELIX (V.O.): So. when RoadBlasters got plugged in and stole Turbo’s thunder…

80S PLAYER 2: New game! Alright!

RoadBlasters is wheeled in. Kids abandon Turbo Time to play it. TURBO is left mid-game.

FELIX (V.O.): …boy, was he jealous…

His big smile turns to a frown.

POWER STRIP: We watch the little Turbo dot cross the power cord from his game to RoadBlasters.

FELIX (V.O.): ...so jealous that he abandoned his game and tried to take over the new one.

EXT. ROADBLASTERS — SHORT TIME LATER

80S PLAYER 1: These are the greatest graphics I’ve ever seen!

An 8-bit Turbo drives all over the track, causing the kid to crash his car.

80S PLAYER 2: Hey. Is that... That looks like Turbo.

80S PLAYER 1: What's Turbo doing in this game?

Turbo slams into the kid’s car, and the game crashes.

80S PLAYER 1: Aw, come on!

80S PLAYER 2: Mr. Litwak!

WORKERS wheel out both Turbo Time and RoadBlasters.

FELIX (V.O.): Turbo ended up putting both games and himself out of order, for good.

BACK ON CALHOUN AND FELIX: Calhoun shakes her head.

CALHOUN: Yes, the selfish man is like a mangy dog chasing a cautionary tale.

They step onto a fallen peppermint tree acting as a bridge over a ravine.

FELIX: I know, right? That’s why I have to get Ralph home, or the same thing’s gonna happen to my game.

BLOOP-BLOOP! The entire tree is double stripe.

FELIX: Huh?

The tree disappears. They fall into a pit of chocolate powder.

CALHOUN: What is this?

A sign reads: NESQUIK SAND.

CALHOUN: " Nesquik Sand"?

FELIX: Quicksand!? Oh, I'll hop out and grab you one of those vines. (GRUNTS) Huh!

Calhoun stands calm, sizing up the situation. Felix flails as he tries to hop out of the sand. But his usual “boing” is more like a “bllllrgh” as the sand swallows him.

FELIX: I can’t hop. I’m hopless. This is hopeless! We’re gonna drown here!

CALHOUN: Stop thrashing! Stop moving-- you’re making us sink faster!

FELIX: (still panicking) We’re gonna die!

CALHOUN: Get a hold of yourself!

Calhoun slaps him in the face. He looks at her, shocked. Suddenly they hear GIGGLING. They look up to see Laffy Taffy vines hanging from a tree. As the vines giggle, they stretch and lower towards them.

FELIX: The vines. They’re Laffy Taffy. They’re attracted to whatever makes them laugh. Here, hit me again.

She smacks him lightly. The taffy vines retreat with a collective groan, disappointed.

FELIX: That’s not funny enough. Harder!

She hesitates.

CALHOUN: Look, you’re a nice guy, I can’t--

FELIX: (unusually forceful) NO, MA’AM!! The arcade is depending on us. Now do your duty. That’s an or-

She full on belts him. The taffy howls with laughter. He’s got a huge back eye.

FELIX: It’s working, hit me again!

CALHOUN: Ooh, your eye.

FELIX: I can fix it.

He hits his eye with the hammer. His black eye goes away.

FELIX: Now-

WHAP! His nose and cheeks are swollen.

FELIX: AAoooowwww!!! San Frantastic! (Hammers himself to normal) Again!

POW! He’s got teeth missing.

FELIX: Ow! You mean business!

BLING! His teeth reappear.

FELIX: Ow! Yikes on bikes!

She hits. BLING. He fixes his face. Smack, bling, smack, bling, over and over, the vines approaching.

FELIX: Wow! We’re -- killing -- them! Comedy gold!

Finally, the vines are within reach. He grabs hold, then pulls her into his arms. The vine sweeps them up and out of the quicksand. The world slows down. Music swells. Calhoun looks up at Felix. They arrive on the tree branch. For some reason he looks strong-jawed and heroic. He smiles down on her. Man, she’s beautiful. There’s a real chemistry between them. Calhoun notices that the Laffy Taffy are singing in a Disney-esque choir and have formed a heart shape around them. She pulls out her gun and shoots at the vines.

CALHOUN: Alright, enough with the goo-goo eyes. We've got work to do. Let's go.

She looks at the sensor, all business.

CALHOUN (climbing out of the tree): Argh, we lost the Cy-Bug. Let’s go. Come on, we’ll get a better view from the air. Think you can fix that shuttle?

FELIX: Can do.

He follows back her towards the shuttle.

Down below the tree, unbeknownst to them, something has burrowed into the ground. We recognize the sounds of a Cy-Bug coming from the hole it made. We see the Cy-Bug from the pod emerge from the hole. It eats a striped cane root and becomes striped itself.

07 Making a Car [ ]

EXT. GO-KART BAKERY

An impressive facility shaped like a giant cake. Birthday candle chimneys line the top. Ralph and Vanellope sneak past a guard’s gingerbread booth with BEARD PAPA snoozing inside of it.

EXT. BAKERY WALL — MOMENTS LATER

They slink up to a giant door with a hefty dead-bolt on it.

Vanellope’s face is painted huge on the door with a circle-slash through it and the words: “No Glitches Allowed!”

VANELLOPE: Alright, do your thing, knuckles. Bust it open.

RALPH: What’s this? You're a full on criminal, aren’t you?

VANELLOPE: Hey, we shook on it.

Ralph’s fist busts through the door, destroying it.

VANELLOPE: Thank you, Jeeves.

INT. KART BAKERY

Vanellope runs in. It’s dark. There’s nothing but a start button.

RALPH: What is this place? Where are the karts?

She hits the START BUTTON. A screen lights up. It reads: CHOOSE YOUR KART. There are a bunch of cool candy karts to choose from.

VANELLOPE: You gotta make one.

RALPH: What? No, no no. Look, kid, bad idea, trust me. I don’t make things, I break things.

VANELLOPE: Well, it looks like you're gonna be stepping outside your comfort zone then, Gladys. (seeing a kart she likes) Ooh, this is a good one.

She presses the “choose” button. Suddenly the entire place lights up. There are levers and pulleys and bins.

ANNOUNCER: Welcome to the bakery! Let's bake a kart!

RALPH: What is this, another game?

VANELLOPE: Y eah, well, it's a mini-game.

VOICE: You have one minute to win it.

RALPH: What?

VANELLOPE: Come on, Ralph!

Oversized numbers fly through air from the background to the foreground.

Vanellope runs over to giant steering wheel. Before her: two shoots, a balancing platform, a bowl, and a trash can.

VOICE: MIXING!

The word “MIXING” flies through the air.

VOICE: Put the ingredients in the bowl and throw away the trash.

Vanellope hangs on the wheel to steer it. Egg come out of the shoot and onto the platform. She steers the wheel. The platform tilts to drop the eggs in the batter bowl. Other objects come out of the shoots like boots, soccer balls, underpants, and hairbrushes.

A recipe card keeps score. Vanellope’s having trouble with the steering and is missing the ingredients.

RALPH: Hair brush. No! Underpants, no, no! You’re getting all wrong the stuff, kid.

VANELLOPE: I’m trying!

RALPH: Urgh. I’ll do it.

He jumps up on the platform, catches all the ingredients, throws the good ones into the bowl and the bad ones into the trash can.

RALPH: No -- yes -- gross -- Milk, yes!

The flour hits him. He falls into the bowl.

VOICE: Batter up!

The beaters comes down and mix the batter, Ralph and all. The batter and Ralph dump into a mold. Ralph crawls out of the batter just before it goes into the oven.

VANELLOPE: Come on, no sleeping on the job!

VOICE: BAKING!

Ralph gets up, stumbles around, dizzy. The word “BAKING” flies through the air.

VOICE: Baking! Pump up the heat and hold the perfect temperature.

Vanellope runs over and jumps on the bellows. She can’t get it hot enough.

VANELLOPE: Ralph! A little help here.

RALPH: I’m on it!

Ralph presses down and completely breaks the pump.

VANELLOPE: Ralph!

RALPH: Yeah, no problem, just give me this thing here --

Ralph grabs the hose and blows into it himself. The mercury rises.

VANELLOPE: Okay, good! A little more. That’s it! Hold it! Hold it! Hold it!

His cheeks are bulging. He turns red, then purple, then blue .

DING! Just right. Vanellope cheers. Ralph collapses.

VANELLOPE: Yes! Come on, get up, Ralph! Fifteen seconds!!

VOICE: DECORATING!

The conveyor belt goes under a bunch of candy dispensers filled with everything from wheels to jimmies. They must launch eggs out of a cannon aimed at targets on the respective bins.

VANELLOPE: Wheels first.

RALPH: How many?

VANELLOPE: FOUR, doi!

RALPH: Got it.

Ralph hits the cannon four times hard. Four eggs launch, hit the target and four wheels pop out of the bin, but they came out too early to be attached to the kart.

VANELLOPE: Now frosting. A buttload of frosting!

RALPH: No problem.

He hits the spatula several times. Several eggs go flying and smash the entire frosting bin, which topples into the next ONE.

RALPH: Uh oh.

The other bins collapse like dominoes and spill all their content onto the kart.

The final buzzer sounds.

ANNOUNCER: Times up!

The kart drops down a ramp into a fancy garage. They run to the garage door, on which there’s a beautiful image of a perfect kart.

ANNOUNCER: Congratulations. You did it, and here’s your kart!

The garage door opens, revealing their abomination beneath spilled candy.

RALPH: ( EXCLAIMS) Look, kid... I tried to warn you. I can't make things. I just break...

VANELLOPE : I love it.

RALPH: You do?

VANELLOPE: I love it. I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! Look, it’s got a real engine! And look at these wheels! (kisses the wheels) I love it! I finally have a real kart!

Vanellope then grabs two small pastry bags.

VANELLOPE: Come on. A work of art like this must be signed.

Ralph has a pleased grin.

08 Driving Lessons [ ]

BACK OUTSIDE

BEARD PAPA: Hmm, cream puffs.

Beard Papa wakes with a start. He sees colored smoke puffing out of the factory stacks, then. Vanellope on the security camera. Beard Papa GASPS. He grabs his Red emergency phone.

BEARD PAPA: This is Beard Papa. The Glitch is in the bakery! Get me King Candy!

BACK INSIDE THE BAKERY: Ralph finishes writing “AND RALPH” in red frosting under “made by Vanellope” in turquoise. He stands back to admire their work. Ralph’s smiling like a sap, the first time we’ve seen him smile.

VANELLOPE: Whoa. You have teeth? I’ve never seen you smile before.

RALPH I’m not smiling. I’m gassy, okay?

They start to crack up, when:

KING CANDY (O.S.) Hold it right there, Glitch!

King Candy, Wynnchel, and Duncan drive in. King Candy sees Ralph and GASPS in shock!

KING CANDY (seeing Ralph) And Wreck-it Ralph?!

RALPH: Uh-oh.

Ralph aims the pastry bag at King Candy and the donuts and sprays them in the face, temporarily blinding them.

RALPH: Start the kart!

Ralph throws Vanellope in the driver’s seat of her kart and hops on the back.

She hovers her hand over the buttons and knobs.

RALPH: What are you waiting for?! C’mon, let’s go!

VANELLOPE: I, ah, don’t know how to drive a real kart.

RALPH: You don’t what?

Duncan looks at King Candy, concerned.

DUNCAN: Are you hurt, Sire?

KING CANDY: No, he just glazed me. Ho-ho-ho-ho. Get them!

RALPH: Gang way!

Ralph pushes off the floor with his hands. The kart takes off.

EXT. BAKERY — CONTINUOUS

Ralph and Vanellope burst right through the wall. Ralph hand-pedals the ground faster. They catch a downhill and pick up speed, breaking the toll booth poll, which incidentally was double-stripped. King Candy and the donuts are hot on their trail.

KING CANDY: Stop in the name of the king; that’s me!

VANELLOPE: Get off the road!

Ralph digs into the ground and takes a tight turn. The CLAW swat truck over-shoots and goes tumbling.

VANELLOPE: Head for Diet Cola Mountain!

A huge Coke-bottle shaped mountain towers above the horizon. They take a fork in the road.

VANELLOPE: Drive into the wall!

RALPH: What?!

VANELLOPE: Right there, between the two sugar-free lollipops!

RALPH: Are you crazy?!

VANELLOPE: Just do it!

Ralph aims the kart at the mountain head on! And just as we brace for impact, Ralph, Vanellope, and the kart hit the mountain wall, pixelate, and disappear.

INT. DIET COLA MOUNTAIN - CONTINUOUS

Ralph and Vanellope come sweeping into a Dali-esque world of half-built game props. They CRASH. The kart ends up vertical against a rock, front wheels spinning. Ralph tumbles out.

EXT. DIET COLA MOUNTAIN - CONTINUOUS

King Candy and the donut police screech to a halt. King Candy removes his goggles and looks around.

KING CANDY: Where’d they go? They should have just turned. (To the cops) Find that Glitch. Destroy that kart! She can’t be allowed to race!

Wynnchel and Duncan drive off. King Candy wipes his sweaty brow, upset.

INT. DIET COLA MOUNTAIN

Ralph picks himself up and lays into Vanellope.

RALPH:  Let me get this straight; you don’t know how to drive.

VANELLOPE: Well no, not technically. But I just thought --

Ralph gets to his feet.

RALPH: What did you think? (mocking voice) "Oh, I’ll just magically win the race just because I really want to!"

She grabs the steering wheel, eager.

VANELLOPE: Look wise guy, I know I’m a racer. I can feel it in my code.

RALPH: (GRUNTS IN FRUSTRATION) That’s it, I’m never getting my medal back.

Vanellope jumps up and tries to push the kart off the rock. It doesn’t budge.

VANELLOPE: What is the big whoop about that crummy medal anyway?

RALPH: The big whoop? Well, this may come as a shock to you, but in my game, I'm the Bad Guy and I live in the garbage.

VANELLOPE: Cool.

RALPH: No. Not cool. Unhygienic and lonely and boring. And that "crummy medal" was going to change all that. I go home with that baby around my neck and I'll get a penthouse. Pies. Ice sculptures. Fireworks! (off her blank stare)(GRUNTS) It's grown-up stuff. You wouldn't understand.

VANELLOPE: No, I get it! That's exactly what racing would do for me!

RALPH: Well, guess what?

VANELLOPE: What?

RALPH: News flash! Neither one of us is getting what we want!

Ralph stomps his foot. BOOM! Something explodes nearby.

RALPH: What was that?

Ralph follows the sound. He comes to a room with a bubbling pool. He reads the signs.

RALPH: (reading) "Diet Cola Hot Springs. Watch out for falling Mentos?”

VANELLOPE: Yeah, check it out. Look!

Vanellope throws a rock at the stalactite. Hits it. A piece of Mentos falls into the pool. BOOM! A giant broiling geyser shoots up into the air.

VANELLOPE: Oh, you gotta watch out for the splash. That stuff is broiling hot.

RALPH: Yeah, I got that, thank you. What is this dump?

VANELLOPE : I think it’s some sort of unfinished bonus level. Yeah, it’s pretty cool, huh? I found that secret opening, and now I live here. See, look, look look!

She runs over to a crudely fashioned lean-to above a bed of candy-wrappers.

VANELLOPE: Welcome to my home! I sleep in these candy wrappers. I bundle myself up like a little homeless lady.

Suddenly, it occurs to Ralph: their plights are the same.

RALPH: By yourself? With all this garbage around you?

VANELLOPE: Well, yeah. I mean, everyone here says I'm just a mistake and that I wasn't even supposed to exist. What do you expect?

RALPH: Listen, kid... I know it's none of my business, but why do you even stick around this game?

VANELLOPE: You really don't know anything, do you? Glitches can't leave their games. It's one of the joys of being me.

Ralph looks around at her sad life. He gets a thought. He raises his giant fist and starts pounding the twisted, nonsense architecture.

VANELLOPE: Hey, what are you doing? Come on! I know it's a dump, but it's all I got.

RALPH: (still pounding) If you're going to be a racer, you have to learn how to drive. And you can't do that without a track.

REVEAL: He’s made a beginner’s track around the hot springs.

Ralph picks up the kart and puts it on the track.

RALPH: All right, now. Let's hustle up. We've got some driving to do.

Vanellope runs in a circle around Ralph and the kart, cheering.

VANELLOPE : I'm going to learn to drive! I'm going to learn to drive! I'm gonna-Oh, wait. Do you know how to drive?

RALPH: Yeah! I mean, I haven't done it, but... Look, I flew a spaceship today, okay?

VANELLOPE: You crashed it.

RALPH: Just get in. How hard can it be? Okay, uh... Start it up.

Vanellope starts it up and revs the engine.

RALPH: There we go. So there are some buttons on the floor.

VANELLOPE: Pedals.

RALPH: Pedals. Right. Now, uh, that's the go pedal. That I believe is the stopper. And this...

He presses the clutch pedal.

RALPH: Wait. What is this? That doesn't do anything.

VANELLOPE: Ooh, what does this joystick do?

She pushes the gear shift. The kart jumps forward, dragging Ralph with it. He lands flat on his face. Vanellope stalls. Ralph lifts his head up.

RALPH: Okay, good. Let's try that again.

RALPH: standing in front of her.

She zips forward and slams into Ralph.

RALPH: Ow !

RALPH: standing behind her.

She grinds the gears, flies in reverse, slams into him. He cries out. She slams into him again .

RALPH: hiding behind a rock.

Vanellope bucks forward, hits a stalagmite. It falls, lands on Ralph’s head.

VANELLOPE steering through an obstacle course. CUT to reveal Ralph is pushing the kart from behind, guiding her around the rocks.

RALPH: motion-steering as Vanellope watches. She turns the wheel and slams into a rock. Spitting out a tooth, she gives a “thumbs up.”

VANELLOPE: driving in first gear. She lifts her foot off the clutch slowly and moves forward smoothly.

RALPH: Now shift it. That's good. Keep going! Shift it again!

VANELLOPE: I told you, racing's in my code!

RALPH: (CHUCKLING) I got that medal in the bag!

VANELLOPE: Hey, Ralphie, watch this!

She jumps the track then drives right up a steep, natural ramp . She jumps a part of broken track. Lands perfectly.

VANELLOPE : Whoo-hoo!

She then aims for a giant jump -- takes flight and -- GLITCH! Her kart glitches about in the air, out of control. She’s headed right for the stalactite!

RALPH : Look out!

VANELLOPE : Whoa!

She ducks, but her spoiler hits the Mentos. She glitches again and crash lands on the track on the other side.

Giant chunks of Mentos fall into the hot springs. Geysers shoot up. Ralph jumps out of the way of the boiling cola falling around him.

RALPH : Ah! Hot cola!

Vanellope keeps spins out of control. She skids to a stop. She looks spooked, but then she shakes it off.

VANELLOPE : So how did I do?

RALPH : Um... Well, you almost blew up the whole mountain.

VANELLOPE : Right, right. That's a good note.

RALPH : You got to get that glitch under control, kid.

VANELLOPE : Okay, I will, I will. And then you think I got a chance?

RALPH : (contemplates) Tiny.

She jumps up and around Ralph shouting.

VANELLOPE : Yes, I'm gonna win! I'm gonna win! I'm gonna win!

RALPH : (giving in to her enthusiasm) Top shelf.

VANELLOPE : Top shelf!

They fist bump.

09 King Candy's Secret [ ]

EXT. KING CANDY’S CASTLE

Duncan and Wynnchel ride to the palace.

INT. KING CANDY’S CASTLE

King Candy paces in front of his kart throne. Sour Bill follows, waving him with a fan lollipop. The castle doors open. Wynnchel and Duncan approach.

KING CANDY: (urgent) Did you find her? Tell me you found her.

Wynnchel shakes his head solemnly.

KING CANDY: You didn’t? (LAUGHS HOPELESSLY) Go -- leave me.

The donuts leave. King Candy thinks, gets an idea, then storms off through the door by his throne. Sour Bill hurries after him.

INT. “UNDERGROUND” CHAMBER

An elevator door opens and King Candy and Sour Bill step out and walk along what looks like the insides of a wire.

King Candy approaches a large door, upon which rests a NES controller. He types in the KOMANI code. The door swings open. Sour Bill tightens a licorice rope around King Candy's waist.

INT. THE GAME’S CODE

For the code savvy, it’s clearly a node graph. To the rest of us it looks like an electric spider web of glowing threads connecting an endless number of vault-like boxes.

KING CANDY: Oh, the code. It's the sweet lifeblood of the game.

The boxes are labelled with icons and text, saying everything from: “GOBSTOPPER VALLEY” and “CHOCOLATE RIVER” to “TAFFYTA MUTTONFUDGE” and “SOUR BILL.”

The physics are different here, and so King Candy floats as if in zero gravity. He drifts amongst the web, cautiously.

KING CANDY : Where are you? Let's see... Stadium, no. Jumbotron. Ha-ha! There it is. The winner's cup.

He double-clicks the box labeled “WINNER’S CUP.” The box opens. Inside floats a bunch of smaller boxes labeled “Coin,” interconnected with threads. Amongst the boxes, one stands out. It's the Medal.

KING CANDY: One of these things is not like the others... It's you!

King Candy slides the Medal box out of the Winner’s Box and along the network of threads.

KING CANDY: We're going to give you a nice new home.

He arrives in front of a very special box, connected with the most number of threads. It’s labeled, “KING CANDY.” He double clicks it. It opens and he slides the “Medal” box inside. A string of ones and zeros gathers around his neck, then solidifies into The Medal of Heroes.

KING CANDY: Success! (CHUCKLING) (tugs on the rope. Sour Bill, I'm going out. You're in charge of the castle until I get back.

He floats back towards the door. We pan back to a box that is off alone, with no threads attached. Its label says: “VANELLOPE VON SCHWEETZ.”

INT/EXT. SPACE POD

The Cy-Bug sensor is locked on the dash, scanning. There are no bugs detected. Calhoun pilots. Felix stares at her, blushing, unapologetically smitten.

CALHOUN : Your face is still red. You might want to hit it again with your hammer.

FELIX : Oh, that's not blunt force trauma, ma'am. That's just the honey glow in my cheeks.

CALHOUN : Okay.

FELIX : Ma'am, I just got to tell you... You are one dynamite gal.

Calhoun reacts.

FLASHBACK: Calhoun at the gun range, letting out a round.

BRAD in the cubicle next to her, turns, impressed.

BRAD : Wow, you are one dynamite gal.

FLASHBACK: Calhoun and Brad, sharing a Sunday.

BRAD : One dynamite gal.

FLASHBACK: Calhoun and Brad having a flowery picnic.

BRAD : Dynamite gal.

FLASHBACK: Brad on one knee proposing.

FLASHBACK: Calhoun and Brad’s wedding.

BRAD : Dynamite-

The glass shatters as the Cy-Bug bursts in.

INT. SHIP — DAY - BACK TO PRESENT

Calhoun snaps back to reality, yelling, almost livid. She banks the ship hard to the right. Felix goes tumbling. She lands the ship in the woods by the castle.

CALHOUN : Get out!

FELIX : All I said is you’re a dynamite gal.

CALHOUN : I said GET OUT!

He climbs out. Turns to say something else, but the glass comes down immediately and the ship lifts off.

FELIX : (distraught) Jimminy jamminy --

He lumbers off towards the castle.

EXT. KING CANDY’S CASTLE DOOR — SHORT TIME LATER

Felix knocks on the castle door. Sour Bill opens the door.

SOUR BILL: Mmmmyes?

FELIX : I’m Fix-it Felix, Jr, sir, from the game Fix-it Felix Jr. Have you seen my friend, Ralph?

SOUR BILL: Wreck-it Ralph?

FELIX : Yes, yes, that’s him.

SOUR BILL : We shoulda locked him up when we had the chance.

FELIX : Locked him up?

Sour Bill grabs a handle and pulls.

SOUR BILL : I'm not making the same mistake with you.

A trap door opens and Felix falls in.

FELIX : (SCREAMS)

EXT. DIET COLA MOUNTAIN

Vanellope comes running out of the secret door. Ralph pushes the kart out behind her.

VANELLOPE : Hurry, hurry! Let's go-Time's a-wastin'. Come on, Ralph! This is it. This is really happening. I almost don't believe it. I mean, I have dreamt about it for so long, and now... And now... Now I think I'm going to puke, actually. I mean, I think I might puke. You know, like a "vurp."

RALPH : A what?

VANELLOPE : Vomit and a burp together, and you can taste it, and it's just like rising up. Oh, this is so exciting!

RALPH : Yes, it is. It's exciting.

VANELLOPE : Am I ready to be a real racer? Ralph, what if the gamers don't like me!?

RALPH : Who doesn't love a brat with dirty hair? Come on. Those people are going to love you. You know why? Because you're a winner.

VANELLOPE : I'm a winner.

RALPH : And you're adorable!

VANELLOPE : I'm adorable!

RALPH : And everyone loves an adorable winner!

VANELLOPE : Yeah!

She laughs and hops in her kart. Ralph climbs on the back.

RALPH : Okay, come on. Listen to me. If you get nervous, just keep telling yourself, "I must win Ralph's medal or his life will be ruined." And have fun. Got it?

VANELLOPE : Got it.

Vanellope starts driving away,

VANELLOPE : Wait. Hold on!

Then slams on the brakes.Ralph FALLS forward. She puts it in reverse, then stops short. He FALLS off the back.

RALPH : Whoa! Hold on! Where are you going?

VANELLOPE : I forgot something! I'll be right back!

RALPH : (CHUCKLES) Kids.

He sighs, content. We hear the sound of a kart engine.

KING CANDY: Ralph! (CHUCKLES) There you are. Hello!

Ralph turns to see King Candy getting out of his kart.

RALPH : You!

KING CANDY: I come alone, unarmed.

RALPH : I've had enough of you, pillow pants!

Ralph chases King Candy around a giant gum drop.

KING CANDY : Please. Calm down! Please, look. Don't!

RALPH : I'm gonna beat the filling out of you!

KING CANDY : Aha! (putting on giant glasses) You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you?

Ralph grabs the glasses off of his face and knocks King Candy on the head with them.

KING CANDY: You hit a guy WITH glasses. That's... Well played.

Ralph grabs him by the lapels.

RALPH : What do you want, Candy?

KING CANDY : Listen, I just want to talk to you.

RALPH : I'm not interested in anything you have to say.

KING CANDY: How about this? Are you interested in this?

King Candy holds up the Medal of Heroes. Shocked to see it, Ralph drops King Candy.

RALPH : My medal. How did you...

KING CANDY : It doesn't matter. It's yours! Go ahead, take it. (CHUCKLES)

RALPH : Whoa.

Ralph takes the medal.

KING CANDY: All I ask is that you hear me out.

Ralph stares at the medal as he considers.

RALPH : About what?

KING CANDY: Ralph, do you know what the hardest part about being a king is? Doing what's right, no matter what.

RALPH : Get to the point.

KING CANDY: Point being, I need your help. Sad as it is, Vanellope cannot be allowed to race.

RALPH: Why are you people so against her?!

KING CANDY: I'm not against her! I'm trying to protect her! If Vanellope wins that race...

FADE INTO A SCENARIO where we see Vanellope pop up as one of the nine daily avatars.

KING CANDY (V.O.): ...she'll be added to the race roster. Then gamers can choose her as their avatar.

FLASH FORWARD: Vanellope glitching all over the track.

KING CANDY (V.O.): And when they see her glitching and twitching and just being herself, they'll think our game is broken.

FLASH FORWARD : The Out-of-Order gets slapped onto the Sugar Rush console.

KING CANDY (V.O.): We'll be put out of order for good.

Sugar Rush's plug is pulled as King Candy’s subjects rush into Game Central.

KING CANDY (V.O.): All my subjects will be homeless. But there's one who cannot escape because she's a glitch. And when the game's plug is pulled...

FLASH FORWARD: A scared Vanellope is sucked into the vortex of un-plugged oblivion. Back to reality.

KING CANDY : ..she'll die with it.

RALPH : You don't know that will happen. The gamers could love her.

KING CANDY: And if they don't?

Ralph sits down, eyes still on his medal.

KING CANDY: I know it's tough, but heroes have to make the tough choices, don't they? She can't race, Ralph, but she won't listen to me. So can I count on you to talk a little sense into her?

Ralph contemplates, then gives a small, pained nod.

KING CANDY: Very good. I'll give you two some time alone.

King Candy disappears around the bend. Ralph stares at the medal. He hears Vanellope returning. He stands, braces himself, and puts the medal in his pocket.

VANELLOPE : I'm back! Did you miss me?

RALPH : Yeah... Uh... Can we talk for a second?

VANELLOPE : Wait. First, kneel down.

RALPH : What? No, we really...

VANELLOPE : Will you just do it?

RALPH : Okay.

He kneels down.

VANELLOPE : Now, close your eyes.

RALPH : Vanellope...

VANELLOPE : Shush! Close them!

He shuts them. She ties something around his neck.

VANELLOPE : Okay. Open them up.

He looks down and sees a small, handmade candy heart on a string, on which is hand-painted the words: “To Stink Brain.”

RALPH : "To Stinkbrain." Gee, thanks.

VANELLOPE : Turn it over.

He does. On the back is painted the words: “You’re my Hero.”

VANELLOPE : I made it for you. Just in case we don't win. Not that I think there's even a remote chance we're not going to win.

RALPH : (this is killing him) Thanks, kid. Listen...

VANELLOPE : Now rise, my royal chump. I've got a date with destiny. (Ralph doesn’t move) Ralph, come on. Move your molasses.

RALPH : Um... I've been thinking.

VANELLOPE : That's dangerous.

RALPH : Who cares about this stupid race anyway? Right?

VANELLOPE : (LAUGHS) That's not very funny, Ralph.

RALPH : No, I'm serious, and it was really fun to build the car and everything. But maybe you shouldn't do it.

VANELLOPE : Hello? Is Ralph in there? I'd like to speak to him, please.

RALPH : Look, what I'm saying is you can't be a racer.

That gets her attention.

VANELLOPE : What? Why would you...

Her eyes go down to his chest and she sees something.

VANELLOPE : Wait a minute.

She pulls the Medal of Heroes out of Ralph’s pocket.

RALPH : No!

VANELLOPE : Where did you get this?

RALPH : Look, I'm going to be straight with you, kid. I've been talking to King Candy.

VANELLOPE : King Candy?!

RALPH : Yeah.

VANELLOPE : You sold me out?!

RALPH : No, I didn't... Listen, you don't understand!

VANELLOPE : No, I understand plenty. Traitor!

She throws the medal at him. It hits him in the face and falls to the ground. She jumps back in the kart.

RALPH : I'm not a traitor. Listen.

VANELLOPE : You're a rat! And I don't need you, and I can win the race on my own.

RALPH : But I'm trying to save your skin, kid!

Ralph grabs her and picks her up out of the kart. She glitches in anger.

VANELLOPE : Put me down! Let me go!

RALPH : No, you listen to me!

He sets her down. She immediately makes a dash for the kart. Ralph blocks her way. She struggles to get around him.

RALPH : Do you know what's going to happen when the players see you glitching? They're gonna think the game's broken!

VANELLOPE : I don't care! You're a liar!

RALPH : No, you better care, because if your game goes out of order...

VANELLOPE : I'm not listening to you!

RALPH : ...you go down with the ship, little sister!

VANELLOPE : GET OUT OF MY WAY! I'm going to that race!

RALPH : No, you're not!

He hangs her by her hood on the edge of a pointy gumdrop.

VANELLOPE : Take me down from here, Ralph, right now!

RALPH : No! I'm doing this FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!

He goes over to the kart and clenches his fists, clearly hating himself. She struggles to get free, but can’t.

VANELLOPE : Wait, wait, wait. No. No. No, no, no, no, no! Please, Ralph!

But he doesn’t stop. He SLAMS his fists onto the kart.

VANELLOPE: NO! RALPH, STOP IT! STOP IT! NO!

Ralph destroys the cart. She breaks down sobbing. Then she glitches and lands on her palms and knees on the ground. Ralph turns to her.

VANELLOPE ; (heartbroken) You really are a Bad Guy.

She runs sobbing into the mountain entrance. Ralph hangs his head. He sighs, then walks over and picks up his medal.

He starts down the road alone.

10 Out of Order [ ]

INT. FIX-IT FELIX JR.

Ralph rides up on the tram, wearing his medal. It’s awfully quiet. No fireworks were going off, All the lights are out at the Niceland Apartments, but for a single light in the Penthouse.

The door hangs slightly open. Ralph pushes it the rest of the way and steps inside. The place looks like it’s been looted.

RALPH : Hello? Anybody home? Felix? Mary?

GENE (O.S.): Well, you actually went and did it.

There, by the bar, stands Gene, pouring one last Martini.

RALPH : Gene? Where is everybody?

GENE : They’re gone. After Felix went to find you and then didn’t come back, everyone panicked and abandoned ship.

RALPH : But--but I’m here now.

GENE : It’s too late, Ralph. Litwak’s pulling our plug in the morning.

Gene motions towards the balcony. Ralph goes over and looks out. He sees the Out-of-Order sign taped to the console.

GENE : But, never let it be said I’m not a man of my word. The place is yours, Ralph. Enjoy.

Gene tosses Ralph the key to the Penthouse. Ralph catches them and looks at them, upset, as Gene grabs his suitcase and heads for the door.

RALPH : Gene, wait. Listen, this is not what I wanted!

Gene stops and turns back.

GENE : Well, what did you want, Ralph?

RALPH : I don't know. I just... (SIGHS) I was just tired of living alone in the garbage.

GENE : Well, now you can live alone in the penthouse.

Gene leaves with his suitcase, leaving Ralph alone. Ralph drops the key and walks onto the balcony.

EXT. PENTHOUSE BALCONY — SHORT TIME LATER

Ralph stands there, alone, staring at the sign, which shows a sick arcade console with a thermometer in its mouth, blocking the view of the outside world. A dim perimeter of light beams through, illuminating as he frowns, lowers his head, and yanks the Medal of Heroes from his neck, disgusted, then throws it at the screen. It twinkles as it arcs across the distance.

The medal smacks against the game screen. The impact causes one corner of the tape on the Out-of-Order sign to release. The sign goes crooked. Through the gap, Ralph sees the Sugar Rush console across the way. It reminds him of the homemade medal Vanellope gave him. It’s still around his neck. He takes it off and turns it to the side that says, “You’re my Hero.”

He closes his fingers around it and looks again at the console. He spots a large picture of a dark-haired, green-eyed girl on the console's side, driving King Candy's car. Ralph furrows his brow as he realizes, it's Vanellope! And it’s not too late to make things up.

INT. SUGAR RUSH - THE BASE OF DIET COLA MOUNTAIN

Sour Bill loads the scraps of Vanellope’s kart into a candy wheelbarrow. A shadow rises over him.

RALPH : Hey, Cough Drop! Explain somethin' to me. If Vanellope was never meant to exist, then why is her picture on the side of the game console?

SOUR BILL: Uh…

He tries to make a run for it, but Ralph grabs him.

RALPH : What's going on in this candy coated heart of darkness?

SOUR BILL : Nothing...

RALPH : Talk!

SOUR BILL : No.

RALPH : I'll lick you!

SOUR BILL: You wouldn't.

RALPH : (sticking tongue out) Oh yeah?

Ralph gives him a quick lick. Sour Bill cringes.

SOUR BILL: Ugh! It's like sandpaper!

RALPH : Mmm, wonder how many licks it'll take to get to your center.

SOUR BILL: I’ll take it to my grave!

RALPH : Fair enough.

Ralph tosses Sour Bill in his mouth. Sour Bill SCREAMS as Ralph swishes him around.

RALPH : (puckering) Ooh-hoo-hoo. They call you Sour Bill for a reason.

Finally, Ralph pulls him out. Sour Bill squeals like stoolie.

RALPH : Had enough yet?

SOUR BILL: Okay, I’ll talk. I’ll talk. I’ll talk. Vanellope WAS a racer until King Candy tried to delete her code (sobs).

As Sour Bill spills the beans --

FLASHBACK: King Candy in the code room, tearing all the connections off of Vanellope’s code node and shoving it away from the web.

RALPH (V.O.): Tried to delete her code? So that’s why she’s a glitch! Why is he doing this to her?

SOUR BILL : I don't know.

RALPH : Suit yourself.

Ralph threatens to eat him again. Sour Bill throws his arms up.

SOUR BILL: No, no, no, no, no, no! I swear, I don't know!

FLASHBACK: We see King Candy floating through the code room, scooping up nodes of memory into a royal chest. He locks the chest with a pad lock.

SOUR BILL (V.O.): He literally locked up our memories and I cannot remember! Nobody can!

BACK ON SOUR BILL

SOUR BILL: But I do know this: he'll do anything to keep her from racing. Because if she crosses the finish line, the game will reset and she won't be a glitch anymore!

RALPH : Where is she now?

SOUR BILL: In the Fungeon with Fix-It Felix.

RALPH : Felix?

SOUR BILL: I'm sorry! That's all I know, that's all I know, I swear! Now please, don't put me back in your filthy mouth again! ( sobs)

Ralph sticks Sour Bill to a lollipop tree.

RALPH : Stick around.

SOUR BILL: Yes, okay. I will, I will. Thank you.

Ralph picked up the kart pieces on his way out.

EXT. SUGAR RUSH - LICORICE FIELD

Calhoun patrols the area. Her scanner goes off. She pulls out her gun and follows the beep.

CALHOUN : Come on, I know you’re out there.

The signal suddenly drops out. She hits the tri-quarter, frustrated.

CALHOUN : Ugh. Saccharine saturated nightmare!

The tri-quarter suddenly goes off, loudly. Green dots fill the device's screen. She looks around on alert.

CALHOUN : But-- where --

The ground gives way and she tumbles into --

INT. A GIANT CAVERN

She grabs licorice roots to keep from falling into the nest below, full of glowing Cy-Bug eggs and candy-coated Cy-Bugs traveling in and out of long caverns.

CALHOUN : (talking to herself) Doomsday and Armageddon just had a baby and it is ugly!

11 Every Day of my Life [ ]

INT. FELIX’S CELL - KING CANDY’S FUNGEON

A frustrated Felix calls out the dungeon window.

FELIX : Hello? Hello? Somebody! Anybody! Please let me OUT!

He shakes the bars. One bar is loose.

FELIX : What's he say? (IMITATING RALPH) I'm gonna wreck it!

He hits the bars with his hammer. They fortify, stronger.

FELIX : (GROANS) Why do I fix everything I touch!? Oh! (SOBS)

RALPH (O.S.): Bam!

Suddenly, Ralph bursts through the wall.

RALPH : Felix!

FELIX : Ralph! ( jumps up; hugs Ralph) I'm so glad to see you! Wait. ( lets go) No, I'm not! What do you have to say for yourself?!

FELIX : Wait! I don't want to hear it. I'm not talking to you.

RALPH : Okay. Don't talk. That's fine. [dumps out a can full of the broken go-kart] But you have to fix this go-kart for me, pronto.

FELIX I don't have to do boo! Forgive my potty mouth. I'm just so…so cross with you! Do you have any idea what you've put me through?! I ran higgeldy-piggeldy all over creation looking for you. I almost drowned in chocolate milk mix! And then…I met the most dynamite gal. Oh. She gives me the honey glows somethin' awful. But…she rebuffed my affections. And then, I GOT THROWN INTO JAIL!

RALPH : Felix, pull yourself together!

FELIX : No , Ralph! You have no idea what it's like to be rejected and treated like a criminal!

RALPH : Yes, I do. That's every day of my life.

FELIX : It is?

RALPH : Which is why I ran off and tried to be a Good Guy, but I'm not! I'm just a Bad Guy, and I need your help. There's a little girl whose only hope is this kart. Please, Felix, fix it! And I promise, I will never try to be Good again.

Felix smiles and pulls out his hammer.

INT. VANELLOPE’S CELL

Vanellope sits in a fungeon fortress. The door looks unbreakable. Silly pictures and games line the walls. Vanellope sits in the middle of the room with a “Glitch-proof” collar and chains around her waist. BAM! Ralph busts the door down and pushes in her fixed kart. She stares wide eyed.

RALPH : I know, I know, I'm an idiot.

VANELLOPE : And?

RALPH : And a real numskull.

RALPH : A selfish diaper baby.

RALPH : And...

A stink brain?

VANELLOPE : The stinkiest brain ever.

EXT. SUGAR RUSH RACE ARENA

Giant soda bottles pop and spray. The lids of the fan boxes fly off, revealing hundreds of spectators. The racers line up at the start. A blimp flies over head. King Candy stands in his royal box.

KING CANDY: (OVER PA) My sweet subjects, I can without a pinch of hesitation assure you that I have never been so happy in all my life to say the following words...

A MARSHMALLOW with a checkered hat turns on the leader board, but Vanellope's name blinks as a no show.

KING CANDY: "Let the Random Roster Race commence/generate!"

Cheers! King Candy slides down his royal banner. He lands in his own kart. A MARSHMALLOW waves the checkered flag. And they’re off! King Candy times the speed boost perfectly, but Adorabeezle messes it up.

BEHIND THE STANDS: Ralph and Felix ride on the back of Vanellope's kart, holding on for dear life, as she drives.

RALPH : Okay, remember, you don't have to win. Just cross that finish line, and you'll be a real racer.

VANELLOPE : I'm already a real racer.

Ralph and Felix hop off at the starting line.

VANELLOPE : And I'm going to win.

Vanellope speeds across the starting line. She’s in the race!

OUT ON THE TRACK

The racers enter GUM BALL PASS and must dodge gum balls the size of boulders. Swizzle Malarkey gets hit and is knocked off course. Adorabeezle Winterpop hits a Power-Up. Her kart transforms to reveals an ice cream cannon.

ANNOUNCER : Power up!

She shoots a scoop of ice cream. King Candy dodges the scoop, but Jubileena is not so lucky.

ANNOUNCER : Oh, Ala Mode!

King Candy hits a Power-Up. The hood of his kart opens and unleashes a cannon.

ANNOUNCER : Sweet Seekers!

KING CANDY : Have some candy!

He fires three fireballs at Snowanna, Gloyd and Adorabeezle, knocking them out of his way. Adorabeezle especially is launched through a gumboil machine, shattering it.

LEADERBOARD

King Candy moves into 4th place and Vanellope into 7th.

GUM BALL PASS

Vanellope dodges the gumballs and makes a jump boost, overtaking Minty.

VANELLOPE : (to Crumbelina) Behind you!

Crumbelina falls for it, and Vanellope passes.

VANELLOPE : In front of you!

Vanellope drives up a colossal layer cake lined with huge cherries and catches up with Taffyta's buds.

RANCIS : Huh!?

Rancis spots Vanellope in his side mirror.

RANCIS : It's the Glitch!

TAFFYTA : The Glitch? Light them up, Candlehead!

Candlehead leans over and lights the cherry stems with her car's candles.

ANNOUNCER : What's this? Cherry Bombs!

One by one, the cherries explode as Vanellope glitches, trying to avoid the blasts.

TAFFYTA : I told you. You're just an accident waiting to happen.

Tafftya, Candlehead, and Rancis shoot into a giant straw, laughing. Vanellope glitches up the rear. She suddenly glitches past the karts and ends up in front, driving backwards. Shocked, the bullies lose control and spin out, just as the tunnel spits them out over the sea. Vanellope lands hard on the ramp on the far shore, stunned and confused. The rest of the racers miss and crash into giant cupcakes.

TAFFYTA : (SOBBING LIKE A BABY)

CANDLEHEAD : (distraught) My candle!

13 Cy-Bug Invasion [ ]

VANELLOPE : (talking to herself) All right. Gotta keep it under control. No more glitching.

IN THE ARENA: Ralph and Felix cheer.

RALPH : Okay, kid. Let's finish this thing without any more surprises.

Ralph is punched in the face by Calhoun.

CALHOUN : Hope you're happy, junkpile. This game is going down, and it's all your fault.

FELIX : My lady, you came back.

CALHOUN : Can it, Fix-It! (to Ralph) That Cy-Bug you brought with you multiplied.

RALPH : No. It died in the taffy swamp. Believe me.

Hundreds of Cy-Bugs burst out of the ground behind the bleachers.

(CROWD SCREAMING)

CALHOUN : BULL. ROAR.

Calhoun draws her gun as candy citizens run around in panic. She fires at Cy-Bugs from her cruiser.

CALHOUN : Listen up, people. Head to Game Central Station now! Move it! Let's go! Let's go! Go! Go! Go!

The spectators scream and hotfoot it out of the stands. Ralph sees Vanellope trailing King Candy on the Jumbotron. Cy-bugs swarm the finish line, attracted to the neon glow “FINISH.”

EXT. NOUGAT CLIFF

King Candy zips up an ice cream mountain headed toward massive fudge-covered scoops in the distance. Vanellope pulls up him, and in slo-mo he lifts up his goggles in disbelief as she drifts past his car and zooms ahead. They approach a nougat mine. King Candy takes a short cut. Vanellope turns and sees no sign of the King.

INT. INSIDE THE NOUGAT MINES

Vanellope's hair blows back as she heads into a tunnel and the track drops into a steep multi-colored. As she rises, King Candy sweeps in...

VANELLOPE : Huh?

...and rear-ends her so hard that she spins out. He hits her again and her front end goes up on his hood.

KING CANDY : Get off of my track!

VANELLOPE : Hey!

She tries to shift and get off of his hood.

VANELLOPE : What, are you crazy!

KING CANDY: I forbid you to cross that finish line!

King Candy stands up, breaks the antenna off of his kart, and whacks at her. She screams.

VANELLOPE : Knock it off!

BACK AT THE FINISH LINE: Felix and Ralph fight off bugs. Felix points to the jumbotron.

FELIX : Ralph, look!

RALPH (seeing Vanellope in danger) Kid!

BACK IN THE MINES

She and King Candy wrestle with the antenna. She glitches nervously, causing King Candy to glitch, too.

VANELLOPE : Stop it!

KING CANDY ?!?!?: No! I'm not letting you undo all my hard work!

BACK IN THE ARENA: Felix and Ralph see it on the Jumbotron.

FELIX : Is that...

O N JUMBOTRON: The more King Candy glitches, the more we lose sight of him and get flashes of a creepy, familiar face.

RALPH : No way!

VANELLOPE What the— Who are you?!

KING CANDY / TURBO: I'm TURBO, the greatest racer ever ! And I did not reprogram this world to let YOU AND THAT HALITOSIS-RIDDLED WARTHOG TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME!!!

He aims for a wall separating a fork in the road. He’s going to ram her right into it.

KING CANDY / TURBO : TURBO-TASTIC!

The wall gets closer. King Candy laughs.

KING CANDY / TURBO: END OF THE LINE, GLITCH!!

VANELLOPE : (GASPS) Glitch. That's it.

The world seems to slow down as she concentrates.

VANELLOPE : Come on, Vanellope. I know you said you wouldn't do it again but you're going to do it one more time. Just focus and concentrate and... glitch!

She glitches, disappears, and reappears to the left of the fork. King Candy swerves, bounces off the wall, and heads down the right hand tunnel.

VANELLOPE : HAHAAA!! Sweet mother of monkey milk! I did it!

Vanellope speeds off and out of the mines.

KING CANDY / TURBO : NOOO!!!

King Candy, on the other hand, speeds right into the open mouth of a Cy-Bug!

14 Can't Leave the Game [ ]

BACK AT THE FINISH LINE: Ralph sees her coming. He and Felix have a path cleared for her.

RALPH : Bring it home, kid! The finish line's wide open!

BOOM! Cy-bugs start bursting out of the ground on the track. Vanellope screams and swerves around them, aiming for the finish line. But a Cy-Bug geyser bursts out right in front of her, sending her flying into a field of lollipops.

Ralph and Felix leave the finish line and run to her.

Ralph scoops her up out of candy debris.

RALPH : Kid, are you okay?

VANELLOPE : I’m fine, I’m fine. Let’s finish this race!

They turn to see that the finish line is being completely over-run by bugs. It collapses.

FELIX Oh my land.

RALPH : Alright, come on, we gotta get out of here.

They run out of the arena.

VANELLOPE : But I didn’t cross the finish line!

RALPH : There is no finish line!

ON THE RAINBOW: Calhoun shoots bugs.

CALHOUN : Move it or lose it, people. Come on, everybody, out. Now!

Ralph and Vanellope come running up the rainbow.

VANELLOPE : Ralph, it's not going to work!

RALPH : We got to try!

Ralph runs through the exit with Vanellope on his shoulders, but she’s ripped back into the game.

RALPH : Kid!

VANELLOPE : Ralph, I told you I can't leave the game.

RALPH : Come on. Get through.

He tries to push her through, but she can’t leave.

VANELLOPE : Ralph! Stop!

RALPH : It's got to work!

VANELLOPE : Stop, it's no use.

She jumps out of his hands and he kneels down, on the verge of tears.

VANELLOPE : It's okay, Ralph.

CALHOUN : All right, Fix-It.

Felix joins Calhoun as the last of the citizens leaves.

CALHOUN : That's everyone. Now, we've got to blow up this exit.

Ralph's weary face falls.

VANELLOPE : Just go. Go without me.

FELIX : But what about this game?

CALHOUN : Nothing we can do about it. Without a beacon, there's no way to stop these monsters.

Ralph gets an idea, then looks up at Diet Cola Mountain.

RALPH : Beacon? (To Vanellope) Stay with Felix.

He jumps onto Calhoun’s cruiser. Wobbles. Steadies himself.

RALPH : (to Calhoun): Let me borrow that, lady.

VANELLOPE : Ralph! Where are you going?

RALPH : I got some wrecking to do!

Ralph flies off, through the air, most ungracefully.

RALPH : I'll meet you at the finish line!

FELIX : No! Wait!

CALHOUN : Fix-It, get behind me!

Calhoun steps ahead of Felix and Vanellope and shoots at the advancing bugs.

Ralph reaches the top of Diet Cola Mountain and jumps off the hover board. The crater’s center is like petrified Mentos (think Giant’s Causeway). Ralph punches it with all of his might. RUMBLE.

INT. INSIDE VANELLOPE’S LAIR

Small pieces break off the giant stalactite and land in the hot cola beneath. Bright glowing geysers shoot up all around.

BACK ON THE CRATER: Ralph gives it all he’s got. The crater cracks all around. He prepares for a final blow.

RALPH : One more! One...

SLAM! Ralph is knocked aside by what we assume is a Cy-Bug.

He slams hard into the rim of the mountain. He shakes it off, as we hear a familiar sinister LAUGH.

TURBO (O.S.): Welcome to the boss level!

Ralph looks up to see he is face-to-face with a giant, monstrous King Candy Turbo Cy-bug mash up.

RALPH : (stunned) Turbo.

KC TURBO BUG : (LAUGHS MANIACALLY) Because of you, Ralph, I'm now the most powerful virus in the arcade! I can take over any game I want. I should thank you, but it'd be more fun to kill you.

Turbo lunges at him. Ralph rolls past him.

KC TURBO BUG: Get back here, little guy!

Turbo diverts Ralph with his Cy-Bug feet, then as Ralph tries to slam the Mentos.

KC TURBO BUG: Have some candy!

Turbo swipes him with his tail.

Ralph gets to his feet and dives for the crater.

KC TURBO BUG: Where do you think you're going?

Ralph slides under Turbo and throws him aside, but Turbo rolls towards him and catches him by his feet.

KC TURBO BUG : I'm not through with you yet. Up we go!

They fly up into the sky.

BACK AT THE RAINBOW

Calhoun struggles to fight off the cy-bugs as they swarm the exit. Felix pushes Vanellope behind him protectively.

VANELLOPE : Ralph!

Calhoun runs out of Ammunition. She resorts to swatting away bugs with the butt of her gun, but they close in.

CALHOUN : Fall back.

BACK IN THE AIR:

RALPH : (looking on) Kid!

Calhoun and Felix fall back through the exit. Vanellope stands before the bugs, alone.

RALPH : Vanellope!

KC TURBO BUG: Oh, look at that. It's your little friend. Let's watch her die together, shall we?

Ralph looks down at Vanellope, then looks to his goal, the volcano now far enough below him to slam down all the Mentos.

KC TURBO BUG : It's game over for both of you.

RALPH : (determined) No. Just for me!

Ralph breaks free from Turbo’s grasp and free falls.

BACK ON THE RAINBOW: Vanellope sees Ralph falling from such a great height.

FELIX : Vanellope!

A Cy-Bug closes in on her. She glitches and lands on top of the Cy-Bug. She glitches again and again, bouncing off Cy-Bugs towards the mountain.

BACK IN THE AIR: Ralph extends his fist downward to the Mentos, but is unable to keep steady, knowing full well that the cola will kill him.

RALPH : (reciting the BA affirmation) I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad.

Vanellope’s medal slips out of his shirt. He grabs onto it and hugs it to his chest.

RALPH : There's no one I'd rather be...

...than me.

The medal gives him strength and he steadies his position as he slams his fist down on the volcano’s Mentos crater. The top of the mountain explodes, and the stalactites fall towards the broiling hot diet cola. Ralph falls with them. This is it. He's gonna die a hero.

Suddenly, Vanellope rides up the side ramp in Crumbelina's kart. She makes the big jump and catches Ralph on the hood of her kart.

VANELLOPE : Don't worry. I got it under control.

She glitches through the side of the mountain just as the hot springs erupt and shoot upwards in a shining geyser. The Cy-Bugs instinctively stop fighting. They turn and fly towards the geyser's bright light. ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

Up in the air, Turbo looks around at the other bugs.

KC TURBO BUG: You fools! Why are you going into the ligh...

Turbo looks at the light and his eyes suddenly bulge like an entranced Cy-Bug. He flies towards the light.

KC TURBO BUG : (CHUCKLES) No! No, no, no. Yes... No! Yes... No! Go into the light!

He flies right into the light and is zapped. Ralph and Vanellope crash land in the chocolate river, safe.

RALPH : Whoa! Chocolate? (LAUGHS) It's chocolate! I love chocolate!

VANELLOPE : (WHOOPING)

RALPH : Oh, beautiful chocolate!

Felix and Calhoun see it all from the rainbow.

FELIX : (joyous) Haha! You did it, Ralph! Oh, way to go, brother!

He laughs for joy. Felix hops up and gives Calhoun an 8-bit-kiss on her cheek. She looks at him like she’s going to kill him and yanks him up by his collars to her eye level.

FELIX : I... Excuse...

She slams her lips on his. It’s worth a million points.

15 One Game at a Time [ ]

Felix puts the finishing touches on the finish line.

FELIX : All fixed.

RALPH : You ready for this?

VANELLOPE : As ready as I'll ever be.

Ralph gives Vanellope a push. She rolls across the line. Sparkles flicker everywhere. Vanellope rises up out of her kart, into the air, and twirls.

VANELLOPE : Whoa! What's with all the magic sparkles?

INT. CODE ROOM

The threads flicker. Vanellope’s lonely box is suddenly attached to the giant web by dozens of threads.

BACK ON THE TRACK: A beautiful blush-colored princess gown forms on her body. A crown appears on her head, and a wand in her hand. Her feet touch the ground, and the landscape resets to its original beauty. The citizens of Sugar Rush flood back into the game in amazement.

IN THE CODE ROOM: The royal box bursts open, freeing the memories of citizens and racers.

The faces of her citizens brighten as they remember, too. Sour Bill returns, a candy tree limb stuck to his back.

SOUR BILL: Now I remember. All hail the rightful ruler of Sugar Rush : Princess Vanellope.

TAFFYTA : (gasps) I remember! She's our princess!

CANDLEHEAD : Oh, that's right!

TAFFYTA : We are so sorry about the way we treated you!

RANCIS : Yeah, those were, uh, jokes!

CANDELHEAD : I was just doing what Taffyta told me to do!

VANELLOPE : (a voice like Snow White) Tut tut! As your merciful princess, I hereby decree that everyone who was ever mean to me shall be… executed.

RACERS : WHAT!?!

They cry. They wail. Felix and Calhoun share a look, this is getting creepy.

FELIX : Oh, my land!

CALHOUN : Well, this place just got interesting.

TAFFYTA : [drops to her knees] No! I don't wanna die!

VANELLOPE : Ah, I'm just kiddin'!

TAFFYTA : You are?

VANELLOPE : Stop crying, Taffyta.

TAFFYTA : ( a total mess) I'm trying! It won't stop!

RALPH : Wow. So this is the real you. Princess.

VANELLOPE : Aw, Ralph, what are you, nuts? Come on. This isn't me.

Vanellope glitches right out of the dress and crown and back into her regular clothes.

VANELLOPE : This is me.

RALPH : Huh?

VANELLOPE : Look, the code may say I'm a princess, but I know who I really am, Ralph. I'm a racer with the greatest superpower ever. I was here, I was there. I was glitching through the walls. I'm not giving that up.

WYNNCHEL : Um, pardon me for asking, but without a princess, who's going to lead us? Yeah. Who?

VANELLOPE : Uh, me. I'm thinking more along the lines of a constitutional democracy. President Vanellope von Schweetz. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

The Donut Cups share a smile.

CALHOUN : Fix-It, Wreck-It, the arcade's about to open. Let's move 'em out.

Felix joins Calhoun in the shuttle parked by the finish line. Ralph turns to Vanellope. She runs into his arms.

VANELLOPE : You could just stay here and live in the castle. You'd have your own wing where no one would ever complain about your stench or treat you bad ever again. You could be happy.

RALPH : I'm already happy. I've got the coolest friend in the world. And besides, I've got a job to do, too. It may not be as fancy as being president, but it's my duty. And it's a big duty!

VANELLOPE : (CHUCKLES)

FELIX : Ralph, are you coming, brother?

Ralph sets Vanellope down. They fist bump.

RALPH : See you later, President Fart Feathers.

VANELLOPE : Au revoir, Admiral Underpants.

RALPH : And farewell, Baroness Boogerface.

VANELLOPE : Goodbye, Major Body Odor!

RALPH : Hasta la vista, you...

FELIX : Ralph!

RALPH : All right. To be continued. Yeah!

Ralph jumps in the shuttle and watches her until the door closes.

Litwak grabs the out-of-order sign, just as Ralph rushes into the game.

RALPH (IN GAME): I’m gonna wreck it!

LITWAK : Hey! Ralph's back! Isn't that great! (LAUGHS EXCITEDLY) The gang's all here!

INT. BADANON

RALPH : So, I'm happy to report, and you'll be happy to hear, I'm taking life one game at a time.

The Bad Guys all clap.

KANO : All right! Yeah, Ralph!

EXT. NICELANDER APARTMENTS — GAME PLAY

The same building. Same game. Ralph falls in the mud. SPLAT!

RALPH (V.O): Of course, the job hasn't changed.

The Nicelanders bring him a Penthouse cake. His ugly figurine is on the roof of it with everyone else this time.

RALPH (V.O): But, news flash, the Nicelanders are being nice to me! And you know, that got me thinking about those poor guys left without a game.

EXT. NICELAND APARTMENTS

BONUS LEVEL!

RALPH (V.O.): So here's what we did. We're gonna wreck it!

The homeless characters help Ralph wreck the building.

RALPH (V.O.): We asked them to help us out on the bonus levels.

FELIX : We can fix it!

Q*BERT : #?!

Felix and Q*bert work together to fix the building

RALPH (V.O.): I'm telling you, guys, we haven't been this popular in years. It's crazy.

Kids line their quarters up on the Fix-it Felix console while the moppet happily plays.

RALPH (V.O.): The gamers say we're "retro," which I think means "old but cool."

BOY: How come we never noticed this game?

EXT. NICELAND DUMP — AFTER HOURS

The dump has a new sign. It reads “WELCOME TO EAST NICELAND.”

RALPH (V.O.): Oh, and I decided that living in the dump wasn't making me feel very good, so I cleaned it up, built myself a little shack and a couple for the new guys, too.

Ralph builds a rudimentary home. Nearby, Felix completes a row of professional-looking homes.

RALPH (V.O): Well, with a little help from Felix. Oh!

INT. CHURCH DAY: Felix and Calhoun are getting Married.

RALPH (V.O): And guess who was the best man at his and Calhoun's wedding.

Ralph stands beside Felix as his best man. Vanellope in her princess dress is there too.

RALPH (V.O): That's right, my friends, old Ham Hands himself. Very elegant affair. You should've seen it. Lot of grandeur. And not a single bug.

All the soldiers are on Calhoun’s side of the aisle. They cock their guns at the window. No bugs. All the Nicelanders and random game characters on are Felix’s side. Felix goes in for the kiss. Ralph perks up tears of joy.

RALPH (V.O): Let's just say, some tears were shed.

EXT. NICELAND APARTMENTS - ROOFTOP

RALPH (V.O): The best part of my day, is when the Nicelanders throw me off the roof. Because when they lift me up, I get a perfect view of Sugar Rush.

As they carry him to the edge of the roof, he looks out.

RALPH’S POV: Through the arcade, a kid is playing as Vanellope as she speeds through the Sugar Rush racetrack.

RALPH (V.O): And I can watch Vanellope racing. The kid's a natural, and the players love her, glitches and all, just like I knew they would.

She tries to get around two racers, and with a glitch and a flip, she takes the lead as the race ends. She wins! She holds out a fist to the gamer. The player fist-bumps the screen.

Vanellope then looks over at Ralph and gives a little wave.

That's when I realize: I don't need a medal to tell me I'm a good guy. Because if that kid likes me...

EXT. NICELAND APARTMENTS ROOFTOP

Ralph beams with pride. He waves back.

RALPH (V.O): How bad can I be?


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Wreck-it ralph.

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The original Wreck-it Ralph has always been one of my favorite movies. As a video game fan, all the clever references to games like Donkey Kong and Pacman feel relevant and it's fun to pick out all the Easter eggs from decades of different video games that are featured in the movie. Ralph is a great protagonist and it's easy to sympathize with his plight and desire to escape his fate as a "bad guy." Vanellope is different than any other Disney princess, with a spunky, rebellious streak. Her and Ralph's interactions are some of the best aspects of the movie and the friendship that blossoms between the unlikely pair is heartwarming.

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Such a creative concept for a film, and one that video game lovers will especially love. Even if the story hadn't been great, it would've at least been visually exciting. Luckily, Wreck-It Ralph's plot is great and Ralph is a strong lead. You can't fault him for wanting to become a hero after seeing how he's treated, but there's also the looming feeling of something bad happening because of his rebellion. He and Vanellope's relationship is very sweet, which makes the scene where he destroys her car so much more painful to watch.

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Another Disney film about finding yourself and being true to yourself, this retro-loving animated film feels like it's straight out of the 1990s. There are some fun video game cameos, and a great voice performance by John C. Reilly, but this movie may be wrecked by how much you care about video games.

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Wreck-It Ralph may not be the most thought provoking of all animated films, but this first one is fairly charming. The video game world in it is unique, and it is genuinely a fun ride with its sense of whimsy and adventure.

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John C. Reilly

Sarah silverman, jack mcbrayer, seasons (4).

wreck it ralph thesis statement

Season 1 (2016)

Season 2 (2018), season 3 (2022), season 4 (2026), screenrant reviews, 'wreck-it-ralph' review.

Wreck-It-Ralph enjoys a healthy ratio of accessible character drama and goofy gaming gags - resulting in an exceptionally entertaining, and heartfelt, animated adventure.

wreck it ralph thesis statement

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wreck it ralph thesis statement

Six Act Structure.

Story structure simplified., wreck-it-ralph story structure analysis.

Wreck-it-Ralph. Movie Poster. Plot summary and story structure.

Plot summary of the 2012 computer-animated comedy film Wreck-it-Ralph  continues below…

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Wreck-it-Ralph: Story Structure Analysis

Dramatic phase one: the setup.

All of the main characters are introduced. The story world and its mechanics are established. Foundations are laid for the main throughline, subplots and central conflict.

ACT ONE: DEALING WITH AN IMPERFECT SITUATION

A character in an Imperfect Situation faces Oppressive Opposition as he pursues an Initial Goal . But when there is a Disturbance to his routine, he faces a Dilemma regarding his situation, and must assume a New Role .

Wreck-it-Ralph, a video game villain who’s grown tired of being the bad guy (the imperfect situation), is looked down upon and mistreated by the other video game characters (oppressive opposition) as he tries to come to terms with his lot in life (initial goal). But when the residents of his game throw a thirty-year anniversary party without him (the disturbance), he’s challenged to prove he’s more than just a bad guy by winning a medal (the dilemma) from another game (the new role).

The Imperfect Situation: After thirty years of being the bad guy in his game who everyone hates, Ralph has become disgruntled. He doesn’t fit in with anyone in his game and doesn’t get along with the bad guys of other games. He has no friends.

Initial Goal: Ralph wants to come to terms with his place in the video game world.

Action Toward Initial Goal: Ralph attends a Bad-Anon meeting for the first time on the wake of his game’s 30 year anniversary.

Wreck-it-Ralph. Plot summary and story structure. Ralph attends a bad anon meeting with Bowser, Zangief, M. Bison, and Dr Robotnik.

Oppressive Opposition: Ralph is harassed by the surge protector at Game Central station. Other characters at the station are fearful of him. The Nicelanders throw an anniversary party without him.

Turning Point Catalyst – The Disturbance: When the Nicelanders throw an anniversary party without inviting him, Ralph goes up to the penthouse where the party is being held. When Felix convinces everyone to let him come in for a piece of cake, he gets into an argument with one of the Nicelanders, Gene, and inadvertently smashes the cake and wrecks the party. Gene tells Ralph he is incapable of doing anything good and will always be a bad guy.

Turning Point One – The Dilemma: Start Time: 14 of 93 minutes (15%) After Ralph tells Gene he will win a medal and leaves the party, he heads to the local watering hole, Tappers. There, he meets a soldier from Hero’s Duty who tells him in his game you win a medal for climbing a building and fighting bugs. When the soldier knocks himself unconscious while fleeing a bug, Ralph decides to don the soldier’s uniform and go into Hero Duty to win a medal.

The New Role: Ralph becomes a game jumper.

Act Run Time: 16 of 93 minutes (17.2%)

wreck it ralph thesis statement

ACT TWO: LEARNING THE RULES OF AN UNFAMILIAR SITUATION

The character Learns the Rules of an Unfamiliar Situation and faces Incidental Opposition in pursuit of a Transitional Goal . But when he receives a Reality Check , he makes a Commitment to his New Role.

Act Start Time: 16 of 93 minutes (17.2%)

Ralph sneaks into Hero’s Duty (the unfamiliar situation) and is nearly killed by cybugs (incidental opposition) as he tries to win a medal (transitional goal). But when he accidentally activates a cybug egg and takes an escape pod out of Hero’s Duty into Sugar Rush (the reality check), Vanellope steals his medal and he vows to get it back (the commitment).

The Unfamiliar Situation: Ralph goes into Hero’s Duty to get a medal and discovers that the game is a lot more dangerous than he initially concluded.

Transitional Goal: Win a medal in Hero’s Duty.

Incidental Opposition: When the game begins, Ralph is attacked by vicious cybugs who want to kill everyone. Afterward, he’s berated by Gunnery Sergeant Calhoun.

When he climbs up the tower and sneaks into the medal room, he inadvertently awakens a cybug egg and does battle with it.

Turning Point Catalyst – The Reality Check: After failing to get the medal through playing Hero’s Duty, Ralph instead steals it, only to activate a cybug egg and accidentally take an escape pod out of the game into Sugar Rush. The little girl whose game of Hero Duty Ralph ruined plays Fix-it-Felix. Seeing Ralph is gone, the arcade owner puts Ralph’s game out of order.

Turning Point Two – The Commitment: Start Time: 27 of 93 minutes (29%) Ralph crash lands into Sugar Rush. Vanellope steals Ralph’s medal and he vows to get it back from her. Felix and Calhoun go into Sugar Rush to find Ralph and the cybug he brought in with him, even though they both know if they die outside of their game they won’t regenerate.

Act Run Time: 17 of 93 minutes (18.2%)

You May Also Like: Moana Story Structure Analysis

Wreck-it-ralph: story structure dramatic phase two: confrontation.

The character is thrown in the middle of the Central Conflict and is placed at direct odds with the forces of antagonism. He undergoes a series of successes and failures as he works toward resolving the main throughline.

ACT THREE: STUMBLING INTO THE CENTRAL CONFLICT

The character stumbles into the Central Conflict and faces Intentional Opposition in pursuit of a False Goal . But when there is a grave Turn of events, he has a Moment of Truth .

Act Start Time: 33 of 93 minutes (35.5%)

Ralph squares off with King Candy (the central conflict) who wants to kick Ralph out of Sugar Rush (intentional opposition) before he can get his medal back his medal back from Vanellope (the false goal). But when the king captures Ralph, tells him his medal has been turned to code and orders him booted from the game (the turn), Ralph escapes, saves Vanellope from being bullied by the other racers and agrees to help her win the race to get his medal back (the moment of truth).

The Central Conflict: Ralph vs. King Candy/Turbo.

Wreck-it-Ralph. Plot summary and story structure. King Candy gives a speech as Sour Bill looks on.

False Goal: Ralph wants to take his medal back from Vanellope.

Intentional Opposition: King Candy tells Ralph he can’t have his medal back and to leave the game immediately. When Ralph escapes, King Candy sends his goons to stop him.

Turning Point Catalyst – The Turn: King Candy captures Ralph and informs him that his medal has been turned into code and can’t be retrieved until someone wins the race.

Turning Point Three – The Moment of Truth: Start Time: 40 of 93 minutes (43%) – Ralph sees Vanellope being accosted by the other Sugar Rush racers and intervenes. Vanellope convinces him to help her break into the cart factory to get a cart so she can win the race and he can get his medal back.

Felix and Calhoun track down the shuttle Ralph took into Sugar Rush and he tells Calhoun the story of Turbo. After they escape the Nesquik sand, it is revealed to the audience that the cybug Ralph brought into the game is still alive.

Act Run Time: 15 of 93 minutes (16%)

wreck it ralph thesis statement

ACT FOUR: IMPLEMENTING A DOOMED PLAN

The character implements a Doomed Plan and faces Self-Inflicted Opposition in pursuit of a Penultimate Goal . But when an unthinkable Lowpoint occurs, he pulls himself together and discovers a Newfound Resolve .

Act Start Time: 48 of 93 minutes (51.6%)

Ralph helps Vanellope acquire a cart and learn to drive (the doomed plan) and incurs the wrath of King Candy (self-inflicted opposition) while attempting to help her win the race to get his medal back (penultimate goal). But when King Candy convinces Ralph that Vanellope is banned from racing for her own good, and Ralph smashes her cart to prevent her from entering the race (the lowpoint), he returns to his own game, sees Vanellope’s face on the side of the Sugar Rush console, and races back to her game to find out the truth (the newfound resolve).

The Doomed Plan: Ralph attempts to help Vanellope win the race by assisting with building a cart and teaching her how to drive.

Wreck-it-Ralph. Plot summary and story structure. Ralph gives Vanellope advice as she sits in her go-kart.

Penultimate Goal: Help Vanellope win the race to get his medal back.

Self-Inflicted Opposition: When the king realizes Ralph is helping Vanellope, he vows to stop him.

Turning Point Catalyst – The Lowpoint: King Candy finds Ralph while Vanellope is inside and convinces him that she is barred from racing for her own benefit. This convinces Ralph to stop Vanellope from racing by smashing her cart. Afterwards she tells him that he really is a bad guy. Way to go, Ralph.

Turning Point Four – The Newfound Resolve: 69 of 93 minutes (74.2%) – Ralph returns to his own game dejected, only to realize that everyone has deserted. There he sees Vanellope’s face on the side of Sugar Rush and realizes there are sinister plots afoot at the Circle K. Ralph races back to Sugar Rush, find’s the king’s right hand piece of candy, Sour Bill, and salivaboards the truth about the king out of him. Meanwhile, Calhoun discovers the cybug nursery and realizes Sugar Rush is doomed.

Act Run Time: 25 of 93 minutes (26.8%)

You May Also Like: Ralph Breaks the Internet Story Structure Analysis

Wreck-it-ralph: story structure dramatic phase three: resolution.

The character engages in a final confrontation with the forces of antagonism to resolve the Central Conflict. The main throughline and all additional subplots are resolved. The new status quo is established.

ACT FIVE: TRYING A LONGSHOT

The character tries a Longshot and faces Ultimate Opposition while trying to accomplish the Ultimate Goal . But just when it seems All is Lost , he makes a Final Push against the forces of antagonism and either succeeds or fails.

Act Start Time: 73 of 93 minutes (78.4%)

Ralph must solicit the aid of Felix to help Vanellope enter the race (the longshot) to defeat King Candy and the other racers (ultimate opposition) and win the race to reset Sugar Rush (the ultimate goal). But when the cybugs overrun Sugar Rush before she can cross the finish line and Vanellope can’t evacuate the game (all is lost), Ralph attempts to use Diet Cola mountain as a beacon to destroy the cybugs and must do battle with cybug King Candy (the final push).

The Longshot: Ralph must convince Felix to help the novice racer, Vanellope, win the race and defeat King Candy.

Ultimate Goal: Defeat King Candy/Turbo and the cybugs.

Wreck-it-Ralph. Plot summary and story structure. King Candy is revealed to be Turbo.

Ultimate Opposition: Vanellope and Ralph face off with King Candy and the attack of the Cybugs.

Turning Point Catalyst – All is Lost: The Cybugs overrun Sugar Rush and destroy the finish line before Vanellope can cross.

Wreck-it-Ralph. Plot summary and story structure. The cybugs merge with sugar rush to become candy bugs.

Everyone tries to evacuate the game, but Ralph can’t get Vanellope out because she is a glitch.

Turning Point Five – The Final Push: Start Time: 83 of 93 minutes (89.2% ) – Ralph gets the idea to use Diet Cola mountain as a beacon to destroy the cybugs, but is confronted by Turbo/King Candy Cybug and must fight him to set off the beacon.

Act Run Time: 14 of 93 minutes (15%)

ACT SIX: LIVING IN A NEW SITUATION

Having accomplished (or failed to have accomplished) the Ultimate Goal, the character is shown living in a New Situation .

Act Start Time: 87 of 93 minutes (93.5%)

Ralph is a hero to Vanellope, and no longer disgruntled about his role as a bad guy in his game.

The New Situation: Ralph and Vanellope are friends. The Nicelanders are now nice to Ralph and he moves out of the dump into his own little house.

Wreck-it-Ralph. Act One © Walt Disney Studios. Ralph and Vanellope fist bump.

Act Run Time: 14 of 93 minutes (15%) 

To learn more about Six Act story structure, purchase your copy of “ Actions and Goals: The Story Structure Secret ” today!

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wreck it ralph thesis statement

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Wreck-It Ralph

John C. Reilly, Jane Lynch, Rich Moore, Sarah Silverman, Gerald C. Rivers, Jack McBrayer, Roger Craig Smith, and Kevin Deters in Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Ralph is tired of playing the role of a bad guy and embarks on a journey to become a video game hero. But he accidentally lets loose a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade. Ralph is tired of playing the role of a bad guy and embarks on a journey to become a video game hero. But he accidentally lets loose a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade. Ralph is tired of playing the role of a bad guy and embarks on a journey to become a video game hero. But he accidentally lets loose a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade.

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  • 505 User reviews
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  • 72 Metascore
  • 33 wins & 42 nominations total

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  • Trivia Unlike most animated films, the principal actors regularly recorded audio sessions together in the same room, a situation which led to a lot of improvising.
  • Goofs After Vanellope resets the game by crossing the finish line, the race track still has King Candy's logo and face from the earlier track.

King Candy : [puts on glasses] You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you?

[Ralph yanks the glasses off and breaks them over Candy's head]

King Candy : You hit a guy *with* glasses. That's... that's... well-played.

  • Crazy credits After the credits finish rolling there is a final shot where the Disney title card has an arcade "Kill Screen" with 8-bit versions of Ralph, Calhoun, and others walking around broken game stages.
  • Alternate versions Also shown in a 3D version.
  • Connections Edited into Zenimation: Cityscapes (2020)
  • Soundtracks Celebration Written by Ronald Bell , Claydes Smith , George 'Funky' Brown (as George Brown), James 'JT' Taylor (as James Taylor), Robert 'Spike' Mickens (as Robert Mickens), Earl Toon , Dennis D.T. Thomas (as Dennis Thomas), Robert 'Kool' Bell (as Robert Bell), Eumir Deodato Performed by Kool & The Gang Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User reviews 505

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  • Oct 25, 2012
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  • November 2, 2012 (United States)
  • United States
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  • Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA
  • Walt Disney Animation Studios
  • Walt Disney Pictures
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro
  • $165,000,000 (estimated)
  • $189,422,889
  • $49,038,712
  • Nov 4, 2012
  • $471,222,889

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  • Runtime 1 hour 41 minutes
  • Dolby Digital
  • Dolby Atmos
  • Dolby Surround 7.1

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wreck it ralph thesis statement

Wreck it Ralph, Bad Guy to Hero

This essay about “Wreck It Ralph” explores the transformation of the titular character from a programmed video game villain to a genuine hero. It highlights Ralph’s struggle with his identity and desire for acceptance, which leads him to seek a hero’s medal but ultimately teaches him the value of self-acceptance and the impact one can have on others. Through his interactions, especially with Vanellope von Schweetz, Ralph learns that heroism and villainy are not defined by one’s role but by one’s actions and heart. The essay underscores the film’s nuanced portrayal of characters and its message that everyone can be the hero of their own story, challenging traditional perceptions of heroism and villainy.

How it works

In the tapestry of animated cinema, characters are often painted with broad strokes, heroes gleaming in their virtue and villains shrouded in their malice. Yet, every so often, a story emerges that blurs these lines, compelling us to reexamine our notions of good and evil. “Wreck It Ralph,” a vibrant foray into the pixelated world of video games, achieves just that, transforming its would-be villain from a bad guy to a hero in a narrative that resonates with heart and depth.

Ralph, the titular character of this digital odyssey, is introduced to us as the villain of the arcade game Fix-It Felix Jr. Yet, unlike the typical antagonist draped in darkness, Ralph’s villainy is more a vocational hazard than a true reflection of his character. Tasked with destroying a building that the game’s hero, Felix, must repair, Ralph’s existence is punctuated by the loneliness and ostracization inherent to his role. It’s a life that leaves him yearning for something more, something beyond the confines of his programmed identity.

This yearning propels Ralph on a journey across the arcade, through games of vastly different genres, each with its own set of rules and challenges. It’s a journey not just for a medal — a tangible symbol of heroism he believes will earn him respect and love — but for self-discovery and acceptance. Along the way, Ralph’s encounters with other characters, particularly the spunky glitch Vanellope von Schweetz, serve as mirrors reflecting his own struggles with identity and acceptance. Vanellope, ostracized for her glitch status in the candy-coated racing game Sugar Rush, becomes an unlikely kindred spirit, teaching Ralph that flaws do not define one’s worth.

What sets “Wreck It Ralph” apart is its nuanced portrayal of villainy and heroism. The film delves into the gray areas, showing that the roles we are assigned or assume in life are not indelible markers of our true selves. Ralph’s transformation from villain to hero is not marked by a dramatic change in his actions or abilities but by a shift in perspective and heart. His journey underscores the idea that heroism is not about the accolades or the recognition but about the impact one has on the lives of others.

Moreover, “Wreck It Ralph” champions the theme of self-acceptance, encapsulated in Ralph’s realization that he can be the hero of his own story, irrespective of the role he plays in the game. It’s a powerful message, especially in a world that often seeks to pigeonhole and label, reminding viewers that one’s value is not contingent on fitting into predefined molds.

In the end, Ralph’s return to his game is not a defeat but a triumphant embrace of his identity, both as the ‘villain’ of Fix-It Felix Jr. and as the hero of his own narrative. This return is marked not by a continuation of the status quo but by a newfound respect and camaraderie among the game’s characters, reflecting the broader acceptance Ralph has found within himself and from those who have come to understand the depth of his character.

“Wreck It Ralph” is a testament to the complexity of identity and the redemptive power of understanding and acceptance. Through Ralph’s journey, the film invites viewers to reconsider their perceptions of villainy and heroism, suggesting that perhaps, within every villain, there is a hero waiting to break free. It is a narrative rich in empathy and insight, a vibrant reminder that the heart of a hero beats within us all, regardless of the roles we play.

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The Villain is You: Ralph Breaks the Internet and the Evolution of the Disney Villain

wreck it ralph thesis statement

Growing up during ‘90s Disney Renaissance, one of my family’s favorite cassettes tapes to listen to as we drove to and from school every morning was a collection of Disney villain songs. There was something deliciously infectious to the nefarious do-badders warbling their evil plans. My mom, a life-long church choir singer, could belt out Ursula the Sea Witch’s bouncy-yet-gothic “Poor Unfortunate Souls” like a Broadway diva while I prided myself on my Jeremy Irons ’ impression while singing Scar’s fascist show-stopper “Be Prepared.” 

The only villain song we ever skipped was Claude Frollo’s “Hellfire” from “ The Hunchback of Notre Dame ,” a choice having less to do with our religious background than the fact that, unlike the succulent campiness of the other songs, it sounded genuinely sinister and scary. The piece broke the illusion cast by Disney’s rogues gallery—one of playful malevolence, of Iarger-than-life wickedness too cartoonish to be real, but not cruel enough to be unidentifiable. “ Walt Disney wanted to have the villains in his animated films be interesting,” Disney animator Andreas Deja explained in a special feature in the Blu-ray release of “Sleeping Beauty,” “there had to be something about them that you recognize as a human quality, something that is beyond just bad.” We might never actually want to cheat, steal, or murder, but who couldn’t envy Gaston’s ruggedness? Hades’ fast-talking charisma? Maleficent’s authoritative majesty and power?

Having caught on to the legions of fans who prefer the bad guys over the good, Disney has transformed their villains into a franchise unto themselves, establishing official fashion brands and merchandise focusing exclusively on their scintillating scoundrels. But w ith the undeniable (and lucrative) success of Disney’s villains, a simple question must be asked: where have they all gone in recent years? Part of this can be attributed to Disney’s recent departure from the traditional musical format for their animated films: both “ Big Hero 6 ” (2014) and “ Zootopia ” (2016) aren’t musicals and feature villains who remain largely in the shadows until the last act. Additionally, their last two Disney princess films, “ Frozen ” (2013) and “ Moana ” (2016), were musicals but didn’t feature traditional villains like Cinderella’s evil stepmother Lady Tremaine or Jasmine’s court adversary Jafar.

Then there’s Disney’s latest animated movie “ Ralph Breaks the Internet ,” the a film which shockingly has no villain at all. A sequel to their Academy Award-winning “ Wreck-It Ralph ” (2012), the film continues the adventures of eponymous bad-guy-turned-good-guy from classic arcade game “Fix-It Felix Jr.” and his best friend Vanellope von Schweetz as they embark on a monomythic journey into the Internet to find a new part for Vanellope’s broken arcade cabinet. Their story is one of self-discovery, with Vanellope’s arc mimicking those of the Renaissance princesses like Ariel, Belle, and Mulan who desired more out of their unfulfilling lives—in her case wanting to escape her predictable arcade game for the spontaneity of hyper-violent online racing game Slaughter Race . (In one of the film’s best punchlines, she’s coached by the other princesses into triggering her own What I Want Out Of Life song that appears in the first act of nearly every princess movie. Indeed, it’s the only song in either “Wreck-It Ralph” movie.)

<span class="s1" <then="" there’s="" disney’s="" latest="" animated="" movie="" “ralph="" breaks="" the="" internet,”="" which="" shockingly="" has="" no="" villain="" at="" all.="" a="" sequel="" to="" their="" academy="" award-nominated="" “wreck-it-ralph”="" (2012),="" film="" continues="" adventures="" of="" eponymous="" bad-guy-turned-good-guy="" from="" classic="" arcade="" game="" “fix-it-felix="" jr.”="" and="" his="" best="" friend="" vanellope="" von="" schweetz="" as="" they="" embark="" on="" monomythic="" journey="" into="" internet="" find="" new="" part="" for="" vanellope’s="" broken="" cabinet.="" story="" is="" one="" self-discovery,="" with="" arc="" mimicking="" those="" renaissance="" princesses="" like="" ariel,="" belle,="" mulan="" who="" desired="" more="" out="" unfulfilling="" lives—in="" her="" case="" wanting="" escape="" predictable="" spontaneity="" hyper-violent="" online="" racing="" game 

wreck it ralph thesis statement

If Vanellope’s arc is inherently existential, then Ralph’s is intrinsically emotional as he struggles with the idea that friends can lead separate lives from each other and still remain friends. In his confusion, he ends up almost killing her by releasing an “Insecurity Virus” into  Slaughter Race , intending for it to throttle the game and make it boring. When the Virus escapes the game, it latches onto Ralph, replicating the “insecurities” in his code to create an army of zombie Ralphs who want to capture Vanellope, finally joining together to create a skyscraper-sized kaiju-Ralph hellbent on destroying everything in its way. Ralph becomes the villain in his own story.

Remarkably, Ralph doesn’t defeat this evil clone by destroying or out-smarting it, but by forcing it to confront its own psychological fears of separation from Vanellope. It’s perhaps the most nuanced take on an antagonist in any recent Disney film, centered in the realization that our own toxic behavior can make us literal or metaphorical monsters. It’s only by confronting our “insecurities” head-on that we can prevent this from happening and repair the damage for when it inevitably does. It’s a noble lesson for small children.

But I doubt we’ll ever see kaiju-Ralph appear in a Disney theme park. Or on a compilation album of great villain songs. He’s a villain, yes, but not a Villain with a capital “V.” How did this transformation from the larger-than-life villains that dominated Disney films for nearly 70 years occur? The answer is simple: Pixar.

wreck it ralph thesis statement

For its first few years as an independent animation studio, Pixar modeled its villains on the traditional Disney variety. Their first two films “ Toy Story ” (1995) and “A Bug’s Life” (1998) had evil maniacs the heroes needed to defeat, respectively a hyper-violent, toy-destroying child and the leader of a predatory grasshopper gang. But then came “ Toy Story 2 ” (1999) and the introduction of the bait-and-switch villain. For most of the movie, the audience is led to believe that the villain is Al McWhiggin, a greedy toy collector who steals the heroes Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and their friends with the intention of selling them to a Japanese toy museum. But in the third act something strange happens: one of the friendly supporting characters, Stinky Pete the Prospector (pictured above), betrays the heroes and sabotages their efforts to escape McWhiggin. It was an effective, unexpected twist that worked in large part because the film had built up Stinky Pete’s character with a tragic backstory that made us sympathize with his hatred for toys like Woody and Buzz who had loving owners. It added a new layer of nuance to the traditional hero/villain dynamic by suggesting that the most wicked among us might be products of broken lives, not evil megalomaniacal tyrants you could spot miles away.

<span class="s1" <the="" bait-and-switch="" villain="" became="" a="" staple="" of="" the="" pixar="" formula,="" with="" each="" implementation="" adding="" more="" and="" unexpected="" depth="" to="" their="" family="" friendly="" charmers.="" “monsters="" inc.”="" (2001)="" tricked="" us="" into="" believing="" hyper-competitive="" steve="" buscemi-voiced="" chameleon="" is="" before="" revealing="" true="" baddie:="" avuncular="" ceo="" titular="" company="" who’d="" rather="" kill="" his="" best="" employees="" than="" risk="" harming="" profit="" margin.="" “the="" incredibles”="" (2004)="" blindsided="" audiences="" third="" act="" revelation="" that="" superhero-killing="" syndrome="" was="" one-time="" wannabe="" sidekick="" mr.="" incredible.="" silent="" comedy="" sci-fi="" romance="" hybrid="" “wall-e”="" (2008)="" made="" an="" incredible="" statement="" on="" pessimism="" being="" anathema="" spirit="" science="" human="" endeavor="" by="" turning="" seemingly="" benevolent="" ai="" program="" entitled="" auto="" in="" antagonist="" last="" having="" it="" attempt="" scuttle="" heroes’="" attempts="" return="" prodigal="" species="" planet="" earth.

But by the end of the decade, the bait-and-switch villain had become so integral to the Pixar brand that it’d become perfunctory, with twist villains seemingly crammed into the films with little care concerning whether or not they made sense within the larger context of the story. The most obvious example was “ Up ” (2009), a film about the bond between a lonely old man and a lonely young boy that gets waylaid in the last 20 minutes by a sudden villain turn by their joint hero, explorer Charles F. Muntz. His dastardly plan feels completely out-of-place in a heartfelt road movie about overcoming grief and finding the courage to love others. Since “Up,” only four of their ten movies have had bait-and-switch villains: Lotso-O’-Huggin’ Bear from “ Toy Story 3 ” (2010); Sir Miles Axlerod from “ Cars 2 ” (2011); Ernesto de la Cruz in “ Coco ” (2017); and Evelyn Deavor in “ Incredibles 2 ” (2018). The remaining six have demonstrated an increased distancing from villains, both surprise and traditional, almost altogether.

But the era of bait-and-switch villains wouldn’t end with Pixar. Eager to duplicate Pixar’s success after an almost decade-long box office and critical drought, a newly reinvigorated Walt Disney Animated Studios embraced many aspects of the Pixar formula, largely chucking songs out of all but their princess movies  and trying to tell more emotionally mature stories. These included the advent of Disney bait-and-switch villains, including “Ralph Breaks the Internet’”s predecessor “Wreck-It-Ralph.” But Disney never quite got the hang of the bait-and-switch villain angle, ultimately failing to make them feel organic to their stories or memorable. The grief-stricken super-villain Yokai in “Big Hero 6” and the race war-baiting sheep Dawn Bellwether in “Zootopia” (2016) were easily the weakest parts of their respective movies, and no matter how memorable the “if only there was someone out there who loved you” Hans reveal in “Frozen” (2013) might have been, there’s no denying that it was contrived and conflicted with the film’s overarching themes of sisterly love and self-empowerment.

wreck it ralph thesis statement

But with “Moana” (2016) Walt Disney Studios began to demonstrate their latest imitation of the Pixar method: the abandonment of marquee villains. The closest thing “Moana” had to a traditional villain was volcano demon Te Kā, a corruption of benevolent goddess Te Fiti after her defilement by demigod Maui. Te Kā isn’t so much a conscious antagonist as an impartial (and literal) force of natural destruction; treating her as a scheming, plotting villain is as nonsensical as anthropomorphizing a wildfire or hurricane. Yet despite having the power to control water as a weapon, Moana doesn’t kill the rampaging demon, instead appealing to the goddess buried deep within and healing her, promoting a narrative of compassion, kindness, and feminine solidarity as the keys to helping violated women overcome male-inflicted trauma. (Tamatoa, the greedy coconut crab monster, doesn’t quite count as a villain despite having first authentic Disney villain song in years since he only appears in one scene midway through the film and is promptly forgotten afterwards.)

And now we have “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” which does away with even the antagonistic yet impartial force of destruction of “Moana.” Everything bad that happens to Ralph and Vanellope is a direct result of Ralph’s interference. He changes Vanellope’s game so it ends up getting broken by a player; his ignorance of real-world money is what forces them to loot-hunt once on the Internet, leading them to  Slaughter Race ; and he’s the one who finds and uses the “Insecurity Virus.” If Disney began with overt villains, adopted bait-and-switch villains, then abandoned villains altogether, then Ralph represents a fourth stage in this continual evolution: the misguided hero. Judging by the film’s critical and financial success, this tentative experiment has proven a successful one. Could these hero-villains be the future of Disney bad guys? Perhaps. But if so, it’s doubtful we’ll be getting anymore villain song compilations anytime soon. And that, in its own way, is a great loss.

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A Review of Wreck-It Ralph

Note: this is a long read, ~3000 words. For the benefit of those who haven't seen the film, I've outlined the plot in detail, including spoilers.

Wreck-It Ralph is the story of an arcade game character and his dissatisfaction with the role that he was programmed to play. During the day, Ralph is the villain in Fix-it Felix Jr. , a simple 80s-style arcade game reminiscent of Donkey Kong. Each level of game begins with Ralph climbing up the side of an apartment building and smashing windows with his enormous hands. He’s followed by the cheerful, player-controlled handyman Felix, who must try to repair the damage while Ralph tries to hinder his progress by throwing objects at him. Once Felix has succeeded, the apartment dwellers (the Nicelanders) come out to reward Felix with a medal and cast Ralph off the top of the building and into a mud puddle below.

In Wreck-It Ralph as in Toy Story , during the night when the arcade is closed, the arcade game characters are conscious, living beings who are aware of their position in the world as game characters. They are able to leave their games and visit others by traveling through the machines’ electrical cords which are connected through a power strip.

But despite this knowledge of the real world, the staged antipathy between Wreck-It Ralph and the Nicelanders continues even once the lights in the arcade have been turned off. In a nice example of Žižek’s theory that ideology continues to function even when you don’t believe it, the Nicelanders adore Felix as a hero and despise Ralph even though they see through the game’s “official ideology”. They know it is only a game, and although this is never really stated, logically we have to conclude that the Nicelanders know that Ralph is not really a bad guy.

They treat him as if he was a villain not because they believe he is, but because they suppose an Other who really believes. Or as Michel De Certeau puts it in his essay What We Do When We Believe , “it is a belief in the belief of the Other, or in what one makes believe that he believes”, a version of the Lacanian subject supposed to believe. For the Nicelanders, this Other is clearly the children who come into the arcade every day with their quarters. “Children are in a way the basis for the belief of adults,” says De Certeau. The innocence of this Big Other is assumed, and it must be maintained if the system is to function.

Notably, Ralph’s exclusion is economic as well as social. When he’s not playing the game, he lives in a garbage dump with a tree stump as a pillow and covers himself with bricks when he goes to sleep. His hair is untamed and he dresses in overalls, evoking the stereotypical hillbilly in contrast to the polite, middle-class Nicelanders.

This is the background that motivates Ralph to reluctantly attend Bad-Anon, a “bad guy” support group modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous and attended by villains from other video games who face similar challenges. They give him therapeutic advice on how to accommodate himself to the reality of his world, to accept what he cannot change. “You can’t mess with the program, Ralph,” says one. They close with the Bad Guy Affirmation: “I am bad, and that’s good. I will never be good and that’s not bad. There is no one I’d rather be than me.”

Ralph seems to feel ambivalent about this advice, and his condition is made even more painfully apparent when the Nicelanders organize a party for the game’s 30-year anniversary and fail to invite him. He shows up anyway and disrupts the celebration by asking questions about his position in the game: why is he always despised? why doesn’t he ever get the chance to be celebrated like Felix? why doesn’t he ever get a medal? why does he have to live in a garbage dump? The Nicelanders respond with withering scorn, one sarcastically responding that if he ever got a medal, he could live in the penthouse, but he’s nothing but a bad guy and always will be. He leaves in frustration, determined to prove himself to the Nicelanders and win a medal.

Economically disadvantaged and on the receiving end of social stigmas, it’s not hard to view this character as the embodiment of the working class, and his game Fix-It Felix, Jr. a metaphor for capitalism. Taken from this perspective, the film begins rather promisingly, by having Ralph make a radical critique that cuts to the heart of the social order he lives in. In the end, he is treated like a bad guy not because the middle class Nicelanders hate and fear him, but because the system requires it. The familiar video game tropes would be inconceivable without a despised villain, so someone has to do the job, a parallel to the economic exploitation of the working class that’s a necessary component of capitalism. Although they know he is not really a villain, they continue to treat him like he is one even when they are off the clock. To do otherwise would be to call into question the entire economy of good guys vs. bad guys that all games require.

To truly address Ralph’s complaints would require a total overhaul of the social order; or, a revolution, a re-programming of the ideological code that generates their reality. Even though the characters are aware of themselves as characters determined by the game’s code (and as is revealed later, they actually have the power to modify it), this is unthinkable. And yet for them it is also an ever-present threat. As the film progresses, and Ralph transgresses some of these limits, the game characters react with horror , invoking the phrase “gone Turbo”. The definition of this phrase isn’t revealed right away, and it turns out to refer to a traumatic event in the arcade: a racing game called Turbo Time lost its place as the most popular arcade game to a new racing game. Feeling envious, the main character Turbo game-jumps, invading the new game to disrupt it, trying to convince players to go back to his game, resulting in the ultimate horror: the arcade owner finds that both games are faulty, unplugs them and wheels them out of the arcade.

This event has numerous parallels to contemporary politics. The arrival of the new game that makes Turbo Time obsolete refers to capitalist creative destruction, the arcade floor as a market and the players making choices among competing games for how to spend their quarters. Turbo violates the arcade’s hegemonic order by refusing to accept this, reflecting the capitalist slander that any changes to the social order are motivated by the losers’ pathological jealousy of the winners. His transgressions precipitate a tragedy and serve as a warning against trying to make any changes, in exactly the same way that liberals admit that although capitalism is not perfect, they warn that the inevitable result of change is totalitarianism.

Finally, the way the characters invoke the phrase “going Turbo” as an ever-present, threatening possibility reminds me of Jodi Dean’s thesis that while the left seems resigned to defeat and the impossibility of really changing things, the right betrays their belief in the necessity and imminent possibility of radical change in their frantic paranoia that everyone and everything is communist:

In the US, we are reminded daily that radical change is possible, and we are incited to fear it. The threat, or specter, is communism, right-wing radio and blogs scream, and if we don’t do something, we will be under the communist yoke. The right, even the center, regularly invokes the possibility of radical change and it names that change communism. Why does it name the change communism? Because extreme inequality is visible and undeniable.

The right believes in communism as the solution to capitalism because of how frequently they invoke it to silence even talk of reform. In the same way, the characters in Wreck-It Ralph invoke the specter of going Turbo in response to the antagonisms and contradictions in their universe of which they are well aware.

Ralph’s quest to win a medal and prove his worth to the Nicelanders takes him to a high-octane robot bug shooter with a dubstep soundtrack called Hero’s Duty . He sneaks to the end of the game and is awarded a medal as if he had completed it, accidentally awakens the sleeping cybugs and finds his way to a small escape pod. In the chaos, the pod exits Hero’s Duty and finally crash lands in Sugar Rush , a Mario Kart-style racing game set in a cute, childlike candy world. There, Ralph runs into a local, Vanellope von Schweetz, the second major character in the film, who promptly makes off with his prized medal.

Despite this initial antagonism, Vanellope and Ralph will form a bond because they share a similar condition. Where Ralph is dissatisfied with being forced to play the villain in his game, he at least has a proper placeÑhis absence throws his game into chaos as it faces the risk of being unplugged. Vanellope is also a social pariah—in the candy children’s world, she is subject to bullying and taunts at the hands of the game’s racers because, as she puts it, she is a glitch, a mistake. The other racers have a place in the game, but Vanellope is presented to the audience as an unneeded, incomplete leftover that the programmers forgot about. Every few minutes, she glitches out, her body briefly destabilizes into pixels, a condition that she calls pixelexia. She lives underground, beneath Diet Cola Mountain, a half-finished bonus race track that was never used.

If Ralph stands for the traditional working class, Vanellope has, at least at this point, all the features of Giorgio Agamben’s homo sacer . They are people who are outside the normal legal and social order and prohibited from participating in it, existing in no-man’s lands, spaces where the state has withdrawn. They include homeless people, illegal immigrants, refugees, the millions who live in slums and favelas around the world, and even impoverished, semi-lawless areas of major American cities like Detroit. There is no possibility of them becoming normal, productive members of society, they are simply written off as our unavoidable mistakes and either forgotten about or made into the target of humanitarian interventions.

Unlike Ralph, who abandons his position, effectively going on strike, Vanellope’s goal is to enter the nightly race presided over by King Candy, the ruler of Sugar Rush. This competition decides who gets to be the player’s character for the following day. If Vanellope wins, she will become a real part of the game, but to enter the race, the characters pay a gold coin from their winnings. Having never raced, Vanellope has no winnings, so she steals Ralph’s gold medal, violating King Candy’s rules and enters the race. Ralph catches up with her, but it’s too late, his medal is gone, but they soon find common cause together. The winner of the race will get all the coins, and Vanellope tells Ralph that if he helps her win, she will give back the medal. Ralph agrees, and they spend time together bonding while they evade King Candy’s security, build a new kart and teach Vanellope how to drive.

But their new friendship is shattered when King Candy finds Ralph alone. He returns his medal, and explains the reason why Vanellope is not allowed to race: if she were to be a part of the game, the players would see her glitching and assume the game is broken. They would be unplugged, and because Vanellope is a glitch, she isn’t able to leave, so she would die along with the game. He convinces Ralph to prevent this, which he does by smashing the kart, to Vanellope’s shock. He returns to his game, only to find it almost deserted. The last remaining Nicelander tells him the game will be unplugged. In despair, Ralph throws the medal into the screen which disturbs the out-of-order sign so that he can see out into the arcade floor. He looks out, seeing the Sugar Rush cabinet from the outside and Vanellope’s picture painted on it.

Now realizing that she was originally a legitimate part of the game, he rushes back and discovers that King Candy reprogrammed the game to remove her. She isn’t allowed to race because if she were to win, the game would reset back to its original programming, reverting everything King Candy has done. On learning this, Ralph enlists Fix-It Felix to repair the kart, putting Vanellope back into the race.

Now we’re at the climax of the film. King Candy attacks Vanellope during the race, where he finally reveals his true identity. He is Turbo, the first character to who game-jumped. His great transgression was refusing to take his assigned place in the order of his universe, and he has compounded this. He explains that by going into Sugar Rush ’s game code, he was able to reprogram it to make himself king. Ralph intervenes to kill Turbo/King Candy and Vanellope crosses the finish line, resetting the game and revealing that she is in fact Princess Vanellope, the rightful ruler of Sugar Rush .

With this revelation, the film shifts away from Vanellope as the excluded homo sacer . At first, her existence was evidence of the programmers’ mistake, an unexpected failure that exposes the faults of the system. But the film now contradicts itself. She is excluded because of Turbo, who refused to submit to the rules of the system and even believed that he, an ordinary game character, is allowed to participate in the programming of his world rather than leaving this to the invisible, god-like programmers. The message of the film is that the social order is good, just and fair, and people who refuse to know their proper place will only ruin it.

If the film backtracks on making Vanellope into homo sacer , then who does she turn out to be? King Candy initially appears as ruler of Sugar Rush, but he is revealed to be not only illegitimate, he’s the avatar of the ultimate transgression of going Turbo; metaphorically, of trying to overthrow capitalism. In today’s politics, this could be seen as the Tea Party’s paranoid view of Obama: ostensibly the legitimately elected president, but secretly a communist. In this reading, Vanellope’s condition stands for the conservative feeling of victimhood at the hands of liberal, politically-correct bullies, and her restoration stands for their hope that once they eliminate the foreign, destabilizing threat and restoring the proper order.

This double reading of her character points to a profound ambiguity with anti-authority underdog characters. They are very relatable and solicit audience sympathy, but are most often deeply conservative fantasy figures of the “rightful heir to the throne,” the restoration of the true king who will return the world back the way it was before the progressive intrusion.

We can detect the precise moment when the film moved to the conservative side: when Ralph looked out and say that Vanellope’s face was on the cabinet, proving that she was legitimately part of the game. We can imagine the film ending differently, where Vanellope, Ralph and Turbo join together to reprogram the games so that no one needs to be excluded and no one needs to be the bad guy. What if they freed themselves from the game and build their own world instead of submitting, day after day, to the demands of the players?

Ignoring the right-wing implications of Vanellope’s final triumph and judging it just as a story, at least she gets a conclusion. But there isn’t really a happy ending for Ralph. And maybe the strength of this film is that you walk out of the theater completely depressed by where it leaves him.

The film takes us forward, showing us how all the original tension is resolved: everything in Ralph’s game is back to normal. He managed to built himself a barely-standing shack out of the bricks from his garbage dump, as if he has capitulated to the absurd self-improvement injunctions that tells you things like: Stop complaining and do something positive! Take advantage of what you have! And so on.

Ralph achieved almost nothing. Yes, the Nicelanders are a little nicer to him. But the bleakest moment is when Ralph explains in a resigned tone how he has come to terms with reality, what really helps him through his day: at the end of every level, the Nicelanders pick him up and throw him off the roof as they always did, but now, just as he reaches the top of his arc, he is able to catch a glimpse of Sugar Rush across the arcade floor. He sees how happy Vanellope is now, and that makes it all worth it. Formerly, being thrown off the roof was the very symbol of his dissatisfaction, but now he is able to see it in a new, more positive light. The Nicelanders aren’t throwing him down into the mud! They are now lifting him up to see the smile of the one for whom he was once a hero.

One way to read Wreck-It Ralph is as a film that refers obliquely to Thomas Frank’s What’s the Matter with Kansas? The working class are recruited to depose the crypto-communist liberal imposter and restore the throne to its rightful heir. Having done that, they are returned from whence he came, daily thrown off the roof of global capitalism, only this time catching the smile of the wealthy Republican-voting elite assuring them that they’re the real Americans.

Kelci D Crawford

The Bad Guys are Heroes: A Comparative Story Analysis of Wreck-It Ralph and Megamind

I love stories. I love to tell them, read them, and talk about them.

I love to talk about them and take them apart to understand how they work, how they tell what they have to say, and how that message affects the reader.

The easiest medium to do this with is films. Compared to books and comics, films are not too complex or layered. Films are straightforward, and often only have one theme, simply because they are a brief medium and must get their message across quickly.

With that said, I want to do a comparative breakdown of two of my favorite animated films thus far: Wreck-It Ralph and Megamind.

In writing this, I hope that you not only get an interesting and thoughtful read, but also some inspiration to take with you the next time you want to write or draw your own stories.

Just FYI: this will be long. Get your tea ready, curl up under your favorite shawl, and now, onward!

First, it must be noted that both Wreck-It Ralph and Megamind are very similar in plot structure. Both are about the main character, perceived as a villain, who goes through trials and becomes a hero.

On the surface, these stories both look like (and sometimes act like) Underdog stories – the main characters are constantly getting shit thrown on them, but then through hard work, luck, and the power of friends, they conquer their rival and win the day!

Except, no. These stories are still hero stories – they’re just told through the point of view of what other narratives would call the villains.

Also, Wreck-It Ralph and Megamind are both an analysis of destiny (doing what you’re expected to do) and free will (doing what you choose to do). Ralph does this analysis via video games and programs, while Megamind does this analysis through reenacting roles typical of the superhero genre.

To understand how these stories analyze these ideas, let’s talk first about the main characters.

Wreck-It Ralph and Megamind are both “villains” who are actually heroes in their respective stories. Both characters are in systems that made them villains.

Ralph is, literally, programmed to be a villain. Megamind had crash-landed on Earth and was raised in a prison. However, Megamind tries to be good for a while when he attends school: he sees the adulation given to the boy who would later become MetroMan, and, never having received this in prison, tries to gain this favor in school, only to fail. But then Megamind realizes that “Being bad is the one thing I’m good at,” and so vows to be “The baddest boy of them all.”

Ralph is forced into his role as villain. He is, literally, the bad guy in the video game he works in. Megamind could have rejected his role at the outset, but chose instead to live it. You could argue that his living in prison doomed him to be a villain regardless of his choice, but I would say that’s very limiting to Megamind as a character. He saw his skillset and he openly chose his role (even if he doesn’t see that right away). That is something that Ralph lacks.

As such, their desires at the start of their stories are different: Ralph’s desire is to be recognized as a nice guy and not be forever labeled as a “bad guy.” He wants to break out of the system that he is a part of. Megamind, meanwhile, just wants to be recognized for all the hard work he does, and he wants to finally win a battle, any battle at all.

However, as their stories progress, their desires change, but more on that in a minute. First, we need to look at their opposites.

Fix-It Felix and MetroMan are both good foils of the main characters in their respective stories.

Felix is programmed to be the “good guy.” He is also one of those rare people who is genuinely a nice guy, even if he is completely unaware that the system is built for his benefit. He is not deliberately evil. He’s just part of a system that keeps Ralph and others like him in their place. Felix is not aware of his role until the middle of the film, when he is taken out of his program and metaphorically dropped into Sugar Rush and King Candy’s system, which a perversion of the systems in the arcade.

MetroMan is labeled by the society of Metro City as “the good guy.” As such, he also benefits from the system like Felix does. It’s notable, though, that MetroMan is aware of his privileged status and milks it at the beginning of the film. On the other hand, he feels that he had no choice in accepting his role (where Felix thinks he chooses to be a good guy). MetroMan even states, “I felt stuck,” and that “each and every citizen had something that I didn’t: a choice.” This actually serves as a brilliant foil to Megamind, who feels that he was “destined” to be the villain, but actually chose to be so (even if he is not aware of that choice).

Isn’t it cool to note that Wreck-It Ralph has programmed villains and heroes who are forced into their roles (but the characters sometimes feel like it’s a choice), while Megamind has villains and heroes who actually have free will but believe they are fated for their roles?

It’s interesting, also, to compare Felix and MetroMan because, while Felix has his own journey from bumpkin to learned man (where he recognizes the system he is a part of and how he benefits from it), MetroMan actually shifts roles in the story: he goes from Hero to Herald. In his role as Herald, he issues his challenge to Megamind and announces that he has quit his role as superhero, thereby passing the mantle to Megamind. Megamind, of course, rejects this calling repeatedly throughout the film until the climax.

Speaking of Heralds, let’s get to the other cast members, starting with Minion and Calhoun.

Minion and Calhoun are both helpers to the Heroes, but in different ways.

Minion’s role is obvious: he’s a minion to Megamind. But in literary terms, he is the Fool. This doesn’t mean that he’s (completely) a simpleton. Quite the contrary: the Fool is the one that reminds the Hero (Megamind) of his folly and humanity. Megamind and Minion obviously care about each other: in the beginning of the film, Megamind’s parents entrust Minion to be caregiver to their son.

(Off-topic, but this is kind of similar to how, in Dragonball Z, Nappa was entrusted to care for and protect Vegeta. However, the dynamic between these two is not the same as between Megamind and Minion. Nappa and Vegeta know clearly who is in charge of who, where Minion and Megamind are more like a team. While Megamind playfully suggests he is the one in charge, he also knows when to acknowledge that Minion is right.)

Minion serves Megamind, but he is also aware of Megamind’s place in the system, and helps to remind Megamind when he forgets. This later comes back to hurt them and their dynamic, and serves as a major point in their plot.

Calhoun, on the other hand, is not the Fool. She is the Herald, the same role that MetroMan occupies.

Calhoun is the one in charge in her program. When Ralph program-jumps into her world, in an effort to get the medal there and prove his heroism, Calhoun is the one to issue the challenge of getting the medal in the first place. Strangely enough, she does this by openly stating, “Our job is to get the player to the top of that tower so they can get to their medal and THAT’S. IT. So stick to the program, soldier!”

She unwittingly tells Ralph that his purpose is to not get the medal for himself, which of course spurs him even more to get this reward (after all, by being told to not want something, you want it more than ever).

Of course, Ralph gets his reward, but he also unwittingly unleashes the Cybugs (the nasties in Calhoun’s game) on Sugar Rush’s world. Therefore, Calhoun must go into Sugar Rush and stop the Cybug before it propagates.

Her other purpose as Herald is to announce the changes to come within the story. When Felix approaches her to help him find Ralph, she agrees, but only to stop the Cybug that Ralph had unleashed. She announces that if the Cybug is not stopped, it will multiply, and Sugar Rush (and potentially the entire arcade) will collapse to their destruction.

So what other roles are there for the cast of Wreck-It Ralph and Megamind? Before I talk about the antagonists, I want to talk about Vanellope and Roxanne.

It’s actually incredibly hard to talk about these two in a literary sense, because they don’t fall easily into set archetypes (at least to me). Both ladies, though, serve as catalysts for the protagonists’ actions. Vanellope does this in a more direct way, at first, by telling Ralph what to do and how to do it. Roxanne, on the other hand, has her own presence that inspires Megamind to take his actions.

Roxanne is fascinating because when the film first starts, she is aware that her role is to be the damsel in distress, and she HATES her role, even if she does begrudgingly accept it. When MetroMan “dies,” she spurs Megamind into action directly with her news report and with her “heroes can be made” speech. (This is what inspires Megamind to create a replacement hero for him to fight in place of MetroMan, whom he believes he has killed). She also is the catalyst of action for Hal, who later becomes the villain, by being the reward or the “object” that he lusts for.

I must note that Megamind does not originally see Roxanne as a romantic interest. It’s only with time and exposure that he begins to fall in love with her. In his perception, Roxanne grows as a character, from actor to real human being, whereas Hal does not grow in the same way: he always sees her as the prize to win.

It would be easy to say that Roxanne has no character depth (thanks in part to the plot relegating her always to the role of damsel-in-distress), but in fact, she does: she is curious, she is driven, she is suspicious, she is knowledgeable. In fact, one of Megamind’s turning points as a character is recognizing that Roxanne is the smartest person he knows. Roxanne is surprisingly fleshed out.

Vanellope is also possessing of multiple dimensions as a character: she starts as the abrasive child, but moves into becoming a mirror of Ralph: both are victims of systems that have demonized and crushed them, and stripped them of most freedoms given to “good guys.” While Ralph hates his position, Vanellope makes the best out of her situation, even finding abandoned candy wrappers to curl up in “like a little homeless lady,” she says playfully. She’s also unrealistically optimistic: she believes with every bit of her being that she will win races, even though she has never driven a car and she glitches at inopportune times.

The other characters in her world, however, reject her and stop her from racing. Even King Candy himself is openly hostile to her.

Speaking of him, let’s move to the antagonists.

Hal and King Candy are fascinating as antagonists, because they both start as Chosen Heroes but shift into their roles as Villains.

First, King Candy: He is, in reality, Turbo, a hero from another game who got jealous when he discovered he was losing popularity. Turbo, of course, wanted that attention back, so he started game jumping. His current jump (in the story) is his occupation as King Candy in Sugar Rush – he completely reprogrammed the world and its inhabitants so he would be king and keep his seat of power. Even Vanellope, who is later revealed to be the rightful ruler, doesn’t know because her memory has been locked away and her code nearly destroyed (that’s why she’s a glitch).

King Candy is so diabolical, so possessive of his power, that he even managed to convince Ralph to destroy Vanellope’s cart so she can’t enter the race. By doing this, he reinstates the system that Ralph is so desperate to break from, by making Ralph be the “bad guy” even though Candy convinced him it was the “good guy” thing to do.

Have you noticed that Ralph is a “bad guy” who wants to be perceived as a “good guy” through good deeds, but King Candy is willing to use any evils necessary to secure his position as “good guy”?

Meanwhile, his minion, Sour Bill, encounters Fix-It Felix, who was left behind by Calhoun (up to this point, Calhoun and Felix were searching for the Cybug and Ralph, until Felix said something that triggered a traumatic memory in Calhoun). Sour Bill remembers the damage Ralph caused when he first came into Sugar Rush, and already perceives him as a threat. So when Felix approaches Bill, he treats Felix as a villain by association with Ralph, and locks him away. This is a turning point in Felix’s character development, by telling Felix that he is the “bad guy” rather than the “good guy.”

Hal, on the other hand, acts alone. He’s nearly a nobody until he’s accidentally “chosen” to be the next Hero (Megamind had taken MetroMan’s powers and put them in an infuser gun. He was looking for someone to infuse this power with until he accidentally pulled the trigger in a dispute with Roxanne. The powers then imbue themselves into Hal, the hapless victim).

Megamind has given him this power and told him it was his “destiny” to be the Hero. Of course, Hal takes the gig because 1) he likes power, especially because 2) it would mean that he could finally win Roxanne (again, treating her as a prize to be won, and not a person).

Hal is trained to be a hero, but once he gets a handle on his powers, he begins to abuse them. When he confronts Roxanne, she rejects him and he lashes out – not at her, but on society, by stealing and breaking things.

The day then comes when Megamind goes to fight Hal on the Chosen Day, and he discovers instead that Hal wants to be the Villain.

This is interesting because it makes Hal the antithesis of MetroMan – who was born with power, but did what others had expected him to do. Hal was given power and told to use it for good as was his “destiny,” but chose instead to be the villain. This little hiccup is the start of Megamind realizing that “destiny” is a flawed idea.

This is in opposition to what King Candy/Turbo had done to Ralph: he had told Ralph (albeit in a subtle, unconscious way) that it was his destiny to be the villain and he would never change. He has also instigated that it’s Vanellope’s destiny to be a glitch, a flaw, that needed kept “in her place.”

King Candy uses his power to force decisions on others who try to fight against the program, but Hal has free will. When Megamind tries to force him into a role, Hal rebels.

King Candy is the enforcer, Hal is the rogue element.

It’s the deeds of King Candy and Hal that give Ralph and Megamind their Calls to Action. Hal does this by actively kidnapping Roxanne and putting her in real danger. Ralph actually has to dig for information from Sour Bill to discover King Candy’s plot, but it’s King Candy’s words that prompts Ralph to rescue Vanellope and get her into her race.

Here is the turning point in Ralph and Megamind’s journeys. Here is where they become heroes, by fighting for something outside of themselves. Up until now, Ralph was fighting for recognition as a good guy, and Megamind was fighting for a win he felt he deserved.

Now, Ralph is fighting for the fate of Vanellope (and Sugar Rush as a whole, and then, through terrible circumstance, the arcade), and Megamind is fighting for Roxanne and Metro City.

Ralph’s goals change because he realizes that Vanellope, his non-romantic best friend – the only friend he has made in his life, who was the first to recognize Ralph as anyone but a “bad guy” – is in danger to King Candy and his schemes.

Megamind, however, has a very dramatic development in character indeed. He goes from making selfish actions to recognizing that his work has consequences, and that these consequences were putting Roxanne and the city in danger. He even says in his dramatic monologue, “Don’t let the city…don’t let Roxanne, pay for my wrongdoings.” He doesn’t want anyone else to suffer from his actions. That is incredibly selfless.

Of course, Ralph also has a moment of selfless action – the Cybug he accidentally brought has multiplied (as predicted by Calhoun, the Herald), and now there’s a Cybug hoard destroying Sugar Rush. As everyone is fleeing, Vanellope cannot escape (glitches cannot leave their game), and so she is placed in real danger of death. When Ralph realizes this consequence, he rushes to Diet Cola mountain to spark a beacon that will destroy the Cybugs.

But then King Candy intercepts him in his Final Form – a monstrous crossbreed of Cybug, Sugar Rush, and Turbo design. King Candy takes Ralph into the air, ready to kill him, when Ralph makes the fatal decision to fall to his death, to light the beacon and save the world. That is Ralph’s moment of selfless action – to save Vanellope and everyone he knows by sacrificing himself.

What makes the scene more poignant is he recites the Bad Guy Affirmation, while clutching a gift from Vanellope that says, “You’re My Hero.”

Of course, he doesn’t die – he’s rescued by Vanellope in the last second.

That last note is different for Megamind, as he saves himself by his incredibly quick wit – while falling to his death, he dehydrates himself into a cube, falls into the fountain, and is brought back to life just moments before he deals the final blow to Hal. Megamind has a very real, if symbolic, death, where Ralph gets validation of his deeds.

(I talk about symbolic death not to be morbid, but to bring up that, in the hero’s journey, the symbolic death is a common theme, but is often not necessary. I would argue that Ralph’s story does well without one.)

Megamind becomes a hero, a “good guy,” through his actions, as does Wreck-It Ralph.

However, Megamind’s world changes dramatically as a result. Ralph’s world keeps the program in place and keeps him as “bad guy,” but there are subtle changes made to the system for his benefit rather than his detriment.

In Megamind’s story, his conclusion is that fate is not “the path given to us, but the path we choose for ourselves.” In the end, Megamind has more free will to roam than Ralph does, as Ralph still has to stick to his program.

This doesn’t mean that Ralph is doomed to be a bad guy forever. In Ralph’s story, his conclusion is “as long as that little kid [Vanellope] likes me…How bad can I be?” For him, he has received his outside validation of his deeds. That was all he wanted, and that was all he needed.

Megamind did not seek validation: he sought a hard-fought battle to be won, and a place for him in the world – it just turned out his place in the world was the one he chose, rather than the one he thought was fated to him.

So what are your thoughts? Have you come to some conclusions I haven’t discussed? Please leave them in the comments below!

Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll see you on Wednesday.

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4 replies to “the bad guys are heroes: a comparative story analysis of wreck-it ralph and megamind”.

Thats really an awesome thing that you have done! I am a great fan of Megamind. You could have also talked about the witty and timely placed dialogues of the movies along with characters. But I really enjoyed your post. keep going.

These are both by far my favorite animated films. I often wonder why I like “bad guy turned good guy movies.” I’m also a QT fan, and Pulp Fiction also adorns a character who was a bad guy that then turned good. Pulp Fiction is my most favorite movie….ever….

Thanks for your analysis. I watch Wreck it Ralph and Megamind too much to admit to.

I’m so happy you wrote this. Well done, and thank you. Love that you referenced Dragon Ball Z too, haha.

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John C. Reilly Ponders The Existential Questions Of 'Wreck-It Ralph'

Is Wreck-It Ralph a video game flick for kids, or the saga of a destructive 30-year-old loner on an existential journey of rediscovery? We put the bigger questions to John C. Reilly , whose smash-happy villain Wreck-It Ralph goes game-jumping through his arcade world in search of his inner hero — crashing a first-person shooter and a candy-colored racing game in the process — in the Disney animated adventure. There’s a lot for children to enjoy in Wreck-It Ralph , but adults may find even more to grasp onto in Ralph’s story – he’s basically just turned 30, is having an existential crisis, unsure of his destiny and his job and what he’s supposed to be doing with his life. It’s no accident that Disney is over the moon with the age range of people that are enjoying the movie already. Yeah – there are some deep things said in the movie, in a very fun, video game world kind of way.

The kids watching it may not understand some of these life crises for a few decades. They will one day!

Was that something you had in mind as you gave voice to Ralph? Did you see him as a 30-year-old in crisis? I wasn’t so focused on the time span of it, and I wasn’t thinking of it so much as a mid-life crisis or existential crisis kind of thing. It was much more emotional, and it was immediate, too – “Why doesn’t anyone like me?” “Because you smash things!” I know, but that’s just what I do for a living! Give me a break! To me, the thing I was most conscious of was someone in the beginning of the story who doesn’t know himself, and he can’t accept who he is, because he doesn’t really know who he is. That’s one of the things that the journey he goes on gives him when he’s put into these tight spots and is called upon to be something bigger – he rises to the challenge and learns who he is, and accepts who he is. And then everything’s fine!

Don’t give away the ending! Well… I was talking about people in general. But everything might be fine in the movie. Who knows?

Do you relate to Ralph’s quandary of being defined by the job that he does? Yeah. I think that’s true – I noticed, working in France, that’s just not something people do. “What do you do?” That’s not the first thing they ask you at a party. I can’t remember what is the first thing they ask, but they’re a lot more private and people don’t share personal information quite so readily there, for whatever reason, they’re a little more formal. But here the first thing anyone asks is “What do you do?” So that’s the first bit of information where people start to judge you or size you up. That’s Ralph’s problem, that everyone sees him as what he does.

In your own life and career have you felt that similar feeling of being typecast, or thought of in a way that you wanted to break out of? Every time I did, I did something else. It doesn’t happen very often. But I’ve done a lot of different stuff over the years and people are always surprised at what I end up in. I’m sure they’ll be surprised to see me in this.

You had an interesting start to your career, with Brian De Palma. Casualties of War !

Do you remember that experience vividly still? Yes, of course! It was a big, life-changing experience. I’d never been on an airplane before, I’d never been out of the Midwest before, I’d never been in a movie before. I met my wife on that movie. There were a lot of big changes.

All these characters we meet, the hundreds or thousands who exist in Ralph's world from his game and the other games connected to his via power lines, are just the characters within this one arcade. Right.

So here's the big question: If there are, say, hundreds or thousands of similar arcades out in world beyond the confines of Litwak’s Family Fun Center, does that mean there are potentially many more Ralphs out there? And are they all going through the same existential journey at the same time, in their respective arcades? Duplicate Ralphs?!

Multiple souls, maybe? What’s going on here? Wow . I never even thought about that. That’s surprising, after three days of a press junket, to think about that for the first time. I don’t know! Are they all experiencing the same thing at the same time, or is it a Matrix -like situation? This is the next creative leap. The next leap of imagination that people can make after they see the movie. The first one is like, what is it like to be inside a video game, to be a video game character – that could be a sequel, or something. And could you go into the surge protector and into the electricity network… That could be the next destination.

I think you’re cooking up a sequel here! Meanwhile, there’s a moment in the film when Ralph fantasizes about being the toast of the town, and there’s a shot of him on the disco floor. Was that a nod to Boogie Nights 's Reed Rothchild in some way? It wasn’t a nod on my part, because I had nothing to do with that. Unless there was dialogue in the scene, I most likely wasn’t even aware of it.

What were you most surprised by when you watched the film, having taken part in just that one aspect of it? The level of detail and how many people are in those scenes. The racing scenes in the candy world, it’s insane the amount of work that went into that. I was also surprised at how funny Jane [Lynch] and Jack McBrayer’s scenes were, because I literally didn’t see any of it, I didn’t even see rough cuts of those.

You were paired in the recording booths together with Sarah Silverman, as Jane and Jack were. What’s your fondest memory from recording with her? She’s awfully fun to be around, she’s a real sweetheart and very funny so it was always fun to work with her.

The ‘doody’ line gets a big laugh in the film. There were probably six more that she had that were not in the movie! But I like the scene where I have to break her heart, because Sarah was really good in that dramatic scene. That was kind of traumatic actually, that day – for both of us. We’re both right there recording it and she’s screaming, “No, Ralph!” It was a pretty heavy day.

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"Wreck It Ralph" quotes

Wreck It Ralph poster

199 video clips

Mister Litwak What's the trouble sweetheart - Wreck It Ralph

IMAGES

  1. Wreck It Ralph

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  2. Wreck-It Ralph Script PDF Download

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  3. Wreck-It Ralph Script PDF Download

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  4. Economics Video Study Guide: Wreck-It Ralph by Christopher Kurth

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  5. The Toughest Scene I Wrote: “Wreck-It Ralph” Writers Jennifer Lee and

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  6. Science Questions for "Wreck-It Ralph" by Morris Better Science

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VIDEO

  1. When I'm Wreck-It Ralph

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  3. WRECK IT RALPH KART MAKING SCENE EXPLAINED

  4. Wreck it Ralph

  5. Wreck it Ralph. song lyrics

  6. Who designed the ending credits/titles in Wreck-It-Ralph?

COMMENTS

  1. Wreck-It Ralph Script PDF Download

    W reck-It Ralph smashed onto the cinema scene in 2012 with some state-of-the-art animation, great voice performances, and a uniquely sharp script. We're going to break down the Wreck-It Ralph screenplay by looking at its quotes, characters, and meta-references. By the end, you might be inspired to write a meta-textual script just like Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee did!

  2. Wreck-It Ralph

    Wreck-It Ralph is a 2012 American animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.It was directed by Rich Moore (in his feature directorial debut) and produced by Clark Spencer, from a screenplay written by Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee, and a story by Moore, Johnston, and Jim Reardon. John Lasseter served as the film's executive producer.

  3. Wreck-It Ralph

    Wreck-It Ralph. An emotionally moving narrative that tells us something more about who we can be. Simply tremendous. Disney's Wreck-It Ralph restores Disney Animation to the storytelling prowess it once enjoyed in the early 90s. At times hilarious and at others heartfelt, even daring to venture into an emotionally dark place unseen in most modern animated films, Rich Moore's feature ...

  4. Programmed to be the bad guy movie review (2012)

    Ralph's depression is invaluably conveyed by the voice dubbing of John C. Reilly, who can sound put-upon almost by his very nature. Felix, voiced by Jack McBrayer, from "30 Rock," is cheerful, high-spirited and helpful, even if trapped in the identity of Goody Two-Shoes. After decades of this existence, Ralph yearns to escape, and that's the ...

  5. DOCX www.cusd80.com

    Explain how these apply to the movie Wreck-It Ralph (2-3 sentences) Thesis statement - one sentence about how . it is clear to see that Wreck-It Ralph strongly displays all four scenarios from Habit #4. Lose-Lose Scenarios (5-9 sentences total) Topic sentence. that states how Wreck-It Ralph displays several examples of Lose-Lose scenarios

  6. Wreck-It Ralph/Transcript

    The movie opens with a view of an arcade machine named "Fix-It-Felix." We hear the rattle of a coin being inserted and the game comes to life. We see a pixelated muscular man named Ralph walk up to a stump, yawn, and sleep in it. RALPH (V.O.): My name's Ralph, and I'm a Bad Guy. A bulldozer moves Ralph and the stump to a dump. Ralph's head pops out of the stump. RALPH (V.O.): Let's ...

  7. The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb)

    The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb) The web's largest movie script resource!

  8. Wreck-It Ralph

    Wreck-It Ralph. Inciting Event: Ralph crashes the party in the Niceland apartments feeling left out of the festivities. He argues with Gene about their life in the apartment vs. living in the dump. Gene says he could live in the apartment if he won a medal, so Ralph vows to win a medal. First Plot Point: Ralph fails to show up in the game when ...

  9. Wreck-It Ralph Summary and Synopsis

    Wreck-It Ralph is an animated action-adventure comedy film directed by Rich Moore. It follows the titular character as he tries to break away from the stigma of being a bad guy in a video game. Ralph, who lives in an arcade along with several other characters, plays the role of the villain in the game Fix-It Felix. Tired of being the bad guy, Ralph sneaks into another game to become a hero ...

  10. Wreck-It Ralph script in PDF format

    Read, review and discuss the Wreck-It Ralph script in PDF format on Scripts.com

  11. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

    Wreck-It Ralph is the 9-foot-tall, 643-pound villain of an arcade video game named Fix-It Felix Jr., in which the game's titular hero fixes buildings that Ralph destroys. Wanting to prove he can be a good guy and not just a villain, Ralph escapes his game and lands in Hero's Duty, a first-person shooter where he helps the game's hero battle against alien invaders. He later enters Sugar Rush, a ...

  12. Wreck-it-Ralph Story Structure Analysis

    Story Structure Analysis: Wreck-it-Ralph. Format: Movie. Released: 2012. Screenplay By: Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee. Directed by: Rich Moore. Run Time: 93 minutes. Character: Wreck-it-Ralph. Plot summary of the 2012 computer-animated comedy film Wreck-it-Ralph continues below….

  13. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

    Wreck-It Ralph: Directed by Rich Moore. With John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch. Ralph is tired of playing the role of a bad guy and embarks on a journey to become a video game hero. But he accidentally lets loose a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade.

  14. Wreck-It Ralph (franchise)

    Wreck-It Ralph, sometimes also referred to simply as Ralph, is a Disney media franchise primarily consisting of an animated comedy film series produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.The series tells the story of the eponymous arcade game villain named Wreck-It Ralph, who rebels against his "bad guy" role and dreams of becoming a hero.

  15. Wreck it Ralph, Bad Guy to Hero

    This essay about "Wreck It Ralph" explores the transformation of the titular character from a programmed video game villain to a genuine hero. It highlights Ralph's struggle with his identity and desire for acceptance, which leads him to seek a hero's medal but ultimately teaches him the value of self-acceptance and the impact one can ...

  16. The Villain is You: Ralph Breaks the Internet and the Evolution of the

    Then there's Disney's latest animated movie "Ralph Breaks the Internet," the a film which shockingly has no villain at all.A sequel to their Academy Award-winning "Wreck-It Ralph" (2012), the film continues the adventures of eponymous bad-guy-turned-good-guy from classic arcade game "Fix-It Felix Jr." and his best friend Vanellope von Schweetz as they embark on a monomythic ...

  17. A Review of Wreck-It Ralph

    Wreck-It Ralph is the story of an arcade game character and his dissatisfaction with the role that he was programmed to play. During the day, Ralph is the villain in Fix-it Felix Jr., a simple 80s-style arcade game reminiscent of Donkey Kong.Each level of game begins with Ralph climbing up the side of an apartment building and smashing windows with his enormous hands.

  18. The Bad Guys are Heroes: A Comparative Story Analysis of Wreck-It Ralph

    Ralph does this analysis via video games and programs, while Megamind does this analysis through reenacting roles typical of the superhero genre. To understand how these stories analyze these ideas, let's talk first about the main characters. Wreck-It Ralph and Megamind are both "villains" who are actually heroes in their respective stories.

  19. WRECK-IT RALPH

    Rich Moore, et al. WRECK-IT RALPH. USA, 2012. Film, Video. motion picture | Feature film (over 60 minutes). "Batman theme" by and performed by Neal Hefti. (Songs). Inc: George Doering, Andrew Synowiec, electric guitar; Matt Chamberlain, drums; Wade Culbreath, Brian Kilgore, percussion.... Contributor: Jonathan Beard - Sean Barrett - Benjamin ...

  20. John C. Reilly Ponders The Existential Questions Of 'Wreck-It Ralph'

    November 2, 2012. John C. Reilly Ponders The Existential Questions Of 'Wreck-It Ralph'. Is Wreck-It Ralph a video game flick for kids, or the saga of a destructive 30-year-old loner on an ...

  21. Wreck-It Ralph Movie Script in PDF format

    WRECK-IT RALPH ALL BAD GUYS : I'm bad. And that's good. I will never be good. And that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me. Ralph doesn't say the Affirmation. His eyes are wide open-- a non-believer. The TITLE burns in over Ralph: WRECK-IT RALPH CLYDE : Okay gang, see you next week. The bad guys break the circle.

  22. "Wreck It Ralph" Quotes

    "Wreck It Ralph" quotes. Clips (199) Cast. A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives. Director: Rich Moore. Writer: Rich Moore, Phil Johnston, Jim Reardon. Production: N/A. Genre: animation, adventure, comedy.

  23. Henry Jackman

    Contractor [Score] - Peter Rotter. Creative Director - Dave Snow *. Crew [Score] - Adam Michalak, David Marquette, Greg Dennen, Greg Loskorn. Directed By [Music Production] - Andrew Page (2) Double Bass - Bruce Morgenthaler, Christian Kollgaard, David Parmeter, Drew Dembowski, Michael Valerio *, Nico Abondolo.