 |
Tails wants to give a warning: This Article Contains Spoilers -
WARNING: This article contains major spoilers. If you do not wish to know vital information on plot / character elements in a story, you may not wish to read beyond this warning: We hold no responsibility for any negative effects these facts may have on your enjoyment of said media should you continue. That is all. |
| “ | Go and tell the guards that a war against these gypsies is coming! I will find her idiot! Even if I have to burn down all of Paris, I will find her and I will make her understand why she lives. She is destined to be with no one but me. | „ |
| ~ Frollo about catching Esmerelda |
| “ | After decades of searching.. The court of miracles is mine at last. Oh Quasimodo. I always knew somehow that you would be of use to me. | „ |
| ~ Frollo speaking about his goals of taking back the Court of Miracles. |
Judge Claude Frollo, originally known as Claude Rothard, is the main antagonist of the 2024 Disney based live action remake/fanflim The Hunchback of Notre Dame, from "Hux's Disneyverse" and the deuteragonist in it's prequel Phoebus: A Notre Dame Story.
He is the fanatical, racist Minister of Justice of Paris, who intends to retake the Court of Miracles from the gypsy race. He is also the archenemy of Quasimodo, Esmerelda, and Captain Phoebus (who used to be his close friend), as well as the boss of Commander Hatchet and the other guards. He is also the arch-nemesis and sworn enemy of Vik the Treacherous.
He is portrayed by Kevin Costner, who also played William Stryker in the Marvel Fanfilm Universe, Anton Ego in the live-action remake of Ratatouille and Bo Jenix from the political fanfilm Xi Jinping. In the prequel, he was portrayed by Ferdia Walsh-Peelo.
History[]
Phoebus: A Notre Dame Story.[]
Claude Frollo, known as Claude Rotahrd since his adoption, was born to unknown parents who made a terrifying, villainous deal with Vik The Treacherous; to sell Melody as a gypsy slave to Vik in return for power. He was later adopted and raised by Senator Rothard and an unknown adoptive mother, and he grew up in the aristocratic family of the senator's royals. He grew into feeling sorry for the gypsies, watching with empathy in his heart as his adoptive father was cruel and tyrannical towards them. Despite this, Rothard genuinely believed that the gypsies eventually would be a danger to him and his family and allies, knowing that Vik would turn them into his own people and use them for building his forces in Paris or elsewhere. Known as Claude Rothard, Frollo would later meet his new top ally and best friend; Phoebus, the adoptive son of the unmarried couple Johan Marcelus and Adrianne Makra. Frollo would befriend the boy quickly, and it took him no time until he revealed his sorrow and empathy towards the gypsy race when talking to Phoebus.
Senator Rothard then told Claude and Phoebus to run away from Paris, so they won't be killed by Vik, his forces and the gypsies of Paris. Vik then arrived at Rothard's castle and the senator, along with Phoebus' adoptive parents, were all killed by Vik as Rothard's castle was lit on fire by the gypsies of Paris. However, in the forest which Claude and Phoebus ran into, they've met a gypsie girl called Melody, who was not really a gypsie but was adopted by gypsies in life. Melody fed and tamed a bear which intended at first to eat both Frollo and Phoebus. However, Claude knew he had inner feelings for Melody, and he slowly got jealous more and more watching how Melody would fall in love with Phoebus and the two of them would eventually build a safe haven for the gypsies in the middle of the same forest, and they would then get married despite Frollo's efforts. Frollo then appeared as a member and inhabitant of the safe haven, keeping his inner feelings and love towards Melody a secret so he won't have to be exiled from Phoebus' haven and lose his own best friend. He helped the inhabitants fight against Vik and his forces, including Vik's two lieutenants Hemil and Rodrick. After Vik and his men retreated, he started talking to others such as the haven's new supreme leader Jonathan about further plans to secure the area, as well as talking to everyone generally. During the following night, Claude spent his time outside, watching from afar as Melody and Phoebus fell in love and romantically spent time with one another. Claude found a letter which flew in the wind. He read the letter which was written by his own real father from the Frollo family. He understood from the letter that the deal they've made with Vik would allow him to finally gain affection from Melody and be together with her forever, instead of Phoebus. He used this opportunity by meeting Vik during the cold, dark night. He convinced Vik to revive the deal so he can have Melody for himself, after Vik also heavily manipulated him by telling him the truth about the same deal, further tempting Frollo so they could team up against the haven, it's inhabitants and most important, Captain Phoebus himself.
Frollo came back by the following daytime, and he revealed his position and treachery, wanting to make love with Melody at all costs while genuinely but lustfully believing it's the right thing to do and that she will love and appreciate him back as he did everything for her, despite him not doing anything critical for her ever, and when Frollo betrayed the other safe haven inhabitants, Vik and his forces came, kidnapping both Melody and Phoebus before putting them both into cages, and even burning the entire safe haven down, killing hundreds of lost gypsies or people from other cultures who were lost. Kortack was ruthlessly killed by Vik's attack on the haven. Vik takes Phoebus in his cage to the castle with intent of torturing him brutally, while he put Melody in a cage inside another room, so Frollo could befriend her and claim her as a slave. Frollo however was saddened to realize she doesn't love him back and that now she hates him because of his treachery, because he genuinely believed she would be happy from his actions and loyalty. Frollo got very emotional, trying to explain to her that he felt heavy feelings for her. Eventually, Frollo gave up and in order to do what he believed was right, he thew a knife onto the cage, thus breaking the cage and letting Phoebus out, before knocking Vik out. While Vik was knocked out, Claude revealed to Phoebus that Melody was taken by Hemil and Rodrick to a plaza, awaiting until Vik comes to there and takes her hostage from there. Phoebus hurries to save Melody out of true love and loyalty. However, Vik managed to take her to the final destination; the court of miracles, which is where he hanged her infront of the gypsies of Paris in the court. Phoebus defeated and damned Vik, and after that, Frollo became the new senator, minister of justice and judge in the court of law. Frollo had Hatchet join his army, and he let Phoebus serve him, still holding some type of a grudge against him.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame.[]
Judge Claude Frollo is the minister of justice in Paris, but since the gypsies started living inside the court of miracles, Frollo saw them as a threat and became obsessed with killing them all in very ruthless ways. Frollo also had the army under his control, led by his ally Commander Hatchet, and supported by Captain Phoebus, The Brutal Guard and the Oafish Guard. He and his men at first went to hunt down gypsies near the docs. They found Quasimodo's mother and her few allies, as Frollo ordered them all to be executed. However, the mother of Quasimodo ran away. Before she could claim sanctuary, Frollo killed her for satisfaction and attempted to kill the baby Quasimodo. However, the Archdeacon witnessed Frollo's acts of evil ruthlessness, and he told him that if he kills the baby he will pay the price of his soul being sold to the devil. Frollo out of fear decided to keep Quasimodo and raise him up, but not allow him outside of the bell tower.
When Quasimodo grew up, Frollo reviewed his alphabetic order, but he said that he wants to go to the festival by mistake. Frollo got angry and told him that people outside will mistreat and abuse him. He also told Quasimodo a lie; that his mother brought him because she was attacked by those kinds of people. Believing what Frollo just said, Quasimodo told him he will stay in the tower to stay out of trouble. However, when Frollo leaves, Quasimodo finds his way to go be at the festival of fools.
Frollo later speaks to Captain Phoebus about the gypsy race, revealing he wants to eradicate them. He invites Phoebus to watch the festival of fools together with himself and Commander Hatchet. Quasimodo appeared in the competition of who is the ugliest in Paris. Frollo at first thought he might be a man dressed up as a hunchback, but when it was revealed to be Quasimodo, Hatchet started abusing Quasimodo by throwing a rope on his neck and harming him. The crowd laughed, and Phoebus asked Frollo to stop the aggressiveness, but Frollo joyfully said a lesson is needed for Quasimodo. Esmerelda then comes and frees Quasimodo, despite Frollo ordering her not to do so. She escapes custody and enters the sanctuary, but Frollo follows her, now with intentions of enslaving her sexually. He enters the church, and orders Phoebus to arrest her, raising Esmerelda's suspicion that Phoebus is an enemy. Despite this, Phoebus tries to protect her, and The Archdeacon then comes and reminds Frollo of the price he will pay if he hurts more people. Frollo however finds his way back to Esmerelda, and attempts to rape her in the church. However, out of fear, he decides to leave her in a prison unless she comes outside and then he shall either kill her or enslave her.
Frollo goes to the fire place at night and reveals his intentions of sexualy enslaving Esmerelda or having her brutally murdered by fire and torture. In the middle of his "Hellfire" speech, Hatchet interferes and tells him that Esmerelda is no longer in the church. Frollo then declares war against gypsies and opposers, willing to burn down half of Paris if he doesn't get what he wants. He then goes around the city with Phoebus, Hatchet and the guards, asking random people if they know Esmerelda's whereabouts. He sent many to the torture chambers for simply not knowing where she is. One time, he ordered Phoebus to burn down a woman's house along with her family. Phoebus refused and Frollo called him a traitor, as he then told Hatchet to take care of him. Phoebus ran off, but Hatchet threw his sword, which then struck into Phoebus' back. Phoebus was taken to Quasimodo's room, and Esmerelda fell in love with Phoebus for that while.
Quasimodo and Esmerelda provided Phoebus a hiding place just before Frollo came to visit. Frollo knew what the protagonists are up to, but he pretended that he didn't know that much. He did however tell Quasimodo as part of his masterplan that Paris is now burning cause it's known that he helped Esmerelda survive. Frollo promised to attack Esmerelda with thousands of troops. Quasimodo and Phoebus go to save Esmerelda and the entire populace at the court of miracles. However, before they could all escape, Frollo came with all his men. Frollo sadistically claimed the court of miracles as his territory, and he took Esmerelda as a hostage, ready to either enslave or burn her alive. He also ordered the guards to lock up Quasimodo in the bell tower and send all gypsies to prison. Frollo then starts sentencing Esmerelda, telling her that for witchcraft, her sentence will be death by fire. Hatchet brings him a torch, but he offers Esmerelda to join him as a sex slave asking her to chose him or the fire. She choses the fire angrily, and Frollo then prepares himself to burn her with his torch having no remorse at all. Quasimodo however breaks out of his chains and saves Esmerelda, also freeing Phoebus from the cage which Frollo and Hatchet placed him inside. Frollo is distracted by Quasimodo who is foiling his plans, but after Esmerelda and Quasimodo manage to get into the sanctuary of the church, Frollo burns the plaza down and then invades the church violently. The Archdeacon tries to talk Frollo into sense. However, Frollo ruthlessly kills him and gets ready to finish Esmerelda and Quasimodo. He enters the room pointing his sword onto Quasimodo. While confronting the hunchback, he reveals the truth about Quasimodo's deceased mother, telling Quasimodo that she died trying to protect him and that she was a gypsy herself. He also stabs Esmerelda with his sword infront of the hunchback. Quasimodo out of rage and need to protect Esmerelda pushes Frollo towards a fiery room. Frollo however overpowers Quasimodo and attempts to push him straight into the fire, and then kill Esmerelda. However, before he could kill the hunchback, Esmerelda comes from behind and pushes Frollo towards the fire. Frollo then claims that they are both frauds and they need to be killed by justice. However, he had no weapons, nowhere to run, and the fire swallowed Frollo up, ending his reign of terror.
Personality[]
Frollo is a religious fanatic. However, he doesn't care for religion as much as he cares for his own ego and safety. He views Gypsies as a threat for taking their place at the court of miracles, which he believes it must belong to him.
Frollo is a monster, willing to burn down half a city, brutally murder hundreds of thousands of Paris' citizens, and blackmail people into cooperating with his agendas. He never even cared for Esmerelda. While claiming that he wants her, it was just because he intended to enslave her and abuse her for the rest of their lives. Frollo was ultimately willing to burn down Esmerelda for not loving him back. Near the end, he was willing to kill Quasimodo with a smile on his face, but he was the one who paid the price for his evil actions.
However, despite all this, he was once a good person, as he and Captain Phoebus fought for justice inside Paris. Frollo used to be a naive, gentle, wise, good hearted and sophisticated man. He and Phoebus were loyal to one another, and of course, to their cause of eliminating Vik's terror forces in Paris. However, his love for Melody and his jealousy upon Phoebus eventually turned him into a madman. He plotted with his enemy Vik to finish a horrific deal which Frollo's father was going to offer it to Vik at first, but since the father died, the son wanted to take over as part of his revenge plans. He still continues being Phoebus' ally in some way, but their alliance becomes much more pragmatic, as he is no longer Phoebus' true friend. However, his love towards Melody and his tragic background are never subverted.
Trivia[]
- This version of Frollo was further explored to the depths of his character than the original. His admiration and lust for Esmerelda and his need to sexually abuse her for the rest of their lives was shown to be worse than in the original Disney movie.
Link to the fanfilm[]
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XgU9xYpW7DGNyRUUT7IyBb6Wgk5OX50RSO_A9z67-l4/edit?usp=sharing (The Hunchback of Notre Dame - remake)
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aelNoZvQuhmtO0aZZujaplHZxEJI_mI0TUffyrmnBaw/edit?usp=sharing (Phoebus: A Notre Dame Story).