When The Incredibles was released in 2004—a time before superheroes graced the silver screen on a regular basis—it quickly became one of the most popular and critically acclaimed films in Pixar’s roster. Fans rejoiced when the long-awaited sequel, The Incredibles 2, hit theatres in summer 2018, having waited fourteen years to reunite with the Parr family. While Mr Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack are at the center of both films, it is Mr Incredible’s best friend, Frozone, who has become a firm fan-favorite. Here are ten things about Frozone, proving sidekicks are just as cool as the leading heroes.
10 10. Bowling Night Every Wednesday
On Wednesdays, the Mean Girls wear pink. For Bob Parr and Lucius Best, it’s bowling night. At least, that’s what they tell their families.
In the first movie, it’s illegal for superheroes to fight crime thanks to the Superhero Relocation Program. In the government’s attempt to combat collateral damage caused by regular hero vs villain fights, superheroes are forced to give up their powers and permanently live as their secret identities. Some adapt to “regular” life more easily than others. Bob Parr (aka Mr Incredible) can’t quite give up the past, so he and Lucius (Frozone) pretend to go bowling every Wednesday night, when they actually listen to police monitors for signs of trouble.
9 9. He’s Literally The Coolest Character
In The Incredibles, each hero’s powers reflects their own personality. Dash is impatient and hyperactive, so naturally his powers make him super-fast. Violet is awkward and shy and wants to disappear, so she has invisibility powers. Frozone is no different. He’s an easy going, laid back character who just wants to chill, which of course matches his icy abilities.
This is further reflected by casting the King of Cool himself to voice Frozone. Writer and Director Brad Bird was keen to get Samuel L. Jackson to play the role because he wanted the cool character to have the “coolest voice.”
8 8. He’s Inspired By The X-Men
When creating new superheroes, it’s difficult not to be inspired by the years of tight-dawning, cape-wearing (sorry, Edna), crime-fighting marvels of the past that have graced both page and screen for decades. Frozone’s powers were heavily inspired by one of the original X-Men team members: Iceman. They are both gifted with the powers of thermokinesis. That is, they can turn water to ice and use the moisture in the air to create paths and platforms they can glide along.
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Iceman is not the only X-Man to have influenced Frozone’s design. The visor Frozone wears to protect his eyes from snow glare and to preserve his secret identity is strikingly similar to Cyclops’s original mask from 1963.
7 7. He Appeared In The Cartoon Mr Incredible and Pals
During the peak of their popularity, a Golden Age-inspired Mr Incredible cartoon pilot was made for TV. Unfortunately, it remained unaired—until the release of The Incredibles on DVD in 2005. This bonus feature has an audio-commentary option where Mr Incredible and Frozone discuss the spoof pilot, seeing it for the first time ever after leasing their likenesses.
The cartoon follows Mr Incredible, a poor adaptation of Frozone, and a bunny rabbit sidekick named Mr Skipperdoo as they try to solve a mystery. In the commentary, Frozone is noticeably angry by his depiction, the awful animation, the apparent racism, and—most of all—the weird rabbit sidekick!
6 6. His Powers Don’t Always Work
Frozone can shoot ice from his fingertips and can even freeze bullets. He has frozen milk and water, and even once froze a bowl of fruit punch through sheer willpower when he was a child. But his powers are limited.
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Frozone draws upon moisture in the air and in his body to create ice structures and freeze things. If he’s dehydrated, his powers don’t work. This is seen in the first film when he’s unable to dampen fires in the burning building he and Mr Incredible enter to save civilians. The water evaporates too quickly and with the fire sucking all the moisture out of the air, the pair have to come up with another escape plan.
5 5. Honey Nearly Made An Appearance In The Incredibles 2
It would be remiss not to mention Honey when discussing Frozone given that she is responsible for the film’s most quotable dialogue. While Honey isn’t seen in either of the films, there were originally plans to include her in the long-awaited sequel. Animators even went as far as to design her character. Unfortunately, it was decided that she wouldn’t have an onscreen appearance in the sequel either. At a press event in 2018, Brad Bird confirmed this was because he felt she was “funnier as a voice.” The character model was put to use, however, used for a background superhero in The Incredibles 2 and was revealed in an extra on the DVD’s release.
4 4. There’s A Tribute To Die Hard In The First Movie
One of the best things about Pixar movies is their ability to craft laughs for the kids and the adults in the audience, dropping pop culture Easter eggs for the grown-ups into their stories. The Incredibles is no different. Once again reveling in having Samuel L. Jackson on board, there’s an entire scene paying homage to Jackson’s role in Die Hard With A Vengeance.
In The Incredibles, Mr Incredible and Frozone are held at gunpoint by a police officer, mimicking the Die Hard scene where Jackson’s Zeus Carver is confronted by a cop in the Wall Street underground station. Instead of reaching for a ringing payphone as Carver does, Frozone takes a drink of water from a nearby cooler. There’s no denying that the similarities between the two scenes are deliberate.
3 3. He Dated A Superhero Named Blazestone
Before Frozone met Honey, he dated a fellow superhero named Blazestone. Her abilities included heat control and resistance, as well as pyrotechnic powers, contrasting Frozone’s cool-factor, which led to their relationship running hot and cold. Frozone found he had to compete against the atomic hero, Downburst, for Blazestone’s affections, locking the trio in a love triangle. In the end, sub-zero temperatures proved to be Blazestone’s greatest weakness, and the pair split.
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Blazestone went on to be recruited by the National Supers Agency and formed Beta Force with Universal Man as part of Blazestone’s rehabilitation after being arrested, sparking another tense relationship.
2 2. He Was The Original Target For Operation Kronos
In an effort to build the ultimate Omnidroid battle robot, Syndrome had to put his creation to the test, pitting retired superheroes against the robot under the pretense that it was a science project gone wrong. He called this Operation Kronos.
Syndrome carefully studied and tracked down retired Supers he thought would best challenge his Omnidroid. In The Incredibles, Frozone was Syndrome’s original target, with his assistant Mirage tailing him. However, when Mirage reported that she had found Mr Incredible while carrying out surveillance on Frozone, Syndrome decided his childhood hero would be the perfect subject for his evil plans and switched focus.
1 1. He Wanted To Enter The US Winter Olympics
According to the NSA database, Frozone once tried out for the Winter Olympics, hoping to represent the United States at the competition. However, the International Olympic Committee rejected his application due to his superpowers giving him a massively unfair advantage over his competitors.
The Olympic connection goes even further. It’s believed Frozone was inspired by Shani Davis, the world-champion speed skater. The resemblance in both Frozone and Davis’ skating form is uncanny, with the superhero swinging his arms in a way that mimics the gold medalist’s technique. Being the first black athlete to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics in 2006, he’s a fitting figure to inspire the incredible ice hero.