The Leprechaun (Leprechaun series)

The Leprechaun
Leprechaun character
First appearance	Leprechaun, 1993
Last appearance	Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, 2003
Created by	Mark Jones
Portrayed by	Warwick Davis
In-universe information
Gender	Male

The Leprechaun is a fictional character from the Leprechaun series of slasher films. He was created by Mark Jones and is portrayed by Warwick Davis in all six of the films.

Origin and history

The Leprechaun comes from a race of forest spirits (Leprechauns) that were in league with a king in the Dark Ages. They were summoned from the earth to protect the king’s gold and treasures of the Dark Ages from the clutches of greedy men who would try to steal it. Their ferocity was known throughout the land. When the king’s reign ended, all but one of the leprechauns went back to the earth.

Characteristics

Abilities and strengths

The Leprechaun has few abilities in the original film, but more emerge as the films progress. His powers lie in his gold, so they become stronger when he is in possession of it. In the original Leprechaun, his techniques include teleportation, levitation, reattachment of body parts, and voice mimicry. He can also use his magic to move objects, such as a door. In Leprechaun 2, he has the power to grant three wishes to whomever captures him, but twists the wishes to the loss of the person who makes them. He also displays the ability to use his shillelagh to point towards his missing gold. Other powers that the Leprechaun possesses are conjuring illusions and shape-shifting to trick humans. In Leprechaun 3, the Leprechaun's gold has the ability to grant one wish for every coin in the holder's possession. His magic can also be used to start fire and bend reality. For example, he is able to turn a man into a human slot machine and blow up a woman by 'inflating' her breasts, lips, and buttocks. The biggest addition to the Leprechaun's magic is that of changing people into were-leprechauns, achieved by mixing human blood with leprechaun blood. The side-affects of this change include green blood, speckled and wrinkled skin (similar to the Leprechaun's), potato cravings, the need to rhyme, magical ability development, and hair growth. In Leprechaun 4: In Space, Leprechaun: In the Hood, and Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, the Leprechaun becomes more physically aggressive rather than using his magic, partially because his gold is missing. In Leprechaun: In the Hood, he begins to hypnotize people to be his willing slaves, specifically his 'zombie fly girls' and can also control people's unwilling actions. He also has a magic flute that can brainwash people. The Leprechaun gains almost no new abilities in Leprechaun 4: In Space (aside from magically moving into a body and regenerating) or Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (where he uses his rainbow to find his gold). His strength, however, is shown to be strong even without his gold, from amputating and removing body parts to beating people with his shillelagh. Over the course of the movies, the Leprechaun has survived falling from great heights, being stabbed, burned alive, run over, and not eating for over a decade, amongst many other attempts at killing him.

Weaknesses

The Leprechaun has only a few weaknesses that can "kill" him. Usually, however, he can be brought back to life by people stealing his gold. His most well-known weakness is a four-leaf clover. One can be used to kill him if it comes into contact with his body, and can also make any structure he is trapped in inescapable if placed upon it. If he ingests one (this occurred in the first film), he will melt. Another weakness is wrought iron. Contact with it scalds him, and if he is trapped in an iron safe, he cannot escape. If the Leprechaun is stabbed with wrought iron, he can explode if unable to remove it. The Leprechaun's third weakness carries on in all six films: If his gold is stolen or missing, he is near powerless. Usually, whatever happens to his gold also happens to him. For example, if the gold is burned and melted, he is as well. This method is first introduced in Leprechaun 3, as is his other weakness, the magical medallion. If the medallion is placed around the Leprechaun's neck, he turns into stone, completely without magic. Vice-versa, if it is removed, he regains his powers. In Leprechaun 4: In Space, the Leprechaun is simply blown apart without the use of any specific method.

Habits

Unlike most other movie slashers, the Leprechaun has humanistic traits, such as lust and greed. The first appears in Leprechaun 2. Every thousand years, the Leprechaun is able to choose a bride (specifically the O'Days). To officially marry his bride, he need only make her sneeze three times. However, if someone intervenes one of the sneezes with, "God bless you", then the marriage is nullified. Although the Leprechaun's every thousandth year is the only time period when he can look for a bride, he does desire certain women, usually for their ability to fight back against him. The latter (greed) is obviously present in all films, where he attempts to track down his gold. The Leprechaun has two stashes of gold: One chest, bag or cauldron for his 100 shillings, and another cauldron for any miscellaneous gold that he acquires. If any of his gold goes missing, he will stop at nothing to get it back. Another vice that the Leprechaun has is that of the drink. He is very fond of drinking, and is even challenged in Leprechaun 2 by Morty, who beats the Leprechaun only by cheating. The Leprechaun also eats bugs, but finds nearly every other food unpleasant. In Leprechaun, Leprechaun: In the Hood, and Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, he is shown smoking. The first is just a tobacco pipe, but in the second and third, he discovers joints and bongs, which he greatly enjoys. In Leprechaun 4: In Space, he is briefly seen carrying a gold-cigarette holder.

"There once a man of Madras Whose balls were made of fine brass So in stormy weather, they both clanged together And sparks flew out of his ass!"

— Leprechaun, Leprechaun 3

A habit present in four of the six movies is his rhyming, which he usually does at any point in time. Every once in a while, he makes a poetic joke unrelated to the situation he is in. He also gives out random cackles and laughs when he is toying with his victims or finds any situation remotely humorous. Another habit seen mainly in Leprechaun and briefly in the intro of Leprechaun 2 is the Leprechaun's need to shine shoes, which he usually does briefly.

Appearance and traits

The Leprechaun, as he appears in the original Leprechaun, is portrayed with short red hair (which noticeably grows throughout the series) and a rather colorful outfit. His face is mottled with green, which is not seen in the rest of the films. He is much more child-like in this film as well: playing hide-and-seek with his victims and riding around on home-made go-carts, tricycles, roller skates and skateboards. This may be because of what he says to be his age, 600 years (compared to the Leprechaun in the rest of the films, who is over 2,000 years old). In Leprechaun 2, his hair is longer, his personality is less child-like and more sinister, and his outfit is less colorful but greener. His appearance is similar to this for the next three films. In Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, he is given a longer flowing, darker green outfit giving him a much darker and menacing appearance, and his hair is much longer. This is also the first time we see the Leprechaun's feet, which are similar to his hands (the toenails curled and sharp). His teeth and fingernails are very sharp, and come in handy when his magic is unneeded or unusable. The Leprechaun's current height is about 3'6".

Age

The Leprechaun's age is the biggest mystery (or continuity error) in the series. In Leprechaun, the Leprechaun says that he is 600 years old (though he may or may not have been lying). In Leprechaun 2, which takes place one year after the events of the first film, he says that he is 2,000 years old. Although it is never said that the Leprechauns in the two films are the same one, this information would still conflict with the information in Section 2 that said that the Leprechaun was the only one of his race that stayed on earth. However, another younger Leprechaun might have come back at a later point in time.

External links

• Unofficial Site: Connie's Warwick Davis Fanpage and Leprechaun Center