Can Furiosa’s standout characters live up to the Doof Warrior legacy?

How do you prime one thing that’s already ridiculously, joyfully, emphatically excessive? That’s the large existential query George Miller confronted in making Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the hard-charging prequel to Mad Max: Fury Street. The primary movie is maximalist to a fault, with screaming, bald, white-painted Battle Boys gleefully spray-painting their tooth chrome earlier than throwing themselves to their deaths, and chase after chase that includes an enormous Battle Rigs and nigh-infinite smaller autos coated in skulls, chains, creepy dolls, and the rest the designers might graft on.

However nothing within the film is extra excessive than the Doof Warrior, the fan-favorite hard-rocker who bungie-hops round an enormous stack of audio system, wearing crimson lengthy johns and his lifeless mom’s face, wielding a fire-spitting guitar as he performs sick licks to encourage Immortan Joe’s hyped-up assortment of Valhalla-minded dummies to go even tougher in fight. Not too long ago, a gaggle of Polygon staffers have been discussing Furiosa, and somebody requested, “Who’s the Doof Warrior equal on this film?”

The obvious reply is that there isn’t one — not less than, there isn’t somebody who’s ridiculous in the identical approach and on the identical stage. However probably the greatest issues about Furiosa is that Miller isn’t simply making an attempt to copycat himself, so he doesn’t, say, throw a flame-spewing brass band into his new film to up the ante on one thing that was already good. However by way of who Furiosa’s breakout character is likely to be — who may encourage fan artwork and fan engagement, as soon as extra individuals have seen the film — nicely, we’ve bought totally different opinions on that one. Witness us!

Praetorian Jack

Picture: Warner Bros./YouTube

Jack is in some methods the precise reverse of the Doof Warrior — quiet the place DW is showy, content material to vanish right into a crowd as an alternative of dwelling for the spectacle, and a way more trendy dresser. (Crimson PJs are so pre-apocalypse.) However I believe he would be the character who goes the gap within the fandom, as a result of just like the Doof Warrior, he stands out as radically totally different from everybody else. There’s simply so little house within the Mad Maxiverse for individuals who do their jobs with out yelling about it consistently and making an attempt to make each success appear larger and extra praiseworthy than it truly is.

And his reference to Furiosa appears designed to go away a mark on viewers — possibly even a much bigger mark than it leaves on Furiosa herself. She’s so revenge-driven that she doesn’t have a lot room in her life for different individuals, however she makes room for Praetorian Jack, possibly as a result of he’s well mannered sufficient to not take up more room there than she’s prepared to present. There isn’t a whole lot of house within the Wasteland for tenderness or compassion, both, as Dementus tells us. The truth that Praetorian Jack manages to convey that into the franchise, too, makes him memorable whilst one of many collection’ most undemanding characters. —Tasha Robinson

The Octoboss

Picture: Warner Bros./Everett Assortment

The one factor the Wastelanders of the Mad Max franchise respect greater than energy and violence is branding. Surviving on the Fury Street is all about choosing a theme, scrapping collectively a cool costume, and giving your self a nutso title that persons are too scared to not name you. And the one that does all that the most effective in Furiosa is the Octoboss.

Dementus’ onetime ally, who ultimately makes it clear that he’s out for his personal good points as an alternative, fills all the factors of one of many Wasteland’s nice weirdos. He’s bought a terrific helmet, pitch-black and possibly unimaginable to see out of, with towering horns that certainly have an effect on his stability, and a squad of loyal riders who will die at his command. However simply as importantly, he additionally is aware of easy methods to exit like a badass. Certain, he will get shredded on the finish of his ill-fated try at conquest, however God, what a good looking, tentacle-y mess he leaves behind him! As an added bonus, his octopus costume additionally provides us one of many film’s most gorgeous visible moments, and one of many clearest indicators that Miller goes for one thing way more painterly and unusual than the look he tried in Fury Street. —Austen Goslin

Smeg

Picture: Jasin Boland/Warner Bros. Leisure

OK, to be actual, no one’s going to fixate on Smeg, Dementus’ weaselly, hunched hype man. Smeg’s complete existence seems to be constructed round standing subsequent to the warlord and reiterating the front-facing emotion of his statements in exaggerated mimicry, cringing low to indicate sympathy and shaking his fists to indicate triumph. Like a extra versatile, albeit mute Anger Translator.

No, I don’t anticipate to see a lot of Smeg at Comedian-Con — possibly a {couples}’ Halloween costume that includes Dementus and his most front-and-center hanger-on. However there’s one thing compelling within the concept of a Wasteland jester, jingling miserably throughout the mud. —Susana Polo

Battle Pup

Picture: Warner Bros./YouTube

Quaden Bayles’ Battle Pup has only one job: He runs the Bommyknocker, the contraption hooked up to the rear of the Battle Rig. Immortan Joe’s mechanics are very pleased with the Bommyknocker, and when it hits the highway for the primary time, Battle Pup is happy to lastly use this final weapon on the Fury Street — which is relatable, as a result of I spent that complete sequence equally enthusiastic about ultimately seeing what the Bommyknocker might do! However within the Wasteland, we’re all punchlines. Proper when it’s time to lastly use the Bommyknocker, Battle Pup takes a bullet to the mind, and he by no means will get to see how freaking steel it’s in motion.

To me, Battle Pup is most just like the Doof Warrior in that he has a really particular perform that the viewers is hyped to see, however he additionally appears rather more fascinating than the restricted function he has within the Wasteland. Perhaps we’ll be taught extra about him in some kind or one other ultimately, however in the meantime, the actor who performs him has a narrative that lives as much as the hype. Bayles went viral in 2020 after a bullying incident, picked on for his achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism. When Bayles’ story was observed by Australian information media, Miller reached out to present him a small function in Three Thousand Years of Longing — and appreciated him sufficient to maintain working with him on Furiosa. Witness him! —Joshua Rivera