Weasels

The Weasels are recurring antagonists who first appeared in Disney's 1949 animated feature film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. They are a gang of crafty thieves and crooks with fast-moving, hoodlum-like qualities.
==Background==
The weasels are a band of thugs whose reputation preceeds them. Their typical ambitions revolve around the acquisition of wealth, typically through means of theft and murder. The weasels are known for their slimy, fast-paced actions. They are also large in quantity, with their legion being depicted as anywhere between a mere trio, to several dozens. This makes them formidable and elusive foes.
In The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, they are associates of the conniving barman, Mr. Winky. More prominently, however, they are criminals in the world of Mickey Mouse and his friends, first appearing as such in 1952's How to Be a Detective. When not acting as independents, they are generally under the employment of other powerful villains, especially Pete.
Not all weasels depicted are necessarily evil, however. Some hold legitimate professions, but carry out their business with somewhat shady practices. An example can be seen in "Mickey's Mechanical House".
==Appearances==
===The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad===
In their original film, the Weasels were hired by Mr. Winkie in an attempt to steal the deed to Toad Hall.
They first appear in a flashback surrounding a testimony told by Cyril Proudbottom when J. Thaddeus Toad is brought to court for allegedly stealing a red motorcar. Seven weasels are seen in the vehicle speeding past Toad and Cyril down a highway, having stolen the car and fleeing the police apparently for an earlier robbery; one of the weasels emerging from the motorcar's trunk is seen carrying a bag (presumably containing stolen goods or valuables) and stopping by a nearby tavern. Toad is instantly enamored by the sight of the automobile, going so far as to smell the fuel emitting from the muffler, and decides to seek out the "owners". Toad steps inside the tavern where the weasels are seen scheming at a table until they finally notice him walk in. He approaches the tavern keeper, Winky, at the bar and asks him as to who owns the "hot-looking car". At this instant, the weasels, believing that Toad is an informant sent by the police, suddenly scurry beneath the table and draw their guns at him but soon lower their weapons when Toad declares that he merely wanted to buy the motorcar. However, having no money on him at the time, Toad instead proposes to trade Toad Hall for the motorcar, a bargain the weasels quickly and eagerly accepted.
Later, on Christmas Day, the entire gang of weasels are seen by Angus MacBadger partying and drinking beer in Toad Hall with Winky, who is revealed to be their leader. Angus sees Winky holding the deed to the hall, which is the only thing that can prove Toad's innocence. The heroes hatch a plan and go to Toad Hall to retrieve the deed. On their approach to the secret tunnel, they encounter a Weasel guarding the bridge, He is alerted of their presence when Toad tries to shoot him down unsuccessfully. He quietly follows them into Toad Hall, where Winky and the other weasels are drunk after a long party with much beer. Just as Mole is about to take the deed back from Winky's coat pocket, the guard weasel stops them and wakes his boss and comrades. After a dangerous and comical game of keep-away, Toad and his friends escape with the deed.
===How to Be a Detective===
A weasel thug tries to hinder Goofy's attempts to solve the "Al" case. Early on, he threatens Goofy with a gun. At another point, he serves Goofy a martini laced with a goofball and then leaves him to drown underwater with his feet set in concrete. During the car chase, the weasel tries to stop Goofy's car by covering the road with tacks, only for Goofy to sweep them out of the way with a broom. At another point during the chase, the weasel places a traveling billboard in the path of the other cars, so that they will drive off the road. He also engages Pete in a shootout between the cars. Finally, in the end, he serves as a parson for Pete (revealed as the missing Al) and the dame's wedding.
===The Prince and the Pauper===
They appeared as the henchmen of Pete, as the English King's military force. In secret, however, they act more like ruthless crooks that constantly rob the poor, in the ill King's name (or as Pete claimed). The weasels are voiced, here, by Charlie Adler and Bill Farmer.
===DuckTales===
Two weasels appeared as Flintheart Glomgold's henchmen in "Horse Scents" and two Australian weasels appeared in "Back Out in the Outback".
===House of Mouse===
The weasels make appearances in several episodes of the series.
In "Pete's House of Villains", Pete hires them to replace the Penguin Waiters, but causes legal issues when they begin to steal the guests' belongings, such as Prince John's gold, Zeus' thunderbolts, and Ariel's voice. When Pete fires a weasel for it, the others drop a safe on him.
Though the weasels do not appear in Mickey's House of Villains, it is likely that they joined Pete and the rest of the Disney Villains led by Jafar for the House of Mouse's takeover offscreen.
===The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse===
In "Cheese Wranglers", the weasels serve as Pete's henchmen to rustle Mickey's herd of cheese.
===Other appearances===
In Mickey's Christmas Carol, two of the weasels appeared as gravediggers for Ebenezer Scrooge.
==Video games==
===The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey and Minnie===
Some of the weasels appear as recurring mini-bosses in the game. In the Haunted Circus stage, a weasel is seen dressed as a circus clown juggling fire balls which the player has to avoid. Another weasel later appears in The Frozen Plains stage inside a frozen vehicle which spins across the stage as water starts raising up.
===Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse===
The weasels appear as the main enemies in the "Prince and the Pauper" level. There are two kinds of such enemies here: those who throw knives and those who shoot arrows from crossbows.
===Mickey's Speedway USA===
The weasels serve as the antagonists of the game. They kidnap Pluto in order to steal the latter's diamond-encrusted collar. Mickey and his gang embark on an adventure around the world to find the weasels and rescue Pluto. Throughout the game, postcards of the weasels from various locales depict the villains torturing Pluto. In the game's epilogue, the weasels are arrested.
===Other games===
In Mickey Saves the Day 3D Adventure, some weasels appears as Pete's henchmen in his plot to become mayor of the town.
In Disney Sorcerer's Arena, the weasels act as Wilds villain enemies of the Hero Campaign.
==Gallery==
==See also==
*Stan Woozle - Another Disney weasel whose design is based on the Weasels.
*Toon Patrol - A gang of weasels who visually resemble the originals.
*The Weasel Trio - A gang of weasels who are similar to the originals.
==References==
Category:Villains
Category:Henchmen
Category:Armies
Category:Disney characters
Category:Weasels
Category:House of Mouse characters
Category:Bonkers characters
Category:Males
Category:Characters in video games
Category:The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad characters
Category:Adults
Category:Animated characters
Category:Character groups
Category:Swordsmen
Category:TV Animation characters
Category:The Disney Afternoon characters
Category:Characters in the Disney animated features canon
Category:Mickey Mouse universe characters
Category:Anthropomorphic characters
Category:DuckTales characters
Category:Donald Duck universe characters
Category:Mickey Mouse (TV series) characters
Category:Disney Sorcerer's Arena Characters
Category:Characters