Dr. Leonard Moss

**Dr. Leonard Moss** is a character from the Jungle Cruise.

#### Background

Dr. Leonard Moss was a black Canadian man from the province of Nova Scotia in the early half of the 20th century. Moss worked as a botanist who travelled the world studying different plants. By the late 1930s, Moss was very esteemed in his field.

#### The Jungle Cruise

In 1938, Doctor Moss was part of a V.I.P. Jungle Cruise tour of the rivers of Adventureland, organized by *Jungle Navigation Company* president Alberta Falls. Other members of this tour include Alberta's friend Rosa Soto Dominguez, her cousin Siobhan Murphy, and entomologist Dr. Kon Chunosuke of the *Society of Explorers and Adventurers*. On this expedition, Moss aimed to study exotic flora and had several caged carnivorous plants.

Prior to departure, Moss partook in his fourth day of studying his caged carnivorous plants at the JNC boathouse in the Amazon rainforest, feeding the plant various kinds of food to see the results. He hypothesized that the plant may be similar to one discovered by colonial aristocrat/collector Lord Henry Mystic and aimed to contact the archive of Mystic Point upon returning to Nova Scotia. Amidst these studies, one of his plants disappeared from its pot at the same time as Moss' sandwich was eaten, with Moss assuming it was a prank though it is implied that the plant may have been capable of moving itself. By around the time that Moss left on his VIP tour, the plants had seemingly killed multiple people.

This tour was to take place aboard the boat the *Kwango Kate* under, "new guy" JNC skipper, Felix Pechman XIII around the December of that year. The tour seemingly departed from the company's river-base in the Amazon Rainforest and made a stop at a company boathouse in the Lost Delta of India. Due to Skipper Felix's perpetual bad luck and/or Siobhan Murphy interrupting his driving to observe an exotic bird, the Kwango Kate was wrecked by hippos on the Nile river of North Africa (either in Sudan or Egypt). Moss and the expedition escaped to the African veldt where they were attacked by a black rhinoceros which chased them up a tree. The group was still stranded in December when they were passed by at-least two, "Jingle Cruise" tour boats.

#### Later life

After returning to civilization, Moss continued his operations. In the April of 1952, Dr. Moss travelled from Portland, Oregon to Taiwan. At some point, he left various plants (including Venus flytraps) in the care of Trader Sam, where they were placed in his Enchanted Tiki Bar.

### Development history

Dr. Leonard Moss was created for the 2021 refurbishment which aimed to remove racism from the Jungle Cruise. Moss was amongst the characters replacing the old Trapped Safari scene which was filled with racist stereotypes. In the Magic Kingdom, Moss replaced an older safari-member implied to be the safari's cook.

## Appearances

### Club 33

In the Tiki Takeover menus was a ticket for *Buena Vista Air* belonging to Moss. This was for a 1952 flight from Portland, Oregon. The ticket was paired with the Orchid Island drink, referencing Moss' botanical profession.

### Jungle Cruise

Dr. Moss appears on the tree as part of the crew chased up by the rhino. His work-station is visible in the Amazon River Base and several of his belongings are at Disneyland's boathouse. The first page of Moss' open-journal reads:

"Carnivorous Plant Study: DAY 4

*SPECIMEN FEEDING TEST*

~~*Carrot*~~

*✓Beetle*

*✓Fish*

~~*Rice*~~

~~*Bread*~~

*✓Beef*

~~*Banana*~~

~~*Coffee Grounds*~~

*Cola*

*Chicken*

*Sample 1 has grown approx. 2cm overnight*"

The second open page of his journal reads as:

"*Similar to species discovered by Lord Henry?*

*NOTE- Contact Mystic Archive upon my arrival home.*

*It appears that someone has stolen a specimen directly from its pot! It's not like these things can just walk away...or can they?*

*That thief also ate my sandwich!*

*NOTE- Speak to Alberta about situation.*"

His silhouette also appears on the 2021 updated poster for the attraction.

### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

Hanging from the roof of the bar are small crates with Venus flytraps and the note, "Take care of these Sam!- L. Moss".

## Trivia

* Moss' name is an obvious play on his occupation as a botanist.
* The man-eating plant in Dr. Moss' cage is similar to unused man-eating plants created by Marc Davis for the Jungle Cruise. Similar plants appear in the *Jungle Cruise Adventure Game* as carnivorous vines.
* Moss' journal indirectly references the giant carnivorous plant which appears in the attraction Mystic Manor which he directly references when mentioning Lord Henry Mystic and the Mystic Archives.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2021/07/16/photos-new-jungle-cruise-characters-introduced-as-guests-enter-attraction-queue/
2. ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/03/jungle-cruise-adds-new-characters-mischievous-wildlife-and-skipper-humor-to-classic-attraction/
3. ↑ https://jungleskipper.com/news/even-more-s.e.a.references-inside-club-33
4. ↑ https://wdwnt.com/2021/07/photos-more-new-s-e-a-props-added-to-jungle-cruise-queue-at-magic-kingdom/
5. ↑ https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/07/photos-new-jungle-cruise-poster-pays-homage-to-original-features-new-characters-at-disneyland/
6. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CuSyT\_gPr1s/?utm\_source=ig\_web\_copy\_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
7. ↑ https://jungleskipper.com/news/man-eating-plants