The Magic School Bus (character)

**The Magic School Bus** or more commonly known as **The Bus** or **Bus** is the vehicles owned by Valerie Frizzle, Fiona Frizzle, and Liz and one of the most well-known and used vehicles used for the Imagination Posse. It is often piloted by the aforementioned owners, but sometimes the members of the Posse take the wheel.

## Personality/Bio/Role on the Show

The Magic School Bus is said to be "very unusual" (for obvious reasons) and it's very true as its not like any old school bus. As it has a mind of its own and is sentient, it is classified as a real character and friend. Its personality can be described as helpful, technical, lively, bright, emotional, adventurous, kind, energetic, caring, inventive, and full of surprises. The Magic School Bus is called magic for a reason, as it can transform into anything and change shape and size! It first appears in the second season, coming out of retirement with Ms. (later Professor) Valerie Felicity Frizzle and her pet lizard, Liz, who are the inventors of the bus along with Valerie's little sister, Fiona, as part of a contest and they ended up winning that year because of it and they kept it ever since.

The bus's internal mechanics are more touched in the Jared and Friends franchise, while the Posse upgrade and overhaul the bus. It is interesting to note that some of the bus' technologies also have specific names, for example, the shrinkerscope is responsible for the bus changing sizes, while the mesmerglobber is shown to be responsible for the bus's famous transformations. The Bus is capable of transforming into multiple objects, ranging from a speck of pollen to a time machine to a small planet It is usually completely under Ms. Frizzle's or Liz's control, although the bus can exhibit independent, even irrational, behavior.

It is revealed the bus's engine works the same way as any old vehicle, but one extra thing is that the parts are at one with the engine, a statement that appears true in the episode *Revving Up*. The dew-dinger is the device used to indicate whether the Shrinkerscope (Porta-Shrinker) is wet, in which case it won't work.

The Bus is just as much a character as everyone else and is just as involved in select missions and is ready to help out. The Magic School Bus Gets Glitch-ified is proof of that, allowing the bus to be fleshed out as a character. It has a great willingness to help its friends, but sometimes can feel cautious when things go wrong, but soon never gives up and is willing to face its fears to take on a challenge.

## Appearance/Basis

The Magic School Bus has shining bright golden-yellow paint, as well as the headlights having pupils for eyes. The front bumper serves as a mouth for the bus. The MSB is somewhat based on a 1970s Ward International bus with the rear wheel being half-covered, the front windshield being 2 different windows, and a grille spine down the center of the grille.

When it gets its upgrade in its debut episode in the J&F franchise, it retains its original shape, but receives many bits and pieces (notably on the dashboard) from past field trips and gets slightly modernized and the seats are more cleaner and are made of new leather. It also has a CD/music player with enhanced sound system. The bus also gets a noticeable chrome package as well as an indestructible dent-prevention shield, installed by Jared.

Since the release of the reboot, *The Magic School Bus Rides Again*, the bus gets a high tech overhaul, and it gains black racing stripes at the side. In addition, Its rear wheels are fully revealed, a back Antennae and roof hatch are added, it has two back doors instead of one, and its bottom lip is a darker shade of silver than its top lip. It retains its bright yellow and the chrome is more visible.

The interior has aqua leather seats with black seat belts for safety reasons, as well as a control panel filled with colorful buttons, levers, and dials, one of those notable parts being a big red cylindrical level, that acts as a gear shift usually for transformations and starting the engine.

As the Magic C.O.O.L-B.U.S., it actually takes on the form of the famous COOL-BUS from *Codename: Kids Next Door.*

## Trivia/Notes

* In some transformations, the bus itself comes in different colors, such as it turning green when it once turned into an alligator
* Since its debut in the franchise, it has been animated with a mix of traditional cel animation and digital ink and paint, but in some occasions, and in various later episodes, it is animated via Flash like in the reboot
* While the bus can't talk, it can communicate with its body language and its famous beeping sound (in place of dialogue)
* Whenever the Frizzles aren't around, Jared takes the wheel, as does Barney and Liz