Rufus

**Rufus** is a main ally in Classic Kirby Origins and Trooper Village Stories. He is an English gingerbread man who is one of Gruffalo Dawson and Doc Kermit Frogglegg's closest friends, and the father of Little Rufus.

Alongside Doc and Gruffalo, Rufus is one of the original three peacekeepers who helped protect those in need, which later expanded into an organisation that included Kirby Bulborb and Asuka Langley Soryu. Rufus moved to Trooper Village in 2018 and became friends with all the villagers there, becoming a beloved resident.

Rufus was brought by Hazel and Clive Dawson in January 2020, as a birthday present for Philippa Tagg. He soon became well thought of by both Philippa and Peter, and has been involved in several major family events.

## Appearance

Rufus is 13 inches, five-way jointed and hand-made from the softest plush. He has a wonderful expression with a cheerful smile and glass eyes. White rickrack trims his wrists and ankles while red embroidered buttons dot his tummy to really give him the character of a gingerbread man cookie. He also wears an organza bow around his neck.

Rufus is made from velvety smooth plush fur in ginger. He has all of the typical gingerbread man features, such as black eyes, a red mouth and red buttons. He also has white braiding around his legs and arms and wears a white satin organza bow. He is fully jointed and has long legs, which are bent at the knee.

## Personality

Always having a cheerful smile, Rufus is one of the friendliest and happy citizens of Trooper Village. He is best friends with Doc Kermit Frogglegg and Gruffalo Dawson, always helping them out and assisting them on various adventures. After moving to Trooper Village, Rufus was able to quickly become friends with all the villagers there. A key defining character trait of Rufus' personality is his optimism, which has contributed to his ability to make friends quickly.

## History

### Backstory

Rufus Tagg was born on January 19th. He grew up in Pianta Village, raised by his family of gingerbread men. He lived in a gingerbread house, and later married and had a son.

At some point Rufus became friends with Doc Kermit Frogglegg and Gruffalo Dawson, and also befriended Sarge and a bee.

### Trooper Village Stories

#### Season 1

Rufus assisted some other peacekeepers, including Barack Obama, Doc Kermit Frogglegg, Asuka Langley Soryu and Haruhi Suzumiya, in helping Captain Olimar and Louie repay the Hocotate Freight debt.

#### Season 2

Rufus appears, alongside Doc and Gruffalo, in the end credits of an episode in season 2.

#### Season 3

Rufus moved to Trooper Village and became friends with all the villagers there.

## Behind the scenes

Rufus was named by Philippa Tagg. The gingerbread man was made by the company Charlie Bears as part of their Folklores & Fables collection in 2019, and was originally named Dunk, who was given to Philippa as a birthday present by Hazel and Clive Dawson in January 2020, who had brought him from a shop named Hadleys in Staffordshire. Philippa decided to rename him "Rufus" due to feeling it fits him better. He has become a fan-favourite character by Peter and Philippa. Rufus' appearance is based on the classic folktale about a gingerbread man's escape from various pursuers. He is also based on the titular gingerbread man from the 1992 stop-motion series *The Gingerbread Man*. The DVD collection of this series was given to Peter as a gift by Hazel and Clive in 2013, seven years before Rufus’ creation. In August 2020, Philippa and Peter made gingerbread men biscuits based on Rufus, which they called Rufus biscuits, for Peter's 20th birthday. Peter, Philippa, Hazel and Clive took Rufus with them on their July 2021 holiday in Hunstanton and various areas around Cambridge. Rufus first appears in the Trooper Village Stories episode "The Big Poko Debt: Presidential Tomfoolery", and was introduced as a peacekeeper alongside his close friends Doc Kermit Frogglegg and Gruffalo Dawson. Following further cameo appearances, Rufus will be featured as a main ally in the season finale of Trooper Village Stories, the first episode to be made after the creation of the plush used for Rufus. Like Doc and Gruffalo, Rufus has a son by the name of Little Rufus, the plush of him was made by Jellycat under the name "Jolly Gingerbread Fred" and was brought for Peter by Hazel and Clive as a 22nd birthday gift.

## Trivia

* Rufus' birthday is on January 19th, the same day as Philippa Tagg's birthday. \*Philippa has influenced various aspects of Rufus' character, including naming him, and concluding that he should just be a friend to the Pikmin and not involved in political side of Trooper Village like Mayor Reginald Bulborb is.
* A gingerbread man is a biscuit or cookie made of gingerbread, usually in the shape of a stylised human being, although other shapes, especially seasonal themes (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc.) and characters, are common.