Despicable Me took the world by storm in 2010, proving that new animation studios could emerge from the shadows and launch blockbuster projects worthy of sharing the spotlight with giants like Disney and Pixar. Illumination Entertainment may be an industry staple by 2024, but its existence was a complete mystery to everyone before its breakout success with Despicable Me. Since then, the studio has embarked on a growth path.
While most fans gravitated toward the film's iconic minions or the heart at the center of the zany plot, others were drawn to Jason Segel's infectious and surprisingly complicated supervillain antagonist, Vector. The orange-suited, bespectacled villain has deftly walked the line between incompetent buffoon and truly intimidating foe. But his fate has been up in the air since this first entry in the franchise, leaving fans to wonder if they've truly lost him forever or if there's still a shot in the dark that could make a triumphant return in a future chapter of growth Despicable Me franchising.
Updated by Alex Roush on September 16, 2024: With Despicable Me 4 Introducing Will Ferrell's new villain, Maxime Le Mal, fans are looking back at the franchise's original (and best) villain, Vector. What happened to Jason Segel's antics-savvy antagonist, and will he ever return to Despicable Me franchising? This article has been updated to include more information on Vector's appearance in Despicable Me 4improve the reader experience and comply with CBR formatting guidelines.
Vector's rise to villain fame in Despicable Me
He was the original antagonist of the franchise
- Vector's rich inheritance contrasts with Gru's impoverished life and the working-class nature of his profession.
When audiences are first introduced to Vector, the now iconic Gru is visiting the menacing Bank of Evil, asking for a loan for his next moon heist. There, he finds the imposing Mr. Perkins, President of the Bank of Evil and father of Gru's latest competitor: Vector Perkins. Vector is quick to introduce Gru to a number of his greatest hits, including his iconic and oft-quoted Piranha Gun. From this point, it becomes clear that Vector has been blessed with his family fortune and has no idea how to spend his immense money. Even his attempts at evil seem futile at this point and his validity as a formidable foe is rightly called into question.
However, as the film unfolds, audiences can truly see just how intimidating Vector can be. While he still stumbles and seems overwhelmed by technology, Vector's wealth provides him with an impressive array of gadgets that he uses to successfully work to outwit Gru in stealing the moon. As the film reaches its climax and Gru concludes his story arc, Vector is forced to pay the price for his transgressions, resulting in him being stranded on the moon he once tried to steal.
This tragic fate is, of course, treated as a joke, and it's here that fans get their last glimpse of the villain, dancing on the moon with a couple of abandoned minions with him. This was Vector's last canonical appearance since 2010, and it was starting to look like it might be his last. After all, two next Despicable Me film and two Minions The spin-offs neglected to mention the character. The odds of Illumination ever talking about Vector and its plight again after all this time were slim. But those odds were put to rest in 2023 with the release of Migration and the attached short film Full moon.
Vector's fate is revealed in Mooned (2023)
The short film is connected to Illumination's migration
The 2023 release Migration It came with the short film attached Full moonan original Despicable Me story that tells what Vector has been up to all this time. While this excited fans of the character, especially knowing that Jason Segel was involved, some fans were disappointed to find that the short was almost entirely comedic and didn’t provide much in the way of plot development. Instead, the story places him further away from Earth and potentially a formal return to the franchise.
At the very least, the short provides some answers as to what Vector has been busy with, even if the outcome may not be the fate his adoring fans were rooting for. Vector spends most of the short attempting to escape his captivity with his shipwrecked henchmen friends, all of which prove futile. This comedic karma routine continues until Vector's plans ultimately fail and send him several hundred miles from the Moon in the opposite direction to Earth.landing him on Mars with nothing but his underwear to his name. It could be one of the Despicable Me one of the biggest villains in the series, but he is not without his flaws.
For many Vector fans, this quenched their thirst for more Vector content. They got their beloved supervillain back, at least for a little while, and they got to laugh at his misfortune again and hear expertly delivered lines from the talented Jason Segel. But this leaves more to be desired, and like the Despicable Me The franchise is up and running, fans are left with more questions than ever before Full moon has been released. While the franchise has understandably grown to include other fascinating and entertaining villains, there remains a desire for a dominant villain in the franchise, and many are rooting for Vector to take that spot.
What will happen next for the iconic villain is still up in the air.
It's unclear when fans will see more from Vector.
These aspirations for a Vector character revival have led to countless hopes for a possible returning villain for Gru to face with his new allies and gadgets. As interesting as that might be, and as much as it represents a full circle moment for the franchise moving forward, that seems unlikely. Vector did not have a major role in the recently released film Despicable Me 4but fans still hope to see more of his performances in the future.
The concept of a reborn, vengeful Vector is a promising premise. that could leave Gru struggling with his unorthodox approach to heroism. It would be a choice that could feel like fan service. However, it could also be extremely satisfying from a narrative perspective, reaffirming Gru's growth over the course of the franchise and serving as a fitting bow atop a franchise that deserves more praise for its commitment to cohesive storytelling. While the comedic charm of Despicable Me It's what sold it from the start, the heartfelt storytelling at the core of the franchise has allowed it to be an industry staple. Transforming Vector into a more complex villain ready for another go against the untouchable Gru and his bizarre and scheming henchmen could be the icing on the cake the franchise needs, if only it can commit to it.
Vector is still the best villain in the Despicable Me movies
Many villains have been introduced throughout the franchise
In a franchise featuring a villain turned hero, there are a lot of great antagonists. Despicable Me. From El Macho in the second film to Balthazar Bratt and Dru in the third, Gru has faced off against a slew of colorful animated villains. Even the Minions have faced off against supervillains like Scarlet Overkill and Belle Bottom. However, none of the villains from the sequels or spin-offs have managed to surpass Vector as the franchise’s best antagonist.
The nerdy genius still poses the biggest threat to Gru since the franchise beganforcing him to go further than he ever has before to save the three girls he's grown to love. Now, Gru and the minions face a new nemesis in Despicable Me 4 in the form of Will Ferrell's Maxime La Mal. Ferrell's comedic genius and his chemistry with Steve Carell have helped propel this new villain into a more memorable role than some of the previous antagonists. Despite this, some fans can't help but hope that Vector could return as the main antagonist of a future film in the beloved animated franchise.
Vector has a cameo in Despicable Me 4
The character was a welcome surprise to unaware fans
With pop culture references, such as “The honey badger doesn't care” and the Mega Minions (a parody of Marvel and DC superheroes), Despicable Me 4 was created with young adults in mind. The first Despicable Me The film was released in 2010, 14 years before the most recent release in the franchise. Many fans of the first film are now in their twenties and are watching Despicable Me 4 with their little children, with younger family members, and just for the nostalgia of it all.
Although he is not a main character in Despicable Me 4Vector makes a brief appearance at the end of the film, which many fans of the first Despicable Me film appreciated. While Gru competes against Maxime la Mal in a prison talent show, performing “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, Vector is revealed to be one of the prison inmates and is seen dancing along to Gru and Maxime's performance. Vector's appearance lets viewers know that he has managed to return to Earth from Mars, opening up future possibilities for the character.
While it is unclear whether Vector will return to Despicable Me soon, his disappearance from the spotlight will pave the way for other memorable villains to take his place. With his cameo in Despicable Me 4the door is open for the return of the villain to franchising in a more prominent role.