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claude-frollo-archives · 9 days ago

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Time Squad Character Analysis #2: Lawrence "Larry" 3000

Hi again! I'm finally continuing this series of analyzing the TS main trio. This time it's the Larry 3000, Cartoon Network's sassiest robot and the only character that's made me believe the network execs didn't bother watching Time Squad after the first episode. More on that later.

Backstory

Much like Tuddrussel, Larry's full backstory isn't really discussed in the show and is only referred to in throwaway lines, though we can get a rough sense of his life before the show.

The only mention of Larry's early life and childhood is in Monty Zuma, where he explains the first 9 years of his life were spent in a pitch black warehouse. No other information is known about Larry, like his model manufacturers or if he was even built on Earth.

Larry mentions his past diplomatic affairs multiple times in the show, like escorting Queen Jezebel III to a costume Halloween gala or being an assistant to presidents, a part of his past that he's very proud of. From the way he recalls the memories it's almost like part of him wants to go back to the "good old days" back when he was surrounded by etiquette and class, instead of being stuck as a janitor slash cook, basically working for a manchild. Look no further than in Tea Time, where he calls the fancy tea party "a refreshing change of pace".

One specific figure resurfaces multiple times in Larry's memories, that person being a Senator Fiskmeyer, whom we never get to actually see in the show.

He and Larry were presumably very close, to the point Larry felt comfortable enough to play pranks on him, and Fiskmeyer gifting the robot a golden set of golf clubs for helping out with negotiations.

It's basically impossible to pinpoint Larry's exact age, but there's a few hints that suggest he is a very old model, since his job as a diplomatic assistant / ambassador could only exist prior to Earth's political unification which made his services obsolete (see Larry Antique Theory).

Before Otto joined Time Squad, Larry describes his experience working solely with Tuddrussel as a "nightmare", since he's not programmed in the subject of history and Buck is the less than ideal time cop. It's always struck me as odd that Larry wasn't taught anything about history considering he's meant to be a diplomatic assistant. I figured knowing about world history could help a lot in negotiations between countries so you can at least know the context behind wars and sociopolitical states, but I guess whoever designed Larry thought it wasn't a big deal. Speaking of his coding, he's known to be programmed in a couple things, including etiquette, culture, all known languages, and apparel composition and design. Why they made him knowledgeable in fashion but not history is beyond me.

Freud's psychoanalysis

Freud describes Larry as suffering from "acute self doubt, which makes him passive aggressive, manipulative in nature[.]", all traits that Larry actually displays in the show. Another analysis has already touched on this, but Otto and Larry are both verbal manipulators, with the robot (kind of ironically) relying on emotions to get his way. As for him being passive aggressive, just watch any episode where he complains about something.

Larry and Otto

I've talked about this before but Otto and Larry is my favorite character dynamic in the entire series due to how much it grows throughout the show. In the first couple episodes, Larry sees Otto as little more of a nuisance, some kid from the 21st century they shouldn't have picked up, just another mouth to feed and another mess to clean up after. He finds his general presence and curiosity annoying and dismisses him, especially while he's working.

Although, even in these early episodes Larry isn't completely irritable. He shows Otto the Milky Way galaxy in Blackbeard and they go shopping together in ancient China in Confucius, both activities sans Tuddrussel. I wonder if Larry's more affable when he's not around the big oaf?

It's only a few episodes later when something really shifts. Maybe Larry realized how polite Otto is, or maybe he saw how many missions they've succesfully completed ever since the kid's been part of the team, but by Tea Time he's happily making scrambled eggs for Otto (this cements him as the cook of the trio, something that we'll go further in depth later).

From here on out the two only get closer and closer, to the point of replicating a parent-son relationship. It's damn cute. Larry takes care of Otto when he's sick in Floundering Fathers, they go shopping in Ancient China again in Kubla Khan't, and he joins forces with Tuddrussel to get some gifts for the little guy's birthday.

Also, this exchange from Kubla Khan't. I love this show.

Somewhere along the road both Larry and Buck recognize Otto as a kid they have to take care of rather than a coworker. Larry is no patron saint, though. He ignores Otto in Father Figure, abandons him in Hate and Let Hate, and his retelling of the mission in Thrilla' reveals he finds his infodumping annoying.

Other things to note: In Ivan the Untrainable, Larry mentions he had to 'fail Otto in nuclear physics', implying he home-schools him, and even goes as far as to teach him subjects fit for his intelligence rather than the standard 3rd grade academic curriculum. Otto also loves mirroring Larry's movements and general mannerisms from time to time, and is eager to learn about Larry's interests, like learning how to sew or curtseying.

THE MACARONI ARTTTTT

I could go on about Larry and Otto forever, so let's move on to the next relationship dynamic.

Larry and Food

Yet again, another wonderful analysis already discussed this at full length, but I feel that it's important I mention it here. I heavily recommend you check it out! Seriously, read Larry and Food: A Love Story.

One of Larry's main interests that becomes an integral part of his personality is his love of food and cooking. Despite this, he has no functioning mouth and no real way to enjoy food. He's programmed to be deeply involved with human culture yet he can't fully experience it due to his physical limitations. Therefore, the dissection argues, Larry's cooking is his way of communicating his own needs and emotions onto others and to manipulate how others feel.

Larry and Buck

Where do I even begin with these two. Okay.

Larry and Tuddrussel's relationship flip flops between work buddies and married couple, that is, one that's about to file for divorce. Larry detests Buck. He hates how filthy and unkempt he is, his immaturity, his bad manners, how brutish he is and how he never appreciates Larry's efforts to keep the Satellite running. He loves insulting him through passive aggressive remarks and, unlike Tuddrussel, Larry rarely shows fear towards him, aside from the times he gets physically hurt (or threatened to be hurt) by the big oaf.

Yet, despite this, despite all the hatred he holds for him... Larry finds himself desperately in need of him. Though he'll never properly admit it, Buck's presence in the Satellite gives Larry something to do, a change in routine from the computers and mission logs.

Larry is stuck in a constant battle with himself, sometimes wanting to apply for a transfer so he never sees Buck again, and other times getting so jealous he concocts an evil plan to sabotage a meal between the man and his ex-wife just because they were getting along again.

Speaking of Ex, it's a fan favorite for a reason. It's so late into the show that Mark Hamill's influence on the character had transfomed him from an annoyed ex-diplomat to an effeminate housewife suffering from one-sided love/hatred. How these lines got past the network censors still baffles me along with everyone else in the fandom.

God that turkey is still disgusting no matter how many times I watch this scene why did he do that

His jealousy gets cranked up to 100 in Ex, proclaiming Tuddrussel as "his" and accuses Sheila of trying to "take him away". Even at the end of the episode when the misunderstanding is clear, he is still mad at Tuddrussel despite him doing nothing particularly wrong, and tells him he's "sleeping on the sofa" that night.

More things to note... Remember how Tuddrussel has Texan heritage and likes to act and sometimes dress like a cowboy? Larry has a semi-confirmed cowboy fetish. He's presumably the one who dressed Cleopatra like a cowgirl in Shop like an Egyptian, one of his clones flirts with Tuddrussel in what is basically a gay robot nightclub in Day of the Larrys and he finds being a cowboy fun in Billy the Baby. Either Tuddrussel awakened something within him, or the big guy simply reinforced what was already there.

Sidenote, in Billy the Baby Larry takes the role of the comic relief, becoming uncharacteristically stupid. Something about that cowboy outfit turns him into a bimbo.

The show loves treating the two like a married couple, from Buck referring to Larry as "the old ball and chain" in Larry Upgrade to Freud becoming their couples counselor in Horse of Horrors. While Buck has hearts around him when seeing Cleopatra, Larry has hearts around him when seeing Buck in Thrilla', albeit this only being Buck's vision.

Other relationships

The only notable relationships Larry has with secondary characters are XJ5 and Lance 9 Trillion, the two other robots shown in Time Squad. Lance is Larry's celebrity crush; he asks for his autograph and generally looks up to him. That's about all there is to say about the two.

As for XJ5 and Larry, I've always struggled to define what their relationship is like. They act like petty rivals, and XJ5 loves critiquing Larry's lack of technological gadgets and antiquity. Even still, they find middle ground in Ex since neither of them want to see Sheila and Tuddrussel back together (possibly for different reasons).

Yes Larry is gay and camp

The more you rewatch Time Squad, the more you realize just how much the writers (and Hamill) flanderized Larry as it went on.

Series co-writer Carlos Ramos describes Larry as "nothing but fetishes", and he's absolutely right! Larry might be a robot programmed in etiquette, but deep within him lie some more... risqué interests.

He loves dressing up in feminine clothes and doing effeminate activities like foo-foo cooking, putting on makeup (something Buck recalls in Monty Zuma), manicures, books meant for young adult women featuring glamorous women and provocative romances (Danielle Steel and Jackie Collins are his favorite authors) and sewing. He's apparently been called a sissy "his whole life" so take that as you will.

Larry's buttons

Okay this is a bit of a jokey section but hear me out. Larry's chest panel and buttons are sort of like his... cleavage? Nipples? He's embarrassed when Otto opens up his chest in Daddio DaVinci (how did he know he could do that?) and exclaims "Excuse me!" when the kid tries picking up a radio signal.