This article is about the character from Planes. For the monster, see El Chupacabra.
- Boom operator: "El Chupacabra? Isn't that the monster that siphons your fuel?"
- El Chupacabra: "It is a stage name used to strike fear into the hearts of my opponents."
- ―El Chu assuring his crew about his stage name
El Chupacabra is the tritagonist of the 2013 Disneytoon Studios animated feature film Planes.
Background[]
Official Description[]
- The intensely charming El Chupacabra is a legend in Mexico (just ask him). Powered by his passion for racing (not to mention the elusive Rochelle), this caped Casanova is anything but low-key—his booming voice and charismatic presence are as big as his oversized engine. His cohorts aren't really sure what is truth and what is delusion when it comes to El Chu, but one thing is beyond doubt: he races with a whole lot of heart and more dramatic flair than is recommended at high altitudes.[1]
Physical appearance[]
El Chu is painted in the colors of Mexico's flag: red, green, and white. The red is located on the front, and a pointy line also colored red goes across his sides, with a yellow border. A green stripe is beside the red, with the red pointy lines going over it, and the rest of his fuselage is colored white, though the red extends to the back along the bottom of his fuselage. Both red and white are located on his wings and landing gear, with the red making the shape of ocean waves. He also has brown eyes and wears a green mask, which according to the short Meet El Chupacabra, covers another mask underneath. Like other planes with his shape, El Chu has wires connected to his wings, landing gear, and fuselage. He carries the number "5", painted red with black and yellow borders, on his tailfin, which additionally holds a cape that is green on one side, and yellow on the other. El Chu's bodywork is based on a Gee Bee Model R,[2] with a wingspan of 22.3 feet (6.8 meters).
Appearances[]
Meet El Chupacabra[]
In the promotional video, El Chu is filming an intro for his fans, only to soon get hit on the head by the boom operator, who is curious about why he would use a name like that since it is also the name of the mythical monster. The racing plane assures that he uses the name to give his opponents fear, although the boom operator believes that he himself is grazed rather than struck. As they resume the filming, however, someone holding a sign accidentally falls over, causing the sign to hit El Chu and move him off-screen.
Planes[]
El Chu preparing for the Wings Around the Globe.
Having been a star on television, a singer, and a novelist of romance, El Chupacabra gets interested in the world of racing, and hearing about the Wings Around the Globe, he goes to qualify, successfully being selected. He also contains much excitement, believing that even his fans will be watching him, but when he introduces himself in the pit row in New York City, he finds that no one is applauding him, and considers that his fellow racers are not familiar with him. However, one plane does respond, knowing that the name "El Chupacabra" is used for a legendary monster in North America that siphons fuel. Awkwardly, El Chu declines, ensuring that it is only a stage name he has used in his career and that he has been doing indoor racing around his home country. However, one of the other racers, Bulldog, makes fun of his name, causing El Chu to threaten him by showing his cape before he heads off feeling proud of himself. Immediately, the newest racer in the Wings Around the Globe, Dusty Crophopper, meets up with him, expressing that he saw him on television the previous year. Flattered, El Chu promises Dusty that both of them will have their own adventures in their first race involving them traveling around the world. At the start line the following day, El Chu is trying to concentrate, along with advising Dusty to do the same thing, but he straight away sees a female French-Canadian plane called Rochelle, whom he starts to fall in love with.
Convinced, along with Dusty, that aerocar Franz has "serious identity issues".
In the first leg, which only stops in Iceland, El Chu makes his way through to finish somewhere in the top eight. While in the country, El Chu attempts to get a chat with Rochelle, but it does not have a good end, as Rochelle is insulted by his words and orders him to buzz off, though he still feels charmed. Meanwhile, his friend Dusty finished in last place, after flying so close to the sea that he got icicles on his bodywork. The second leg occurs the next day, where the racers have to race to Germany. El Chu does his best to move through the field, finishing second behind three-time champion Ripslinger, just as they hear the report of a mayday, where Bulldog is out of control with oil blocking his view. Fortunately, Dusty deliberately guides Bulldog to safety, although he finishes last once again. While El Chu is glad that Bulldog is safe, he feels sorry for Dusty. In the bar, they both meet an aero car, who introduces himself as Franz, known as Von Fliegenhozen in plane mode, having become Dusty's first fan, and makes advice about having Dusty remove his crop sprayer since he is a crop duster. Admittedly, El Chu agrees, knowing that it will improve Dusty's performance, and they are all right, as it puts Dusty into the top eight in the third leg that ends in India, while El Chu finishes fourth.
El Chu admitting to Dusty about not being able to be loved by someone.
Determined, El Chu tries to get Rochelle's attention once again, but again, it does not work, as Rochelle doesn't appreciate his comment of being in his mind. Furthermore, as he explains to Dusty about the problem, he feels he is in the Greek story of Icarus. Next, he soon notices that Dusty is in love with another Wings Around the Globe racer, named Ishani, as he watches from a distance. For the next race, El Chu and the others have to fly over the Himalayas in Nepal, in which there is a runway for them to finish the race. Yet, Dusty has already won the race, having flown through a railroad tunnel to avoid facing his fears of heights. Everyone, including El Chu, is surprised, but Ripslinger is cross. For El Chu, he himself finished around fifth place. Subsequently, El Chu flies in fifth place as Dusty leads the racers through China, and he keeps this position when they rest in Shanghai.
With support from Dusty, El Chu successfully wins Rochelle's heart.
However, El Chu refuses to give up on winning Rochelle's heart, and is determined to do it that night by singing The Miracles' "Love Machine", but that plan too is disastrous with the way he is singing, until Dusty comes in to help El Chu, by having a group of musicians playing a ballad version of the song, while El Chu sings calmly. This time, Rochelle compliments El Chu, saying a French phrase that El Chu and Dusty cannot figure out the English meaning of. Soon, it turns out the plan had worked a little too well, as Rochelle cannot stop kissing El Chu as they prepare for the penultimate leg that ends in his homeland, Mexico. By the time they all get time, they hear that Dusty has disappeared, but Ripslinger, Ned, and Zed are not bothered since they do not approve of Dusty. El Chu and Ishani, however, berate Ripslinger, knowing that he had something to do with Dusty's disappearance and seeing he has neither respect nor concern for Dusty. Ripslinger dismisses them, causing Ishani to remark that he has fallen from being the great champion he once was to be nothing but an arrogant bully and a dirty cheater and El Chu agrees by angrily and coldly telling Rip "You are not even worthy of a cape swish." and leaves. Soon, they eventually find Dusty damaged after falling into the sea in a thunderstorm, with the damage being critical enough to make Dusty unable to take part in the rest of the competition.
El Chu and his friends donating parts to a damaged Dusty.
Loyally, El Chu gives a pair of T33 wings to Dusty, in return for helping him begin a relationship with Rochelle, and all of the nice racers, including Rochelle, Bulldog, and Ishani, give other parts to Dusty, hoping that it will put Dusty back in the race. Luckily, it is enough, and El Chu and the others spend the night hoping that Dusty will be ready, with El Chu's pity helping Dusty's pals from his hometown to get him fixed. Opportunely, Dusty is fixed in time for the final leg back to New York. It also leaves many people amazed, while all of the racers prepare for the last race. At the same time, El Chu and Rochelle make multiple romantic comments about each other as they wait for the race starter to wave his flag. Presently, Dusty moves ahead after starting from the back, while everyone else encourages him to win the race and beat Ripslinger. Soon, as El Chu crosses the line in third place, he is delighted to see Dusty has won the Wings Around the Globe and is joined by the others as they celebrate Dusty's victory.
Video games[]
Planes: The Video Game[]
El Chupacabra in Planes: The Video Game.
El Chupacabra is playable in all versions of the game and has four levels centered on him. In "Super El Taxicabra!", he performs a show for his fans, but finds out that after they have danced for a long time, they are too exhausted to head back home, so, El Chu takes them home himself with the help of a "super taxi magnet" while temporarily calling himself "El Taxicabra". In "Ticket to Ride", a firm El Chu challenges a freight train to a race. Following his win, El Chu acknowledges that the train just does not have as much speed and agility as him. In "Twist of Fate", El Chu, Bulldog, and Ishani travel to Propwash Junction to challenge Dusty to a race with tornadoes as obstacles. According to Skipper, Bravo, and Echo, El Chu had once been beaten in wrestling by a man named El Tornado. In "Air Force Juan", El Chu is filming a movie scene, where he helps a stalled carrier in collecting fuel units and rid them of nearby mines.
Relationships[]
Dusty Crophopper[]
- El Chupacabra: "Dusty, I cannot bear the thought of competing without you."
- Dusty Crophopper: "Hey, that's the wing of a T-33 Shooting Star."
- El Chupacabra: "When the great Mexican Air Force needed help, American T-33s came. They did not ask questions. They did not hesitate. They were there. Because that is what compadres do."
- ―El Chu and Dusty
El Chu has his first conversation with Dusty.
The moment El Chu first met Dusty, at the Wings Around the Globe, he immediately became friends with him and predicted that they would have a series of adventures in the competition, promising to meet again later. As they were preparing for the first leg, El Chu instructed Dusty not to get drawn away by anything, though he himself got distracted by the sight of Rochelle. It was apparent that after the first leg, El Chu learned about Dusty finishing in last place, but it was not in El Chu's mind straight away, that he was talking to Rochelle by the time Dusty arrived. In the next race, El Chu finished on the podium, but immediately learned that Dusty was trying to save Bulldog, and urged him to be careful as they were about to land on the runway. Though Bulldog was saved, Dusty finished last, and El Chu felt sorry for him, but a suggestion by Franz made El Chu think that Dusty could do better if he did what Franz had said. In India, El Chu asked Dusty for advice about getting Rochelle's attention, but moments later, Ishani appeared, and knowing that this was Dusty's time, El Chu made an excuse to leave by pretending that someone was calling him, though he watched from around the corner of a building and was surprised that Dusty had feelings for Ishani.
In China, as Dusty asked what was going on, El Chu explained that he was going to plan on finally getting Rochelle's attention that night. Soon, El Chu noticed that the spotlights and radio he had turned on for a song he was singing had been unplugged, and quizzed Dusty on the matter. Then he realized that Dusty was helping him make it better, and the plan did work. In return, El Chu promised Dusty that he would be there to help him if he had any problems. After the penultimate leg, El Chu was shocked to find that Dusty had been caught out in a thunderstorm and critically damaged. Not wanting to do the final leg without Dusty, El Chu found another pair of wings appropriate for Dusty's bodywork, and with his other friends helping as well, Dusty was fixed in time for the final leg, and El Chu was delighted to see Dusty win.
Rochelle[]
- El Chupacabra: "I will wait for you at the finish line, hermosa."
- Rochelle: "No, no, no. I will be waiting for you."
- ―El Chu and Rochelle, having already become a couple, as they prepare to start the final leg
El Chu and Rochelle chatting.
El Chu had first met Rochelle at the Wings Around the Globe, while they were at the start line for the first leg. While telling Dusty not to get distracted by anything, El Chu's eyes caught the sight of Rochelle, and he immediately fell in love with her. He soon arranged to meet her at the first stop in Iceland and was talking to her about snowplows having the correct weight to break the ice, but Rochelle was irritated when he said "yes" to both of them being the snowplow and ice, which El Chu claimed was just what he wanted to use in his country's language. Though Rochelle left with her wing hitting his propeller, El Chu still believed that she represented an angel. In many of the races, El Chu finished ahead of Rochelle while racing the others. During everyone's break after the Iceland-to-Germany leg, El Chu revealed to Dusty that he did try to talk to Rochelle, but was left upset due to that she did not return his feelings. However, he still did not want to give up and was attempting to talk to her once again in India, saying that he could not get a picture of her out of his head, but Rochelle did not appreciate the comment, leaving as El Chu started to believe that he was Icarus and she was the sun. Responding, Dusty advised El Chu to go easy on her.
In China, El Chu could not take it anymore and decided that he would get Rochelle's attention by singing "Love Machine" by The Miracles, but it was not helping, as Rochelle was not impressed with his singing. However, Dusty came into the scene with help, making El Chu sing the song easily, and this time, Rochelle returned his feelings by saying a phrase in French, though El Chu was not sure what that meant in English, but Dusty gave hope that it was a happy phrase, saying that "French-Canadian is the language of love in Quebec." The next day, it turned out that it was, as Rochelle was kissing him while they were lining up on the start line for the penultimate leg. However, Rochelle's nonstop kissing freaked El Chu out, as he was starting to think that she was the same as a jaguar, but he was soon calm when everyone arrived in Mexico, and he and Rochelle both brought spare parts to give to a damaged Dusty, in hopes that he would still race. The following day, as they were preparing to start the final leg of the Wings Around the Globe, El Chu, and Rochelle promised each other that they would again meet each other at the finish line, blowing kisses as the race starter waved his green flag.
Bulldog[]
- Bulldog: "Did you say El Chupacabra or El Cuckoo-cabra?"
- El Chupacabra: "You make joke? YOU MAKE JOKE?! Very well. You leave me no CHOICE! I swish my cape at you! You have been shamed!"
- ―El Chu paying Bulldog back for his joke
El Chu doing a cape swish in front of Bulldog.
Like how he met all the other racers, El Chu met Bulldog when they both qualified for the Wings Around the Globe. At one point, in the pits, Bulldog started fun of El Chu's name, prompting El Chu to confront him and perform a cape swish, telling Bulldog that he would be shamed. However, El Chu still considered Bulldog as a friend, since when Bulldog was in danger of crashing after oil leaking from his wings landed over his eyes, El Chu was hoping that Bulldog would be safe, watching Dusty guide Bulldog to safety. Also, El Chu was calm in Bulldog's presence from then on, especially when they both were a couple of kind racers who helped Dusty get ready for the final leg of the Wings Around the Globe.
Ripslinger[]
- “Señor Dusty has 10 times the engine you do!”
- ―El Chu seeing Ripslinger's true colors
El Chu rejecting Ripslinger.
El Chu did not have much interaction with Ripslinger during the Wings Around the Globe, although they both entered in the same year. However, in the first leg, El Chu did finish behind Ripslinger and his minions Ned and Zed, showing he was good at finishing in the top five despite not being fast enough to challenge. However, he managed to beat Ned and Zed in the second leg, as he finished second behind Ripslinger while a mayday involving Bulldog was occurring. Despite that, he fell behind in the following leg leading to India, as Ned and Zed got the better of him and finished in the top three with Ripslinger. Once again, El Chu could not beat Ripslinger as the racers flew to Nepal, but Ripslinger failed to win anyway, due to Dusty having taken a different course that had him win the leg. Both El Chu and Ripslinger remained in their positions in the leg that ended in China, and after the penultimate leg that ended in Mexico, El Chu and Ishani, knowing that Ripslinger had something to do with Dusty's disappearance after hearing him insult Dusty, confront him to say that Dusty is mightier than him, even feeling that it was not necessary to perform a cape swish in Ripslinger's face. As a result, Ripslinger was considered by El Chu as an enemy, plus Ripslinger lost the Wings Around the Globe to Dusty, thanks to El Chu and his fellow racers donating parts to Dusty.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- El Chupacabra's name comes from the term used to describe a mythical monster known for drinking animals' blood (mostly goats). Occasionally, others remind the racer about that both have the same name, mentioning that the monster, in the Cars universe, siphons fuel from "small vehicles". Awkwardly, El Chu would assure others that he uses this to bring fear to his racing opponents.
- One notable difference on El Chu's LEGO Duplo toy is that his propeller is yellow instead of gray, and has three blades instead of two.
- El Chupacabra finishes the race in third position.
