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Zero (The First Easter Rabbit)

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“Tomorrow, Bruce. Tomorrow will be the end! The end of Easter Valley. (cackling evilly)”—Zero declaring his plan to Bruce

Zero is the (former) main antagonist of the 1976 Rankin/Bass Easter special The First Easter Rabbit. He is a cold-hearted ice creature, who with his partner Bruce the Snowball, plots to steal the Golden Easter Lily from Easter Valley, making it like the rest of the North Pole, and freeze out Easter celebrations forever!

He was voiced by veteran Rankin/Bass voice actor Paul Frees, who voiced many characters in Rankin/Bass specials and films, including Spats and Santa Claus in the same special.

Personality[]

During a majority of his time on screen, Zero is mostly evil, sneaky and scheming. He also comes across as somewhat mysterious, as the new Easter rabbit and his three new friends never actually meet until the end of the special, thus are completely unaware of just how much of a threat he poses to their Easter operation. Zero is also rather cruel and (if not literally) cold-hearted, as he cares very little for the well-being of the Easter bunnies after he and Bruce steal the Golden Lily and freeze the valley in a terrible blizzard, and Bruce begins to show signs of regret about the matter. He is also temperamental and wrathful, as after he discovers that Bruce turned against him and told Santa Claus about what happened to the valley, threatens to melt the snowball.

However, after being told by Santa that he’ll leave the North Pole forever if he doesn’t undo the wrong he’s committed, Zero then becomes emotional and remorseful, and by the end of the special, and introducing himself to G.B. for the first time, is now kind and friendly, even cheerfully wishing the bunny a happy Easter.

Appearance[]

Zero is an ice monster, made completely of snow and ice, whose feet are neither visible nor shown. He is completely white, with streaks of pale blue all over him, with dark blue circles under his eyes, a long beard adorned with icicles and a large nose with more icicles covering the end of nose. He wears a robe, with icicles hanging from the cuffs, and a drooping, almost witch-like hat, with icicles hanging off the end, both also made of snow and ice.

Role in the film[]

Zero is first seen calling out for his henchman Bruce, who arrives tumbling down a hill. Zero asks him if Santa’s elves know anything about the secret road leading to Easter Valley, the home of the Easter bunnies and the magical Golden Easter Lily. Bruce answers that they know nothing about it, and that they should just give up. As they scan the horizon from atop a snowy mountain overlooking the valley, Zero reassures him that they mustn’t give up and that there must be a way into the valley, only to then burst out cackling with wicked delight.

After Stuffy and his friends arrive at Easter Valley, Zero is seen again, spying on the Easter bunnies through his telescope, upset that they managed to find their way inside, making him even more determined to find the secret road. It is explained by our narrator that unbeknownst to the new Easter rabbit, Zero knows that the Golden Lily is the source of the valley’s eternal springtime warmth, and without it, springtime would disappear.

Later on, unseen by Stuffy, Bruce watches him disappear into the hollow tree just outside the valley, then rushes off to tell Zero. Now knowing how to get inside the valley, Zero declares to Bruce that the next day shall be the end of Easter Valley, cackling once more as Bruce cowers in fear.

The next day, on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, having managed to steal the Golden Lily, a great blizzard blows across the valley, encasing it in snow and ice, which Zero and Bruce watch from the mountaintop. Zero chuckles evilly over their successful theft, but Bruce worries about the Easter bunnies. Zero coldly says to just let them all freeze to death, then walks away cackling. Feeling guilty about the theft, Bruce goes to Santa for help and tells him of Zero’s scheme. Santa arrives in his sleigh to rescue the bunnies. They load their Easter goodies onto the sleigh and fly away to safety.

After the Easter celebrations, Zero learns of Bruce’s betrayal and threatens to melt him down to the size of a tennis ball. But Santa warns him that if he doesn’t put the Golden Lily back so that springtime can return, then he’ll move to the South Pole. Zero, starting to feel guilty himself, begins to cry, realizing with Santa gone, he’ll be friends with the elves, have dinner on Sunday nights with Mrs. Claus, nor go on midnight rides with the reindeer ever again. He tearfully hugs Bruce and admits he’d even miss him, which makes both of them cry.

Zero is last seen, having put the Golden Lily back in its place, introducing himself to Stuffy for the first time. He tells him he can’t stay due to the warm weather then takes his leave, but not without wishing Stuffy a happy Easter.  

Trivia[]

  • The scene in which Santa warns Zero to put the Golden Lily back in its place or else he’ll leave the North Pole forever is reminiscent of an almost similar scene from the company’s prior Christmas special Frosty the Snowman, in which Santa warns Professor Hinkle that if he touches Frosty’s hat and doesn’t make amends for melting him, he’ll never bring him another Christmas present ever again.

Gallery[]

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