Prince Derek is the male protagonist of The Swan Princess. He is the main love interest, boyfriend, and husband of Princess Odette. His widowed mother is Queen Uberta while his father-in-law, King William was assassinated by Rothbart.
Background[]
Personality[]
When he and Odette were little, they just couldn't stand each other when they're children and teenagers but when they got older, he fell in love with her.
In some movies, such as the first, and the last two films, Derek appears as a person to have learned humility, honor, and courage to fight for the woman he loves. Well in the case of Odette, a swan. Derek is also very gullible which usually leads to more disasters, leaving him to fix what he caused.
Appearance[]
He is slender and has fair skin along with brown hair, eyebrows and blue eyes. Also, he wears the same outfit (the indigo vest with white long sleeves and long boots), in every film showing a casual look, then a more majestic look when he battled Rothbart, and on a special occasion such as Uberta's ball, and at the end of the first film, he wears a golden Swan-like look at their wedding.
Film Roles[]
The Swan Princess[]
In the first movie, Derek appears as a young boy with Queen Uberta, giving newborn Princess Odette a golden heart-shaped pendant with a swan on it. Watching the young children, Uberta and King William thought that their children should see each other every summer in hope that they would fall in love and marry merging the two kingdoms.
During the song, This Is My Idea, at their first meet at Uberta's Kingdom, Derek and Odette, wanting no more than to run away from each other and constantly fought but their parents took no notice and thought about plans for the future. As a few years had passed Odette needed to find excuses for not going as they pack. Derek, unhappy that they were coming shot an arrow at a drawing of Odette much to her displeasure.
Derek befriended a boy named Bromley (Brom) and Bromely throws a tomato at Odette's face as they arrive, which makes her furious. She starts to follow them dispite their many attempts to lose her. Until they were on a tree house, Derek and Bromely make fun of Odette and even let a paper out of the tree house saying, "No girls," which means she can't play with them.
Angry, Odette unintentionally kicks the tree house, making it fall down with Derek hurt and were blindfolded while Odette and her father are departed. When they leave, Uberta turns around and lectures them. Derek and Odette are teenagers and Derek begins to get some feeling on Odette and even he gets jealous because she flirts to a castle guard in which Bromley tells him to confess.
He gets disappointed to see that he lost by playing cards as she bids him. As she was about to leave, she throws a tomato just like Bromley did and threw the slingshot into the water. When he and Odette reach adulthood, tired of their parents unending attempts and impatient it to end they complained but as they meet again they fall in love at first sight. They begin to dance and even they share they first romantic kiss together. The moment after the romantic kiss, Derek expresses his wish to marry Odette just for her beauty.
Which upsets her into rejecting him again. She leaves the next day with her father, but they are intercepted en route by the evil and villainous Rothbart who transforms into a "Great Animal". He kidnaps Odette and fatally injures and kills William. His captain returns to Queen Uberta's castle and informs everyone present that they were attacked by the Great Animal. Derek arrives on the scene where William tells him with his last dying breath that they were attacked by a Great Animal that is "not what it seems". Derek was left behind after to hear what William has said. He refused to believe that she is gone and goes back to the kingdom, training in the hope to find Odette and save her from the Great Animal.
Queen Uberta is prepares a royal ball for him to find him a new bride, but he refuse to be King until he finds Odette. He and Bromley train several days and they also are practicing the Catch and Fire technique along with Lord Rogers. Odette's new-found friends Jean-Bob, Speed, Puffin work together to find Derek and take him to Swan Lake.
One day, Derek and Bromley ride off to search of the Great Animal. As Odette and Puffin to find him, he confuses her with the Great Animal and tries to kill her, but luckily Puffin pushes her far enough from his arrow, and fly to Swan Lake. As they arrived to the lake, Odette was about to change back at her human form when some clouds cover the moon.
Derek also arrives there and tries to kill her, but before he can handle it, Puffin pushes him long enough and as the light shines from the transformation. Odette turns back into a human. The happy couple embrace each other but for short because Odette hears Rothbart coming. After learning that Odette is under the spell, Derek invites her to go to the ball where he can break the spell that he must prove it to the world.
Unfortunately, Rothbart finds Derek's bow (which Derek left behind), tells Odette that there will be no moon the next night, and has her, in swan form, imprisoned within the castle dungeon along with Bromley. He then plans to send his hag sidekick Bridget, disguised as Odette, to the ball instead.
Odette's friends free her, but when she reaches the ball, she sees that she has been replaced and tries to warn Derek but she fails, partly due to Bridget's attempts to keep Derek from seeing her, and Derek makes the vow to Bridget. Rothbart arrives and reveals that Derek's vow, given to the wrong woman, will cause his spell to kill Odette. She flies back to Swan Lake as Rothbart's curse drains her life force. When Odette goes back to the lake she transforms back into her human form. Derek arrives too late Odette was still alive but not for long. Derek desperately shouts that the vow was made for her. She knows and she said the most beautiful words: "I love you Derek".
She dies in his arms and she lies back at the ground and doesn't move again. A furious Derek confronts Rothbart, demanding that he will not allow Odette to die. To Derek's surprise, Rothbart transforms into the Great Animal and an intense battle ensues with Rothbart overpowering Derek and nearly killing him. Fortunately, Odette's animal friends return Derek's longbow to him, and Bromley, who has escaped the dungeon, provides Derek with a single arrow; Derek catches it and fires the arrow straight-and-true into Rothbart's heart as he explodes upon crashing into the lake. After Rothbart's death everyone becomes relieved that he's gone forever, but all get silent because Odette haven't come back to life.
Derek takes Odette into his arms again saying that he really loves her for her courage and kindness and he kisses her on her forehead and he buried his face to her stock her. Odette comes back to life, which overjoys Derek, and the two share a kiss. Derek and Odette are married and became the future King and Queen. Then on the night, Odette asks Derek if he'll love her til the day she dies. He shakes his head and says, "No. Much longer than that Odette. Much longer." And they finally lived happily ever after.
The Swan Princess: Escape from Castle Mountain[]
In the second film, he seems so busy with his royal duties that he never had a time for Odette or even to care about his mother's 50th birthday. He wants the best for his Kingdom. Odette wishes that he can be with her all the time.
The next day, Derek starts to look for the guilty who wanted to make a trap for him. He didn't want to Odette worried. But before he leaves, he receives a letter saying that his mother has been kidnap and he rides to rescue he mother. The antagonist, Clavius (who was Rothbart's former partner) enters in the Kingdom to search for the Forbidden Arts.
Odette transforms once again into a swan, flying to save Derek. Derek flees from all the traps that Knuckles had prepared. Odette saves him just in time. Derek was horrified as he sees Odette transformed into a Swan. He was in shock and Odette says him that there's no time to explain and have to return back. Derek thanks Odette for saving his life. Odette smiles at him. As they are on the way they see that Clavius has the Orb.
As long he has the Orb, Odette may be a swan forever. They follow him along with Jean-Bob, Puffin and Speed. As they arrived at the volcano, Derek tells Odette that she should fly to find out if Uberta was okay. All of the sudden, he sees Knuckles in front of him. He nearly kills him again and Derek even saves him from the cliff. So he pushes Derek into cliff instead. Odette tries to distract Knuckles but soon she is at his hands. He ties her with his belt and tries to kill her also. Derek goes after them to rescue Odette.
Knuckles was about to throw her from the cable car. While Odette was about to get free after Derek got in the ledge, one wing was able to get out but Knuckles discovers that and throws her. Derek cuts the rope and catches in time. Arriving the volcano a huge fight is about to begin. Clavius almost kill Derek. Odette and her free Uberta. But before they leave. Jean-Bob was kill by Clavius. Derek takes the Orb to destroy it so Odette can be a Princess once again. Clavius tries to stop them, and during the struggle the orb is dropped, which shatters on the floor and causes a massive explosion which presumably kills Clavius and destroys the Forbidden Arts in the process.
Later, everyone is at Swan Lake, waiting for the moon to rise on Odette, who is waiting on the surface with Jean-Bob on her wing. When the moonlight touches Odette, she is transformed back to her human form and Jean-Bob revives. The gang celebrate their victory and Uberta's fiftieth birthday.
The next day, a guest (the king of Lincolnshire) arrives a day early, much to the surprise of Derek and Rogers. Derek asks Rogers to tell the king to wait as he plans on spending the day with Odette. The two then share a romantic kiss, happily enjoying their time together alone at last.
The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom[]
n the third movie, Derek and Odette are celebrating the Festival Days. Jean-Bob is training to become a Prince for a day. But a yakey-bird named Whizzer, was kidnapped named Zelda, who was Rothbart's former partner that he has betrayed her a long time ago, to know if the Forbidden Arts are still in the Kingdom.
Derek and Lord Rogers had found them but they did not destroy them because Derek will put them for a good use. Soon Odette finds out that Derek had been hiding the notes the whole time. He tries to explain it to Odette but she gets mad and she leaves him and she begins to work. Derek feels that Odette was right.
He sings a love song, "Because I Love Her" as he realizes how much he loves Odette and he would give anything for her. He can't live without her. He finally apologizes to Odette and she forgives him, saying she shouldn't get worry that he will destroy that after the Festival Days.
Zelda reveals her plan to a defenseless Odette. Whizzer leaves the letter and Derek read it and he he discovers his wife is in great danger. This time is goes about life and death. Derek rode to his Palace and he finds the piece of paper of the Power to Destroy. He says: "I fought the Forbidden Arts before and I fight them again. But I am not going to lose Odette."
He rides to the place where Zelda is waiting. She transforms into the shape of Odette. Derek believes that she is the real Odette just like in the first movie. He gives the wrong Odette the missing paper and Zelda transforms back into herself, and tells Derek that she will need Odette as an experiment to see if the Power to Destroy really work.
Derek and Odette's friends are coming to the rescue to save Odette. Derek arrives to the Lair and he sees that Odette has become a swan once again. With a huge stone, Derek and the Friends free Odette from the green Fireball that imprisoned her and Jean-Bob. Zelda was mad. She's got the Power. Soon a Huge fight is about to Start, and she let a red, destroying fireball to kill Odette. Odette tries to fly away with Puffin. But the fireball catches her.
Derek tries to break the wand in two while Whizzer imitates Rothbart. Zelda falls back at the green Fireball and she was killed. Sadly Puffin informs Derek that Odette hadn't been able to escape and she was killed. Devastated by his dearly beloved wife's "death", Derek breaks down and cries. He destroys the Forbidden Arts notes by setting them on fire. The flames take on the orange-and-yellow fiery shape of a swan, and Odette materializes, having been returned to life by the Forbidden Arts.
During the Festival Days, Jean-Bob wins the race, and is crowed to be a Prince for a day. The day was almost over when Uberta and Lord Rogers wins the first Prize from the talent show from the Tango dance. Although the dance ended in a disaster.
Derek and Odette watch from nearby, and Odette asks Derek to promise her that there is no more magic in the castle. Derek tells her "So long as you're here, Odette, there will always be magic," and the two romantically kiss, ending the movie.
The Swan Princess Christmas[]
In the fourth movie, he and Odette are celebrating they first Christmas together with all they friends and family. Odette loves all the decoration from Lord Rogers and Queen Uberta. Even the chimes when they played they song: Far longer than Forever. At the Castle, Odette looks at some of the preparations for Christmas Eve and Queen Uberta and Rogers gives Odette a list so she can prepare her own number for Christmas Eve which she agrees.
While worried of her number, Derek and his friend Bromley are seeking for the Royal Christmas tree. They haven't notice that a black cat called Number 9 tries to lure Derek at the cellar where he should open the box so Rothbart can come out to destroy Christmas. The next is Ornament Day and everybody is putting all the decorations on the tree.
The One object missing is the royal star. Derek goes to the cellar to find it, but when he sees the cat and sees also the box and he opens, at first it's nothing inside but than Rothbart begins to sing. Derek soon finds out that the cat had lured him here, and swears revenge to get Rothbart where he belongs.
He tells Odette all about what he had seen and heard. Odette notices that Queen Uberta and Lord Rogers are suddenly fighting for the Christmas Eve Party. Derek put in every place at the castle all the chimes, so that Rothbart wouldn't harm her because the Chimes makes him visible. Odette had another idea to break the spell. She takes Lord Rogers and Queen Uberta to the wood village to gave them food and gifts. This time the spell is broken and everybody wishes Merry Christmas and Odette says: Christmas Uberta is back and so is the Christmas Spirit.
Bromley and Derek had made a trap for Rothbart so he can't escape. Rothbart had another plan that his last chance to ruin the Christmas spirit is to sabotage the royal Christmas tree. He sends Number 9 to steal one of the Christmas lights, and Rothbart casts a spell on it that will destroy the tree. Derek learns of this plan thanks to Bridget, who has double-crossed Rothbart, and traps him inside a giant chime.
Derek rushes back to the Christmas Eve party to stop the tree from being lit, but they are too late. The enchanted light bulb bursts the tree and its ornaments into flames. Rothbart becomes fully physical, takes Uberta's crown and kidnaps Odette, taking her back to Swan Lake.
At Swan Lake, Rothbart turns Odette into a swan once again and traps her inside a cage made of roots. He then casts a spell on the moonlight, so that when it touches Odette's wings, she will turn into a golden, swan-shaped Christmas ornament forever. Derek arrives to rescue Odette, and battles Rothbart, who has assumed the form of the Great Animal again.
At first Derek is overpowered, but then Odette starts singing "The Season of Love" which weakens Rothbart until he eventually bursts into flames. With Rothbart defeated, Odette changes back into a human. Derek dies in her arms due to his injuries, which leaves Odette heartbroken. She sings again, and the mighty spirit of Christmas magically returns him to life and restores the royal Christmas Tree.
The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale[]
In this movie, Derek and Odette ran to castle to Uberta. As Derek sees that she is playing dying and wants to have grandchildren to win with another queen who also doesn't have any grandchildren and Uberta wants to have grandchildren before she's got one. Derek knows that what Odette was trying to say. Outside Odette hears the conversations and she laughs. But she also wants that Uberta has grandchildren too.
So Derek asked to have picking with Odette but she had to promise to help the woodcutter. Meanwhile a group of Scullions prepare a trap for the Swan Princess according to the legend. So they flew to find her. Odette and Derek were about to finish they work. So Jojo and Cutter the flying scullions trough some nuts on Odette's horse and it goes out of control and began to run away. Odette tries to get the reins but she was unable to catch it.
She falls on the backside of her carriage and tries to climb back on her place but she sees a curve and notices that she'll fall. But Derek who was following her came to save her as he safely got her to return home. One night, an evil force (also called the Forbidden Arts who lives in a crystal in the cave near the forest), want to burn Odette alive, but he burned down the house nearby and kills the father of a young girl named Alise. Derek and Odette rescued Alise and her father but he dies slowly. But before he dies, he said to Derek that he should take care of Alise. Derek makes the promise and he dies. After, Alise's father was dead, she goes with Odette and Derek to the castle. The Next morning Odette takes care of Alise and sympathies with her because she remembers how she loses her father also. Alise refuses to speak while everybody tires to cheer her up. One night Alise had a nightmare and Odette sings her a lullaby to make her feel sure that everything's all right, and she and Derek leaves her room. So the next day, Derek and Odette decided to adopt her as they know that Alise has no living relatives. Derek is so happy and Queen Uberta is too.
But after a short while Alise is kidnapped by a group of scullions and is bought into the forest. Odette rides after the scullions and Derek follows her. At the forest, there's a lot of tramps. Mangler, another of the flying squirrels hits Derek and suddenly, Cutter (called by Odette) helps her and Derek, and they go to his secret cave where Scully explains to Odette about the legend and the Forbidden Arts. Derek soon recovers and they were making a plan to how to get Alise back.
Derek drinks a sleeping potion the scullions believe his dead and they can the Glowing Stone safety. So Derek drinks the sleeping potion and the scullions take him away. But Derek Awakes too soon. The scullions were about to kill him. But when Odette appears she explain that she'll never harm them. She only has the power to love the girl and she only wanted to live to love her. Mangler hit Scully as he were about to explain what he had seen in the cave. Cutter believe what Scully had told and the Other Scullions do the same. Mangler is ready to kill Odette, but instead of killing her, he kills Jojo but he recovers soon by an antidote that she had it in case she would be killed. Puffin frees Derek and all the scullions believe in her and the legend began to change.
So all the scullions want help they new friends and to keep the Glowing Stone. But soon, the evil force comes out of his cave and finally has it and he destroys the Swan Princess. While Odette and Scully are on they way to free Alise, Mangler was about to kill Odette but she soon get's saved by her friend. Odette was unable to break the prison where she had been imprisoned. At last Alise finally speaks and she tells Odette to break the crystal. But she couldn't do it and the Forbidden Arts appears to kill her.
After a huge explosion, The Evil Force was defeated and Odette and Alise were unharmed but Odette search for her by calling her name. A familiar voice was heard, "Mommy?" Odette hears it and she sees Alise unharmed and mother and daughter lovingly hug for a long time. The movie ended as Derek and Odette represented Alise as their new daughter and princess.
Trivia[]
- Matthew Broderick, Cary Elwes, Robby Benson, Billy Crystal, Mike Myers, Rick Moranis, John Cusack, Steve Carell, Christopher Atkins and Michael J. Fox were all considered for the role of Prince Derek before Howard McGillin was cast.
- His voice actors always changed throughout the pentalogy, as from the first to the last, he was voiced by Howard McGillin, Douglas Sills and screenwriter Brian Nissen, respectively.
Gallery[]
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