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RJ
3

Voice

Bruce Willis

Personality

Devious, Deceptive, Sly, Cunning, Selfish, Rebellious, Greedy, Determined, Clever

Goal

Pay the Food back for Vincent (formerly), Help his Friends

Allies

Verne, Hammy, Stella, Ozzie, Heather, Lou, Penny, Bucky, Spike & Quillo, Tiger (currently)

Enemies

Vincent, Gladys Sharp, Dwayne La Fondant, Nugent, Tiger (formerly)

Likes

Food, Help his Friends, Spuddies, Having his own way (formerly)

Dislkies

Vincent, Losing the Food, Verne's Suspicions, His Friends in Danger, Humans

Power and Abilities

His Brain

Weapons

Golf Club, Boomerang, Laser Point, Fishing Pole

RJ is the main protagonist of Over the Hedge. He is the current leader of the animals, Verne's best friend, and Vincent's rival. He is voiced by Bruce Willis.

Biography

Beginnings

Originally, RJ had a family of raccoons until they were killed by a weed hacker.

After his parents' deaths, RJ was forced to live on his own and soon became a thief, conman, and briber in order to obtain food for himself to survive.

In Over the Hedge

In the film, RJ is seen trying to get snacks from a vending machine. When he fails, RJ becomes so desperate that he tries to raid a large food cache belonging to his foe Vincent. But while trying to leave, he wakes Vincent and loses both the food and the red wagon that it is on when a truck runs it over. Angry at RJ for letting this happen, Vincent, turning on his friend, stops the raccoon from escaping and opens his jaws to swallow him whole. RJ begs for mercy and Vincent gives RJ a whole week to return the food to him because if he does not, he will hunt down and kill RJ. He then sets the raccoon free and goes back to his cave to sleep for the winter.

Over the Hedge RJ in a Tree

RJ stumbling upon the animals

RJ soon stumbles upon the forest community struggling to find food. RJ, who sees the entire commotion, convinces the other animals that it is easier to raid the humans' garbage for food rather than forage for it, and they manage to get enough food to keep them from starving. He helps them scale the Hedge, even though Verne recalls the Verminator.

Worried for his family's safety, Verne decides to return the food to the humans. RJ tries to stop him, resulting in an argument between the two. This attracts the attention of a playful Rottweiler, who chases them across several lawns before all of the food the animals gathered is destroyed. RJ then blames Verne who, while trying to defend himself, makes a comment that hurts the others' feelings.

RJ helps Verne reconcile with the others. He also discovers that Gladys has just restocked her pantry with a large food supply for an upcoming party and concocts a plan to get past the exterminator-planted booby traps in her backyard. Working together under cover of darkness, the animals get the food. RJ and Verne get into another argument, this time over a can of "Spuddies" potato chips, during which Verne (and the others) learn of RJ's true motives. Gladys wakes up, discovers the animals in her house, and calls VermTech. The Verminator, whose real name is Dwayne LaFontant, arrives and traps the animals except for RJ, who escapes with the food.

Over the Hedge RJ Almost Getting Caught

RJ being suspected by Verne

RJ takes the food to a now-awake Vincent, but when the latter points out RJ's treachery, the raccoon decides to sacrifice the food to save his friends. This angers Vincent, who chases RJ as he pursues Dwayne's truck. Verne is happy to see RJ again but the others no longer trust him since he abandoned them. They nearly thwart RJ's efforts to help before Verne finally convinces them otherwise. The animals then subdue Dwayne and turn his truck toward home, but the truck goes out of control and demolishes Gladys' house.

The animals hide in the hedge, trapped by Vincent on one side and Gladys and Dwayne on the other. RJ and Verne get an idea to give Hammy a can of cola, which puts him into overdrive. The plan works, and Dwayne almost escapes over a fence, but he accidentally steps on a squeaky toy, thus alerting Nugent (the same dog that chased RJ and Verne earlier) and making him bite Dwayne in the leg, making him scream in pain.

RJ

RJ being welcomed into the family

Back in the forest, Verne tells RJ that if he'd explained what he was trying to do in the first place, the others would have helped because "that's what families do," and welcomes him back to the family. Meanwhile, their food supply is refilled.

In a post-credits scene, the animals go to the vending machine seen at the beginning of the film and cause every product to fall into the access bin. However, the amount of snacks prevents the access door from opening.

In Over the Hedge: The Video Game

Coming soon!

In Hammy's Boomerang Adventure

RJ and the Porcupine Triplets are filming a nature show called "RJ's Wide World of Nature". Their subject is Hammy discovering a boomerang. They were hiding in the hedge and filmed Hammy getting hit by the boomerang several times. RJ asks the audience if they should tell him that the Triplets had a box of boomerangs. But Verne figures out what are they doing, he throws the camera away and informs them that the humans do the same thing. RJ and the kids claims they will never do it again. However, they (joined by Hammy) filmed an un-rated episode of Verne bathing without his shell on. He sees what they are doing and chases RJ away through the hedge. 

Personality

RJ is a raccoon conman, more or less leading the woodland gang and making various schemes for varied objectives- and just as varied success. His friend Verne often objects to his motives, but is always beaten or otherwise humiliated at some point. When he brought the food to Vincent, he decided to be a better person instead of a thief in order to rescue his friends.

Appearance

A RACCOON duh

Relationships

Verne - Since the first day he met RJ, Verne became suspicious about him. He tries to warn the animals not to listen RJ, but RJ is determined to have the animals to help get the food back. Worried about his family's safety, Verne is about to return the food and RJ tries to stop him. After Verne lost all the food, the animals thought he did that because he is jealous of RJ. At the end of their quarrell, RJ feels guilty for his actions.

Later that night, Verne admits that he was jealous. RJ tells him that he should not be jealous of him, and just tried to do what's best for his family. RJ plans another heist to Gladys' house with the animals, with Verne joining in. The heist went chaos as RJ tries to get the can of Spuddies, Verne (who thinks they have enough food) tries to stop him, but RJ blurts out his true plans. When the animals (except RJ) were captured, Verne saldy knew he shouldn't trust RJ and blames himslef for bringing his friends to trouble.

RJ came back to rescue his friends, Verne is happy to him, because he knew that RJ sacrificed the food for him. But the other animals no longer trust him since he abandoned them, Verne tries to convince them RJ is trying to help them. After RJ and Verne worked together to defeat the villians, Verne explains to RJ if he told them about his real plans in the first place they would help him, because that's what families do. Verne welcome RJ to the family.          

Hammy - Hammy looks up to RJ as the leader like Verne, but he develops a fond of friendship with him. As RJ tells a heart-breaking story about his origins, Hammy shows sympathy for RJ and gives him a hug. RJ sees Hammy tries to make a nacho chip out of tree bark and bee pollen, showing how he and the animals missed the human food. This inspires RJ to use Hammy to steal the wagon full of cookies for him.  When the animals were captured, RJ came to the rescue, but the animals (except Verne) doesn't trust him anymore. RJ begged Hammy to let him in, but Hammy refuses to listen (plucks his ears and sings loudly). After RJ gets Hammy to drink enegry drink to defeat the villians by activate the traps, he proudly pats Hammy on the head saying "You're a genius, my boy." Hammy thanked RJ, letting out his burp. Overcome with his emotions, RJ and Hammy share a warm hug. 

Stella - Stella never calls RJ by his name, instead she calls him "Raccoon". She and the animals helps RJ to forage food and they looked up to him as their leader like Verne. As RJ is planning a Heist to Gladys' house, he gets Stella to use her "Feminine Charms" to distract Tiger, so he and the animals gave her a makeover to disguise as a cat. When the animals were captured, RJ came to the rescue, but the animals (expect Verne) doesn't trust him anymore. Stella starts angrily shouts at RJ, because he abandoned them saying "I'm gonna gas you so hard, y'all Grandchildren will stink!" 

Ozzie and Heather - There's a hint that Heather might have a crush on RJ. RJ and Heather was seen dancing and listen to music together. Unlike Verne, RJ doesn't see how much Ozzie would've been in danger when he also got killed by Dwayne LaFontant. Instead, he was impressed of Ozzie's performance to let his friends get the cooler. Ozzie and the animals congraulated RJ for his brilliant leadership, much to Verne's jealously. 

When the animals were captured, RJ came to the rescue, but the animals (expect Verne) doesn't trust him anymore. When they threw RJ out of the window, RJ begged Ozzie to let him in, but he refused and closed the window calling him "Ring-tail Charaltan!" After Verne convinced about RJ's efforts to help, Ozzie finally opens the window for RJ to let him in. RJ thanked Ozzie, clutching his chest feeling scared.  

Lou and Penny and their Triplets - Since they first met RJ, Lou and Penny suggests Verne that they agree to listen RJ and they're okay with human food. The Porcupines looks up to RJ as thier leader, and they are happy to help RJ anytime. Bucky,Spike & Quillo develops a fond of friednship with RJ and they love having fun with him, such as playing hand-held video games. Like Verne, sometimes the Triplets looked up to RJ as their Uncle. 

Vincent

Vincent uses him as a pawn to get food for him or he will get killed.

Quotes

  • So, you think they have enough? (the animals nod) Well, they don't. For humans, enough is never enough! And what do they do with the stuff they don't eat? They put it in gleaming silver cans, just for us!
  • We eat to live, these guys live to eat!
  • (Verne is about to eat a diaper) That's a diaper, and that does come out of a wazoo.
  • Now, if the human does happen to see you, just lay down, roll over and give your privates a good licking. They love it!
  • (to Hammy) Now listen up. What we're going for here is a vicious, man-eating rabid squirrel. Can you handle that?
  • It is the Gateway to the Good Life.
  • (signfies a Car) That is a S.U.V. Humans ride around with it, because they're slowly losing their ability to walk. 

Trivia

  • Originally, RJ was going to be voiced by Bill Murray in the film and later, Jim Carrey, but then Bruce Willis got the role.
  • RJ (along with Verne and Hammy) is one of the main protagonist based on the Comic Strips. 
  • Bruce Willis was nominated for an Kids Choice Award for "Favourite Voice from an Animated Movie" as the Voice of RJ.
  • RJ always calls Hammy by different variations of his name, such as Hamilton and Hamsquad.
  • Stella never calls RJ by his name, instead she calls him "Raccoon", referencing what type of animal he is. 
  • List of human items what RJ uses from his bag:
    • Golf Club - for different various reasons. This is one of RJ's items that he always used.
    • Boomerang - for different various reasons and to prank Hammy.  
    • Fishing Pole - for different various reasons. 
    • Brochure map - to show a map of Camelot Estates. 
    • Measuring Tape - to measure the log.
    • Can of Whipped Cream - to cover Hammy's mouth to make it look like rabies.
    • Cell Phone - to show a video of Tiger's collar. 
    • Laser Pointer - to distract Hammy with a red light. 
  • He appeared to not have had a family before meeting the animals.
  • RJ's cunning behavior had made him be a false antagonist of the movie, but he was never a true villain as Vincent was.
  • RJ is similar to Guy from The Croods, because both of them are  very smart, shows a family about the new world and takes over as their leader. 
  • RJ is the 4th character of DreamWorks Animation, who is a Con Artist. Tulio and Miguel are the 1st characters from The Road to El Dorado. Oscar is the 2nd character from Shark Tale. Rumpelstiltskin is the 5th character from Shrek Forever After. And Humpty Alexander Dumpty is the 6th character from Puss in Boot (2011 film).   
  • RJ's dark secret is that he helped out Vincent to trick Verne and his friends.
  • Bruce Wilis, RJ's voice actor also voiced Spike from Rugrats Go Wild, Muddy Grimes from Beavis and Butt-Head Do America and Mikey from Look Who's Looking. 
  • RJ is the first character, who gets to wear Verne's Shell while Verne is not wearing it. He only used it just to lure Vincent into Gladys ' backyard as a bait. The second character who also gets to wear it is Hammy, in Hammy's Boomerang Adventure. At the end of short, he calls dibs on Verne's Shell after Verne finds out RJ is filming him bathing naked and chases him away through the hedge.   

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