ESSAY: WHY FLUFFLES SHOULD BECOME A PERMANANT WALLACE AND GROMIT CHARACTER
The thing I have always enjoyed about Wallace and Gromit is the fact that, beneath silly and farcical stories, there is a further depth of character to be explored, especially in the relationships between characters. When I first heard in previews that "Loaf and Death" would bring us a girlfriend for Gromit, I thought along the same lines as other commentators (They're a duo, a third character would mess it up, etc). When I watched it, however, my attitude had changed before the film was halfway done. I believe that Fluffles is an invaluable addition to the tales of Wallace and Gromit - her presence fills a gap that was empty before.
I think it can safely be said that Gromit is the one we relate to throughout all the stories - even when bad stuff happens to Wallace, it is Gromit we feel the most sorry for. His expressive face speaks more than any words ever could the pain he feels when things happen to his dear friend, or when they are separated for any reason. In short, he's a typical, loyal dog, but he possesses more depth of character than most humans, and he is really the key that makes Wallace and Gromit so successful. We especially feel the most sorry for Gromit when he must endure things alone, which he does quite frequently; for, good and sometimes brave man that he is, Wallace is still too scatterbrained, self-centered, and accident-prone to notice or understand Gromit's feelings most of the time.
When we first see Fluffles, she seems your stereotypical miniature poodle - nervous, empty-headed, and not all that bright. However, it soon becomes apparent that she and Gromit are kindred spirits; both share masters that sometimes mistreat them (though Piella's mistreatment is intentional, whereas Wallace's is not), and lack someone who can sympathize with their plight. From the start, they have a mutual sympathy with one another; there is a subtle moment in the scene where Piella first invites Wallace for a walk, and kicks Fluffles to get her to behave - for a brief instant, the camera cuts to Gromit and fades out Wallace in the foreground, giving us a look at a shocked expression on Gromit's face. Later on, when Gromit is storming about the house venting his frustration at Piella's rearranging everything (including his relationship with his master), Fluffles takes pity on him; she rescues from the dustbin Gromit's old things and returns them to him. This is the first time we see the depth of character Fluffles possesses - we realize that, though she is obviously terrified of Piella, she has a heart as big as Gromit's and can feel for someone in distress. Another subtle but moving moment comes when Piella announces to Fluffles that she plans to do away with Wallace - the expression of sorrow on her face, coupled with her encounter with Gromit a short time before, leads us to believe that even though she doesn't want Wallace hurt, it is GROMIT and his potential heartbreak she is primarily concerned with. The likelihood of this is further heightened when a brief camera shot (the one preceding Gromit's second visit to Piella's house) flashes over a tree in Piella's yard, where Fluffles has carved an “F + G” inside a heart - her mind has quite clearly been on Gromit for a while now.
The fact that Gromit and Fluffles are made for each other becomes most apparent when Gromit surprises Piella's dark secret. Not for one moment does he do the obvious, and suspect her of complicity or betrayal - his heart leads him to fully believe in her honesty, and to still keep his concern for her, even enough to leave Wallace and risk a second venture to Piella's house when he believes she has hurt Fluffles in some way. And when her shame for her unwilling complicity in Piella's dark deeds overcomes her, Gromit welcomes her into his family with open arms, as does Wallace, in one of his kindest moments.
I firmly believe Fluffles should stay, for the reasons I have advanced. Aardman has gone out of their way to create her into the character she is, and make her an integral part of the Wallace and Gromit world; to remove her after this would make little sense. She gives Gromit the understanding companionship he needs, and he gives her someone to trust, opening up whole worlds of new dynamics between characters; she is, to me, one of the best additions to the series, and I sincerely hope Aardman will not make the grave mistake of removing her.
pants, we heard make a sound
