Summary
DreamWorks Animationhas been responsible for some of the most iconic 3D animated films of all time. Following the release of their first film,Antz, in 1998, the company has been behind successful franchises likeShrekandHow To Train Your Dragon, as well as nostalgic films likeMadagascar,Bee Movie, andFlushed Away.
Compared to the more introspective, character-driven stories from animation studios like Pixar, DreamWorks Animation also boasts some incredible action stories featuring strong characters facing impossible odds. These eight DreamWorks Animation characters are the strongest to appear on-screen, varying from casual strength to superpowered heroes.
Mike Myers' ogre from the titular film franchise isamong DreamWorks' most iconic charactersbut also boasts incredible strength throughout the series. In the firstShrekfilm, Shrek’s physical intimidation is a huge source of why he’s ostracized by most of the people in Far, Far Away. In later films, Shrek’s strength is also his main superpower against the forces of evil.
Although Shrek has pulled off some incredible physical feats throughout the films, such as carrying heavy objects, all of his strength is quite typical of an ogre. In fact, Princess Fiona showcases a similar degree of fighting ability and strength in the films as well, once she herself becomes an ogre, although Shrek is the one who more often than not gets to show off his physical prowess.
7Toothless
The Only Upside of Living in Berk Is the Pets
Many powerful dragons appear in theHow To Train Your Dragonseries. However, Hiccup’s partner, a Night Fury dragon, is among the most impressive, as one of the fastest dragons in the franchise. The only downside to Toothless is that he has to grow into his ultimate strength throughout the course of the whole film series.
Suffice it to say, in a battle against Shrek, it wouldn’t exactly be a fair fight in the ogre’s favor. Night Fury dragons have been known to be capable of fire-breathing, extreme strength, resistance to fire, and even disguising themselves. Toothless is especially powerful when he enters his Alpha mode, which makes his abilities seemingly limitless.
6Tai Lung
He Trained Until His Bones Cracked
Kung Fu Pandaisone of DreamWorks' most action-packed franchises, but the very first film, released in 2008, introduced audiences to one of the series' most powerful antagonists. Voiced by Ian McShane, Tai Lung was a former student of Shifu whose rejection of becoming the fated Dragon Warrior led him on a violent rampage and inevitable imprisonment.
Even compared to future antagonists in theKung Fu Pandamovies, few are as brutal or relentless in their strength as Tai Lung. Not only has he mastered all the 1,000 scrolls of kung fu, but he’s learned everything from the same teacher Po has. One of his most devastating moves is the Nerve Attack, which he’s used to paralyze most of the Furious Five.
In DreamWorks' superhero filmMegamind,Metro Man is the Superman-esque hero who saves Metro City fromthe schemes of the titular supervillain. However, his strength is shown as limited right from the start of the movie, when Megamind accidentally kills Metro Man and leaves the people of Metro City without a superhero to defend them.
However, as it turns out, Megamind didn’t kill Metro Man, and the superhero just faked his death to give up his crime-fighting career. It just proves that Metro Man isn’t as vulnerable as he initially appeared at the start of the movie. He may lack the ambition that makes for a great superhero, but for all his failings, he’s stillbasically Superman.
4Po
Skidoosh
TheKung Fu Pandamovies center heavily onPo, played by Jack Black,is a noodle shop worker who is destined to become the Dragon Warrior. Unfortunately, Po has a long way to go to learn the ways of kung fu, starting by taking an apprenticeship with Shifu and the Furious Five. However, by the end of the first film, Po proves that he truly has earned his title after defeating the powerful Tai Lung.
Po continues to prove just how physically capable he is throughout future installments of theKung Fu Pandafilm franchise. By the end ofKung Fu Panda 3, Po has grown from a naive novice at kung fu to a master of the martial arts all on his own. Though he may not have started off as the strongest DreamWorks character, he’s grown in power with each new movie, and is now the rightful Dragon Warrior.
3The Dragon/Elizabeth
Are the Kids Cute or Do They Make People Uncomfortable?
It’s hard to imagine many DreamWorks characters lasting in a fight against the Dragon, who appears prominently in the firstShrekmovie. Eventually, Donkey and the Dragon fall in love and have babies together, which is as adorable as it is biologically confusing. Nevertheless, the Dragon boasts an obvious amount of physical strengthwithin theShrekfilm franchise.
Although in subsequent films the Dragon doesn’t get to show off her physical strength much, instead taking a maternal role in protecting Donkey and their children, it cannot be denied that she would pose a major threat to any other character in theShrekfilms.Shrek Forever Afterdoes actually allow the Dragon to show some of her strength, which had been absent since the first film.
2Ginormica
There’s Probably Not a Jar in the World She Can’t Open
Monsters vs. Aliens,released in 2009, was DreamWorks' first real superhero project, predatingMegamind. It focuses on a team of monsters who are recruited by the U.S. military to fight against an alien invasion. At the center is Reese Witherspoon’s Susan, a.k.a. Ginormica, an average woman who is accidentally transformed into a 50-foot giant.
As is to be expected from an incredibly giant woman, Ginormica boasts super-strength and invincibility from most weapons. Her growth as a superheroine throughout the film also showcases that Susan herself has above-average intelligence and athletic ability, which only makes her that much stronger when she’s towering above a city.
Cast
The only DreamWorks Animation character who has nothing to fear from giant monsters like the Dragon or Ginormica, or fearsome warriors like Tai Lung and Metro Man, is the Wolf, who appearsas the central antagonist ofPuss in Boots: The Last Wish. Although he seems like just a hunter out for Puss in Boots throughout the film, he’s much darker than that.
As it’s revealed late into the film, the Wolf is the personification of Death, chasing down Puss in Boots for wasting all his nine lives. It’s hard to quantify the skill set of any DreamWorks Animation character against Death itself, seeing as Puss in Boots only wins by displaying a loss of ego, convincing Death to spare him rather than continue his unrelenting pursuit.
