- “Shank's lived a lot, she's seen a lot, yet she's got nothing but kindness in her heart.”
- ―Rich Moore on Shank[1]
Shank is a major character in Disney's 2018 animated feature film Ralph Breaks the Internet. She is a tough-as-nails netizen from an online racing game called Slaughter Race.
Background
Shank comes from an extremely intense and gritty online racing game, where she serves as a non-playable boss. She is accompanied by her crew of followers (Butcher Boy, Felony, Pyro, and Little Debbie) who assist her in-game.[2]
Personality
Shank takes both her job and her tricked-out car very seriously (the one thing she cannot tolerate is losing). Grizzled and experienced, Shank gives off a "bad-girl" vibe. Underneath the surface, however, she is fun, warm, and wise. She values her crew greatly and sees them as family. While her scripted dialogue can come off menacing, Shank is, in truth, rather soft-spoken.
When Ralph and Vanellope game-jump into Slaughter Race, Shank is immediately empathetic of their plight, and gives them helpful advice on how to advance on their mission to save Sugar Rush without causing harm. She continues to show wisdom in her relationship with Vanellope, whom she treats like a little sister.
Physical appearance
Shank is a tan-skinned woman with sharply defined features. Her hair is a dark shade of brown, while her eyes are of a lighter shade. Her long hair sometimes covers the large ringed earrings that she wears. She wears a black leather jacket with a red hoodie interior over a dark blue shirt. She has a tattoo of a knife/dagger on her left arm, which can be seen when she stretches out her arm to hold the steering wheel, red fingerless driving gloves, and has her nails painted red. She wears a bronze belt-buckle of a skull and two snakes along with blue racing jeans and black biker boots.
Voice
According to co-director Phil Johnston, actress Gal Gadot was chosen for the role based on two major factors; one of which was the distinct texture in Gal's voice, while the other involves Shank's relationship with Vanellope—much like Ralph is an older brother figure to Vanellope, Shank becomes something of an older sister. To Johnston and the creative team, Gal's reverence amongst kids and adults made her a natural fit for the character.[3]
Appearances
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Shank first appears in the midst of a confrontation between her and two players looking to steal her car. Without hesitation, Shank orders Pyro to burn them alive. With the players defeated, Shank's crew, now free to be casual, inquire why they have to deal with players so harshly. Shank concedes that she cares about the players, but letting them win would not teach them anything about failure, and defends that giving them a predictable challenge each time takes away the thrill. Above them, Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz, having game-jumped into Slaughter Race for Shank's car and watched the spectacle, distract Shank, with Ralph pretending to be an inspector while Vanellope steals her prized car. Shank almost catches on Ralph's ploy, but she is interrupted by Vanellope taking off with her car and Ralph in it. Shank immediately acquires a car from the previous players she encountered and gives chase. As Vanellope evades her, Shank is astounded by Vanellope's racing skills, which are unrivaled in the latter's own game. Undaunted, she corners Vanellope because she doesn't expect Shank to be capable of virtually driving through an inferno. The apprehended heroes explain they are trying to save Vanellope's aforementioned game, Sugar Rush, before it is unplugged, which requires them to make a great deal of money in 24 hours. Shank is at once surprisingly empathetic of their plight and tells them they can complete their mission without causing harm. She directs them to BuzzzTube and talk to her friend Yesss, where Ralph becomes a viral star per her advice.
Around the time Ralph gets the money he needs, Vanellope returns to Slaughter Race, where Shank joins her in song. Shank talks with Vanellope, who confides with her that she wants to stay with her at Slaughter Race and that they may share a game that they're destined to be a part of. Shank kindly encourages her to do what she thinks she should. Unbeknownst to either of them, Ralph is listening in, but he's muted, and he overhears the entire conversation.
Shank and Vanellope engage in their first race together, where Shank once again found herself evenly matched with Vanellope, but then the game begins glitching because an insecurity virus named Arthur, inadvertently unleashed by Ralph, has sensed Vanellope's insecurity. Vanellope tells Shank this and passes out. Shank watches Ralph's arrival and warns them to flee as the game reboots.
After the virus is destroyed, the netizens were saved, and Vanellope makes her decision to remain in Slaughter Race. Shank calls Vanellope for another race and welcomes Ralph to enter her game at any time.
Once Upon a Studio
Shank, along with Ralph, Vanellope, and her fellow Wreck-It-Ralph co-stars, appeared in the group photo along with the rest of the other Disney characters.
Disney Heroes: Battle Mode
Shank is a playable hero in Disney Heroes: Battle Mode. She was introduced to the game in a special update to promote Ralph Breaks the Internet. Shank is a Front-line Tank role hero. Shank's abilities are:
- Final Lap: Shank summons her car and barrels through her enemies, dealing damage
- Toughen Up: When Shank reaches 50% of her max HP, she grants herself and allies Skill Power, she also grants herself a lot of Armor, and distracts all enemies for a duration
- Piston Slam: Shank rattles enemies with an elbow slam, dealing to enemies damage, she also heals a percentage of the damage dealt by this skill
- Road Warrior: Shank gains an extra Armor passively
- Shifting Gears: Shank and her allies take less Crit damage from Normal Crits. Whenever Shank takes Normal Crit, she gains bonus Armor.
Shank has friendship campaigns with Vanellope von Schweetz and Elastigirl. Shank also has friendship campaigns with Aladdin, Megara, Jasmine, and Go Go Tomago.
When Shank was released, she also introduced a new Game Mode Guild Wars, where players in their guilds fights other players from other guilds in Shank's car garage, in fights 15v15.
Trivia
- Shank being capable of adding Vanellope's code to the programming of Slaughter Race and ensuring she re-generates implies she knows much more about game codes than King Candy.
- Shank's hand is roughly the size of Ralph's thumb.
- Shank bears a physical resemblance to her voice actress, Gal Gadot.
- Despite Gal Gadot being a native Hebrew Speaker, Shank's voice in Hebrew has been recorded by another actress, Adi Arad.
- The word 'shank' is street-slang for 'knife', or alternately 'to stab somebody'.
Gallery
References
- ↑ "‘Ralph Breaks the Internet' Adds Gal Gadot as Street Racer Shank". Collider.
- ↑ "Wreck-It Ralph gets Rickrolled, visits dark web in 'Ralph Breaks the Internet' trailer" (September 20, 2018).
- ↑ "‘Ralph Breaks the Internet' Adds Gal Gadot as Street Racer Shank" (August 10, 2018).
External links
- Shank on the Wreck-It Ralph Wiki
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