History WesternAnimation / Pete

** One episode of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' had a gruff but outright heroic Pete who was only positioned as a potential villain as a RedHerring.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Pete was this to Minnie Mouse in the early cartoons

* AdaptationalHeroism: While Pete has traditionally been a truly evil villain, in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'' and, to a lesser extent, ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', he was played differently. In ''Goof Troop'' at least, he was a {{Jerkass}}, a ManipulativeBastard, and (as a result of the premise) an {{Abusive Parent|s}}, but he was also shown to [[EvenEvilHasStandards have standards]], [[BlackAndGrayMorality fight against greater evils]] from time to time, and have a few PetTheDog moments, making him more of an UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist or AntiHero. In ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse'', he is [[LighterAndSofter played much more sympathetically due to the target audience being younger]] to the point where he's not even very mean and actually gets along with the other characters. ''WesternAnimation/MickeyAndTheRoadsterRacers'', a successor to the former show also has Pete in this as he still means well and usually ends up changing for the better if he's an antagonist in an episode. One episode of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' had a gruff but outright heroic Pete who was only positioned as a potential villain as a RedHerring. A few incarnations of Pete in ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' depict them as {{Punch Clock Villain}}s and are aware of it; they will help Mickey if it means it'll help Wasteland as a whole.

As a villain and antagonist, Pete's most notable trait to date is that he has never learned the difference between fear and respect. As opposed to many Disney villains who lust for power, Pete is a bully who desires control over people; a goal that can never be accomplished since he has never displayed any self-control himself.

His current official voice actor is Creator/JimCummings.

Pete is a large anthropomorphic cat from the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts who is constantly causing trouble for WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/MinnieMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, and WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} (all of whom, ironically, he predates[[note]]that is, "precedes in time", not "preys upon", although a case can be made for the latter[[/note]]).

* Hungry Hobos: Last appearance of Pete in the Disney-produced Oswald shorts.

* AbusiveParents: ZigZagged. On ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'' he can range from a relatively distant but still concerned BumblingDad to a harshly verbally abusive slave-driver with his son. With his daughter he can range from spoiling her with love to being somewhat neglectful. In "Bellboy Donald", he was not abusive at all, but was [[AdultsAreUseless useless]].

* AdaptationalHeroism: While Pete has traditionally been a truly evil villain, in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'' and, to a lesser extent, ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', he was played differently. In ''Goof Troop'' at least, he was a {{Jerkass}}, a ManipulativeBastard, and (as a result of the premise) an {{Abusive Parent|s}}, but he was also shown to [[EvenEvilHasStandards have standards]], [[BlackAndGrayMorality fight against greater evils]] from time to time, and have a few PetTheDog moments, making him more of an UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist or AntiHero. In ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse'', he is [[LighterAndSofter played much more sympathetically due to the target audience being younger]] to the point where he's not even very mean and actually gets along with the other characters. ''WesternAnimation/MickeyAndTheRoadsterRacers'', a successor to the former show, however, tones it down a bit, as while Pete still means well, he's still capable of being an antagonist on a few occasions. One episode of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' had a gruff but outright heroic Pete who was only positioned as a potential villain as a RedHerring. A few incarnations of Pete in ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' depict them as {{Punch Clock Villain}}s and are aware of it; they will help Mickey if it means it'll help Wasteland as a whole.

* HonorAmongThieves: In the Italian comics, Pete is traditionally a career criminal with a staunch belief in thieves' honor; in general, he looks down on thieves who steal from "colleagues" and treats making a living from law-abiding methods as a great shame.

* FatCat: He's an obese cat.

[[quoteright:312:[[Disney/MovingDay https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PeteBargingIn-lowres_7809.jpg]]]]

* Disney/SteamboatWillie

* Disney/MovingDay: Pete's first appearance in color.

* Disney/MickeysChristmasCarol

* Disney/ThePrinceAndThePauper

* BigBad: DependingOnTheWriter, he can assume this role in some works (such as ''Disney/ThePrinceAndThePauper'' or ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers''). One of his monikers is also "Big Bad Pete".

* EvilLaughter: In ''Disney/MickeysChristmasCarol'', playing the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Pete does this after shoving Scrooge [=McDuck=] into what will be his grave, mocking him with the line, "The richest man in the cemetery!" and then ignoring Scrooge's pleas for mercy as he is about to fall into a [[FireAndBrimstoneHell flaming casket]]. (This was [[AllJustADream all a dream]], to warn Scrooge of what might be if he continues his misery, jerk-ass ways.)

Pete is a large anthropomorphic cat from the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts who is constantly causing trouble for WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/MinnieMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, and WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} (all of whom, ironically, he predates[[note]]that is, 'precedes in time', not 'preys upon', although a case can be made for the latter[[/note]]).

Pete's brand of villainy has evolved subtly over the years, his intelligence is optional and his goals range from a simple con to taking over a country, but one thing remains the same in this selfish, menacing brute - ''Pete is up to no good.'' He gets what's coming to him with perfect LaserGuidedKarma, and yet he never learns.

* [[AbusiveParents Abusive Father]]: ZigZagged. On ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'' he can range from a relatively distant but still concerned BumblingDad to a harshly verbally abusive slave-driver with his son. With his daughter he can range from spoiling her with love to being somewhat neglectful. In "Bellboy Donald", he was not abusive at all, but was [[AdultsAreUseless useless]].

* CartoonCreature: He was originally a bear, but he is a cat now. In ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', ''WesternAnimation/AGoofyMovie'', and ''An Extremely Goofy Movie'', he is portrayed as a {{Dogface|s}}.

* ConsummateLiar
* CrankyNeighbor: Toward Donald in "The New Neighbor", which takes this trope UpToEleven as they engage in all-out war with each other.
** Also toward Goofy in ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop''.
* DependingOnTheWriter: Pete has been seen as a calculating and scheming villain, a simple criminal thug, a relatively mundane {{Jerkass}}, a simple annoying foil, a CrankyNeighbor, or another type of creature altogether, in various appearances, and no one complains!

* TheDragon: To Maleficent in ''Videogame/KingdomHeartsII''.

** In one of European comics, Pete teamed up with Commisoner O'Hara to make a scheme that will get dissuade Police Chief and Pete's Wife from making police and his gang more like those in action movies.

* EvilIsBigger: He's both taller and fatter than any of the regular characters of the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts, and usually plays an antagonistic role.
* EvilLaughter: In ''Disney/MickeysChristmasCarol'', playing the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Pete does this after shoving Scrooge [=McDuck=] into what will be his grave, mocking him with the line, "The richest man in the cemetery!!!" and then ignoring Scrooge's pleas for mercy as he is about to fall into a [[FireAndBrimstoneHell flaming casket]]. (This was [[AllJustADream all a dream]], to warn Scrooge of what might be if he continues his misery, jerk-ass ways.)

* FreudianExcuse: As seen in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers'', during his VillainSong, we learn the reason why Pete has been so evil: because his mother didn't like him and he wanted to become king [[WellDoneSonGuy to impress her]].

* HonestJohnsDealership: In ''Goof Troop''.

* InformedSpecies: His species is even less clear than Goofy's, and he's often mistaken for a {{Dogface}}.

* LargeHam: Expecially in ''The Three Musketeers''.
* LaughablyEvil: Even at his most diabolical, he is usually a bumbling goofball.
* LighterAndSofter: In ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'', he's far less malicious, and much more mischevious. He's also on far better terms with the good characters.
* ManipulativeBastard

* UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation

* TheRival: To Mickey, of course. He's also one to Goofy.

* BigBad: DependingOnTheWriter, he can assume this role in some works (such as ''Disney/ThePrinceAndThePauper'' or ''Disney/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers''). One of his monikers is also "Big Bad Pete".

* InformedSpecies: His species is even less clear than Goofy's, and he's often mistaken for a {{Dogface}}.

* WesternAnimation/MickeysChristmasCarol

* WesternAnimation/SteamboatWillie

* WesternAnimation/MovingDay: Pete's first appearance in color.

* SeadogPegLeg: For most of the early thirties, when he was also known as Peg Leg Pete. It disappeared around 1936 in the theatrical cartoons, although it remained in the comics for some time after that.

* CatDogDichotomy: When pitted against WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} or WesternAnimation/PlutoThePup.