(OOC) - Application and Information
General Info
Series: Disney’s The Princess and the Frog
Series' Medium: Animation
Character: Doctor Facilier (AKA The Shadow Man)
Age: It’s not officially stated in the movie of what his exact age is, but I’m guessing in his 30s? I’ll pick 33 for this character.
Sex/Gender: Male
Canon Role: The shadowy antagonist who manipulates others through his magic and charms to get his way whilst being under the mercy of the same powers he himself wields.
"Real" Name: Sam Bailey
Background
Set in New Orleans during the year 1926, Doctor Facilier made his first appearance as a shady merchant of the fortune telling and wish granting business. In reality, he is a vindictive conjurer of left-handed magic; a Bokor or better known as a witch doctor who practices the dark side of Voodoo. After reading a trio of Tarot cards for a naïve customer, Facilier is asked to cure his client’s hair issues. Grinning, Facilier granted the man’s wish by blowing a packet of magical dust at the problem bald spot. Instantly, a head of new hair grew over the bare patch and the customer happily went on his way - only to find to his horror that his newfound hair had grown too much and covered his entire body!
Pleased with his trickery and the money he earned from it, Facilier left the scene of the crime, flipping his coin between himself and his animated Shadow. It was then that he spotted Eli "Big Daddy" La Bouff, one of the wealthiest men of New Orleans and a prime target for the Shadow Man’s jealousy. As Facilier watched, the wealthy man drove up to a meager paper boy on the curb and paid him a gracious handful of cash for a newspaper. Seeing this, Facilier’s good mood was instantly squandered while his Shadow disdainfully disposed the mere coin. Fuming over the neglect he suffered at the hands of the wealthy and powerful, Facilier glared at La Bouff’s departing vehicle, pondering over how he could make himself rich...
Meanwhile, news that a Maldonian prince visiting New Orleans was rapidly spreading throughout town. Seeing this as a wealthy opportunity, Facilier’s greedy, scheming mind was quick to see a potential plan in the works. The Bokor quietly slinked in the background, picking up gossip and tidbits surrounding the Maldonian prince. In one of the restaurants which the main character, Tiana, worked in, Facilier eavesdropped on La Bouff’s daughter, Charlotte La Bouff, as she excitedly devised a plan to steal Prince Naveen’s heart with Tiana’s delicious cooking. The prince had been invited to a party at the La Bouff estate, and both Charlotte and Facilier see the event as an opportunity to catch the prince, but with vastly differing intentions.
By the time Prince Naveen and his blustering valet Lawrence arrive, Facilier kept a close eye on them, picking up hints of Naveen’s plans to marry a rich bride just for the money to fund his hedonistic lifestyle. Lawrence struggled to keep the raucous Naveen in check, but they both stumble after a comical encounter with a wild music band. Before the prince and his servant know it, they find themselves beneath the thin shadow of Facilier. Seizing the opportunity to impress and trick his two victims, Facilier was swift to introduce himself as an expert conjurer with the ability to read fortunes and grant wishes. Despite Lawrence’s suspicions, Naveen was caught up in Facilier’s charms and he agreed to visit the Shadow Man’s Voodoo Emporium.
Inside Facilier’s exotic (but quite spooky) abode, Naveen and Lawrence are coaxed to take a seat to get their fortunes read. Facilier pointed out the prince’s thirst for money and Lawrence’s yearning to end his life as an abused servant; promising them both that with a simple handshake, the Shadow Man would be able to grant their wishes. Ironically, Lawrence was eager to partake in Facilier’s request this time, and once Naveen hesitantly agreed to the Bokor’s deal, the plan was set in motion. Facilier’s “Friends”, also known as the Petro Loa, fully emerged from the Other Side, and in a chaotic display of magic and song, the Shadow Man and the spirits create a talisman that bites Naveen’s finger for his blood, transmogrifying the prince into a frog right before the terrified Lawrence’s eyes.
Later that evening, the amphibious Naveen was stuffed into a glass jar while his blood was put to use by the Loa’s mysterious talisman. Facilier instructed the frightened Lawrence to wear the artifact around his neck, magically transforming him into a Naveen look-a-like for the La Bouff’s masquerade ball.
As the Naveen-imposter stole Charlotte’s heart at the party, everything seemed to be going according to Facilier’s plans - until a commotion caused by two frogs at the banquet table alerted the Shadow Man of a snag in his agenda. When Lawrence was later approached by the angry doctor, he expressed concern for the prince and second thoughts towards the whole plan. That mistake had set the now-frog Naveen into the wilderness of Louisiana.
Things nearly got even worse for Facilier’s plans when Lawrence took a hesitant stand against him and tore off the talisman, instantly changing him back to his former self. Demanding why Facilier couldn’t just wear the amulet and pretend to be Naveen himself, Lawrence threw the artifact away, sending the angry witch doctor into a sudden panic, just managing to catch the talisman before it shattered. Relived that the precious gift from his unforgiving “Friends” was safe, the Shadow Man turned on the portly valet, “Fun fact about voodoo, Larry!” he bitterly explained, “I can’t conjure a thing for myself!” Once most of Facilier's panic and rage settled, he convinced Lawrence to stick with the plan, "Aren't you tired of living on a smidgens?" he asked the bullied valet, "While all those fat cats in their fancy cars don't give you so much of a sideway's glance?” Lawrence bitterly agreed with Facilier’s words, no longer resisting his plan.
With no option but to use his magic to manipulate others, Facilier’s agenda was to use Lawrence to get into the La Bouff’s wealth. If Lawrence can get himself married to Charlotte whilst impersonating Naveen, the money gained from such a matrimony would be shared between him and Facilier - “60/40, like I said!” the Shadow Man was quick to add as he draped the artifact back around the valet’s neck. However, what the Bokor doesn’t let Lawrence in on is his plan to kill Charlotte’s father as soon as they are married, sealing away the La Bouff’s riches to himself.
The following day, Lawrence went back into his disguise and managed to propose to Charlotte. Yet once again there was another bump on the road for Facilier’s plans. As Charlotte excitedly agreed to Lawrence’s proposal, the valet suddenly found himself haphazardly transforming back into his old self! Luckily for him, Charlotte was too happily distracted to notice as she ran off to make plans for the wedding. Having been watching the whole scene, Facilier emerged from the background and inspected the faulty talisman. To his frustration, Facilier found the artifact was losing its power! It needed a constant supply of Naveen’s blood for it to hold its transformation spell over Lawrence. But with the original prince lost in the bayou, it seemed Facilier’s agenda had hit a dead end! The situation became grim for the voodoo doctor, as he realized he would have to resort to asking for help from his “Friends”, something that he knew would come with a steep and very risky price...
Back in his Voodoo Emporium, Facilier approached the Loa for help; and as the voodoo doctor feared, the spirits were not impressed, demanding to know what it was in for them. Facilier made an extravagant offer: If he could steal the La Bouff’s wealth and become the most powerful man in New Orleans, Facilier promised to offer all the wayward souls of the city to the evil spirits. Pleased by such a selling point, the Loa agree and lend their servant more shadowy powers. A gang of evil shadows arrive and await Facilier’s command. With no time to spare, the determined conjurer ordered the Loa to hunt down Prince Naveen and bring him back alive.
The Loa are swift in their hunt, and it wasn’t long before their tracking skills lead them to Naveen’s whereabouts. Deep in the Louisiana bayou, Naveen, Tiana (now a frog after trying to kiss Naveen to break the spell), Louis the alligator and Raymond the firefly have been searching for Mama Odie, the good voodoo queen of the swamp, whom they hope will help lift the curse. The shadows were just about to drag Naveen away when the ancient woman arrived in time and fought off the dark monsters with her light.
With the shadows gone for now, Mama Odie invited the heroes into her home. She was unable to lift Naveen’s curse, but she was able to point out a solution. Mr. La Bouff had been elected as King of the Mardi Gras event, thus technically making Charlotte a princess - until midnight once the holiday was over. Naveen, Tiana and company quickly return to New Orleans; if they could get Charlotte to kiss Naveen on Mardi Gras before midnight, the spell on him and Tiana would be broken!
But it would not be that easy, as Facilier’s monstrous shadows return a second time and successfully capture Naveen. The frog prince was promptly returned to Facilier and his blood was once again taken for Lawrence’s disguise. Naveen was then locked in a box, and the marriage between his look-a-like and Charlotte take place at the Mardi Gras parade. As the ceremony began, Facilier watched the scene from a distance; poised in his hands was a needle and a voodoo doll resembling Mr. La Bouff. The pin was pointed at the doll’s heart, and with an evil grin, Facilier eagerly waited for the marriage to be confirmed before killing the head of the La Bouff family.
Right at that moment, Naveen was released from the box by Ray, and the marriage was suddenly cut short as Lawrence chased the frog prince into a nearby church. The talisman was fought over, and Raymond seized possession of it. Facilier spotted the firefly zoom off with the precious artifact and he and the Loa gave chase.
With the talisman in hand, Raymond flew into the cemetery and found a heartbroken Tiana. Ray briefly explained to Tiana what was going on and passed the magical device to her, warning the waitress to not let Facilier get his hands on it. By then the Shadow Man and the Loa catch up with them, and Raymond bravely makes his last stand. His light burned up some of the Loa, but Facilier was not impressed by the firefly’s valiant efforts. The Bokor easily struck Ray down with the back of his hand, crushing him with his shoe once he fell to the ground for good measure. With the interloping insect out of the way, Facilier continued on with the chase with no remorse.
Meanwhile, Tiana tried to hop away from her pursuers, but found herself at a dead end. Once cornered, she threatened to destroy the amulet, but Facilier quickly intervenes with a puff of magical smoke, enveloping him and Tiana inside an illusion. Human again, Tiana found herself in her dream restaurant, yet lurking nearby was Facilier. The voodoo doctor had gained a sense of her past and deepest desires; he began to promise Tiana that if she gave him back his amulet, she would be given her dream restaurant. Tiana was reluctant, and Facilier was quick to remind her of all the hardship and opposition she had faced throughout her life. To push her further, Facilier conjured an image of Tiana’s family, telling her how much her hard-working father, now deceased, would have wanted Tiana to attain her life-long goal. She was almost there...!
The waitress, nearly convinced, was about to hand the amulet over, but at the last moment she remembered that there was more to life than just hard work and getting the things you want. Even though her father never got to open up the restaurant he always wanted, she realized that he was still happy with what he already had: love. Determined in her choice, Tiana rejected Facilier’s promises and attempted to smash the talisman. The voodoo doctor panicked, but his Shadow swooped in and caught the fragile artifact just in time.
Victorious, Facilier uplifted the illusion, bringing them both back into the cemetery and returning Tiana to her amphibious form. With the talisman in hand, Facilier taunted Tiana, telling her that she would now forever be trapped as a frog. However, Tiana surprised the Shadow Man, grabbing the amulet out of his hand with her long tongue and then promptly smashing it to pieces!
Distraught and filled with terror, Facilier gathered up the shattered bits of the talisman in horrified disbelief as Tiana escaped. Meanwhile, the displeased Loa appear and all hell broke loose! His plan thwarted, the panicking Facilier faced his “Friends” and began to plead with them. Yet his promises of more plans and ideas on how he would pay them back were ignored by the spirits, as the only payment the Loa would ever accept now was his very soul. Facilier tried to run, but the spirits grab him by his shadow, dragging the doomed Bokor to the “Other Side”, leaving nothing behind but a tombstone for the vanquished conjurer...
(OOC Speculation) When it comes to Facilier’s past before the movie takes place, I only have some speculation over his upbringing and relationships with some characters. How Facilier began his affiliation with the stereotypical dark voodoo of his canon isn’t officially explained either. It could have been his reaction to the oppression he felt throughout his life or it may have been passed down to him through family.
Facilier’s core motive for his actions was hinted at when he bitterly related with the “poor and downtrodden”. My guess is that Facilier has come from a background of poverty and possibly racism as he is considered to be of Black Creole ethnicity. Racism and slavery (which would have been abolished before the time the canon takes place) are not mentioned in the story, but the gap between race and class are hinted at throughout the movie, including when Tiana’s efforts to buy property for her restaurant are rejected due to her “background” and the comparison between the rich mansions and the poor shanties in New Orleans. However, since the issues surrounding racism in America are very sensitive, it is understandable that the Disney producers mostly avoided that element in the movie.
Although Facilier and Mama Odie never interact in the story, the voodoo queen acknowledges that she knows the Shadow Man and his infamous reputation. Since she is depicted as the light and benevolent side of voodoo, she could be Facilier’s rival and that the two could have had conflicts before. On the other hand, due to Mama Odie’s age, she could be Facilier’s grandmother (or great-grandmother for that matter!) The possibility that Facilier may have been raised to use magic by Mama Odie but later turned against her is a fun idea, but again, it is only personal speculation and for now it would be safer to stick with the rival theory.
At one point during his song, Facilier remarked that he was of royal lineage, mainly from his mother’s side, revealing a shrunken head of his aforementioned parent. But whether it truly is his mother and that she was from a line of legitimate royalty is not officially confirmed, as it could have been a fib to impress his victims or to simply freak them out. However, if Facilier was of royal blood to some degree, it could be one explanation to the belief of his unacknowledged worth and superiority. In the end, the shrunken head did have a bit of a similarity to Facilier’s facial features (at least to some degree...) but the why and how behind Facilier having his own mother’s head in such a state was never further explained in the canon, and perhaps that is a good thing…
Personality
Charming as a suave salesman and shrewd as a shady thief, Doctor Facilier is a devilish schemer who controls and conjures others into his own bidding. He is a master at persuasion, and his silver tongue can change lead into gold and sell it at a high price. Despite his humble and not-so-lawful lifestyle, Facilier has a keen sense of grandeur and style. He speaks articulately and his classy mannerisms exhibit a sinister confidence that can either awe or unnerve those around him. He knows just how to get under people’s skin and stoke their egos.
Yet beneath his charm and poise is a festering brew of bitterness towards those with more power and wealth than him. Facilier loathes seeing those he believes to be less worthy than him get all the money and attention; he knows he deserves better recognition for his talents and feels he is wrongfully neglected by others. At one point he briefly shows actual empathy towards those who are poor and downtrodden as he is. However, despite whatever disadvantages he had faced, Facilier reacts to the injustices of his life through dark and deceitful means. He is the opposing force against the story’s message of working honestly towards your dreams and remembering the things in life that we all need, such as love and honor, as Facilier does the opposite by taking the easy (but treacherous) way out to get what he wants instead. Although such an option was probably the only one Facilier ever knew in his life, in the end, his actions cause nothing but harm to others and his eventual downfall.
When it comes to interacting with the voodoo spirits whom he is indebted to, Facilier constantly teeters between self-assured cajoling to visible anxiety. He greatly fears the consequences of failing to live up to his promises with the Loa. Whenever there is a threat to his plans or the artifacts he borrowed from the spirits, Facilier’s confidence will instantly evaporate into panic as he scrambles to save himself from the wrath of his “Friends”. Within these moments, Facilier shows a vulnerable side, a powerlessness that he would rather not have, but is begrudged to juggle it between his goals and his relationship with the Loa. Ironically, Facilier gains his power from the Loa, yet at the same time he is in some ways oppressed by them, repeating the cycle of his feelings of being neglected and powerless. Again, Facilier risks his very soul to cheat and control his way into getting what he wants, rather than what he needs.
Finally, to put it bluntly, Facilier is a greedy selfish man who only looks out for himself and views others as either potential pawns, foolish customers or troublesome obstacles. When encountering someone who he sees as useful to his own benefit, Facilier will put on a pleasing persona, constantly flattering and coaxing his victim into his plans. Yet when faced with those he finds useless or an unappealing part to his agenda, Facilier turns to his vindictive side, controlling and bullying those under his power. It is possible that he may be able to befriend those who he can relate with, but in the end Facilier only really cares for himself and his goals of attaining grand wealth and status.
Appearance
A man of dark complexion, the first thing most would notice about Doctor Facilier is his tall, lanky stature; his spindly physique is further exaggerated by large hands and feet, yet he is far from being clumsy as Facilier has shown himself to be incredibly flexible and smooth in his movements. With purple eyes, a thin mustache and a small gap between his upper front teeth, his facial features are boney and slightly sunken, yet he makes up for it with his convincingly charming grins.
Throughout the story, Facilier keeps to his devilish garb; a purple gentleman’s coat with trailing tails, narrow pants that barely reach over his thin ankles, and a small vest that reveals his small paunch. A bejeweled cane and a necklace decorated with teeth accessorize his appearance. Last but not least, his trademark top hat, featuring his skull and bones symbol whilst adorned with a wispy purple feather, is the crowning feature of his outfit. Although seldom seen, Facilier dons a head of thick, curly brown hair beneath his hat.
Another vital part of Facilier’s appearance takes place outside of the physical realm through the form of his animated shadow. The darkness Facilier casts often moves on its own, whether to imitate its host, or to pantomime its own actions, all of which are influenced by Facilier’s intent and emotions.
Timeline
The moment when Facilier will find himself at Landel’s will be just as he was taken away to the Other side by his displeased “friends”. Being dragged to the voodoo-equivalent of hell, Facilier will understandably be expecting the worst. Yet he’ll be very confused (and even a bit relieved), to wake up in a clean, modern, and supposedly safe mental institute. At first he’ll think he had escaped the evil spirit’s wrath, but once the institute shows its true side to him, Facilier will begin to wonder if he really did end up in hell...
Powers and Abilities
Powers before Landel's
A witch doctor with mastery over the darker realms of voodoo magic, Facilier is gifted (and at the same time, cursed) with shadowy abilities given to him by his “Friends” on the Other Side. He wields the power of shadows, both his own and the Loa (the voodoo-equivalent of spirits) of his dark practice. However, as impressive as his magic may be, Facilier faces two problems: he is unable to cast any magic for himself, and his ownership of such power has put him in serious debt with the spirits who gave him his magic in the first place. To deal with those shortcomings, Facilier uses his dastardly magic to manipulate others to gain wealth and power, as he believes money is the “real” magic of the world, and offer the souls of others to the Loa to pay off his debt.
Facilier is referred to as the “Shadow Man” for a reason, as he does most of his evil work within the shadowy background. Facilier embodies the slinking darkness that sneaks up in the corner of one’s eye; he moves as silent and as fluidly as a shadow, often spooking other characters with his sudden appearance from a dark corner. A major feature to Facilier’s power is his own shadow, a living shade in which he is deeply connected with. As described before, the animated Shadow imitates and pantomimes expressions for Facilier, twisting and coiling about on the walls like a black, ghostly twin. Sometimes the Shadow will take on other forms as well, such as a snake wearing a top hat. The Shadow is not without its uses however, as it is able to interact with other shadows of objects and characters. For example, if Facilier’s Shadow were to kick another character’s shadow, that said character would suddenly feel hit by an unforeseen force. If the Shadow grabbed another shadow of an object, that said object would seem to float in mid air. The animated shadow seems to work on a supernatural plane, as long as it can make contact with another person or object’s shadow, it can act as a weapon or a second pair of arms for Facilier. However, Facilier’s shadowy partner is vulnerable to attack from other supernatural forces, particularly the Loa whom Facilier is indebted to, as the spirits were seen dragging Facilier away by his shadow towards his doom...
As a last resort (and a risk to him when it comes to his spiritual debt) Facilier is able to command a small army of Loa to do his bidding. In the form of monstrous shadows, the Loa are swift and dangerous hunters, following the Shadow Man’s orders without relent. Like Facilier’s own shadow, the Loa are able to interact with the physical realm from their own shadowy plane. However, as ferocious as the Loa are, their only weaknesses is light, as they burn up like charred pieces of paper the instant a bright source makes contact with them. Facilier’s own Shadow seems unaffected by light though, as it is active during the day without harm.
Aside from his shadows, Facilier proclaims himself as a Fortune teller and a granter of wishes, but such promises always come with a catch. Facilier may not necessarily lie to his customers/victims, but he doesn’t always tell the whole truth of the fate he has in store for them either. The Shadow Man has a whole arsenal of potions, powders and artifacts at his disposal, all of which cast mischievous to downright malevolent magic spells such as extreme hair growth, transforming princes into frogs and enveloping victims within an illusion. Again, Facilier’s magic works by taking advantage of others, whether it’s getting a dollar, to devising a plan to take over the entire city of New Orleans itself. Lastly, Facilier is aware of animals being able to speak and have minds of their own, thus making them potential interlopers in his plans.
Powers within Landel's
Due to the magical properties from Facilier’s world that would otherwise not exist in Landel’s, most of his conjuring abilities will be lost. The ingredients needed to make his potions and powders would either not exist or lack the magical traits needed for them to work; Facilier will still try to brew up something with whatever he can find, but he wont be able to get the same effects as he did back in his homeworld. The worst that could happen would be that he’d mix up a pretty nasty poison or a rather efficient cleaning detergent from the chemicals found in the janitor’s closet, but nothing magical will come out from it.
Facilier will also attempt to sew up voodoo dolls with malicious intentions to harm and manipulate others, particularly Martin Landel. With his magic and crafting knowledge, Facilier can create a doll in another’s image and cause damage to his victim. The doll will to look similar to the victim and have a physical part of its target attached to it (example: hair, finger nails) in order to work. The effects the voodoo dolls will be minor, ranging from headaches, sudden unexplained pinching to sore muscles.
With his connection to his “Friends” from the Other Side seemingly severed, Facilier will have nothing left but his Shadow. During the day, Facilier’s Shadow will go dormant and act as a normal shade with no power or mind of its own. Once night comes by however, the Shadow will regain its original behavior as the dark counterpart of Facilier. When around other patients, Facilier can keep his Shadow in check, as to not rouse any suspicions; the Shadow can also slink about in the corner of other patient’s eyes or fully reveal itself, frightening and controlling others if needed or simply desired for Facilier’s amusement.
Regarding the Shadow’s ability to grab and push things or other patients: it will still be able to interact with the physical realm, but just as it was in the canon, the Shadow won’t be able to do any major damage. The most it can do is grasp items for Facilier, or interact with other patients through their shadows, but he will need to be within close range of his target for his ability to work. Also, since the Shadow seems to have the same strength as its host, it won’t be able to lift anything heavier than what Facilier himself can manage, therefore adult-sized patients and very heavy objects cannot be picked up. No major injuries such as bleeding or bruising can be dealt unless the results of the Shadow’s actions are responsible (example: being kicked down the stairs or into danger).
The Shadow’s interactions with others will be limited to four actions per night. To grasp or touch another object/patient will take mental effort on Facilier’s part, causing him a short moment of dizziness after each action. Otherwise, the Shadow’s limbs will just harmlessly swipe through natural shadows with no or little effect.
Abilities and Skills
Facilier is a professional manipulator and charmer. He has an adept way with words and tricks to convince others into purchasing his services or forcing them into his plans as disposable pawns; his intuition towards other’s personal attributes, including their weaknesses and deepest desires, never lets him down. Other facets of his career include his extensive knowledge of Tarot cards, Palmistry, Hoodoo and various magic spells. Facilier is very talented in sleight of hand and performance as well, particularly his impressive handling of his cards, as he is often seen shuffling and tumbling them about between his long fingers with relative ease. The presence of voodoo dolls and other mysterious artifacts on display in his Voodoo Emporium shows that he has varied crafting skills. Last but not least, Facilier is an endowed performance artist; dramatic in his actions, the Shadow Man can break into song with a sultry voice and bust out some very smooth moves with his dancing.
RP References
Aquilas
Nigredo
Renamon