It's no secret that we all love the ever-whimsical Esquie from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – but how exactly he was conceived (and which other iconic characters inspired his vision) might just leave you surprised.
Everyone knows the silly Esquie moment – yes, the "whee" and "whoo" one – that became one of the most recognizable lines from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. What exactly inspired the character behind the heavily referenced dialogue, though?
As it turns out, a couple of fellow lovable giants did… two Disney giants, to be precise. As actor Maxence Cazorla recalls in a new video with Fall Damage, Esquie's charm started with Mulan's Chien-Po.
"We had to find his voice – and the reference from Guillaume [Broche], the game director, was Chien-Po from Mulan," explains Cazorla. He saw someone else in Esquie, however – someone from another Disney gem. "And I don't know why, but I pictured Baymax from Big Hero 6," as he reveals.
"So, I feel like Esquie was somewhere in between because Chien-Po is always like, 'Yes. Oh.'" Baymax balances this wisdom with… well, a bit of a silly vibe.
"Baymax, he was more like, 'Hi, I'm Baymax,' as Cazorla puts it. In other words, Baymax adds a lighthearted flair to Esquie's character, and I'd argue it certainly shines through well.
The blend of both the Big Hero 6 giant and Chien-Po makes for a unique figure – one that's now widely regarded as a Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 icon, alongside the likes of Maelle and, of course, primary protagonist Gustave.
Unsurprisingly, comments show fans are happy to hear that the two Disney characters inspired Esquie. One person exclaims, "Now I love thinking of Esquie as a mix of the Mulan character and Baymax!" Another responds, "It made so much sense when he said this. Can't believe I never made the connection."
I can definitely see it myself, and I'm glad to learn I'm not alone. Esquie is a solid mix – and as a result, he's undeniably perfect.
