David "Dave" Stutler is the main protagonist of Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Background[]
Dave is a New York University physics major, lacking confidence and poise, not very popular with girls or even his fellow students. At the age of 10, he experiences a frightening incident when he encounters sorcerer Balthazar Blake after wandering into the bizarre Arcana Cabana curio shop. He’s given a dragon ring that comes to life on his finger, and he’s told that he’ll be a very important sorcerer himself. He then witnesses a furious battle between Balthazar and another sorcerer named Maxim Horvath which made him want to forget the whole matter. Until both Balthazar and Horvath re-enter his life 10 years later, forcing him to confront a destiny he would very much like to ignore.
Personality[]
Dave's actor, Baruchel, states that; "Dave is his own worst enemy, the architect of his own misery. He spends his life trying to live down that moment in the Arcana Cabana when he first encountered Balthazar and Horvath. He gravitates towards physics, which is the discipline he gives his life to. When he meets up with Balthazar again, the sorcerer tells Dave that it was no coincidence that he drifted towards physics because although illusion and magic are different, magic and science are the same thing". Some of this mainly refers to the trauma that he has struggled with since he accidentally humiliated himself when Balthazar and Horvath fought each other, during which Horvath accidentally wet the young Dave's pants, something that his peers laughed at. This is also something that he berates Balthazar about when they reunite on Chrysler Building, implying that he was traumatized to the point that only psychiatrists could help him get better.
Though he can be a brave person, especially later on when fighting against Morgana le Fay (as well as in general after learning that Balthazar was feeling lonely for centuries and Horvath uses this against him by using a Disguise spell on a pedestrian that made her look like Veronica), Dave's actual personality is akin to a nerdy, clumsy and insecure college student lacking confidence and poise (though these traits became lessened as the movie progressed). He is also a bad liar, something that Balthazar likes.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
- Magic: As a descendent of Merlin, Dave is immensely powerful, unlike other sorcerers he can use his magic without a magic ring; Dave is the only one of Merlin's descendants to inherit his ancestor's powers.
Abilities[]
- High-Level Intellect/Skilled Tactician: Dave is highly intelligent. As a sorcerer and college student, Dave is a capable tactician.
Trivia[]
- Jay Baruchel stated that "Dave is his own worst enemy, the architect of his own misery. He spends his life trying to live down that moment in the Arcana Cabana when he first encountered Balthazar and Horvath. He gravitates towards physics, which is the discipline he gives his life to. When he meets up with Balthazar again, the sorcerer tells Dave that it was no coincidence that he drifted towards physics because although illusion and magic are different, magic and science are the same thing.", referring to the destiny and past misfortune which Dave struggled with throughout the film.
- Dave's character basis are the Apprentice from "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" poem by Goethe as well as Sorcerer Mickey in its Fantasia segment adaptation.
- Dave's clumsy attempt to cut one of his animated mops into pieces is a direct homage to Fantasia's The Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment where Sorcerer Mickey attempted to do the same thing, albeit less successfully due to the former's clumsiness. The difference however, is the danger that they faced from inexperienced use of Cleaning Spell: whereas Mickey came close to drowning, Dave was nearly electrocuted, as the flooded water ended up electrified by a piece of his electronic equipment.
- It's implied Dave experienced bullying during his high school years when Drake Stone briefly threatens him while unveiling his status as a sorcerer by using telekinesis-enhanced strength to lift Dave up in the men's bathroom and briefly leave him hanging on the wall, which he responded to by sighing and remarking to himself, "It's high school all over again!".
Gallery[]
