“Fern is an overworked, exhausted, by-the-book bureaucrat who has really grown into his job—literally. As a vine-covered earth element who almost never leaves his desk, his office is a tangle of his extensive leafy tentacles. Fern is dry, sarcastic, slow-moving and does not suffer fools. ”
―Elemental Press Kit
Personality[]
Herb follows the rules of the inspectors, and he is willing to give Ember Lumen time to try and fix the leaking pipes at the Fireplace. However, he also knows that rules must be followed most of time, to a reasonable degree.
Physical appearance[]
Herb's head and body resembles potatoes or rocks, with hair, eyebrows, and a moustache that resembles grass and a large bulbous nose. He wears casual business attire, which consists of a pale yellow polo shirt with, along with a necktie, a tag worn on the left side, slacks and black shoes.
Role in the film[]
When Ember follows Wade into the City Hall, the latter sends a ticket to Fern in order for him to help Ember save her family's store from closing down. Just as they enter, they encounter Fern who is at his desk. Wade asks him about the citations he gave him from Firetown, which Fern replies to him that he was about to send them to Gale Cumulus and then get sprayed for fungus rot. When Wade offers Ember to convince him about her family's business shutting down, Ember's rage ends up burning the interior part of Fern's office, causing the plants inside the office to be burned (also burning the vegetation on Fern's body). Fern then fears that he might be leaving early just before sending the ticket via tube, telling Ember to expect her business to get shut down in a week, handing her a brochure about her business being shut down.
Later at the end of the film, Fern visits the newly-built Fireplace where Gale bumps into him. Seeing him wearing a Windbreakers shirt, Gale realizes that Fern is a Windbreakers fan, which the latter agrees. In the film's credits, Fern is seen sitting next to Gale at the Cyclone Stadium where they are seen cheering for their team, the Windbreakers.
Trivia[]
Despite being heavily promoted, Fern has only a brief role in the film. Only being in it for a rough total of three minutes.
His first name, "Fern", is a reference to a type of vascular plant that reproduces via spores which does not have any seeds nor flowers.
