Zebedee
Zebedee is..well, he's a jack in the box, minus box. I believe the proper term they use in the Magic Roundabout book is a 'Springer' an ancient race of guardian spirits. Zeb arrived in the Garden in a box, addressed to Mr Rusty. Of course, Zebedee is many, many, many eons old, according to the movie, and also immortal by the looks of it too. Zebedee's nemesis is the evil Zeebad, another Springer, but one much less interested in protecting the world. I assume Zeb and Zeeb are brothers, considering they seem to know each other so much. Plus when it seems Zeebad has fallen to his death, Zebedee has such a look of sadness on his odd little face, you just want to give him a hug.
If Florence is the conscience of the Garden, Zebedee is the one who leads his friends back on the right path once they've realised they have wronged. He's omnipitent, but, as Ian McKellen says, he's not a know-all. Zeb is quite modest for a diety, he really is.
The other characters of the show look up to Zebedee greatly, if they have a problem, they turn to him for help. More often than not, he's only too happy to provide it, though sometimes he just hints at the answer, hoping they can find it for themselves. Zebedee sent millions of children to be every night, with the immortal words 'Time for bed'.
His stock-motion self had a bit of a touchy edge to him that isn't shown in the movie. He could often get sulky if his wise words were ignored, and disliked being proved wrong greatly...well, if I were omnipitent, that would ruffle my feather too, I guess.
Zebedee's moustache is the source of all his power, and it is also FALSE. Yes, it's not real. In the CGI show, now and again it would get lost, and Zebedee would be rendered powerless...and very depressed. In the Blue Cat movie, Buxton stole it for his own evil deeds, though Brian brought it back to it's rightfull owner.
On Dylan, Zebedee is suprisingly trusting. He seems to think the rabbit has far more potential than he shows. In the movie, Dylan is intrusted with the Magic Box, which does indeed save the friends, twice. In the stock-motion show, he often tried to persuade Dylan to 'behaave like a rabbit', even if it didn't work.
Zebedee quotes
"Time for bed"
"I haven't the slightest idea what it all means"
"Ask away, ask away. Any little problems you've got, you can always bring them to me. Me and my magic mustache. Just ask....go on, ask!"
"IT'S A LAWNMOWER!!!"
"Well, you don't want to watch the news, do you?"
"You're all very cruel to me"
"I hoped this day would never come"
"You may wear a soldier's uniform, Sam, but it's what's inside that counts"
"Everything's worked out, in a Roundabout kind of way"
"Take care of this little box of tricks. It may save you in your hour of need"
"Some like it hot"
"Save yourselves!!!"
Back to home
Back to buddies