MovieChat Forums > Gremlins (1984) Discussion > What would happen if Gizmo became a Grem...

What would happen if Gizmo became a Gremlin?

posted 14 years ago by Kyler187
26 replies | jump to latest

Of all the mogwai in the movie, Gizmo was the only one that was friendly. All the other Mogwais were evil before they became Gremlins. The transformation had nothing to do with them becoming evil, it just made them stronger and uglier. It would stand to reason that if Gizmo turned into a Gremlin, he would still be a good guy. True he would no longer be cute and cuddly, but he would be a lot stronger and less helpless against the evil Gremlins. Just a thought.

[–] rokhaund 14 years ago

I don't think Gizmo is so much different from the other gremlins. He's just older.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] DoTheUrkel2 14 years ago

I think the reasoning was Speilberg thought it would be difficult for the audience to understand how a character could be good in the first act, and then evil in the second.

[–] chazparks 14 years ago

I thought it would have had been fun to have a good guy gremlin and an evil mogwai that would refuse to eat after midnight for beauty reasons.

[–] thats_bone 14 years ago

In the original script, Gizmo was assigned no name and was simply a bratty furry mogwai that got wet, multiplied, and ate after midnight. There was no character development. Also, Billy was a 26 year old geek with a dirty mouth. There was a drastic rewrite of it, obviously.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] reaseltbim 13 years ago

yeah I always thought the same, Gizmo would probably look like them but a cuter version of them, and he would be nice but a little tougher, I Guess when You see him become Rambo in the second one, I think that would be close to what he would be like if he turned, I mean, in the sequel he turns because he had enough abuse, but, if he ate food in the first movie, (or second) i could see him being kinda scary kinda cute, and though, I dont think he would look as ugly, like a cute version of the green gremlins

I'll look down, and whisper no

[–] Thomas-FordJr-1 13 years ago

1. Gizmo would probably still be good hearted if he became a Gremlin. He was just a good guy, period.

2. But I think the point of the whole multilpying thing was: Whatever you are, once you multiply, the opposite of what you are will appear. Stripe was the total opposite of Gizmo. He was part of Gizmo's bad side that he never knew he had. He was truly Gizmo's doppleganger.

3. The other mogwai fell somewhere in between Gizmo's goodness and Stripe's evilness. The mogwai that was taken to the school was not evil, but he did turn angry and vengeful once he was experimented on.

4. The other mogwai followed Stripe because he was "fun/evil"(for the lack of better words). Gizmo was more sheltered and didn't mind staying up under Billy.

5. But once the transformation to a Gremlin had occured, I think all bets are off on personality traits. Stripe multiplied as an evil Gremlin, so his offspring skipped the mogwai stage, and most likely mimicked his evil ways.

Just my thoughts...

[–] Screen_Queen 13 years ago

Going on 2 and 5, doesn't that mean that there can never be another Gizmo, i.e. a nice gremlin? Unless there's another gremlin living somewhere else. But if there isn't then all he'll ever multiply are evil gremlins, who would only spawn more evil gremlins.

I only do it with superheroes.

[–] Lavernius_Tucker 13 years ago

I've read that when a Mogwai, good or bad, undergoes the Gremlin transformation, he becomes the maniacal device wrecker that a Gremlin is. In the case of an bad Mogwai, we just get the same character but only stronger and more evil. In the case of a good Mogwai, we get the same thing as a good man who goes completely bloomin' mad after gaining a lot of power.

Also, a good Mogwai is very rare, and actually a genetic defect. Normally, all Mogwais are evil.

Kickin' Trolls in the Nuggets since 2006

[–] Screen_Queen 13 years ago

Also, a good Mogwai is very rare, and actually a genetic defect. Normally, all Mogwais are evil.

That's a good way of looking at it. And it makes Gizmo that much more special.

I only do it with superheroes.

[–] joker5832 13 years ago

Do you guys remember Earl? Earl killed the science teacher and he was more friendly than Gizmo. So if Gizmo ate after midnight he would most likely to become evil.

Destruction of property, arson, sexual assault with a concrete dildo!-The Naked Gun

[–] Hendry_William_French 13 years ago

I never knew his name was Earl! That's funny. I guess he was very boisterous, tapping on that box excitedly when gizmo was nearby, they could've been playmates, I guess. I thought the gremlin turned bad because that guy stuck a needle in his arm?

[–] Livana_Faolan 13 years ago

More friendly than Gizmo? How so?

[–] KPalma1950 13 years ago

In ancient Chinese tradition, a "Mogwai" is actually a demon.

[–] Cobra1986 12 years ago

I always thought Gizmo was so nice because he was sheltered and loved(or failing that, he was treated well)beforehand.

[–] justyourfoolife79 12 years ago

Interesting piece of trivia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogwai_(Chinese_culture)

"According to Chinese tradition, mogwai are certain demons, which often inflict harm on humans. They are said to reproduce sexually during mating seasons triggered by the coming of RAIN. Supposedly, they take care to breed at these times because rain signifies rich and full times ahead."

See the connection with water? Don't know about the "rich and full times ahead" part, though lol

[–] Hendry_William_French 12 years ago

The little guy who was spawned in the teacher's lab (the one called Earl: http://images.wikia.com/gremlins/images/b/b1/Earl_%26_Not_Gizmo.jpg) was a little sweet thing initially - and he still turned into a monstrous little fiend like the rest of them.

Granted the other mogwais were already mischievious douchebags even prior to the metamorphosis which probably just elevated their malevolence even further post cocoon period, but I was under the impression that when you become a gremlin that's it - you get up to good no matter what.

I think maybe Gizmo would've been less of a bad guy than the others.

"Buckle up back there, we're going into..... hyperactive."

[–] veil182 12 years ago

I like the idea that Gizmo is older than the others. For all we know he could hundreds of years old, while the others were just born. It would make sense they are mischievous and energetic, while the older one has become slower and more docile.

[–] stevenackerman69 12 years ago

I think the thing is Mr. Wing had trained Gizmo to stay away from bright lights and not get wet nor eat after midnight. Notice how he warns Billy about the bright lights, for example? The offspring do not care about the warnings because they were not trained.

[–] WeAintFoundShin 12 years ago

I believe a Mogwai can be good or bad based on both nature and nurture. This continues through its metamorphosis into a Gremlin. I believe Gizmo could basically retain his personality.

For some evidence, look at Gremlins 2, with Daffy(the wacky one with the spinning eyes) and Lenny (the bucktoothed donkeyesque one). They both basically stayed wacky and goofy, respectively, but not overly tyranical or murderous.

[–] fission_mailed 12 years ago

Watching this on TV at the moment and I know this thread is super old BUT...

In the literature accompanying both films it's revealed that within the Mogwai species there are special Mogwai known as "Eternals" (of which only Gizmo belongs. It's possible that Earl from the 2nd film was also one, if I recall correctly) which are nice Mogwai by definition. If anyone wants to read further they can look at this: http://gremlins.wikia.com/wiki/Eternals

silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.