Spoiler Warning: Minions: The Rise of Gru

It’s difficult to imagine that the creative minds behind 2010’s Despicable Me had any inkling of what the franchise would become. It’s the most successful animated film franchise of all time, having recently surpassed the unthinkable $4 billion mark. Despite this success, not even the savviest marketing manager could have predicted what would happen with the most recently released Despicable Me film.

Minions: The Rise of Gru, the fifth installment in the unbelievably profitable franchise, has been equally as successful as its predecessors in the Despicable Me universe, though likely not for the reasons the filmmakers intended. A Tik-Tok trend known as #Gentleminions encouraged young folks to attend the film while dressed in their Sunday best. The raucous crowds the trend drew to theaters has resulted in many cinemas across the country banning well-dressed individuals from attending the film at all.

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Suit-wearing Tik-Tok troublemakers aside, Minions: The Rise of Gru should be noted for its stellar cast. Taraji P. Henson (Muppets Haunted Mansion, Person of Interest) plays Belle Bottom, the leader of the villainous Vicious 6. Action legends Jean-Claude Van Damme (Kickboxer, Universal Soldier) plays the aptly-named pincher Jean-Clawed, while Dolph Lundgren (Rocky IV, Masters of the Universe) plays a roller skate named Svengeance. However, the heart and soul of the film is undoubtedly Steve Carell’s Gru, who has been the focus of the Despicable Me franchise from its inception.

Here’s how Minions: The Rise of Gru highlights a new side of Gru.

Gru Wants to Join the Vicious 6

     Universal

At the beginning of Minions: The Rise of Gru, an 11-year-old version of Gru is auditioning to become a member of the infamous Vicious 6, a team of world-class supervillains. His interview goes poorly, and the callous members of the criminal group mock him for his youth and inexperience.

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Gru is understandably dejected following his rejection from the Vicious 6. However, it allows for the creators of Minions: The Rise of Gru to show one of the character’s most important origin story moments. Gru, with the help of his trusty minions, steals the Zodiac stone, a mystical rock that has the power to transform those who wield it into animals from the Chinese Zodiac, from the headquarters of the Vicious 6, an action which sparks the bulk of the film’s conflict. This heist represents a bold move for the young Gru, and establishes his status as a brazen criminal, which is further explored in the film’s predecessors.

Gru’s Bond With the Minions

Undoubtedly, the minions are the breakout stars of the Despicable Me franchise for obvious reasons. They’re almost unbearably cute, and they talk in a nonsensical babble that, for whatever reason, tickles the funny bones of even the most jaded moviegoer.

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Minions: The Rise of Gru serves to further establish the relationship between the Minions and their current master Gru, who they only met at the end of 2015’s Minions. In other installments of the franchise, Gru treats the Minions as little more than an annoyance, leaving audiences to wonder why he employed their help in the first place. However, in this most recent film, audiences get a better idea of how deep the bond between Gru and the Minions goes (though, to be fair, he still gets annoyed with the yellow goofballs from time to time).

Gru Cares About Knuckles

During the course of Minions: The Rise of Gru, Steve Carell’s Gru is forced to team up with Alan Arkin’s (The Kominsky Method, Little Miss Sunshine) Wild Knuckles, a world-famous villain and one of the founding members of the Vicious 6, and also the team’s former leader. Though the relationship between Gru and Knuckles is initially adversarial, Knuckles eventually becomes something of a mentor to the burgeoning villain.

Unfortunately, Wild Knuckles is badly burned in the film’s climactic final battle by Belle Bottom, who had previously transformed herself into a dragon. After Wild Knuckles tragically passes, Gru delivers a eulogy for his newfound mentor, and audiences are privy to the character’s softer side, which has been lacking in previous Despicable Me films. Fortunately, it is later revealed that Wild Knuckles faked his own death, which makes moviegoers smile along with Gru.

Though reviews of Minions: The Rise of Gru were a bit mixed, any negative attention ultimately mattered very little in terms of the film’s cultural impact and box office success. At the end of the day, the Despicable Me films have been in the lives of many moviegoers for a very long time, and they have introduced said fans to countless lovable characters, including the titular Minions. Fans of the preceding films in the series should definitely check out Minions: The Rise of Gru, but please: leave the suits at home.