The story of Quasimodo from The Hunchback of the Notre-Dame franchise.
Story[]
The Hunchback of Notre Dame[]
One snowy winter's night, a group of gypsies were travelling into Paris when they were ambushed by the city's gypsy-hating Minister of Justice Judge Claude Frollo and his soldiers. The gypsies, save for one woman and her infant son were arrested. The woman escaped but was being chased by Frollo all the way to Notre Dame Cathedral. Frollo, unaware that she was carrying a baby and not stolen goods, grabs the child by force and pushes the mother over, hitting her head on the steps, and killing her. The baby then starts crying, which makes a surprised Frollo uncover his face and see his deformed face. A shocked Frollo, believing that the baby is an unholy demon decides to send him to Hell by throwing him down a well. Just then, the Archdeacon emerges from Notre Dame and stops Frollo from droping the innocent baby and confronts him for what just happened. Frollo denies everything but believes the Archdeacon when he says that he cannot hide from the eyes of the Lord. Afraid of being damned by God, Frollo obeys the Archdeacon's request to take care of the baby, but has him live in the bell tower and be hidden from the world. He then names him Quasimodo (meaning 'half-formed").
Quasimodo looking at the model of Paris.
Twenty years go by and Quasimodo lives a happy life in the cathedral, but wishes he could be out in public. The annual Festival of Fools occurs and he desperately tries to see it up close. His gargoyle friends, Victor, Hugo, & Laverne egg him on to go, but Frollo arrives and forbids him not to go, saying people will see him as a monster. Quasimodo decides to disobey Frollo and go just this once. He ends up in the jocular dancing and crashes into the tentvof a gypsy named Esmeralda's tent. Esmeralda sees him and thinks he is wearing a mask. He is exposed to the whole city and is crowned the King of Fools. One of Frollo's thugs throws tomatoes at him and soon more people begin to mistreat him until he is rescued by Esmeralda. Even Phoebus, Captain of the Guard, could not help but sympathize with the hunchback, but the judge stands him down. Frollo orders her to get off the stage as he needs to be taught a lesson, but she refuses and helps him. Frollo accuses her of being a witch but he secretly falls for her as well as Phoebus, the captain of the guard. Quasimodo lingers back into the cathedral in disgrace after being silently scolded by Frollo for his disobedience and Esmeralda tries to talk to him. Frollo attempts to arrest her, but she requests sanctuary and the Archdeacon protects her and shuns Frollo out.
Esmeralda starts to pray in song and it lures Quasimodo to her but when he is spotted by a parishioner who mistook him causing trouble knocking a candlestaff in the process, he runs back up to the tower with her following terrified by the parishioners' mistreat to him. She sees all the bells and becomes fascinated by them. She is the first to see Quasimodo as a man and not a monster and he falls for her. He sneaks her out of the cathedral and cannot stop thinking about her. Frollo learns of her escape and organizes a massive manhunt to find her. He burns an innocent family's windmill with the family inside and Phoebus saves them. Frollo brands Phoebus as a traitor and his men turn on him, shooting and falls into a river to drown. Esmeralda saves him and brings him to Quasimodo to keep him safe. Frollo realizes that something had to have happened because he stationed guards at every single entrance. Before that, the gargoyles comfort Quasimodo and tell him that she is perfect for him and go for it. When she arrives with an injured Phoebus, Quasimodo notices a connection between the two of them and is heartbroken, further hating his bizarre apperance even more. He sees Frollo coming and hides Phoebus. However, Frollo finds out that Quasimodo secretly helped the gypsy, becoming enraged and destroying many of his belongings. Frollo leaves in an uproar and decides to use Quasimodo as bait to lure out Esmeralda, lying that he found the Court of Miracles and will attack with a battalion.
Quasimodo breaks himself free from the chains to rescue Esmeralda.
Phoebus awakes and has Quasimodo accompany him to the Court of Miracles. They find it with Esmeralda's amulet and are ambushed by the leader of the gypsies Clopin and several gypsies. They are accused of being Frollo's spies and are sentenced to hang, but Esmeralda saves them. Frollo then arrives with hundreds of guards and captures all the gypsies, having tracked the heroes. He sentences Esmeralda to be burned at the stake and stages the ceremony in front of Notre Dame for all to see. Phoebus and all the gypsies are all imprisoned and are forced to watch her burn and Quasimodo is chained up in the tower and sees it from above. The gargoyles try to free Quasimodo, but he just gives up all hope. He then sees Frollo lighting the wood and Esmeralda coughing which wakes him up and he frees himself by pulling and breaking the chains with all his might. He then grabs some rope and pulls a Tarzan move and frees Esmeralda and gives her sanctuary. Frollo then orders his men to seize the cathedral by force. Phoebus breaks free and inspires the town to rise up and stand against Frollo's tyranny. The citizens of Paris rebel, free the gypsies and a battle ensues between them and Frollo's men. Quasimodo and the gargoyles prevent soldiers from coming in and throw down rocks and wood at them. Quasimodo then stirs up a cauldron of molten copper which he pours around the cathedral and everyone runs away, but Frollo manages to sneak inside.
| “ | No, you listen! All my life, you have told me that the world was a dark, cruel place. But now I see that the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you! | „ |
| ~ Quasimodo finally standing up to Frollo |
Quasimodo grows enraged at Frollo for Esmeralda's supposed death and for lying to him all these years.
Quasimodo checks on Esmeralda but she does not awake, making him believe that she died. Frollo pretends to comfort him, but tries to kill the hunchback with a dagger. An enraged Quasimodo easily disarms him and realizes that Frollo is the only one keeping him away from the world and no longer listens to him. Esmeralda then awakes and Quasimodo grabs her and flees. Frollo draws his sword and chases them down to the balcony. He admits to Quasimodo that he killed his mother 20 years ago and tries to finish what he started. Quasimodo tries to throw him off the tower but holds on to a gargoyle. Quasimodo suddenly passes out from the smoke of the burning lead below, as well as from breaking the chains earlier, and Esmeralda tries to hold him. Frollo pulls himself up to safety and attempts to strike, manically quoting the Bible, but the gargoyle he stands on breaks. It comes to life, frightens Frollo and both fall into the pool of molten copper below. Esmeralda loses her grip and Quasimodo falls too, but Phoebus grabs him in time and pulls him in to safety. Quasimodo awakens at this point, then embraces him in friendship and gives him and Esmeralda his blessing. Esmeralda and Pheobus walk out of the cathedral and are welcomed by all the townsfolk. Esmeralda brings Quasimodo out but he is at first reluctant. A little girl approaches him and touches his face. The townsfolk all welcome Quasimodo and as a man and hero. The gargoyles all cheer for him and Esmeralda and Phoebus watch him as he is carried in joy by the townsfolk.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame II[]
Taking place several years after the original film, Quasimodo is now an accepted part of Parisian society, free to interact with the public, even becoming something of a town mascot; however, he continues living in Notre Dame with Victor, Hugo, and Laverne, and serve as the cathedral's bellringer. As the city prepares for Le Jour d'Amour, which is a festival celebrating romance, Quasimodo, although excited, feels a bit uneven. Unlike everyone else, Quasimodo has no love interest to celebrate the festival alongside. Esmeralda, who now acts as Quasimodo's confidant, reassures him that someone out there will cross paths with him when he's truly ready. Setting the grief aside, Quasimodo begins to prepare one of Notre Dame's bells, La Fidèle.
Meanwhile, the circus arrives in the city with a secretly villainous ringmaster, Sarousch and his cohort Madellaine. Sarousch plans on stealing La Fidèle and orders Madellaine to convince the Notre Dame bell ringer to reveal it to her. Once he does, she is to tell him the location so that he may steal it. Inside, Madellaine wants no part of Sarousch's scheme but must obey or suffer the harsh world alone. Inside Notre Dame, she speaks with Quasimodo, who's hiding under a bell to prevent her from seeing his face. The two become fairly comfortable with each another. However, when Madellaine finally sees his face, she runs away in terror, leaving Quasimodo depressed. Even though their time was brief, Quasi begins to develop feelings for her. Hugo, Victor, and Laverne advise Quasimodo to head over to the circus, which he decides to do.
He meets up with Esmeralda, Phoebus, and their son Zephyr, and they all head for the circus together. After the performance, Madellaine is again ordered to get La Fidèle's whereabouts. However, she notices Quasimodo and Zephyr's close relationship and realizes that he is a wonderful person inside. Quasimodo and Madellaine head off on a tour through the city, falling in love during the process. The next day, Quasi feels odd and goes to Esmeralda for help. She easily realizes he's in love and advises him to tell her the truth. Just then, Phoebus arrives openly blaming the circus for the sudden robberies going on throughout the city. Quasimodo sticks up for Madellaine, who he feels is different, but Phoebus is not convinced. Quasimodo storms out.
Back at the circus, Sarousch forces Madellaine to lure Quasimodo out of Notre Dame so that he may make his move on La Fidèle. Madellaine tries to reject the demand but Sarousch threatens to murder Quasimodo unless she cooperates. Quasimodo feels it's time to ask Madellaine the truth about their relationship and leaves her for a walk. During their absence, Sarousch tricks Phoebus into believing Madellaine is the mastermind behind the thefts and two of his goons steal the bell successfully. When Quasimodo and Madellaine return, Phoebus orders Madellaine arrested for the thefts which leave Quasimodo feeling betrayed and heartbroken. Inside Notre Dame, Hugo, Victor, and Laverne inform Quasimodo about the robbery, and that Zephyr followed Sarousch. Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Phoebus, and a captive Madellaine make their way to Sarousch.
Quasimodo and Madellaine share their first kiss
Quasimodo and the others venture into the dark catacombs. They encounter Djali, who takes them to Sarousch and Zephyr. Sarousch forces Phoebus and the guards into opening the gate to allow his raft through by using Zephyr as a hostage. Madellaine convinces Quasimodo to trust her again, and the pair runs up a stairwell. Quasimodo lassos a rock to create a tightrope, and Madellaine walks across it. When Sarousch's raft passes beneath her, Madellaine seizes Zephyr from Sarousch's grasp. With Sarousch now robbed of his leverage, Phoebus's men quickly arrest Sarousch and recover the bell. At the festival, Quasimodo and Madellaine finally proclaim their love for one another and kiss as Zephyr rings La Fidèle.
Other Appearances[]
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance[]
Quasimodo in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
Much like the film, Quasimodo is forced to remain inside Notre Dame's bell tower, under the order of his master Claude Frollo. During the Festival of Fools, Quasimodo sneaked out and ended up being taking part in the festival and being crowned the King of Fools. Dream Eaters were a part of his parade and they became Nightmares and turned violent when Sora arrived, who fought them off after.
Quasimodo met Riku when he entered Notre Dame for answers about Frollo. Having been informed by Frollo himself that he carried out business on the outskirts of the city, Quasi informed Riku where his master is and that the Archdeacon is away. Riku questioned him as to why doesn't go outside and Quasimodo explained that it's because of his hideous appearance. However, Riku encouraged him to find true friends who see him for who he is in his heart.
Quasimodo later met Esmeralda and showed her around the bell tower. After realizing that Frollo was plotting to kill her due to her ethnicity, Quasimodo offered her sanctuary and protection within Notre Dame. She declined but gave him a woven band with the hidden location of the Court of Miracles, a safe haven for hunted gypsies like her.
When he heard from Sora and Phoebus that Frollo discovered the Court of Miracles and was going to attack, he used the band to lead Sora and Phoebus to the court in an attempt to warn the gypsies. However, it turned out that Frollo tricked them and only pretended to know the court's location so that he could follow Quasimodo there. Frollo reached the court with an army of Nightmares.
Quasimodo rescued Esmeralda from her execution and took her to sanctuary within the Notre Dame. Here, he learned that his mother had died while protecting him rather than abandoning him as Frollo said. He offered to help Riku fight the Wargoyle but Riku told Quasimodo to look after Esmeralda instead. In the aftermath, he was encouraged by Sora to go out and make more friends. Quasimodo agrees, no longer fearing being rejected by society. Quasimodo also thanked Riku for his advice earlier.
House of Mouse[]
Quasimodo makes several cameos as a guest on House of Mouse. In episode "Jiminy Cricket", Quasimodo was used as a reference for Jiminy's quote "Maybe you'll meet someone special, maybe you won't," poking fun at the fact that Quasimodo did not get Esmeralda at the end of the 1996 film. In the episode "Ask Von Drake" Quasimodo is seen clapping his hands while he watches Esmeralda dance on a table. In the episode "House of Scrooge", Quasimodo's face is not deformed when you see him in the audience.
Lion King 1/2[]
Quasimodo also makes a cameo appearance at the end of The Lion King 1½ were he is one of the Disney characters who watch the movie which gets Timon and Pumbaa to do their story all over again in the end of the film.
Descendants[]
In Descendants, Quasimodo appears as one of the heroes to have images in the Cathedral.