Tow Mater (Cars 2; film)

If you are looking for the character of the same name in Cars, Cars 2: The Video Game, Cars 3, and Cars on the Road, see Tow Mater (Cars, Cars 2: The Video Game, Cars 3, Cars on the Road).

Tow Mater (more commonly known as Mater) is an anthropomorphic tow truck that first appeared in the 7th Pixar film Cars.

He unfortunately, got flanderized after he became the protagonist of the 12th Pixar film, Cars 2.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) If the movie showed us anything, is that he still has some development to do if he wants to be a good main protagonist. Yes, as mh:greatcharacters:Lightning McQueen's best friend, he certainly deserved more screen time and participation, but that's a bit too overkill.
 * 2) While his spy subplot is interesting on paper, it didn't feel developed enough.
 * 3) He went from being the Dory to McQueen's Marlin to a clueless tow truck who constantly embarrasses and sometimes even hinders Lightning because of it.
 * 4) He gets overly excited when he saw Lightning return up ahead, which wouldn't be a problem if he didn't keep bonking Otis into the road (though, that being said, this scene arguably seems kind of funny).
 * 5) He can be seen disturbing other vehicles such as trains, dump trucks, etc. in Radiator Springs at the beginning of the film.
 * 6) He also wants to befriend foreign cars just because he saw them on TV, and he is excited to see them in person to the point it gets annoying really quick.
 * 7) He even made McQueen lose the Tokyo race. However it was truly an accident.
 * 8) He became more of a dimwit and dumber than he was, but sadly, not in a good way unlike how he was in Cars 1 and 3.
 * 9) He can be pretty indecent and ignorant, as seen in the scene where he leaves the bathroom and immediately "farts" right in front of Holley.
 * 10) * But to be fair, he didn't really see her, so it can be considered an accident too.
 * 11) His personality is inconsistent through the film; some scenes show him being smart and providing Finn and Holley with useful info, but it backtracks sometimes to show him doing dumb things, like interrupting the traffic in Paris and making fun of the royal guard Sgt. Highgear in London.

Good Qualities

 * 1) He redeems back to his old-self in Cars 3 at the expense of not being nearly as involved in the plot, giving the support McQueen needs whenever he feels down.
 * 2) There were some funny scenes involving him, like the said scene as said in BQ #4, him accidentally going into the girls' bathroom, mistaking wasabi for pistachio ice cream (especially with the "Whatever you do, do NOT EAT, the free pistachio ice cream! It has turned." line), and almost gave away Alexander Hugo's identity.
 * 3) He did a nice job as a spy, figuring out that Miles Axlerod was behind the alternative fuel conspiracy.
 * 4) He does live up to his first line in the movie "Mater, Tow Mater, Is HERE to help ya", since he actually helped Otis, Finn, Holley and Lightning (the latter three at the final moments of the film).
 * 5) The scene where he has hallucinations may have made some fans feel sympathetic at him, despite being hard to be taken seriously.
 * 6) He's aware of his mistakes and mishaps, and is willing to make up for them.
 * 7) Larry the Cable Guy still gives a good performance.
 * 8) Despite never being mentioned prior to Cars 2, his knowledge about lemon cars is in character, since he runs a car salvage business.
 * 9) Despite BQ#6, he did have a good reason, that being he didn’t like no one talking mean stuff about hsi buddy Lightning.