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Marvel has just dropped a behind-the-scenes story from The Fantastic Four: First Steps on the creation of the cutest robot ever—H.E.R.B.I.E.–and fans are freaking out at the painstaking detail that went into making this pint-sized wonder.
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The video-of-facts also explains: H.E.R.B.I.E. was not a simple CGI rendition, but rather a full-fledged human-size puppet-wielded remotely with twelve motors independent of each other, multiple gearboxes, and at any rate one Wi-Fi receiver. The people going through options on the chart would select everything, from tilt-motion of his head down to how his little grippers would move, in order to duplicate the most natural feel down on set with the actors interacting with him.
One commenter in excitement blurted forth, “OUR AMAZING AND LOVABLE FAMILY ROBOT!!!!!! Literally the only robot we love,” while another said it was the “finest AI in the MCU,” sparking a whole lot of debate on whether H.E.R.B.I.E. can be termed truly artificial intelligence or just a super-evolved puppet. (Spoiler: He’s the latter, controlled by a team of puppeteers out of frame.)
“The quality that went into building this was simply FANTASTIC,” perfectly setting the more or less mood of the matter. Then again, another commented, “It is so fascinating to watch how much work went into bringing this little guy to life!”
So, beyond those who showered praise on the robot, there was also some shade. One user asked with a hint of it if Pascal “ever humps it or grabs it to cure his ‘anxiety,’” and then a wild reply thread ensued, “Oh fk off already you touch-starved incel.”
Spanish speakers were definitely ready to jump in as well, with one stating, “Mi personaje favorito sin duda,” while another simply said, “HE IS SO CUTE 😍.”
The real charm is that this weird little guy somehow manages to steal every single scene in which he graces the uplights despite the whole months-until-he-twists scenario of being nonverbal and extremely tiny. “He really is a dance for us,” another crew member remarked while discussing how the puppeteers had to improvise live with the actors’ actions.
In truth, after seeing the amount of love poured into crafting him, it’s clear why most fans are calling him the real star of the movie. Be it by handing out wooden spoons or simply being adorably expressive, H.E.R.B.I.E. has officially seduced the Internet.
If only Marvel could ever listen to that one guy who’s been wanting that MF DOOM appearance in Avengers: Doomsday for so long. Some wars are just not winnable.
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps is out in theaters now-go catch the awesome antics of H.E.R.B.I.E. before this little guy becomes every MCU fan’s top sidekick.