Scooby's Friends
Shaggy
Shaggy’s furry mane gives him his colorful
name. A lanky and clowning dimwit, shaggy and his sloppy appearance with
ragged T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, could have been a forerunner of the
“90’s grunge look”. He also could be called the human version of Scooby
since this gangly teen quivers at the sound of his own squeaking shoes.
Perpetually hungry, he would rather dive into a smorgasbord than a new
case. He sports a soup spoon in his rear pocket as a symbol of his continuing
appetite for food, and often finds himself competing with Scooby for any
available cuisine. Although Shaggy never wants to be a part of solving
mysteries, he always musters up his courage and does his part in accompanying
his friends on every investigation. Shaggy’s slang speech curries such
phrases as “ you buzzed,” “ outta sight”, “no way man,” “groovy” and his
perennial prefix “like.” As an amateur ventriloquist, Shaggy can sometimes
give unsuspecting villains the notions that Scooby-Doo speaks. This trick
causes even more confusion to reign as Mystery, Inc. - In their gaggle
of adventures-encounters an assortment of scoundrels bewildered by Shaggy’s
ploys.
Daphne
A “now generation” 16 year-old teen
beauty, Daphne effervesces with a resilient spirit. Though confined to
the same purple, pink and chartreuse outfit, Daphne still radiates the
image of a fashion plate. Her curious nature-similar to Fred’s-prompts
an eagerness to venture into the unknown because she hopes to become a
mystery writer. Whenever Fred’s enthusiasm languishes, her urgings for
resolution rekindle the leader’s interests. Her father’s wealth allow Mystery,
Inc. the privilege of using such equipment as the Mystery Machine, boats
and wireless radios, among other devices. Daphne’s single drawback lies
in her danger-prone nature. She is truly trouble’s target. When confronted
with the choice of opening three doors, she will undoubtedly open the one
with a crocodile, monster or phantom lurking behind it.
Fred
The 16-year old leader of Mystery, Inc.,
Fred uses his instincts and insatiable curiosity to lead his fellow detectives
into strange places they would ordinarily never enter under any circumstances.
His all-American good looks and football player-like agility posture Fred
as the group member most-likely-to-succeed-as-the-person-in-charge. In
addition to his superior sleuthing, Fred ranks as an amateur “Rube Goldberg”
inventor. Initially in the series, his zany creations helped diffuse Mystery,
Inc.’s adversaries even without inventions, Fred pieces together the solution
to a case with common sense and clearheaded thinking. He and Velma usually
put their clues together to determine the culprit. Before each case’s conclusion,
Fred, with his catchphrase “Let’s split up, gang,” doles out duties which
often pair him searching for information with Daphne, and team Velma with
Shaggy and Scooby. Presiding over the activities and mayhem also allows
Fred to surmise “Well, I guess that wraps up another mystery,” at the end
of each show.
Velma
The youngest member of the group, Velma
projects a plain, tomboy-type presence-complete with spectacles, freckles,
and cropped hair-which belies the sophisticated infrastructure of her mind.
Velma’s brain functions similarly to a computer, programmed to provide
scientific and logical solutions to complex mysteries. No matter what perplexing
clues the villain leaves behind, Velma deduces their significance. However,
despite her reputation as the smartest girl in high school and her consistently
correct, clever analyses, Velma rarely gets taken seriously. Her perky,
inquisitive demeanor always has her doggedly pursuing the details of the
next mystery.