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Number 2 (Austin Powers)
Encyclopedia
Number 2 is a fictional character in the Austin Powers
franchise. He is played by Robert Wagner
in all three movies, while his younger self is played by Rob Lowe
in The Spy Who Shagged Me
. He briefly appears as a teenager in a flashback in Austin Powers in Goldmember
, portrayed by Evan Farmer
. The character was modeled after the James Bond
villain Emilio Largo
who was number 2 of SPECTRE
in the 1965 James Bond movie Thunderball
.
His name is also a pun on the slang term for defecation
. After one of Dr. Evil's henchmen attempts to assassinate Austin Powers in the bathroom stall, Austin Powers grunts and drowns him in a toilet and issues the exchange:
In the original release and pressings, Austin grunted "Do you work for Number 2? Do you work for Number 2?" The reason of replacing the clips with the also-filmed clips of "Who does Number 2 work for?" are unknown.
of Dr. Evil
's empire, and was also ranked second only to Evil in test grades during their school years. He wears an eye patch over his right eye. He can still see through the right eye, though; In the first film, he used the patch as an X-ray to see what playing card was at the top of a pack. He oversees the finances of the companies that fund Dr. Evil's evil plans, foremost of them Virtucon. He also frequently reminds the doctor to stay focused on his plan when Dr. Evil is distracted, usually by his clone, Mini-Me
, or his son, Scott
. He has worked for Dr. Evil for at least 30 years. He also takes care to inform Dr. Evil of flaws in his plans, such as the fact that a one million dollar ransom, in 1997, is not a tremendous amount of money compared to 30 years previous. In the first film, Number 2 informs Dr. Evil that his plans (implicating Prince Charles
in an extramarital affair, destroying the ozone layer
) have already been done. When Dr. Evil says he wants "frickin' sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their frickin' heads", Number 2 carefully explains that after Dr. Evil was placed in suspended animation
, sharks became an endangered species
, and Virtucon was unable to acquire them. He instead attempts to placate Evil with mutated, ill-tempered sea bass, much to Evil's chagrin.
In 1969, he is seen to work for Dr. Evil, and is considerably more loyal and respectful than he is in 1999. Nevertheless, his own ambition (and far superior talent as a leader) have occasionally shown through, angering Dr. Evil. When Dr. Evil is busy arguing with Scott, Number 2 asks him if "they can set aside the family squabbles, and get down to serious business", which Dr. Evil takes as an insolent remark. When the supervillain mocks him and asks him if "he wants to wear the daddy pants", young Number 2 quickly apologizes and denies that he wants to lead the company himself.
Number 2 in the present has very little respect for Dr. Evil, sometimes rolling his eye or muttering insults behind his back. He is also contemptuous of Dr. Evil's plan to take over or destroy the world; he has been overseeing Dr. Evil's empire for 30 years, and turned it into a profitable business, an enterprise that would be ruined if Dr. Evil poured all of its resources into his half-baked bids for world domination
. In the first movie's final scenes, Number 2 betrays his boss, offering to build a partnership with Powers. In a deleted scene from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, he even offers Austin $1 billion (US) contained in a Fendi
briefcase. When Austin counts the money, he says, "You're 897 dollars short, baby." Number 2 responds by saying, "I had to buy the case." When Dr. Evil tries to cow him back into service, he lashes out, "I spent the last 30 years of my life turning this two-bit evil empire into a world class multi-national. I was going to have a cover story with Forbes
. But you, like an idiot, want to take over the world. And you don't even realize that there is no world anymore! It's only corporations!" In response, Dr. Evil burns him alive, although he survives with relatively little scarring.
Number 2 is a savvy businessman, having invested in Starbucks
(presumably as the main shareholder and thus, owner of the company), and in Austin Powers in Goldmember
, lowering the agent fee of Hollywood Talent Agency (another front company for Dr. Evil) to 9% rather than 10%, allowing them to sign big stars like George Clooney
, Julia Roberts
, and Leonardo DiCaprio
. He often tries to convince Dr. Evil to devote his time to lucrative legitimate enterprises rather than world domination, but is ignored. At one point, he claims that shifting resources towards Starbucks rather than plans for world conquest will increase Starbucks' profits fivefold. Dr. Evil promptly tells him to shut up and "show some respect". In a deleted scene from the third film (Austin Powers in Goldmember), while Scott is running the Evil Empire in lieu of his incarcerated father, Number 2 presents him with a business opportunity in alpaca
farming.
Austin Powers (film series)
The Austin Powers series is a series of action-comedy films written by and starring Mike Myers as the title character, directed by Jay Roach and distributed by New Line Cinema...
franchise. He is played by Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
in all three movies, while his younger self is played by Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
in The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, released in 1999, is the second film in the Austin Powers series that began with 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and continued with Austin Powers in Goldmember. The film was directed by Jay Roach, co-written by Mike Myers and screenwriter...
. He briefly appears as a teenager in a flashback in Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
, portrayed by Evan Farmer
Evan Farmer
Evan Ragland Farmer, Jr. is an American actor, musician, designer, songwriter and television personality.-Career:Farmer then moved to NYC to get started in the entertainment business...
. The character was modeled after the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
villain Emilio Largo
Emilio Largo
Emilio Largo is a fictional character and the main antagonist from the James Bond novel Thunderball. In the novel he is depicted, according to the British stereotypes about Italians, as a large, heavyset, olive-skinned, powerful man exuding animal charm, with the profile of a Roman emperor, and...
who was number 2 of SPECTRE
SPECTRE
SPECTRE is a fictional global terrorist organisation featured in the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games...
in the 1965 James Bond movie Thunderball
Thunderball (film)
Thunderball is the fourth spy film in the James Bond series starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham...
.
His name is also a pun on the slang term for defecation
Defecation
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus. Waves of muscular contraction known as peristalsis in the walls of the colon move fecal matter through the digestive tract towards the rectum...
. After one of Dr. Evil's henchmen attempts to assassinate Austin Powers in the bathroom stall, Austin Powers grunts and drowns him in a toilet and issues the exchange:
- Austin Powers: Who does Number 2 work for? Who does Number 2 work for?
- Cowboy in the next toilet stall (Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold (actor)Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
): Yeah, that's right! You show that turd who's boss!
In the original release and pressings, Austin grunted "Do you work for Number 2? Do you work for Number 2?" The reason of replacing the clips with the also-filmed clips of "Who does Number 2 work for?" are unknown.
Occupation
Number 2, as his name implies, is the second-in-commandSecond-in-command
The Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army...
of Dr. Evil
Dr. Evil
Dr. Evil is a fictional character, played by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers film series. He is the antagonist of the movies, and Austin Powers' nemesis. He is a parody of James Bond villains, primarily Donald Pleasence's Ernst Stavro Blofeld . Dr...
's empire, and was also ranked second only to Evil in test grades during their school years. He wears an eye patch over his right eye. He can still see through the right eye, though; In the first film, he used the patch as an X-ray to see what playing card was at the top of a pack. He oversees the finances of the companies that fund Dr. Evil's evil plans, foremost of them Virtucon. He also frequently reminds the doctor to stay focused on his plan when Dr. Evil is distracted, usually by his clone, Mini-Me
Mini-Me
Mini-Me is a character played by Verne Troyer in the second and third Austin Powers movies: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember.-History:...
, or his son, Scott
Scott Evil
Scott Evil is a fictional character from the Austin Powers series of films. He is played by Seth Green.Scott Evil was born in 1969 or 1970. He is the son of Dr. Evil and Frau Farbissina. He was conceived in 1969 after Dr. Evil obtained and used some of Austin Powers' mojo to have a one-night stand...
. He has worked for Dr. Evil for at least 30 years. He also takes care to inform Dr. Evil of flaws in his plans, such as the fact that a one million dollar ransom, in 1997, is not a tremendous amount of money compared to 30 years previous. In the first film, Number 2 informs Dr. Evil that his plans (implicating Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
in an extramarital affair, destroying the ozone layer
Ozone layer
The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone . This layer absorbs 97–99% of the Sun's high frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to the life forms on Earth...
) have already been done. When Dr. Evil says he wants "frickin' sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their frickin' heads", Number 2 carefully explains that after Dr. Evil was placed in suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
, sharks became an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, and Virtucon was unable to acquire them. He instead attempts to placate Evil with mutated, ill-tempered sea bass, much to Evil's chagrin.
Relationship with Dr. Evil
Number 2 and Dr. Evil have known each other for many years; they attended school together long before they became master criminals. While fundamentally loyal to Dr. Evil, he has always resented his boss; when they were classmates, he was always "second best" to the Doctor, who was the school's star pupil.Number 2 in the present has very little respect for Dr. Evil, sometimes rolling his eye or muttering insults behind his back. He is also contemptuous of Dr. Evil's plan to take over or destroy the world; he has been overseeing Dr. Evil's empire for 30 years, and turned it into a profitable business, an enterprise that would be ruined if Dr. Evil poured all of its resources into his half-baked bids for world domination
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
. In the first movie's final scenes, Number 2 betrays his boss, offering to build a partnership with Powers. In a deleted scene from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, he even offers Austin $1 billion (US) contained in a Fendi
Fendi
Fendi is an Italian high fashion house best known for its "baguette" handbags. It was launched in 1925 as a fur and leather shop in Rome, but today is a multinational luxury goods brand owned by LVMH...
briefcase. When Austin counts the money, he says, "You're 897 dollars short, baby." Number 2 responds by saying, "I had to buy the case." When Dr. Evil tries to cow him back into service, he lashes out, "I spent the last 30 years of my life turning this two-bit evil empire into a world class multi-national. I was going to have a cover story with Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
. But you, like an idiot, want to take over the world. And you don't even realize that there is no world anymore! It's only corporations!" In response, Dr. Evil burns him alive, although he survives with relatively little scarring.
Number 2 is a savvy businessman, having invested in Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
(presumably as the main shareholder and thus, owner of the company), and in Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
, lowering the agent fee of Hollywood Talent Agency (another front company for Dr. Evil) to 9% rather than 10%, allowing them to sign big stars like George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
, Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
, and Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
. He often tries to convince Dr. Evil to devote his time to lucrative legitimate enterprises rather than world domination, but is ignored. At one point, he claims that shifting resources towards Starbucks rather than plans for world conquest will increase Starbucks' profits fivefold. Dr. Evil promptly tells him to shut up and "show some respect". In a deleted scene from the third film (Austin Powers in Goldmember), while Scott is running the Evil Empire in lieu of his incarcerated father, Number 2 presents him with a business opportunity in alpaca
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
farming.