Thumper (Bambi)

Thumper is a fictional rabbit character from Disney’s animated movie Bambi. He appeared again in Bambi II. He is known and named for his habit of thumping his left hind foot. Thumper also appears at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts as a meetable character.

Unlike real rabbits, Thumper is drawn with paw pads, a feature that rabbits lack.

Bambi
Thumper was one of those present when Bambi was first presented to the creatures of the forest.

A few days later a still-wobbly Bambi was out with his mother when they re-encountered Thumper, who took it upon himself to teach the fawn various tricks, notably that of speech. He succeeded in teaching Bambi a few words, notably “flower,” which became the accidental nickname for a certain skunk.

During the winter Thumper attempts to teach Bambi how to ice skate, ending in disaster.

Thumper appears again in the spring, this time as an adult, and was one of the three who sat through Friend Owl’s lecture on the perils of “twitterpation,” or falling in love. Like Flower and Bambi, Thumper vowed never to let such a thing happen to him. But as the threesome walked along, Thumper easily was distracted by a female rabbit.

Thumper was not seen again until the end of the movie, when he appeared with his progeny, all of whom evidently had inherited his habit of foot-thumping.

Bambi II
Thumper’s first appearance in Bambi II finds him trying to hide from his sisters. They manage to find him, and he is left with no choice but to take them to see the groundhog come out on Groundhog Day. Thumper is glad when Bambi’s father, the Great Prince of the Forest, agrees to let Bambi come along.

Thumper’s next appearance again finds him seeking an escape from his sisters, this time enlisting the aid of Flower the skunk. His own worries, however, are quickly eclipsed when he learns of Bambi’s shaky relationship with his father. Thumper makes a determined effort to teach Bambi how to be brave in the hopes of impressing his dad, with the unfortunate result that Bambi receives several porcupine quills in his rear. Again, Ronno shows up, and again, Thumper supports Bambi without reservation. His efforts go awry when he retaliates to an insult from Ronno by pushing Bambi at him. Bambi, in turn, knocks Ronno into the mud and arouses his anger. Thumper jumps on Bambi’s back and two manage to evade Ronno, achieving a jump which impresses Bambi’s father, the Great Prince.

Later, Thumper is shown aiding Bambi in jumping practice, motivated by the Prince’s approval of the one achieved the day before. At Thumper’s behest, Bambi works up the courage to ask his dad about his work. Thumper watches from a distance as father and son discuss the art of observing, and then walk off together to patrol the forest. But then, hearing his sisters yelling for him in the distance, Thumper makes a speedy getaway.

Later, when it is learned that Bambi’s father is sending him to live with a doe named Mena, Thumper is one of those gathered to say goodbye. Also in the group are Thumper’s sisters, as well as Flower and Faline. Thumper does his best to cheer up his friend, with limited success.

Later, when Bambi is on the run from a pack of hunting dogs, Thumper observes the chase from the side-lines and manages to pep-talk Flower through the process of helping—namely by spraying one of the dogs in the face.

In his final scene in the film, Thumper (with frequent interruptions from his sisters) tries to tell a much-exaggerated version of the story of Bambi’s encounter with the dogs. He comments that his sisters are “okay for sisters” (naturally he only says this behind their backs), making the ill-advised additional comment that it is “just too bad they’re girls.” He is only saved from an indignant Faline by the timely appearance of Bambi.