Wade Ripple

• Prism Physics: Because he is translucent, Wade can act as a natural prism. He uses his body to focus sunlight and help Ember reignite fires. Animation Secrets & Easter Eggs • Hardest to Animate: Pixar animators noted that the Water People were the most difficult characters to bring to life in Elemental. They had to make Wade constantly in motion so he didn't accidentally look like solid glass. • The Water Balloon Rule: To make his movements believable, the physics team studied the way water stretches and behaves inside a water balloon. • Pixar Cameo: Wade actually made a hidden cameo in the previous Pixar movie, Lightyear, as the cartoon mascot on a drink package labeled "Wade Water". • Osmosis Jones Connection: Fans noticed Wade resembles the titular character from the 2001 film Osmosis Jones. This makes sense given that Elemental director Peter Sohn worked as an animator on Osmosis Jones before joining Pixar. Backstory & Talents • Career Struggles: Being a city inspector wasn't Wade's first gig. He admits to failing at several jobs before finding his place, which stems from feeling directionless after his father passed away. • Poetic Skills: Wade is incredibly romantic and expressive. He proves this during the "crying game" by using his poetry skills to successfully move Ember to tears.• Color Changing: His body is dynamic; animators designed him to subtly shift shades of blue and transparency depending on his mood and how the light hits him. • Water Bulking: While he is normally a bit soft and pudgy, Wade can absorb extra water to instantly become muscular and strong.Phobia of Sponges: Because he is completely made of water, Wade has an intense fear of sponges. A childhood incident involved him getting entirely sucked into one.