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Okay you guys, I'm the prettiest so I'll go first.

Portia Gibbons[1] is the main antagonist of The Mighty B! and the "pretty and posh" member of Troop 828. A Valley girl and very popular amongst her troop,[2] Portia is selfish, spoiled,[3] arrogant and cares little for other people. She frequently bullies and antagonizes Bessie, calling her hurtful names like "Messie Stinkenbottom."[4] She is usually seen with Gwen.

Portia is very pampered and rarely does simple tasks on her own. Her interests are often shallow, enjoying cosmetics and famous people. Bessie is typically unaware of Portia's dislike of her, believing they are close friends.

Although she does not wear the standard uniform of the Honeybees, she partakes in the regular scout activities provided from her mother, Mary Frances Gibbons (the Honeybee troop leader). Her voice is provided by Grey DeLisle.[5]

Personality[]

Portia is Bessie Higgenbottom's rival throughout the series,[6] who often pulls pranks and jokes towards her and other forms of torture and embarrassment on her for many reasons, mostly just for kicks, and mainly calls her "Messie".

Along with Gwen Wu (her right-hand assistant and friend), Portia will stop at nothing to prevent Bessie from achieving her goal of becoming "The Mighty Bee". This often entails tricking Bessie, such as impersonating Miriam Breedlove's assistant so Bessie would be late for their brunch in "To Bee or Not To Bee."

Portia is often seen carrying a mean, snooty[7] and domineering attitude, especially towards Bessie, constantly harboring a grudge towards her for presumably always being better than her at most things and gets very jealous at her for doing things she doesn't get the chance to.

In "Super Secret Weakness" Portia (along with Gwen and Penny) starts playing with Bessie and her fear of Zucchinis after she saw her protesting about them on TV. Other times she messes with Bessie out of pettiness, such as taking Happy in "Beenedict Arnold" solely to mess with Bessie's mind. She lives in a normal-sized house and is not rich, but believes herself to be and fully expects to be treated like a celebrity.[8]

Used to getting her way, Portia does not accept being told "no" (which everyone, except for Bessie, pretty much goes along with).[8] When in a predicament, Portia often yells for her mother (calling her mommy) and even threatens that her mother will sue the person who she felt wronged her ("Bee Afraid"). Portia is very conceited[9] and becomes extremely upset when she gets dirty, in addition to her overall appearance in general or social standing being tarnished.

Very materialistic, she loves makeup (hoping to release her own lip gloss line in "Toot Toot"), celebrities, anything spa-related, and is obsessed with gelato (believing regular ice cream is "for babies") and sushi. Being a valley girl, she tends to engage in valspeak, such as saying "whatever" when feeling passive or "totally" at times where she is excited. When bored, Portia will file her nails.

She is also incredibly lazy,[8] being very reluctant to do actual work and often complains about it and gets others to do the job for her, because she believes she has better things to think about, such as moisturizing. With that being said, Portia is very determined and stubborn when she feels like it, such as proving her skill as a gamer in "Dang It Feels Good to Be a Gamester" and cunning enough to outwit Cherry and the other Dragonflies in "Dragonflies."

Portia is usually outspoken and doesn't take any nonsense to those who talk back towards her. However, in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers," a more vulnerable side of her is shown when her cousin Chelsea is in town and commands Portia to make sure her Bat Mitzvah is absolutely perfect. Portia cowardly (and shakily) does as asked.

Later on, she is seen having her feelings hurt when Chelsea cold heartedly admonished her for sitting at the head table when she wasn't allowed to sit there because she wasn't "head table material", Portia apologizes for this, and then is told by Chelsea that she was no longer her cousin anymore, making her cry.

She displays a more friendlier side to Bessie and Penny when she helps them escape Chelsea's Bat Mitzvah, she later overcomes her fear of her cousin when she tells Chelsea her hair is frizzing when she gets run over by a giant snowball made by Ben.

Physical appearance[]

Portia Gibbons

Portia is a ten-year old girl. She has fair skin, short blonde hair which is worn in a ponytail,[10] dark seafoam green eyes, and three-bucked teeth. She wears a white long sleeved shirt with the collar worn flipped up, a light blue sash with three badges on it (though these badges aren't present in most episodes) and a skirt the same color as her sash, high-knee socks with three blue stripes at the top, and wedge sandals.

In Season 2, her eyes are now neon blue.

Likes[]

Dislikes[]

Relationships[]

Mary Frances Gibbons[]

Mary Frances is Portia's mother. She constantly spoils her daughter, and will often use unsavory methods to heighten Portia's chances of earning a badge. This includes bribing Anton St. Germain so Portia would win the Honeybee Dog Show in "So Happy Together" to preemptively painting "Congratulations Portia" on a banner before a Honeybee contest even started ("To Bee or Not to Bee").

It is without question Portia's arrogance and selfishness is the result of Mary Frances' parenting, as the latter will often do as Portia asks if it means advancing her daughter socially. However, there have been times where Mary Frances was stern with Portia; one example is in "The Apprentice," when Portia complains about Bessie being in her room. Mary Frances asks Portia if she wants to stuff makeup instead, causing Portia to give in. Ultimately, Mary Frances loves her daughter, as she ran after her when Portia stubbed her toe and ran away ("Toot Toot").

Bessie Higgenbottom[]

Although Bessie believes she and Portia are good friends, Portia does not feel this way at all. In fact, she is often very mean and sarcastic towards Bessie, whether that be calling her "Messie" to making fun of Bessie's lisp ("Bee Afraid"). She and Gwen are more than happy to mess around with Bessie, whether it be tricking her into thinking there's a Brat-Wrangling badge ("Bee My Baby") or even guiding her into a piranha tank in "Blindsided." She always expresses frustration or bewilderment when Bessie succeeds, which would show she is jealous of Bessie on some level.

However, there have been moments of friendliness on Portia's part. Bessie and Penny helped Portia escape Chelsea's Bat Mitzvah in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers" and was grateful for what the two did for her. Later, in "My Way or the Bee Way," the two are happy when Happy saves them from a weed monster and Portia comments "Of course we stopped traffic; we're awesome," though she corrects herself and says "I'm" seconds later.

Gwen Wu[]

Portia's best friend, so much so that they even share necklaces stating this ("Bee Plus One"). Gwen usually joins in with Portia when it comes to messing with Bessie. Portia and Gwen have a lot in common when it comes to interests, as both enjoy shopping, fashion, getting their nails done and eating gelato together. With Penny, the girls form the band The Pretty Pretty Princesses.

Despite their closeness, there have been times of disagreement between the two. Both girls were willing to risk their friendship if it meant being Bessie's plus one in "Bee Plus One," as Portia temporarily names Bessie as her new best friend. However, their friendship is restored when Bessie ultimately decides to give her own ticket to Portia. Portia is later shown expressing disappointment in Gwen's belief in unicorns, claiming it's behavior she expects of Bessie, but not from her ("Children of the Unicorn").

Penny Lefkowitz[]

Portia regards Penny as her second best friend after Gwen. Particularly in the first season, Portia often called for Penny's assistance, even if it meant going against Penny's friend Bessie and taking advantage of Penny's gullibility. Portia can be annoyed by Penny's simplistic comments, but is thankful for her and Bessie helping Portia escape in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers." She temporarily promotes Penny to "new best friend" in "Children of the Unicorn" after being disappointed in Gwen's attempt to prove unicorns are real.

Chelsea Gibbons[]

Chelsea is Portia's cousin, who debuts in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers." She is shown to be even more spoiled, arrogant and mean, as Portia is seen anxious around her while Chelsea instructs Portia over how her Bat Mitzvah will go. Things come to a head when Chelsea scolds Portia for sitting at the head table, causing Portia to cry. With Bessie and Penny's help, she gets revenge on her cousin. Later, in "Dragonflies," Chelsea adamantly tells Portia that while they are cousins, this won't affect the decision over whether the Honeybees or Dragonflies get reservation rights to the Recreation Center.

Richard and Dick Gibbons[]

Richard and Dick are Portia's older twin brothers. In "Ten Little Honeybees," on her half-tenth birthday, Portia demands Richard and Dick blow a half balloon and that they won't receive cake if they can't do this task. The brothers essentially serve as Portia's butlers for any and every whim that she has.

Ben Higgenbottom[]

She and Ben speak to each other for the first time in "Hat Trick." Though rarely seen, it is mentioned in "Gorillas in the Midst" that Portia would typically boss Ben around. In that episode, Bessie switches places with Ben so that he can get into the Gorillas while Ben masquerades as Bessie at the Recreation Center. Portia develops a crush on who she thinks is Ben but is really Bessie, surprised by his sudden assertiveness. She later discovers the truth and expresses disgust she had crushed "on a nerd" the entire time.

Happy Higgenbottom[]

When Bessie's diet and exercise regimen prove too much for Happy in "Beenedict Arnold," he leaves Bessie's house for Portia's. Portia proves to be a lousy pet owner, calling Happy names like "fleabag" and "mutt." Happy himself finds Portia too full of herself to tolerate and attempts unsuccessfully to leave numerous times. In later episodes, Happy is shown to dislike Portia, with the feeling being mutual, as Portia calls him "a dumb dog" in "Hat Trick."

Hilary Higgenbottom[]

Portia and Hilary interact for the first time in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers." Later, in "Little Womyn," Hilary becomes troop leader as Portia takes a liking to Hilary's approach to the Honeybees, even inspiring her to view the sash as a symbol of patriarchal oppression. She later asks Hilary what Bessie's middle name is in "Name Shame," with Hilary happily obliging by telling them it's Kajolica. Portia refers to Hilary as "Mrs. Stinkenbottom."

Rocky Rhodes[]

In "We Got the Bee," Portia is shown looking at Rocky with a heart above her head, which would signify she has a crush on him. When she finds out seconds later that Bessie is a member of The Integritones, Portia expresses disgust at the fact Rocky has included Bessie in his band. It should be noted Portia's crush on Rocky is only shown in this episode.

Appearances[]

Main article: Portia Gibbons/Appearances

Gallery[]

Main article: Portia Gibbons/Gallery

Trivia[]

  • She used to have a pet dog named Precious who's really a rat; Precious is only seen in the pilot episode, meaning Portia gave up Precious.
  • In "Bee Afraid," Portia is shown to be talented at hand shadows.
  • She has a crush on Rocky in "We Got the Bee," though this is not shown in any other episode.
  • In the aforementioned episode, it's revealed Portia is lead singer for The Pretty Pretty Princesses.[11]
  • Portia tans her skin, using a bottle of "EZ Tan" in "Body Rockers" and mentioning it as one of her pastimes in "Little Womyn."
  • She and the rest of her family are Jewish, as revealed in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers."
  • "Woodward and Beesting" shows she likes "squishy" stickers, owns a dollhouse and enjoys dancing when alone.
  • Revealed in "Name Shame" that she uses hair extensions.
  • In "Dragonflies," Portia seems to know Cherry even though none of the other Honeybees do, implying they have met each other before.
  • She claims to be a semi-natural blonde in "Bee Plus One."
  • Portia mentions in "Bad to the Bee" that she is already writing her memoirs.
  • Has entered pageants and won them, per "Hive of Darkness."
  • "Stuffed Happens" reveals Portia curls her hair every night before bed.
  • Several news outlets have made comparisons between her and Paris Hilton.[12][13]
  • Early on in the show's production, co-creator Erik Wiese and character designer Chris Battle considered making Portia Asian before abandoning the redesign.[14]
  • Portia's opening quote on the now defunct website for the show was "Try not to be so jealous of me."
  • Portia's profile on the also defunct Nicktoons website mentions she has visited Alcatraz.

References[]

  1. "Woodward and Beesting" marks the first time when Portia is referred to by her full name.
  2. Paige, Nathan (March 2, 2009). New on DVD: Loads of laughs with 'The Mighty B!'. Cleveland. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  3. Hinckley, David (April 23, 2008). New Poehler expedition: 'Mighty B' is a real honey. New York Daily News. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  4. Bynum, Aaron H. (April 8, 2008). The Mighty B!. Animation Insider. Retrieved May 16, 2020. Archived via the Wayback Machine.
  5. Perlmutter, David (May 4, 2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Page 391. Rowman & Littlefield. International standard book number 9781538103746.
  6. Perlmutter, David (March 13, 2014). America Toons In: A History of Television Animation. Page 328. McFarland & Company. International standard book number 9781476614885.
  7. Rizzo, Francis (March 7, 2009). The Mighty B!: We Got the Bee. DVD Talk. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Mighty B! TV Show Facts. April 15, 2016. Kidzworld. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  9. Lealos, Shawn S. (March 25, 2009). THE NICKELODEON KNOCKOUT DVD REVIEW. Renegade Cinema. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  10. Frey, Jennifer (April 26, 2008). 'Mighty B!': A Very Animated Heroine. The Washington Post. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  11. Moody, Annemarie (February 23, 2009). Akira, Samurai 7 on Blu-ray, Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder & The Mighty B. Animation World Network. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  12. Stewart, Susan (April 25, 2008). Animated Look at the Virtue of Keeping on Keeping On. The New York Times. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  13. Peterson, Karla (November 30, 2008). The mouth that soared. The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 13, 2020. Quote: "and slack-jawed Paris Hilton wannabe Portia in 'The Mighty B!'"
  14. Battle, Chris (August 7, 2008). "BEE" Bits: Cutting Room Floor. Chris Battle Illustration (BlogSpot.com). Retrieved May 5, 2020.

External links[]

See also[]

The Mighty B! Characters
Main Bessie HiggenbottomBenjamin HiggenbottomFingerHappy HiggenbottomPenny LefkowitzPortia GibbonsGwen Wu
Secondary Hilary HiggenbottomThe HippieMary Frances GibbonsMr. WuRocky Rhodes
Minor Anton St. GermainChai GallagherChelsea GibbonsChester TurtletonDoctor/VetThe Dog BartenderDonald the PostmanFritzHal the Ice Cream ManIntegritone 1Integritone 2Janet BarleyK.G. BiancaLola MillersonMadam ValeskaMillie MillersonMiriam BreedloveMr. LefkowitzMr. PantsNurseOld Timey BankerRainbowRonnieTateTruck Driver
One-shots Artie the BossBarri's grandfatherBibiBill the BearBugCaptain StonewallCha-ChaCherryConductorCop OneDriver #2Elder BaggEmilyFactory ManagerFinancial GuruFinguereFlossieGeoffreyGoody BaggIl BaccalaJaneaneJoeyKrazy DJMaintenance ManMaudeMonaMurdockPerp CopPrecious GibbonsPuppy OwnerReceptionistRide GuyRoseRoxySeymourSissy SullivanSplint GruntlerVirginia SullivanZanni
Groups Bears in CapesThe BeaversBlack Widow SpidersThe DragonfliesThe GorillasGwen's BrothersHoneybee ScoutsThe IntegritonesMcGee and DoogleThe Pretty Pretty PrincessesRichard and Dick GibbonsSugar BoysTwin Hillbillies
Background Honeybees NisaTatumTigerlilyOther Honeybees
Mentioned Chelsea's motherMillie's grandmother
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