Minions (2015), directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, serves as a prequel to the Despicable Me films. It tells the hilarious origin story of the lovable yellow Minions, exploring their journey through history in search of the perfect villain to serve. The film focuses on three Minions—Kevin, Stuart, and Bob—as they embark on an adventure to find a new evil boss, leading them to their encounter with Scarlet Overkill.
The Minions’ History
The movie begins with a comedic look at the Minions’ evolution. From the dawn of time, the Minions have always sought to serve the biggest, baddest villain around. Whether it was dinosaurs, ancient pharaohs, or Dracula himself, the Minions constantly find themselves without a master, often accidentally causing their leader’s downfall. As time passes, the Minions become aimless, retreating into an icy cave where they fall into a deep depression without a villain to serve.
Kevin, Stuart, and Bob’s Journey
Determined to save his fellow Minions from their meaningless existence, Kevin, a brave and optimistic Minion, volunteers to go out into the world to find a new boss. He is joined by rebellious Stuart and childlike Bob on this mission. Together, they set off on a globetrotting adventure to find a worthy villain.
Their journey leads them to Villain-Con, a massive convention for villains in Orlando, Florida. There, they meet Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock), the world’s first female supervillain. Impressed by their determination and loyalty, Scarlet recruits the Minions to help her steal the crown of the Queen of England.
The Heist: Stealing the Crown
Scarlet takes the Minions to London, where she reveals her grand plan: she wants to become the Queen of England by stealing the royal crown. She promises to reward the Minions if they succeed, but she also warns them that failure will not be tolerated.
Kevin, Stuart, and Bob set out to steal the crown, but as expected, their efforts lead to chaos. In a surprising turn of events, Bob accidentally pulls the legendary sword Excalibur from a stone, making him the new King of England. This causes tension with Scarlet, who feels betrayed and demands that the Minions hand over the crown.
Scarlet’s Wrath and the Final Battle
Feeling betrayed, Scarlet turns against the Minions and vows to destroy them. She and her husband Herb Overkill (voiced by Jon Hamm) pursue Kevin, Stuart, and Bob across London. The Minions, despite their lack of skills, manage to evade capture and eventually work together to stop Scarlet’s evil plan to take over the throne.
In the film’s climactic battle, Kevin grows to enormous size after an accidental interaction with one of Herb’s inventions. In his giant form, Kevin fights Scarlet, causing widespread destruction throughout London. Ultimately, the Minions prevail, and Scarlet is defeated.
The Ending: Meeting Gru
After the battle, Kevin returns to his normal size, and the Minions are hailed as heroes for saving the day. However, their celebration is short-lived, as Scarlet attempts one final escape. Just as she is about to flee, a young Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) appears, stealing the crown and showing off his villainous potential. The Minions are instantly impressed by Gru’s villainy and decide to follow him, setting the stage for their adventures in the Despicable Me series.
Minions is a lighthearted, fun-filled adventure that brings plenty of humor and charm to the origin story of the iconic yellow henchmen. With their usual antics and a heartwarming story of friendship, the Minions find their true calling by aligning themselves with a young Gru, leaving audiences entertained and excited for their future mischief.
At the end of Minions (2015), after an intense battle in London, Kevin, Stuart, and Bob manage to defeat Scarlet Overkill. Kevin, having accidentally grown to a giant size due to Herb Overkill’s invention, becomes the unlikely hero. He stops Scarlet’s plan to steal the crown and take over the throne of England.
Once Scarlet is defeated, the Minions are celebrated as heroes by the people of London. However, just as Scarlet tries to make one last escape, a young Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) arrives. Gru quickly steals the crown right from under everyone’s noses, showing his potential as a master villain even at a young age.
The Minions, impressed by Gru’s villainy, immediately recognize him as the ideal master they’ve been searching for all along. They abandon their pursuit of Scarlet and excitedly begin following Gru, setting up their future partnership and leading into the events of the Despicable Me series.
The movie ends with the Minions finally finding their true leader in Gru, marking the beginning of their long-standing relationship with the future supervillain.