| “ | You are in so much TROUBLE! | „ |
| ~ Nicole to Gumball and Darwin in "The DVD." |
Doctor Nicole Watterson (née Senicourt) is one of the three tritagonists (alongside Anais and Richard) of the animated series The Amazing World of Gumball. She is the matriarch of the Watterson family, husband to Richard, and mother to Gumball, Darwin, and Anais.
Nicole is a tall blue cat who works at Elmore's Rainbow Factory and is fiercely protective of her family. She can be strict and often has bursts of intense (sometimes supernatural) anger when she is provoked, but she cares greatly about her loved ones and works hard to support them financially. Nicole is also highly athletic, strong, and skilled in martial arts, serving as the former rival of her old fighting partner Yuki Yoshida.
She is voiced by Teresa Gallagher.
What Makes Her a Seinen Hero?[]
- Heroic/Anti-Heroic: Nicole has gone to great lengths to protect her family and those in Elmore. Some of her heroics include, but are not limited to:
- Driving away the Evil Turtle and her hatchlings from Elmore to save the entire city from terror and destruction in "The Nest," as well as rescuing the kidnapped victims that were stored as food.
- Stopping Richard from accidentally destroying the entire universe in "The Job" (a result of him being employed) by rushing to his final pizza delivery spot and bringing Larry Needlemeyer to fire him.
- Saving Gumball and Darwin falling to their deaths from a building in "The Mothers" by tying herself to a fire hose and swinging out to grab them.
- Fighting Yuki to protect her family, job, and home security, and later making amends with her to save Gumball, Darwin and Yuki's daughter Masami from being crushed by a collapsing building in "The Fury."
- Cynical: Nicole has a somewhat jaded view of the world, mainly because she’s surrounded by irresponsibility (her husband Richard, Gumball's antics, etc.). She’s doubtful of her family's competence and truthfulness and usually responds to their idiocy and tendency to lie their way out of consequences with sarcasm or skepticism.
- Insightful: Nicole is one of the most self-aware and intelligent characters in the show. She understands her own unique struggles, reflects on her past in ways that other characters do not, and is far more responsible than any other member in her family.
- Sophisticated/Mature: She is the most emotionally mature Watterson due to wanting to fiercely discipline her family; she always tries to discourage her family from poor behavior and irresponsibility, though this can be hypocritical at times when she loses her cool.
- Pessimistic: She has a bleak outlook on life at times due to the strain it places her, often expecting the worst in situations.
- Realistic: Nicole doesn’t sugarcoat things or believe in hollow, idealistic views, and is far less happy-go-lucky than the boys in her family. She tends to view life as more demeaning and demanding, mostly due to the stress of her job and role as a mother.
- Strong Sense of Willpower: Nicole is arguably the most determined and competitive character in the show. She doesn’t back down from anything, whether it’s protecting her family, proving a point, or straight-up fighting people. In "The Fridge" she ruthlessly teaches Gumball this philosophy by stranding him in the desert to find his own way home, meaning that he can finally learn how to be a "winner" through sheer persistence.
- Pragmatic: Nicole is basically willing to do anything to get her way, whether it be to protect her family or win competitions, even if it sometimes means hurting others, threatening people, or causing mass collateral damage.
- Morally Ambiguous: Nicole is an anti-hero and morally questionable character who is willing to hurt or intimidate others, and has been responsible for various crimes in the series. She has also been an outright antagonist in many episodes.
- Has Anger Issues: Nicole is infamous for her temper and often flies into intense rages, especially when her family is being ridiculous (which is always). Her anger can make her into a god-like force, and she is literally seen turning into fire-breathing demon monsters or bending reality when she gets mad.
- Has Bloodlust: Nicole was a dedicated martial artist in her youth, and in the present, she often revels in violence because she finds it invigorating and cathartic.
- Reckless: Nicole has endangered her life on several occasions, especially when trying to protect her children, or when she fought Yuki and could've been defeated. She's done so for very small reasons as well, such as jumping across junkyard equipment to save a mere vase for Granny Jojo.
- Tragic Past: Nicole had a rough childhood. She was pressured by her very controlling parents to be perfect, dictating her every move and decision, and was emotionally neglected as a result. They also disapproved of her relationship with Richard and didn't attend their wedding; "The Choices" shows that they kicked her out the house because of it. A montage in "The Parents" showed that their strained relationship resulted in an unending cycle of revenge where neither of them were able to forgive each other until the events of the episode mentioned. This is implicitly the cause of her tempered personality, as she was left with a need to prove herself and a lot of repressed resentment.
- Has Trust Issues: Nicole doesn't trust most people, including her parents, but more lightheartedly, her own immediate family members, as they constantly lie to her to get their way. The best example is Richard, as she can never trust him with responsibilities considering he often screws everything up.
- Hard-Boiled: Despite being emotionally volatile much of the time, she can be toughened-up when necessary. In "The Fury," when Yuki begins harassing her around town to fight her and reclaim honor, Nicole is unfazed - that is until her family's well-being is threatened and she decides to fight, though still with a cold and collected demeanor.
- Vengeful: Nicole holds grudges. If someone wrongs her or her family, she will come for them. For instance, Nicole agrees to fight Yuki because of the harassment she is receiving and the threats made to her family's livelihood.
- Has an Outfit with Black/Red/Blue: She usually wears a white shirt and gray skirt, but her fur is blue. Perhaps it counts...
- Is an Edgelord: Nicole has several moments where she comes across as comically edgy and evil. She grabs Harold Wilson in "The Castle" and forces him to look at the damned souls wandering within her glowing eyes, and in "The Question," she is depicted lighting up in flames while explaining to her sons that the meaning of life is to, "Crush your enemies! See them quiver before you, and hear the lamentation of their women..."