Judge Doom (also known in his Toon form as Baron Von Rotten) is the much-feared judge of Toontown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Despite presiding over a city of Toons, Doom is totally without mirth and passes capital punishment on Toons who break the law, placing them in a vat of mixed chemicals consisting of turpentine, acetone, and benzene (paint thinner) which he calls "The Dip" (A.K.A. "Toon Acid"). This concoction will dissolve Toons, permanently killing them when submerged. Judge Doom employs the Toon Patrol to assist him in hunting down Roger for the murder of Marvin Acme.
Doom wears a black ensemble which includes a trenchcoat, a fedora, gloves, and rimless yellow-tinted safety glasses. He also carries a pocket watch and a swordstick that also serves as a walking stick.
When the film first introduces Judge Doom, Lt. Santino confides to Eddie that Judge Doom bought the election. Later at the Terminal Bar, Judge Doom uses the "Shave and a Haircut" trick to lure Roger out, then prepares to execute him. After a brief scuffle inside the bar, Judge Doom orders the weasels to capture Roger and Eddie. Roger realizes he's in trouble with Doom after him, and begs Eddie to hide him. When Eddie learns that studio head R.K. Maroon is connected to the plot to frame Roger, Eddie interrogates him, but Maroon pleads that he's "a dead man" if he confesses. Just as Maroon is about to spill everything, he's killed by an unseen gunman who nearly shoots Eddie as well.
Upon chasing the killer to Toontown, Eddie catches Jessica Rabbit thinking she's the murderer, but Jessica reveals that Judge Doom was the one who killed Acme and Maroon. At the film's climax, Judge Doom traps Eddie, Jessica, and Roger in the Acme Factory to explain his scheme: Literally erase Toontown from the map using a giant mobile vat of Dip linked to a high-pressure water cannon, and then build a freeway over it. Judge Doom then plans to retire from being a judge and control all the profits from the new road system. Judge Doom also reveals that he is the sole stockholder of Cloverleaf Industries and explains that he bought the "red car" (a variant on the name of the Pacific Electric Railway) for the sole purpose of putting it out of commission. He then orders Jessica and Roger to be tied up and raised into the air via skyhook to be sprayed by the Dip cannon.
Eddie escapes and defeats the weasels, then tries to rescue Roger and Jessica when he's interrupted by Judge Doom. The two men then square off, dueling with various ACME props. During the fight, Judge Doom is run over and "flattened" by asteamroller. He survives where it is revealed that he is actually a Toon with bulging red eyes and a high-pitched shrieking voice as well as the same Toon that killed Eddie's brother. Judge Doom taunts Eddie and exhibits his hidden Toon powers like leaping after Eddie with springs in his shoes, changing his right hand firstly into a massive anvil, and then a circular saw. After Eddie breaks open a vat of Dip with a boxing glove-loaded hammer, Judge Doom is doused in his own Dip. He dissolves to his death, shrieking the familiar "melting" lines of the Wicked Witch of the West. Following Judge Doom's death, his scheme is finally exposed and all charges against Roger are dropped.
Wizard Magazine rated him the 60th Greatest Villain of All Time.
In the graphic novel Roger Rabbit: The Resurrection of Doom, it is explained that Doom was originally a Toon named Baron von Rotten who took up the role of playing the villain in animated movies until a filming accident in which he suffered a concussion and awakens believing he is a real villain. Baron von Rotten thus begins his crime career, robbing the First National Bank of Toontown, then killing Teddy Valiant by dropping a piano on his head from 15 stories, and spreading the stolen money all over the town in order to buy the election for Judge of Toontown, assuming the new name of Judge Doom. He was revived by another gang of weasels who (using an old cell and a multiplane camera) were able to revive him proving it is possible to revive a toon (it is later revealed that the other group are the brothers of the weasels that were killed in the film). Judge Doom disguises himself as a director forcing Roger to purposely tone down his acting, in hopes to ruin his career, and has other designs in mind for his revenge.
He played The Wizard (Bad) in The Wizard of Oz (Disney and Sega Style)
He played Mr. Clipboard in Toonfight!
He played Scar in The Jackson King
He is a lion.
Portrayals:
- In Who Framed Devon and Cornwall the Dragons he is played by Captain Hook.
- In Who Framed Scooby Doo Great Dane he is played by James.
- In Who Framed Tom Sawyer he is played by Himself.
- In Who Framed Ash Ketchum he is played by Giovanni.
- In Who Framed Tempe O'Kun played by Dustin McCann Sr..
- In Who Framed Tyson Unident played by Dustin McCann Jr..
- In Who Framed Mowgli the Man-Cub played by Jafar.
- In Who Framed Taran the Warrior played by Frollo.
- In Who Framed Kiki the Witch played by Eris.
- In Who Framed Tod the Fox played by Farley Fox.
- In Who Framed Merida? played by Captain Phasma and Penny Peterson
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