Dr. Glenn McLeach

Dr. Glenn McLeach is the Main Antagonist of the film, FernGully 3: Secrets of the Rainforest.

Biography

Ten years prior to the events of the movie, Dr. McLeach worked for Chad and Lisa Bauer at the Biotone Company. They researched the mysteries of the healing spring water and the Tree of Life in Ferngully, seeking to locate its source. Chad and Lisa eventually managed to acquire a sample of the spring water and were able to find its source, the Tree of Life hidden somewhere deep in Ferngully. However, when they realized the tree was a sacred place to the troop of Beasts living there and the Fairies Power source, they decided to put their research on hold until they could find a way to approach the matter in a way more respectful to the tree's residents. This enraged McLeach, who was unable to persuade Chad to change his mind. Returning to his office, McLeach recorded a video log about the project's postponement, only to suffer a psychotic break during the recording, trash the office and decide that he should lead the Biotone Company instead. He then pursued Chad and Lisa in his car, running them off a road and causing a fiery wreck. Unaware that they had sent their infant son Alan away in a cradle down the nearby river with their research contained in a pendant, McLeach stole their sample of the spring water and left them to die in the subsequent explosion, swearing he would rebuild their work from scratch. Alan was later found by Go'el, one of the Beasts, who named him Cuco and raised him as a son.

Dr. McLeach assumed leadership of the Biotone Company as he had planned, and over the next ten years, sent research teams led by his aide Helen to survey the Rainforest. One day, Molly Young and her Dad, Zak arrived at the Biotone Company's headquarters with Cuco accompanying them, having discovered the feral boy's apparent connection to the organization via an old photograph of Chad and Lisa wearing lab coats with the Biotone Company's logo on them as they held the infant Cuco. McLeach was surprised by the presence of Cuco, who he quickly realized was actually the long-believed-deceased Alan Bauer. After explaining Cuco's parents' background to him, McLeach admitted that they had died in an accident ten years prior and proved Cuco's identity by scanning the boy's pendant. This scan produced a partially corrupted data file from which an image of the Tree of Life was recovered, and when Cuco reacted to the photograph, McLeach realized that he knew where the Tree of Life was. He asked Cuco to tell him its location, but Cuco pushed him away and fled.

However, McLeach had covertly placed a tracking chip on Cuco's shoulder, and he used this information to follow Cuco to the Great Tree with his research team, several trucks and a giant spider tank in tow. As he started causing destruction to Ferngully, he was confronted by Molly and Cuco, who tried to stop his actions. He restrained them in his Ulfer Spiders' web and imprisoned them in one of the trucks, leaving them in the custody of Vinny and Tori, who had disguised themselves as researchers to infiltrate the Biotone Company. McLeach then led his team to the Tree of Life, and upon confirming the presence of an enormous energy source within the tree itself, ordered the tank's pilot to fire missiles into it. This act enraged the Beasts and led to their staging a counterattack. The resistance of the Beasts coupled with the unexpected cruelty and violence of McLeach's plot caused Helen and the rest of the team to begin doubting their leader. He broke down again, initially pleading with them that his decisions were correct but soon realizing they would not agree with him. When Molly and Cuco caught up with them, McLeach ejected the tank's pilot and took control of it himself, confessing his role in the deaths of Chad and Lisa and calling Cuco's survival unplanned but convenient for his cause. Ranting that he would prove his choices to be correct, he piloted the mech to engage in a fierce battle Molly, Zak, Cuco, and the animals and fairies of the rainforest, whom he derided as weak.

Although he was able to hold out against his enemies for a lengthy period of time, McLeach was ultimately defeated when Fern, Lily, Sandy, Wilkea, and Thier Parents, Crysta and Pips, destroyed the mech's control system using their magic. He tried to flee from the scene of the battle, but was spotted by Cuco, who gave chase and cornered him on a fallen tree overlooking a river. He and Cuco got into a physical struggle and McLeach tried to escape by jumping into the river, only for Fern to grow and wrap him with a vine, leaving him trapped hanging over the water.

Later, while the Biotone Company worked to restore the Ferngully and the Rainforest and restructure in the wake of the incident, Dr. McLeach was arrested based on his confession and other evidence leaked to the public by Vinny and Tori. He was last seen on a television broadcast as he was led into a police van by Officer Jenny, glaring angrily at the cameras as the doors were closed.

Character
Dr. McLeach portrays himself as a calm and reasonable scientist, but this is merely a persona to mask his cruel, ambitious nature. He prioritizes the well-being of humans over animals and is willing to destroy natural environments without any regard for the wildlife living there. His ambition is so great that he even has little hesitation to eliminate people who stand in his way, not caring if his actions directly lead to their deaths, so long as he gets what he desires. His mask of sanity slips at the slightest sign of others' doubting his plans, revealing his true, maniacal personality. He has no loyalty to his colleagues; besides killing the Bauers to obtain their research and prevent their interference in his ambitions, he is later seen throwing another colleague out of his mecha's cockpit in order to pilot it himself, not caring how far down the other researcher had to fall. In summation, Dr. McLeach is one of the few characters in the Disney or Fox films who is purely evil with no redeeming qualities.

In additon to his cruel and sociopathic behavior, Dr. McLeach is also cowardly. When his mecha's battery was destroyed, he fled, even going as far as attempting to jump off a cliff into a river rather than face his defeat. He remained defiant to the very end, glaring maniacally at the camera filming his arrest before being taken away.