Netflix recently just added my favorite Pixar film franchise to their streaming service: The Incredibles (well, The Incredibles 2). While we can agree to disagree that The Incredibles is the best Pixar franchise of our generation, we can agree on the fact that Edna Mode is the best character in the films.
Edna’s character in The Incredibles is brilliantly crafted—maybe because Brad Bird, the creator of the film, voices the character himself! Edna Mode plays by her own rules and won’t take anything less than what she deserves.
We meet Edna in the first film when Mr. Incredible goes to her in need of a new supersuit. In her blatantly honest fashion, she sees him and says, “My God, You’ve gotten fat.” While it is a rude comment, she means well. She is a female who is not afraid to voice her opinions and tell it like it is. Not only is she honest and not afraid of powerful men, but she’s smart and witty. Edna is full of innovative and entrepreneurial ideas, making her a superwoman (whether or not she actually has powers). When Helen (Elastigirl) goes in search of her husband, Edna knows exactly where he is. She was crafty enough to include a tracking device in Mr. Incredible’s supersuit, an advanced technology for the time the movie is set.
Not only is Edna innovative, but she is also knowledgeable about what supersuits worked best for her clientele and which ones are epic fails. Her knowledge and understanding of the market saves Mr. Incredible’s life when she yells at him for wanting a cape on his supersuit. Though she may have a tough exterior, Edna is personable and lovable, shown through her creation of suits for the rest of the Incredible family from the kindness of her own heart.
In the second film, Elastigirl is recruited by a superhero firm and becomes their feature superhero. This sadly results in Elastigirl sporting a suit not designed by Edna—a bad decision, as the fabric ends up ripping (and SPOILER ALERT: the suit designer turns out to be an evil genius). Everything Edna does is for a reason, down to her fabric choices, which are durable and meant to withstand any temperature condition. This can be seen through the suit she designs Jack-Jack. While she is against the idea of children at the beginning of The Incredibles franchise, the second film shows her enthralled with Jack-Jack after seeing his powers. She carefully crafts his suit and even includes child-proof features and a customized device to go along with the apparel. In a laughably cute scene in the second film, Edna is shown holding Jack-Jack up to her monitors where she has allowed him access to her office. Who wouldn’t want a cool Aunt Edna?
While Edna isn’t in either film for long, she leaves a lasting impression. She is fierce, creative, and undoubtedly the best character in The Incredibles franchise.