Mechanic
The Old Mechanic
Gender | Male |
Hair Color | Gray |
Occupation | Mechanic; Farmer |
Aliases | Old Farmer |
Voiced by | Trey Parker |
First Appearance | Butters' Very Own Episode |
Last Appearance | Tegridy Farms Halloween Special |
About
This rarely seen old mechanic lives just outside the town of South Park with his wife, not far from Conifer. He tries to dispense helpful advice to those he meets, such as a lost little boy, and a grieving father, often warning them of the perils of the unknown and the supernatural. After a hard day's work, he's been known to stop in town at Skeeter's Bar and Cocktails for a drink now and then. He's also been known to appear as far out as Denver or Aspen to tell of the local legends there as well. His attempts to help others out have often caused more harm than good, and he might not as mentally sound as he appears.
When he's not dispensing advice, he's working as a mechanic at an old gas station, or tending to millions of Member Berries at his farm, though he can't understand the crop's popularity.
Personality and Traits
Memorable Quotes
- "Yah-, a lot of history on that ski run." (Asspen)
- "I came to talk you out of it. You need tuh... just accept that your son is dead, not try to bring him back." (Marjorine)
- "Sometimes, dead is better." (Marjorine)
- "Milkman don't get scared. Not with free pussy at every doorstep." (Insecurity)
- "You don't wanna go down THAT roahd." (South Park: The Fractured But Whole)
- "You don't want that stickah in ya stickah book." (Tegridy Farms Halloween Special)
Catchphrases
- "Yeah. Lotta historih down that rod." (debuted in "Butters' Very Own Episode")
Design and Outfits
Most distinctive for his tall, gaunt face, the Mechanic is an older fellow with thick gray eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a prominent chin, and graying hair, often hidden under a straw hat. He wears light blue overalls, rolled up at the feet, over a dark blue collared work shirt, with the sleeves rolled up at the elbow.
He was re-designed significantly in season 16's "Insecurity" to fit the show's newer aesthetic, with a more realistic look based on the same design concept.
Additional Outfits
His only other known outfit is his uniform while working as a docent at the Denver Nature and Science Museum.
Acquaintances
The Mechanic does not seem particularly close to any other members of the town and is often treated as unfamiliar when he appears. Each of his appearances is in an episode that prominently features a member of the Stotch family, and he does exhibit familiarity with Stepehen as "Mr. Stotch" when he tries to speak with him. He has also interacted with Randy Marsh.
Workplaces
The old Mechanic is a hardworking man who works multiple jobs. He is a mechanic and attendant at Loomis Gasoline, a gas station at the outskirts of town, which seems to be just north of Hillvale Farm, the ranch where grows fresh member berries. He is also a docent at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where he can be found in the Egyptian Artifact exhibit.
Appearances and Sightings
Featured Episodes
- Butters' Very Own Episode (s05e14; debut)
- Asspen (s06e03)
- Marjorine (s09e09)
- Insecurity (s16e10; re-design)
- The Damned (s20e03)
- Tegridy Farms Halloween Special (s23e05)
Video Games
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
The Mechanic can be found at Hillvale Farm in the northeastern part of town, where the ranches and farmland are located, and will prevent the player from making their way northward by relaying his familiar ghost stories. The farm is an important location for collecting member berries, but not crucial to the game's storyline. Those who can pause time may pass him. His gas station may possibly be seen on the road to Canada.
He returns with a more prominent role in the "Bring the Crunch" downloadable content expansion, where he is tending the Loomis Gasoline gas station outside the bus stop. He offers guidance to the player throughout the mission, informing them of the local legends, including an Indian Burial Ground, and the player can obtain a selfie with him after completing the level.
Behind the Scenes
This still unidentified character was first introduced in season 5's "Butters' Very Own Episode" to offer Butters Stotch a dire warning about his journey home. He still has no official name on the show, but was dubbed Mechanic in the transcript at the South Park Scriptorium fansite, since he is depicted working as a mechanic at a gas station.
He is a homage to the character Judd Crandall from the Pet Semetary franchise, created by Stephen King, who famously warned that "dead is better". This character is sometimes referred to by fans under this name, and would later fulfill a similar role in the story to "Marjorine" four seasons later. He is also similar to the Crazy Ralph character from the Friday the 13th films.
In "South Park: The Fractured But Whole", he is seen at his gas station again, which has been re-designed and is referred to as Loomis Gasoline, suggesting Loomis may be his name, a surname used in the 1960 film Psycho and later for a recurring character in the Halloween film franchise. Still, in the game's social media function, he is known as "Mechanic".
His voice is provided by series co-creator Trey Parker, who uses a similar inflection as Randy Marsh's farmer accent in season 22's "Tegridy Farms".
Bonus Factoids
- Although he is also a farmer, he is not depicted with the other ranchers and farmers in scenes which call for miscellaneous "Rednecks" characters.