Dola

""One for all and all for mom!""

- Dola

Dola is the captain of a band of air pirates in Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Her nemesis is Colonel Muska. She is interested in the treasures of the ancient floating city of Laputa, which initially puts her at odds with the film's protagonists. She is voiced by Kotoe Hatsui in the Japanese version, Rachel Vanowen in the Streamline version, and Cloris Leachman in the Disney dub.

Appearance
Dola is an obese, short and stocky woman with pink hair, which has faded from the red color it had been during her childhood; she wears it in two thick braids. She has dark eyes and a large nose. She wears a dark blue shirt and pants with a lacy white collar and cuffs, gold hoop earrings, and a green brooch. When flying, Dola wears a pilot's cap and goggles, and she sometimes wears a blue hat with a red band when dressing up.

Personality
Initially, Dola comes across as bossy, greedy and selfish, wanting nothing more than to get her hands on Laputa's treasures. Later, though, she is revealed to be a rather soft-hearted person and grudgingly grows fond of Sheeta and Pazu. Sheeta, in particular, reminds Dola of herself as a child. Dola's sons respect her greatly and always follow her orders, although they often forget to call her "captain" and just call her "Mom" instead. Dola is also brave and resourceful, which has helped her become a successful and respected air pirate over the course of her life.

Role in the Film
Dola is the captain of a gang of air pirates, composed of her three sons - Louis, Henri and Charles - and five other subordinates. At the start of the film, Dola and her gang board the airship where Colonel Muska is holding Sheeta captive. Dola attempts to steal the crystal necklace Sheeta owns, but Sheeta escapes with it when she slips and falls off the airship, floating safely to the ground using the powers of the crystal.

The next day, Dola and the pirates disguise themselves and search for Sheeta in the mining town where she landed and met Pazu. The children escape Dola, but she and her gang set up camp in Pazu's house. The pirates are waiting there for Pazu when he returns home from the fortress at Tedus, where Muska has again imprisoned Sheeta. Although Sheeta told Pazu to forget about finding the flying island of Laputa, Dola explains that she actually saved Pazu's life by allowing him to leave. Dola allows Pazu to join her gang, and they manage to rescue Sheeta from the fortress, although her crystal is left behind and falls into Muska's possession.

Dola brings the children back to the pirates' airship, the Tiger Moth, and puts them to work. Pazu helps the engineer, Dola's husband Motro, and Sheeta is put to work in the airship's galley. Sheeta and Pazu are separated from the pirates after an attack by Air Destroyer Goliath, which cripples the Tiger Moth, though they manage to make an emergency landing on Laputa. Although the gang is captured by Muska and the military on Laputa, Pazu frees them, and they manage to escape on their flaptors with a little of Laputa's treasure. After Sheeta and Pazu cast a spell of destruction to demolish most of Laputa, they return to the air pirates. Sheeta is especially glad to see Dola and hugs her tightly. At the end of the film, the children return to Pazu's hometown, and Dola and her gang fly off to new adventures.

Trivia

 * She is not to be confused with the Kiki's Delivery Service character with a similar name: Dora.
 * Cloris Leachman, who voiced Dola in the Disney dub, compared Dola to her Young Frankenstein co-star Marty Feldman.

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Kapitän Dora 天空の城ラピュタ