Why Helga Sinclair Steals the Show in Disney’s Atlantis

“I came down the chimney. Ho. Ho. Ho. My name is Helga Sinclair. I’m acting on behalf of my employer.”
-Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair, Atlantis

Disney’s action animated flick, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, is a severely underrated movie with a vastly under-appreciated cast of characters. The hunky Doctor Sweets, the adventurous and brave Princess Kida of Atlantis, the tough as nails engineer Audrey, and the jaded communications officer Wilhelmina Packard stand out from a cast of mostly likable characters who embark on the journey of a lifetime to discover the lost city of Atlantis. I tend to favor the villains of a story, so it should be no surprise that the mantle of the coolest and most memorable character goes to Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair.

Inspired from the likes of the blonde bombshells from early neo-noir films, Sinclair is the epitome of sensuality, a cunning and intellectual master of manipulation who poses a striking figure from her first appearance in protagonist Milo’s apartment. Hidden in shadows and garbed impeccably in a black off-the-shoulder open leg dress, she confidently commands respect as only a professional would.

Related: The forgotten Heroines of the Disney vault: Kida, Esmerelda, Lilo. Released too Early or too Late?

Role in the 2001 Film

The right-hand woman to Commander Lyle Rourke, Lt. Sinclair participates in the expedition to locate the fabled city of Atlantis. Possessing a deeply analytical mind and unafraid to jump into action, she is one of the few of the 148 member crew to escape the lair of the monstrous Leviathan that destroys their vessel, the Ulysses.

Despite her hesitation to proceed with the mission and her grief over the loss of so many under her command, Lt. Sinclair steadfastly follows Commander Rourke, Milo, and the surviving crew into Atlantis. Surprised to discover people living in the city, they initially extend an offer of peace to the Atlanteans. However, she and Commander Rourke reveal their villainous intentions to steal and sell the Heart of Atlantis, a crystal-based fragment of a comet that powers the city and grants its people long life from the crystals they wear around their necks.

Brushing aside her momentary concerns over participating in stealing from a living civilization and knowing that the act would destroy the city and kill the Atlanteans, Sinclair takes Kida hostage and demands that her father, King Kashekim Nedakh, give them the crystal. Rourke mortally wounds the King and discovers the Heart located beneath the throne room, where he and Sinclair witnesses the crystal merge with Kida after it detects a threat.

She and a dozen mercenaries remain loyally by Rourke’s side even after Milo convinces the rest of the crew not to betray their consciences and participate in genocide. The cruel duo attempt to escape in a giant balloon carrying the Heart after a battle against Milo and his allies over the now active volcano outside the city. However, Milo crashes his Ketak, a flying stone fish, into the balloon, causing it to descend. Rourke, determined to escape at all costs, almost hurls Sinclair from the balloon to lighten the load. She fights back with fury and athletic grace, but he overpowers her and throws her to the edge of the volcano below, tauntingly telling her “it’s nothing personal.”

Fatally wounded from the fall, Sinclair uses the last of her strength to fire her flare gun at the balloon, and with her dying breath, tells Rourke, “it’s nothing personal.” Her final act allows Milo to defeat Rourke by crystalizing and shattering him to pieces with the balloon’s propellers, giving Sinclair the last laugh.

Conception and Design

The filmmakers wanted Sinclair’s art style to mirror the graphic art of a comic book, and she was designed and drawn in Paris by animator Yoshimichi Tamura. Writer Tab Murphy likened her appearance to those of the platinum blonde women Humphrey Bogart interacted with. Sinclair’s voice actress, Claudia Christian, joked that she was relieved when she saw what her character looked like, saying, “I’d hate to, you know, go through all this and find out my character is a toad.”

Possible Role in the Abandoned Theatrical Sequel to Atlantis

Atlantis: The Lost Empire released to mixed reviews, and some critics felt the film was mediocre and failed to deliver as a non-Disney musical. In response to the lackluster reception, Disney scrapped plans to launch an Atlantis franchise comprising of an animated series, a theme park, and a theatrical sequel to the film. In an interview with Collider, director Kirk Wise revealed that a familiar villain would return for the sequel.

“The villain was going to be wearing big, scary, wool, bulky, World War I-style clothing with a frightening gasmask to obscure its face; a little Darth Vader-esque,” Wise said. “And this villain was going to try and retake Atlantis and finish the job that Rourke was unable to accomplish. And the big twist in the climax of the movie is that the villain is unmasked, and it turns out to be Helga Sinclair. Plot twist!”

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According to Wise, Sinclair survives her fall and becomes an early-20th-century cyborg who leads a team of mercenaries. It would’ve been a treat to see Helga as the Big Bad for the sequel, but alas, this never came to pass. It’s unfortunate because Sinclair stole the show with her icy and mysterious persona, and as one of the youngest and most alluring of the Disney villains, she makes for a memorable and formidable foe.

Are you a fan of Atlantis: The Lost Empire? What do you think about Lt. Helga Sinclair? Let me know in the comments and check out my website for all things pop culture.

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