The Visual Timeline of Minions: Every Movie Mapped from 42 B. C. to Modern Day
By James H. Sterling
Set directly in 1976, Minions: The Rise of Gru bridges the awkward gap between childhood mischief and legitimate underworld notoriety. Eleven-year-old Gru operates out of his mother’s suburban basement, desperately seeking admission to the premier criminal syndicate of the decade, the Vicious 6. When the group ousts its veteran founder, Wild Knuckles, Gru seizes the opportunity by stealing the powerful Zodiac Stone, triggering a multi-state pursuit across San Francisco.
This chapter anchors vital character introductions that pay off decades later. Gru crosses paths with an eccentric, wheelchair-bound gadget developer named Dr. Nefario inside a record store front. Meanwhile, a round, talkative Minion named Otto loses the stolen stone for a pet rock, prompting an unforgettable cross-country bicycle chase. By the time Gru and Wild Knuckles defeat the mutated members of the Vicious 6 during Chinese New Year, the core team is solidified. Gru secures the loyalty of Dr. Nefario, loads his expanded yellow army into an oversized rocket plane, and officially launches his career as a professional supervillain.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
