Barney the dinosaur
Context
Barney & Friends was a TV series for small children, starring Barney the purple, cheerful humanoid dinosaur. It ran from 1992 to 2009, but was preceded by a 1988-1991 Barney and the Backyard Gang series.
When my daughter was a one-year old, she watched Barney night and day. So, by default, I did too.
The show did become the target of anti-Barney humor during the early 1990s. There is hundreds of death fiction…hundreds of them…
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Background
- Real Name: Barney, “Unrevealed”.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Presumably there are others of his kind. The children dinosaurs who sometimes accompany him are not his own.
- Group Affiliation: Barney and Friends.
- Base Of Operations: The caboose in the park; his own dimension.
- Height: 6’2” Weight: 350 lbs.
- Eyes: Black Hair: None
Powers & Abilities
Barney is able to juggle well.
Everyone he speaks to listens and no-one has ever disagreed with him.
He is the great mediator. In the rare occasion there is an argument between the children, Barney has no problem resolving it, with both parties leaving happy with the decision.
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Barney also possesses a transcendent awareness of his own identity as a TV character, living in a TV universe, watched by TV viewers. This awareness gives him the ability to speak directly to the viewers.
History
Barney began by watching our world from the safety of his own dimension, particularly an elementary school. Michael and Amy, two children who go to this school, wanted to surprise their dad with birthday party.
Amy found the Barney plush toy in a box in the garage and used her imagination to make him come to life. Barney used this opportunity to appear, meet the children, and use his magic to befriend them.
Over time, Barney met and made friends with many other children, their parents, teachers and others. He’s even made friends with figures of Earth’s mystical community, like Santa Klaus and Mother Goose.
Barney has returned to the Earth dimension many times and even brought children from his own dimension with him. Years have passed and Barney is quite the expert when it comes to children’s songs and games.
The Dimension next door
Barney and his other dinosaur friends arrived on Earth from another dimension. The doorway to our dimension located in the park. Other doorways have been mentioned, as well as the generic saying, “…Barney can be your friend too if you just make-believe him.”
When entering Barney’s home dimension all the dinosaurs take off at a run vanishing in thin air, sparkling lights follow. Only Barney is different in that after he vanishes a stuffed Barney toy is left behind.
The name of Barney’s home dimension has never been stated and little is known about it except where Barney and friends are concerned. Inside, the dimension is a completely white plane. Barney, BJ, and others practice songs, dances and games here.
They also learn about safety and practice it in preparation for the time when it will be demonstrated again for the children of Earth. The children from the park never enter Barney’s home dimension.
Using magic, Barney is able to create anything he needs.
One last aspect of this dimension is that Barney may peer into our world from that dimension without being perceived himself.
Description
Barney is an anamorphic purple Tyrannosaurus Rex. Though Barney is a T-Rex his teeth are flat like a plant eater. Barney’s voice was deeper and more mature in the early Backyard Gang videos.
Personality
Barney has a friendly optimistic attitude that some may find annoying. Despite being a carnivorous dinosaur, this T-rex likes many different kinds of food, even fruits and vegetables.
His favorite is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk. Barney’s favorite bread is pumpernickel. He also loves marching bands and parades.
Quotes
“That’s a super-dee-duper idea !”
(Barney’s (in)famous chuckle)
“Stu-u-u-pendous !”
“Maybe I can help ?” (Jumps into the air) “Ahhwooo !” (and something magical happens…)
“Let’s use our ima-gin-a-tion.”
“And remember, I love you.” (Waves goodbye)
DC Universe History
I see Barney running into some trouble when he does his magical happiness in the DCU. Even though Barney is a good guy with altruistic motives, others may not see it his way. He’s an other dimensional being manipulating the minds of others AND he is targeting children.
I think there would be too many unanswered questions to just let him “do his thing”. When he is understood he could be accepted and trusted but it would take some time.
The DC Universe has Crocky – a small children’s character vaguely resembling Barney, who appeared in Phil Dixon-written books. Next to nothing is known about it, but it’s a very common toy that little children find comforting.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Barney
A 1,153 points Character
| Dex: 03 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 | Motivation: Upholding the Good |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 | Occupation: Interdimensional being of good |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 06 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: 000 |
| Init: 009 | HP: 005 |
Powers:
Awareness: 05, Broadcast Empath: 04, Density Increase: 04, Dimensional Travel: 05, Extra-limb (Tail): 00, Fabricate: 14, Telekinesis: 02
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Broadcast Empath has area effect and is Mystic Linked (+10 BC).
- Broadcast Empath may only be used to cause happiness (-2 FC).
- Density Increase is Form Function.
- Dimension Travel is only shown to allow travel (-2 FC) between Earth and his home dimension (-100 BC).
- Dimension Travel allows for Location Jumping (+100 BC).
- Dimension Travel is Mystic Linked (+10 BC).
- Telekinesis is only used when the result is a “Probable Impossibility” to use a Walt Disney term. (frex: If he throws a pitch that is a “loopty-loop curve ball” the ball can fly in impossible loops then curve away as the batter swings.
- Telekinesis is Mystic Linked.
Skills:
Artist (Dancer, Singer)*: 04
Advantages
Scholar (Children’s songs, nursery rhymes, games), Slowed Aging.
Connections:
Santa Claus (High), Fireman Bill (High), Mr. Tenagain (High), Ella Jenkins (High), Farmer Henderson (High), Old King Cole (High), Professor Tinkerpot from imagination island (Low), Stella (High), Mother Goose (Low), Tomie dePaola (High), More than one hundred children of the park and school (Low).
Drawbacks:
Catastrophic Irrational Attraction to teaching and playing children’s games, Misc.: Barney has no motor control over his tail.
Design notes
Barney’s Body score was arrived at because of his good health and overall size. The Body score is a guess since Barney has never taken damage or been injured at any time.
Looking at the magic Barney is capable of; I believe he is useable as a Dimensional traveler attempting to learn about other worlds.
Early stats
Barney’s Influence and Aura stats have grown over time along with his Artist skill. Before becoming interested in our dimension, Barney had none of his current advantages or drawback.
Barney looked a little different in his early appearances being stiffer in his movements, Dex was an AP lower.
Barney was taught the songs and games by the children and a lot had to be explained to him. He also carried or teleported magic items to the Earth realm. One in particular was the “Barney bag”. A magic bag holding more items than a bag of its size physically could hold.
Barney Bag [Body 02, Dimension Travel (Mini-Tesseract Only): 15, R#0, Cost: 55].
Source of Character: Barney and the Backyard Gang series running from 1988 to 1991 and Barney and Friends series running from 1992-2009; and Barney’s the Night before Christmas special. Barney voiced by Bob West, Duncan Brannan, Tim Dever, and Dean Wendt.
Helper(s): Wikipedia, tvtropes.org , She-Hulk writeup.
Writeup completed on the 8th of June, 2015.