Mater — protagonists

Hero Overview

Synopsis

Gallery

Do-gooder

Full Name

Tow Mater

Alias

Tow Truck

Sir Tow Mater
El Materdor (matador name)
The Tormentor (wrestler name)
Private Mater
Tokyo Mater
Mater Hawk (stuntcar name)
Mater Boy
Ivan (disguise)
Rescue Squad Mater (fire truck name)
Moon Mater (autonaut name)
Dr. Mater (doctor name)
Mater the Greater (dare devil name)
Agent Mater
The American Spy (by Professor Z)
Heavy Metal Mater (rockstar name)
The second agent (by Professor Z)

Origin

Cars

Occupation

Owner of Tow Mater Towing & Salvage
Lightning McQueen's best friend and sidekick
Private detective (formerly)
Fireman (formerly)
Astronaut (formerly)
Wrestler (formerly)
Matador (formerly)
Member of the Hawks (formerly)
Dare devil (formerly)
Doctor (formerly)
Drifter (formerly)
Time traveler (formerly)
Rockstar (formerly)
Part-time Secret Agent Spy (Cars 2; temporarily)

.

Powers / Skills

Driving backwards

Master at karate
High strength
Tow strap
Engines
Stunts
Speed
Gadgeteers
Flight
Intelligence (sometimes)

Hobby

Tipping tractors.

Karate.
Towing.
Wrestling.
Drifting.
Racing.

Goals

Help Lightning win the race (Cars; succeeded).

Stop the lemons from killing Lightning and then to find out who is the real culprit behind the conspiracy of the Allinol (Cars 2; succeeded).
Support Lightning with his relationship with Cruz (Cars 3; succeeded).
Travel to see his sister for her wedding (Cars on the Road; succeeded)

Family

Mato (sister)

Mateo (brother in-law)
Tommy Joe (cousin)
Buford (cousin)
Cletus (cousin)
Judd (cousin)
Zeke (cousin)
Lewis (cousin)

Enemies

Chick Hicks

Big D
Kabuto
Lemons:

Bubba
Jackson Storm
Sterling
Frank

Type of Hero

Loyal Automobile

“	Mater: My name's Mater. Lightning McQueen: Mater? Mater: Yeah, like 'tuh-mater', but without the 'tuh'.	„
	~ Mater introducing himself to Lightning McQueen.

“	Dad gum!	„
	~ One of Mater's catchphrases.

“	If I’m lying, I’m crying.	„
	~ Another one of Mater’s catchphrases.

Sir Tow Mater, referred to as simply Mater is the deuteragonist of the Disney/Pixar Cars franchise. He is Lightning McQueen's best friend.

In the films and TV show, he is one of the two tritagonists (alongside Sally Carrera) of Cars, the main protagonist of Cars 2 and a supporting character in Cars 3 and one of the two protagonists (alongside Lightning McQueen) of Cars on the Road.

In the shorts series, he is also the titular protagonist of Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tale and one of the main characters of Cars Toons: Tales of Radiator Springs.

He is voiced by famous comedian Larry the Cable Guy. In the Japanese dub from the movie, he is voiced by Tomomitsu Yamaguchi, who also voiced Lenny in Shark Tale.

Appearance

He is a rusty old tow truck (Boom Truck). He is currently covered in rust, and the only spots on where paint is visible on him are the rear and the sides. When he wasn't rusty, he was cyan-colored as an 8-year-old youngster.

Personality

Mater is a hilarious, friendly, good-natured, and loyal tow truck who happens to be best friends with Lightning McQueen. He has unconditional love for everyone and for other creatures too. However, he has shown to be smart, such as his knowledge of automobiles and engines and how he managed to expose Sir Miles Axlerod for his crimes. He is shown to have the biggest heart in Radiator Springs and is sweet to a fault.

He has shown to make jokes at times, such as joking that Sally is his fiancée, when she's really not, or teasing Lightning for not being able to honk or him being in love with Sally.

In other media

Cars: The Video Game

Mater makes his first appearance in Cars: The Video Game as the announcer of the Radiator Springs Grand Prix, which later turns out to be a dream by McQueen. In the Tractor Tipping minigame, McQueen asks Mater to go tractor tipping, which he agrees, surprised that McQueen would want to go tractor tipping because he thought that McQueen was frightened of Frank. He is then controlled by the player in the minigame.

He later teaches McQueen how to drive backwards, by setting out a course, where McQueen has to turn around and drive backwards at the same time as him on certain straights. After the lesson, Mater congratulates McQueen, and calls him "Mr. Gintil", which he was trying to spell his name backwards, only to be corrected by McQueen that it is "Litnig" forwards.

In Ornament Valley, Mater prepares for a race at the Rustbucket Stadium, by banging into a wall on purpose. McQueen comes along, telling him that most cars do not bang into walls on purpose, making Mater explain about the Rustbucket Race-O-Rama. One of his cousins, Tommy Joe, then appears, banging into McQueen, angering him before Mater explains that it is just Tommy's way of greeting. He asks McQueen to help out in the race, only to be saddened when McQueen decides to sit it out. After winning the race, Mater receives a boost tank, which he gives to McQueen.

In the final chapter of the game, he is one of the announcers of the races in Radiator Springs, Ornament Valley, and Tailfin Pass, alongside Darrell Cartrip. After McQueen wins the Piston Cup, Mater joins him and Sally on a drive along the road outside of Radiator Springs.

Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures

Mater appears in several of the activities in Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures. In Fill `Er Up, he is one of the customers who come to Flo's V8 Cafe. Tow the Line has him towing his cousins around his yard without bumping into the line and fences. He suggests to McQueen to go tractor tipping in Tractor Roundup, which both of them are controlled in different levels as the player has to make them tip tractors. In Chopper-Hopper, he takes a ride in Rotor Turbosky, the Dinoco helicopter. He is also one of the characters who can be raced against in Legends Race mode.

Cars: Mater-National Championship

In Cars: Mater-National Championship, Mater invites racers from all around the world to take part in the Mater-National Championship, with McQueen's racing headquarters being built. At the Rustbucket Stadium, he begins to fall for a British rally car named Emma, who his cousins were staring at for the last hour. Mater soon takes part in a race against Emma and several of the other Rustbucket racers, and later takes her to see the best gas station that he knows in town.

When McQueen is fitted with monster truck tires by Luigi, Mater becomes surprised upon seeing his appearance, and is saddened on that he is wanting to be a monster truck as well. Luckily for him, McQueen searches for more parts around Radiator Springs, and Mater begins doing a rampage in his home. He makes a jump and then smashes his house, which he is actually happy about, telling McQueen that he would not be able to fit in it anymore. McQueen states that it would be no problem if he took his monster truck tires off, but Mater refuses to take them off. However, he somehow does as shown later in the game.

Some time later, Mater takes McQueen out tractor tipping, only for the tractors to soon escape. Just as Mater attempts to tip of the tractors that are wandering around Radiator Springs, he gets spotted by Sheriff, who orders him not to go to the field again, and also plays a trick on Mater by putting a lamp on his tow hook to make him think the ghost light is chasing him. A day later, Mater comes across a Japanese drifter named Koji, and responds to his greeting by saying the Japanese word "Konichiwa!", although he is unable to translate Koji asking if he can race McQueen, believing that he is wanting to race him while blindfolded, driving backwards and wearing flat tires. After McQueen and Koji's race, Mater amazes them by drifting along a bend, tripping over the end of a bridge, and spinning in the air before coming back down. The headquarters is soon finished, and all of the racers admit that they would like to invite Mater, McQueen, and their friends over to Europe, saying that it is just on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, to which Mater points out that he cannot swim. To mark the end of the Mater-National Championship, everyone gets their photo taken in front of the headquarters.

Cars: Race-O-Rama

While McQueen has a battle with Chick throughout the Race-O-Rama series, where Chick threatens to take over Radiator Springs, Mater competes in the Rustbucket Derby, coming across Bubba, who is known to him for badly abusing him in the past. Bubba has come to challenge him in the Rustbucket Derby, with Tater and Tater Jr. by his sides. However, Tater and Tater Jr. soon begin a friendship with Mater, starting with when they realize that their names rhyme. Eventually, Mater wins the Rustbucket series, being congratulated by Tater and Tater Jr., while Bubba threatens to get his revenge on Mater soon.

Also in the game, there are minigames based on Mater the Greater, El Materdor, and Tokyo Mater, where the player's aim is to get Mater on the target at the other side of Carburetor Canyon, dodge the bulldozers in time, and beat Kabuto to the top of Tokyo Tower. He can also be played as in his monster truck form in the Monster Truck Mayhem races.

The World of Cars Online

Before The World of Cars Online was closed down, players could meet Mater while exploring Radiator Springs, and get missions from him near his Junkyard.

Cars 2: The Video Game

After the events of the second film, Mater and his friends join C.H.R.O.M.E. to be trained for spy missions, being assisted by Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell. Mater's first simulation goes well when he helps get Finn free from being captured by the lemons and chase Professor Z.

Mater is available at the start of the game, with variant versions of him unlocked as the player progresses. Materhosen is unlocked in-game by collecting the "Agent - Fourth Class" crest, which is collected when the player collects ten crests or badges. The others are available as downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, costing $0.99 each. They are Tokyo Mater, Mater the Greater, Mater Ivan and Mater Kabuki. He is in the "Heavy" class, having a lot more power than speed.

Kinect Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure

Mater makes his appearance in the Cars levels of Kinect Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure. In the first part of the story, Mater tells the player that they have been selected to become part of McQueen's team, but first try out a course that he had designed for the best drivers. The player's aim is to drive through the course while following Mater. After the challenge is completed, Mater finds that the player has done so well to race in McQueen's team, while Holley adds that the player would also be perfect for doing spy work.

When the player unlocks a goal that allows their character to spin and collect coins that are in a semi-circle, Mater can be heard communicating through the radio when the semi-circles appear.

Disney Infinity

Mater is one of the playable characters in the first Disney Infinity game, being compatible in the sequels. He is able to be used in the Cars Play Set for the first game, and the Toy Box in any of the games, which his figure is available separately. In the story, he and the townsfolk plan to get Radiator Springs ready for a racing competition being held, along with trying to figure out what to do on his and Holley's date. After Chick Hicks loses the final race, Holley makes an agreement to have their date at Flo's V8 Cafe.

In the first game, he has an exclusive Toy Box Adventure called Mater's Tow 'n' Go. The objective is to tow tourist cars to areas that have a light matching the color of that car.

Cars: Fast as Lightning

At the beginning of the mobile game Cars: Fast as Lightning, Mater takes two races against McQueen on his track. McQueen is able to win both but apologizes to Mater for beating him in the first race, to which Mater replies that he is not upset about it.

Throughout the game, Mater is one of the characters who give out missions to the player. He is unlocked as a playable character after the player beats him while playing as Fillmore in the tournament races. Unlocking him will also unlock his race track and the Mater Statue. Occasionally, he sleeps in Tow Mater Towing & Salvage. He also has four paint jobs: Mater the Greater, Tokyo, Winter, and Santa Hat. These are unlocked by winning practice races on Mater's race track or purchasing them with gems.

Cars 3: Driven to Win

Mater and his alter-ego Mater The Greater appeared in Cars 3: Driven to Win as playable characters. Mater the Greater serves as a guide in his own stunt-racing event, and completing it unlocks him as a playable character.

Disney Parks

Mater appears in Disney's Hollywood Studios along with McQueen, both as "drive-around" characters and in a sequence added to Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show to tie-in with Cars 2. Mater hosts Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and appears in Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure.

Beginning in 2018, Mater wears his "Dracula Mater" disguise from Cars 2 during the Halloween season, while during Christmas seasons, he wears a Santa hat. During safety protocols due to COVID-19, Mater does not drive around and remains stationary outside Fillmore's Taste-In.

Mater also appears in some Disney on Ice shows. A figure of Mater also appears at Walt Disney Studios Park, Disneyland Paris at the Cars Race Rally attraction watching over the action. A statue of Mater can also be found at Disney's Art of Animation Resort.

Quotes

“	No, uh… no, I know your name. Is your name Mater too?	„
	~ Mater when he meets Lightning McQueen

“	When I say go, we go. But don't let Frank catch yeh. Go!	„
	~ Mater as he takes Lightning McQueen tractor tipping

“	Tractors is so dumb.	„
	~ Mater

“	Baby!	„
	~ Mater

“	That's Frank!	„
	~ Mater when Frank the angry combine harvester appears

“	We'll talk later, Mater… hehe - later, Mater - that's funny!	„
	~ Mater

“	Look at this! It's my hood! It's my hood! I haven't seen this thing in over 20 years! Well, it fits perfectly! How do I look? (sneezes; the hood falls back down the cliff) Aww, dang!	„
	~ Mater when he fishes his old hood out of a ravine with his tow hook, only for it to fall right back down

“	I'M NOT A SPY!	„
	~ Mater revealing to Finn and Holley he is not a spy

“	McQueen, you don't get it! I'M THE BOMB!!	„
	~ Mater trying to warn McQueen about the bomb in his air filter

“	Dad-Gum!	„
	~ Mater

“	Shoot!	„
	~ Mater

“	I Didn't Mean That Kinda Shoot!	„
	~ Mater

“	If I'm lying, I'm crying!	„
	~ One of Mater's catchphrases

“	Good evening. My name is Mater and I'll be your waiter. (laughs) Mater, waiter! That's funny right there!	„
	~ Mater about to give Lightning McQueen's and Sally's order

Trivia

A113, a recurring joke found in other Pixar films, is Mater's license plate.
It is highly speculated by fans and heavily implied by the film franchise that Tow Mater has high functioning autism or is somewhere on the spectrum (because of his vast encyclopedic savant-like knowledge, he likes to self stimulate when he feels overwhelmed and he has sensory processing disorder problems. He is also quite obsessive with things that interest him and he's a very visual thinker) He also takes idioms and sarcasm too literally and he's a poor socializer (he's socially inept).
Mater apparently comes from a rich family.