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"You didn't ask for reality, you asked for more teeth."
—Henry Wu to Simon Masrani about the Indominus rex(src)

Mr. Henry Wu (formerly Dr. Henry Wu) is the central antagonist of the Jurassic Park franchise, the chief genetic engineer of InGen and the geneticist that recreates the dinosaurs in all Jurassic Park media. He was a major character in the book, but in the the film, he was only a minor character with the majority of his role being taken over by Mr. DNA.

He serves as a minor character of Jurassic Park, a major antagonist of both Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, one of the two overarching antagonists (alongside the Indominus rex) of the Netflix spin-off Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, and one of the two secondary antagonists (alongside Soyona Santos) turned anti-hero of Jurassic World: Dominion. In Camp Cretaceous, he serves as a major antagonist of Season 1, an unseen antagonist of Seasons 2, 4, and 5, and the final antagonist of Season 3.

He also appears in numerous video games, where he serves as an unseen antagonist of Jurassic Park: Trespasser, and a major character of Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis, Jurassic Park: Builder, Jurassic World: The Game, Jurassic World: Evolution, and Jurassic World: Evolution 2. A version of him appears as a minor character in the comic book Jurassic Park: Redemption.

In Jurassic World, he was a foil for Masrani's moral opposition to gene splicing, creating the hybrid Indominus rex.

History[]

Cloning dinosaurs[]

Henry Wu is a Chinese American from Ohio with a PhD from Ohio State University.[1] He was a senior member of InGen's project to recreate the dinosaurs. Hammond and Wu cloned baby elephants in Lockwood Manor, before moving on to dinosaurs.[2]

Wu04m

Dr. Wu, when he is first encountered in the movie.

Wu decided to use the DNA of several species of amphibians, including the common reed frog (Hyperolius viridiflavus), to supplement the dinosaur DNA.[3] The first prehistoric animal was cloned in 1986. Wu also decided to build in a few safety measures. The dinosaur chromosomes were designed such that all animals were female, so they could not reproduce. He also made the dinosaurs unable to produce Lysine, so they would die without the supplements in their food.

Charlotte Lockwood worked with him at Site B and was one of InGen's best geneticists between the early 1990s and the late 2000s. She also lived there, growing up around scientists and science itself, loving dinosaurs, and eventually becoming a brilliant scientist herself.

Jurassic Park Incident[]

When the endorsement team visited the Isla Nublar Laboratory to see the Velociraptors hatch, Dr. Wu was among the scientists in the laboratory at that time. He joined the group and answered their questions. Wu probably left the island on the C-3208 boat during the storm evacuation.

Wu returned to the island in November 1994 as part of the operation to deconstruct the ruined Jurassic Park.[3] His job was cataloging specimen numbers, and to identify exactly how the animals were breeding. Wu discovered that the amphibian DNA enabled the animals to change their sex through a chemical trigger which disintegrated the female organs to create male sex organs.

Creating hybrids[]

Ingen pic1

Dr. Wu stands in front of a collection of amber samples collected from various InGen operated mines located all across the world.

Wu kept leading the research team at a financially struggling InGen. The breeding dinosaurs had shown him that not only the DNA of various species could be combined, but also their observable characteristics. In 1995, Dr. Wu wrote the book The Next Step: An Evolution of God’s Concepts. In this book, he proposed the hypothesis that he could bring brand new species into fruition by the combination the traits of various species.[3]

In 1997, Wu and his team actually succeeded in creating a hybrid organism. They had combined the DNA of several plant species to create a new plant, Karacosis wutansis (or Wu Flower). The creation of this hybrid plant gained worldwide media attention.[3]

Masrani[]

In 1998, the Masrani Global Corporation bought and took over InGen. The CEO Simon Masrani promoted Dr. Wu within the ranks of the InGen company in December of 2000.[3] Wu supervised the creation of new dinosaurs in the Hammond Creation Lab for the new park Jurassic World.

During his time working under Masrani Global, Wu created the first genetically-modified hybrid dinosaur to ever exist, the Scorpios rex, named after the Scorpionfish DNA in its genetic code. After running many tests through the E750 project, Wu was successful in creating the hybrid. However, Wu discovered how unpredictable the Scorpios truly was. Wu introduced the hybrid to Masrani, but he rejected it because he saw it as too hideous for the guests to look at. Eventually, the Scorpios broke free and attacked Wu, poisoning him with its venomous quills, but he survived thanks to his assistants giving him an antidote he had developed. Masrani found out about what happened and ordered Wu to destroy the Scorpios specimen, but instead, Wu had it frozen in a cryogenic chamber to discover the cause of its unpredictable nature and supposedly relocate it somewhere where it would be rendered completely harmless. Following the incident, Wu and many other InGen scientists were involved in the creation of his second genetically-modified hybrid, the Indominus rex.[4][5]

In November of 2014, the new InGen facility named "Martel" opened in Siberia. The goal of Martel was to extract Pleistocene dated organic materials from glacial ice. He showed excitement for the project believing it will expand InGen's genome library,[6] but he withheld from speculating about using any found materials to create Cenozoic animals for Jurassic World at the moment.[7]

In a paper for a scientific journal that was published by Wu in March 2015, he reported on the possibility of using InGen's genome library to help Medixal Health in their research of diseases.[8]

Jurassic World Incident[]

Wu and eddie

Wu and Eddie in the lab.

Dr. Wu is first seen in his lab with his assistant Eddie when Camp Cretaceous counselors Dave and Roxie brought Brooklynn, Ben Pincus, Sammy Gutierrez and Yasmina Fadoula to the facility for a tour. He expressed disdain at their presence and was especially annoyed by Dave.[9]

When Sammy picked up a piece of amber, Wu grabbed it away from her, and he refused to allow Brooklynn to film inside the lab despite her attempts to stroke his ego by saying she could make him famous with her web show. He later caught her in his private office, snooping at his computer and learning about the Indominus rex. He had Dave and Roxie take the kids out after that.[9]

Wu and brooklynn

Brooklynn attempts to convince Wu to let her film in the lab.

He was later seen with Claire Dearing, trying to attract investors with the genetically modified hybrid Indominus rex. After the Indominus rex escaped, Masrani confronted Wu about how the animal was created. Wu did not tell Masrani that part of it is Velociraptor, but he did mention that it had the genes of cuttlefish to help her withstand an accelerated growth rate, though the progress also gave Indominus the ability of camouflage (which the creature used to surprise the ACU Troopers). Tree frog DNA was also used to adapt the hybrid to the island's tropical climate, but it also gave her the ability to hide her infrared signature from the thermal seeking cameras around her paddock. He also reminded Masrani that he was the one that asked for a bigger, scarier and cooler dinosaur, but Masrani accused him of creating a monster instead. Wu then states that "monster" is a relative term between a cat and a canary; they are used to being the cat. Masrani correctly suspects that Wu deliberately withheld things from him and is withholding some more still, leading to him shutting down the lab. Though he seems to be somewhat unpleasantly surprised at how deadly the hybrid has turned out, he is apparently unremorseful about the deaths that it has caused, deeming them merely "unfortunate", and is unconcerned that he has committed numerous crimes against nature by creating the hybrid in the first place. When Vic Hoskins takes command of the park, Wu is revealed to have been secretly working with Hoskins to make hybrids as weapons and Hoskins has him evacuated to the Costa Rican mainland along with the rest of the InGen team. He takes with him several hybrid dinosaur embryos at Hoskins' request, thus protecting his research.[10]

Post Jurassic World Incident[]

Following the Jurassic World Incident, Dr. Wu is found guilty of bioethical misconduct and stripped of all his credentials.

I. rex Specimen Retrieval[]

The campers from Camp Cretaceous are still stuck on Jurassic World following the incident.[11] When Brooklynn, Sammy and Yasmina go into Wu's lab, Brooklynn says Wu was up to something big and secret, and Brooklynn ends up finding Wu's key card. Brooklynn later uses Wu's tag to get inside a garage (unintentionally) and the surveillance room.[4]

Wu returns to Nublar

Wu returns to Nublar

Brooklynn and Sammy watch a video (on Wu's computer), of him talking about the Scorpius rex (E750), being attacked by the Scorpius rex, and then being treated with an antidote.[4] Wu later returns to the island with the mercenaries that work under Eli Mills, to retrieve a sample of the Indominus rex, and also to retrieve Wu's personal laptop that contains years of research. While in his lab, he notices that the Scorpios rex escaped, which makes him concerned. When Hawkes (one of the mercenaries) captures Brooklynn and brings her out,[5] Wu immediately recognizes her as one of the campers and asks her if all the campers never made it off the island. However, Hawkes tells him that her friends stole the laptop. The three then head back to the helicopter, but not before Hawkes warns Darius and Yasmina that they had 2 hours to return the laptop, or else they would not release Brooklynn.[12]

While heading back, Brooklynn tells Wu that there were two Scorpius rex's, which shocks him, and then she says that she and the other campers killed them. After reaching the helicopter the following morning, Kenji runs with the laptop and hands it to Wu. However, at that moment, Ben leads Bumpy and her herd of Ankylosaurs to attack Wu and take his laptop, as per the campers' plan. Wu's laptop is stolen by Sammy and Yasmina and the laptop is destroyed during the attack. Wu is angry that all his research is gone. However, after learning from another mercenary that they got the sample of the Indominus rex, he becomes satisfied and tells Hawkes they can leave. Hawkes starts flying the helicopter. After spotting the campers, Hawkes advances the helicopter to them, which frightens Wu. Wu tells him that they are not the mission. Hawkes then stops pursuing the camper and flies off with the helicopter.[12]

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom[]

Wu Angry

Evidently stripped of his doctorate, Mr. Wu is seen talking with Eli Mills while Maisie Lockwood is exploring the hidden laboratory at the Lockwood Manor. She overhears them arguing about Blue and the condition she's being brought back in. Later, Wu is seen briefly at the dinosaur auction. He protests when Eli allows bidding on a prototype of the Indoraptor. After the auction ended in disaster, he is seen back in the laboratory trying to salvage as much as he can. He attempts to get a blood sample from Blue to complete his Indoraptor but is shocked as he learns from Zia Rodriguez that she gave Blue a blood transfusion from Rexy, thereby contaminating Blue's pure genome. Suddenly, Franklin Webb manages to sedate Wu with a tranquilizer dart filled with 50 CC'S of Carfentanil. This allows him to free Zia, but they are stopped by mercenaries which one of them drags Wu off and away from the lab. Zia was able to free Blue from the cage which she provided as cover to hold of the mercenaries while Zia and Franklin make their escape. During the fight between Blue and the mercenaries, a tank of flammable gas is struck by a stray bullet which then gets triggered causing Wu’s lab to explode in the process.

Jurassic World: Dominion[]

Henry Wu and Maisie at Biosyn lab

Wu reveals to Maisie her true origin.

In the four years since the events at Lockwood Manor, Wu worked for Biosyn and he created the giant locusts which were used by Biosyn to spread genetic modification to crops as part of a project named Hexapod Allies. However, a much subdued Wu warned Lewis Dodgson that the locusts were out of control and needed to be stopped. Remorseful for his actions, Wu had Maisie Lockwood and Beta brought to the Biosyn Sanctuary, seeking to use the duo's help to find a solution before it's too late. Wu revealed to Maisie the truth behind Charlotte Lockwood's creation of her and even showed Maisie videos of her mother on Isla Sorna. Wu later got into an argument with Dodgson over his actions, giving Maisie the chance to free Beta and escape.

JWD everyone together

While trying to escape from the burning Biosyn Sanctuary, Wu encountered Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Owen Grady, Claire Dearing, and Ramsay Cole with Grant instantly remembering Wu from their brief meeting before the 1993 Isla Nublar Incident. Although the group was angry at Wu for his role in the environmental catastrophe, Wu convinced them to let him use Charlotte's work to try to find a solution. Maisie stood up for him to the others that he should go with them and she will let him study her because it's what Charlotte would do. They were then joined by Ian Malcolm who also recognized Wu, complaining that "it's always him" before Malcolm noticed Beta on Grady's shoulder. Wu then joined the group in escaping as Rexy and a Therizinosaurus battled the Giganotosaurus, although he broke his arm upon falling while rushing to the helicopter. Following the escape, Wu received medical treatment for his broken arm at an airfield.

Wu later succeeded in creating a solution to the crisis by using a pathogen carried by one giant locust to alter the DNA of the rest of them, releasing the locust into the swarm and cheering as his efforts succeeded. Wu's work revolutionized modern genetics and Wu publicly attributed the discovery to Charlotte's work.

Personality[]

Wu is a very devout and intelligent scientist. When he is first introduced, he shows a lot of fascination and pride in the dinosaurs he helped genetically engineer. When he is seen again in Jurassic World, he still takes great pride in his creations. However, he also expresses a frustration at not being allowed to innovate, which leads him to ally with Vic Hoskins to create the Indominus rex. Also, he is shown to be heartless, as he shows minimal sympathy over the deaths of people caused by the Indominus rex, simply dismissing them as "unfortunate." In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, he is shown to be very impatient and frustrated, most notably with Eli Mills, whom he considers weak. Fallen Kingdom also shows that Wu's progression to villainy can best be rooted in that while John Hammond had the dream for Jurassic Park, it was Wu's genius that made the park a reality.

It is possible that Wu had a good relationship with Hammond. He referred to Hammond as "sir," and Hammond likewise amicably addressed him by his first name. His relationship with his next employer Simon Masrani, however, was far colder. During his confrontation with Masrani after he expressed rage at the Indominus rex's murderous traits, Wu shot back that he had done exactly what Masrani had told him to do. When Masrani threatened him, Wu angrily fumed that Jurassic World kept him doing exactly what he'd been doing for years: making unnatural, exaggerated spliced creatures for entertainment and not reality. His relationship with his third boss, Mills, was arguably worse, as he often got frustrated with him and even referred to him as "weak." It is possible that Hammond's death greatly affected Wu's personality and had a hand in turning him into a cold-blooded person who prioritized progress and innovation for its own sake. Wu's actions and their consequences were so widely known that Alan Grant instantly recognized him decades after their one meeting. Ian Malcolm similarly recognized Wu and complained that "it's always him."

Wu, since Jurassic World, can be described as a self-centered and ruthless egomaniac who will do anything to get the credit he believes he deserves. However, in Camp Cretaceous, he shows more impatience and intolerance towards children as well as Dave and Roxie, since he did not officially authorize their visit to the lab. His ego was briefly stroked after Brooklynn manipulated him into revealing more about the lab by mentioning her online status, but this ended after he discovered Brooklynn trespassing. He has not been very fond of the campers since, but he was indeed shocked and mildly concerned that both Brooklynn and the other campers never escaped the island, although this became brief once he focused on his missing laptop. He considers their attempts to stop him futile and a small obstacle to his success, which he believes will push back the boundaries of science, the work of a true visionary, revealing he still desires to be acknowledged for his work. However, he seems to consider Brooklynn's words when she reveals the events that transpired on the island, such as the Scorpios rexes. Regardless, while this obviously did not stop his actions from proceeding in the second film, after recalling Brooklynn's previous words that visionaries made the world better, Wu, in a moment of moral clarity, had Hawkes leave them alone by reminding him that they weren't the mission. This proves that Wu still has some form of morality in him, at least enough to stop him from harming or endangering the children, since he didn't consider his actions would in any way harm them.

In Jurassic World: Dominion, Wu is shown to be much more subdued than before, recognizing and seeking to correct his mistakes and urging Lewis Dodgson to destroy the giant locusts. Now remorseful for his work after seeing the damage that it was causing, Wu reveals the truth of Maisie Lockwood's parentage to her and gently seeks her help with finding a solution to the problem, later appealing to the other survivors of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World incidents to give him the chance to fix his mistakes. Rather than taking all of the credit for his revolutionary discovery for himself, Wu credited Charlotte Lockwood as she was the one who had truly made the discovery.

Gallery[]

Wiki
Jurassic Park Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Henry Wu.

Quotes[]

Wiki
Jurassic Park Wiki has a collection of quotations related to Henry Wu.

Links[]

Trivia[]

  • Originally, Dr. Wu's role in Jurassic Park was significantly minor and altered from his major role in the original novel. While still being the principal geneticist behind cloning the dinosaurs, Wu appears in only one part of the original film & is not seen again. Wu was made into a major character with his return in the Jurassic World films with B. D. Wong returning to the part after 22 years.
  • Wu is the only lead character of the movies of East Asian ethnicity.
  • Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has all the characters refer to him as "Mr. Henry Wu" instead of "Dr. Henry Wu". A deleted scene would have explained this, by having Wu stripped of his doctorate from the fallout of Jurassic World's downfall. It seems to have been reinstated as of the end of Jurassic World: Dominion, he is once again referred to as "Dr. Henry Wu," in the news broadcast.

References[]

External Links[]

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Jurassic Park novel Characters
Alan GrantEllie SattlerIan MalcolmJohn HammondLewis DodgsonJohn ArnoldRobert MuldoonDennis NedryHenry WuEd RegisDonald GennaroLex MurphyTim MurphyGerry HardingMartin GutierrezClarenceRalphRexy
Jurassic Park Characters
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Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Characters
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