He’s the guy with the suit, the gravelly voice, and the soul-crushing job of keeping the world from exploding. Or, at the very least, keeping the world from finding out that the guy next door can bench-press a locomotive. Most of us know him as the government handler from The Incredibles, but honestly, Rick Dicker is way more than just a background "G-man."
He is essentially the HR department for superheroes. If you’ve ever had to clean up a mess at work that wasn't yours, you've basically lived a day in Rick Dicker’s shoes. He’s the head of the Super Relocation Program, a niche government branch that spent fifteen years trying to hide the fact that people with capes were bankrupting the city with lawsuits.
The Man Behind the Memory-Wiper
Rick Dicker isn't just some nameless agent. He's a veteran of the National Supers Agency (NSA)—and no, not the real-life agency that watches your metadata. In Pixar's universe, the NSA was the bridge between the public and the "Supers." When the Superhero Relocation Act passed in the 1950s (following that disastrous lawsuit involving Mr. Incredible and a guy named Oliver Sansweet), Dicker became the person in charge of making sure people like Bob and Helen Parr stayed "mundane."
Think about that for a second. His entire career was dedicated to making extraordinary people act ordinary. That’s a heavy lift. He wasn't just filing paperwork; he was erasing memories, paying off witnesses, and finding new identities for families every time Bob decided to lift a car in a fit of suburban rage.
Why the Voice Change?
You might’ve noticed something different if you watched Incredibles 2 right after the original. Rick Dicker sounds... different. That’s because the legendary Bud Luckey, who originally voiced the character (and also designed Woody from Toy Story!), passed away in early 2018.
The role was taken over by Jonathan Banks. You probably know him as Mike Ehrmantrout from Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul. Honestly, it’s one of the most perfect casting transitions in animation history. Banks brought that "weary fixer" energy that fit the character like a glove. He sounds like a guy who’s seen too many memory-wiping "suction cups" fail.
It’s Not an Exact Science
One of the funniest, and honestly most tragic, moments in Incredibles 2 involves Rick Dicker and a teenager named Tony Rydinger. After Tony sees Violet without her mask, Dicker has to step in.
But as Rick says himself: "It's not an exact science."
Instead of just wiping the memory of the incident, he accidentally nukes Tony’s entire memory of Violet existing. Gone. Poof. This mistake basically ruins Violet’s social life and highlights the cracks in the government's "clean-up" system. It shows that Dicker isn't a god; he’s a bureaucrat working with imperfect tools.
The Retirement No One Saw Coming
By the time the sequel kicks off, the government has basically had enough. The politicians—who, as Dicker put it, "don't understand people who do good simply because it's right"—finally pull the plug on the program.
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Dicker’s departure is actually one of the most poignant moments in the franchise. He’s been the Parr family's safety net for over a decade. When the agency shuts down, he’s forced into retirement. In the middle of Incredibles 2, we even see him in a Hawaiian shirt. It’s a hilarious visual, but it also signals the end of an era. The Supers are finally on their own.
A Few Things You Probably Missed
- The Nixon Connection: If you look at his character design, he bears a striking resemblance to Richard Nixon. It’s that long head and prominent nose.
- The Blade Runner Reference: His name is a direct nod to Rick Deckard, the protagonist of Blade Runner.
- The Agency Roots: The NSA in the film is heavily modeled after the "Men in Black" trope—dark suits, memory erasers, and a total lack of public recognition.
What Rick Dicker Teaches Us About the "Incredibles" World
The presence of a character like Rick Dicker changes the tone of the movies. Without him, The Incredibles is just a superhero flick. With him, it’s a commentary on how society handles things that are "different."
Dicker represents the pragmatism of the real world. He likes the Supers—he was even at Bob and Helen’s wedding back in the day—but he knows that the world isn't built for them. He’s the guy who tells you the truth even when it sucks. When he tells Bob, "You want out of the hole, first you gotta put down the shovel," he’s giving the best advice in the whole movie.
How to Spot a Dicker-Style "Fixer" in Real Life
While we don't have government agents wiping our memories (at least, I hope not), the Rick Dicker archetype is everywhere. He’s the person who:
- Values Discretion: He doesn't do it for the fame; he does it to keep the peace.
- Is Brutally Honest: He won't sugarcoat the fact that the government is cutting your funding.
- Shows Up for the Big Stuff: Even when he’s "done," we see him at the end of the second film, clearly still rooting for the good guys.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the lore, I’d highly recommend re-watching the short film "Jack-Jack Attack." It’s where Dicker really shines as an interrogator. Seeing him try to make sense of a babysitter’s mental breakdown while she describes a baby with "laser vision" is comedy gold.
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Actionable Insight: Next time you watch The Incredibles, pay attention to the background details in Dicker’s office. The "File 82-712" he references isn't just a random number; it’s a glimpse into the thousands of other Supers he’s likely had to hide over the years. Understanding his character makes the stakes for the Parr family feel much more grounded and real.