Apollo Creed
A Character Profile
Apollo Creed: A Foil to Rocky Balboa
The film, 'Rocky,' focuses on the character of Rocky Balboa. He is the hero of the story. However, no story is complete without a villain. Apollo Creed serves as Rocky's nemesis, and the character traits he displays serve to emphasize everything that Rocky is NOT.
Inferences about Creed
There is plenty of evidence throughout the film to support some clear inferences about Apollo Creed's character. Each scene featuring Apollo has been carefully crafted to characterize him, or demonize him so that Rocky looks better.
Five distinguishable traits demonstrated by Apollo Creed:
Confident
Numerous scenes in the film present Apollo as a confident fighter. For example, during a press conference which Rocky watches from the bar, Apollo says, "Apollo Creed will duplicate the cracking of the Liberty Bell by cracking Mac Lee Green." Near the end of the film, when Apollo enters the ring to fight Rocky, he spurs the crowd by repeating, "Creed in three," claiming that he will knock out Rocky within three rounds. One requires a great deal of confidence to make such bold claims.
Vain
Apollo demonstrates vanity in several scenes in the movie, in contrast to Rocky's gritty realism. While Rocky's intense meat-locker training methods are shown on a news spot, Apollo is seen on the phone in his lavish office ensuring that his barber is flown to Philadelphia for the big fight. Later in the film, before the the main event, Apollo fixes his hair in the ring, and the commentator exclaims, "I've never seen a fighter that concerned about his hair." Apollo's vain priorities lead him to underestimate his opponent.
Manipulative
When Mac Lee Green withdraws from the bicentennial fight, Apollo displays his aptitude for manipulation and inventiveness. He quickly turns the situation to his advantage, saying, "Without a ranked contender, what this fight is going to need is a novelty." He turns the fight into a once in a lifetime opportunity for a local fighter in order to create a grand spectacle to promote himself. His priorities are clear when he selects 'The Italian Stallion' as his opponent when he says, "The media will eat it up." Clearly, Apollo is more concerned with manipulating public perception than engaging in a legitimate contest.
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Superficial
Apollo's primary focus throughout the film is to put on a good show for the Bicentennial Celebration in the US in 1976. Apollo uses a superficial patriotism in order to promote his grandeur. While envisioning the fight, he thinks aloud, "This is the land of opportunity right? So Apollo Creed on January 1st gives a local underdog fighter an opportunity. A snow-white underdog, and I'm gonna put his face on this poster with me. And I tell ya why. Because I'm sentimental. And a lot of other people in this country are just as sentimental, and there is nothin' they'd like better than to see Apollo Creed give a local Philadelphia boy a shot at the greatest title in the world on this country's biggest birthday." Furthermore, at the end of the film, he arrives at the fight on a float dressed as George Washington. He then changes into an Uncle Sam outfit to further add to the artifice and spectacle of the whole affair.
Arrogant
Ultimately, Apollo is so busy manipulating a superficial event to promote his own vanity, that he gets lost in his own arrogance and underestimates Rocky. During the final fight, Apollo consistently taunts Rocky with words and gestures, prompting the ringside commentators to address his actions. They comment that Apollo is "making a show of it," and "trying to give the fans their money's worth." They even suggest that Apollo is "toying with him." Things change quite rapidly when Rocky puts up a fight. Even Apollo's trainer is forced to admit the threat when he says to Apollo, "he doesn't know it's a show - he thinks it's a damn fight." Rocky manages to go the distance with Apollo, and even though he wins by decision, Apollo is forced to admit his own arrogance when he says to Rocky, "Ain't gonna' be no rematch."
In Conclusion...
Apollo Creed demonstrates many admirable traits, but his character's primary purpose is to make Rocky look good. Therefore, the scenes depicted portray a somewhat villainous nemesis who serves as a foil to Rocky Balboa.