

There are a few things we don't know about Minions that the new movie doesn't clarify: We don't know why they wear goggles, though they've done so for thousands of years (early goggles were fashioned from available flora). Kevin's the leader, Stuart's the musician, and Bob's the kid (he totes around a teddy bear that somehow makes him appear even more adorable - and, in an equally lovable detail, he's heterochromic). The new movie centers on three Minions - Kevin, Stuart, and Bob - who each become more distinct throughout the course of the film (or at least as distinct as gibberish-speaking henchmen can be).

Though it's often tough for the layperson to distinguish one Minion from another, they all have unique personalities and names (which their masters quickly learn). They even have a few special abilities, like becoming glow sticks when they're snapped and shaken. Minions have been turned into evil purple versions of themselves, transformed into giants, crushed, tortured, and buried without being worse for wear (this may be the reason they've survived so long). They communicate using a gibberish language that's understandable to them and a few people who have longstanding relationships with them. They vary in height, but it's safe to say they're between 2 and 3 feet tall (though closer to 2). They're earnestly driven by the desire to serve an evil boss, though they often screw up because they're selfish, easily distracted, and generally inept. Minions are a species of tiny yellow henchmen they look like unusually dressed Mike and Ike candies. Of course, as with all great things in history, the existence of Minions prompts big questions: Where did these strange beings come from? Why do they inspire such polarizing reactions? And is there any deeper meaning to these unusual yellow creatures? 1) What are Minions? The quest takes them to a villain convention in Florida and, soon after, all around the world.

Set in the late 1960s, the movie follows three Minions as they search for a new evil boss to rule their species. Minions is a spinoff and prequel to Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2, but instead of focusing on Steve Carell's Gru, it puts the spotlight on the Minions alone. But no matter what you think about the curious pill-shaped creatures, their fame is about to rise thanks to their starring role in the new movie Minions, now in theaters. Perhaps you've already decided whether you love them, hate them, or simply find them baffling, as they've been known to inspire quite a range of emotions in all who encounter them. You've probably heard of Minions, or maybe you've just seen their bright yellow likeness on a T-shirt, meme, or bumper sticker.
