Cotton Lyndal Hill is an American fictional character in the Fox of Kings of the Hill animated series, voiced by Toby Huss. He is the father of Hank Hill, Good Hank Hill (or "G.H."), Junichiro (his illegitimate half-Japanese son), and, according to him, 270 other possibilities. He was also a World War II veteran, who had his shins "blown up by Japanese machine guns" in battle and then his legs attached to his knees. This makes it shorter than its relatives and causes the characteristics to wobble. According to Hank, Cotton is 6Ã, ft. 3 inches (1.91 m) with its shins and 5Ã, ft. 3 inches (1.6 m) without them. Despite his disability, he eventually reached the rank of Colonel in the Texas State Defense Forces and handled by his friends. Cotton Hill died in season 12 of King of the Hill at the age of 84.
Video Cotton Hill
Initial Life and Military services
If Cotton's story is to be believed, he was born around 1927, making him about 70 in the first season of the show. In the third season episode Hank says Cotton is 74, and in Season 4 episode "Cotton Comes Marching Home", he declares himself to be 75. Little is known about Cotton's childhood but he started with a gun at the beginning according to Hank in the episode "How to Sack The Rifle Without Really Trying ", that he attended Fort Birk when he was very young and spent most of his childhood there as he revealed in" A Gentleman and a Gentle Man ", that he apparently joined the army when he was only aged 14 years as revealed in "Shins of the Father", and that Cotton's mother seems to have died in childbirth, as she exaggerates in "Death Picks Cotton". Almost nothing is known about Cotton's father, except that he may be German, as Peggy Bobby said in the episode "Tears of a Inflatable Clown" and the only time Cotton calls himself to his father during the whole series is when he shouts at Hank : "You are not my father, I am your father!" Cotton also has an unnamed brother (Dusty's father).
Cotton is very proud of his military service records and his status as a war hero, though he tends to overestimate his exploits. He often claims to anyone who will listen that he killed "the wicked man [50]" during the war. She consistently reminds everyone in the ear about how she lost her shins during World War II:
I'm 14 years old, slightly older than Bobby. But I know Uncle Sam needs me, so I lied and signed up. We have beaten Nazzys in Italy, and they sent me to the Pacific theater. A Tojo torpedo sent our troop ship down. I can only save three of my friends: Fatty, Stinky, and Brooklyn. They're like you (Bill, Dale, and Boomhauer), just one from Brooklyn. Out of the sun came Tojo Zero and put a fecal bullet in my back. Blood attracts sharks. I have to give them Fatty. Then things got worse. I made it to an island, but full of Tojos! They spat on the US flag! So I hurried them, but it was a trap. They opened fire and blew my shins. The last thing I remember, I hit them to death with a big piece of fat. I woke up in the field hospital, and they stitched my legs to my knees. "Cotton is shown walking with a knee bend that is clearly visible through his pants, though very close to his feet.
He referred to Japan as "Tojos," a slur that unlike Jap and derived from the Japanese Prime Minister and General Hideki Tojo during the war. He would also call the Nazis "Nazzys."
Based on Cotton's uniforms in the episode "Returning Japanese", he was awarded the following military decorations: Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, and American Campaign Medal. Cotton abandoned the Japanese who used the rank of Private in his own flashback while remembering Hank how he met Michiko. He is referred to as a colonel repeatedly during the series, which reflects his rank in the Texas State Guard after the war. In the episode "When Cotton Comes Marching Home", his Silver Star is featured in a case in VFW. In the 12th episode of season 11, she wore the third class of Legion of Honor, the highest award given by the French government, which gave it to a handful of American troops for their service in World War II.
Cotton country in the sixth season episode that he serves with the US Army's 77th Infantry Division.
He has a number of war trophies that can be seen in various episodes, including the Prussian Pickelhaube that he occasionally uses to cut Hank's hair in a bowl that was cut during Hank's youth, and a Nazi canoe which he claimed to be "Hitler's canoe," though given his tendency to exaggerating his war stories, the true origins of the boat are uncertain.
The pride he had in military service often colored his opinion of others; he often expressed disdain for Hank's lack of service, and was happy to make fun of his son for being excluded because of his narrow urethra. Cotton also has a tendency to exaggerate its service in war. For example, in the Cotton's Plot episode he stated he killed Nazi ("Nazzys") in Munich on April 30 and Japan ("Tojos") on May 2nd in Okinawa.
He has also expressed his displeasure for Vietnam War veterans, as he blames them for some degree for his loss - though he ends up giving them the respect to try his best.
Sometimes, you can do everything right and keep losing. It's not your fault. You give everything you have - that's what I asked my men. Thanks for trying, soldiers... As a commander of VFW local post, I would be honored if you join our organization...
It is not known whether Cotton actually served in Europe, since the 77th was presented at the Pacific Theater and most of the flashbacks of his war were shown happening in the Pacific against Japan.
Solomon Islands Cotton was ordered to reclaim the airfield in the Solomon Islands. His unit was pinned down by a high Japanese nesting machine gun on a hill. So he slipped into fifty-five gallons of sake. He held his breath until the Japanese became good and drunk, and then he jumped out and spat it all into Zippo (matches). He "hibachi'd" the whole army. (Cotton's Plot)
Guadalcanal In Yankee Hanky's episode, Cotton's reference that he and Stinky were in Guadalcanal, and rained for 17 days.
Anzio On January 30, 1944, the Cotton unit struck Anzio. They have "captured the Krauts with their pants and their schnitzel open." They have taken the beach during the day, and the city at night.
Normandy Cotton says that he climbed up the Normandy cliff with a fifty-pound ice cream maker on his back. (Cotton's Plot)
Saipan Cotton says that he leads a male platoon through the Sai Pan forest. (When Cotton Comes Marching Home)
Guam In 1944, in Guam, Cotton crawled through a minefield to pick up MacArthur's corncob pipe. (Cotton's Plot)
Filipino Cotton says that he served in the Philippines. (Son Malang)
Iwo Jima Cotton spent two weeks under a corpse in Iwo Jima (Revenge of the Lutefisk). He and Topsy show the Topsy bayonet technique used for the intestine of a kamikaze (Son Malang).
Munich Cotton is claimed to have fought in Munich on April 30, 1945, and maybe longer, but later realizes that he does not. (Cotton's Plot)
Okinawa On May 2, 1945, in Okinawa, Cotton invented the bayonet technique still used by soldiers today. (Cotton's Plot)
P.O.W. Camp Cotton was captured at a time unknown by Japan, and was put into a bamboo rat cage. He must eat a mouse, but let the last live so he can eat his shit. He calls it "Jungle Rice", and says it "tastes good". In September, she was thin enough to pass the bar, and strangled the guard with a rope made from a braised rat's tail, and ran to a safe place. (Cotton's Plot) He also learns to stop his heartbeat, so that Japan will stop torturing him for a moment, perhaps in P.O.W. camp (Death Picks Cotton), and claimed that he only cried when the Japanese tore his nails. (Returning Japan)
Miscellaneous Cotton cut the throat of a German corporal with a strand of two-foot toothpicks he kept. (The Final Shinsuit) He survives in a life raft by trapping rainwater in his upside-down eyelids. (Cotton's Plot)
Maps Cotton Hill
Relationships
Before leaving Japan, Cotton had an affair with Japanese nurse, Michiko, resulting in the birth of his eldest son (and older Hank's stepbrother), Junichiro (voiced by David Carradine); he went suddenly despite trying to stay, and did not know anything about his son until years later (a flashback clip showed he was being beaten and dragged into the troopship leaving Japan). Michiko is one of the few women treated with respect and the only woman who is treated with respect all the time.
After the war, Cotton oversaw the installation of asbestos in eleven bowling alleys and every public school in Heimlich County. Cotton finally travels back to Japan to make peace with his long-lost lover, and soon learns from his illegitimate child. Junichiro initially rejected Cotton's attempt to make peace, and officially left his Hill family heritage. This wrathful cotton, which again declared war on Japan and planned to spit on Emperor Akihito's face for grudge ("Restoring Japan"). When Cotton sees that Hank and Junichiro have repaired the fence and even become friends, and Junichiro says that he is not ashamed to be Hill anymore, Cotton abandoned his plan and received the Emperor's good words. He also reconciled with Junichiro's mother, who tore off images taken from them as young adults after World War II in half - and gave half of his photograph to Cotton, while keeping his picture for himself.
Cotton claims that he is divorced from Hank's mother, Tilly, because he "surpassed" him after he lost his big back, even though it was stated earlier on the show - as in the episode of season 1 Shins of a Father - that Tilly divorced her after years of abuse verbal. His second wife was a hospital volunteer. Deirdre "Didi" Hill , which is almost the same age as Hank. Hank and Didi go to a kindergarten together (according to episode 1-08, "Shins of the Father"). At age 75, Cotton's father was the third son he decided to also name Hank, from Didi's second wife. Cotton was nicknamed his baby son G.H. (Good Hank) .
Cotton's relationship with Hank was tense; while Hank seemed to have a deep respect (and fear) of his father, he stood for Cotton on several occasions. Cotton also became depressed (and angry) by the fact that he and Hank did not have a good relationship, once madly insane when Hank said that he hated him. Despite all this, however, Cotton never hesitated to refer to Hank as "My Boy," and on several occasions tried to help him (as when Kahn and Minh were befouling his home). Throughout the series, Cotton has also pointed out several times that he may really care about Hank, such as calling him a good son in "Returning Japanese", rescuing him from being shot in "Yankee Hankee" episode, and leaving and trusting Hank with his last request and his personal belongings in "Serve me properly to give George S Patton a bathroom key". The most likely reason why Cotton treats Hank horribly is most likely because he hates various aspects of Hank's life, such as his job as a propane seller, his birthplace (New York), his personality, how he chooses to raise Bobby, marriage to Peggy, how he differs from his cousin Dusty, how Hank foiled his plan to kill Fidel Castro and most importantly how Hank did not follow in his father's footsteps and become a war hero.
Cotton has an antagonistic relationship with Peggy, whom he calls "Hank's wife" among other nicknames. However, sometimes rare, Cotton showed respect to Peggy, as in "To Spank With Love" and "Cotton's Plot."
Interestingly enough, Cotton seems to have a good relationship with Bobby. She once admitted that Hank was a better father than herself, stating, "You make Bobby. What I make is you." Cotton shows that he is proud of Bobby and supports him. After contemplating suicide, Cotton confesses to Bobby and gives him a letter of recommendation for the army, irritating Hank. Cotton often tried to convey his misogynical views to Bobby, even trying to buy him a whore once, though Hank and Peggy were always able to reverse the damage. Cotton shows his affection for Bobby in many instances. In "How to Fireback without Really Trying" he came to watch Bobby and Hank shoot in a father-son shooting competition, stating, "I'm always here to support my Bobby." In "Revenge of the Lutefisk", Cotton goes even further to blame Bobby after Bobby confesses that he is the one who set the church on fire (Claiming "I am old, everyone hates me!" While Bobby is just a child and has his whole life in front of him ) and Didi reveals to Bobby that Cotton told him that if their unborn child was as good as Bobby, he would not leave her. Reflecting on Cotton's relationship with his grandchild in "Death Picks Cotton," Hank stated, "Though he hates many things, he does love Bobby." It can be concluded that his love for Bobby mixed with his deep sense of pride and respect, thought him to be tougher than Hank. Though Cotton respects Bobby more than anyone in the family, on his deathbed in "Cotton Death Picks", Cotton claims he does not love anyone, although this could be just trying to sound tough.
Personality
Cotton is consistently sexist, chauvinistic, violent, abusive and intolerant. She speaks to women, scolds her son, tends to explode, and more than once has shown a propensity to kill. His rude attitude consistently humiliated Hank and usually sucks for Hank's wife, Peggy. Throughout his history in the series, Cotton never once named Peggy by name, but instead called him "Hank's wife", used as a joke, including on the rare occasions that he tried to be nice to him (the only Cotton Name ever addressed to Peggy is "Hillary" in the episode "Shins of the Father": Peggy also seems unconcerned to be called "Hank's Wife" beyond the visible oddities, and never once tells Cotton not to call him that). He even tried to pass some of his sexist nature to Bobby at one point, teaching him that women should be made to cook and cleanse for their husbands throughout the day.
On rare occasions, Cotton shows the vulnerable side that he normally hides: he realizes that he is a frightful father and a man, hates himself for being old and disabled, and easily admits that he will die to protect his grandson, Bobby ("Revenge of the Lutefisk ").
Cotton also shows a rough, demanding, and often rude, but sometimes inspirational attitude. He admitted to Hank that he always wanted to win in battle but received defeat when his men did their best. Through strong love and strong physical therapy, Cotton also helps Peggy walk again after a crippling skydiving accident makes her paralyzed. Hank was initially wary of this, as he was worried that Cotton was just taking advantage of Peggy's brief inability to embarrass him.
It was never revealed throughout the series how Cotton became a bad and rough character, or if he had ever been a different person. Most likely his military education during his childhood and military service eventually. Cotton has also shown in several episodes that he suffered from mild to severe traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (which can explain most of his "violent outbursts"). Whatever the reason, Cotton never sought recognition for how he treated Hank, Peggy, Tilly, and many others throughout the series. In the episode "Hank gets Dusted" Hank says straight to his cousin, Dusty, that Cotton is actually a bastard.
Death
In the 12th episode of "Death Picks Cotton," Cotton suffered serious injuries while in a Japanese restaurant in Arlen. Climbing to the grill counter, she choked on a piece of shrimp (which was very allergic), then slipped and fell on a hot surface. She was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with hip fractures, severe burns in her arms, torn ligaments in her ankles/knee joints, and throat infections due to swallowing shrimp. X-rays reveal that he has four rusted bullets lodged on his back and one in his heart due to an old war wound. Regardless of his injuries and heart attacks he suffered while at the hospital, Cotton survived long enough to torture Hank and Peggy, even slowing his heart rate to pretend to be dead (a trick he learned while being held in Japan's POW camp).
The last person who saw him alive was Peggy, who told him that although Cotton was constantly tormenting his son, Hank always loved him and that he wished he would live forever in a friendless, jealous existence that he made for himself as an unhappy person which does not please him. Cotton replied, "Oh, is ya, now ?," Laughing then dead. Peggy did not tell Hank about this exchange; on the contrary, he lied that Cotton's last words were good words aimed at Hank. In the final scene of the episode, Dale Gribble meets the demand from Cotton to blow up the Hank storage warehouse that has been built. Hank originally planned to honor a separate wish, to get Cotton's head off of his body and send him to the Emperor of Japan, but Peggy stopped him by (falsely) claiming that Cotton had resigned the request before his death. Both Didi and G.H. appears in "Death Picks Cotton," or his funeral is not shown. He is buried in the Texas State Cemetery, a grave he gained in recognition of his military service, as described by the episode "Cotton's Plot", although he was eventually cremated.
In the episode of Season 13 "Serving Me to Gave General George S. Patton the Bathroom Key," Hank receives from Didi a box containing Cotton's personal items and an embarrassing final request list. Cotton also left a crude message on his tape recorder telling Hank that he wanted all the embarrassing demands he had solved. Peggy did not want Hank to meet Cotton's wishes, but Hank said that meeting Cotton's last wish was the best gift he had ever received from his father. Hank completed every embarrassing request, which Hank felt was the way Cotton humiliated Hank one last time. My last wishes for Kapalku were for the rest of the cremation to be watered down the toilet bar once used by General George S. Patton; such practices were also a tradition in the Cotton platoon, and all of the dead Captain's war buddies also fell in the toilet. Hank and his friends respected the request and doused the remains of Cotton into the toilet, so the toilet was put together and the bar owner demanded that Hank pay for the damage. As a result, Peggy claims at the end of the episode that although Cotton is dead, she will always find a way to interrupt their lives. The spirit and memory of Cotton remain alive for the rest of the King of the Hill series.
Fox published the following obituaries for Cotton:
Cotton Hill, age 84, a World War II veteran, died on Sunday at the Texas VA hospital. The hill suffered several wounds ranging from four rusty bullets lodged on his back (one in his heart) from his military service, broken hips and ligaments torn at his ankles, into infections in the esophagus and severe burns caused by the freaks Shrimp crashes that occurred earlier this week at Tokyaki Japanese restaurant. Hill left his sons, Hank Hill and G.H. (short for "Good Hank"); Peggy Hill's daughter-in-law; Bobby Hill's grandson; Tilly's ex-wife; Didi's second wife; first love and former lover of Japan Michiko; an illegitimate Japanese boy, Junichiro; and nephew Dusty Hill (from ZZ Top band).
References
External links
- "Pickelhaube Replica: By EraKart" . Retrieved September 27, 2010 .
- "King of the Hill on TV.com" . Retrieved September 27, 2010 .
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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