The Land Before Time character
Daddy Topps
Gender:	Male
Color:	Dark Gray
Eye Color:	Black
Species:	Triceratops
Debut:	The Land Before Time
Finish:	Ongoing
Voiced by:	Burke Byrnes (I) John Ingle (II-TV Series)

Daddy Topps (aka Cera's Dad in later films, Topsy, as he is called by Tria and Mr. Threehorn as he is called by the other grownups in the Great Valley) is a character in the Land Before Time films and television series. Voiced by Burke Byrnes in the first film, and John Ingle from the second to present, he is a Triceratops, and the father of main character Cera.

NameEdit

He was credited as "Daddy Topps" in the first film and "Cera's Dad" in the first ten sequels. Most of his peers called him "Threehorn" or "Old Threehorn", while Grandpa and Grandma Longneck call him "my friend" "Mr. Threehorn" or "Old Mr. Threehorn". In the eleventh installment of the film series, The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses, the new character Tria, an old sweetheart of his, called him "Topsy". Since then, many assume that Topsy is his real name, although there has been argument over whether it is really his name or merely a pet name given to him by Tria. Cera was visibly angered when Ducky called her father Topsy, but it is possible that Cera didn't know her dad's name, and disliked it because she had learned it from Tria, whom she was envious of for taking most of her father's attention from her.

PersonalityEdit

His personality is unknown in the first film, but he is shown to be guilty of racism, or speciesism. He is seen growling at Littlefoot (whom he sees as a bad influence on Cera) and telling him that "Threehorns never play with longnecks." He's often portrayed as pompous, self-righteous, and bigoted; the degree of his pride and perverse stubbornness is seen in The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving when he takes Cera straight into a wildfire rather than going with the other dinosaurs. He is shown to be very protective of his daughter, even to the point of calling Littlefoot a bad influence, which enrages Littlefoot's grandfather and also horrifying Littlefoot's grandmother and Littlefoot's friends. He is aware of his bad attitude, but in the first films at least, thinks nothing of it, saying that even if he is thought mean, he has a family to protect and he will do that by any means necessary. In a song from The Time of the Great Giving he says that he was inculcated with this attitude by his own father, who told him to "stand and fight, don't run away." In recent films, he has still been shown stern and less understanding than Grandpa Longneck, but his prejudice and bad attitude have gradually lessened through the many sequels.

Topps also appears to be one of the most fearless characters in the series. He isn't afraid of Red Claw when they fight each other, and even when he is outnumbered against a few Belly Draggers, he takes them all out without receiving a single scratch. Topps also manages to get the drop on other Sharpteeth he goes up against despite the odds not being in his favor.

He has been shown to be part of the Great Valley's leadership, sharing power with Littlefoot's grandfather. Though Topps' and Littlefoot's family met early in the first film, it is assumed that he and Grandpa Longneck were formally introduced to each other after they were separated from their children in the great earthquake. This was shown in a flashback in The Stone of Cold Fire.

FamilyEdit

There is also the question of where Topps' wife is, especially with the film The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses, showing him happily courting Tria; Littlefoot is shown asking if she will be Cera's new mother. Topps' first wife (Cera's mother) is shown near at the beginning of The Land Before Time as are their other children. However, when he and Cera are reunited at the end of the film, his wife, and Cera's siblings, are gone. Given the fatalistic attitude of the first film (the narrator having stated that "Sharpteeth stalked the herds waiting to seize any who strayed") it is likely they died on the way to the Great Valley, or decided to follow Pterano away from the herds. However, as seen by the presence of Topps' grandchildren, Dinah and Dana, in The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock, at least one of his children, unnamed and likely one of Cera's elder siblings, was still alive and had made it to adulthood. After Invasion of the Tinysauruses, Topps and Tria have another daughter, Tricia.

TriviaEdit

• Topsy is the name of a circus elephant who lived from 1875 to 1/4/1903 (Aged 28).
• In the movie We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, Woog's natural prehistoric state is closely based on Topps' appearance.
• In the first ten movies, Topsy wasn't going to have a name (except for "Cera's Dad" and "Daddy Topps")  until in The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses where Tria called him "Topsy".

GalleryEdit

Concept art of Topps, along with Cera's mother.

Mr. Threehorn fights the Belly Dragger

Topps fights off a Fast-Biter in the third film

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