Leo Luster

Leo Luster
Species	Kong
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country - Hunka Hunka Burnin' Bluster (2000)
Portrayed by	Donald Burda (2000)

“Not a-doin'. You're gonna stop because that's what you do when you're faced with an irresistible force.”

—Leo Luster, "Hunka Hunka Burnin' Bluster"

Leo Luster is an alter ego of Bluster Kong that appears in the episode "Hunka Hunka Burnin' Bluster" of the Donkey Kong Country television series. In the episode, Bluster notices his hair is falling out and mixes various hair tonics together into a formula to try and restore his hair. The serum instead changes him to a handsome smooth-talker, whom Candy falls for.

History

Leo Luster and King K. Rool

During the episode after Bluster transforms himself into Leo Luster, he stops in front of King K. Rool and his baddies, who have just made off with the Crystal Coconut, and introduces himself. Donkey, Diddy, and Candy Kong witness him as he sings to introduce himself, causing Candy to fall in love with him. During the song, Leo hypnotizes the Kremlings using his abilities from his new looks to make them hand over the Crystal Coconut and leave. Then, he gives the Coconut back to Donkey Kong, who becomes jealous of Candy's attraction towards him. Diddy forces Donkey to leave, and afterwards, Leo invites Candy to come to Funky Kong's new snack shack with him. As he talks, he notices that his voice is changing back to his original Bluster Kong voice; he quickly heads back to Bluster Barrelworks to get more serum, just as he turns back into his old self.

The Kremlings steal Bluster's serum when he tries to return to his Leo Luster form, so he trades the Crystal Coconut with them to get it back. When he turns back into Leo, he heads to Funky's new snack shop, where he meets Candy and Donkey Kong. He announces that King K. Rool has just made off with the Crystal Coconut, so he and Donkey Kong compete to get the Coconut back first. On their way, they are captured by the crocodiles and Leo Luster turns back into Bluster. The Kongs need Leo's hypnotizing powers to escape, but they have no more of the serum; Bluster reveals that he did in fact have a vial, but Donkey Kong patting him on the back causes him to drop and spill it. Donkey Kong encourages Bluster to find the Leo Luster within himself, as he believes that the serum only brought the Leo Luster part of him out. Bluster turns himself back into Leo with Donkey Kong's reasoning, and he hypnotizes Krusha so that he frees them. Afterward, Bluster runs out of "cool" and changes back to normal once and for all.

Quotes

• "Watch how a real ape saves the day, daddy-o."
• "Now get along little doggies, vamoose."
• "Luster's the name. Leo Luster. I'm charmed, baby, and I know you must be too."
• "Don't you have to go polish that glass ball of yours?"
• "I've heard there's a romantic little snack shack opening up in the PM. What say we make the scene?"

Physical appearance

Leo Luster looks just like Bluster with more showy features. He wears the same shirt sleeves on his wrists and ankles, as well as sunglasses and a chain with a medal presenting the letters "LL". He also has tall black hair and speaks in a more suave voice than Bluster.