 = Perry the Platypus = 
 
 Perry the Platypus , also known as Agent P or simply Perry , is an anthropomorphic platypus from the animated series Phineas and Ferb . Perry was created by the series ' co @-@ founders , Dan Povenmire and Jeff " Swampy " Marsh . He first appeared along with the majority of the main cast in the pilot episode " Rollercoaster . " Perry is featured as the star of the B @-@ plot for every episode of the series , alongside his nemesis Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz . A mostly silent character , his lone vocal characteristic ( a rattling of Perry 's beak ) was provided by Dee Bradley Baker . 
 Perry is the pet platypus of the Flynn @-@ Fletcher family , and is perceived as mindless and domesticated . In secret , however , he lives a double life as a member of an all @-@ animal espionage organization referred to as O.W.C.A. ( The Organization Without a Cool Acronym ) . Many secret entrances to his underground lair exist all around the house ; such as the side of the house , most notably the tree that his owners sit under in the backyard , and several other everyday objects that seem to elude the family 's attention . He engages in daily battles with Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz , an evil scientist who desires to take over the Tri @-@ state area with obscure contraptions that work perfectly according to his intended function but fail in his application of them every time . 
 Perry was made a platypus because of the animal 's striking appearance and the lack of public knowledge of the animal , which allowed the writers to make things up about the species . Critical reception for the character from both professionals and fans have been considerably positive . Merchandising of the character include plush toys , t @-@ shirts , wooden toys , glasses , and coloring books , along with appearances in literature and a 2009 video game for the Nintendo DS . 
 
 = = Role in Phineas and Ferb = = 
 
 Perry is the docile pet platypus of the blended Flynn @-@ Fletcher family , who adopted him because his unfocused gaze made it seem as if he were looking at both Phineas and Ferb at the same time , as shown in the 2011 movie , Phineas and Ferb the Movie : Across the 2nd Dimension . Unbeknownst to them , Perry lives a double life as a crime @-@ fighting spy working for the " Organization Without a Cool Acronym " / The OWCA , going by the codename " Agent P. " He reports to his superior , Major Monogram , via telecast in his large , high @-@ tech , underground hideout . Every day , he engages in battles with the evil scientist Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz , who tries using inventions to take over the tri @-@ state area . Perry is always able to foil Doofenshmirtz 's plans and in doing so accidentally leads to the destruction of whatever form of contraption his owners , Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher , are building in order to make summer better . Phineas and Ferb are aware that something happens to get rid of their scheme for the day , but do not know that Perry is the cause behind it and are largely dismissive of it . Their sister , Candace , also does not know that Perry is behind the destruction and is driven to near insanity trying to figure it out . Throughout the series , Perry is aware of Phineas and Ferb 's inventions , but is largely uninterested in them , save whenever he notices that their latest invention may help him thwart Doofenshmirtz . 
 Perry and Doofenshmirtz at first seem to loathe each other in the beginning of the series , and have been arch @-@ nemeses since the day they met . However , they are often cordial and friendly towards one another and it is said by Doofenshmirtz that Perry is his best friend , and Perry will often act to save Doofenshmirtz 's life when his plot inevitably blows up in his face . Habitually , their daily brawls involve Doofenshmirtz devising a scheme , which Perry goes to stop after being briefed by Major Monogram . He is trapped by Doofenshmirtz while trying to do so and is told of the doctor 's scheme , usually pertaining to some backstory or pet peeve . He then escapes and the two fight , Perry coming out victorious . The two rely on this daily structure , Doofenshmirtz even specifically mentioning it in " Journey to the Center of Candace " and in episodes such as " It 's About Time ! " in which Doofenshmirtz temporarily replaces Perry with secret agent Peter The Panda and they become depressed about not having each other to fight . Perry realizes he misses Doof too . When Perry does not arrive on the scene of Doofenshmirtz 's evil plan , the doctor hesitates to execute his plans and fears for where Perry has gone , though he notes that he " hopes something terrible has happened to him . " . Sometimes , they decided not to fight and have fun , as shown in " Happy New Year ! " and " Candace Disconnected " . On other occasions , depending on whatever situation Doofenshmirtz is facing , Perry would often help Doofenshmirtz with his non @-@ evil plans , such as helping him overcome evil scientist 's block , helping him put on a birthday party for his 16 @-@ year @-@ old daughter Vanessa , impressing a square dancing girl with programmable square dancing boots that Doofenshmritz created , working together to stop a raging platypus hunter from hunting them down , or helping him convince his rich ex @-@ wife to help pay off his mortgage debt . Also , Perry tends to use Doofenshmirtz 's inventions to erase evidence of whatever contraptions Phineas and Ferb had made , leaving Candace unable to bust them . Examples include when Perry asked to borrow Doofenshmirtz 's robot Norm to pick up footage from the city surveillance cameras in order to preserve his job as an agent , as well as using Doofenshmirtz 's Pick @-@ Him @-@ Up @-@ inator to rescue a lost Candace and bring her home . 
 In Phineas and Ferb the Movie : Across the 2nd Dimension , an alternate reality ( yet more evil and ruthless ) version of Perry ( known as Platyborg ) appears as the secondary antagonist , with the regular Perry serving as a supporting protagonist . Platyborg would later return in the episode sequel , Tales from the Resistance : Back to the 2nd Dimension , this time , as a supporting protagonist . 
 
 = = Character = = 
 
 
 = = = Creation and conception = = = 
 
 While working on the animated television series Rocko 's Modern Life , Phineas and Ferb co @-@ founders Dan Povenmire and Jeff " Swampy " Marsh utilized several recurring elements in the episodes that they wrote . Among these were actions sequences and chase scenes . Povenmire and Marsh wanted to reuse these elements in their series and chose Perry to execute it . The pair gave him a consistent and continuous nemesis in the form of Doofenshmirtz as a means of allowing viewers to get to know him . 
 While choosing a species for Perry , Povenmire and Marsh wanted to keep in mind selecting one that was uncommon , an animal that kids could not " pick out at a pet store and beg [ their parents ] for . " They chose a platypus because of the animal 's obscure and striking appearance . The animal was scarcely used in American animated programs , so the pair opined that Perry " would not have to compete with preconceived notions that viewers might bring to a more conventional critter . " The blank storyboard they were given allowed them to " make stuff up " since " no one knows very much about [ them ] . " 
 Perry has a theme song tentatively entitled " Perry , " performed by Randy Crenshaw and Laura Dickinson , and written by Povenmire and Marsh , who write the majority of songs in the series . The song , along with the number " Gitchee Gitchee Goo " from the episode " Flop Starz , " was the first musical composition Povenmire and Marsh pitched to The Walt Disney Company . They were nervous doing so , because , as Povenmire explained , " Disney has a big history of music -- what if they hate it ? " Their reaction , however , was considerably positive and the pair was asked to write a song for each episode , which they vehemently agreed to . The opening lyrics for the song describe Perry as a standard textbook definition of a platypus : " He 's a semi @-@ aquatic egg @-@ laying mammal of action . " 
 
 = = = Design = = = 
 
 Like the other characters of the series , Perry was structured in a simple style to allow young viewers to easily draw him . In keeping with the show 's general design scheme , Perry is constructed of geometric shapes in a style reminiscent of deceased Looney Tunes animator Tex Avery . Povenmire uses different design styles for drawing Perry depending on how he is portrayed . When Perry is portrayed as a domesticated and mindless pet , Povenmire begins with a square shaped like a loaf of bread . He then draws his front legs and feet before drawing his bill , which is set at a certain angle . Povenmire then draws his eyeballs , which are never focused and look in opposing directions in a daze . He concludes the figure by adding his hind legs , tail , hair , and finally color . 
 When portrayed as a secret agent , Povenmire starts with a similar bread loaf square design , but draws it standing up vertically and places a fedora on the top of his head , which is combined with the square torso . In contrast to his mindless and wild @-@ eyed expression as a pet , the secret agent version of Perry is detailed with eyes " full of steely blue resolve . " Povenmire proceeds by drawing his arms , which bear hands that are open and prepared for fighting or any danger . His legs are bent , as well prepared for an act of danger or action needed . Povenmire finishes the design by adding his beaver tail and color . 
 
 = = = Personality = = = 
 
 Perry 's undercover identity as a pet leads to characters throughout the series to deem him as a " mindless domestic pet " that " doesn 't do much " . This definition of the character led to Phineas and Ferb spearheading production of a new toyline based on Perry called " Perry the Inaction Figure , " whose tagline revolved around it not doing anything but allowing the customer to make it whatever they desire it to be . In all actuality , Perry is a skilled fighter who is able to perform several implausible judo fighting moves and escapes . He has access to several different types of technology and inventions provided to him by The O.W.C.A. , including a hover craft dubbed the " Platypusmobile , " a jet ski , and a whistle set that allows him to summon different types of animals . 
 Although his appearance as a domestic pet is mostly a cover , Perry has nonetheless expressed care and devotion for the Flynn @-@ Fletcher family . In the episode " The Ballad of Bad Beard " , Perry managed to drag Candace out of the Dark Cave before it caved in because of Dr. Doofenshmirthz 's " self destruction button " that which Candace had accidentally pressed while under the orange moss hallucination , thinking it was a vending machine . He did this even though he knew that Candace saw that Perry was a secret agent talking to Agent E ( Eagle ) and to Major Monogram in a cracked egg . Candace thought she was just hallucinating because of the orange moss she accidentally touched earlier in the episode . Also , when an invention of Doofenshmirtz 's in the episode " Journey to the Center of Candace " might cause severe harm to Phineas and Ferb , Perry thoroughly beats up Doofenshmirtz and quickly handcuffs him . He then ties him to a pipe and , instead of just leaving him like he usually does in the series , calls for special forces from the O.W.C.A. to come and arrest the doctor , though they never show up . In " Oh , There You Are , Perry , " Doofenshmirtz is downgraded to a low threat level and Perry is reassigned to a new nemesis . This causes him to have to leave his home with the Flynn @-@ Fletchers , which makes him sad and he does not enjoy his new villain . Phineas and Ferb are fearful about where Perry could have gone to and put up several flyers around town for people to find him . They decide to throw a concert on the roof of a building , singing a song about how much they love Perry and want him to come home . Concurrently , Perry is reassigned to Doofenshmirtz again and returns to the brothers once more . 
 Though Perry is anthropomorphic , he does not speak , only communicating through an " aggravated purr " type of noise made by flapping his bill . This noise is provided by actor Dee Bradley Baker ; to this day , Povenmire and Marsh do not understand how Baker produces the noise . Thomas Sangster , who plays Ferb , is notoriously good at making the noise and is considered second only to Baker himself . When in his " Agent P " persona , Perry is almost completely silent . 
 
 = = Reception = = 
 
 As a character , Perry has been well received by both fans and critics . As Cynthia Littleton of Variety magazine wrote , " Perry the platypus is a breakout star from the Disney Channel toon ' Phineas and Ferb . ' " The New York Times writer Susan Stewart called him " intrepid . " Jean Yoo , a press member for Disney Channel , said that Perry is " suave " and " makes James Bond look like a rank amateur . " Aaron H. Bynum of Animator Insider opined that he is " indubitably confident . " Carly H. of Scholastic , Inc. declared Perry " pretty darn awesome . " Josh Jackson , editor of Paste , described Perry and Doofenshmirtz 's relationship as " pitch @-@ perfect . " 
 Certain reviewers have also commented negatively about Perry and his subplot , which Sherry Robinson of the St. Petersburg Times considers " pretty trippy . " Kevin McDonough of Sun Coast Today described it as " complicated " and " loosely connected " to the rest of the series , writing that he is " not sure what this accomplishes except to add the noise of explosions to the already constant din of singing and screaming . " Ed Liu of Toon Zone feels it is " truly puzzling what Perry the secret agent is doing in this show in the first place . " Liu considers his subplot to be a type of " throw everything against the wall and see what sticks " element and writes that " many of the earlier episodes of the show don 't manage to do a very good job of balancing the subplot and the main one . " 
 Perry was nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids ' Choice Award in 2014 under the category of Favorite Animated Animal Sidekick . 
 
 = = In other media = = 
 
 In addition to the main television series , Perry has appeared in several pieces of Phineas and Ferb merchandise . To date , he has appeared in all Phineas and Ferb novelizations , published by Disney Press . The character has been adapted into a 20 inch plush toy , released by The Walt Disney Company . The plush has a button on its hand that allows it to emit Perry 's signature chattering noise . Certain t @-@ shirts based on the series released by both Disney and the online retail website Zazzle also display Perry and the phrase " Hey , where 's Perry ? " which most characters like Phineas , Isabella , Stacy , Irving , Ferb , and Lawrence utter when Perry goes to Major Monogram in his secret lair in almost every episode . There also is a T @-@ Shirt with Perry 's face . Perry appears in the Nintendo DS video game based on the series , simply titled Phineas and Ferb , where a mini @-@ game involves Perry stopping Doofenshmirtz 's latest evil scheme . As of 1 April 2014 , Perry is also a playable character in the video game Disney Infinity . 
 
 