The visit to Scotland also influenced the creation of the film's formidable demon bear Mor'du. Al McWhiggin | He had brown hair and a beard as well as wearing a dark-colored robe paired with an animal fur cloak. He had brown hair and a beard as well as wearing a dark-colored robe paired with an animal fur cloak. Omnidroids | His vocal sound effects were provided by both Frank Welker and Fred Tatasciore. [citation needed], Kelpies are fabled water-spirits in the Lowland Scotland which are said to assume different shapes. Mor'du is the strongest character in the film; he is immensely powerful and his strength is described in the whole film as "Strength of Ten Men". Beta and Gamma | Walt Disney Records released the soundtrack on both CD album and digital download on June 19, 2012. At the his deathbed, the king announced that he would not pass the crown to the eldest, but rather divide the kingdom among the four sons so that they could rule together peacefully. After they refused to surrender, the eldest prince drank the spell, which gave him the strength of ten men, but to his surprise, in the form of a great black bear. Redirecting to /the-legend-of-mordu-revealed Bear legends are rampant in Scotland. Mor'du is the first main Pixar movie villain who redeems himself. They tried to rescue him in a boat, but were able only to drag up his corpse. This makes him appear malformed and rugged, but still very large. Cars Villains | Watching them ride away, Mor'du was able to catch up with them. As Mor'du stalks towards Merida and her injured mother to finish them, the broken menhir falls and crushes him to death, finally killing the demon bear. https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Mor%27du?oldid=4072839. Emperor Zurg | Battlesaurs (Goliathon & Reptillus Maximus), See Also The Bensons | As a monstrous, feral bear with large claws and sharp fangs, Mor'du is completely black, very large and is 13 feet tall, making him much bigger than an average human. People who express an interest in mythology are often most focused on non-human (sometimes referred to as "supernatural") beings. The text records conversations between the last surviving members of the Fianna and Saint Patrick and runs to some 8,000 lines. Attack Dog with Built-in-force-field | Thunderclap | [1], Scottish mythology is not like the Greek and Roman myths as it deals with various aspects of nature. Her mother, Queen Elinor, is dismayed. The bear's claws protrude from underneath the menhir, but Mor'du's death finally releases the Prince's tormented spirit, who shakes his head thankfully at Merida as thanks for freeing him from the curse before he takes on the form of a wisp and disappears into the afterlife. They assembled at the church of St. Mulway, each person carried food and necessities needed for the worship. Merida saves Elinor from getting killed by Fergus, who thought she was Mor'du, when the real demon bear approaches the warriors and challenged them for a duel. Thanks to the potion he drank, he is granted with the massive strength of ten men; he was able to stand against the greatest warriors of four Scottish clans and defeat them all with little effort, despite Scottish people being among the finest warriors in the world. It was a very Celtic-looking bear. She is also known as "at once creator and destroyer, gentle and fierce, mother and nurturer". He had brown hair and a beard and wore a dark-colored robe paired with a fur cloak. As a bear, Mor'du i… The Fianna of the story are divided into the Clann Baiscne, led by Fionnghall, and the Clann Morna, led by his enemy, Goll mac Morna. Merida fell in and stumbled onto a portrait of the four brothers, including Mor'du, and found it split like the tapestry of her family. The cycle consists of stories of the births, early lives and training, wooings, battles, feastings and deaths of the heroes and reflects a warrior society in which warfare consists mainly of single combats and wealth is measured mainly in cattle. Farrel of the Royal Observer Corps. If they lose their skin whilst in human form, they will however, be stuck in their human form forever. "Scotland is a storytelling culture-wherever we went, the locals erupted into stories of their everyday lives and the people they knew. On Beltane she readily concedes to Brighid, who enjoys power until Samhain. However, it was revealed that Mor'du had survived and wandered around the forest searching for the two. The latter places are echoed by the appearance of Cinnrígmonaid and Cinnbelathoir in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba. Some characters from the latter reappear, and the same sort of shape-shifting magic is much in evidence, side by side with a grim, almost callous realism. However, Donald Mackenzie in his book Scottish Wonder Tales from Myth and Legend states that the goddesses of the Scottish myths are not glorified, very much unlike the goddesses of ancient Greece. Crimes While venturing into the woods to fetch a stray arrow, Merida encounters a will-o'-the-wisp. After many years, Merida had become a teenager, and made a deal with the same witch that cursed Mor'du so that she could change her mother's decision to make her marry one of the three princes. In legend, he was the eldest of 4 brothers. In olden times the Celtics land and national societies were both linked with the body of the goddess (also attributed as "tribal goddess") and her representative on earth was the queen. Moved Permanently. Fergus punched Mor'du in the face and challenged him, but was quickly overpowered and thrown into a pillar. These stories are written for the most part in prose. The film combines traditional anima Mor'du | Full Name The bear, now being named as Mor'du for his history, ended up roaming around the area, his once human consciousness now lost forever because of favoring power over the bonds of family. Randall Boggs | Sir Miles Axlerod | The world of the Fenian Cycle is one in which professional warriors spend their time hunting, fighting, and engaging in adventures in the spirit world. When taking human form they are said to have beautiful green hair. The PrinceThe Great Black Mor'du The late dates of the manuscripts may reflect a longer oral tradition for the Fenian stories, the same oral tradition which was interpreted from Gaelic to English by James Macpherson in the Ossian stories. So perhaps, Merida descands from Mor'du. Dr. Porkchop | As Mor'du emerged victorious, Merida shot him in the neck with two arrows, but they've done little damage and he pinned her to the ground. As a human, Mor'du was powerfully built and was the tallest of his brothers. He was later followed by, Mor'du's character, motivations, and actions are a dark parallel to those of. Three European powers – the Portuguese, Dutch and British – dominated Sri Lankan political life from the 17th to the mid 20th centuries. The fire fountains emerging from Stromboli, a Sicilian volcano dubbed the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean,” made such an impression on Tolkien that … The Cleric | Mor'du There is another spirit known as water-kelpie which reportedly "haunts" lakes and rivers, and indulge in drowning people. However, he was confident in his strength but confused this for character and thus led to his arrogance, a trait that caused him to struggle with his loved ones. The inhabitants then assembled in a field behind the church and celebrated by drinking ale. Scottish mythology is the collection of myths that have emerged throughout the history of Scotland, sometimes being elaborated upon by successive generations, and at other times being rejected and replaced by other explanatory narratives. Like Merida, he let his pride control his actions and clashed with his family, but unlike her, he was willing to let hatred and desire get the better of him instead of realizing his mistakes, and mend what was left of his broken family. Great intelligenceImmense strengthDurabilityGiant sizeSharp claws and fangsSpeed and enduranceFighting skills Shop Scottish Hoodies and Sweatshirts designed and sold by artists for men, women, and everyone. Alias Because of the movement of people from Ulster to west Scotland, which resulted in close linguistic links between Ulster and the west of Scotland, much of Gaelic mythology was imported to Scotland, and possibly some of it was written in Scotland. When Mor'du was a human, he had once possessed a close familial bond with his father and three younger brothers. It is also reported to help running mills during night hours. A child princess named Merida of the clan Dunbroch is given a bow and arrows by her father, King Fergus, for her birthday. Even more disturbing, Mor'du's effigy on the carving appears to have been viciously clawed, implying that he hated what he had done. It relates that settlers from Greek Asia Minor sailed the seas and arrived at Cruachan Feli "the mountain of Ireland", probably for Cruachan Éli (Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo), a well-known place in Hiberno-Latin hagiography since Tírechán's Collectanea. Animated Features The hag is also considered a "healer" and helpful during childbirth and is divine and said to have "long ancestry and incredible longevity". The Legend of Mor'du is a 2012 Pixar short attached to the Blu-ray and DVD release of Brave. Later a free-spirited and headstrong young woman, Merida is dissatisfied to learn that she will be betrot… There is a tradition that Arthur had a Scottish son called Smervie More. Mor'du's actual introduction in the prologue of the film also counts. Mr. Jones | Zurg Empire (Zurg Bots, Warp Darkmatter, Hornets, Brain Pods & Grubs) | One Scottish origin legend, or pseudo-historical account of the foundation of the Scottish people, appears in adapted form in the tenth-century Latin Life of St. Cathróe of Metz. When Mor'du was human, he had once possessed a close familial bond with his father and three younger brothers. [17], The first reported sighting of the Loch Ness Monster was in the River Ness in 565 AD. His uncontrollable violence was so prominent that even a young woman could fall victim to his murderous intentions and all of Scotland knew and feared him. The Diarmuid and Grainne story, which is one of the few Fenian prose tales, is a probable source of Tristan and Iseult. Sid Phillips | Release Date: A demon bear named Mor’du, the gathering and unity of the clans, the role of the mystical will o’ the wisps and a mysterious witch with the power to create change are all rooted in reality and mythology. They then went back home with the hope that they would be blessed with a surfeit of crops in the coming season. Brave is a Disney/Pixar animated film featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time. As a human prince, Mor'du was powerfully built and was the tallest of his brothers. Story Supervisor Brian Larsen says Scotland's love of stories was a big help while planning Brave . The Legend of Mor'du is a 2012 Pixar short attached to the Blu-ray and DVD release of Brave. Mass murderStalkingTreasonDestructionVandalismInfanticide (implied) Jangles the Clown | Scottish links to the tropical island of Sri Lanka go back at least 200 years, when it was known as Ceylon. According to Dr. Martin, one night the people of Lewis appeased Seonaidh. Mor'du is the first main Pixar movie villain who never says a word of English onscreen. Having just watched the Disney / Pixar movie Brave, I’m pondering the vaguely Scottish-Irish-Celtic-European mythology and motifs buried in this film.Originally titled “The Bear and the Bow,” the movie weaves a a tapestry of bear and mother goddess symbolism which I find fascinating. Buy 'Mor'du' by Tsum Tsum Twins as a Essential T-Shirt. As a youth, while being trained in the art of poetry, he accidentally burned his thumb while cooking the Salmon of Knowledge, which allowed him to suck or bite his thumb in order to receive bursts of stupendous wisdom. [6], Once the Picts adopted Gaelic culture and their actual characteristics faded out of memory, folkloric elements filled the gaps of history. It gives in-depth background about the film's villain, an evil, greedy prince as told by the eccentric witch who transformed him into the monstrous bear he is in the film. For some reason, Disney mixed up their standard princess formula with Brother Bear, and shoved it in Pixar's direction to force them to make a film. And remember what design the pendant Merida gave away? [5][better source needed]. His desire for power drove him to go far enough to start a violent war, and then ultimately killed his own brothers in cold blood. He did not wear a shirt, which showed that his body was covered with various tattoos. One of the Production Designers of the film, Steve Pilcher, calls Mor'du a \"Demon bear\" and \"Moby Dick on land\".However, Mor'du was not always a bear; he was originally a human prince, who wanted to rule the kingdom he shared with his three brothers alone, … Hey this is WMG, anything goes. Folk beliefs about the Banshee also reflect aspects of these beings. The lords and their warriors charged to attack Mor'du, but were knocked aside effortlessly. In this context the most powerful and feared goddess representing winter is Beira who rules winter for its entire duration. Goals Attacking anyone whom he can see. Brave's eccentric witch recounts the story of a power-hungry prince who sought to wrest control of a kingdom from his brothers through magical means. Its narrative, set in an idealized 10th century Scotland, straddles myth, fable, and fairy tale. ‘Brave’, one of Pixar’s most underrated features, hosts a villainous prince consumed by greed whom is transformed into a monstrous bear by an eccentric witch, voiced enthusiastically by Walters. His only line "his wish for strength" is simply paraphrased by the Witch. Scottish mythology is the collection of myths that have emerged throughout the history of Scotland, sometimes being elaborated upon by successive generations, and at other times being rejected and replaced by other explanatory narratives. Kill anyone who crosses his path or sees him on sight (failed).Avenge his loss (failed, abandoned). It can be presumed that he followed her because, as the Will-o'-the-Wisps can lead anyone to their fate, Mor'du (having encountered the wisps before as a human) might have wanted to kill Merida as she is the one following the wisps, or even deeper, she could be his key to setting himself free of his curse. All of them were sons of a wise king ruling a peaceful kingdom. Mor'du has similarities to these historical villains: Just as Emperor Nero did, he murdered members of his own family to seize power over the throne and his selfishness and lust for power caused his kingdom to fall into ruin. Ancestral spirits, and giants who help to form the landscape and represent the forces of nature, are ubiquitous and may point to non-elite registers of mythology. Ernesto de la Cruz | Legends are lessons, they ring truths. His selfishness destroyed the bond with his brothers, which resulted in a war within them and their armies. After some time, they crossed the Irish Sea to invade Caledonia North of Roman Britain, successively capturing Iona, the cities of Rigmhonath and Bellathor in the process. [10], Selkies are said to live as seals in the sea but shed their skin to become human on land, often to dance in the light of the full moon. When Elinor caused a menhir fall onto him, the resulting impact proved too much for him to survive it, and he finally dies. He has many scars, scratches and wounds all over his face and body and weapons such as broken shafts of arrows, spears and axes from many past attempts to kill him sticking from his upper back, proof of all the murder he has committed over the years. Selkies are mortal creatures. Human form As centuries passed, the prince lost his humanity, his mind replaced with that of the beast he had become. Mor'du was once a human prince and the eldest of his four brothers. For Mor'du to be a werebear, he would be able to resume human form, but he was cursed forever to live as a monster. Even so, Mor'du's durability still have its limits and therefore, not invincible. The single most important source for the Fenian Cycle is the Acallam na Senórach (Colloquy of the Old Men), which is found in two 15th-century manuscripts, the Book of Lismore and Laud 610, as well as a 17th-century manuscript from Killiney, County Dublin. The Legend of Mor’du Short ... – At Pixar, getting into character is a team effort. Merida soon came to the realization that Mor'du was the prince, but at that moment, finds herself confronted by the monster bear, who reveals himself and attacks her. It was the belief that Beira, the Queen of Winter, had a firm hold on the country by raising storms during January and February thus preventing greenery to emerge. The legend of Mor'du is inspired by a compilation of these beliefs. As a result, the eldest prince slaughtered many of his former soldiers while the extreme few survivors fled from him, and the fracturing of the armies led to the kingdom's collapse, leading to his temporary downfall. But when he desired more power, he consulted a witch to give him the strength of 10 men, and he ended up as a bear. To present some evidence for this, In The Legend of Mor'du it's presented that there were 4 brothers, Mor'du being the eldest and the most power hungry. Chick Hicks | It should be noted that Mor'du seemingly had a strange obsession with killing Merida specifically (a far cry from lust), as in every scene he was in, she was always the main target. Grasshoppers (Thumper) | Merida fires an arrow straight at Mor'du's head, but it did no damage whatsoever. He was Merida and King Fergus' arch-nemesis. Several origin legends for the Scots arose during the historical period, serving various purposes. Christianity began to supersede most original mythology, causing the myths to diminish in power and prominence. The witch ends the story here, and offers the spell in the form of a cake to the guest, who turns out to be Wee Dingwall. The film combines traditional animation and computer animation. However, the eldest prince felt disgraced and refused to accept this, believing that he alone should rule the kingdom. Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear | Normally, they appear in the form of a horse. High-quality, pre-shrunk heavy or lightweight fleece. Then, from the bag of malt collected from each family, ale was brewed. The text is dated from linguistic evidence to the 12th century. The Irish monk Saint Columba was staying in the land of the Picts with his companions when he came across the locals burying a man by the River Ness. Go back at once." Big D | Regardless, this would make it one of Disney's darkest songs, as most of the time, Disney usually likes to keep a family-friendly image 24/7, only taking risks if goes according to the story. [9], Changeling is a fairy tale in which a fairy abducts a baby from the crib and then substitutes with another fairy. Its depth is 754 feet (230 metres) and the bed of the loch is flat like a "bowling green". It also features two original songs performed by Scottish Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis and written by Alex Mandel, and one original song performed by Birdy and Mumford & Sons. It was written by Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman and Irene Mecchi; and directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman. Powers/Skills Soon afterwards, Mor'du, a huge demon-bear, attacks the family. As Elinor and Merida ride away on a horse, Fergus confronts Mor'du and urges him to attack, prompting the monster bear to lunge at Fergus, destroy his sword and bite off his leg before retreating into the forest. They differ from other Gaelic mythological cycles in the strength of their links with the Gaelic-speaking community in Scotland and there are many extant texts from that country. Mor'du seemingly has the highest kill count in Pixar. The eldest prince convinced the witch to give him a spell that will grant him the "strength of ten men", paying her with the ring of his house. After the witch formulated the spell and put in a goblet, she warned him of making a choice: either he would fulfill his dark desire or mend the broken bonds with his brothers. “The Legend of Mor’du” Short – This rousing new bonus short film will give fans the chance to delve deeper into the legend behind Mordu, as … Whether or not this is actually true is unknown. As a monstrous, feral bear with large claws and sharp fangs, Mor'du is completely black, very large and is 13 feet tall, making him much bigger than an average human. These are the Ulaid, or people of the North-Eastern corner of Ireland and the action of the stories centres round the royal court at Emain Macha, close to the modern city of Armagh. Bear form When he was finally killed, the spirit of the eldest prince was finally released and, apparently learning from his tyrannical and oppressive mistakes, and what his intense lust for power had turned him into, thanked Merida with respect for releasing him and moved on peacefully to the afterlife; becoming a will-o-wisp. Fly Brothers | She was considered a tough and brutal old woman who stirred the deadly spiraling action of Corryvreckan, ushering snow, as well as torrents resulting in the overflow of rivers. [14] Although the sighting of the monster was reported as far back as the 6th century, in recent times the sightings were reported once the road around the loch was built. Mor'du opened his mouth and tried to maul her, but Elinor, seeing her daughter in danger, escaped from her bonds and charged at Mor'du. Conquer the kingdom (formerly).Kill anyone who crosses his path or sees him on sight (failed).Avenge his loss (failed, abandoned). It starts off with a very young Merida and her family having a relaxing, happy picnic, then a Mood Whiplash in Mor'du's appearance. However, what makes it worse is that the audience knows just a few minutes earlier that Mor'du was watching Merida when she walked into the forest, based on a musical cue alone. This cycle is, in some respects, close to the mythological cycle of the rest of the Gaelic speaking world. Filmmakers recorded children whispering to create the distinct sound of the Will O’ the Wisps. He did not wear a shirt, which showed that his body was covered with various tattoos. Brave After some time, when the time was appropriate, the candle was put out. 13. The Loch Ness Monster is a legendary aquatic creature reported from many sightings over many years. The two bears engaged in a violent fight, whereupon Mor'du gains the upper hand and threw Elinor into a pillar, but she dragged him back before he could kill Merida and started to repeatedly beat Mor'du against the pillar, only for him to strike her down.