History WesternAnimation / Balto

** The film depicts the grizzly bear as a [[BearsAreBadNews large monstrous beast]], while the polar bears Luk and Muk are a [[BearyFriendly harmless and friendly]] [[ThoseTwoGuys comic duo]]. In reality, polar bears not only grow to be much bigger in size than grizzlies. It is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] considering they're still cubs and Alaskan grizzlies can grow nearly as massive as polar bears. There is also some TruthInTelevision there, since grizzlies are often cited as the most aggressive of bears and are often hostile to other bears and will kill the latter's cubs, and despite their larger size, polar bears are often quite wary of grizzlies and avoid direct contact, sometimes even being driven away from whale carcasses by grizzlies.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Pretty much everything in the movie is wrong about the real Balto, for one there were about 20 sled teams, and Balto didn't even run the most dangerous part, he just ran the last leg. Heck, even his coloring is different. Also, the real Balto was 100% purebred Siberian Husky, and his fur pattern was closer to Steele (though it's long since faded to brown from sun exposure after being taxidermied).
* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: Steele, and to a lesser extent, Balto, to the rest of the sled dogs. TruthInTelevision for canines.

* FourTemperamentEnsemble: The Angsty and self-doubting Balto is melancholic, the kind and compassionate Jenna is phlegmatic, the GrumpyOldMan Boris is choleric, and the PluckyComicRelief Muk and Luk are sanguine.

* ProhibitedHeroSavesTheDay: Balto is not taken or wanted on the medicine run (in spite of having been the fastest canine in a race) because he's half-wolf. He tracks down the sled team and leads them home after his rival, Steele, gets them lost.

* MadeOfIron: How Steele survived falling down a tall mountain side, slamming into several shelves on the way down, with ''no'' visible injury, is anyone's guess. Clearly the film needed him to be the villain for a while longer, or the poor bastard would have been dead within the first impact.

-->'''Nikki:''' [[spoiler:(''when Steele knocks over the crate'') Hey! That stuff is fragile, there!]]\\

* ColectiveDeathGlare: after being defeated by Balto and thrown off a cliff, Steele returns to Nome claiming that the wolfdog made a FaceHeelTurn and left the sled dog team to die in the wilderness. When Balto returns home safe and sound with both Steele's squad and the medicine supplies, Steele's lie immediately catches up to him and even one of his greatest admirors (a Spitz she-dog named Dixie) is horrified by his deceit. She throws a bone off his mouth, which lands in front of the entrance of the city's main boiler room (= the main hub of Nome's dogs) and the very group of (understandably pissed off) dogs which used to admire Steele at the very beginning of the movie.

* AntiSneezeFinger: Nikki does this to Star to prevent triggering a cave-in, his previous sneeze having caused an [[SneezeofDoom avalanche]]. Unlike most other examples, it actually stops the sneeze permanently instead of resulting in a giant sneeze when the finger is removed. Not that it matters much since the cave-in is soon afterward triggered by the sled thudding hard on the cave's uneven icy floor.

* SneezeOfDoom: Star does this in the first film, resulting in an avalanche.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Steele, and to a lesser extent, Balto, to the rest of the sled dogs. TruthInTelevision for canines.

* BigBad: Steele serves as the main antagonist of the movie, and actively tries to sabotage Balto from reaching Nome with the life-saving serum.

* AdaptedOut: The husky Togo was a (if not ''the'') lead sled dog in the actual event, but is nowhere in the movie. Given the kind of hell Balto goes through, one could argue that he's a CompositeCharacter of the two.

* AdaptedOut: The husky Togo was a (if not ''the'') major player in the actual event, but is nowhere in the movie. Given the kind of hell Balto goes through, one could argue that he's a CompositeCharacter of the two.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Balto was a purebred husky who only helped pulling the sleigh the last distance back to Nome. The real hero was actually another husky named Togo, the runt of his litter who surprised everyone with his strength and intelligence, and who pulled the sleigh for the longest and most hazardous distance (while he was [[CoolOldGuy ''11 years old'' no less)]] until his exhausted self had to let Balto do the finishing miles. Being the one who actually led the sleigh into the town of Nome however, Balto was recognized as a hero more than Togo was. Additionally, the real Balto was neutered early in his life. He never fathered any pups, making the sequels pure fiction. He also [[http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a389/JerseyCaptain/Balto-kids.jpg looked]] dramatically different from the movie version, being mainly black and much less slender. He looked more like Steele than the movie Balto.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Balto was a purebred husky who only helped pulling the sleigh the last distance back to Nome. The real hero was actually another husky named Togo, the runt of his litter who surprised everyone with his strength and intelligence, and who pulled the sleigh for the longest and most hazardous distance (while he was ''11 years old'' no less) until his exhausted self had to let Balto do the finishing miles. Being the one who actually led the sleigh into the town of Nome however, Balto was recognized as a hero more than Togo was. Additionally, the real Balto was neutered early in his life. He never fathered any pups, making the sequels pure fiction. He also [[http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a389/JerseyCaptain/Balto-kids.jpg looked]] dramatically different from the movie version, being mainly black and much less slender. He looked more like Steele than the movie Balto.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: STEELE. Good Lord, he could be the trope's [[IncrediblyLamePun poster dog]]. [[spoiler: That is, until he's HoistByHisOwnPetard.]]%%None of this explains how he's an example, though.

* WhisperedThreat: Balto has proven himself in a test run, but GloryHound Steele dismisses the result, calling for his usual squad to prepare for a FetchQuest. When Balto argues that he deserves to be on the team, Steele snarls at him and the two almost come to blows, until the wolf dog is reminded of the critical importance of the sled run. Steele agrees that the mission is paramount, but mutters one parting shot at Balto.

->''"A dog cannot make this journey alone... but maybe a '''wolf''' can."''

* PullingYourChildAway: The titular hero is reimagined as half-husky, half-wolf and the town outcast as a result. When Rosie, a local girl and the mistress of Balto's crush Jenna, tries to interact with him, her father pulls her away, telling her to stay away from the dangerous half-wolf. Rosie, notably, is not scared after this, protesting that they're hurting his feelings and [[spoiler:happily hugging Balto when he's let into her sickroom after saving the town children from diphtheria.]]

** The film depicts the grizzly bear as a [[BearsAreBadNews large monstrous beast]], while the polar bears Luk and Muk are a [[BearyFriendly harmless and friendly]] [[ThoseTwoGuys comic duo]]. In reality, polar bears not only grow to be much bigger in size than grizzlies. It is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] considering they're still cubs and Alaskan grizzlies can grow nearly as massive as polar bears. There is also some TurthInTelevision there, since grizzlies are often cited as the most aggressive of bears and are often hostile to other bears and will kill their cubs, and despite their larger size, polar bears have been documented being quite wary of grizzlies and avoiding contact, sometimes even being driven away from whale carcasses by grizzlies.

** The film depicts the grizzly bear as a [[BearsAreBadNews large monstrous beast]], while the polar bears Luk and Muk are a [[BearyFriendly harmless and friendly]] [[ThoseTwoGuys comic duo]]. In reality, polar bears not only grow to be much bigger in size than grizzlies. It is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] considering they're still cubs and Alaskan grizzlies can grow nearly as massive as polar bears.

** Steele is a Alaskan malamute with IcyBlueEyes. However, malamutes cannot have blue eyes. Malamutes only have brown eyes.

%%* DeadpanSnarker: Boris.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: The film depicts the grizzly bear as a [[BearsAreBadNews large monstrous beast]] that can stand bipedal for a long time, while the polar bears Luk and Muk are a [[BearyFriendly harmless and friendly]] [[ThoseTwoGuys comic duo]]. In reality, polar bears not only grow to be much bigger in size than grizzlies but they are also known to be amongst the most aggressive predators of all bear species. It is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] considering they're still cubs.

%%* BearyFunny: Muk and Luk.
%%* BigBad: Steele.

** Also RealityIsUnrealistic in that people assumed the old woman in the beginning of the film ([[spoiler:the adult Rosy]]) couldn't possibly have ''still'' been alive in the 90s. The events depicted happened in 1925, so someone who was young like most of the Diptheria patients could have ''easily'' still been alive, well into their 70s-90s. [[note]]Although Miriam Margoyles, who plays adult Rosy, [[PlayingGertrude was born in 1941]], ''long'' after when the serum run took place.[[/note]]

* EveryoneHasStandards: [[spoiler:The dog team, at first supportive of Steele's fight and wagering against Balto, decide it's going too far when he actually ''bites'' Balto, with Star asking whats wrong with him, since all Balto wants to do is help. They also react with horror when Steele violently knocks the crate full of fragile jars of anti-toxin over in his rage; for all their flaws, they clearly cared more about getting the medicine through than Steele ever did.]]

* IllGirl: Rosy, as well as many other children in Nome.

* TheTragicRose: Rosy, the IllGirl. [[spoiler: Not only does she live to tell the tale, but she's the NarratorAllAlong.]]

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: While nothing ''actually'' happens between Balto and Jenna when he shows her the crawlspace under the hospital, Sylvie's commenting on it certainly makes it sound as if she believes otherwise. It's likely to go over the heads of younger viewers, but it's pretty clear to adults what she's alluding to:
--> '''Sylvie:''' "She (Jenna) was seen in the boiler room the other night with Balto, and they went in together and they left together."