History YMMV / Willow

* AwesomeMusic: Couldn't expect any less from Music/JamesHorner, who delivered a score that's suitably majestic, epic and heroic.

** The dragon. Willow first shoots a troll with the wand and the troll burns up into a fleshy lump and two tiny heards start to grow out before Willow kicks it in the water. The dragon emerges at full size just moments later.

%%** Then of course there's the fight with the dragon. Also the way the troll was turned into the dragon egg.

* MemeticMutation: ''Not a woman?!'' '''''NOT A WOMAN?!!!''''' can be used when someone turns out to be a trap.

** FridgeHorror: As stated above, Bavmorda imprisons all of the pregnant women in the kingdom so that she can make sure she has TheChosenOne in her grasp. Being the Evil Queen that she is, it's not too far fetched to assume that Bavmorda had the other mothers and babies simply killed once she verified that they were not part of the prophecy.
*** Not to mention that she may have killed the rest when she does find the chosen one.

** Then of course there's the fight with the dragon.
*** Also the way the troll was turned into the dragon egg.

** Madmartigan is none other than Jim Morrison, Doc Holiday, Moses and Batman all rolled into one.

* NoProblemWithLicensedGames:

* HilariousInHindsight: Creator/RonHoward would eventually direct a ''Franchise/StarWars'' film, the Han Solo anthology film ''Film/{{Solo}}'', due in 2018.

* AwesomeMusic: Couldn't expect any less from Music/JamesHorner.

* AwesomeMusic: Courtesy of James Horner.

* HilariousInHindsight: Creator/RonHoward would eventually direct a ''Franchise/StarWars'' film, the Han Solo anthology film due in 2018.

* CompleteMonster: [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen Bavmorda]] is an [[SorceressOverlord evil conqueror]] who learns of a prophecy of a child destined to defeat her, so she has all pregnant women in her kingdom imprisoned. After the child is saved from death, Bavmorda has the mother and midwife killed, who barely gets the child to safety before being torn apart by the Queen's hounds. To stop Willow and the child from getting help, Bavmorda turns a kind sorceress into a frog and the inhabitants of a castle into [[TakenForGranite stone]]. When confronted, Bavmorda tries to cast a spell to [[WouldHurtAChild destroy the prophesied child's soul]] so none can oppose her and attempts to [[OffingTheOffspring kill her own daughter for turning against her]].

* CompleteMonster: The [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen evil queen]] [[BigBad Bavmorda]] rules over Nockmaar Castle and wants to [[TakeOverTheWorld conquer Andowyne]]. However there is a [[TheProphecy prophecy]] which states that [[TheChosenOne a baby that will soon be born who will eventually destroy her]]. Bavmorda responds to this by imprisoning all the pregnant women in her kingdom to [[WouldHurtAChild find this child]]. When one of the mothers gives birth to the chosen child, the mother implores the midwife who delivers the child to save her baby. After finding out that the child was rescued by the midwife Bavmorda orders the mother to be killed and sends her [[{{Hellhound}} Death Dogs]] to chase after the midwife. While being chased by the Death Dogs, the midwife puts the baby in a makeshift raft and sends her down a river right before the dogs rip her apart. [[TheHero Willow]] finds [[LivingMacGuffin the baby]] and vows to [[SaveThisPersonSaveTheWorld protect her]] from Bavmorda. Meanwhile Bavmorda sends her [[TheDragon top general]] and her daughter [[DarkActionGirl Sorsha]] to find the child. Willow goes to the sorceress Fin Raziel for help, only to find that Bavmorda has [[BalefulPolymorph transformed her into a possum]]. Willow goes to the castle of Tir Asleen to look for help against Bavmorda, but discovers Bavmorda has [[TakenForGranite turned all the inhabitants of the castle to stone]]. Sorsha eventually [[HighHeelFaceTurn falls in love with Willow's ally Madmartigan]] and turns against her mother. When Willow and his allies confront Bavmorda at her castle, she uses her magic to [[BodyHorror transform them into pigs]]. Bavmorda plans on using a ritual to send the [[DeaderThanDead baby's soul into oblivion]] so that she cannot be reincarnated. When Willow, Sorsha and a restored Fin Raziel confront Bavmorda, Bavmorda attempts to [[OffingTheOffspring kill her own daughter]]. While one might make the case that Bavmorda was acting out of self-preservation, she was already an evil tyrant, and destroying the baby’s soul was overkill.

* VindicatedByVideo: A box office flop in 1988, it steadily developed a cult following thanks to video rentals and TV showings.

** Willow is none other than the evil Leprechaun who tried to kill Creator/JenniferAniston before she was on ''Friends'', and Professor Flitwick/Griphook in the Harry Potter films. He was also Wicket in ''Star Wars: Return of the Jedi'' and the two Ewok TV movies.

* CrazyAwesome: Madmartigan has plenty of this. [[spoiler: Taking on armies single-handedly. Seducing the BigBad's daughter. And last but not least - ''launching himself from a catapult'' in the general direction of a massive two headed dragon. And killing TheDragon of the BigBad for good measure]].
** Willow unintentionally does this by turning a troll into a two headed monstrosity. This leads to a fight with the forces of evil, a swordsman and a two headed tumor dragon.
%%* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: ''Great'' score.
%%* CultClassic

** The NES game, although laden with GuideDangIt, is often regarded as a forgotten classic.
** The arcade game is also very well-made, has pretty good graphics, lets you play as Willow and Madmartigan, and faithfully recreates some key scenes from the movie.

* NoProblemWithLicensedGames: The NES game, although laden with GuideDangIt, is often regarded as a forgotten classic.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/GeorgeLucas reportedly wanted ''Willow'' to be a trilogy of films like ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' but weak box office forced him to scrap the idea.

** Willow is none other than the evil Leprechaun who tried to kill Creator/JenniferAniston before she was on ''Friends'', and Professor Flitwick/Griphook in the Harry Potter films.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: ''Great'' score.
* CultClassic

* RetroactiveRecognition: Phil Fondacaro as Vohnkar.
** Tony Cox of ''BadSanta'' as another warrior.
** Willow is none other than the evil Leprechaun who tried to kill JenniferAniston before she was on ''Friends''.
*** Willow is also Professor Flitwick/Griphook in the Harry Potter films.

** Destroying the baby's soul was extreme but required, as the infant would reborn in a random location if slain in any fashion that left the soul intact.