Line #50 Film/Krull


1	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/krull_poster.png]]
2
3	->''"The ancient prophecy: that a girl of ancient name shall become queen, that she shall choose a king, and that together they shall rule our world, and that their son shall rule the galaxy."''
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5	An EvilOverlord from space, called the Beast, invades the world of Krull due to a prophecy that a marriage that unites that world will have a son who will rule the galaxy. When two great kingdoms are going to be joined by a marriage (necessitated by this invasion), the Beast's army, the Slayers, kidnap Princess Lyssa just before her wedding is completed, and Prince Colwyn goes on a quest to save her, aided by a wise old man, a gang of escaped prisoners and thieves, and an ancient sentient weapon.
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7	Written by Creator/StanfordSherman and directed by Creator/PeterYates, supposedly it was [[DivorcedInstallment originally meant to be]] the official ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' movie (under the title ''The Dragons of Krull''), but the license was somehow lost before the film was released. But this may simply be an UrbanLegend, given that it has been [[http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=506454&sid=2d1b9ed5266c5aa9b2863c456cf6a6b9#p506454 officially denied]] by Creator/GaryGygax himself.
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9	See also ''Film/HawkTheSlayer'', another fantasy film made in Britain.
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11	Has nothing to do with the protagonist of Thomas Mann's 1954 novel ''Literature/ConfessionsOfFelixKrull''. Or the island state of Krull from ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''. Or ''Literature/{{Kull}}''.
12	----
13	!!This film provides examples of:
14	* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: The Widow of the Web could have been a LargeHam even for a WorldOfHam. Instead, she's portrayed as a tragic character who did something monstrous and now regrets it deeply. Her sequence, animated spider aside, could have been fodder for a classical Greek story.
15	* ActuallyPrettyFunny: When he realizes Colwyn wants him to be the new lord marshal, Torquil can only laugh.
16	* AlasPoorVillain: Vella the seductress, who [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation depending on interpretation]], either could not kill or seduce Colwyn because she fell in love with him herself or because she could not [[ThePowerOfLove ruin his love with Lyssa]], let alone take the life of [[TheHero a man of such goodness and virtue]]. Either way, hearing her speak of the happiness and hope [[TragicDream she knows can never be hers]], and [[YouHaveFailedMe knowing what fate lies in store for her]], you can't help but feel pity for her, and Colwyn seems to agree.
17	* AlienSky: Krull orbits two suns. There are no double-shadows, we never see the sky enough to find both suns, and there is no plot-significant reason for there being two suns. [[RuleOfCool It's just cool.]] Krull also has two moons.
18	* AllThatGlitters: Implied as a lesson of the Emerald Seer's when Torquil tries to take emeralds from his cave, only to find that outside they're simply [[AllThatGlitters ordinary stones]]. In this case, presumably the real treasure of the seer's cave is knowledge. Unsurprisingly, [[TricksterMentor he seems to have a nice chuckle over this lesson]].
19	* AmuletOfConcentratedAwesome: {{Subverted\|Trope}} with the ancient glaive weapon Colwyn uses. It is said to be an extremely powerful weapon which Colwyn will need to defeat the Beast of the Black Fortress and rescue his princess. Once Colwyn has the glaive, he is told not to use it until he absolutely must. It remains unused until he breaks into the Black Fortress at the end of the movie, where [[spoiler: he uses the glaive only twice; first to cut open the prison trapping his bride, and second to attack the Beast, where it stabs the Beast in the chest which is not even enough to kill the monster. Colwyn ends up defeating the Beast with ThePowerOfLove, manifested as a magic flamethrower from his hand.]]
20	* AndNowYouMustMarryMe: The Beast tries to make Lyssa marry him instead of Colwyn so he can have the galaxy-ruling son instead.
21	* AnimalGenderBender: Given some brief shots of their undercarriage, a few of the magic "Fire Mares" are actually geldings.
22	* AntiClimax: Presumably due to technical limitations, the final battle consists of [[spoiler:A: Colwyn standing still and gesturing at the far-off Beast while the Glaive attacks it, and B: Colwyn standing still and gesturing at the far-off Beast shooting flames at it]].
23	* {{Backstory}}:
24	** Ynyr and the Widow's past is of tragic love.
25	** The Cyclops race made a deal with the Beast, who cheated them and made them one of his mortal enemies.
26	* BeastAndBeauty: This Beast comes across more as an AbhorrentAdmirer to the lovely Princess Lyssa.
27	* ABeastInNameAndNature: The Big Bad is known only as the Beast, an EvilOverlord leading the Slayers in an attempted plan to fulfil a prophecy that he believes will allow him to take over the universe.
28	* BigBad: The Beast has conquered many worlds, and is now after this one.
29	* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Rell's]] dramatic return when the heroes are pinned down [[spoiler:at the Black Fortress,]] allowing them to get inside.
30	* BigGuyFatalitySyndrome: [[spoiler:While he's not the first to die in the invasion of the Black Fortress, Rell the Cyclops is the first to die when they actually get inside the Fortress. He holds open a closing wall just long enough for his companions to get past, before it crushes him to death.]]
31	* BinarySuns: Krull not only has them, but daybreak is stated to be when both suns rise.
32	* BlackEyesOfEvil:
33	** When the Seer is killed and replaced with a doppelganger, his duplicate has pure black eyes (not as much of a giveaway as you might think, since he usually keeps his eyes closed).
34	** The female shapeshifter is a subversion of sorts, as she finds herself unwilling to go through with her mission of killing the main character and gets quite a sympathetic speech before The Beast eliminates her for her betrayal.
35	* BlessedWithSuck: The Cyclops traded with the Beast: one of their eyes (which is why they only have one now) for the ability to see into the future. The Beast ''did'' give them the ability to see into the future -- but they can only see [[YourDaysAreNumbered the moment of their own deaths]]. Using the knowledge to avoid their death? [[YouCantFightFate That just brings a much more painful death.]]
36	-->'''Ynyr''': They're sad, solitary creatures, born to know the day they will die.
37	* BlindSeer: The Emerald Seer is blind, but the changeling who kills him is not.
38	* BoisterousBruiser:
39	* BoxedCrook: A variant as Torquil and his gang aren't in prison, but are persuaded by Colwyn to join his cause when they ambush him. Rather than imprison them, he offers them a chance to earn a full pardon. They accept and help the king.
40	* BreathWeapon: The Beast fires balls of energy from his mouth.
41	* ButtMonkey: Ergo acts silly and has silly things happen to him, until his CharacterDevelopment, when he helps fight the Slayers.
42	* CallAPegasusAHippogriff: In the film, the Glaive is a unique legendary magic weapon, a five-bladed cross between a shuriken, a discus and a chakram. In real life, a glaive is a long pole with a blade on one end. (It's also an antiquated word used to refer to any bladed weapon.)
43	%%%* CarpetOfVirility: Ken Marshall had one.
44	* TheCasanova: Kegan (Creator/LiamNeeson), who has a wife or lover in numerous towns ([[UrbanLegendLoveLife or so it is rumored]]). Two wives are known of for sure, and while he never falls prey to OopsIForgotIWasMarried, he does have to do some quick thinking and fancy maneuvering to keep them from finding out about each other.
45	* ChangedMyMindKid: Downplayed with [[spoiler: Rell]], who initially declines to come to the Black Fortress with the other heroes, since [[spoiler: it's his time to die, and any cyclops who tries to avoid prophecy will die an unusually excruciating death.]] The other heroes are actually very understanding and don't hold it against [[spoiler: Rell]] at all. But when the attack on the fortress is going badly, of course, [[spoiler: Rell shows up to [[BigDamnHeroes save the day]] one last time. He ''does'' die a CruelAndUnsualDeath, but they never could have succeeded without his HeroicSacrifice.]]
46	* ClimbingTheCliffsOfInsanity: Colwyn has to climb one to get to the cave where the Glaive is resting.
47	* CollapsingLair: The fortress falls into pieces at the end. Said pieces also fall upwards, for some reason.
48	* ConquerorFromTheFuture: The trailer says the Beast came from the future to conquer the universe.
49	* ConvectionSchmonvection: Played with. In the scene when Colwyn retrieves the Glaive from the lava pit, he clearly acts as if there is a great deal of heat rising from the pool, yet is still able to reach in and retrieve the weapon without burning himself or catching fire. However, he is [[TheChosenOne the prophesied hero]] who would carry the Glaive, so its magic is implied to protect him from all effects of the lava.
50	* CoolHorse: Fire mares can travel super-fast, leave tracks of flames as they gallop (hence their name), and fly through the air without breaking stride.
51	* CultSoundtrack: Music/JamesHorner's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51vdPsLHal4 score]] for this film has gotten ''four'' different album releases, each one expanding on the previous one. Though, one of the chief complaints is that the score is 50% of ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', and a third ''Film/BattleBeyondTheStars''. (In fairness, it should be noted that he had a packed 1980s -- in 1983 ''Krull'' was one of his ''eight'' projects[[note]]The others were ''Film/UncommonValor'', ''Literature/GorkyPark'', ''The Dresser'', ''Film/{{Brainstorm}}'', ''Testament'', ''Between Friends'' and ''Literature/SomethingWickedThisWayComes''.[[/note]])
52	* CurbStompBattle: The kings' soldiers are no match for the Slayers' superior technology and special powers.
53	* CursedWithAwesome: While it's played as very melancholy in the film, the ability to know when you're going to die has major advantages.
54	* {{Cyclops}}: Rell. The backstory is that his people sacrificed one eye (apiece, duh) to the Beast in exchange for being able to see the future, but were only given the ability to foresee their own deaths.
55	* DamselInDistress: Lyssa spends much of the movie trapped in the Black Fortress.
56	* DealWithTheDevil: The Cyclopes, in their backstory. They were once normal humans living on a distant world. They made a deal with the Beast, exchanging one of their eyes for the ability to know the future. The Beast cheated them, however, only allowing them to know the times of their own deaths, and ensuring they will die horribly if they try to resist their deaths. [[spoiler: Considering this is the chief inspiration for Rell to join Colwyn's party, and his importance to their quest, this also counts as a HoistByHisOwnPetard for the Beast.]]
57	* DeathOfAChild: The Widow of the Web killed her infant son in her rage at her lover leaving her. Being the Widow is her punishment for that crime.
58	* DiabolusExNihilo: The Beast appears from outer space, invades the world and randomly crashes wedding parties all in the name of being bad. While the backstory of the Cyclops indicates that the Beast has done this sort of thing on other worlds before, there's otherwise no backstory for the Beast itself explaining where it came from and why it decided to go about invading worlds.
59	* DisproportionateRetribution: Ynyr leaves the Widow to go off on his mad adventures, not knowing he had left SomeoneToRememberHimBy. Furious and hurt, she kills their child after it is born. It is to the credit of Francesca Annis and Freddie Jones that the scene revealing this MoralEventHorizon, for which she was consigned to the web, is played with immense sympathy and tragedy thanks to the genuinely pity-inducing punishment she received and her clear regret for her crime.
60	* DwindlingParty: [[spoiler:The party is slowly whittled down as it progresses towards the end of its quest, including A: Ynyr, who dies in the process of finding out where to find the Black Fortress, B: Liam Neeson's "Travelling Man" character, one of whose wives we meet in a previous scene, and C: Rell the Cyclops, who makes a HeroicSacrifice. Whereas Colwyn began with nearly an army, only four of his allies are still alive at the end to walk off into the distance with the hero after he rescues Lyssa and saves the world.]]
61	* EightiesHair: Lyssa's fluffy mane sells it as an '80s movie.
62	* EldritchAbomination: The Beast's true form is a HumanoidAbomination.
63	* EnemyMine: The film begins with this, as two rival kingdoms arrange a political marriage to unify them against the alien invasion. Sadly, it does them little good as the highly advanced Slayers storm the castle and kill everybody except for the heroic prince and his future bride, who is taken by the invaders.
64	* EverybodyDiesEnding: By the end of the movie, only [[spoiler: Colwyn, Torquil, Oswyn, Ergo, and Titch]] are still alive out of a party of around a dozen or so.
65	* EvilDoppelganger: [[spoiler:The shapeshifter uses his power to kill the seer and replace him to mislead the other heroes.]]
66	* EvilOverlord: The Beast. An alien overlord who invades the titular planet seeking to marry Lyssa so they could have a child that would rule over the galaxy.
67	* EvilSoundsDeep: The Beast, with Trevor Martin's voice being flanged to give it a metallic tinge.
68	* EvilTowerOfOminousness: The Black Fortress, which looks to be made out of basaltic pillars. It's mobile and is even capable of traveling through space. In the film, it teleports around the planet. In the book, it's described as flying from place to place instead.
69	* ExcaliburInTheRust: The Glaive is initially trapped in a lava pit and covered in stone. When Colwyn retrieves it, the stone crumbles away to reveal the Glaive for the ImpossiblyCoolWeapon that it truly is.
70	* FairytaleWeddingDress: Lyssa's dress with lots of lace. Because she's kidnapped mid-wedding, she ends up wearing it for the rest of the movie.
71	* {{Fanfare}}: The film starts with one by Music/JamesHorner.
72	* FantasyAliens: This movie is a rare case of a StandardFantasySetting undergoing an AlienInvasion.
73	* FingerSnapLighter: Colwyn gains the power to throw fire from his hand after reuniting with Princess Lyssa. It begins as a small flame when he holds his hand upright.
74	* ForcedTransformation: PlayedForLaughs. Ergo the Magnificent tries to turn Colwyn into a goose for making fun of him, but it backfires, goose-ifying Ergo instead. [[ExploitedTrope He eventually decides to work with it]], turning himself into a tiger when the group storms the Black Fortress.
75	* ForeseeingMyDeath: Rell, like all cyclopes, knows when he will die.
76	* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Ergo assumes the form of a puppy to make [[TagalongKid Titch]] happy. Subverted with the Beast:
77	-->'''Beast:''' ''([[EvilDoppelganger morphs into Colwyn]])'' I can assume any form I wish. Any form you wish.\
78	'''Lyssa:''' There is no love in that form.
79	* FuumaShuriken: The glaive is a Western example. It's also not as large as other examples, but still larger than a typical throwing star. When the blades are retracted, it's the size of an adult's hand.
80	* GalacticConqueror: The prophecy states that a couple will marry, rule Krull, and their son would rule the galaxy. Though it's apparent he'll be a more benevolent ruler now that the Beast has been destroyed. The Beast itself is a lower-scaled Galactic Conqueror, having already subjugated many worlds by the time the movie starts.
81	* GeniusLoci:
82	** While not strictly alive or even sentient, the Black Fortress does seem to obey the Beast with great alacrity as if it is just an extension of his will--witness how the dome forms around Lyssa, or how the floor just so happens to crack open under the heroes, then close as Colwyn is trying to climb through. [[spoiler: This would also explain why it [[LoadBearingBoss collapses after he is killed]].]] If it ''is'' an outer manifestation of the Beast's mind, its MalevolentArchitecture would then be not only a typical EvilTowerOfOminousness, but a reflection of its master being an EldritchAbomination (or at least, not thinking or viewing the world at all the way humans do).
83	** The Glaive itself can move in any direction that Colwyn wills it to.
84	* GhibliHills: Everything we see of Krull - mostly rocky hill country [[note]]A lot of the movie was filmed in the Italian Alps[[/note]] - is strangely empty and untouched by civilization. The only human-built structure in the film is Lyssa's family's castle, which stands on its own in the middle of an empty valley. It's also [[SceneryPorn undeniably beautiful]].
85	* GiantSpider: One of the side plots involves a giant albino spider guarding/imprisoning an oracle in a rather comfortable-looking cocoon in a gigantic web. It moves to eat anyone coming to consult with her, and is only prevented when she pours the sands of her life away (freezing it in place while the sands are in motion).
86	* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: Ergo is able to turn only himself into animals, which is only used for comic relief until [[spoiler:he turns himself into a tiger]].
87	* HeavilyArmoredMook: Slayers are heavily armored and are usually dispatched by stabs between their armor plates or through their visors.
88	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Rell]], the Widow of the Web, and the Old One each die to help the heroes.
89	* HitchhikerHeroes: Ynyr heads down to bind Colwyn's wounds, Ergo the Magnificent near them (lampshading it by noting he came quite a distance from where he intended), a gang of robbers decide to join them, an actual mage and his apprentice comes along to lead them, Rell has seen the future to know he'll join them...
90	* HopeSpot: As the Slayers assault the castle at the beginning of the movie, Lyssa and a small escort are sent through an underground passage to take the princess to safety through a less-obvious exit, but are ambushed by Slayers. When we next see them, the fight is apparently down to one Slayer against one guard, who is disarmed. However, Lyssa grabs a sword and tosses it to the guard, who manages to outfight the Slayer and is ready to deliver the killing blow, only for a new Slayer to appear and shoot him in the back.
91	* HypocriticalHeartwarming: Ergo changed to a puppy to grant the boy's wish. After changing back, he said it was a stupid wish, although [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold no one is fooled]].
92	* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: Very much how the Beast treats Lyssa during her captivity, whether [[ScarpiaUltimatum attempting to woo her]], offering her [[PimpedOutDress gorgeous gowns]] and [[RequisiteRoyalRegalia a floating crown]], or coming right out and telling her WeCanRuleTogether. His objective is to convince Lyssa to willingly betray her love for Colwyn, thus defeating [[ThePowerOfLove the power they share]], which is his only weakness.
93	* IKnowYourTrueName: Ynyr is able to reach the Widow of the Web by calling her true name, [[spoiler: Lyssa. It is a coincidence that she has the same name as the princess, but one Ynyr is happy to use to convince the Widow to help him.]]
94	-->'''Widow of the Web:''' Who speaks that name?!
95	* ImpossiblyCoolWeapon: The Glaive, a giant, telekinetic ninja star, with retractable blades. And manually adjustable rotation rate. Colwyn uses it as a rotary saw at one point.
96	* IneptMage: Ergo tries to change people into animals but it only works on himself. Then he finally uses that weakness as a strength.
97	* ImprobableInfantSurvival: [[spoiler: Titch, the young aid/apprentice of the Emerald Seer. He's one of the few survivors of the DwindlingParty.]]
98	* InsignificantLittleBluePlanet: The Beast says that the planet Krull is this insignificant to his EvilPlan. A son that will rule the whole galaxy? That's much more appealing.
99	* IronicEcho: Lyssa's twisting of the Beast's words back to him.
100	-->'''Lyssa''': ''Power'' is fleeting. ''Love'' is eternal.
101	* ItHasBeenAnHonor: One of Torquil's men says this to Colwyn after he got shot while they try to get inside the Black Fortress. There are shades of this in the earlier goodbye to Rell, as well.
102	* ItOnlyWorksOnce: The Widow of the Web can protect vision seekers trying to enter her domain, in the center of a giant spider web, by turning over a large hourglass which immobilizes the giant spider guardian while the sands fall. We learn that leaving is impossible, because "it can be turned only once. That is the lure of the web."
103	* KillAndReplace: [[spoiler:A shape-shifter kills the Emerald Seer and takes his form to get close to Colwyn and kill him. Fortunately, Rell finds out and throws his three pointed spear at the shape-shifter.]]
104	* KillItWithFire: How the Beast is finally taken down.
105	* LargeHam: Plenty of them. Colwyn, Ynir, Rell... they all have their moments.
106	* LargeHamTitle: "Ergo, the Magnificent, Short in Stature, Tall in Power, Narrow of Purpose and Wide of Vision" acts as big as the epithet he gives himself.
107	** Less extravagant but still notable is "''The Old One''", because Colwyn says it ''very'' dramatically on his introduction to Ynir, and Ynir just doesn't seem that old.
108	-->'''Colwyn:''' Ynir? ''The Old One?!!''
109	-->'''Ynir:''' Well, not as old as all ''that''...
110	* LavaIsBoilingKoolAid: Corwyn sticks his arm into a pool of lava to get the Glaive. He should be dead, but he's completely unharmed, though see above under ConvectionSchmonvection.
111	* LethalHarmlessPowers: Ergo learns to shape-shift into dangerous animals, which not only takes out a Slayer, but even takes a staff blast and survives.
112	* LoadBearingBoss: The Black Fortress falls apart after the Beast dies, though this is also a case of NoOntologicalInertia. Also, the pieces fall up - apparently the Beast was so evil, the planet won't have any of it.
113	* LoadBearingHero: [[spoiler:Rell]] sacrifices himself to keep a stone gate open so the heroes can get in. Made more badass because he ''knew'', thanks to prescience, that he would die that way if he helped the heroes.
114	* MadeOfEvil: The Slayers and Changelings gruesomely melt into the ground when dealt a mortal blow.
115	* MagicByAnyOtherName: Some of the peoples of Krull are {{Seers}} or have limited magical or PsychicPowers with varying degrees of strength; Ergo can transform himself, Rell can see the [[ForeseeingMyDeath circumstances of his demise]], The Emerald Seer can divine locations and future events like where the Black Fortress will teleport to the next day (although he needs to be in his place of power to see clearly). The Widow of the Web appears to be a much stronger seer, able to know the future location of the fortress just by thinking about it. Even Ynyr seems to have limited mind reading capability, since he can divine that Torquil has children. And then of course there is ThePowerOfLove between Colwyn and Lyssa, granting him [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]].
116	* MagicMisfire: Whenever Ergo the Magnificent tries to cast a spell, he ends up hitting himself (explained as Hillfolk wizards "lacking the power to do real harm"). He eventually learns how to use this to his advantage.
117	* MagneticHero: Colwyn:
118	** He made bandits about to rob him do a HeelFaceTurn and join him.
119	** He also seems to have so much appeal that a woman sent to seduce and trap him falls in love with him at first sight instead.
120	* TheMagnificent: Ergo, of course. (His "proper", full name is: [[TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard Ergo, the Magnificent, Short in Stature, Tall in Power, Narrow of Purpose and Wide of Vision.]] Though he will answer to just "Ergo" in a pinch.) [[spoiler: He proves he isn't just comic relief in TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon.]]
121	* MalevolentArchitecture: The Black Fortress is one of these, including pits that randomly open and a spike trap room with absolutely no purpose.
122	* MarsNeedsWomen: The Beast kidnaps Lyssa. This is due to a prophecy that if he gets Lyssa to marry him, they will rule the world and their son would rule the universe.
123	* MeaningfulEcho: "Only the king and his lord marshal carry those keys." The first time Torquil says it, it's to demonstrate that he realizes Colwyn is no mere traveler. The second time he says that, he realizes that [[spoiler: Colwyn has made him his lord marshal in thanks for his aid.]]
124	* MenActWomenAre: Lyssa gets kidnapped and provides Colwyn with the drive (and power) to succeed; the Widow provides the information they need to find the Fortress but otherwise does nothing. All other roles are filled by active men (save the Seer).
125	* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler: Ynyr dies after revealing where the Black Fortress will teleport to next.]]
126	* MoodWhiplash: From bad to good -- from [[spoiler: another of Torquil's men dying by walls with SpikesOfDoom closing in and the others in general peril]] to Lyssa and Colwyn happily meeting again. Also, a milder example in (paraphrased) dialogue:
127	-->'''Ergo:''' If I had my wish, I'd be out of this gloomy place...if I'd ''really'' have my wish, I'd be sitting on a gooseberry pie as [[BigEater big as a mountain.]] No, that's a bit greedy...I'll settle for one as big as a house. What'd you wish for, Titch?
128	-->'''Titch:''' ''(ponders)'' A puppy.
129	-->'''Ergo:''' Only one? Why not a hundred?
130	-->'''Titch:''' Only want one.
131	-->'''Ergo:''' Well, that's a foolish wish...what about you, Rell, what'd you wish for?
132	-->'''[[StoicWoobie Rell]]''': ''(gloomily)'' [[YourDaysAreNumbered Ignorance.]][[invoked]]
133	* {{Mooks}}: The Slayers, mooks for the Beast. They are very powerful though, easily slaughtering the RedShirtArmy near the beginning of the movie, and even the heroes have a difficult time fighting them. Thus they could be considered SuperSoldier[=s=].
134	* MovingBuildings: [[BigBad The Beast]]'s Black Fortress flies, floats and teleports at his command. It never stays for too long nor in the same place twice when put down, necessitating the good guys finding a {{seer\|s}} who can tell them its next location.
135	* MrExposition: This is the entirety of Ynyr The Old One's job throughout the movie. He knows about most of the peoples' of the world of Krull, and even all about the Beast and the Cyclopes who are not even originally from Krull. He even knows things he shouldn't know, like Torquil being a father.
136	* NonIndicativeName: The weapon is identified as "The Glaive". It isn't a curved-blade polearm, but rather a starfish-shaped throwing weapon. Even if you take the older meaning of "glaive" as "sword" it doesn't fit.
137	** The Widow of the Web is not a widow; her husband is still alive.
138	** ZigZagged with Ynir, The Old One. He doesn't appear more than perhaps fifty-five, and he balks at the title, but it's very likely that he's [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld older]] than he looks.
139	** Ergo's full title - David Battley was average height; the role was originally written for a little person, and the line was kept as is.
140	* NotInThisForYourRevolution: Invoked by Torquil as he says he and his men fight for profit, not to save the world. He's eventually pulled in by the promise of freedom and by the end of the film, he's become open to the idea of being the lord marshal.
141	* NotQuiteFlight: The fire mares don't seem able to take off from the ground vertically, but when galloping at SuperSpeed they can run off the edge of cliffs or mountaintops and just keep going horizontally in midair.
142	* NothingIsScarier: Thanks to the SpecialEffectFailure in how the Beast was portrayed, rather like the shark in ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' and the creature in ''Film/{{Alien}}'' it is more frightening when unseen, only sensed or heard breathing. Even when you can see it, the slightly flat appearance of the process shots works to the movie's advantage, as if the Beast cannot quite fit within the three dimensions we know. [[MalevolentArchitecture The unsettling, surreal interior of the Black Fortress]] doesn't help.
143	* ObviouslyEvil: The Beast and the Slayers. Just in case the names aren't a giveaway, one look at the Slayers' spikey armour or the Beast's general appearance makes it clear that these are the villains.
144	* OffingTheOffspring: The Widow of the Web killed her child.
145	* OhWaitThisIsMyGroceryList: Ergo does this while trying to find a spell he has written down.
146	-->"There we go! Oh, this is a recipe for hot fudge sauce..."
147	* OneSteveLimit: Averted and made a plot point. [[spoiler:The Widow of the Web shares her name with Lyssa. Also doubles as TragicBackstory, because the Widow was the previous Queen who was destined to have a son that would rule the galaxy, until she killed him. This becomes a plot point when the Widow sacrifices herself to give the other Lyssa a chance. "What about your life?" "I give it to the girl who bears my name."]]
148	* PantheraAwesome: [[spoiler:Ergo turns himself into a tiger to dispatch the Slayers.]]
149	* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: {{Inverted\|Trope}}. Colwyn and Lyssa are the children of two rival kings who choose to marry against their fathers' wishes to form an alliance against the Beast; inverted because the kids arrange it instead of the parents. Lyssa gets kidnapped during the wedding and Colwyn goes off to save her. Their love turns out to be the final weapon that offs the main villain.
150	* PetTheDog: Literally, but inverted: the moment where it's first shown that Ergo has a heart and a more selfless side is when he turns ''himself'' into a dog for Titch to pet and hold.
151	* PlanetaryRomance: Krull is another planet, but one that very much resembles a StandardFantasySetting with a few scifi elements.
152	* PlayingWithFire: [[spoiler:Colwyn, with Lyssa's help, creates a flame that burns the Beast.]]
153	* PluckyComicRelief: Ergo's beast spells are mostly used for comedy.
154	* PokeInTheThirdEye: The Beast pulls this on the Emerald Seer, shattering his scrying gem in the process. This necessitates the Seer having to travel to the Emerald Temple where he will have enough power to break through the Beast's barriers... a trip during which the Seer just so happens to be very vulnerable.
155	* PopCulturalOsmosis: A glaive is actually a type of polearm, but if a work mentions one after this film, you can bet it's probably a giant shuriken.
156	* ThePowerOfLove: Which is considerably less metaphoric than in other examples. [[spoiler: Part of the marriage ceremony in this story involves the female taking a literal fire from a ceremonial pool and holding it in her immune-to-this-flame bare hand. Lyssa literally [[ChekhovsGun carries this flame for Colwyn through the entire film]] until the FinalBattle, where it proves to be more than the BigBad can handle.]]
157	* PreciousPuppy: Ergo off-handedly mentions wishes. Titch, a boy coming along with them, mentions he always wanted a puppy. Later on, Ergo wanders away from the rest for a while, turning himself into a puppy and running along to Titch, remaining that way for a few scenes to make him happy. Aww.
158	* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: The Glaive: a magical five-bladed throwing weapon controlled in flight by its wielder's will. Lost at the end when it couldn't free itself from The Beast's body. Justified (assuming the Glaive even qualifies) due to the fact that this ridiculously powerful magic weapon could fly, cut through NighInvulnerable barriers, and ''hover in place''.
159	* PrincessClassic: Lyssa. Though in her opening scenes she shows courage, strength of heart, and more than a little independence (for one thing, it's made quite plain that the alliance by marriage was ''her'' idea and she bullied her father into it), and when she is captured it's clearly due to lack of fighting skills and training, not lack of desire to fight back.
160	* ProphetEyes: The Emerald Seer (probably) has this. He rarely opens his eyes though, and his doppelgänger has BlackEyesOfEvil.
161	* QuicksandSucks: In a surprisingly tense and desperate scene with one of the thieves. Considering this whole moment existed as one big distraction for the Beast to replace the Emerald Seer, the quicksand may well have been magically generated, thus explaining why it didn't act like the RealLife version.
162	* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Torquil and his thieves, plus Ergo, Rell, and Titch.
163	* ReallyGetsAround: Kegan, the bandit played by Liam Neeson, has 7 or 8 wives scattered around the world, as he's a "travelling man"
164	* RedEyesTakeWarning: The Beast's red eyes are part of his danger. Since his full form is rarely seen, this is useless.
165	* RedRightHand: Combined with GlamourFailure, the Beast and his servants could take any shape, but their eyes always looked demonic and evil. At least, when they ''opened'' their eyes, or used their powers in any other way. [[spoiler: The one impersonating the Emerald Seer got away with it through the simple expedient of never opening his eyes when the heroes were looking at him; the one trying to seduce Colwyn only blew her cover when she manifested her claws.]]
166	* RedShirt: All but two of the brigands who join Colwyn, as well as the kingdom soldiers in the first part of the movie. The brigands are something of a subversion, though: while they are eventually killed off, they are also shown to use clever tactics to defeat the Slayers, such as outflanking them, immobilizing them with nets, or using a whip to pull their legs out from under them.
167	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: During the initial castle attack, both kings fight bravely against the Slayers and go down fighting. Colwyn, who is initially a prince and becomes king after his father's death, is also a very active, heroic character.
168	* RoyaltySuperPower: A bit ambiguous. Colwyn's ability to control the Glaive (let alone reach into lava to retrieve it) are probably from his status as TheChosenOne, though the parallels to the Sword in the Stone are obvious. Similarly, the minor pyrokinetic powers Lyssa demonstrates during the wedding and the ''major'' pyrokinetic powers that Colwyn demonstrates once the wedding is completed may be a function of the wedding ceremony itself, a power of the royal bloodlines, or some combination of the two (i.e., a result of members of the royal bloodlines becoming a mated pair). The movie goes out of its way not to [[AsYouKnow explain]] a lot of its magic.
169	* RuleOfCool: The Glaive, the Slayers' weapons, the Black Fortress, the Fire Mares, the twin suns, the cyclops, the translucent giant spider, and a marriage ceremony that gives the groom [[spoiler:temporary but powerful pyrokinesis]].
170	* RuleOfSymbolism: Colwyn and Lyssa's love [[spoiler:makes a literal flame that can destroy the Beast]]. The Black Fortress (evil) [[ParanoiaFuel can appear anywhere]]. The Widow of the Web's hourglass sands not only can briefly stop time, allowing someone past the spider, but they also [[spoiler:represent the span of her life--and thanks to MindlinkMates, Ynyr's too, so that spilling them ends their lives]]. Torquil not wanting to have his manacles removed until the end of the quest (when he'd earned it), only to keep them even after he does remove them as a reminder of the past he'd atoned for. Bardolph dying on the SpikesOfDoom because [[{{Greed}} he has to go back for his special knife]].
171	* SameLanguageDub:
172	** Creator/LysetteAnthony is dubbed throughout by Lindsay Crouse. According to some accounts, producers thought Americans wouldn't be able to understand her accent -- clips of her actual voice in the film prove that wrong. She'd later do an excellent American accent in ''Film/HusbandsAndWives''. Other sources say the producers thought her voice sounded too young.
173	** Creator/RobbieColtrane's character is also dubbed by another actor.
174	* SaveThePrincess: The basis of much of Colwyn's actions is saving Princess Lyssa, who also happens to be his fiancée.
175	* SceneryPorn: Lots of beautiful shots of the lovely Italian Alps.
176	* SchizoTech: The Slayers ride horses and fight using a weapon that combines a single-shot energy blaster with some kind of powered sword or short spear.
177	* ScienceFantasy: It's basically a fantasy world invaded by high-tech aliens.
178	* ScrewDestiny: A variation of it. [[spoiler: Rell initially had to leave the group to face his death.]] However, later he arrived to help them get inside the Black Fortress [[spoiler: and soon got crushed (a much painful death than whatever he originally envisioned); presumably he preferred a HeroicSacrifice over however he was supposed to die. This was lampshaded earlier by one of Torquil's men who suggested that Rell should come with them to the Black Fortress anyway.]]
179	* ShapeshiftingSeducer:
180	** The Beast assumes Colwyn's form, telling Lyssa he can assume any form she finds attactive, as a bid to woo her. She doesn't budge.
181	** Vella, a changeling sent to seduce Colwyn so that the Beast can break Lyssa's spirit. Colwyn doesn't bite, though, and Vella is so impressed with his devotion that she refuses to kill him despite the Beast's orders. Seeing this only bolsters Lyssa's resolve, and [[YouHaveFailedMe the Beast is not amused by this.]]
182	* SmallNameBigEgo: Ergo definitely has shades of this, considering his OverlyLongName is clearly CompensatingForSomething. It turns out by the end, though, that much of this is a pose.
183	-->'''Ergo:''' I am Ergo the magnificent. Short in stature, tall in power, narrow of purpose and wide of vision -- and I do not travel with peasants and beggars. Goodbye!
184	-->Later...
185	-->'''Ergo:''' ''(to Rell)'' My name is no jest, beanpole. It's all very well to have a short name when you're twenty feet tall, but small people need large names to give them weight.
186	%%* SoleSurvivor: Colwyn is the only one to survive the Slayers' assault on the castle (if we don't count Lyssa, who they intended to capture).%%No he's not. Ergo, Titch, and Torquill survive too.%%
187	* SoulJar: The Black Widow's hourglass -- or more specifically the sand inside it -- determines her life span. She passes it on to an injured Ynyr so he could inform the group about the Fortress' next location.
188	* SpikesOfDoom: There's a room in the Black Fortress that had spikes intermittently moving out of the walls in every which direction. Didn't end well for one of the bandits.
189	* StandardFemaleGrabArea: When Lyssa is captured, a Slayer leads her away, holding her by her upper arm.
190	* StormingTheCastle: The story begins with the Slayers invading Krull and capturing Princess Lyssa's castle.
191	* StreetSmart: Torquil.
192	-->'''Torquil''': ''Fame? It's an empty purse. Count it? Go broke. Eat it? Go hungry. Seek it and go mad!''
193	* SuperSpeed: Fire Mares can travel "a thousand leagues in a day." The definition of "league" differed according to era and location, but it refers to the distance a healthy horse can most efficiently travel in an hour -- about five and a half kilometers. Fire Mares thus have a cruising speed of ''231 kilometres per hour'' or '''143 miles per hour!'''
194	* SwampsAreEvil: And a good place for an ambush of the evil forces.
195	* SwordBeam: The weapon of choice for the Slayers are powered swords or short spears that fire laser beams. They still seem rather impractical because they appear to only have one shot each.
196	* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Colwyn's first task on his quest is to retrieve the Glaive.
197	* SwordSparks: Crossing swords with the Slayers causes this. Sweet, enormous red ones. Actually, looks like little lightning bolts.
198	* TeleportersAndTransporters: The Black Fortress vanishes from one location during a sunrise and appears in another (never the same place twice), to thwart enterprising young heroes. Figuring out where it will appear next so it can be intercepted is one of the major plot points.
199	* TooAwesomeToUse: Colwyn receives an awesome magical glaive weapon in the beginning of the film, but Ynyr advises him not to use it until he needs it most. It sits on his saddle for the rest of the film until he faces the Beast.
200	%%%* {{Troperiffic}}
201	* TooDumbToLive: Bardolph, who dies when he goes back into a room full of spiked walls just to retrieve his knife -- which would have been of absolutely no use to him in the given situation anyway.
202	* TheUnreveal: The exact nature of the Slayers' powers, such as the ability to breathe underwater or climb walls without equipment, is never explained, and we never learn what the ''thing'' that burrows into the ground after they're killed is. Nor do we find out how Rell the Cyclops, apparently from another world himself, made it to Krull.
203	* VillainBeatingArtifact: The Glaive's only purpose is defeating the Beast.
204	* VocalDissonance: Due to Lysette Anthony's voice being dubbed over by Creator/LindsayCrouse, Lyssa has the appearance of a late teen but the voice of a middle-aged woman.
205	* VoluntaryShapeshifting: [[spoiler: Near the end, Ergo decides "if my ForcedTransformation spells always backfire, why not turn myself into a tiger?"]]
206	* TheWallsAreClosingIn: Includes the [[SpikesOfDoom spiked walls]] version, and a gruesome death for one character who could have escaped but went back for his cherished knife.
207	* WallCrawl: The Slayers can somehow climb up walls without any visible equipment.
208	* {{Wangst}}: InUniverse, it's both {{justified\|Trope}} and {{defied\|Trope}}.
209	-->'''Colwyn''': You haven't lost a father, and a bride on the same day!\
210	'''Ynyr''': Nor have I become ''king'' on that day!
211	* WeCanRuleTogether: The Beast offers Lyssa his hand in marriage, so they would rule Krull and many other worlds.
212	* WeddingSmashers: The Slayers kidnap Princess Lyssa during her wedding.
213	* WinYourFreedom: Torquil and his band must survive their adventure with Colwyn and rescue the princess if they are to earn their pardon.
214	* WomanScorned: The Widow was abandoned by Ynyr in her {{backstory}}. It made her upset, to say the least.
215	* YouCantFightFate: Not if you're a Cyclops. Well, you can (as in, [[DoNotGoGentle refuse to go off into self-imposed exile]] to await your foreseen death), but [[FateWorseThanDeath you'll regret it]]. [[spoiler:[[HeroicSacrifice Rell doesn't]]--he may regret the pain, but not the reason for it.]]

Context Film / Krull