[[quoteright:290:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Legend-of-the-Guardians-The-Owls-of-GaHoole_290_4228.jpg]]

''Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole'' is a 2010 animated film adaptation of ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'', a series of children's fantasy novels, directed by Creator/ZackSnyder and featuring the voices of Creator/JimSturgess, Emily Barclay, Creator/AbbieCornish, Creator/SamNeill, Creator/HelenMirren, and Creator/JoelEdgerton, among others.

The story follows an owl named Soren (Sturgess). He and his brother, Kludd (Creator/RyanKwanten), are kidnapped by evil owls and taken to a sinister realm called St. Aegolius's, where Kludd is recruited into their DoomTroops and Soren is put to work in a massive owl sweatshop putting together pieces of a superweapon. At St. Aegolius's, a villain named Metal Beak (Edgerton) is building up his forces, an army called the Pure Ones, with the intent of conquering the world of owls.

Soren and a friendly elf owl (Barclay) he meets escape and go on a quest to find the Tree of Ga'Hoole, the legendary home of a race of warriors: the Guardians, who are sworn to fight evil.

In theaters and on home video, the film was accompanied by an original CGI WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadRunner cartoon; "Fur of Flying".

Not to be confused with ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians''

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!!''Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole'' provides examples of:

* AdaptationalComicRelief:
** Jatt and Jutt. Especially jarring as they were [[KnightOfCerebus humorless monsters]] in the book.
** While Twilight did crack jokes in the books, he and Digger were overall grounded characters. The movie, on the other hand, largely makes them into comic relief sidekicks.
* AdaptationalNiceGuy: PlayedWith with Kludd. While he is very much a villain by the end of the movie, in the beginning he isn't ''that'' bad, opposed to his book counterpart, who may have literally hatched out ''evil''. In the beginning of ''The Capture'' he already hated Soren the moment his brother hatched, and was quite mean to him, [[spoiler:and deliberately ''pushes'' Soren out of the hollow in hopes of killing him]]. Wherein the film, he's a young owl who doesn't really enjoy legends, is a bit misguided in his thinking of Tyto "superiority", and is jealous of his brother. He has better relationships with his siblings; actually being concerned about Eglantine getting "day-mares", and having a bit friendlier rivalry with Soren. Soren even ''teases'' Kludd several times and vice versa, and Kludd has been nice enough for Soren to care for him, unlike at the beginning of the books. Indeed, perhaps if this Kludd was never subjected to the Pure Ones wrath or has made it to the Great Tree, he probably would have grown up a more decent owl. It's even implied that the only reason he stayed with the Pure Ones in the first place is that [[LoveMakesYouEvil he's fallen in love with Nyra]] as opposed to falling for the view of Tyto supremacy.
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Most noticeable with the Band.
** Twilight has the JerkWithAHeartOfGold aspect dialed way down, and his penchant for [[RhymesOnADime rhyming]] [[IShallTauntYou taunts]] gets swapped out in favor of making him a GiftedlyBad WarriorPoet.
** Digger, on the other hand, has his {{Cloudcuckoolander}} tendencies turned up to eleven.
** Otulissa is made much sweeter and is even PromotedToLoveInterest for Soren, wherein the books she was so stuffy and uppity that it took a while for the rest of the Band to even start befriending her.
** Finally, Gylfie gets hit with a bit of AdaptationalWimp due to the St. Aegolius plot being greatly cut down, with Soren masterminding their escape.
* AdaptedOut: Skench, Spoorn, and darn near half the St. Aggie's owls are removed and replaced with the Pure Ones. In the book, the Pure Ones ''do'' end up occupying St. Aggie's, but only after driving its current occupants out.
* AloofBigBrother: Kludd. He has no interest in stories about the Guardians and is mostly annoyed at Soren and Eglantine acting them out.
* {{Angrish}}: Nyra does a couple of these.
* AnimalGenderBender: During his training at St. Aegolius, Kludd develops a rivalry with another owlet just as skilled as he is. The grunts made from Kludd’s rival indicate he is a male, even though he has the coloration of a female Tasmanian masked owl.
* AnythingButThat:
-->'''Digger:''' Oh no! Not the lute!
* AristocratsAreEvil: [[spoiler:Of all the Guardians in the film, only Allomere is referred to as "Lord" [name of Guardian here].]]
* ArtisticLicenseBiology:
** Owls are unable to move their pupils, which is why they can rotate their heads almost 360 degrees.
** Barn owls have dark eye irises, in the movie they are contrasting with pupils for expression.
** Queen Barran and Marella are noticeably smaller than their mates. In reality, female owls are bigger than males (as is the case with most birds of prey).
** Soren is noticeably smaller than his parents, unlike real fully-fledged owls.
** Long-eared and Boreal Owls are too large in the movie.
** Among the owlets of St. Aggie and Tree are white ones supposed to be Snowy Owls, in reality, chicks of this species are grey.
** Also, the toes of Boron, a Snowy owl, should be densely covered with feathers.
** Digger mentions dingos climbing trees, something real dingos can't do. (He is a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, so he may just be getting his facts wrong.)
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Allomere being dragged off by bloodsucking bats so they can drain his blood and kill him after he was betrayed by Metal Beak. Given that he led the Guardians right into Metal Beak's trap, deceived them into believing he was not allied with the Pure Ones, and almost had them killed alongside the moonblinked owlets via the bats, all so he can become the King of the Great Tree after buying into Metal Beak's false promises, he definitely had that one coming.]]
* AvengingTheVillain: Soren's reaction to [[spoiler:Kludd's]] death is to find Metal Beak and make sure he can't destroy any other young owls' lives. [[spoiler:The fact it's his [[CainAndAbel own brother]] that was brainwashed into trying to kill him and "dies" in the process [[BerserkButton might have something to do with it.]]]]
* BadassBookworm: Ezylryb is apparently known more as a scholar than a fighter if his interactions with Allomere and the others at the tree are anything to go by. Lyze of Kiel, however, is a famous warrior…
* BaffledByOwnBiology: When Eglantine, an owlet, coughs up her first pellet, she's shocked and disgusted. She feels even worse when Mrs. P tells her it's her first.
-->'''Eglantine:''' First?! You mean there'll be ''more''!?
* BanteringBaddieBuddies: Jatt and Jutt are a [[TheDividual near-identical]] pair of horned owls working for the Pure Ones who engage in a silly conversation about intimidating stares while kidnapping Soren and Kludd.
* BatOutOfHell: With [[BladeBelowTheShoulder blades on their wings!]]
* BattleAmongstTheFlames: The fight in the forest fire between Soren and [[spoiler:Kludd]].
* BattleCouple: Nyra and Metal Beak are an evil example.
* BerserkButton:
** Mess with Ezylryb, and you'll be messing with Soren.
** By the time the fight in the forest fire happens, you can tell Kludd's had his pushed ''way'' too many times.
* BigBad: Metal Beak.
* BilingualBonus: Digger, who speaks with an Australian accent like most of the Band, becomes accepted as a Guardian and therefore a soldier with the rest of the Band at the end of the film. So in Aussie slang that would make him Digger the Digger. [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Who digs.]]
* BlackAndWhiteMorality: The Guardians vs. the Pure Ones, forming a classic good vs. evil dichotomy.
* BloodlessCarnage: Given that the movie's based on a children's book series and is thus at least partially aimed toward a younger audience, not a single drop of blood is seen anywhere in the film. A deleted scene had a particularly egregious example where an owl ''loses a talon on-camera'' and doesn't bleed at all.
* BodyHorror: Metal Beak's beak was clawed off during a fight with Lyze.
* BoisterousBruiser: Twilight. He is shown to be a surprisingly good fighter in the final battle.
* BookEnds: The movie begins with Soren listening to one story from his father, and it ends with [[spoiler:Soren narrating his adventures to a group of young owls, one who has a helmet made of leaves, just like the one that Soren had at the beginning of the film.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Arguably [[spoiler:Kludd]], who was subjected to the full force of Nyra's propaganda and bought it, hook, line and sinker. Soren certainly blames the Pure Ones for what happened to him and refuses to believe [[spoiler:Kludd]] really feels like that [[WhatYouAreInTheDark deep-down inside.]] [[spoiler:Turns out he probably does believe it, though whether it would have ever surfaced without Nyra's help is ambiguous.]]
* BravadoSong: When Twilight asks Digger for a battle song, he sings, "Into battle we do fly! No matter if we're going to die!"
* BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler:Eglantine, after being abducted and brainwashed by her own brother.]].
%%* BringNewsBack
* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler:Ezylryb is [[PrecursorHeroes Lyze of Kiel]], and he is the first to tell Soren that the stories he heard in his nest weren't as clean as he believed…]]
* BulletTime: The movie is directed by Creator/ZackSnyder, after all. Has the advantage of making the aerial battles easier to follow.
* CallARabbitASmeerp: Barn owls are always referred to as "Tytos" -- their Latin name -- presumably due to a lack of barns in the setting.
* CanonForeigner: One of the Guardians [[spoiler:(and traitor)]], Allomere, was created exclusively for this film. He is not seen in any of the books.
** The Echidna is also a character made for the movie.
* CardCarryingVillain: Jutt, who mentions that he has been working on his "evil stare".
* ChekhovsSkill: The Echidna gives each member of the Band titles which seem to be [[InformedAbility Informed Abilities]] -- "you are the tracker, you are the navigator" and so on -- but each member of the Band actually shows these skills, some of them [[{{Foreshadowing}} before they are given the title]]: [[TheNavigator Gylfie recognizes constellations and thinks she could find her way by them when they are being moonblinked,]] Digger is the first of the Band to [[ScarilyCompetentTracker notice the tell-tale signs of combat]] when they arrive at the Pure Ones' base, Soren is a better natural flyer than his brother during branching and [[TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne flies by gizzard alone during his escape from St. Aggies]], [[TheHeart Mrs P. goes searching for Kludd and Soren]], and Twilight is [[TheBigGuy freaking Huge.]]
* ChildSoldier: St. Aggie's starts recruiting [[BrainwashedAndCrazy (read: brainwashing)]] the captured Tytos before they can even fly properly. As a result, they end up [[PuttingOnTheReich fanatically dedicated to the Pure Ones' cause.]]
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}:
** Digger. [[WorldwidePunomenon In spades.]]
** Twilight to a lesser extent due to his belief he's an [[GiftedlyBad epic poet.]]
* CompositeCharacter:
** Allomere seems to be one for Elvan, the Great Gray member of the Tree's parliament, and Dewlap, [[spoiler:who ends up betraying them]]. According to concept art which labels his helmet as that of Elvan, it's possible that his role was originally meant to be given to Elvan ([[spoiler:which would have made for a major case of AdaptationalVillainy]]).
** In the books, the Pure Ones (the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Nazi by Any Other Name]] Barn Owl villains) are a separate and [[EvilVersusEvil opposing]] faction from St. Aegolius (who plan to build an army of BrainwashedAndCrazy owlets to TakeOverTheWorld and are studying the magnetic flecks). In the movie, the Pure Ones are depicted as a combination of the two, with the Pure Ones in charge of St. Aggie's and the St. Aggie's owls that appear answering to Nyra.
* ConvectionSchmonvection: How else do owls fly inside a burning forest without their feathers catching fire instantaneously? RuleOfCool is in full force here.
* CreativeClosingCredits: The events of the movie are shown as a shadow puppet theater.
* CreditsGag: One of the shadow puppet owls does a little dance during the second half of the end credits.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Almost all of the deaths, but the deaths of [[spoiler:Allomere]] and [[spoiler:Metal Beak]] are particularly gruesome.
* CuteOwl: Eglantine is an adorable young owlet. She is mostly fluff due to not growing into her mature feathers yet.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to other recent talking animal films. Well, compared to most animated movies in general.
* DarkIsEvil: Metal Beak. He has dark grey feathers and is most certainly not a good guy. He is almost always [[EvilIsNotWellLit seen in shadows to emphasize this]].
* DecompositeCharacter: In the original books, Metal Beak [[spoiler:is Kludd, who killed the original Metal Beak off-page]]. In the movie, it seems as though Metal Beak is a title passed down to the Pure Ones' leader.
* DeconstructedTrope: WarIsGlorious is discussed. In-Universe, Soren was always fascinated with the glorious story of Lyze and the Battle of the Ice Claws. [[spoiler:When he reads Ezylryb/Lyze's journal about that same battle, he's a bit surprised that it's [[WarIsHell less than palatable]], to say the least. Ezylryb is [[BrutalHonesty straightforward]] about the true nature of war. It's not a game, it's not a heroic endeavor, but rather it's about fighting to the death in order to protect everything you hold dear. Ezylryb/Lyze's scarred appearance unto itself is a testament of this trope. One rarely returns from war unscathed or unchanged by the experience.]]
* DefiantToTheEnd: [[spoiler:Grimble]].
-->'''Nyra:''' Would you wound your queen, [[spoiler:Grimble]]?\\
'''[[spoiler:Grimble]]:''' You're ''not'' my queen!
* DesignStudentsOrgasm: The "shadow theater" style credits at the end.
* DieLaughing: [[spoiler:Metal Beak chuckles a bit after being impaled on a burning stick by Soren, though his laughter quickly turns to gurgle.]]
* DisneyVillainDeath: Implied to be Kludd's fate after he falls into a forest fire. [[spoiler:He gets better]], but that doesn't stop his screaming while [[spoiler:seemingly]] falling to his death from being any less creepy.
* DontThinkFeel: Apparently "trusting your gizzard" works like this. Like Ezylryb tells Soren, the latter was doing good until he started using his head; "that's when you failed."
* DoubleTake: The Echidna has one when he realizes he gave the role of TheHeart to Mrs. P, who is [[SnakesAreSinister a snake]]. Lucky for him, Mrs. P happens to [[StereotypeFlip be a very nice snake]].
* TheDragon: Nyra is both the general and queen of the Pure Ones.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: When asked why he chooses to be known as Ezylryb rather than as [[spoiler:Lyze]], Ezylryb replies that "Every owl in the tree knows who I am, so what does it matter what I call myself?" In which case, it looks like Otulissa is being quite insulting to [[spoiler:a famous war hero]] when she refers to him as a "Gross old owl" who's "[missing] a good bath". Also an AdaptationInducedPlotHole; while Otulissa had the same attitude toward him in the books, Ezylryb's identity was not common knowledge in that continuity.
* EatenAlive: Heavily implied to be [[spoiler:Allomere]]'s fate at the hands of the vampire bats. He survives that in the video game adaptation, though.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: [[spoiler:Allomere]] has no qualms about leading the Guardians into the Pure Ones' trap. But when the bats come to finish off the weakened warriors, even he cringes in discomfort.
-->'''[[spoiler:Allomere]]:''' Must it be ''bats'' that bleed them?
* EvilCounterpart:
** Kludd to Soren as the antagonist and protagonist, as well as the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism cynical and the idealistic]] and CainAndAbel.
** Metal Beak to Ezylryb, their respective [[GoodScarsEvilScars badly scarred]] mentors: A [[VillainWithGoodPublicity charismatic]] BigBad KnightTemplar vs. a [[EccentricMentor scruffy, oddball, publicity-shy]] WarIsHell PintSizedPowerhouse.
** Nyra to Gylfie: TheDragon, TheVamp, and LadyOfWar (who manipulates Kludd) compared with TheLancer, TheCutie, TheIngenue (who cares for Soren).
** [[spoiler:Allomere]] to [[spoiler:Grimble]]: TheQuisling whose KnockoutAmbush results in RewardedAsATraitorDeserves and TheMole, whose YouShallNotPass results in a HeroicSacrifice.
** Jatt and Jutt to Digger and Twilight: [[BanteringBaddieBuddies a villainous bantering duo]] vs. [[ThoseTwoGuys a heroic funny sidekick duo]]
* EvilIsBigger: Metal Beak is easily the largest owl in the film, and his long-time nemesis Lyze is one of the smallest. It also applies when Soren challenges him.
* EvilLaugh: Metal Beak has a wonderfully disturbing chuckle in the back of his throat that is made of pure creepy.
* ExactWords: [[spoiler:Kludd]] rants that the Pure Ones "believe in me like no one else ever has!" By which he means that they believe in his right to be a murderous narcissist who gets whatever he wants. His GoodParents' belief in his potential and right as a living creature to be respected is discarded.
* ExplainExplainOhCrap: When a recovered [[spoiler:Eglantine tells Soren that she wasn't rescued, Kludd ''gave'' her to the owl who brought her to Ga'Hoole (i.e. Allomere)]]:
-->'''Soren:''' No, Eg, no. That's impossible. I mean, that would mean that [[spoiler:Allomere]] would have to be a… be a ''traitor''.
* FaceDeathWithDignity:
** [[spoiler:After being implanted by Soren on a burning stick, Metalbeak lets out an amused chuckle.]]
** [[spoiler:Ezylryb/Lyze]], when Metal Beak has him dead to rights. [[spoiler:Soren bails him out, though.]]
--> "Be done with it, then."
* FaceFramedInShadow: This is how Metal Beak and [[spoiler: Allomere]] are introduced to the audience.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Kludd]].
* FacelessMooks: The Pure One soldiers. Not only do they wear face-concealing helmets, but while the Pure One initiates are being addressed by Metal Beak, one guard has a helmet that covers his face completely, no eyes at all.
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: A ''buttload.'' Less than the books, and off-screen, but still. [[spoiler:Allomere]]'s is particularly unpleasant, [[spoiler:not that it's undeserved…]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyViolence:
** Owls clawing and slashing each other apart, characters dying, bats tearing apart owls, some of said bats appearing to die via NeckSnap, impalements... [[BloodlessCarnage No blood or wounds are visible though]].
** They actually toned down the violence ''significantly'' from the original book, which was not afraid to describe many of the {{Gory Discretion Shot}}s in detail.
** There is a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Pq_HdVDBA deleted scene]] that has owls being enslaved, bats implied to cut an owl's wing (or at least its flight feathers, which is nearly as creepy) off, and a violent battle where an owl gets a talon sliced off in clear view of the camera.
** If it weren't for Noctus saying that he was "bound to the earth forever," it would look like he was about to be [[OffWithHisHead decapitated]].
* FantasticRacism: The [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Pure Ones]] believe that ''Tyto'' owls are superior to other owl species and are destined to rule over them.
* FastballSpecial: At one point, a group of crows has snatched Twilight's lute… which happens to have Mrs. Plithiver in it. They're unable to keep up, and Twilight offers to do a mid-air throw to get Soren closer.
-->'''Twilight:''' I'll get you closer! We're going to lock talons!\\
'''Soren:''' What?\\
'''Twilight:''' Trust me! I know what I'm doing!\\
'''Soren:''' Yeah, but have you done this before?\\
'''Twilight:''' No, but I've always wanted to try it!
%%* ForWantOfANail: Of the SpannerInTheWorks variety. [[spoiler: Before flying off to save the captive owlets from the Pure Ones' clutches, Ezleryb/Lyze low-key gives Soren sound advice. He implies that rather than live out his dream of being a guardian in [[WarIsGlorious glorious battle]], it would do a world of good if Soren stayed and took care of his moon-blinked baby sister Eglantine ''[[TheRealHeroes like a real hero would]]''. Because Soren does just that, he's around to see Eglentine heal from her condition and unwittingly share important information about Allomere being a traitor. Had Soren not heard this from Eglantine and joined the Guardians, he would've shared in their fate of falling for the Pure Ones' trap.]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** When Soren figures out that [[spoiler:Ezylryb]] is [[spoiler:Lyze of Kiel]], the latter tells him:
--->'''[[spoiler:Ezylryb]]:''' What did you expect? Some Tyto Alba with gleaming armor and battle claws with the moon rising behind him?
:: Then when we get to the climax, we get [[http://media.vcstar.com/media/img/photos/2010/09/22/20100922-163621-pic-28369632_t607.jpg this dramatic shot.]]
** When Soren and Gylfie are learning to fly, Gylfie has trouble because of her small wings. Their teacher tells them that Lyze of Kiel had small wings. He is the smallest of the Guardians that we are introduced to.
** Ezylryb telling Soren about the importance of fire, and that there is nothing more dangerous.
* FormerlyFriendlyFamily: Soren and Kludd start off close as could be, until they are kidnapped by the Pure Ones. At that point, Kludd slowly ends up believing the Pure Ones's mission and attempts to sabotage an escape attempt Soren makes. It ultimately ends with the two brothers fighting in a [[BattleAmongstTheFlames flaming forest]] followed by [[spoiler: Kludd seemingly falling to his death]].
* FromBadToWorse: After falling from the nest, Soren and Kludd are attacked by a Tasmanian devil. Two owls come to their rescue....so they can kidnap them to the Pure Ones.
* GiftedlyBad:
** Twilight's poetry. His lute playing is actually quite good, though.
** Digger's jokes.
* GilliganCut: When the owls fly into the hailstorm over the Watchers Island. (If not conforming to the exact wording of the trope, it's at least in the spirit.)
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Nyra, Queen of the Pure Ones who brainwashes, purges, and enslaves her subjects in accordance with Pure One philosophy
* GoYeHeroesGoAndDie: When Twilight and Digger fly into battle at the end, Digger asks Twilight for a motivating battle song. What Twilight actually gives him is anything but, as he quickly devolves into lyrics about their imminent demise.
* GoodAnimalsEvilAnimals:
** Both sides are made up of owls, but only the bad guys use trained attack bats (or perhaps the bats are evil and have an alliance with the villains, we're never told).
** The Pure Ones consist entirely of owls from the Tyto genus (a.k.a. barn owls). Lampshaded by many characters, but notably Kludd in the line "Because we are Tytos!" in answer to Metal Beak's query of why the Pure Ones are superior. "Lower species" are reserved for the grunt work alone but do "stain" their feathers as a sort of uniform or show of loyalty.
* GoodIsNotNice: Eglantine is rightfully angry at those who brainwashed her and quickly identifies the culprits.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Metal Beak and Ezylryb. Note, Metal Beak hides his scars but boasts about his badass, whilst Ezylryb shows how mangled he is but [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass hides the fact]] [[spoiler:that he's Lyze of Kiel]].
* GoryDiscretionShot: Several major character deaths are done in this way.
* GrievousHarmWithABody: In the climactic battle, King Boron throws one mook at another after escaping their grip.
* {{Homage}}: The movie feels like ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' with owls, complete with the pure-hearted, humble hero character nigh-constantly wearing a worried expression.
* IdiotHair: Digger has an Idiot Feather, and is a more than a little featherbrained.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Metal Beak]]. [[KillItWithFire With a burning stick]] [[IncendiaryExponent for extra]] [[RuleOfCool awesome.]]
* IncendiaryExponent: [[RuleOfCool Flying by instinct alone though a storm: Cool. Flying by instinct alone though a]] ''[[RuleOfCool fire]]'' [[RuleOfCool storm while dragging a burning pot of oil:]] ''[[RuleOfCool Cooler.]]''
* InertialImpalement: [[spoiler:Happens at the climax of the final battle: Soren gets knocked onto the ground, his flaming stick nearby. As Metal Beak flies at him, battle claws extended, Soren grabs the stick and points it at Metal Beak, who flies onto it.]]
* InformedSpecies: Gylfie is the only character who doesn't resemble her species. She's an elf owl, and she does look like one in the books, but in the movie, she looks more like a pygmy owl.
* InstrumentOfMurder: Twilight brings his lute into battle. No points for guessing what he does with it.
* InterspeciesRomance: Grimble's mate (shown briefly) is a Spotted Owl, while Grimble is a Boreal Owl. In real life, those two owls aren't even in the same genus.
* TheJoyOfFirstFlight: Soren and Gylfie are overjoyed when they finally figure out how to fly, and spend some time twirling in the clouds. [[spoiler:Doesn't hurt that they just barely escaped being killed.]]
* KillerRabbit: The owls. Oh so much.
* KnightInShiningArmor: The Guardians of Ga'Hoole resemble non-human, idealistic versions of Myth/KingArthur's knights, complete with a moral code in the form of an ancient oath to "mend the broken, make strong the weak, and without hesitation vanquish the evil."
* LegacyCharacter: [[spoiler:Kludd is implied to become the next Metal Beak.]]
* TheLegendOfX: ''Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole''
* LighterAndSofter: Compared to the original books, and other movies made by Creator/ZackSnyder. That being said, this movie does earn its PG rating with its violence and dark thematic material.
* LightIsGood: Played straight with Boron and Barran, the two leaders of the Guardians, who use golden helmets and have white plumage. Also with Soren, who has white and golden feathers.
* LightIsNotGood: Nyra and many of the Pure Ones, who, being barn owls, have golden/orange and white feathers.
* LogoJoke: Noctus flies by the Warner and Legendary Pictures logo.
* LoveMakesYouEvil: Possibly, seeing as Kludd strengthens his resolve to stay with the Pure Ones with just one look at Nyra.
* MaskingTheDeformity: The [[OminousOwl main antagonist]] wears a metal mask to hide his torn-off beak, [[NamedAfterTheInjury earning him the nickname Metal Beak]]. Unlike most examples, [[spoiler:what's underneath is never revealed]].
* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane:
** The metal flecks; it is implied that they are magnetic (the lines of blue light emanating from then move from pole to pole like the lines of force around a magnet) and many birds are sensitive to magnetic fields, so the flecks could be functioning as an EMP, but this is never explained in-movie.
** Likewise, whether trusting your gizzard is just trusting instinct or [[TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne something more mystical]] is never elaborated on.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler:Grimble. Averted with Lyze -- Metal Beak was going to kill in front of Soren, but he escaped.]]
* MindControlEyes: Moonblinked owls have milky white eyes, giving them almost a zombie-like appearance.
* MisplacedWildlife: The terrestrial mammalian life is quite obviously Australian, but the owls are from all over the world and the bats appear to be vampire bats (which live in Latin America).
* MurderBallad: Twilight's "inspiring" battle song. It's about all the horrible ways the protagonist is going to die in battle. [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} He thinks it will inspire Digger]].
* MyFriendsAndZoidberg:
-->'''Grimble:''' I told myself that if any came along who were smart and brave enough I'd help them escape. (''beat'') You'll have to do.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Allomere looks remorseful when he sees the effect that the fleck trap has on the Guardians.]]
* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The Pure Ones, ''and how''. The villains are pretty much owl Nazis, complete with their own Hitler Youth. Nyra is a SdrawkcabName that really hammers the point home.
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:Kludd. A later shot reveals that he's still alive at the end, and [[OhCrap might become the next Metal Beak.]]]]
* NightmareFace: Why Metal Beak wears his trademark helmet. Even brief glimpses of his face show he is a monstrous looking bird.
* NotBrainwashed: Soren believes Kludd to be brainwashed by the Pure Ones and that he can still save him, only to find it's who he really is.
-->'''Soren:''' I don't understand. How could you join the Pure Ones after what they did to us?\\
'''Kludd:''' "What they did to us"? They believe in me like no one else ever has! Metal Beak says the strong will triumph, the broken are put out of their misery, and honor...honor is just another word for ''weakness''!\\
'''Soren:''' No, Kludd! I know you don't really think that!\\
'''Kludd:''' Then you don't know me… ''at all.''
* OminousLatinChanting: A few "aah's" are heard in some scenes with the Pure Ones and Soren, and chanting is heard in the climax as Metal Beak attempts to kill Soren.
* OminousOwl: Metal Beak and Nyra play the creepy owl factor for all it is worth.
* OrphanageOfFear: Grimble informs the kidnapped owlets that they have [[BlatantLies not, in fact, been kidnapped]] but abandoned by their parents and that St. Aggie's is an orphanage put there to care for them for now on. Even he makes no effort to hide how blatantly false this is.
* TheOwlKnowingOne: Only one owl out of the cast is ''wise'',(Ezylryb) but we do spend the latter half of the movie hearing him wise at Soren.
* PaleFemalesDarkMales: Metal Beak has dark gray plumage while his wife Nyra has white plumage.
* PetTheDog: Kludd releases a small bird that he and the other Pure One initiates were trying to catch.
* PintSizedPowerhouse:
** Lyze is by far the smallest of the Guardians on the council.
** During the TrainingMontage, there is a brief scene of Twilight getting clobbered by a pygmy owl (Primrose).
** Gylfie is the smallest owl in the band and can quite handle herself amongst numerous vicious bats.
* PlayingPossum: Metal Beak does this once.
* PlayingTheFamilyCard: By the FinalBattle, despite openly telling Soren that he [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids hates his idealism]] and supports the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Pure Ones]] because they believe in him like no-one else ever has, when he ends up breaking his wing in a BattleAmongstTheFlames, and is in danger of falling to his death, [[OminousOwl Kludd]] has the audacity to cry "Soren, help me! Soren, ''I'm your brother!''" Tragically, Soren's [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil inability to recognize his brother's evil]] means he nearly does save Kludd's life... and then Kludd shoots himself in the foot by lashing out at Soren when he's trying to pull him up, which means Soren lets go, and the branch Kludd's clinging to with his other foot snaps off and, sure enough, he falls into the flames to his [[spoiler:apparent]] death.
* PragmaticAdaptation: Although there are enormous differences between the books and the movie, most fans agree that the changes are true to the books' general spirit, and make it a very enjoyable film to watch whether you're a fan of the original or not.
* PretendToBeBrainwashed: Soren and Gylfie manage to resist the "moonblinking" by not falling asleep, but afterward have to pretend they're affected like the rest so as not to be found out.
* {{Pun}}s:
** Soren's name sounds an awful lot like Soarin'.
** "I FORETOLD YOU SO!"
** Digger's dialogue is full of these.
--->'''Digger:''' Knock knock!\\
'''Gylfie:''' Who's there?\\
'''Digger:''' Owls.\\
'''Gylfie:''' Owls who?\\
'''Digger:''' That's right! Owls hoo!
** And again later:
--->'''Digger:''' What does an owl say when he is attacked by crows?\\
'''Gylfie:''' (''hit by a crow'') Ow!\\
'''Digger:''' That's right! Owl!
** Let's not forget the first exchange that set off the warning bells:
--->'''Twilight:''' If I have to hear any more of his owl jokes…\\
'''Digger:''' They're a hoot!
** Since the German dub couldn't save those, they replaced it with an even worse one with "Uhu" (a large owl species, and a glue brand name).
* PsychologicalProjection: A rare well-intended example. [[spoiler:Kludd]] hasn't given Soren much reason to believe that his crimes must be brainwashing-induced ''or'' that a single conversation would snap him out of said brainwashing, but Soren is certain of these things anyway because [[IncorruptiblePurePureness he]] can't comprehend that anyone would think EvilFeelsGood. Mind that Soren ''is'' very young.
* PuttingOnTheReich: [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver Big red vertical hanging banners with white logos in the center]] flanking [[SdrawkcabName Nyra]] whilst she makes a speech on why Tytos are the {{master race}}: this film manages to put on the Reich ''despite no-one wearing clothes!''
* TheQuisling: [[spoiler:Allomere]], who sets up his own squad to be injured by the metal flecks. He is later ratted out by Eglantine.
* QuizzicalTilt: Digger does this a lot. Might as well be his defining quirk.
* RankScalesWithAsskicking:
** Nyra, who flies into the final battle without a helmet or steel talons and downs more birds than any other Pure One. The Pure Ones value strength above anything else, so it stands to reason that their Queen would be strong. It might be that AsskickingLeadsToLeadership.
** King Boron himself faces off against four Pure Ones by himself and comes out on top.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Boron and Barran (and in fact all the council other than Allomere) are quite happy to take Soren at his word that a legendary evil has turned up, and they promptly send someone to check it out. [[spoiler:Pity that someone was a traitor.]]
* RedEyesTakeWarning:
** The Pure One {{Mooks}} get these.
** Nyra's eyes are initially normal, befitting her projected appearance of a beautiful, reasonable and trustworthy authority figure, but the more furious she becomes, the redder her eyes get. At one point during battle, her eyes are as red as any other among the Pure Ones.
** The bats.
** [[spoiler:When Kludd is revealed to be alive at the end, his eyes glow a sinister red as he looks upon the fallen Metal Beak's mask.]]
* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: [[spoiler:Allomere]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Allomere:''']] No! No, no, you promised me! You promised me I would be king of the tree!\\
''[[[spoiler:Allomere]] is attacked by bats and dragged off into a nearby hole]''\\
'''Metal Beak:''' You should know, [[spoiler:Allomere]]… [[ThereCanBeOnlyOne There is only room for one king.]]
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: King Boron and Queen Baran. They rule over the tree of Ga'Hoole, but regularly teach classes to the trainee Guardians, and lead their fellows into battle.
* SapientEatSapient: Twilight takes Mrs. P to his and Digger's tree hollow with the intention of eating her, and at one point asks why are Soren and Gylfie talking to "dinner".
* SaveTheVillain: Played with. [[spoiler:Kludd becomes a full member of the Pure Ones and turns completely against Soren in the end, [[CainAndAbel attempting to kill his own brother without remorse]]. After their fight which leaves Kludd with a broken wing however, he begs Soren to save him. Soren tries, only to find Kludd attempting to attack him again, which results in the latter accidentally sending himself plummeting into the fire below. He survives.]]
* SceneryPorn / SceneryGorn: The Guardians' Tree? Breathtaking. The Pure Ones' base? Terrifying. The entire movie is [[DesignStudentsOrgasm supremely gorgeous.]] Pick a shot, any shot, in this film; you could frame it. The trailers were especially fond of the slo-mo shot with the raindrops hitting an unbelievably detailed owl in flight.
* SdrawkcabName:
** Nyra, as mentioned above.
** [[spoiler:Ezylryb/Lyze]], which is probably more obvious in the books where you see it written.
* SequelHook: [[spoiler:A still-alive Kludd picking up Metal Beak's helmet at the end.]]
* ShipTease:
** Soren and Otulissa [[spoiler:who isn't even Soren's mate, according to the book canon]].
** Gylfie seems to have a soft spot for Soren and doesn't take too kindly to Otulissa.
** [[CreditsGag In the shadow-puppets end credits you see Soren and Otulissa perched on the tree next to each other, looking a little awkward, whilst Gylfie glares at them.]]
** [[HotForTeacher Kludd and Nyra]]. Since, in the books, [[spoiler:they become mates and produce two eggs,]] this makes sense.
* ShoutOut:
** The Pure Ones' helmeted, glowing red-eyed warriors look a lot like [[Series/BattlestarGalactica2003 Cylon Centurions]], especially in profile.
** The bats look a lot like the [[ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo Komori Ninja]] (bladed wings, proficient in science), but that's probably a coincidence.
* ShownTheirWork:
** Yes, [[VomitIndiscretionShot owls do regurgitate mice in that manner.]]
** Correct bird calls are used to represent the proper species of owls seen in the movie.
** Barn owls always lay eggs to stagger the hatching of their young, resulting in owlets of different ages sharing the nest at the same time, just like Kludd, Soren, and Eglantine. Why? Because that way if there is a food shortage, it's far, far easier for the oldest sibling to [[CainandAbel resolve]] [[ImAHumanitarian the issue]], guaranteeing [[ThereCanBeOnlyOne at least one will survive.]] Yeah Soren… [[spoiler:you should have seen your brother's behavior coming.]]
** There is even some TruthInTelevision to the flecks; many birds have a natural magnetic compass in their brains to help them orient and to supplement their inner ears; a ''really'' powerful magnetic field nearby can thoroughly disrupt their ability to orient and can induce vertigo in small birds. The rest is RuleOfDrama.
* ShutUpKirk: Kludd gives several of these to Soren during their final fight, claiming that honor is weakness and Tytos deserve to rule while the weak should be put out of their misery.
* SiblingRivalry: Kludd and Soren show this early on while branching. Kludd seems to take their competition more seriously though.
* SignatureInstrument: Twilight the poet/warrior carries a lute (which Digger hates the sound of), but he's an owl so it's unknown where he got one from.
* SleepCute: Gylfie and Digger fall asleep against Soren on a tree branch.
* SparedByTheAdaptation:
** In the book, [[spoiler:Soren's parents]] are most likely dead by the time the Band reaches the great tree (though it's never specified quite when they die, the fact is we never see them ''alive'' again after [[spoiler:Soren is kidnapped]]). The movie has them alive and well, actually making it to the tree themselves.
** Due to changes between the books and the films, Digger's brother never appears in the film. Given what happens [[ImAHumanitarian to him in the books]], he's probably quite grateful for this.
** For the same reason as the above, the deaths of Jatt and Jutt were also omitted.
** [[spoiler:Strix Struma]] gets to survive the climactic battle.
* {{Squick}}: Gylfie's reaction to having to sift through other owls’ pellets in the Pelletorium is an InUniverse example.
* StealthPun:
** A song by ''Music/OwlCity'' playing in the background as they explore the tree, anyone?
** There's a very subtle one in the bird-chase scene early on. The bird they're chasing is an ''Indigo Bunting''. That means that the would-be Pure Ones were... bunting baiting.
* StrongerThanTheyLook: [[spoiler:Grimble]], if he's as old as he seems. Right up until [[spoiler:Kludd's betrayal]] he was more than holding his own against two Pure Ones and ''Nyra'', who can down several Guardians completely ''unequipped'', as stated above.
* SuperweaponSurprise: The Pure Ones pull this on the Guardians, [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo and they would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling owlets!]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: Digger and Twilight when we meet them.
* TooDumbToLive:
** During their fight, [[spoiler:Kludd]] breaks his wing and begs Soren to pull him up. He may have been trying for a MutualKill, but it was still a really stupid decision when there's a ''forest fire'' going on beneath them.
** Arguably, Soren himself. He ''absolutely refused'' to believe [[spoiler:Kludd]] could side with the Pure Ones, and as a result nearly gets killed by him.
* TrailersAlwaysLie:
** The trailers billed the movie as an epic quest wherein Soren becomes his ideal (a Guardian) through many trials while trying to reach them. At least, to those that never read the novels.
** The trailers also used a lot of lines and footage not in the actual movie, like Grimble explaining what the Pure Ones are doing, and parts of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8RKCmkOyB4 this trailer.]]
%%* TrainingMontage
* UnexpectedKindness: When Grimble, who [[MinionWithAnFInEvil works for the bad guys]], takes Soren and Gylfie away and notes that his superiors won't be too happy when they find out what he's going to do to them, the two adolescent owls prepare for the worst… only for Grimble to reveal that he wants to teach them how to fly.
* VolatileTasmanianDevil: The movie starts off when protagonist Soren and his brother Kludd fall out of a tree (after Kludd tries [[CainAndAbel jealously shoving Soren]]), and upon reaching the ground, are immediately attacked by a Tasmanian devil. Luckily (or unluckily), they are then [[VillainousRescue rescued]] by [[BanteringBaddieBuddies Jatt and Jutt]].
* WarIsGlorious: In classic Snyder style, battles are beautiful, stylized affairs -- no gruesome injuries ([[spoiler:except for Metal Beak's belly stab, which he arguably brought on himself]]), collateral damage to innocents, or landscape ransacking included. On the other hand....
* WarIsHell: Ezylryb is a battle-scarred OldSoldier who despises the assumption that WarIsGlorious, wears his scars openly to remind young owls of what battle actually costs, and bluntly says that Soren would be better off doing some "real good" rather than being CannonFodder. Soren gets a glimpse of what this means in his first battle, which is chaotic and terrifying. [[spoiler:Instead of being triumphant at having killed Metal Beak, Soren is [[WhatHaveIDone horrified]] at taking his first life, and the only comfort Ezylryb has for him is to reassure him he did what was right.]]
-->'''Ezylryb:''' Well ''this'' is what it looks like when you've actually fought in battle. It's not glorious, it's not beautiful -- it's not even heroic! It's merely doing what's right! And doing it again and again, even if someday you look like this.
* WarriorPoet: Twilight likes to think of himself as one, though he's arguably better at the "warrior" part.
* WartsAndAll: [[spoiler:All his life, Soren has held Lyze in the highest regard, imagining him as "a tyto in gleaming armor, ready for [[WarIsGlorious battle]]". When he meets him, he's but a tiny, scarred owl named Ezylryb who sums up that WarIsHell. Nonetheless, Soren is not deterred by the truth and still treats Ezylryb with respect, as he ''is'' his mentor in utilizing [[TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne his gizzard]]. And his advice to stay with his moon-blinked sister actually proves useful in saving the Guardians.]]
* WeaponizedAnimal: The guardians and most of the Pure Ones wear battle talons, and the bats have blades on their wings.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler:Kludd's supposed death isn't addressed when Soren reunites with his parents.]]
* WhosLaughingNow: [[spoiler:Kludd]]'s "reason" for joining the Pure Ones.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: [[spoiler:Allomere]] is a little squeamish about Metal Beak's plans for the incapacitated Guardians, and asks if it really has to be the bats that kill them. Nyra replies that as the bats are immune to the effects of the superweapon, yes. [[DeathByIrony This gets really ironic really quickly.]]
* WoundedGazelleGambit: Possibly employed by Kludd in the burning forest, just before he falls into the flames.
* YouAreNumberSix: The owlets captured by The Pures Ones and enslaved by at St. Aegolius' Academy for Orphaned Owls are stripped of their names and assigned numbers for easier tracking of them.
* YouDidTheRightThing: Ezylryb sums it up well for Soren in after the latter [[spoiler:kills [[BigBad Metal Beak]]]].
-->'''Ezylryb:''' Soren... you did what was right. And you did it well.
* YouHaveFailedMe: Metal Beak to the traitorous [[spoiler:Allomere.]] May double as a YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness moment. As Metal Beak put it, "[[ICanRuleAlone You should know, Allomere… there is only room for one king.]]"
* YouKilledMyFather: Soren's reaction in a nutshell at [[spoiler:Kludd's "death". An indirect example, as he directs it at Metal Beak even though Kludd fell due to his own actions, likely due to Soren holding the Pure Ones responsible for corrupting him.]]
* YoungestChildWins: Subverted. Soren is the middle child, but he fares far better than Kludd and Eglantine.
* YouShallNotPass: [[spoiler:Grimble. He manages to hold off both Nyra and two other Pure Ones, and even when Kludd makes his FaceHeelTurn, he still has enough fight in him to ensure that Soren and Gylfie manage to escape]].
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