History Fridge / Rango

* When the mayor tells Rango that "people need something to believe in", he isn't referring to Rango's heroism, but to his [[spoiler: plot to use the townspeople's belief in Rango as a distraction to continue his plans.]]
* During the scene where Beans is allegedly about to [[spoiler: sell her ranch to the Mayor, she hesitantly reaches for a glass of water. This takes on a [[MeaningfulEcho whole new meaning]] when you remember the beginning where Rango's ...[[MakesSenseInContext Barbie doll]] reaches for the glass of water (representing a "chalice of poison") as part of his emotionally unstable princess story. We're given the same context, with poor Beans about to lose the very thing she loves most. But instead of taking the "[[RuleOfSymbolism poison]]", she throws it at the Mayor in defiance! This marks that as opposed to Rango's idea of the DamselInDistress, Miss Beans is a real person who's willing to fight for what she believes rather than surrender.]]

* After Rango meets the Spirit of the West, Roadkill mentions that "we see what we need to see" in reference to the spirit. Rango needed to be a tough guy, so who better to take advice from on playing a tough guy in a Western setting than [[spoiler: Creator/ClintEastwood?!]].
** Another way of looking at it is that the Spirit [[AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder takes on differing appearances]] based on what his viewers identify with the most. As an actor, of course Rango would see the Spirit as a [[spoiler:Western actor]] that he would idolize.

* Notice how Rango breaks a fine bottle of water which is probably worth more than he is. [[spoiler:Notice the Mayor not noticing? This could either be interpreted as PlayedForLaughs, or that the Mayor just doesn't care, given that he was hoarding the vast majority of Dirt's water supply.]]

* [[spoiler:Right up until the Mayor calls him in to deal with Rango, Jake has been built up as this great hero-killer -- he "never leaves without taking a bloomin' soul." In that confrontation, he does by exposing Rango's lies and forcing him to prove his 'one bullet' story, essentially killing the larger-than-life persona he'd built up at the start of the movie. Rango even drops the sheriff badge in the graveyard, and only gets it back once he realizes that he still is a hero.]]

* Rattlesnake Jake shooting up the sheriff sign immediately after [[TemptingFate Rango becomes the sheriff while saying that they have hope as long the sign still hangs.]] [[spoiler: While it is a bleak moment, since this is the moment where Jake exposes Rango as the fraud he is, notice that the sign ''is still hanging on'' after being shot. It's an indicator that the day can still be saved even in the darkest hour. Sure enough, it does.]]

* [[spoiler: We're probably better off not knowing what Rattlesnake Jake has in store for the Mayor in the end. The guy is pretty much described as a hellspawn Grim Reaper. Even if half of that is just myth, he clearly has far worse in store than just killing him off and being done with it.]]

* It's mentioned that Jake won't leave town until he's taken a soul. Considering that he's a carnivorous snake, and that snakes don't eat as often as other animals, it's entirely possible that his payment for services rendered is ''dinner.''

* Rattlesnake Jake probably realizes the DramaticIrony of the One Bullet story. He lambasts Rango for his one bullet story, proving he is a fraud for not shooting him with one bullet at point-blank range. When Rango's plan leaves Jake unarmed and defenseless, Rango reminds him that it only takes one bullet, something Jake realizes Rango is now very capable of doing. When the Sheriff is about to kill Jake with the gun Rango was using during their duel, it doesn't go off because it isn't loaded, because Rango removed the last bullet to use to escape the water tank, which not only leads to the Sheriff's defeat, but also saves Jake's life. With a single bullet, the very same that was going to be used to kill him, it saved Jake's life. It's why Jake tips his hat to Rango, because he, in a way, actually accomplished his story, making him someone worthy of his respect.

* When the mayor tells Rango that "people need something to believe in", he wasn't referring to Rango's heroism, but to his [[spoiler: plot to use the townspeople's belief in Rango as a distraction to continue his plans.]]
* During the scene where Beans is allegedly about to [[spoiler: sell her ranch to the Mayor, she hesitantly reaches for a glass of water. This takes on a [[MeaningfulEcho whole new meaning]] when you remember the beginning where Rango's ...[[MakesSenseInContext Barbie doll]] reaches for the glass of water (representing "chalice of poison") as part of his emotionally unstable princess story. We're given the same context, with poor Beans about to lose the very thing she loved. But instead of taking the "[[RuleOfSymbolism poison]]", she throws it at the Mayor in defiance! This marks that as opposed to Rango's idea of the DamselInDistress, Miss Beans is a real person who's willing to fight for what she believes rather than surrender.]]
* Of course Rango is going to be capable of playing those blistering flamenco runs on the guitar. What else is he going to do with his time? Truly an artist in all facets, amirite?
* This one is in a ViewersAreGeniuses sort of way. However it might be a bit of a stretch, some scientists think that humans got the notion of dragons from our brains fusing our mental image of the main predators together at an earlier point in our evolution. Which mostly consist of Snakes, birds of prey and cats. On the size scale that our heroes are on, snakes and hawks seem like dragons to them and, for the most part, that's how they act.

* After Rango meets The Spirit of the West, Roadkill mentions that "we see what we need to see" in reference to the spirit. Rango needed to be a tough guy, so who better to take advice on playing a tough guy in a western setting than [[spoiler: Creator/ClintEastwood?!]].
** Another way of looking at it is that the Spirit [[AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder takes on differing appearances]] based on what his viewers identify with the most. As an actor, of course Rango would see the Spirit as a [[spoiler:western actor]] that he would idolize.
* Much like the Spirit of the West himself, Rango is also a "Man with no name".
* Notice how Rango broke a fine bottle of water which was probably worth more than he was. [[spoiler:Notice the mayor not noticing? This could either be interpreted as PlayedForLaughs or the Mayor just didn't care, given that he was hoarding the vast majority of Dirt's water supply.]]
* In the very first scene with Rango and the mayor's conversation, the mayor says that he's lived long enough to remember a time where the Mojave desert had flowing water. This answers a question not particularly raised: Why are there so many mammals and other animals not indigenous to a desert environment living in it? Because long ago they did at one point have an environment suited for them, until eventually the water flow was directed elsewhere and the place dried up.
* Rango is a chameleon, as well as an actor. What better vocation for him than someone who can blend into their new surroundings?

* "All we got here is cactus juice."- Kids are likely familiar with stories of Indians getting water from cacti, but a bar might be more interested in peyote than ordinary juices.

* [[spoiler:Right up until the Mayor calls him in to deal with Rango, Jake has been built up as this great hero-killer - "never leaves without taking a bloomin' soul." In that confrontation, he does by exposing Rango's lies and forcing him to prove his 'one bullet' story, essentially killing the larger-than-life persona he'd built up at the start of the movie. Rango even drops the sheriff badge in the graveyard, and gets it back once he realizes that he still is a hero.]]
* On Wounded Bird's changing English skills: When we first meet him, he speaks in broken English. But throughout the movie it gets progressively better. That isn't a PlotHole. You could argue that the broken English is deliberate.
* The SuperPersistentPredator trope makes a lot of sense if you consider Metalbeak not as a random desert predator, but specifically posted to keep outsiders from reaching the town, and keep the townspeople confused and afraid. ''Someone'' gave her the beak-blade. Highly likely seeing as the hawk was "the only thing keeping Rattlesnake Jake away" from Dirt. The Mayor would need to stop Jake from interfering in his own plans until he needed him. Certainly the YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness scene implies the Mayor was worried Jake would turn against him at a future point, and decided to get rid of his scaly partner while he was vulnerable.
* Rattlesnake Jake shooting up the sheriff sign immediately after [[TemptingFate Rango becomes the sheriff while saying that they have hope as long the sign still hangs.]] [[spoiler: While it is a bleak moment since this is the moment where Jake exposes Rango as the fraud he is, notice that the sign ''is still hanging on'' after being shot. It's an indicator that the day can still be saved even in the darkest hour. Sure enough, it does.]]
* Rango accidentally giving the Mayor the idea to have bank's water stolen.
-->'''Rango:''' [[TemptingFate As long as we've got water, we've got ourselves a town.]]
-->'''[[HopeCrusher Mayor]]:''' Sheriff Rango is right. As long as we have this water, we have some hope.
* When first confronted by the hawk, Rango is told to Blend In. And he curls up on the ground and starts changing into a variety of bright colors while trying to do so. This might just make it seem as though he's just bad at it. But in reality, chameleons don't change colors to camouflage. They either become brighter or darker according to heat, or gain bold colors to communicate or attract mates. He's not bad at camouflage, he's just not meant to do it.
* Rattlesnake Jake probably realized a DramaticIrony of the One Bullet story. He lambasted Rango for his one bullet story by proving he is a fraud for not shooting him with one bullet. When Rango's plan left Jake unarmed and defenseless, Rango reminds him of that it only takes one bullet, something Jake realize Rango is very capable now of doing. When the Sheriff was about to kill Jake with the gun Rango was using during their duel, it doesn't go off, it has no bullets, because Rango removed it to use to escape the water tank, which not only led to the Sheriff's defeat, but also saved Jake's life. With a single bullet, the very same that was going to be used to kill him, it saved Jake's life. It's why Jake tips his hat to Rango, because he, in a way, actually accomplished his story, making him someone worthy of his respect.

* Rango was a ''pet'' at one point. To some human family who would have cared for him. How would they feel when they realize their pet chameleon was lost somewhere on what was a presumably long trip with no chance of ever finding him again?
* It's mentioned that Jake doesn't leave town until he's taken a soul. Considering that he's a carnivorous snake, and that snakes don't eat as often as other animals, it's entirely possible that his payment for services rendered is ''dinner.''

** Another way of looking at it is that the Spirit [[AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder takes on differing appearances]] based on what his viewers identify with the most. As an actor, of course Rango would see the Spirit as a western actor.

* During the scene where Beans is allegedly about to [[spoiler: sell her ranch to the Mayor, she hesitantly reaches for a glass of water. This takes on a [[MeaningfulEcho whole new meaning]] when you remember the beginning where Rango's ...[[MakesSenseInContext Barbie doll]] reaches for the glass of water (representing "chalice of poison") as part of his emotionally unstable princess story. We're given the same context, with poor Beans about to lose the very thing she loved. But instead of taking the "[[RuleOfSymbolism poison]]", she throws it at the Mayor in defiance! This marks that as opposed to Rango's idea of the damsel in distress, Miss Beans is a real person who's willing to fight for what she believes rather than surrender.]]

** Not to mention the logic of one actor finding wisdom from another.

** Not to mention the mayor is a tortoise, and they can live up to 100 years, so his words hold some merit.

** I figured it was more likely to be a reference to tequila than peyote, as a bar would much prefer to serve that.
** Seeing as Nickelodeon had something to do with the film, my first thought went to some [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender other cartoon wich mentions cactus juice. It's the quenchiest!]]
*** Which, coincidentally, is also a reference to the effects of [[WhereItAllBegan peyote]].

** And when you consider the various types of threats the citizens of Dirt regularly make to each other, trying to imagine [[spoiler: the Mayor]]'s fate becomes either hilarious or horrifying.
*** The bastard deserved it.

** He obviously had no idea how to care for a chameleon. In those conditions it would have died horribly and slowly. So no, I don't feel sorry for them at all.

* Rango was a ''pet'' at one point. To some human family who would have cared for him. How would they feel when they realize their pet chameleon was lost somewhere on what was a presumably long trip with no chance of ever finding him again?

*** The bastard deserved it.

* "All we got here is cactus juice."- Qualifies as GettingCrapPastTheRadar since kids are likely familiar with stories of Indians getting water from cacti, but a bar might be more interested in peyote than ordinary juices.

* During the scene where Beans is allegedly about to [[spoiler: sell her ranch to the Mayor, she hesitantly reaches for a glass of water. This takes on a [[MeaningfulEcho whole new meaning]] when you remember the beginning where Rango's ...[[MakesSenseInContext Barbie doll]] reaches for the glass of water (representing "poison") as part of his emotionally unstable princess story. We're given the same context, with poor Beans about to lose the very thing she loved. But instead of taking the "[[RuleOfSymbolism poison]]", she throws it at the Mayor in defiance! This marks that as opposed to Rango's idea of the damsel in distress, Miss Beans is a real person who's willing to fight for what she believes rather than surrender.]]

*** Which, coincidentally, is also a reference to the effects of peyote.

** Not to mention the mayor is a turtle, and they can live up to 100 years, so his words hold some merit.

* During the extended ending, Beans tells Rango that she put lotion in his saddlebag. He then "clarifies" that it is [[StealthPun gun lotion.]] Much like another cosmetics product related to guns: ''gun powder.''

* After Rango meets The Spirit of the West, Roadkill mentions that "we see what we need to see" in reference to the spirit. Rango needed to be a tough guy, so who better to take advice on playing a tough guy in a western setting than [[spoiler: ClintEastwood?!]].

* On Wounded Bird's changing English skills: When we first meet him, he speaks in broken English. But throughout the movie it gets progressively better. The movie may take place over a course of a few days, but that is far more time to lizards and birds and small mammals, who have shorter life spans than humans. One week would be a short time to ask a human to become fluent in English, but for a bird it may be plenty of time.