History Animation / TheTwelveMonths

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The Queen thinks that if she simply decrees that spring starts today, with green grass and sun, then nature will follow her rules. Unsurprisingly, it's still snowing. She can execute as many people as they want, but that won't bring flowers or birds.

* SpoiledBrat: The queen is this because the soldiertells the girl in the woods that no one can make her see reason or say no to her. She's forced to eat HumblePie when the twelve months come to rescue the girl from her.

* ExactWords: As the stepsister points out, the decree asks for a basket full of snowdrops, and a reward of one gold coin per snowdrop. The decree didn't specify the basket size. Thus, the largest basket will earn them the most gold.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The Queen thinks that if she simply decrees that spring starts today, with green grass and sun, then nature will follow her rules. Unsurprisingly, it's still snowing. She can execute as many people as they want, but that won't bring flowers or birds.

* ThisIsReality: The tutor tells the queen that snowdrop flowers don't bloom in winter, and that's okay. Every season is beautiful, offering various joys. She steamrolls him and asks him to write a decree promising a reward to anyone who can bring her snowdrops in the winter.

* RealityEnsues: The Queen thinks that if she simply decrees that spring starts today, with green grass and sun, then nature will follow her rules. Unsurprisingly, it's still snowing. She can execute as many people as they want, but that won't bring flowers or birds.

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: Since the girl was watching their game of tag with amusement, the squirrel tosses a nut at the stepsister so the girl will hear the noise.

* CrossingTheBurntBridge:
** After making her run errands and wait outside, the stepmother and stepsister beg for the girl to get more flowers, asking them where they grew. She refuses to let them follow but goes to get them. The stepsister follows her.
** The queen is forced to swallow her pride and ask [[spoiler:the girl for furs and horses to ride back to the palace, after sentencing her to death]]. At first, the girl refuses until the woodcutter asks politely, teaching a lesson about manners.

* EveryoneHasStandards: The girl is horrified to find out her only family was turned into dogs. January advises her that if she takes them in and they behave for three years, then they will change back. She looks at them, and silently agrees.
* FramingDevice: Subverted. An old uniformed man in the woods starts to tell a girl a story that his grandfather told him, about how he met the Twelve Months. She and the squirrels listen. Then the girl reveals she is the actual protagonist, getting firewood for her stepmother, and his tale is foreshadowing as he goes to cut a Christmas tree for the queen.
* {{Foil}}: Noted by the man in uniform, revealed to be the royal woodcutter. He says the queen is no older than the girl in the woods, and her parents also died. She is, however, a bit spoiled and absolute in her rule, unwilling to listen or see reason. The girl in the meantime is kind and joyous, asking for nothing.

* HeelFaceDoorSlam: The stepsister seems to learn from thee experience and merely ask for a warm coat. Then she and her stepmother start bickering if it was WastefulWishing, and they get turned into dogs.
* IdiotBall: The stepmother tries to make up a lie about herself and the stepdaughter finding the snowdrops, rather than just leaving with the gold. This leads to the queen questioning them and wanting to find more snowdrops. She makes them summon the girl who picked the snowdrops, on the threat of death.
* IGaveMyWord: The girl refuses to tell the queen, even on the threat of losing April's ring or her winter wrappings, where she got the snowdrops. She promised not to tell where the months were gathering. When the queen tries to execute her, the girl summons the months to assist her, and quickly. They make quick work of the queen and her retinue.

* KickTheDog: The queen orders the execution of a parrot that was gifted to her because it wished her Happy New Year in the middle of a temper tantrum. It faints at the bottom of its cage.
* LaserGuidedKarma: The queen tries to have her way with everything, from lessons to controlling nature. She finds out the hard way that the twelve months know who is good and who is bad and can say no to her. [[spoiler:They save the girl from her and the guards while giving them all four seasons in succession, leading to her court being blown away and the men riding on the sleigh horses to save themselves]]. By the end, the queen has to humbly ask [spoiler:the girl to lend her horses for a sleigh and fur coats so she can return to the palace with the woodcutter]]. The months imply that this is a second chance because she is so young; she won't be lucky next time if she tries to impose her way on the people they like.

** The soldier woodcutter only asks for a fire by which to warm his hands.
** The stepsister asks for a warm coat, for herself and her mother. She is actually satisfied with it, until her mother starts bickering with her. The coats turn them into dogs, a mother and a puppy.

** The royal woodcutter sees a girl with a sled, who explains she needs to find dry firewood for her stepmother. He helps her find it and pile it on her sled. When she offers to show him the perfect Christmas tree for the princess, he says as long as she is not too tired. Then he helps her pull her pile of firewood home before returning to the palace. When they reunite in the wood, after the queen orders her stripped of a coat and mittens, the woodcutter wraps a scarf around her. The girl smiles in thanks.

** The poor tutor, who tries to advise the queen to not be a tyrant and pay attention to her lessons. She forces him to back down on the threat of being executed. Later, he bravely tells her off about wanting 37 days in one month. The seasons happening rapidly don't entrance him; he's more in OhCrap mode and keeps his furs on for the heat. In the climax, he's the only one to suggest that he'd prefer if the twelve months and seasons went back to normal.
** During the climax, the woodcutter focuses on protecting the girl from the cold, knowing she must be freezing without a coat. He also isn't part of the retinue that sees the seasons changing, staying back and keeping his trimmings to himself.
* PapaWolf: Despite the fact that she threatened to execute him multiple times, the tutor keeps the queen behind her when they see the stepmother and stepsister turned into dogs.

* PolitenessJudo: The months advise that if the queen wants to borrow the girl's new wedding sleigh, then she should ask nicely rather than order her around.
* PrivacyByDistraction: To prevent the wolf from finding the girl in the tree, the raven tells the wolf that he sees a bonfire, where he should surely locate a meal. The girl finds out to her bewilderment that the raven was telling the truth. As soon as it's safe, she goes to the campfire to investigate.
* RealityEnsues: The queen thinks that if she simply decrees that spring starts today, with green grass and sun, then nature will follow her rules. Unsurprisingly, it's still snowing. She can execute as many people as they want, but that won't bring flowers or birds.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: January is this, haven taken over the weather for the next three months and is their temporary leader. He says he's seen the girl work tirelessly through the winter, getting water, food, and firewood for her family, always smiling and singing. When getting permission from the months, he gives April an hour to summon snowdrops. The girl didn't even ask for snowdrops, merely explaining her situation and asking to warm her hands by their fire. January also summons the moon to offer light and guide the girl home safely.
* SacredHospitality: When the girl asks to warm her hands by the fire in the woods, the twelve months say she can stay and make herself comfortable. Different brothers offer her pineapples and mushrooms, sensing that she's hungry and in distress. When she explains she needs snowdrops, they push April forward, saying he can help her. He agrees with a smile and asks January for permission to summon the flowers.
* SecretTestOfCharacter: The months let the girl have a basket's worth of snowdrops, and entrust her not to tell anyone where she got them. Even on the threat of death or losing April's ring, the girl refuses. The months rescue the girl and allow her to marry April. January offers her a sleigh, and May a retinue of horses as a wedding present.
* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: When the queen catches up to the girl in a sleigh, she offers fur coats and any price in exchange for knowing where the flowers grow. The girl apologetically refuses, saying she can't tell her. In response, the queen confiscates some of her wrappings and tosses away April's ring out of spite. After the months rescue her, the girl, thanks to GrewASpine, refuses to [[spoiler:accept payment for her new horses and furs from the queen]]. Justified; the queen tried to threaten her for merely keeping a promise. Asking politely does the same trick.

* ShipTease: April gives the girl an engagement ring, telling her she can use it to rescue her during times of need. She simply needs to remember the words and toss the ring on the ground. She looks at it fondly when in private and uses it when the queen sentences her to death. While they can't be together until April returns for real, he promises to come back to her.
* SoMuchForStealth: The stepsister follows the girl into the woods, as she tries to retrace her steps. A squirrel takes notice and tosses a nut at the stepsister; the sound alerts the girl.
* SpoiledBrat: The queen is this because the woodcutter tells the girl in the woods that no one can make her see reason or say no to her. She's forced to eat HumblePie when the twelve months come to rescue the girl from her.
* ThisIsGonnaSuck: January has this expression before summoning the winter again, after the months send the girl home with the desired snowdrops. He senses this is not the end of the story and asks the Three Sisters to cover their tracks, and hide the site of their campfire. Suffice to say, it works.

* YouFool: The stepmother calls her daughter this for asking for a warm coat when they could have anything from January.

* AdaptationalHeroism: In the original tale, the stepmother and stepsister know perfectly well that snowdrops don't grow in winter. They sent out the girl merely to torment her. Here, at least, the queen demanded snowdrops so they merely believe it's possible. Plus, they accidentally save the tutor, gardener, forester, and parrot from being executed.

* ArbitrarySkepticism: Subverted. The girl, in the beginning, tells a man in uniform about her seeing the hares and squirrels playing tag. He believes her because, on New Year's Eve, anything can happen.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The tutor hits his RageBreakingPoint and tells the queen several things: December cannot have 37 days, snowdrops don't grow until April, and eight times eight is sixty-four.

''The Twelve Months'' is a 1956 Creator/{{Soyuzmultfilm}} cartoon directed by Ivan Ivanov-Vano based on the fairy tale of the same name. It features a spoiled teenage queen who can barely read or write, who intimidates her advisors and tutor by threatening them with death. When her tutor tells a fairytale about the seasons, the queen demands that spring starts with the new year. If someone can bring snowdrops, they will be paid in gold.

* AccidentalHero: The stepmother and stepsister accidentally save the three people and parrot sentenced to death by arriving with the snowdrops.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: The queen spitefully tosses away the girl's ring when she refuses to tell her where she saw snowdrops. This activates a part of the spell, and the girl recites the rhyme April taught her to summon help. Soon enough, the months arrive and rescue her.

* TheCaligula: The queen is an illiterate teenager who tosses people in jail without thought or signs for their execution because "execute" is shorter than "mercy granted" in Russian. She threatens the same as her tutor, the OnlySaneMan of the film.

* {{Flanderization}}: The Queen is turned a full-fledged SpoiledBrat, while her character in the original, even before she reforms, is much more complex, as she shows she can be shrewd and just when she cares to do so, genuinely cares for her professor underneath her brattiness, and occasionally reveals her feelings of insecurity as a fourteen-year-old absolute ruler.