History WesternAnimation / Brave

* BedsheetLadder: A kilt ladder is needed to descend from a tower.

* CantGetAwayWithNothing: A more comedic version--Merida's little brothers never get caught during pranks while Merida can never catch a break.

--> "I am Merida, firstborn descendant of Clan [=DunBroch=], and I'll be shooting for ''my own'' hand!"

--> "I don't want to get married, I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the glen firing arrows into the sunset!"
* CompanyCrossReferences: Merida's archery style, including her winning tournament shot, is patterned off that of Disney's own WesternAnimation/{{Robin Hood|1973}}.

* CurseEscapeClause: Aside from the CelestialDeadline of breaking the spell [[RaceAgainstTheClock before the second sunrise]], there's an actual rhyme whose meaning Merida must puzzle out. "Fate be changed / Look inside /Mend the bond /Torn by pride."

** Merida wished for [[spoiler: her mother to "change" without specifying in what manner]]; the prince of the legend asked for [[spoiler: "the strength of ten men".]] This led to a transformation that neither of them wanted.

* FacePalm: Lord [=MacGuffin=] facepalms after his son's arrow misses the bulls-eye.

-->"If you'd like to inquire about portraits or wedding cake toppers, pour vial 1 into the cauldron. If you'd like the menu in Gaelic, vial 2. [[TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat If you're that red-haired lass, vial 3]]. To speak with a live homunculus--"

* FourLegsGoodTwoLegsBetter: PlayedForDrama, as [[spoiler:Bear Elinor]] spends most of [[spoiler: her]] time on two legs (and acting human) but reverts to RunningOnAllFours whenever [[spoiler: she starts [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody losing her humanity]] and becoming a "bear on the inside".]]

* FunbagAirbag: One of the bear cubs dives into Maudie's chest [[spoiler: to get a key which Fergus gave her to keep Merida from escaping and she stuffed down her dress to keep it from them.]]
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Every time the big muscular guy is in the shot, keep an eye on him.

--->'''Merida:''' ''(gleefully)'' You're a witch!\\
'''Witch:''' ''(furiously grinding on a lathe)'' [[InsistentTerminology Wood-carver]]!
** Merida has a few ImplausibleDeniability moments of the NeverMyFault variety. She keeps saying it's not her fault that [[spoiler: Elinor became a bear]], but she finally takes the blame during the HoldingTheFloor scene.

* JustHitHim: Mor'du often chooses to only throw the huntsmen away instead of using his paws for much more devastating attacks. [[spoiler: Given that the only person he really wants to be killed is himself, this makes sense in retrospect.]]
* KarmicTransformation: The legend implies Mor'du [[spoiler: wasn't the best person, so his transformation could be considered karmic retribution. If the spell is the same one Merida used, it's clear the spell is a karmic response to the pride/ego of the requester -- only upon "mending the bond broken by pride" can the spell be reversed. Since Mor'du killed his brothers, mending the bond wasn't possible for him, so his curse stuck.]]

* LeParkour: Right before Merida's day out on horseback, she does a couple of very traceur-like moves, which underscores her athleticism.

** Fergus yells "No" [[spoiler: when Bear!Elinor hurts Merida]] due to rage.

* FoodAsBribe: Merida gets her brothers to help her and [[spoiler: Bear!Elinor]] get out of the castle by offering to let them have all her desserts for three weeks. When this is met with a hard look, she revises the offer to a whole year of her desserts. They help her out after that.

** [[spoiler: At the abandoned castle, Bear!Elinor knocks over a large rock to keep Mor'du from getting her daughter.]]

* FourLegsGoodTwoLegsBetter: PlayedForDrama, as [[spoiler: Bear!Elinor]] spends most of [[spoiler: her]] time on two legs (and acting human) but reverts to RunningOnAllFours whenever [[spoiler: she starts [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody losing her humanity]] and becoming a "bear on the inside".]]

** When [[spoiler: Bear!Elinor]] discovers that the berries she got were nightshade berries and the water was full of worms, she drops her head on the makeshift table, causing it to go flying.

* HoldingTheFloor: In order for [[spoiler: Bear!Elinor]] to get into the castle and retrieve the [[spoiler: torn tapestry]], Merida has to distract her father and the lords, who are all at the point of starting a war. She essentially fills in for the queen by giving an eloquent speech that ultimately restores peace; [[spoiler: Bear!Elinor]] helps Merida out a lot by MimingTheCues. Merida even channels her mother a bit when she strides in like she owns the place and ''everyone stops fighting''.

* JawDrop: The triplets, along with the mounted deer head they were playing with, upon seeing [[spoiler: Bear!Elinor]] for the first time.

* MoodWhiplash: A heartwarming and hilarious scene of mother-daughter bonding as they catch fish together turns into [[spoiler: Bear!Elinor nearly attacking Merida as she [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody reverts to animal instincts]].]]

* NobodyHereButUsStatues: [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor pretending to be the stuffed bear.]]

** [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor taking her crown off to indulge in bear feeding habits, then leaving it behind as she [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody regresses]]]].

** To ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'': Aside from the "rebellious child and strong-willed parent learn to appreciate each other after a crisis" plot, there's [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor's pupils widening into [[BlackEyesOfCrazy Black Eyes Of Animal-ity]] when she becomes a "real" bear, just like Bruce the great white shark's eyes go black when he goes into feeding frenzy mode.]]

* EmpathicEnvironment: The climax of the movie where Mor'du is faced once and for all [[spoiler:(and Merida works to break the spell on her mother)]] takes place during a violent, fairly frightening thunderstorm, which ends after he is killed, [[CueTheSun just in time for the]] [[CelestialDeadline (fateful)]] [[CueTheSun sunrise]].

** [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4nvglznvg1qhiczbo1_500.jpg This concept art poster]], which makes it appear that Merida is hunting while being stalked by a bear. [[spoiler: She's actually protecting it.]]

-->'''Merida:''' [[spoiler: The spell... it's happened before. "Strength of ten men"... "Fate be changed"... Changed his fate. Oh, no! The prince became... ''[turns around, seeing a very monstrous but familiar face]'' ''[[SpeakOfTheDevil Mor'du]]''!]]

* ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere: When the triplets lure the men hunting the bear in the castle to the top of a tower, someone in the group says this StockPhrase.

-->'''Merida:''' ''(gleefully)'' You're a witch!\\

* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Regular example: Angus the horse, who seems to understand everything Merida says. The other examples were magically enhanced: [[spoiler: [[PollyWantsAMicrophone the witch's crow can hold a conversation]], Mor'du the demon bear is incredibly strong and ignores any attacks against him, and the enchanted Queen Elinor, also a bear, has more realistic strength but retains her human intelligence.]] '''Administrivia/ZeroContextExample:''' What can Angus do that real horses can't? What can Mor'du and Queen Elinor do that real bears can't?

%%* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Regular example: Angus the horse. The other examples were magically enhanced: [[spoiler: [[PollyWantsAMicrophone the witch's crow can hold a conversation]], Mor'du the demon bear, and the enchanted Queen Elinor, also a bear.]] '''Administrivia/ZeroContextExample:''' What can Angus do that real horses can't? What can Mor'du and Queen Elinor do that real bears can't?

** The tartan (15th-16th century), kilt (18th century)[[note]] Scottish clans have been wearing kilts in the style as seen in the movie since the 16th century. Wearing the kilt was outlawed in the mid 18th century after some rebellions, and was re-legalized near the end of that century, just in time for it to be romanticized by Sir Walter Scott [[/note]] and woad warpaint (Iron Age); forks and tea (didn't make landfall in Britain till mid-17th century); bagpipes (14th century)[[note]] Originating in such Middle Eastern countries as Turkey, Persia, Mesopotamia, and later found in Spain, Portugal, and throughout Eastern Europe [[/note]]; the carnyx (Iron Age) and bears (extinct in Scotland since the 9th-10th century at the latest) ''at the same time''.

* EarlyPersonalitySigns: Younger Merida is shown begging for a bow and being happy to receive one for her birthday. Now, she's an ArcherArchetype.

* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday: Played with; the witch's cottage is still there later when Merida and [[spoiler: her mother]] return, but the place is abandoned, with no stock, and the witch has gone off "[[MythologyGag to the Wicker Man festival]]." [[note]] {{Justified}} on account of Merida promising to buy the witch's entire stock of woodcarvings in exchange for a spell. [[/note]] Merida even says "ItWasHereISwear"! [[spoiler: Then it blows up. So, it won't be there tomorrow, either]].

* AnAesop: It's important to understand someone else's point of view.

** [=MacGuffin=] and Macintosh are most likely puns on MacGuffin (a plot device) and UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh (a reference to Pixar co-founder UsefulNotes/SteveJobs).

** There's also the fact that their name is, well, [[UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh Macintosh]], given the close history between Pixar and Creator/{{Apple}}. Especially so given that the film is dedicated to the memory of UsefulNotes/SteveJobs.

* ForWantOfANail: If Merida and Elinor had just taken the time to listen to each other, [[spoiler: Elinor's tapestry and Merida's bow wouldn't be destroyed, Merida wouldn't have ran off into the forest to change her fate, Elinor wouldn't have transformed into a bear, and Merida ultimately wouldn't have caused a war between the other clans]].

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. Please add context before continuing

* AesopEnforcer: The witch serves as an Enforcer to both Merida and Mor'du. [[spoiler:Considering how Mor'du's story wound up, she either thought that granting Merida's request would release Mor'du and end well for her or just didn't care.]]

* AmbiguousSituation: At the end, [[spoiler:did Elinor transform back to a human because the sunlight had to shine on the tapestry before it'd work ("mend the bond" literally), or did she transform because Merida finally acknowledged that she was the cause of her mother's predicament and tearfully told her she loved her ("mend the bond" metaphorically?) Or were ''both'' needed?]]
%%* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Regular example: Angus the horse. The other examples were magically enhanced: [[spoiler:[[PollyWantsAMicrophone the witch's crow can hold a conversation]], Mor'du the demon bear, and the enchanted Queen Elinor, also a bear.]] '''Administrivia/ZeroContextExample:''' What can Angus do that real horses can't? What can Mor'du and Queen Elinor do that real bears can't?

** The tartan (15th-16th century), kilt (18th century)[[note]]Scottish clans have been wearing kilts in the style as seen in the movie since the 16th century. Wearing the kilt was outlawed in the mid 18th century after some rebellions, and was re-legalized near the end of that century, just in time for it to be romanticized by Sir Walter Scott[[/note]] and woad warpaint (Iron Age); forks and tea (didn't make landfall in Britain till mid-17th century); bagpipes (14th century)[[note]]Originating in such Middle Eastern countries as Turkey, Persia, Mesopotamia, and later found in Spain, Portugal, and throughout Eastern Europe[[/note]]; the carnyx (Iron Age) and bears (extinct in Scotland since the 9th-10th century at the latest) ''at the same time''.

* {{Animorphism}}: Merida purchases a spell from a witch that will "change" her mother ... [[spoiler:into a bear.]]
* AnnoyingArrows: Merida's arrows don't do much to Mor'du, who has arrows and weapons sticking out of his skin from all the other warriors he has faced. [[spoiler:Mor'du isn't just a normal bear.]]

* ArrangedMarriage: The sons of the three lords compete in the Highland Games for Merida's hand in marriage. She prefers her freedom and does not want to get married yet, so she sabotages their chances by entering and winning the archery contest. And at the end of the movie [[spoiler:the three suitors reveal that ''they'' weren't exactly thrilled at the idea of getting married just yet either.]] It's not so much Merida doesn't want to marry at all as she doesn't want to get married ''now'' at fifteen and she doesn't want to marry a stranger. [[spoiler: It turns out that her potential husbands feel exactly the same way. The idea of getting acquainted with Merida ''first'' clearly appeals to all three.]]

* BearsAreBadNews: The demon bear Mor'du, who is described by Pixar as "Literature/MobyDick [[RecycledInSpace on land]]". [[spoiler:The curse threatens the kingdom by changing Elinor into a bear -- and a target for those aware of this trope.]]

** Wishing for "the strength of ten men" or something to "change my mother" both result in the same thing. Judging by [[spoiler:all the carvings]], it's possible that [[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer changing people into bears is the only spell]] the witch ''knows''.

** [[spoiler:Merida and the triplets save Elinor from being hunted like a bear.]]
** [[spoiler:Elinor rescues Merida by bursting free from the ropes tying her down and fighting Mor'du when said demon bear is busy threatening her daughter]].
* TheBigDamnKiss: Fergus and Elinor do this near the end of the movie...right in front of Merida and ''all'' the clans, no less!

** Fergus yells "No" [[spoiler:when Bear!Elinor hurts Merida]] due to rage.

* BigWhat: Lord Macintosh does this when his son [[spoiler:reveals that he doesn't want to compete for Merida's hand]] because it is a big surprise.
* BilingualBonus:
** Castle [=DunBroch=], where the family lives, translates to Castle Castle Castle.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: One of the main points of the movie; Queen Elinor insists that having Merida do an ArrangedMarriage with one of the clan lords' sons is necessary for the recently-formed kingdom's growth and stability. While being a bit forceful about it, she still has a point, especially when Merida's LoopholeAbuse nearly launches the clans into war. She also points out that sometimes [[MarriageBeforeRomance it DOES go pretty well and can blossom into a genuinely loving relationship (like Elinor and Fergus' did)]]. At the same time, Merida is righteously upset that she wasn't told about the betrothal until the day before it happened, doesn't want to be seen as a prize to be won, and she doesn't feel like she is ready for marriage. Added to the fact that Merida is downright ''terrified'' of the idea, it's hard to blame her for her attempt to get out of it. [[spoiler: A key factor in their reconciliation and freeing Elinor and the triplets from the curse is mother and daughter both realizing that the other has legitimate points about their views on both the matter and their ways of solving conflicts. The diplomacy skills that Elinor taught Merida during the princess lessons allows her to pacify the clan lords and restore peace, while the fighting and survival skills Merida taught Elinor in bear form allows her to defeat Mor'du for good. Furthermore, Elinor allows Merida to break tradition by suggesting that the firstborn sons of the clans should be allowed to choose to marry whoever they want when they're ready for it, something which the clan lords consent to]].

** [[spoiler:After Elinor's turned into a bear and struggles to cover herself with something, Merida rolls her eyes and tries to assure her mom that she's fine. Merida points out that, since Elinor's now a bear, she's covered with fur and (technically) isn't naked. But at the end of the movie, when the curse is lifted and Elinor's turned back into a human, she and Merida realize that [Elinor's] not wearing anything under the tapestry -- Elinor then has to gently break the news to Fergus that she's naked under her blanket.]]

* CassandraTruth: Fergus doesn't believe in magic. Nor does he believe Merida's belated explanations that [[spoiler:the bear in the castle is actually his wife until it's almost too late.]]

** When [[spoiler:Elinor as a bear]] accidentally runs into one of the standing stones, it cracks and wobbles. This is later used to [[spoiler:kill Mor'du.]]
** The tapestry may or may not qualify, depending on [[spoiler:whether one interprets the witch's instructions as telling Merida to repair the tapestry and/or her relationship with Elinor.]]
* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:The last prince from Elinor's story is eventually revealed to be Mor'du.]]

* ChildMarriageVeto: Merida doesn't want to be married, so she pulls some RulesLawyer stuff to get out of it by choosing a feat of Archery marksmanship as the contest, and then entering the contest, in which only the firstborn of each clan may compete. Fortuitously, she's firstborn and also a master archer. Later in the film, the three suitors [[spoiler:reveal that none of them were keen to marry a stranger either, and they happily agree with her suggestion that the tradition be changed.]]

* CueTheSun: Played with. The sun rising after the terrible, stormy night is symbolic of the defeat of Mor'du and [[spoiler:the end of his curse]] but it's also a moment fraught with worry because of [[spoiler:the need to [[CelestialDeadline change Elinor back]] [[RaceAgainstTheClock before it happens]]]]. So it's both a relief and suspenseful.
* {{Curse}}: A "beastly curse" is unleashed on the land as a result of Merida's wish, specifically [[spoiler:Queen Elinor being transformed into a bear.]]
* CurseEscapeClause: Aside from the CelestialDeadline of breaking the spell [[RaceAgainstTheClock before the second sunrise]], there's an actual rhyme whose meaning Merida must puzzle out. "Fate be changed/Look inside/Mend the bond/Torn by pride."

** Deconstructs ScrewDestiny. So Merida wants to totally defy tradition, without back-up plans or thoughts of how this could affect her ''and'' others? [[spoiler:Her mother Queen Elinor and her three little siblings shall forcibly be transformed into bears when she asks a ''very'' mischievous witch for help to "change her mom" [[ExactWords without specifying anything]].]] And for worse, [[spoiler: when a ReasonableAuthorityFigure like Elinor disappears, then the clans that she and Fergus held together start fighting against each other, and that means war will start soon... with one of the reasons being Merida's "PluckyGirl" action of [[TakeAThirdOption "winning her own hand"]], which the noblemen saw as a massive insult from their royalty.]] So it's up to Merida to go into a quest not ''just'' to prove her worth as a person, but to [[spoiler: rescue her bear-ized mother and siblings]] and fix up the '''massive''' mess that has been left - alongside becoming physically, mentally ''and'' emotionally stronger on the way.

* DisneyDeath: A variation where instead of physically dying it looks like Elinor has permanently become a bear in addition to her mind becoming bestial. Of course, everything turns out okay at the end thanks to ThePowerOfLove.[[note]]or due to a DelayedReaction, depending on the interpretation[[/note]].
* DoubleStandard:

** Likewise, Fergus is shown to be just as bad at running affairs of state as his daughter Merida ([[LikeParentLikeChild since she takes after him]]), but while he has the luxury of pawning off his royal duties to his wife and enjoy all the perks of being king (endless hunting, feasting, fighting, etc) while dealing with few to none of the responsibilities, Merida has no such luxury and is forced by her mother and the narrative to suck it up and learn the responsibilities hoisted on her by her birth and gender whether she likes it or not.

* DoNotTauntCthulhu: In the climax, Fergus ''punches the immortal demon bear in the face'', but this only serves to enrage the beast. The one who finally takes him down is [[spoiler:Elinor.]]
* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: [[spoiler:Up until [[AlwaysClose the last few seconds]], after Elinor seems to have turned permanently into a bear in body and mind, Merida assumes that the tapestry is what needed to be mended as "torn by pride", and not her relationship with her mother and [[ItsAllMyFault changing]] her [[NeverMyFault attitude]] toward the situation from blaming the witch to blaming herself. Although it may be worth noting that the transformation back didn't happen until the sunlight actually fell across the re-stitched tear in the tapestry...and this, in turn, happened right after Merida's change and declaration. Whether this was a mere symbolic coincidence or if there really was a connection between the tapestry and Merida's actions is up to the viewer to decide. It's true metaphorically inasmuch as Merida repairing the tapestry to save her mother's life made her realize that in spite of everything, she still cared about her mother and desperately wanted to repair the relationship between them, but how much of which was necessary for the magic is not stated.]]

* DyingDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:When mending the tapestry to reverse the spell doesn't seem to work, and Elinor will be a bear forever]] Merida reaffirms her love for her.

* EatTheCamera: Done with Mor'Du in the beginning of the movie when he attacks Fergus and chews off his leg. After the camera reaches the dark void (or inside Mor'Du's stomach), the title card is shown.

* EnemyRisingBehind: After Merida realizes [[spoiler:the prince from her mother's legend is Mor'du]], she then [[OhCrap realizes]] that said bear has appeared behind her.
** [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4nvglznvg1qhiczbo1_500.jpg This concept art poster]], which makes it appear that Merida is hunting while being stalked by a bear. [[spoiler:She's actually protecting it.]]
* EngagementChallenge: There's a longstanding tradition where the first-born children of the local clans compete for the princess in a challenge of her choosing. But since Merida has no interest in marrying anyone [[LoopholeAbuse and happens to be her own clan's first-born]], she chooses archery (which she's very good at) and shows up to compete for her freedom. [[spoiler:After quite a bit of arguing, it turns out that none of her would-be suitors are interested in marriage either, so the clans decide to break tradition and let them marry in their own time.]]

** Merida wished for [[spoiler:her mother to "change" without specifying in what manner]]; the prince of the legend asked for [[spoiler:"the strength of ten men".]] This led to a transformation that neither of them wanted.

* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Merida has this moment when [[spoiler:she and her mother stumble across the ruins of an old castle. When Merida finds the ruins of the throne room, she sees a stone tablet depicting four brothers, one split off from the rest. Remembering the story of the four princes that her mother had told her, Merida comes to the terrifying conclusion that not only is the legend true, but the spell that transformed her mother has happened before, and the eldest prince from the legend is none other than Mor'du. And to make matters worse, he's [[RightBehindMe standing right behind her]].]]
-->'''Merida:''' [[spoiler:The spell... it's happened before. "Strength of ten men"... "Fate be changed"... Changed his fate. Oh, no! The prince became... ''[turns around, seeing a very monstrous but familiar face]'' ''[[SpeakOfTheDevil Mor'du]]''!]]

* EyesAlwaysShut: Lord Mc Guffin appears like this, through a combination of BigOlEyebrows and smaller eyes.

* TheFairFolk: The {{Wi|llOTheWisp}}sps are supernatural folk. They're said to have the power to [[spoiler:[[WindsOfDestinyChange change fate]].]] They're frequently shown leading Merida away from danger. Twice they lead her away from Mor'du and towards help before she even knows he's there. They also lead her to the ruined castle [[spoiler:so she can learn the truth about the legend of the princes, and the true danger of the spell]], and in the end, they lead her back to the stone circle [[spoiler:so she can save her mother]]. If not benign, they are at least fairly neutral.

* FoodAsBribe: Merida gets her brothers to help her and [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor]] get out of the castle by offering to let them have all her desserts for three weeks. When this is met with a hard look, she revises the offer to a whole year of her desserts. They help her out after that.
* ForcedTransformation: [[spoiler:Queen Elinor and the triplets are turned into bears, just as previously happened to the prince that became Mor'du.]]

** [[spoiler:At the abandoned castle, Bear!Elinor knocks over a large rock to keep Mor'du from getting her daughter.]]
** When Merida is leading her mother upstairs after [[spoiler:feeding her the enchanted cake]], there is a shot where the two of them are framed right behind [[spoiler:the stuffed bear]] Fergus was using for target practice on the throne.

** In the legend of the four princes, when you see the last one [[spoiler:turning on the others, he gives a roar that sounds very much like a bear.]]

* ForWantOfANail: If Merida and Elinor had just taken the time to listen to each other, [[spoiler:Elinor's tapestry and Merida's bow wouldn't be destroyed, Merida wouldn't have ran off into the forest to change her fate, Elinor wouldn't have transformed into a bear, and Merida ultimately wouldn't have caused a war between the other clans]].

* FourLegsGoodTwoLegsBetter: PlayedForDrama, as [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor]] spends most of [[spoiler:her]] time on two legs (and acting human) but reverts to RunningOnAllFours whenever [[spoiler:she starts [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody losing her humanity]] and becoming a "bear on the inside".]]

* FunbagAirbag: One of the bear cubs dives into Maudie's chest [[spoiler:to get a key which Fergus gave her to keep Merida from escaping and she stuffed down her dress to keep it from them.]]

** When Merida [[spoiler:gives Elinor's decision to let her marry for love instead of station]], Lord Macintosh starts to exclaim how stupid the idea is. After everyone else agrees it's a wonderful idea, he [[OpinionFlipflop changes his tune]] and claims "I'm glad I thought of it".
* GrayRainOfDepression: It is storming during the night in the ruins of the witch's cottage, after Merida has learned her rash act of obtaining a spell to change her fate has [[spoiler:possibly doomed her mother to live forever as a bear.]]

** When [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor]] discovers that the berries she got were nightshade berries and the water was full of worms, she drops her head on the makeshift table, causing it to go flying.

* HiddenDepths: Wee Macintosh, the DramaQueen LargeHam suitor, is the first of all of them to say that [[spoiler:he thinks that it's a grand idea to break tradition and have the suitors court Merida on her terms. He says that it's not fair they all have to prove themselves when they are all so young, and lack a choice in the matter. While the ending shows he's trying and failing to impress Merida, having the choice to not do so matters to him]].
* HoldingTheFloor: In order for [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor]] to get into the castle and retrieve the [[spoiler:torn tapestry]], Merida has to distract her father and the lords, who are all at the point of starting a war. She essentially fills in for the queen by giving an eloquent speech that ultimately restores peace; [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor]] helps Merida out a lot by MimingTheCues. Merida even channels her mother a bit when she strides in like she owns the place and ''everyone stops fighting''.

* {{Hunk}}: The only other guy Merida seems impressed with at all if only because of his sheer size, is a guy who looks like this. Too bad he's not ''really'' Lord Dingwall's son. [[spoiler:Also, that guy ends up being interested in Maudie, the maid.]]

* IKissYourHand: It's played for laughs at the end. [[spoiler:Wee Dingwall]] kisses Merida's hand -- and she looks none too comfortable with it since he ''won't stop''.
* ImplausibleDeniability:

** Merida has a few ImplausibleDeniability moments of the NeverMyFault variety. She keeps saying it's not her fault that [[spoiler:Elinor became a bear]], but she finally takes the blame during the HoldingTheFloor scene.
* ImprobableAimingSkills:
** Merida is never shown to miss (after the TimeSkip) and makes the [[SplittingTheArrow shot of the century]] in the archery contest
** Fergus, who taught her, is no slouch either, he puts an arrow in each of a stuffed bear's nostrils, one between its eyes and sticks it with various thrown axes and spears.

** [[spoiler:"...Which is not my fault"/"This is all my fault!"]]
** [[spoiler:"You were never there for me"/"You were always there for me."]]

* JawDrop: The triplets, along with the mounted deer head they were playing with, upon seeing [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor]] for the first time.

** While he's in the heat of the moment and not thinking clearly, Fergus is very correct when in a PapaWolf moment he shouts that ''none'' of the suitors are worthy of his daughter while engaged in a petty argument with their fathers. They may be skilled in fighting -- we see that in a real crisis Wee Dingwald, [=MacGuffin=] and Macintosh ''can'' fight to protect their family or hunt down a bear-- but with the exception of Wee Dingwald, they failed in the test that Merida set with archery. What's more, Merida beat them laughably easily when earning her own hand, showing they couldn't measure up to her standards. She's also not attracted to them, except maybe to Wee [=MacGuffin=], so there isn't even the promise of a PerfectlyArrangedMarriage. The suitors surprise their fathers by [[spoiler:agreeing in the sense that none of them are ready for marriage, and they would prefer to court Merida on their own terms, for love rather than politics]].  
* JustHitHim: Mor'du often chooses to only throw the huntsmen away instead of using his paws for much more devastating attacks. [[spoiler:Given that the only person he really wants to be killed is himself, this makes sense in retrospect.]]

* LateArrivalSpoiler: The trailers and official website go to great pains to hide a number of details about the plot, but the toyline and at least a handful of pins (including one for Father's Day) are quite clear about the fact that [[spoiler:Elinor and the boys are turned into bears.]]

** This happens at the end of the movie as a symbol of how much [[spoiler:Elinor]] has changed.

* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday: Played with; the witch's cottage is still there later when Merida and [[spoiler:her mother]] return, but the place is abandoned, with no stock, and the witch has gone off "[[MythologyGag to the Wicker Man festival]]."[[note]]{{Justified}} on account of Merida promising to buy the witch's entire stock of woodcarvings in exchange for a spell.[[/note]] Merida even says "ItWasHereISwear"! [[spoiler:Then it blows up. So, it won't be there tomorrow, either]].

** Merida is joined by a bear in her quest -- it's loyal because [[spoiler:she's her now-cursed mother.]]

%%* MamaBear: This is a character trope, don't list this on the main page

* TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: [[spoiler:A problem with Queen Elinor, and the prince much earlier, is the longer the curse runs, the less humanity they retain.]]

* MoodWhiplash: A heartwarming and hilarious scene of mother-daughter bonding as they catch fish together turns into [[spoiler:Bear!Elinor nearly attacking Merida as she [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody reverts to animal instincts]].]]

-->"If you'd like to inquire about portraits or wedding cake toppers, pour vial 1 into the cauldron. If you'd like the menu in Gaelic, [[JustForPun vial 2]]. [[TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat If you're that red-haired lass, vial 3]]. To speak with a live homunculus--"

-->"If you'd like to inquire about portraits or wedding cake toppers, pour vial 1 into the cauldron. If you'd like the menu in Gaelic, [[JustForPun vial 2]]. [[TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat If you're that red-haired lass, vial 3]]. To speak with a live homonculus--"