This action-packed Superhero flick has some rather dark and disturbing elements — especially for a Disney feature.
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- The fire which claims Tadashi's life. Burning to death is not a pleasant way to die. One can only hope that the explosion killed him quickly.
- Also an explosion that massive would have likely incinerated Tadashi completely, averting Stripped to the Bone.
- The scene where Hiro discovers the factory where his microbots are being replicated is scary from start to finish. Even before Yokai is revealed, the scene is just so eerie, due to the darkness and silence. Then you see the black objects come to life...
- The Big Bad Yokai. He's got an intimidating design, introduces himself by means of an Unflinching Walk towards Hiro, wears a nightmarish mask, never says a word, is NOT the comedic type, and commands a swarm of black flying microbots, which occasionally hiss not too dissimilarly to a snake.
- One shot
◊ of him is particularly scary. Just a dimly lit, shady masked figure ambling towards you with an army of malicious nanobots.
- One shot
- The reveal of Yokai as Callaghan, which is both Nightmare Fuel and Fridge Nightmare Fuel. What makes the reveal particularly disturbing is that Callaghan apparently has zero problems with killing his former students, and knows full well that Hiro is only a 14-year-old boy.Hiro: It's over, Krei. [Yokai slowly stands up and turns around to face Hiro, revealing himself as...Callaghan.] P-Professor Callaghan? (the rest of the gang gasps in shock as well) The explosion... you died.
Callaghan No. I had your microbots. (a flashback shows Callaghan using Hiro's microbots to protect himself from the fire)
Hiro: But... Tadashi... You just let him die...
Callaghan [coldly] Give me the mask, Hiro.
Hiro: He went in there to SAVE you!
Callaghan: That was HIS mistake!- The whole scene in general is pretty terrifying as well as heartwrenching. Callaghan's callous remark makes Hiro so consumed with rage over his brother dying for nothing that he is willing to kill another human being, going so far as to remove the healthcare companion chip from Baymax who adjusts to his new murderous personality by having his eyes turn a terrifying red. The team tries to stop the brainwashed robot, but until Honey Lemon inserts the chip back in, nothing they can do will even slow Baymax down. The way Hiro commands Baymax to kill Callaghan after the robot readjusts to his new violent personality is nothing short of bone-chilling.
Hiro: Baymax... destroy.
Baymax: My programming prevents me from injuring a human being.
Hiro: Not anymore.
(Hiro takes out his healthcare chip and throws it away.)
Baymax: Hiro, this is not what-
(Hiro slams the chip bay back into Baymax, whose eyes turn red upon readjusting.)
Hiro: Do it, Baymax! DESTROY HIM!!- Immediately after this, the team looks quite shaken at what Hiro tried to do. Fred still looks a bit afraid of Baymax when he helps him up. Honey Lemon still looks incredibly nervous. Wasabi, who's known for being quite neurotic, is noticeably calm but stern with a slight shake in his voice when he calls Hiro out on his actions, making it clear that he's outright appalled and unsettled at what Hiro tried to do.Wasabi: What you just did, we never signed up for.
- The shot from Yokai's perspective. He's currently depowered and helpless, as he sees a huge silhouette with red eyes coming at him and smashing columns to bits from the dark. It's a complete 180 to his previous status as No-Nonsense Nemesis; in that brief moment, Callaghan is no longer the invincible aggressor, but nothing more than a helpless victim who comes within literal seconds of Baymax slaughtering him. It's a sobering moment of vulnerability for a character like him.
- The entire final battle, as Callaghan pretty much is attempting to murder all of his students without remorse.
- Callaghan making his appearance from atop a building at Krei's press conference, surrounded by microbots slithering down beside him, is pretty unnerving. Not to mention Callaghan's sudden enraged bellow makes the Mood Whiplash more startling. Just imagine looking up and seeing this◊ heading directly towards you. Krei's look of absolute terror is very understandable.Callaghan: "SETBACK?!" (The microbots crawl toward the crowd like army ants. As the crowd runs away screaming, the microbots coil around Krei like a python and bring him up to Yokai, who pulls off his mask, revealing himself as Callaghan. His eyes burn like torches as he glares at Krei.) Was my daughter a "setback"?!
Krei: Callaghan! Your daughter...that— that was an accident! I—
Callaghan: NO! You knew it was unsafe! My daughter is gone because of your arrogance!
(The microbots haul up the pieces of the broken portal. Krei gasps in terror.)
Krei: What are you doing?!
Callaghan: You took everything from me when you sent Abigail into that machine. Now I'm taking everything from you.
Krei: N-n-n-NO! You can't!
(The portal fires up, and pieces of Krei Tech start to get sucked into the portal.)
Callaghan: You're going to watch everything you've built disappear. Then it's YOUR turn!
Hiro: PROFESSOR CALLAGHAN! (Callaghan turns to see Hiro and the gang arrive) Let him go! Is this what Abigail would've wanted?
Callaghan: ABIGAIL IS GONE!
Hiro: This won't change anything. TRUST me. I know.
(silence as Callaghan teeters on the edge of sympathy)
Krei: Listen to the kid, Callaghan. Please, just let me go. I'll give you ANYTHING you want!
Callaghan: (eyes narrow menacingly) I want my daughter back.
- Callaghan making his appearance from atop a building at Krei's press conference, surrounded by microbots slithering down beside him, is pretty unnerving. Not to mention Callaghan's sudden enraged bellow makes the Mood Whiplash more startling. Just imagine looking up and seeing this
- The world within the portal, though beautiful, becomes frightening when you realize that without a portal to return to our world, it's an endless expanse of nothing in which you'll drift forever.
