Brave 🎥 2012 Movie Info

Plot Summary

In Medieval Scotland, a young Princess Merida of Clan Dunbroch celebrates her birthday and is given a bow and arrow by her father, King Fergus, dismaying his wife Queen Elinor. In the forest, Merida encounters a will-o’-the-wisp and follows the other wisps to her family and Mor’du, a huge demonic bear, attacks the family. Fergus and his men fend off Mor’du, though the fight costs Fergus one of his legs. Ten years later, Merida discovers she is to be betrothed to the son of one of her father’s allies.

Failure to consent to the betrothal could harm Dunbroch; Elinor reminds Merida of a legend of a prince whose pride and refusal to follow his father’s wishes destroyed his kingdom. The allied clan chieftains and their first-born sons arrive to compete in the Highland games for Merida’s hand in marriage. Twisting the rules, Merida announces that, as her own clan’s firstborn, she will compete for her own hand. She easily bests her suitors and, after arguing with Elinor, runs away into the forest. She encounters the wisps again, who lead her to the hut of an elderly witch, where she bargains for a spell to “change” Elinor.

The witch gives her an enchanted cake. Elinor eats the cake and is transformed into a bear, unable to speak but retaining most of her human consciousness. Merida returns to the deserted witch’s cottage, and discovers a message from the witch: she must “mend the bond, torn by pride” by the second sunrise, or the spell will become permanent. Merida and Elinor encounter Mor’du and realize Mor’du was the prince in the legend. Merida vows not to let the same thing happen to her mother, and concludes she needs to repair the family tapestry she deliberately damaged during their argument. They return to the castle to find the clans on the verge of war.

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