Death's Perspective on Life: A Psychotherapist's Analysis of "Puss in Boots"

[@Taygon45]

Death has seen people beg not to go, people not even old enough to know what was happening, people that sighed and took his hand willingly, people that turned back to look at who they were leaving behind. And then he, for an 8th time, sees Puss squander the gift he was given yet again. I would be pissed too.

[@Broomer52]

He hates the very concept of 9 lives because those people don’t value all 9 of them.

[@falconeshield]

You got it!

[@cartoonkeeper]

​@@falconeshield I agree with you on that one

[@HighPhoenix1754]

Yeeeeeees

[@michaelcasey4525]

Yeah, but it still makes him evil

[@DawnRego]

Using sound/music is totally an intimidation tactic. Legend says that Julius Caesar trained his armies to march together so loudly and precisely that 100 men sounded like 1000. And when Caesar's army approached the enemy, the enemy would retreat before even seeing what they were up against because the sound of the footsteps was so terrifying. Anticipatory anxiety is super effective. :)

[@TheAutoman217]

Exactly! Same rule applies to the Maori people with the Haka chants, or the Zulu tribe singing before the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

[@DawnRego]

@@TheAutoman217 Yes! I love watching haka chants.

[@Localhero727]

Noted

[@ProfBrunoClemente]

Gotta love Bards

[@vikaziza1506]

Same with Kelts

[@abigailaceves9230]

I gotta admit, this is perhaps my favorite portrayal of Death. The people behind the movie put in great effort with the appearance, symbolisms, voice, his role, and oh buy THAT whistle.

[@ecogreen123]

agreed

[@ElvenPrince]

This is a distant second for me but considering hes going against Sir Terry pratchett(GNU) thats not really fair

[@mythicaldragon4354]

He's like the best Dreamworks antagonist. I know not everyone would agree but you can't deny that the concept is the most unique. He could be a horrible character if not handled well.

[@King-Omega-]

Kindred from League of Legends is up there with my favourite portrayals of Death but this is great too.

[@kubikkuratko188]

Indeed! And hes sexy too!

[@m3rrys0ngstr3ss]

I like that Death doesn't overly growl - Wagner Moura can command respect without having to raise his voice. I'd love to see a comparison between this version of Death and the Lady Death of the Endless from "The Sandman" tv show. Edited to add - Death's little rant in Spanish before he admits that the duel is over cracks me up - for those who didn't know, the basic translation is "Dammit, why in HELL did I decide to play with my food???"

[@fox-fluffl9002]

A huge thing that not many people think about when designing characters is how loud they speak. Yes a softer tone can indicate shyness or fear, a loud boisterous shout shows confidence or arrogance; but a low, calm voice goes *volumes* (pun intended) toward showing a character's strength. They don't shout, scream, growl, and roar because they don't have to. It's a waste of their energy and time to bother with such trivial appearances. A voiceless kind of menace. The 'strong, silent archetype' is used for morally gray characters, assassins, rogues, and - of course - Death, because the fact he's so quiet and yet so imposing is terrifying to other characters and the audience. I like to write and love character design, so sorry for the info dump; it's such a fun detail to play with XD (edits for grammar stuffz)

[@keijimorita1849]

​@@fox-fluffl9002 I need to take a stab at recording my own version(s) of Death. Sound a bit like a deeper Kevin Spacey.

[@JonduGaming]

Yeah, I'd say Death is True Neutral. Sure he can lean on the more chaotic side, enjoying the hunt, mocking Puss, but he also sees that once Puss is willing to fight for the only life he has left, he lets him keep it. For now. He's not letting him off the hook completely, he's giving Puss time to appreciate what he's finally realized he has.

[@Elipson52008]

lawful chaotic

[@Andrew_the_Worthy_Shield]

He was called out by one of Puss's nine lives that what he is doing is cheating and death himself said "Why the hell did I have to play with my food?!": Chaotic Evil.

[@thederp9309]

@@Elipson52008 he’s not lawful though, he blatantly went after Puss and this can be seen with Puss and his previous lives where one of the past lives said “You can’t do that” and Death said “shh, don’t tell”

[@w.mccartney431]

@@Andrew_the_Worthy_Shield death is death. He’s doing a Job, that’s why he ain’t evil. An antagonist, definately. But he’s not evil. He’s Chaotic Neutral, at worst.

[@RuffWarl0ck]

​@@Andrew_the_Worthy_Shield He may have chaotic tendencies, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him evil. He's an anthropomorphic personification of an inevitability that comes for all beings. Neither good nor evil. It just is.

[@thenewsatinbobcat5575]

2:38 A small detail that isn't in this video but was cut from this clip is that Death scrapes his claw against the paper when he is referred to as a bounty hunter as puss laughs that he isn't afraid of death. Afterwards his entire mood changes from a seemingly stalker type fan to a more serious and calm person. This change in expression demonstrates how he was gonna give Puss a chance to talk his way out until Puss' ego gets the best of him.

[@Waryfuls]

W0owwww

[@Aceofwolves]

Yep and while not shown...its implied he slashed out the word "alive"

[@brentgrisier1738]

The beauty of death's whistle is that you can read it two ways. If you go willingly or accept that it's your time, it's almost calming and relaxing. But if you were like Puss and fight it, it's haunting and gets under your skin. It's truly a masterpiece.

[@ARH2222]

I feel the comment 😢-😂

[@tay4]

I love Death. He was such an amazing character. Def my favorite. His intro scene was so uncomfortable but that’s what makes it such a great since. Props to the team for making him such a solid character.

[@tay4]

SCENE* oml

[@EbonySerpent999]

I feel the same. Props to Wagner Moura, too. He voiced the unstoppable, antagonistic force of nature.

[@CARBONHAWK1]

Naw just more ticktock edit fodder 😂

[@MintyCoolness]

@@CARBONHAWK1 Nothing wrong with that~

[@jovansavanovic875]

Death is my favorite character too.

[@trinaq]

I love this movie, it treats its target audience like adults, not like idiots, and knows that they can understand complex concepts such as death or grief.

[@failurextreme7084]

What I love is that it works for both children and adults.

[@Mediados]

It doesn't really matter for these movies who the target audience is, the important part is that the target audience is being seen as intelligent people who can read between lines.

[@booleah6357]

Its a movie no one expected to go so hard but Im glad it did. Disney really could take the hint from this movie.

[@aldyzero6676]

@@booleah6357 Disney: take a hint to learn? Nah, the money we got from LGBT community is too good

[@TheCosmicFailure]

​@AldyZero Disney literally did Coco 7 yrs ago. Which deals with the concept of death

[@BadgertheBlue]

What I find fascinating about this version of Death is how PERSONAL he is. It's one thing to find yourself caught in the path of an unstoppable n' uncaring force of nature, unsure if you will survive or not, but its a whole other thing when that same force of nature singles you out specifically because you somehow PISSED IT OFF n its not gonna let that slide. Its terrifying yet incredible how they pull that off here!

[@OGTwistedDobermanXCVI]

Don't go around playing chicken with a train in other words. You can't cheat death. Death makes no mistakes. Death is honest. Death is absolute and inevitable. When he comes, there's no running or hiding. There's no choice. All you can do is experience anything and enjoy everything you possibly can until Death finally comes.....

[@Frazer2]

My head cannon is that since death is always there, he actually respects those who aren't afraid either out of being ready or just so alone that he just gives them a comforting out, like a warm feeling from hypothermia, a numb feeling from bleeding out, or even that feeling of finale of old age ETC. So in turn absolutely LOATHES those who actually don't care of the pain they cause, or like puss said laugh in the FACE of death.

[@qiff6667]

I love this head cannon.

[@tanall5959]

3:43 Something else that has been pointed out about the tune he is whistling: Most dirges are in minor keys, emphasizing the gravitas and finality. His tune is in a major key, which is usually for upbeat themes. He's communicating that this is a game for him, and he's enjoying it!

[@geoffreydunsmore1561]

Wow... I never considered how deep that is.

[@OtakuAnime01]

Fun Fact, the scene right after Puss defeats the giant, the camera pans over the cheering crowd. Death can be seen in an alleyway behind the crowd starring intently up at Puss. When Death confronts Puss in the bar, he says to Puss "I've been following you for a long time". His appearance in the alley confirms this.

[@aaricbro.]

And when in the Cave of Lost Souls “I was there to watch each, frivolous, end!”

[@HeWhoShams]

7:08 In the movie

[@VirtuesOfSin]

I think my favorite part about this whole discussion with Death is when he screams out "Why the hell did I play with my food?!" when he noticed Puss valued his life again.

[@rustkarl]

I was about to ask when he said that when I remembered that’s what he’s shouting in spanish to himself.

[@EbonySerpent999]

Death is based on the folkloric character of the Grim Reaper, whereas the tune he whistles is based on The Silbón, a legend associated with the Los Llanos region of Colombia and Venezuela.

[@msk-qp6fn]

COOL!!! the music part especially

[@NatJuno]

I recognized it when he whistled it just makes him so much scarier when you recognize it

[@Veldazandtea]

So that's why he whistles.

[@EbonySerpent999]

@@Veldazandtea yes. Precisely.

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

Death in the movie represents a number of symbolism of Death. The Latin origins of his whistle, being a wolf, wearing black which is symbolism in Europe. A white wolf no less white being a symbol of death in some Asian cultures etc.

[@fluff_pup8091]

Death, the character himself, actually scared me. People are saying that he's a great villain, but he's more than a villain. He is reality. And the reality of death is scary but we all die some day. That's something we shouldn't have to fear though.

[@ShiningDarknes]

Death isn't scary. Dying is scary.

[@bailey1864]

​@@ShiningDarknesAgreed it's the transition into death that scares me more than death itself

[@Greendalewitch]

​​@@ShiningDarknesIts also scary not knowing what lies beyond death.

[@ShiningDarknes]

@@Greendalewitch naw

[@nachonaitor5535]

​@@Greendalewitchtrue

[@SergeyPupkoMusic]

I am 100% with the wolf on this one. His method may be madness, but its actually genius. And his motive is just. He is death, he deals only in death, but to give him a side that holds life as something valuable and precious, to be treasured and cherrished made me fall in love with the way DreamWorks wrote him into the story. 10/10.

[@Prototype-357]

I read a comment on one of the many reaction of this movie that said they loved this portrayal of death because it's a death that loves life, and they are so right. I don't see this type of portrayal often, I see Death portrayed more as Life's polar opposite and enemy, but Death in this movie is so pissed because Puss doesn't value his lives and thinks he's above death, I used to think you need a lot of arrogance to take something like Life for granted but I realize now it's something we do often because we let everyday problems get to our head and we forget to apreciate what's right in front of us, like the fact we are alive here and now, so many people aren't. Yeah, this movie got me good.

[@Independent-lie96]

A little detail i noticed is that when death says he loves the smell of fear its becouse it anoys him when people dont value their lives but when you are afraid you fear for your life you value it and dont want to loose it

[@StonedHunter]

THANK YOU. Everyone I see talk about Death labels him as a villain and it drives me INSANE. He's neutral, doing his job, but just being especially vindictive because Puss pissed him off by disrespecting him and the value of life. I'd argue he isn't even outright breaking the rules, but bending them. He doesn't go after Puss when he runs away and actually retires. It's only once Puss starts up on the antics again (and trying to regain his 9 lives) that Death comes after him again. People get antagonist and villain mixed up SO much and it really takes away from the depth characters like Death have. And we tend to do it in real life too. It's easier to just paint someone as evil or villainous or malicious because they've done something that hurt or upset us without taking into account our own actions that might have lead to that situation (not talking about cases of abuse and the like where there are clear abusers and victims). We do this with Death, we paint it as this evil bad thing that should be avoided at all costs...when it's just a natural part of life. It can be harsh and cruel, but it doesn't have to be. Our actions (to a degree, societal problems are also something that need to be considered) often lead to how we leave this world.

[@axlorg89]

I'm pretty sure he didn't go after Puss in the cat house because Puss was living a shell of his former self. Make no mistake, Death is, on some level, sadistic. He let Puss stay in fear because he enjoyed torturing Puss. He's an antagonist rather than a villain, but the movie calls out Death for "cheating"

[@islasullivan3463]

Not only do this antagonists and villain but also mix up protagonist and hero, so many times fans of Death Note will call the main character the antagonist because he's evil, when he is actually the protagonist and the villain of the story, while the antagonist is the hero, That's one of the main reasons why it's great.

[@matityaloran9157]

He is a villain. He’s not “just doing his job” he’s actively trying to kill Puss and he himself explicitly acknowledges that that’s against his job’s rules. He’s not just an antagonist, he’s a villain

[@therealMaXlor]

Never, and I mean NEVER, have I loved a comment so much before this one. I cannot stand how people still to this day don’t know how to differentiate a villain from an antagonist, fully believing they are one in the same. Goldilocks and the three bears are also antagonists in this film, but they’re not the villains; the only true villain in the entire movie is Jack Horner

[@antonioreyes421]

@@therealMaXlor couldn’t have said it better myself. Nobody can escape death. The only thing that people mistake death as a villain is because he toys with Puss. At the end he confesses in spanish that why did he play with his prey but in my eyes is that he wanted to lecture him. At the end, Death won. He managed to kill the Legend of Puss N Boots. Giving Puss room in his life, for loved ones.

[@InkyDustMan]

Honestly, I love how this portrayal of death is in every aspect. It carries so much weight, while largely just lingering in the back of the mind of Puss and the audience, as something revealed to be not so much evil, as it is inevitable. And it's a beautiful moment where the only way for Puss to literally save himself from imminent death- Is to accept it as inevitable and acknowledge it with a healthy level of respect. I think the only depiction of a death/grim reaper personification I can think of that surpasses this, is the one which I hold as the undisputed best depiction, which is death/the grim reaper from the Discworld franchise. The Death character from that series being a gold standard in my opinion, which is timeless and great with or without context, which is why I recommend either reading or watching what you can of that character, or even look up some of the clips of him from "Hogfather" which is about death taking the role of Disc World's version of Santa Clause, it sounds absurd, and it is, but it's so genuine, heartfelt and is played with so much nuance, that even if you don't look at anything else from the Disc World series by the late Terry Pratchett, I HIGHLY recommend watching the few clips of death available on KZbin, the insights in even such a small sample in isolation can be life-changing when taken to heart. Death is not something that can be "beaten", and it's not something that's meant to cause suffering. It just is. And I love stories like this that can express that in a more direct manner. So that death isn't just something to fear, but as a way to understand life on a deeper and more meaningful level. Life was never a guarantee for anyone, but death comes for us all. That's why savoring what we have is all the more important.

[@robertoprestigiacomo253]

I love the detail that in the movie Death doesn't simply stalk Puss, he appears mostly when Puss is really risking his life (the exceptions are his introduction and the cave in the Dark Forest). I don't know if it was on purpose or just a coincidence I noticed, but I liked it.

[@skaianDestiny]

I think another good theory was that Death (aside from his first appearance) only appears on screen after someone died. The 2nd time he appears was after one of the Serpent Sisters was turned to gold. The third time was after Jack killed some of his men with the baby unicorn horns. The fourth time in the crystal memory place was after Jack also killed all but one of his men with the carriage falling. And the final time was after Jack left his last minion off to die.

[@melloncollieowl]

1. Death isn't evil, he's just terrible good at his job. 2. You needed to go over how well they handled PRETANATURTAL FEAR. The hair on ends, the heartbeat... So good!

[@marmyeater]

Death wasn't evil in this, but he was stepping outside of his allowed parameters, as seen when he shattered the image of Puss in the crystal saying: 'Shh'.

[@scooterdescooter4018]

at that point, what's breaking a few rules? This little orange cat has been doing a loophole exploit for the last 9 times and LAUGHING about it. its gonna get personal.

[@ihopeyouandicanbefriends]

i also love the response of "Shhhh, don't tell." like who tf is gonna do something about Death cheating lol

[@marmyeater]

@@ihopeyouandicanbefriends Maybe Life? Fate? Gravity?

The one thing I really loved about Lobo was he was portrayed as a force of nature rather than a living being. That is what sold his character for me especially with the way he'd just show up and no one seemed to even notice (at first).

[@chuckb8514]

Death is a great antagonist. One of the best in the shrek universe. Thank you for this analysis. I can’t whistle that great either.

[@riakun]

Death is what I call, as you put it, a neutral character. He is the great equalizer that everyone must go through. He is not good, he is not bad. He is the great equalizer to everyone, and he was angry because Puss was going to waste his last life, being like he did for the other 8 lives. But when he saw that he would actually LIVE his life, he saw it fit to let him appreciate that life. I loved this movie so much, particularly Death. The filmmakers didn’t have to go that hard, but I’m so, so glad that they did.

[@titusfortunus2916]

Side note: death complimenting puss's boots is not superficial. The whole thing about puss in boots is that the boots, which are like the least important part of his whole character design, are the most important part of his backstory. His character design stands out SO MUCH! The classic french chevalier hat, the arrogant feather, the stylish and gaudy silver fencing rapier, the CAPE! But the boots? They are important for another reason. His father cobbled those boots for him, by hand, before he died, and that's why puss in boots only wears ONE pair of boots. And how does death compliment his boots? "And of course... the boots. Heheh.. my compliments to your gobbler, heheheh..." Because death has met the cobbler, face to face.

[@titusfortunus2916]

Correction, it was not his father but his very close friend

[@eliefhr]

No in the movie series, his adoptive mother made those boots

[@mudshrooze]

Your analysis of Death is very enlightening. I had similar thoughts and discussions in KZbin comments but not as eloquently

[@mudshrooze]

I know it be hard to do but I really enjoy Jack I know hes a bad guy but his humor and his personality, the classic evil for evils sakes while also being highly humorous was refreshing

[@the_furry_inside_your_walls639]

Jack's whole character is a gag on the overrated "horrible villains with depressing background stories that make you want to sympathize with them", and they did it so well.

[@myasmith1820]

@@the_furry_inside_your_walls639 His character is a cliche on the evil for the sake of being evil. Like old school Disney and many other companies.

[@macdongr]

When I was a pre-teen I came close to death on my own terms. I was scared and felt like I was alone. But I felt a pressure in the room and saw a figure in the corner of my eye for a split second (I'm not exagerating, this happened to me). I've always been one to believe in ghosts but that day I think I witnessed Death itself. I think it was telling me it's not my time. After a week of ruminating on what happened I came to the conclusion that Death, though it can be brutal and scary, is a being that cares for the people who live their lives. It doesn't have to be to the fullest, but at least they valued what they had and made something of the hands they were given. I see Death as a friend and I hope they let me play a game of chess with them before they eventually take me.

[@kalenah.4248]

I believe your story! And I love how you said accept death as a friend. My grandpa passed away 2 years ago and the pastor that was speaking at his funeral said some very true and wise words! “What you see here is not your loved one but a shell, his body is only a shell but his soul is still around us. We’re only here on this earth temporarily but when we die we’re only a shell, our soul is waiting for death to take us somewhere for eternity in a new life. Death can be scary but don’t think of death like that but instead, think of death as a friend that’s waiting for you just on the other side of the door” Right when the pastor said that, at that day and at that time, I started to think, I’m not afraid of death anymore and I should accept it as a long lost friend just patiently waiting for me. I felt like I needed to hear that from him and I’m glad I did.

[@bizzaroblake2519]

It's good. Death is only allowed to take you once it's time. That's why this movie Death suddenly gets angry at puss learning his lesson and being grateful. Death can only go after someone who is at the end. If something changes then Death cannot collect the soul. Death chased after Puss feeling he had a good enough excuse to go against his nature feeling puss would screw up and die one last time so he tried to speed that up chasing him. Deaths nature is the only reason why he cannot pursue puss. Especially that puss was humbled to know he can't win forever and will fall.

[@bizzaroblake2519]

Your life is the game of chess. But a friend before goodbyes are made

[@angrytheclown801]

Death is a long companion to me. I've probably found myself a hairs width from dying about twenty times in my forty six years. Whether by sickness, facing down weapons, drowning, or getting hit by a truck. And my body shows it. Luck, natural recovery, or quick thinking protected me. I don't know why I rank so high to dodge death, but I fear him not, instead I cherish my victories until he finally wins. When he does, I'll extend my hand and say gg bro.

[@bizzaroblake2519]

@@angrytheclown801 Its why you still stand. It's more interesting to see what will come.

[@Zakiriel]

Death whistling reminds me of the thing about Whistling Past the Graveyard.

[@rhythminart5262]

I love this version of Death and is up there as one of my favorite portrayals of this character/personification. Second only to Death from The Sandman. I would recommend anyone who hasn’t seen it to check it out! :)

[@m3rrys0ngstr3ss]

I feel like Death of the Endless would smack this version of Death on the back of his head for letting himself get distracted by a personal vendetta!

[@Snekfan88]

Kinda wishing to know how Death from Discworld and Death Wolf would react to each other since the former greatly loves cats, while the latter... not so much.

[@TheCosmicFailure]

Both are great. But Death from Darksiders 2 is the best IMO.

[@MedskiPurnamski]

This movie hits me differently after losing both my parents. It does feel like when your parents die a part of you dies with them, so I can somewhat relate to Puss losing all of his lives and down to just one left. I felt like I have taken my parents' lives for granted, and thus I fear that this is the end of the line for me. I began thinking that "If I die tomorrow, it would be okay." but in a way that's more defeatist than brave. Puss made me rethink that outlook and just pause for a moment. It tells me to take a look around, see what I have accomplished in my 41 years of living. Sure I still don't have a house, a good wife, children and several pets like how I used to imagine what my future would look like back in Elementary School, but at least I'm still alive. I didn't become a drug addict, or a criminal, or anything bad for that matter. I'm lucky enough to still be able to get a job though I don't know for how long, I can eat well enough with food that doesn't make me sick, I don't smoke, I recently bought a PS5 with my own money, and I can buy all the model kits I want. And I wouldn't give this life to death so willingly. Like Puss said you can't defeat death no matter how hard you try, but you don't give up on your life either. So when death finally takes me, I want to believe that I will be going down fighting.

[@sigisoltau6073]

I don't think Death is evil. I think it's more like he enjoys putting a bit of fear into people who are arrogant, don't appreciate life, who casually throw away lives, who don't appreciate life the way Puss did. It's not that he's evil per se, but with people like Puss, he does kinda enjoy giving them a bit of fear before taking them. Also I think he did this partially in the hope that they realize how valuable life is, to value the life one has, to "appreciate the things right in front of you" as Perrito said.

[@DocKrazy]

Honestly, I'd like to know if you could talk about the mother bear in this film, because I love her and I think she's one of the more underrated characters. She is a rather explicit example of unconditional love

[@OtakuAnime01]

Death in this movie reminds me of the villain in some classic western movies. The kind that when he enters a room, everything suddenly feels colder, the other bar patrons immediately cower away from him, and you even get the shiver up your spine feeling. Even the way he draws and holsters his sickles seem reminiscent of the heartless bounty hunter type. I also love the death symbology with the coins appearing on his eyes and when Puss is running through the forest, the trees and rock formations that for a second resemble death.

[@zachialadams9279]

Death is a function. His purpose is so inherent and undeniable that it's not even just a motivation anymore. It's just what he does. Turning that into a character that you can then try to analyze, is no small task.

[@aurawolf664]

Watching how the wolf appears in Puss' life when he is at his lowest (depressed in the bar, near-death from unicorn horn explosion, cave of lost souls) it became apparant to me that Death was portrayed as a wolf not only because he's a canine, but because a bounty hunting wolf was the physical manifestation of Puss' fear that his legend was ending. We are visualizing Death through the mind of a "fearless hero" cat.

[@jamzilla1220]

When you mentioned that tribes and pirates used sound, I remember a quote from Master Shifu (and also a line from "Kung Fu Fighting") from the Kung Fu Panda trilogy, specifically Kung Fu Panda 2 when Shifu was lecturing about Inner Peace in a cave. "Before the battle of the fists comes the battle of the mind"

[@BroAnarchy]

Fun fact : mirrors are often associated metaphysically with the dead... a reflection of the other world, as it were... and anything else that may pass over the other side. I was always intrigued visually that there is a giant mirror in the bar during this scene, one that just >so

[@hansgerman3437]

They could have chosen any other depiction for Death. But they went with the big bad wolf in this Fairy Tale world. Which makes sense, since in most fairy tales, the big bad wolf punishes the heroe(his prey) often times for their carelessness. (Which usually results in death by beeing eaten. Red Riding almost loses her Grandma, because she is to trusting/carefree, for example). Interesting is that he gives up, once his prey lets go of the vulnerability, that put Puss in the role of prey in the first place.

[@kriddius]

I envy Death. He's got a job to do that's not pretty or appreciated but he does it without complaint and he never takes a day off. He doesn't discriminate. Young or old, good or bad, rich or poor, he has time for them all. People hate and fear him despite the necessity of his role but he still finds a way to enjoy his work

[@ethanemerson4862]

“I know I can never defend you Lobo, but I will never stop fighting for THIS life!” Puss admits that, eventually, he’s going to die at some point in his life. None can run from death forever, so he’s going to cherish what he has until then.

[@TheRookie2467]

What a lot of people are pointing out, which I can agree on , depends on the death of the person. The whistling could be either nice and soothing or intimidating and fear driven.

[@supsas]

Honestly in a way it almost feels like death’s venting. He probably sees a lot of things doing his job, and now he’s seen puss squander his lives for all this time. Now he’s finally had enough and is doing everything he can to make puss regret what he did and enjoy himself as much as he can while he has this chance

[@bigmoe9856]

In some ways, before the movie was over or at their final conflict, I felt like Death was trying to save Puss on more than one occasion. He shows up in circumstances where Puss is not only putting himself in danger, but, is reverting back to his arrogantly fearless self. So Death appears to humble the gato and keep him moving before he takes one last step too far into the grave. The bar, the heist, the Mexican standoff, the cave of lost souls, all of them are instances where Puss was setting himself down a path that he might not've been able to walk away from. Hell, if it's a matter of appreciating the one life that he has, than even the scene where Puss thinks he's seeing Death's shadow matters because he's allowing himself to waste away in retirement only as a means to prolonged his ultimately finite time on earth. Then the last two encounters happen and it's more apparent that Death is being a bit of dick for his own enjoyment even if he accepts Puss n Boots character development in the end.

[@Pohgg-c9o]

Nice evaluation of death's POV. The cape is a good look! You would fit in well at the Dungeons & Dragons movie with it. Many a cosplay / larper at it in my small town showing. I have had frequent interactions with first responders/last responders/ search and rescue volunteers and the dark humor is thick with those crowds. For some may be a defense mechanism but for others they are just goof balls that the darker world cant seem to touch so don't mind doing those jobs.

[@ethanemerson4862]

I think that another reason why Death is pissed at Puss is because he’s mocked the concept of death so many times. Death feels insulted. So he’s gonna show Puss just why people fear him so.

[@Crasteeh]

I can't even imagine what a video on jack Horner would be like, i'd certainly love to see your take on him

[@firestorm165]

So I've seen a theory that says puss's dagger represents his relationship with his friends and his rapier represents his courage and his drive and that he needed both to drive death back. Having trouble finding the vid I saw it in but I thought it was an interesting take

[@sigisoltau6073]

When Puss said "I laugh in the face of death" you could tell Death felt disrespected by that, by the way he raked his nail/claw over the paper and desk.

[@LYRADdl]

I personally wondered why the creators of the film made Death, a wolf, but here's a GIANT possible coincidence. I doubt the creators had this in mind BUT in Tupi-Guarani mythology, the native peoples of Brazil, Paraguay, and other South American countries there is a figure called Luison. He is described as being a wolf-man or werewolf and is at times considered the God of Death or has the same functions as the Grim Reaper. This and the fact that they casted Wagner Moura, a Brazilian actor, to play Wolf/Death is either a beautiful coincidence or an awesome creative choice from the filmmakers.

[@AutobotR-524]

Fun fact Georgia, death's whistles only has eight notes...but at the end it gets an extra note. Symbolizing puss's new life

[@ninetailorochimaru]

One thing I didn't notice until watching this video, was Death LOVING the smell of fear. You mentioned that Puss was arrogant and didn't fear death, but then began to fear him. The REASON I believe death loves the smell of fear, is because it shows you don't WANT to die. It shows you want to LIVE. Wanting to keep your life is the first step to appreciating it. Also another thing not really touched on, was when death tells Puss to pick up his weapon after he disarms him, and how Puss mirrors it later on. Originally, Puss ran away. He feared death. He did not want to fight for his life, he chose to run from the fact he could die. When Puss tells death to, "Pick up" his weapon, and then goes on to say he will never be able to beat him, it's because he learned what death as trying to teach him. To value his life, that in the end he has to accept his time will come, because no one beats death, but just because you can't beat death, does not mean you should EVER give up or run from the fight. I don't think Death was evil, I thought he was trying to teach Puss a lesson. He was mad, of course, but he was benevolent with all the chances he gave Puss to REALLY learn his lesson. Also my thoughts on the whistle, it was to let him know Death was near. The thing he feared, was near. In the end, the key changes from minor to major, signifying peace had been made. Those are my thoughts, let me know what you think =) Stay Awes9me

[@Kevbot6000]

Loving these Puss in Boots videos! I think another good one would be the theme of found family with Goldilocks or learning how to trust again with Kitty Softpaws (although you may want to watch the first movie if you do this since it does have a bit of backstory as to what happened). Amazing video as always :)

[@damianstarks3338]

Death the wolf was everything in this movie happy to see you doing a video on him.

[@Nicamon]

The Wolf is,paws down,the *BEST* part of this whole movie and the main reason it's worth watching!🤩🐺 ...The 2nd is Perrito.🥰🐶 09:38 - 09:40 LOL...😄❤

[@TheAdvertisement]

I love that Death isn't "nice" even in the end. He doesn't stop chasing Puss because he's glad he's learned his lesson. No he was genuinely invested in the hunt and loved it, both from how fun it was to kill someone who deserves it, and from how pissed off he was at Puss. But when Puss learns to value his life, suddenly it isn't fun anymore. Death doesn't have it in his heart because Puss isn't the smug arrogant hero who laughs in the face of death, not because he's become a good person. He becomes respectful of Puss, not forgiving.

[@Tonkers177]

I always linked the whistling to the South American monster El Silbon. Who whistles while he hunts his target.

[@GeorgiaDow]

oh cool didnt know of this = ) thx

[@nloubriel2336]

Fun Fact: Wolfs voice, Wagner Moura, is actually Brazilian, and learned spanish in a college for a Pablo Escobar series 😯🤓

[@Shiftarus]

I like to think that he always could have done the deed. He knows the value of a life more than anyone so he had to teach Puss a lesson, one that only he could teach.

[@grimm516]

Very nice, analysis people can get in to rhythms and patterns so easily we always forget to just sit and appreciate everything we have or get caught up in the struggle that we don't take the time to just sit and watch a sunset or sunrise, and just be in the moment.

[@grimreminder5038]

Death was portrayed perfectly in the movie, scaring Puss first and when it took hold he began to talk more, getting into his head only to give chase to see if he'll find purpose along the way, something that should stop him from throwing his lives away with reckless abandon. A gift Death doesn't hold lightly. Once he found that purpose, that last attempt to shake it gave way once he saw it fail. Seems he looked away, showing resentment over all else because he doesn't want that purpose to feel like another life, another cushion. Really good movie over all.

[@bigace6616]

I initially asked why death hates the idea of someone not valuing their life and gotten an answer. But you added have more depth to it. Thank you for your professional analysis.

[@maromania7]

I definitely got the feeling that we aren't getting the "normal" death, doesn't approach your grandma like this. Puss spent all his lives openly mocking him, showing no appreciation for what he has. And even then, Death's still courteous when he appears...until Puss laughs at him to his face. Only THEN does he drop the professionalism and decide to indulge himself. Even that "I love the smell of fear" line, I read that as more "I love being able to tell that I've knocked a wasteful and arrogant person down a peg." I'm so glad you're showing he's not a villian. I think the ending cements that for me. if he was a villain, he would've just taken Puss down at the end regardless. He's frustrated for a few seconds, because he was wanting Puss to fail, "learning his lesson" doesn't undo all the things Death hates him for. But if Puss is going to stop openly mocking him and squandering his life, he's fine to drop the quarrel. As mature as you'd hope from someone with his vast age.

[@smilesomemoar]

This is exactly what I thought of when I first watched the movie! In a sense, wolf wasn't exactly the main villain but was there to teach puss a lesson, and with him learning that lesson we get to see Puss who in every movie is seen to be reckless, who relies on being a hero, someone adventurous who just lives in the moment, makes the decision no one else would thought he would do that thought of that made me cry so hard. It was the best closure I've got and would cry to it again.

[@somedudewatchintv5297]

Even if you don't call Death evil I would call him at least malicious. He doesn't have to go out of his way to bully Puss and if he really wanted to have this talk he could have just spoken to him or even waited for his proper death.

[@dumbsterdives]

I would argue that Puss was so self-absorbed and arrogant before the events of the movie that nothing short of what happened would've gotten through to him. Without the wakeup call of being hunted, meeting Perrito, and confronting his past mistakes with Kitty, he would've spent his last life just as thoughtlessly as the other 8

[@Veldazandtea]

Actions speak louder then words. It teaches courage faster. Death uses fear as a tool. Gives it direction. You could have considered beyond your own fear. You could have thought about how the same skill to shake people up defuses volatile situations. You could have this. You could have that. Such flawed logic. The whole point of this movie is how expectations don't match reality. Even Death falls victim to it at the end of the movie. Which makes the ultimate point. That you're your own worst enemy. Death is no exception.

[@commonsenseless9894]

Death is a force of nature. As Marcis Aurelius put it, "nothing that is in accordance to nature can be either good or evil"

[@GeorgiaDow]

extra points for a marcus aurelius quote

[@Veldazandtea]

Humans. The ultimate bacteria. The Matrix puts that into perspective well enough. A film that questions, and answers, "What is life?" Is the last wish a manifistation of those electrical impulses from so many then? It would make sense.

[@1rotzy]

The only reason I saw this film was because of Death. He is frightening, but the only reason he is acting now is to put the fear of him and the love of life back into Puss. And if he can't... well, the annoying little legend is gone. Win-win for him.

[@jaysartori9032]

I think Death was just trying to tell Puss in Boots to be thankful to be alive and take the little thing in life as grateful. Because it can all end in a heartbeat.

[@joezar33]

(Death) should get the Villain of the year award seriously . Puss & Boots definitely living that Zorro happy go lucky life into he final meant his match ..

[@Solrac8D]

Just found this channel and tbh these videos really help me with the stress and anxiety I'm going through. Makes me think it is a good idea to see a therapist about all my trauma and all the things I'm just going through. I'm very antisocial so it is hard to though unless I find something enjoyable to do during xD

[@myladynaynay]

I'd like to also add in my thoughts on the importance of the "Pick it up" line. Just before Puss engages Death in a fight for the first time, Death comments with an eye roll on how everyone thinks they'll be the first to defeat him, and Puss seemed to believe the same without realizing he was literally facing Death. And though later on Death claims that he's just going to take Puss's last life because he didn't value his other eight, I think his real intention was to always give Puss the choice: pick up your weapon and fight, or keeping running until you drop. From my own understanding, people who are so afraid of dying to the point of paranoia often get themselves killed anyway by trying so hard to avoid it. So if Puss had continued to run - or even used the wish to restore his 9 lives - anything could have happened. All it would take is one second of him looking over his shoulder for Death, and he'd not realize that he was running towards a cliff or that something else was after him. And so in the final fight after disarming Death, Puss's growth is shown when he repeats Death's line of "pick it up". He not only acknowledges the chances he was given to fight for his life, but he also respects Death by saying he knows he can never defeat him, but he'll continue to fight for his single remaining life. If Puss had learned nothing, he would have boasted about being the first to get the upper hand over Death, which ultimately would have changed nothing and likely would have made things worse for himself.

[@invertedghostgames9899]

Death in this movie gave me the same kind of nerve racking feeling that watching The Lich in Adventure Time. He wasn't so much a "villain" as he was a force of nature, an all consuming reality that changes everyone he comes in contact with. His very presence and the fear that follows him is so powerful and innate that when that reality sets in, it forces everyone around him to adapt, whether he wants them to or not. It's clear in this case he wants Puss specifically to change and learn a lesson, but you can even see in the others that upon realizing Puss was serious, it even leaves them slightly shaken, and to some extent they learn too. I'd honestly call him more of an anti-hero if anything. Not evil. Not exactly good either. But definitely a truly neutral force.

[@lordkiwiz1535]

I can clearly whistle like Death, had to practice just 1-2 days casually and I learned it! Plus, I love whistling soo, kudos to that one man invented this tone!

[@alyssastern6073]

I like to listen to you as I do homework for grad school, and I paused what I am doing when you listed EMT and Doctors (currently EMT in a P.A. school). Now I'm watching this over writing my paper.

[@reneehunt5590]

The Whistling sounds like a variation of the children rhyme "Ring Around the Rosies". It's a song about Death and the Black Plague. It probably wasn't intentional, but it adds so much more to character of Death.

[@khoinguyen5004]

He laughs in the face of death. Then one day, Death laughed back

[@Aegis_Aeris]

I think this is a good analysis of Death. In cinema, you don't often see neutral characters aggressively pursuing the protagonist, but I think they did a wonderful job with it while avoiding turning Death into an outright villain.

[@Arknautikore]

Deaths Whistle actually finally got me to force myself to learn how to whistle and now I do it so much it’s become something I do subconsciously

[@Werewolfoverlord12]

There's a boogeyman type character in , i think South America/mexico? Called El Sabone, an extremely tall creature that carrys a bag with his father's bones in them as punishment. He also whistles, although in his case the closer the whistle the farther away he is. So i'm curious if they used that as part of Death's character

[@XonixDerps]

I got that vibe as well for some reason!

[@Veldazandtea]

By that logic wouldn't people always hear a loud whistle the younger and less likely to die they are? If he's further away most of the time...

[@LackerofLacking]

Can we all agree Georgia's attempts as whistling is the best part of this video? Please and thank you!

[@thegametroll6264]

I don't think death ever had any truly evil intent in this movie as death is not truly evil in real life. People may curse death for taking them or their loved ones too soon but others on the other half of the spectrum who have had hard lives and look forward to resting for a while see death as an old friend they haven't seen in a very long time. The way he berates puss for not valuing his other eight lives just shows how even death himself holds true value for life.

[@emptyasmrman]

Death is the perfect example of a character being antagonistic but not inherently evil. He’s doing his job, but he’s been disrespected A LOT and is coming to put an end to it himself. Enjoying it a little too much though, as he says himself “Why the hell did I play with my food”. “Villains” with a code of honour are my absolute favourite.

[@Aceofwolves]

I love his speech about cats. Every other living creature gets one life but cats get 9. Yet death cant change this. So he's angry yet poweless in that regard meaning...whatever creates life is equal to or stronger than death. Also deaths whistle comes from a European myth that the reaper walks through villiages at night luring people to their death by whistles. Which is nice as this story takes place in spain.

[@faffywhosmilesatdeath5953]

4:20 (nice) I've always called anticipatory anxiety dread because (to me) it's essentially the same and easier to type, heh. And as someone who deals with anxiety, panic disorder, and rejection-sensitive dysphoria it's a very familiar feeling. When you're scared of some-*thing* you can consider what impact it can have on you. You can apply some measure of reason to the situation. When it's dread, when it's anxiety over something that hasn't happened yet, your mind creates countless scenarios, each worse than the last. It's easy to spiral because there's no point of reference for your anxiety. It's a seemingly endless spiral of fear and worst case scenarios.

[@LightingbladeShen]

One of the best villains to be shown in recent years. And I don't mean that Metaphorically or retorically or poetically or theoretically... He's just straight awesome

[@juanpagon]

Good work Georgia

[@helenetrstrup4817]

That situation where you're standing in front of someone who used to be mean to you but them not reacting the way you're expecting is an interesting situation to be in. I've been in that situation once. She wasn't really a bully... But she was not a nice person. Her little sister was my classmate, so it got quite awkward. A few years later they move away and I didn't see the siblings for ... about 5 years before I run into them at an anime convention. Instead of being mean to me, she almost worshipped the ground I walked on because I had not watched an anime that was very hyped up that year, an anime that everyone else seemed to have watched. All while I could hardly look her in the face. I was so confused. 🤣

[@stingerjohnny9951]

Between Lobo and the Matron of Ravens in LoVM, I love entities of death that value life. It’s such a fascinating dynamic that is a much healthier way to view death.

[@DrunkIdiotWithALazergun]

I work at a morgue. At night. Yes, I have no emotions. You know why? Because the guy I took over for said that being numb to it shows you that you are right for the job. So every time I have to do my job, I always whistle as I walk down the long, silent hallway. And no, I don’t whistle the one death whistles here. I whistle ring around the rosy.

[@squallidus]

Georgia you're the best. I watched this recently and I was so intrigued by this... Character... Or entity/manifestation/personification of the Wolf/Death and how his presence affects Puss. I'm was so looking forward to hearing your take on Death and once again, your analysis is respectfully thorough and I appreciate it, as well as your channel! You're the best

[@justarandomgamer7667]

Towards the end, your comment about bullies, it reminded me of something. When I was around five or six I had these two bullies, they were twins. A brother and a sister. They were six, seven years older than me maybe, and complete assholes. I remember one main time with the sister, I was sick in some way and playing in the park in our housing complex alone. She sort of walked up in front of me and drew a bow in my face, the real deal. Metal-tipped arrow and everything, like she was ready to possibly kill me. That was a bit of a rant, but anyways, what I'm realizing is that the two of them never actually hurt me in any serious way. The brother once "beat" me in said park, and it stung, I went home crying because I was a little kid, but I actually never developed any bruises or anything. He didn't do any real damage, and I think thst might have been on purpose.

[@booperdooper9762]

I'm happy to say I usually have some type of positive take-aways from your videos, and the advice sprinkled throughout sometimes, this was one of those videos. The self-healing part, I'll keep your words with me on my journey. Thank you.

[@basedlord8247]

Not even a minute into the video and I already know this is going to be interesting. The first point she makes is something I've never thought of and haven't ever heard anyone go into it either

[@gloeiende1]

I wish i had therapists like Goergia, Just her enthusiasm alone makes me already happiy...

[@lovedeadless8228]

I love to see movies that give mature people and children moderately scary real feelings beside jokes and morals of friendship

[@justintime5021]

Theres been a lot of portrayals of death in film and i think this is easily my favorite one. I was actually quite shocked at how good this movie was.

[@Snekfan88]

First it has been officially confirmed that Shrek 5 is in early development and now Dow has posted a stunning insight of Death 🐺 Today is a great day to be a Shrek fan