The Neverending Story

Question: What is the meaning of the rock paintings that Atreyu finds, that seem to sum up all his adventures? (This is right before the fight with that black wolf-creature.)

Answer: The meaning is basically all his adventures have been fortold and recorded, kind of like as if they were part of a book.

RJR99SS

Question: After Atreyu passes the first gate, soon then after is a scene with Falcor and [forgotten the little man's name] is stabbing Falcor with what looks like a cross between a jackhammer and a giant hypodermic needle. What's that all about?

Answer: That's actually Urgl, Engywwok's wife. She is giving Falcor a vitamin injection while she is nursing him back from his exhaustion.

Twotall

Question: When Engywook explains the Magic Mirror Gate to Falkor, he says that the mirror shows a person their true nature. Brave men are cowards. Kind men are cruel. When Atreyu looks into the Magic Mirror Gate, why does he see Bastion?

Answer: Atreau is the main character of the book (like Bastion is to us watching the movie) this makes them the same, the main protagonist or the "story" It's a 4th wall break inside a 4th wall break. The Empress even tells him "he is sharing all your adventures, others are sharing his."

Answer: Atreyu, as the main character in this story, is the reader's avatar in Fantasia. Atreyu sees Bastion in the mirror because, so long as Bastion is reading the book, he and Atreyu are one and the same.

Phixius

Answer: Bastian is Atreyu if he were not afraid, while Atreyu is Bastian, a scared boy, inside. Bastian has connection with Native Americans as we see in the beginning of the story with the book cover.

Question: Does anyone know the name Bastian screams out the window during the storm to name the Childlike Empress? It doesn't matter how many times I've seen the movie (too many to count), I can never make out that name.

Answer: According to the book, he names the Empress "Moon Child" and this is what he appears to be shouting, although I admit that it isn't likely that his mother was named Moonchild. Although it was a popular name during the Flower Power period.

Zaphod Beeblebrox

Question: Is it a fair and accurate observation of the movie to say that the plot and Fantasia itself is about Bastian coming to terms with the death of his mother? Also, is it fair to say that the Childlike Empress/ Moonchild in Fantasia is Bastian's mother in reality?

Answer: I think both of those are fair assumptions. If you pay attention to the plot inside fantasia the story is of atreyu paying through difficult times and becoming a man, something a young boy may have to do in order to put the death of his mother in the past. Also he names the empress his mother's name, showing he sees her as somewhat of a mother figure to him even though she is a child herself.

oddy knocky

Question: When Bastion asks about the book Mr. Koreander is reading, he responds that the books Bastion reads are safe and to forget about the book he's reading, because it's not for Bastion. As Mr. Koreander takes a phone call in the next room, Bastion takes the book and leaves the store. After noticing that Bastion has left, Mr. Koreander also notices that the book is missing. Was it Mr. Koreander's intention to let Bastion take the book? If so, why?

Answer: He has read the book himself many times, being drawn into the adventure himself, he knows someone like Bastian would really enjoy the book, and knows he would take it regardless of his warnings. He leaves it unattended intentionally. He wants to share the experience of reading that book.

lionhead

Question: How come the horse didn't get struck by the laser along with the armored knight by the Sphinx?

Trainman

Answer: It most likely was aimed to hit only human intruders, not animals.

Audio problem: When Nighthob and Teeny are talking to the Rockbiter near the beginning of the film, Teeny says to Nighthob "This could be serious", then turns to Rockbiter and calls out his name. Watch Teeny's mouth as he calls out "Rockbiter". You will see a very blatant editing mistake as Teeny is not actually saying 'Rockbiter", but is saying the next line that follows. (00:16:40)

More mistakes in The Neverending Story

Childlike Empress: Bastian, why don't you do what you dream, Bastian?
Bastian: But I can't! I have to keep my feet on the ground!
Childlike Empress: Call my name! Bastian, please! Save us!
Bastian: All right, I'll do it. I'll save you. I will do what I dream!
Bastian: MOONCHILD!

More quotes from The Neverending Story

Trivia: Atreyu's character was originally supposed to be green-skinned, as it was in the book. However, it didn't look too believable on film, and thus the green skin was scrapped.

More trivia for The Neverending Story

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