Onward is the latest in Pixar's long list of acclaimed family-friendly adventures. The film is set in a world where fantasy characters live and magic was once everywhere. The story focuses on two brothers who have the chance to see their father again who passed away when they were young.
Onward is now available to everyone on Disney+ so if you missed it in theaters, now is your chance to catch the magical adventure. And while the story is a fun and touching journey, there are some things the movie didn't fully address. Here are some of the unresolved storylines from Onward.
10 The Old Days
The movie opens with a look into the past for this world of magic. It looks very much like the kind of thing seen in a lot of fantasy stories. There are elves, dragons, and wizards as well as heroic quests and magical artifacts. It also shows how modern technology gradually took the place of magic over the years.
This is a very interesting idea that the kind of magic we see in stories would be boring once cars and smartphones are invented. But it would have been nice to see more of this progression. In a way, this is an even more interesting story than the main storyline of the film.
9 The Father
The emotional center of the film is about these two brothers, Ian and Barley, who have a chance to see their father again thanks to a magic spell. It is clear that the father passed away many years ago due to an illness of some kind. We also know that Barley remembers some things about him while Ian doesn't remember anything.
This is the typical kind of Pixar story that immediately starts to pull at your heartstrings. But we also know so little about their father. For instance, we don't know how he came to learn about such a powerful spell or find the necessary items to cast the spell.
8 Pixies
The movie introduces all kinds of magical creatures now living in modern society. This includes a group of pixies who, despite their comically high voices, have become a fearsome motorcycle gang. After Barely reminds them that they used to fly instead of ride motorcycles, they start using their wings again.
The moment is one of many that suggests these brothers might help bring some magic back into the world, yet we don't get a sense of what this means to the pixies. Are they still an angry gang who flies instead of rides, or have they changed their ways?
7 Magic Powers
Though Barley is the one who is obsessed with the magic of the old days, it is Ian who proves to have a gift for actually doing magic. This seems to contradict the idea that the beginning of the movie suggested that anyone can do magic if they work hard at it, but most people want the easy way.
The fact that Ian is just naturally gifted at magic seems less interesting and opens up a lot of questions. Where did Ian get this gift? Was his father a natural magic-user as well? How many other magic users are out there?
6 Trouble With The Law
After their initial spell goes wrong, Ian and Barely set out on an epic quest to finish it and spend some time with their dad. Obviously, this quest doesn't go as planned and they run into a lot of obstacles along the way. It also gets them in a lot of trouble with the police.
Throughout the movie, the boys speed excessively, drive recklessly, flee the police and eventually summon a dragon that causes a lot of damage. Did they suffer any consequences for this? Sure, they were trying to reunite with their dad, but they put a number of people in danger in the process.
5 Manticore
One of the most entertaining characters in the film is The Manticore (voiced by Octavia Spencer). The Manticore is a mythical beast who was once renowned for being ferocious and dangerous but now runs a family-friendly restaurant. Once again, the brothers help this once-magical creature reconnect with her old ways.
The last we see, Manticore had combined the family-friendly atmosphere for her restaurant with the more dangerous tavern it used to be. But it's unclear which side she lands on. Does she want to embrace her past, or does she like being a more friendly person.
4 New Me
Unlike his bold and confident brother, Ian has a hard time taking the initiative. At the beginning of the film, we see him make a list for his sixteenth about what he can do to improve himself. The list is about facing his fears and moving out of his comfort zone.
However, the attention quickly moves to another list he makes about what he wants to do with his dad for the little time they have together. It's clear that Ian was able to step outside his comfort zone during this quest, but we don't really ever return to the idea of the "new me".
3 Magic Back In The World
By the end of the film, Ian has fully embraced and perfected his magic abilities and uses them to save the day. We also know that the Manticore and the pixies have embraced the old magical ways as well which suggests that magic is being reintroduced to the world.
Obviously, this would have huge implications for the society we see in the film, but the movie ends before really exploring that idea. Are people interested in magic again, or will they quickly abandon it for something easier like the world did before.
2 Mother And Father Reunited
The movie is about these two brothers going on a quest together, learning things about each other, and coming to terms with the loss of their father. However, their mother in the film (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gets sort of sidelined for the main story.
The magic spell would bring back the boys' father, but it is also her husband and that point is sort of glossed over. Just because she has a new boyfriend, the brothers seem to think she wouldn't really mind missing out on seeing her husband one last time.
1 Curse
As with most magical spells, there is a cost to playing with just awesome powers. The Manticore explains that the magical gem the boys are looking for carries a curse which will unleash an evil and ancient power. The boys are totally unaware of this and, of course, unleash a powerful beast.
The curse isn't really an important part of the story and is basically just an obstacle at the characters have to overcome in the climax. But it would have been good to get a little background on the curse, where it came from and what its purpose was.
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