People have begun to lose their hopes and forget their dreams. So the Nothing grows stronger
The sphinx's eyes stay closed, until someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by.
If you want to save our world, you must hurry! We don't know how much longer we can withstand the Nothing.
How many wishes do I get?
Rockbiter Where I come from, in the North, we used to have exquisite gourmet rocks. Only now... now, they're all gone.
N Nighthob
I know how it happened. [chuckles]
Rockbiter Oh, I-- I swear it wasn't me!
TW Teeny Weeny
I think I know what it was. Tell us more.
Rockbiter Near my home, there used to be a beautiful lake. But then... then it... it was gone.
TW Teeny Weeny
Did the lake dry up?
Rockbiter No. It just wasn't there anymore. Nothing was there anymore. Not even a dried up lake.
Rockbiter A hole would be something. No, it was... nothing. And it got bigger, and bigger. First there was no lake anymore, and then finally... no rocks.
N Nighthob
[He starts chewing a rock, and the pieces nearly fall onto the Nighthob]
If he keeps stuffing his face like that, soon there won't be any rocks here either!
[In the Swamps of Sadness, Atreyu pulls his horse along saying reassuring things the whole time]
That's it. You're doing fine, Artax. [suddenly Artax stops and Atreyu pulls on the reigns. Artax doesn't budge] Come on, Artax. What's the matter? What's wrong? Come on, boy! What's the matter? I understand. It's too difficult for you. [tries pulling him in a different direction and steps into a puddle up to his waist. Suddenly he notices that Artax is sinking!] Artax, you're sinking! Come on! Turn around! You have to! NOW! COME ON! ARTAX! Fight against the Sadness, Artax! Artax, please. You're letting the sadness of the swamps get to you. You have to try. You have to care. For me. You're my friend. I love you. [Artax moves only slightly, but then sinks again, now up to his neck in swamp water. Atreyu panics] ARTAX! STUPID HORSE! YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE OR YOU'LL DIE! [Artax's head remains only a couple of inches above water] [voice breaking] Move, please! [Artax is about to go under] I won't give up! Don't quit! ARTAX! [fades to black] PLEASE!
Are you Morla, the Ancient One?
M Morla
[yawns]
Not that it matters, but yes.
Please help me, Morla! Do you recognize this? [holds out the Auryn]
M Morla
Well... we haven't seen the Auryn in a long time.
We? Is there someone else here too?
M Morla
We haven't spoken to anyone else for thousands of years, so we started talking to ourselves.
[Morla lets out an enormous sneeze, knocking Atreyu out of the tree, he climbs back up]
Morla! I bring terrible news! Did you know that the Empress is very ill?
M Morla
Not that it matters, but yes. Actually, we don't care.
If I don't save her, she'll die! There's a terrible Nothing sweeping over the land! Don't you care about that?
M Morla
We don't even care... whether or not we care. [Morla stifles a sneeze, Atreyu braces himself]
M Morla
No... we're allergic to youth. [Morla sneezes again]
You know how I can help the Empress, don't you?
M Morla
Not that it matters, but... yes.
If you don't tell me and the Nothing keeps coming, you'll die too! Both of you!
M Morla
Die? That, at least, would be something. [Morla starts to sneeze, Atreyu braces himself again]
Please help me. You said you knew the answer--
M Morla
[Morla sneezes again, knocking Atreyu out of the tree]
We're tired of sneezing, go away! Nothing matters.
That's not true! If it didn't really matter to you, you could tell me.
M Morla
[laughs]
Ah ha ha! Clever boy!
M Morla
We don't know, but you can ask the Southern Oracle.
M Morla
You can't. It's 10,000 miles away.
M Morla
That's right. Forget it. Give up.
Is that the Southern Oracle?
E Engwwook
Oh, no. It's the first of the two gates you must pass through, before you reach the Southern Oracle, and get me the final information for my book. Of course, most people never get that far.
The sphinxes' eyes stay closed, until someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by.
I had another dream, Dad. About Mom.
I understand, son. But we have to get on with things, right? [Bastian doesn't reply] Bastian, we each have responsibilities. We can't let Mom's death be an excuse for not getting the old job done, right?
Son, I think it's time you and I had a little talk. I got a call from your math teacher yesterday. She says that you were drawing horses in your math book.
Unicorns. They were unicorns.
She also says that you haven't been turning in your homework on time. And I'm very disappointed that you didn't even try out for the swimming team. As to those riding lessons you wanted, you say you love horses and yet you seem to be afraid to get on a real one. Now Bastian, you're old enough to get your head down out of the clouds and start keeping both feet on the ground, right?
[smiles]
Stop daydreaming. Start facing your problems, okay?
The Childlike Empress In the beginning, it is always dark.
The Childlike Empress One grain of sand. It is all that remains of my vast empire.
Fantasia has totally disappeared?
The Childlike Empress Yes.
Then... everything's been in vain.
The Childlike Empress No, it hasn't. Fantasia can rise anew. From your dreams and wishes, Bastian.
The Childlike Empress Open your hand. [places the grain in the palm of his hand] What are you going to wish for?
The Childlike Empress Then there will be no Fantasia anymore.
How many wishes do I get?
The Childlike Empress As many as you want. And the more wishes you make, the more magnificent Fantasia will become.
The Childlike Empress Try it.
[starting to smile]
Then my first wish is...
[The Empress looks up and smiles too, and Bastian is shown riding on Falkor through the sky over a reviving Fantasia]
YEAH! Falkor, it's even more beautiful than I thought!
Falkor, it's wonderful! Falkor, it's like the Nothing never was!
Cairon I'm sorry, but this is not the time nor place for children. I must ask you to leave.
If you don't want me here, you shouldn't have sent for me.
Cairon It was not you we sent for. We wanted Atreyu.
Cairon [laughs]
Not Atreyu the Child! Atreyu the Warrior.
I am the only Atreyu of the Plains People. But I'll be happy to go back hunting the purple buffalo. [turns to leave]
Cairon No, wait! Come back, please. If you really are the Atreyu we sent for, you would be willing to go on a quest?
Yes, of course. What kind of a quest?
Cairon To find a cure for the Empress, and to save our world. No one can give you any advice except this. You must go alone, you must leave all your weapons behind. It will be very dangerous.
Is there any chance of success?
Cairon I do not know. But if you fail, the Empress will surely die, and our whole world will be utterly destroyed.
[Atreyu takes off his bow and quiver of arrows and lays them on the ground]
When do I begin?
Cairon Now. And you must hurry, Atreyu. The Nothing grows stronger every day. Take this. [Cairon places the Auryn necklace around Atreyu's neck] He who wears the Auryn speaks for the Empress. It will guide and protect you.
Get out of my light wench!! You're disturbing my scientific work!!!
Urgl You and your SCIENTIFIC WORK!!!! What the boy needs now...is one of my potions!!
The Boy will need my scientific advice much more!
Ahhhhhh!!! He's Well!!! Now it's my turn with him!
Urgl Oh no! It's your turn when I say it's your turn.....Well little man...still in pain??
A little....but it's alright.
Urgl I like that!!! The patient telling the doctor it's alright?? It has to hurt if it's to heal! [hands Atreyu cup] Drink that....that's my batwing broth!! There's eye of newt in there, old tree mold....lizard brains...scales from a rancid sea serpent!
Just where did you and your dragon come from? What are you on to? Anything of interest in the, uh, scientific community?
My name's Atreyu. I came here to find the Southern Oracle.
Urgl Here we go again!
You've come to the right place, my boy! I am somewhat of an expert on the Southern Oracle.
Urgl "It is my scientific specialty."
It's my scientific specialty!
Urgl Why don't you sit down and be quiet for once?!
Urgl Ooh!!
It's now my turn. [to Atreyu] My name is Engywook. She's Urgl. Ever heard of me?
You don't move in scientific circles. [Atreyu shakes his head] I am the expert on the Southern Oracle. Oh, you've come to the right place, my boy!
Urgl There's no fool like an old fool.
Wait! Stay here! The observatory. To the winch, wench!
He made it! Atreyu! He made it through the Sphinx Gate! I always said he could do it!
Urgl Oh, good! But that's no reason for you to fall out of the basket again!
Nonsense! You don't understand anything! The worst one is coming up, next is the Magic Mirror Gate. Atreyu has to look his true self!
So what? That won't be to hard for him.
Oh, that's what everyone thinks! But kind people find that they are cruel. Brave men discover that they are really cowards! Confronted with their true selves, most men run away, screaming!
Uh, I was just going to-- I-I-I have to... I was trying to--
[Falkor chuckles]
I mean no, no!
[laughs]
Never! I'm a luckdragon. My name is Falkor.
Atreyu. And you're on a quest.
You were unconscious, and you talked in your sleep. [winks]
[wiggles his right ear, and strains to reach it with his short leg]
Could you... get round and scratch behind my right ear?
I can never quite reach it!
[approaches him and starts scratching]
Here?
Oh... Yeah! [chuckles] That's so good. Thank you. So, little fella - you're on your way to the Southern Oracle?
Yes. But it's hopeless. It's too far away!
Oh, I wouldn't necessarily say that.
You... you know how to get there?
Why, sure. It's right around the corner.
[chuckles]
With luck! [winks again]
You've already brought me the entire 10,000 miles?
No, only 9,891. As the dragon flies.
[chuckles]
Having a luckdragon with you is the only way to go on a quest. Things will work out fine, Atreyu. Never give up, and good luck will find you.
G'mork If you come any closer, I will rip you to shreds.
G'mork I am G'mork. And you, whoever you are, can have the honor of being my last victim.
I will not die easily. I am a warrior.
G'mork Ha! Brave warrior. Then fight the Nothing.
But I can't! I can't get beyond the boundaries of Fantasia! [G'mork laughs mockingly] What's so funny about that?
G'mork Fantasia has no boundaries. [The ruins start to shake. Some rocks fall]
That's not true. You're lying!
G'mork Foolish boy. Don't you know anything about Fantasia? It's the world of human fantasy. Every part, every creature of it, is a piece of the dreams and hopes of mankind. Therefore, it has no boundaries. [A crash. More rocks fall]
But why is Fantasia dying, then?
G'mork Because people have begun to lose their hopes and forget their dreams. So the Nothing grows stronger.
G'mork It's the emptiness that's left. It is like a despair, destroying this world. And I have been trying to help it.
G'mork Because people who have no hopes are easy to control. And whoever has the control has the Power. [A large crash shakes the ground. Atreyu briefly loses his balance, but regains it and turns towards G'mork with a cold look]
G'mork I am the servant of the Power behind the Nothing. I was sent to kill the only one who could have stopped the Nothing. I lost him in the Swamps of Sadness. His name was Atreyu. [The ground shakes again and Atreyu falls. He grabs a sharp piece of stone and stands up]
If we're about to die anyway, I'd rather die fighting! Come for me, G'mork - I AM ATREYU!
Mr. Koreander Are you still here? Didn't you hear what I said, boy?
Mr. Koreander You're hiding, aren't you?
Mr. Koreander The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects. They're called books. They require a little effort on your part, and make no bee-beep-beeps. On your way please.
I know books! I have 186 of them at home.
Mr. Koreander Aah, comic books.
No, I've read Treasure Island, Last of the Mohicans, The Wizard of Oz, Lord of the Rings, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Tarzan, ...
Mr. Koreander Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... Who were you running away from?
Just some kids from school.
Mr. Koreander Why?
They wanna throw me in the garbage.
Mr. Koreander Well why don't you give em' a good punch in the nose, hmm?
Well, I don't know... [he notices the book that Mr. Koreander was reading] What's that book about?
Mr. Koreander Oh, this is something special.
Mr. Koreander Look, your books are safe. While you're reading them you get to become Tarzan, or Robinson Crusoe.
But that's what I like about 'em.
Mr. Koreander Ah, but afterwards you get to be a little boy again.
Mr. Koreander Listen. Have you ever been Captain Nemo, trapped inside your submarine, while the giant squid is attacking you?
Mr. Koreander Weren't you afraid you couldn't escape?
Mr. Koreander That's what I'm talking about. The ones you read are safe.
Mr. Koreander Don't worry about it.
But you just said it was... [phone rings]
Mr. Koreander Forget about it. This book is not for you.
Rockbiter [holding up his hands]
They look like big, good, strong hands, don't they? I always thought that's what they were. Oh, my little friends... the little man with his racing snail, the Nighthob, even the stupid bat. I couldn't hold onto them. The Nothing pulled them right out of my hands. I failed.
No, you didn't fail. I'm the one who failed. I'm the one who was chosen to stop the Nothing. But I lost the Auryn, I can't find my luckdragon, so I won't be able to get beyond the boundaries of Fantasia!
Rockbiter [A crash is heard]
Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. I will just sit here, and let it take me away too. [holds up his hands again] They look like good, strong hands, don't they?
[Atreyu nods sadly]
