History Characters / TheBlackCauldron

* FingerlessGloves: Wears a grey pair.

* BadassMustache: The king's face has a mustache that gives him an air of regality and intimidation.

* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Zig-zagged. She becomes an [[OfficialCouple]] with Taran after he undergoes [[TookALevelInKindness takes a level in kindness]] and goes from a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold]] into a selfless and kind young man.

* VillainsOutShopping: They (excluding the guard whose {{angry guard dog}} nearly gives Taran away) are first shown feasting in the throne room, having fun with drinking, games and watching a grotesque [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Esmeralda]] {{Expy}} dance. The Horned King's abrupt entrance puts an utter stop to the mood.

* {{Leitmotif}}: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhTb1ckoKqk A childlike and innocent theme.]

* {{Leitmotif}}: A childlike and innocent theme.

A character sheet for ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron''.

* ItIsPronouncedTropay: Her name is pronounced "EYE-lon-WEE", with stress on the first and last syllables.

* FourTemperamentEnsemble: A spirited young lady with natural leadership abilities but a temper to match.

->'''Voiced by''': John Byner; Creator/EricMetayer (European French dub)

->'''Voiced by''': Arthur Malet (Eidelleg), John Byner (Doli); Creator/RogerCarel (Eidelleg) (European French dub)

->'''Voiced by:''' Nigel Hawthorne; Pierre Baton (European French dub)

* DemBones: Has a skeletal appearance [[spoiler: is reduced to one during his death.]]

* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: A little white sow, very timid, picky about her food and fond of Taran.

* RobbingTheDead: Taran takes the magic sword from the tomb of the king who built the Horned King's castle. Eilonwy is appalled by this, though Taran reasons that they're in need of a weapon more than the deceased king.

* NotSoDifferent: Despite their outwardly different personalities and motives, he and Taran have many things in common (see EvilCounterpart).

* FamousLastWords: Said before [[spoiler:he's sucked in by the Cauldron and lets out his BigNo.]]
-->[[spoiler:"No! You'll not have me! My power cannot die! Curse you! No! No!"]]

[[caption-width-right:350:"We have made a bargain!"]]

* ActionSurvivor: He is surprisingly resource and brave at times, even without the sword.
* AlmightyJanitor: Played with. He holds the rank of an Assistant Pig-Keeper, but he's hardly almighty. In fact, he has more losses than wins.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: In [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath an extremely graphic way]] by the Disney canon standards. He's skeletonized, and then his bones burst into flame and are finally disintegrated. His soul is presumably trapped in the Cauldron, which was ''specifically designed'' by the freakin[=]' ''Gods'' to hold evil souls, suggesting he's probably not getting out any time soon, either.]]

[[folder:Eidelleg and the Fair Folk]]

''' Featured in 1985's ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'''''

!!Main Characters

!!Antagonists

[[folder:The Horned King]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/phpCCdXNKPM-hornedking_9874.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Now I call on my army of the dead -- the Cauldron Born!"]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JohnHurt; Bernard Tiphaine (European French dub); Creator/ShozoIizuka (Japanese dub, Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour)

The main antagonist, the skull-faced Horned King is a centuries-old SorcerousOverlord with AGodAmI delusions, who seeks out the titular Black Cauldron, which he plans to use to turn all life into undead minions, so he can rule over them as a PhysicalGod.

!!Allies

[[folder:Dallben]]
[[quoteright:210:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/char_22433.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:210:"Hen Wen, from you, I do beseech...."]]
->'''Voiced by''': Creator/FreddieJones; Philippe Dumat (European French dub)

Dallben is the greatest wizard in Prydain, the keeper of the oracular pig Hen Wen, Taran's adoptive father, and one of the main protagonists.
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* BadassBookworm: The Sierra game adaptation refers to him studying the Book of Three prior to the events of the film.
* BigGood: Carries this role over from the books.
* BigOlEyebrows: He has thick, messy eyebrows.
* CompositeCharacter: He amalgamates two characters from the books - Dallben (an elderly sorcerer and BigGood) and Coll (the Pig-Keeper who is Taran's teacher).
* FingerlessGloves: Wears a grey pair.
* InformedAbility: He's called the "greatest wizard in Prydain", but his skills were never shown.
* LethalChef: {{Implied}}. The gruel he prepares for Hen Wen was so inedible that she and the pet cat refused to eat it.
* NiceGuy: Dallben is a kind man.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: His last line implies that something Hen Wen showed him led him to send Taran and Hen Wen into harm's way, but it still seems like an odd decision.
* ParentalSubstitute: The books make it more clear that Taran was found on Dallben's doorstep as a young child. In the manual for the game, it is stated that he found Taran in a forest near a battlefield, not knowing which of the slaughtered bodies were his parents.
* SoProudOfYou: He says this at the ending about Taran's act of [[spoiler:opting for Gurgi's resurrection over regaining the magic sword]].
--> "You did well, my boy."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hen Wen]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/oracular_pig.jpg]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Frank Welker

Hen Wen is the magical pet pig of Taran and Dallben.
----
* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Her superior intelligence may be justified by her oracular nature.
* TheChessmaster: In a moment of FridgeBrilliance right before the credits, reveals that Hen Wen has long foreseen events that would ensure the destruction of both the Cauldron and Horned King's power, and end to their threat to the land. What the viewer would attribute to the heroes IdiotBall is simply Dallben and her acting accordingly in line with this vision to ensure they are realized, and the protagonists come home safe and sound.
* EscortMission: One of your first tasks in the game is to deliver Hen Wen to Gwystyl. There is the chance that she will get kidnapped by the Gwythaints during this task.
* LivingMacGuffin: For the first half of the film. The Horned King wants her because he wishes to control her prophetic abilities. Thankfully, she was able to escape thanks to Taran.
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: A little white sow, very timid, picky about her food and fond of Taran.
* ShooOutTheClowns: She's packed off back to Caer Dallben while the heroes go on to Morva. One of Taran's wiser decisions, as it turned out.
* WaifProphet: A non-human version. Hen Wen has the ability to see into the future.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Eidelleg and the Fair Folk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/black_cauldron_2.jpg]]
->'''Voiced by''': Arthur Malet (Eidelleg), John Byner (Doli); Creator/RogerCarel (Eidelleg) (European French dub)

A group of kindly fairy-like creatures led by King Eidilleg.
----
* AdaptationalJerkass: Doli is just as cantankerous, temperamental and rude as his literary counterpart, but where Doli of the books stuck with Taran and crew to the end, this Doli leaves them at their lowest point with a short TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, whereupon his role in the movie is essentially over.
* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In the books, King Eidilleg is an extreme grouch and a JerkWithAHeartOfGold with a grudge against humans. In the movie, he's a mild-mannered and somewhat ineffective NiceGuy, probably to contrast better with GrumpyOldMan Doli.
* AdaptationSpeciesChange: True to legend, the Fair Folk in the books were hugely varied and had many different kinds. Doli, in particular, is specifically described as a [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarf.]] In the movie, they're all tiny winged creatures; ([[WesternAnimation/PeterPan Tinker Bell]] even makes a brief, blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo among them.)
* AgeLift: Similar to Fflewddur, Doli looks a lot older here than he's described as in the books.
* DemotedToExtra:
** Doli is a major character in the books, even forming an OddFriendship with Flewddur, but his role in the movie is pretty minor.
** Gwystyl even moreso: He was the owner of Kaw, a recurring character in the books, and partook in the final battle in the fifth book. In the film he was AdaptedOut, but makes a brief appearance in the game if you get Hen Wen to safety.
* {{Expy}}: Doli is the recycled character for Grumpy from Snow White because of their rough and sweet personality.
%%* GrumpyBear: Doli.
* GrumpyOldMan: Doli is an old man and is the most cantankerous of the Fair Folk.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Doli is a rude and cantankerous old man who deep down cares more about people than he's willing to let on.
* LightIsGood: They emit a glow and are on the side of good.
* NiceGuy: King Eidilleg in contrast with Doli.
* NiceHat: All of them wear some sort of hat.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: After the heroes have found the Black Cauldron and discovered they can't do anything with it, Doli loses his temper and leaves. He isn't seen again for the rest of the movie except for a brief appearance in the very last scene, where he's on Dallben's farm with Dallben and Hen Wen.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** They're collectively subject to one in a scene in which Eilonwy shames them into being helpful, which was unfortunately cut for time.
** Doli delivers a short one to the main characters before he [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere leaves them]]; "What a bunch of blundering misfits! Things just never work out when you're dealing with ''people''!"
* WackyWaysideTribe: Cave-dwelling fairies who steer the heroes toward the Witches of Morva.
[[/folder]]

* FourTemperamentEnsemble: Phlegmatic.

* SmallAnnoyingCreature: Although the character was also in the books, and his portrayal here is actually pretty faithful in personality, if not in appearance.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Completely averted, unusually for Disney villains. He seems to be physically frail, never moves faster than at a shambling pace, only once demonstrates any magical powers independent of the Cauldron, and is easily overpowered by Taran in the climax. His terrifying visage is enough to cow his minions into servitude, and he exerts his authority over his minions to accomplish his goals.

* DeadpanSnarker: Just in one scene where he taunts Taran, Eilonwy and Fflewddur Fflam as his prisoners. This is one of the few — if not the only one — scenes where he shows a bit of sarcasm.

* NonActionBigBad: He spends most of the movie giving orders, delegating tasks, and terrifying everyone around him by mere presence alone. He doesn't really get very involved in any of the action, physically or magically, and has his minions do all of the dirty work. [[spoiler:When he ''does'' tangle with Taran in the movie's climax, he loses almost immediately.]]
* NoSenseOfHumor: What makes him so menacing.

* OrcusOnHisThrone: Not in the movie proper, but clearly stated as his backstory: he has been sitting around in his big fancy Castle of Doom for decades, if not centuries, when Hen Wen finally makes the prophecy that kicks off the movie about how to find the Black Cauldron.
* OurLichesAreDifferent: It's not clarified if he is some kind of monster or a hideously deformed man, but it's clear from his powers and aura that he's not entirely human to say the least, and he is pretty clearly undead.