- After alerting the field that Farmer Fitzgibbon's plow was coming (i.e. "Moving Day"), Auntie Shrew is horrified to see Brisby rush towards the thing and shouts for her to come back. But when Brisby looks down and sees the blades, she becomes paralyzed with fear. So the Shrew saves her by stopping the tractor, all by herself.
- ANY scene where Mrs. Brisby, who's primary state of mind throughout 90% of the film is terrified (which makes sense, really, given that she's a mouse), pulls herself together. She isn't a Mama Bear in the sense of 'hurt my kids and I will beat you down", but the lengths she can and will go through for them are astonishing. In particular there's:
- Parlaying with the Great Owl in his own hollow when she knows full well "Owls eat mice!" Sure, being Jonathan's wife meant she had the automatic respect of even certain predators, but she didn't know that at the time - and neither did the Owl, at first. (Although even before finding out who her spouse was, he still makes to leave without eating her - presumably admiring her courage for going to him in the first place.)
- The scene is an awesome moment for the production team — the fantastic artwork, the terrifying atmosphere, the awesome animation for the Great Owl — it's one of the best scenes in the movie, and the Owl himself is one of the greatest animated dragons in film.
- Mr. Ages is stunned upon hearing that she had gone to the Great Owl, as are the Rats of NIMH.Mr. Ages: No one has ever seen the Owl… and lived to tell about it!
- Rappelling down from the cage in the Fitzgibbon's house using a piece of string (also, the act which got her stuck there in the first place.)
- Climbing up a moving tractor to try and figure out how to stop it before it reaches their home and destroys it with her son still inside.
- Venturing into the Rosebush, with all its Disney Acid Sequence goodness, including a leering face made of lights and a giant sentry rat with a huge freaking halberd! And then, after being chased away by said halberd-wielding rat, going back in to do what she came to do.
- Another awesome moment when she pulls herself together. When Mr. Ages tells her that Nicodemus has been killed, they both start crying in a Tear Jerker moment... but then she immediately composes herself and gives the rats a warning that saves their lives.Mrs. Brisby: You're in great danger. NIMH is coming!... You will all die unless you leave the farm tonight!
- They saved the best for last, when she uses The Power of Love to save her kids in the most visually stunning Deus ex Machina ever. Made moreso by the instrumental accompaniment of "Flying Dreams"
as it happens.
- Parlaying with the Great Owl in his own hollow when she knows full well "Owls eat mice!" Sure, being Jonathan's wife meant she had the automatic respect of even certain predators, but she didn't know that at the time - and neither did the Owl, at first. (Although even before finding out who her spouse was, he still makes to leave without eating her - presumably admiring her courage for going to him in the first place.)
- Justin's showdown with Jenner towards the end of the film.
- The best part is, you KNEW it was only a matter of time before they crossed swords, and the wait is definitely worth it. Everything from the dialogue, music, the use of dramatic camera angles, and the lighting effects combine to make what is still one of the most epic moments in animated film history.
- Speaking of the dialogue, this great exchange, especially on Justin's part:Jenner: I've learned this much; "take what you can, when you can"...
Justin: Then you've learned nothing! - Points go out to Sullivan for being the one to deliver the final blow by tossing a dagger into Jenner's back when Jenner tries to pull a sneak attack on Justin.
- Jeremy spends most of the first film irritating Mrs Brisby by being an incompetent Butt-Monkey. However, he is the one character in the film to directly attack Dragon to protect her. And suffer zero injuries. Later on, as Mrs. Brisby cries over losing Timmy's medicine, Jeremy loses his train of thought and rambles on about their effort, before taking a small bag from under his wing. He saved her from the cat and preserved what was seemingly a useless piece of paper from the scuffle, and what's more acts like it was nothing at all.Jeremy: Oh by the way, you dropped this back there...
