Heartwarming / Wolfwalkers

Warning: Per wiki policy, Heartwarming pages are Spoilers Off.

"You promise?"
"I promise."

• Moll and Mebh healing the woodsman Sean Og of his wolf scratches. They may be opposed to the "townies" and them cutting down the forest, yet mother and daughter find it in themselves to be the bigger person and show Sean first-hand that Wolfwalkers aren't monsters.
• Robyn and her father dancing with the street band in the beginning. We get to see how much Bill dotes on his daughter, even if her dreams goes against society's expectations. It shows that he wants the best for her, even if his idea of that was flawed at the beginning.
• Sean Og and Robyn form a sort of friendship after she sets him free from the caged wagon the solders got him and his sheep in, and with her consistently bringing him food while he's put in the stocks.
  • Sean Og also is the one to introduce to Robyn the concept of Wolfwalkers, but especially, that they aren't savage monsters. Despite invading their woods and cutting down trees, they stopped the wolves from eating him, healed his injuries and sent him away with a warning. After such an experience, Sean has nothing but respect and admiration for the Wolfwalkers and he actually cheers for Robyn and Moll as they flee the town.
• It's a small, off-screen moment, but the fact Mebh chose to heal Merlin on a whim foreshadows that despite her feral first impression with Robyn, she's a bit more caring than she gives her credit.
• When Mebh (as a wolf) accidentally bites Robyn, she looks remorseful for what she did and licks where she bit her. As opposed to her first impression of wolves as snarling, slathering monsters, this is probably the gentlest Robyn's ever seen a wolf behave.
• Mebh and Robyn bonding together. For the first time, each girl has someone roughly their age to play with. It's especially poignant when Mebh admits that her mother (who left some time ago to find them a new place to live) is all she has, which Robyn notes is similar to her and her father. Seeing Mebh's sad expression, Robyn takes the flower Bill gave her earlier and puts it in Mebh's hair, which succeeds in cheering Mebh up.
• Later, the girls spending time with each other as wolves, with Mebh teaching Robyn how to embrace her newfound Wolfwalker powers. What makes this sweeter, Mebh is the first-ever person to outright encourage Robyn to be free, at least ever since she came to Kilkenny.
  • Leading up to this, Mebh's overall reaction to seeing Robyn became a Wolfwalker. Although she's initially bothered to know she somehow failed to "fix" the bite, she's quick to optimistically take it in stride and is actually happy that now she and Moll aren't the last remaining Wolfwalkers anymore. Following this, Mebh takes it upon herself to teach Robyn how to be a wolf.
• Although the scene where Robyn finds Moll is sobering, this scene adds more to her character and shows she's as good a mother as she is a person. She worried about whether Mebh was presently safe, she insisted that Robyn leave without her so she wouldn't see her get hurt, and she told Robyn to tell her daughter to leave as well. Now she could've had Robyn and Mebh come back and free her, but that would've meant risking their lives just to preserve her own life. Instead, she wanted Mebh to take the pack and leave because she didn't want to see her daughter get hurt, captured or killed.
• Robyn protecting Moll from Bill shooting her and eventually freeing her for Mebh is both this and awesome. It shows how much Robyn has grown to the point of helping those in need even at the risk of scrutiny and punishment, and how she's now willing to do everything to save her friendship.
  • It's a fantastic mirror of the scene where Robyn cages up Mebh to stop her from getting to Moll, before she realized that Moll needed to be freed, and that Robyn needed to do it herself.
  • Robyn protecting Moll also symbolizes that she's willing to nurture her nature as a Spirited Young Lady.
• Mebh and Moll's Big Damn Reunion, where they joyfully run to each other after Robyn has successfully freed Moll. What makes it sweeter is seeing their astral forms hang overhead, Moll's being her human form and Mebh's being her wolf form. As the mother and daughter lovingly embrace, we see their astral forms do likewise. If anything, this brings home how love takes on many forms.
  • Following this, Mebh forgiving Robyn for her previous means of "protecting" her. She's initially reluctant to accept Robyn's apology and needs some urging from her mother, but she softens at realizing Robyn's still her friend. If anything, Robyn has redeemed herself by freeing Moll and bringing her to Mebh just as she promised.
    Mebh: [Sees the shame-faced look on Robyn, making her sigh into a smile] Aww, come 'ere to me, townie. [Gives Robyn a hug. They dance and laugh together.]
    Robyn: I'm not a townie anymore, Mebh.
    Mebh: [giggles] Thanks for helping Mammy.
  • A more subtle adorable moment: Robyn's face squishing against Mebh as they hug each other. Awww.
  • Another subtle adorable moment: Right after the dialogue above, Robyn and Mebh nod and touch each other forehead to forehead, very similar to the page image above.
• During the battle between the Lord Protector's men and the wolves, Robyn (as wolf) stops in front of Bill, nervously wondering if he rejects her for being a Wolfwalker. In Bill's "Wolf vision", he sees her human soul and looks at his daughter's unconscious human body, quietly realizing that Robyn is still his daughter, whether she's a girl or a wolf. When the Lord Protector tries to shoot Robyn, Bill jerks his chain to cause the Lord Protector to miss and gives his daughter a fighting chance.
• What ultimately prompts Bill to embrace his Wolfwalker powers? Seeing the Lord Protector about to kill his daughter. What's notable is that he probably didn't even have to fall asleep to become a wolf, and was still able to do so through his sheer paternal love for Robyn. In turn, Robyn returns to human form and stops the Lord Protector from shooting her father's unconscious human body with Bill's crossbow. Serves as both heartwarming and awesome.
  • After the climactic fight against the Lord Protector, Bill sheepishly approaches Robyn while still in his wolf form, unsure if his daughter will accept him. Robyn happily runs to embrace her literal Papa Wolf and Bill reciprocates the hug and licks her face. It's a warm acknowledgment that even as a wolf, Bill is twice the man he ever was. It's even better as it serves as a Call-Back to when Mebh and Moll (as a wolf) reunited.
    • What's more, it feels like a metaphorical reunion. Bill has spent the better part of the story either torn away from his daughter by duty, emotionally at odds with her, or unwittingly hunting her down. For the first time since the beginning of the movie, even in the shape of a wolf, the father she knew and loved has returned to her. Especially wholesome is the sense that they can be together, now that the very man who caused their rift is gone.
  • Not too long after, Bill starts lending his howl to Robyn as she helps Mebh heal Moll's arrow wound. His and Robyn's wordlessly exchanging nods beforehand lets you know he's become more supportive to what his daughter truly wants to do. Makes Sense In Context, as he's also a Wolfwalker.
• Robyn and Mebh combining their powers to heal Moll in a visually stunning and emotionally swelling display of magic that extinguishes the forest fire and could be seen from town. Even the townies gasp in awe. The two girls succeed, and mother and daughter are reunited again.
  Mebh: [takes Robyn's hands] Thank you...mo chara. My friend.
• When Bill attempts to leave the cave out of shame over nearly killing Moll, Robyn implores him not to go. Robyn looks at Moll, partly startled by his appearance, silently pleading her to let Bill stay. Moll abides. The best part? Bill has finally gotten over his fears and found a place that accepts him.
  Moll: Stay, please. You're one of us.
  [Bill happily walks over to Robyn, Moll, and Mebh.]
  Robyn: [hugs Bill's snout] Father, you're in our pack now.
  Bill: [snickers]
  [Everyone joins in on a Group Hug as the scene transitions.]
  • Generally, the transitioning image is of the two families (wolfwalkers and former hunters) blending into one, as though saying "the pack is complete".
• In the epilogue, the Wolfwalkers are off to find a new home with Bill being relaxed and taking well to his new life. He and Moll wordlessly make up with him putting a flower in her hair like Robyn did with Mebh in the beginning, while the two girls get some well-deserved rest in the wagon. A few moments later, Mebh and Robyn jump out of the wagon in their wolf forms, and they finally get to run with the pack in the daytime without a single worry in the world.
  Bill: [tucking Robyn in] All is well, my love.
  Robyn: All is well, father.

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