Western Animation / Puss in Boots (2011)

aka: Puss In Boots

Spoilers for all Shrek entries will be left unmarked. You Have Been Warned!

"Before the donkey and the green ogre, there was... Puss."

"Live for danger. Fight for justice. Pray for mercy."

Puss in Boots is a 2011 animated action/adventure film by DreamWorks. It is a Spin-Off prequel of the Shrek films, delving into the origins of the Shrek incarnation of Puss in Boots before his debut in Shrek 2.

Before he was a hired hitman, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) was a swashbuckling outlaw who was forced to leave his hometown of San Ricardo. Several years after he left, Puss reunites with Humpty Alexander Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis), a fellow orphan turned thief whose betrayal turned Puss from hero to villain in the eyes of San Ricardo's citizens.

Puss is still resentful of his former friend and is tempted to dismiss him until Humpty explains why he sought him out: the violent outlaw couple, Jack (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jill (Amy Sedaris), have found the magic beans of legend. The beans will enable them to ascend to the skies and seek out the giant's castle, inside of which is a goose who lays golden eggs. Since Puss once shared his childhood dream of finding the beans, Humpty hopes that his former Bean Club member will aid him in this heist. He's even hired the legendary Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek)- one of the best cat burglers and pickpockets around- in order to better ensure the heist's success.

Though initially reluctant, Puss decides to go along with the scheme; after all, if they manage to get their paws on some of the golden eggs, Puss will be able to pay back San Ricardo and restore his reputation. Of course, in order to get to the castle, they'll need to steal the magic beans from Jack and Jill first.

A sequel titled Puss in Boots: The Last Wish premiered in theaters in December 2022. The Netflix animated series, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, expands on Puss' life before the events shown in this movie, while the short film, The Three Diablos (included in this film's home video release), served as something of an epilogue.

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Puss in Boots provides examples of:

• Abandonment-Induced Animosity:
  • Kitty Softpaws' owners declawed and abandoned her. This is the reason she has trust issues (and a nasty habit of backstabbing people), though it turns out that once you gain her trust, she's quite loyal.
  • Humpty Dumpty, it turns out, is pretty sore at his titular childhood blood brother and old friend for abandoning him during a botched robbery years ago; albeit one which Humpty outright deceived Puss into accidentally committing, which ruined Puss's old life, and Puss only abandoned him once he realized what Humpty did to him. And he makes it known with several of his actions to manipulate Puss in the movie's present, like getting him unconscious in the desert and drawing the attention of buzzards to him.
• Adam Westing: Antonio Banderas is simply lampooning himself and his past portrayal of Zorro in playing Puss.
• Alien Blood: Watch carefully in the flashback when Puss and Humpty become blood brothers. Humpty has yolk instead of blood, naturally.
• Amusingly Short List: The secret "bean club" devoted to looking for magic beans has only one rule, not to talk about it, which is stated twice.
• Arbitrary Skepticism: Despite the 'verse being a Fantasy Kitchen Sink, Jack and the Beanstalk is considered a myth, but only because Puss has had no way to verify it.
• Arc Words: "You are better than this."
• Arrested for Heroism: Even though Puss did save San Ricardo from the Giant Goose and the people considered him a hero, he's still considered an outlaw and the soldiers still try to arrest him at the end of the movie, forcing Puss to leave town.
• Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: The mother goose.
• Badass Adorable: Puss, as usual, and also Kitty Softpaws. Particularly Puss as a kitten, look at his little belly!
• Bad Guy Bar: Puss visits one at the beginning of the film.
• Bait-and-Switch Comment: "You are not as good as they say you are, Miss Softpaws — you're better."
• Bar Brawl: More like Bar Dance Brawl, and it later plays into a swordfight.
• Battle Couple: Puss and Kitty; Jack and Jill.
• Berserk Button: Don't even get one drop of milk on Puss' boots. During the dance fight, this is the moment when the dance fight becomes a Sword Fight.
• Big Bad Friend: Humpty was the Big Bad the entire time. Although later in the movie, he redeems himself and is on Puss's side again.
• Bilingual Bonus: Many, as the movie is set in an alternate-universe Spain.
  • Yet this one takes the prize — literally, "Damned egg". Made even better by the fact that huevo is also used as an euphemism for testicle.
    Puss: [referring to Humpty Dumpty] Maldito huevo...
  • When the tattooed man offers to show Puss his tattoos of "the golden eggs" and goes for his fly, to Puss's horror. As stated above, the Spanish word for "egg" is also slang for "testicle," making this at least an implied bilingual pun.
  • You also get a relatively rare occasion in which the phrase "Holy frijoles!" — often used in a stereotypical fashion in film and TV depictions of Mexicans, or used by non-Mexicans as a generic exclamation in the same context as "Ay Caramba!" —- is actually uttered by a noted Hispanic actor in a non-stereotypical context.
• Bittersweet Ending: Kinda. Puss saved San Ricardo and earned his mama's forgiveness, but he's still an outlaw.
• Book Ends:
  • The movie opens and ends with a narration by Puss.
  • Puss and Humpty flee San Ricardo with a horse carriage full of gold in both the flashback and the climax.
  • The movie begins and ends with Puss and Kitty dancing together in almost the same moves.
• Carnivore Confusion:
  Puss: I should make you into an egg salad sandwich!
  Humpty: Yech! That is disgusting!
• Cat Ninja: The cats (in particular Kitty Softpaws) are sometimes portrayed in a very ninjaesque way.
• Cats Are Mean: Played somewhat unconventionally in that most of the feline characters in the flick are only smarmy or jerks to those that really deserve it.
• Cats Are Snarkers: Kitty Softpaws easily qualifies; Puss himself might to a lesser extent.
• Cats Hate Water: Zigzagged — Puss is shown taking a leap into a river during the flashback, but a prison guard can keep him in line with just a spray bottle. This is actually similar to the way cats behave in real life — most will enter water without a fuss if they need or want to, but they hate having it thrown on them against their will.
• Cephalothorax: Humpty.
• Chekhov's Gun: Both Humpty's original glider (the one built in childhood) and the flying carriage end up being used during the climax.
• Chekhov's Skill: Puss and Kitty's dancing pops up on several occasions.
• Classy Cat-Burglar: Salma Hayek's character, literally. She's able to steal Puss's hat AND boots without Puss realizing it!
• Combat Pragmatist: When Softpaws makes him lose his sword in their fight, Puss has no problem hitting her with a guitar. Softpaws doesn't let him live that one down.
• Cool Mask: Kitty has a black luchador-style one.
• Cool Sword: Puss has an ornate rapier, but Kitty does one better with a size-retractable dagger.
• Creator Cameo: The Commandante is voiced by Guillermo del Toro, the film's producer.
• Cub Cues Protective Parent: The Goose that lays the Golden Eggs turns out to be the gosling of a gargantuan goose, who is not too keen about having her offspring stolen.
• Cute Giant: The Golden Goose's mother.
• Dance Battler: Both Puss and Kitty during their first duel.
• Dance of Romance: Subverted in Puss and Kitty's first "dance" due to Puss being unaware his opponent is female; played straighter in their dance after retrieving the Golden Goose, which is much more intimate.
• Dance Party Ending: It's a Shrek tradition, this time set to Lady Gaga's "Americano".
• Darker and Edgier: Unlike the series it was spun off from, which was a comedy with a bit of drama mixed in, this movie is more of an action/comedy.
• Dashing Hispanic: Both Puss and Kitty are mask-wearing stylish swashbucklers that give a heavy Zorro vibe.
• Deadpan Snarker: Kitty Softpaws
  Puss: Do not worry. I will protect you.
  Kitty: What are you gonna do? Hit it in the head with a guitar?
• Defecting for Love: Kitty starts out as Puss's rival and is in on Humpty's plot against him, but ultimately ends up as his Love Interest.
• Disney Death: Humpty topples off a bridge and supposedly dies, but the epilogue shows that he recovers.
• Dramatic Spotlight: Spotlights follow Puss and Kitty around during their confrontation at the Glitter Box, highlighting the action. It is mostly downplayed, since the area outside the spotlights is just dim, not pitch black, although there are some moments that turn up the contrast, like the spotlight on Kitty when Puss first spots her and as he approaches.
• Dreamworks Face: From Humpty rather than the actual lead.
• Dung Fu: In a Funny Background Event, Jill mentions a Noodle Incident in which she and Jack adopted a monkey and all it did was throw poo all over the place.
• Early Personality Signs: Puss is shown as a kitten fighting off some schoolyard bullies and meowing with a war cry inflection. As a full-grown cat, he's a martial artist.
• Et Tu, Brute?: "Kitty? Not you too." - A heartbroken Puss realizes that she was in on the whole thing herself.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Jack and Jill are by all means ruthless bandits, but are Happily Married and treat their hogs like children.
• Evil All Along: Kitty, the drinkers at the bar and the white cat from the start were secretly part of the Big Bad's scheme. Also, the Big Bad was Humpty Dumpty.
• Face–Heel Turn: Humpty gets a bit too into his dream of finding the golden eggs, and what once began as an innocent dream turns into an unhealthy obsession when he grows older. Enough for the Reveal in the movie to be that Humpty orchestrated the whole plot, thereby turning Puss into the outlaw once again. However, later in the movie after Puss is angry at him for betraying him, he becomes Puss' friend again and even tries to help him out at the end.
• Femme Fatale: Kitty. Also, the white cat Puss is implied to have slept with at the very beginning, who turns out to have been on Humpty's payroll.
• Flashback: A lengthy one is given by Puss to explain to Kitty (and the audience) the extent of his relationship with Humpty Dumpty.
• Forced Dance Partner: At one point, Humpty and the Golden Goose are dancing, while Puss and Kitty are also dancing. Humpty at one point makes them swap partners against their will.
• Foregone Conclusion:
  • Anybody who has been on the Shrek 4D ride at Universal Studios would have seen Humpty Dumpty's apparent death coming, as Donkey accidentally knocks over his grave marker in the cemetery scene.
  • Kitty Softpaws is nowhere to be seen or even mentioned in the main ''Shrek'' series.
• Foreshadowing:
  • Humpty Dumpty, upon finding the Golden Goose's "nest", remarks that he feels like he belongs there, and later remarks that he didn't feel like he belonged in San Ricardo much less anywhere. He turns out to be a golden egg given life.
  • Also, when Jack and Jill say that "it's their cue" after finding Humpty's telescope, things feel like Humpty was the one responsible for the whole thing.
• Freeze-Frame Bonus: One of the orphans at the San Ricardo Orphanage is Mary and her little lamb.
• Friend-or-Idol Decision: An unusual case, in which the friend sacrifices themselves so the hero can get the idol.
• Full Moon Silhouette: While being chased by Puss, Kitty Softpaws leaps off a roof, passing in front of the moon.
• Furry Reminder: Similar to the previous movies, while Puss is more or less a swashbuckling hero, he can't overcome his feline instincts.
• Gambit Roulette: EVERY event up to the climax at San Ricardo was Humpty's gambit for revenge.
• Genre Shift: The regular Shrek series was an Affectionate Parody of fairy tales, a trait that's prevalent even through its most serious moments. Puss's story in the 'verse keeps the irreverent sense of fairy tale humor (in a lesser amount) but has a much more action-orientated tone similar to Pirates of the Caribbean.
• Gigantic Adults, Tiny Babies: The Golden Goose is around the same height as Puss, whereas the Great Terror (the goose's mother) towers over all the buildings of San Ricardo.
• Gory Discretion Shot: Subverted. Jack and Jill slam Humpty against a wooden cart by their shadows on a wall, then a crack sound is heard and liquid starts spraying out of Humpty. Turns out it's just a champagne bottle.
• Hairball Humor: When Kitty feels bad because Humpty excludes her from their celebration (saying, "Humpty and Puss! We did it!"), she goes to bed early, saying she has a hairball as an excuse.
• Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Puss and Kitty.
• Hand Cannon: Jack and Jill have a literal one — the gun they use is a miniaturized, handheld cannon, complete with a fuse.
• Happily Adopted:
  • Puss by Imelda. It takes a long time for them to reconcile after Puss becomes an outlaw.
  • If the end credits are to be believed, Mother Goose adopts Humpty.
• Heel–Face Revolving Door: Humpty goes through it twice.
• Heel–Face Turn: Both Kitty and Humpty go back on their plan to abandon Puss and San Ricardo.
• Heist Clash: While trying to steal the magic beans from the outlaws Jack and Jill, Puss is tripped up by another cat (dressed in a black mask and cape) who is also trying to steal the beans. Their scuffle over who has the "right" to steal the beans leads to them being noticed by Jack and Jill and escaping narrowly without the beans. The stranger later reveals herself as attractive cat burglar Kitty Softpaws, leading Puss to revise his negative opinion.
• Held Gaze: A very short one, as part of the Mating Dance scene between Puss and Kitty (see example below).
• Helium Speech: Puss, Kitty and Humpty speak like this while atop the clouds due to the thin air.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Humpty sacrifices himself so Puss can save the Golden Goose, and thus San Ricardo from her mother's wrath.
  Puss: I will not let you go, Humpty.
  Humpty: [smiling] I know you won't. So I won't make you choose.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: Puss and Humpty, though it gets muddied for... complicated reasons.
• High on Catnip: Puss claims his bag of catnip is for his glaucoma.
• Hollywood Density: Averted; the golden eggs turn out to be so heavy even taking one would have been difficult. That said, the characters do occasionally handle them as if they were far lighter, but this is more artistic than plot-relevant.
• Hypocritical Humor: Puss takes offense at Kitty doing the "litterbox" (a kicking-sand motion with her hind legs) at him, only to turn around and drag his butt on the floor as an equally offensive comeback.
• Impact Silhouette: Puss leaves a hole with a perfect outline of himself, feather in his hat included, in a box after trying to swing down on a rope.
• Impossible Thief: Kitty. A Running Gag has her steal Puss's hat and boots without him noticing until she points it out. Puss later gets to do this to some guards by making their pants fall down without apparently moving a muscle.
• Improvised Weapon: Puss uses a guitar to knock Kitty out in their first duel, revealing her identity.
• In Name Only: Has nothing to do with the fairy tale Puss in Boots aside from featuring a clever cat who wears boots.
• Inspector Javert: The Comandante of San Ricardo.
• It's All About Me: Humpty's main character flaw, and ultimately the cause of Puss becoming an outlaw.
• Journey to the Sky: The plot spoofs that of the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk. Puss, with the help of old friend Humpty Dumpty, steals the magic beans from Jack (who's an outlaw here) so they can plant them and climb to a castle in the sky where a goose laying golden eggs is said to live.
• Jump Scare: A minor one when Humpty says, "Hi, plant" to the little sprout in the desert.
• Kirk's Rock: The trio pass in front of a creditable rendered version at one point.
• Kissing Discretion Shot: Finally, after all the UST between the two, Kitty and Puss finally kiss. Which is hidden behind Puss's hat which Kitty lifts off his head and holds over their faces. Likely done just the give the two some privacy, though they hadn't really been discreet about their attraction before. Could also count as a (covered up) The Big Damn Kiss, because of the dramatic lighting behind them.
• Lactose over Liquor: In the beginning of the movie, Puss enters a bar and orders a shot of leche (Spanish for milk), much to the amusement of the other patrons.
• Language Fluency Denial: When he's caught by Jack while trying to rob him, Puss tries to pretend he doesn't speak English.
  Jack: You lookin' for something?
  Puss: Uh... no. [chuckles nervously] No hablo ingles?
• Latin Lover: Puss prides himself as quite The Casanova.
• Logo Joke: The familiar Dreamworks opening animation is accompanied by lively Spanish music, including the sound of a whip-crack which coincides with the boy casting out his fishing line.
• Making the Choice for You: When Puss has to choose between saving Humpty and the golden goose from falling, Humpty lets go and falls to his death.
• Masked Luchador: Kitty wears a mask like this.
• Mating Dance: There is a quite passionate and fast paced one between Kitty and Puss after they retrieve the golden chick from the castle, they literally can barely keep their hands(/paws) off each other! Complete with with a Almost Kiss and even a Held Gaze moment. The "Dance Battle" can be interpreted as this, if one-sided.
• Meaningful Name: Kitty Softpaws can rob you blind and literally has no claws.
• Meet Cute: Despite the fact they were (so it seemed) preparing to fight to the death (and the fact guitar clubbing was included), the first real time Kitty and Puss meet, they seem to have easily over looked that fact, and Puss later expresses his regret over the guitar.
• Memento Macguffin: As it turns out, Puss's hat and boots.
• Momma's Boy: Puss has a deep love for his adopted mother Imelda, and outright says that the disappointment in her eyes is what haunts him the most about his Tragic Backstory. His arc in the film concludes with him knowing that he's returned her pride in him.
• Monster Is a Mommy: The guardian of the golden goose is actually her gigantic mother. Humpty knew this and stole the goose to bring her mother's wrath down upon San Ricardo.
• More Dakka: Hand Cannons? A carriage with broadside cannons? Jack and Jill came down that hill packin'.
• My Biological Clock Is Ticking: Hilariously gender-reversed with Jack and Jill, as Jack is the one who wants to have kids. He even uses this line at one point.
• Mythology Gag: A couple to Shrek 2:
  • After Puss is arrested and searched, the guard finds catnip among Puss' possessions. This was part of the COPS parody in Shrek 2.
  • The final scene has Puss and Kitty on the run, in what should have been a romantic scene if not for the soldiers attacking them, mirroring a scene in Shrek and Fiona's "honeymoon".
  • Puss again puts on his Puppy-Dog Eyes, this time for a prison guard so he may escape. The score during this part is the same melody played during the first time Puss does it in Shrek 2. It's even on his Wanted poster.
• Near-Miss Groin Attack: Puss is running around on rooftops and jumps over a church steeple. He's a bit worried that the steeple will get him in the crotch, but it narrowly misses, and he sighs with relief.
• Offscreen Teleportation: Several times. In the bar scene at the beginning, and in a later scene with Jill.
• The Old Convict: "Jack" Andy Beanstalk.
• Once Done, Never Forgotten: Kitty keeps reminding Puss he hit her in the head with a guitar.
• Once More, with Clarity: Parodied with this scene warning: spoilers ahead.
  The Big Bad: You never knew it Puss, but I was always there there there there.
• One Last Job:
  • Jack wants to retire and start a family after the job is done. Jill however wants to continue the profession.
  • Also Puss. He wants to stop being an outlaw and go back to San Ricardo, but he can't, unless this one last job lets him pay them back.
• One-Steve Limit: Averted. The movie boasts both "Jack and Jill" Jack and "Jack and the Beanstalk" Jack. But then subverted when the latter Jack reveals that his real name is Andy Beanstalk, and Jack was a nickname he got saddled with.
• The One Who Wears Shoes: Both Puss and Kitty Softpaws own a pair of boots.
• Orphanage of Love: Imelda.
• Outlaw Couple: Jack and Jill.
• Paper-Thin Disguise: Humpty attempts to blend in with the golden eggs in a gold bodysuit. Unfortunately the actual eggs are barely a foot wide. The goose buys into it at least once, though. Ironically enough, he turns out to be a golden egg himself underneath his normal eggshell.
• Partially Civilized Animal: The normal cats in the Glitter Box have their own bar and musicians, but different from Puss in Boots and Kitty Softpaws, they walk on fours, do not talk and are more animalistic.
• Pop-Star Composer: Rodrigo y Gabriela did additional music for the film, teaming up with Hans Zimmer protege Henry Jackman.
• Prequel: To Shrek 2, the first appearance of the title character.
• Pungeon Master: Humpty Dumpty is usually surrounded by egg puns.
  Humpty: Do you know what they do to eggs in prison? I'll tell you this much... it ain't over easy.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: Jack and Jill's boars have glowing red eyes, as does the mother goose in a brief shot.
• Redemption Equals Death: Puss manages to appeal to the good still in Humpty, who ends up performing a Heroic Sacrifice to save the golden goose (and by extension, San Ricardo).
• Revenge: Humpty's entire plan was to lead Puss back to San Ricardo so he could be locked up (as revenge for "betraying" him), and to also lead the Golden Goose's mother there to destroy the whole town (as revenge for locking him up).
• Revenge Myopia: Humpty's big grievance against Puss is the fact that Puss abandoned him to the authorities after the failed robbery of the bank. Humpty seems unwilling to recognize that he is just as guilty by tricking Puss into aiding him against his explicit wishes, and ruined his hard-earned reputation as the town hero in the process. He doesn't even view what he did as a betrayal, thinking that Puss was just supposed to go along with it because they're blood-brothers.
• Ridiculously Cute Critter: The Golden Goose. Kitty Softpaws and Puss also qualify.
• Roof Hopping: Quite a bit, mostly from Puss and Kitty.
• Running Gag:
  • Kitty stealing Puss's things without him noticing.
  • Jack pestering Jill about having kids.
  • Pointing out that Puss In Boots turned a guitar into an improvised weapon.
  • The cat that keeps covering its mouth whenever someone says a pun (or does something naughty) and goes "ooooooo...".
• Running on All Fours: Kitty, especially when jumping.
• Samus Is a Girl: Kitty, who for the first few minutes of her appearance wears a heavy black mask to hide her face. Given the generally realistic cat proportions the only real thing marking her as a different gender anyway is her voice (at least to the audience. Puss has no problem telling by her face, even though he seems incapable of identifying a female cat otherwise, apparently).
• Senior Sleep-Cycle: Jack and the Beanstalk's Jack.
• Shout-Out: Shares a page with the rest of the Shrek franchise.
• Sigh of Love: At the beginning, Puss is strongly implied to have slept with a Persian molly named Rosa, who he swears he will never forget (a moment he ruins via his Accidental Misnaming of her). When he rides off into the sunset, she sighs wistfully.
• Signature Headgear: Puss has a Musketeer-esque hat, complete with feather.
• Signature Style: Despite Guillermo del Toro merely producing, a couple of his trademarks like Steampunk (Jack and Jill's cannon carriage, Humpty's transforming carriage) and fantastically improbable creatures (the mother goose) appear in this movie. Not to mention that it's the first work since Pan's Labyrinth that's set in a remotely Hispanic setting.
• Signs of Disrepair: There's a bar called the Glitter Box, only the G in the neon sign isn't working.
• So Proud of You: Imelda says this to Puss after he saves San Ricardo from the golden goose's mother.
• Spaghetti Western: The script, the visual style and even the music all owe a debt to the work of Sergio Leone and his imitators.
• Speed, Smarts and Strength: Humpty Dumpty's Dream Team for the Cloud Castle heist consists of himself (brains), Puss (brawn), and Kitty (speed). Technically, both Kitty and Puss are great fighters but Kitty is consistently shown to be a tick faster.
  Humpty: Look, with Kitty's skill, your sword and my brain, we've got a fighting chance here.
• Stalker Shot: Shows up in the flashback scenes as Humpty Dumpty reveals he's been setting up Puss-In-Boots and has actually been present at several important points in story, often in some ludicrous disguise.
• The Starscream: Jack and Jill turn on Humpty at the end. Of course, Humpty had pulled a Heel–Face Turn by then, so it may be a subversion.
• Steampunk: Jack and Jill's wagon-cannons, Humpty's glider-wagon.
• Stealth Pun:
  • Lil Boy Blue is literally a Blue Meanie.
  • Let's see, Humpty is smart, inventive, and was incredibly imaginative as a child. He's literally an Egg Head.
  • Also, his flashback where he is "everywhere" Puss was in the movie makes him an Easter Egg.
• Stopped Dead in Their Tracks: After Puss in Boots confronts Humpty Dumpty over their history, he starts to leave in anger. Just then, Humpty mentions how bad prison life was for him. This stops Puss in his tracks for a bit, but eventually he continues walking away.
• Swallow the Key: Jack swallows the key that locks the box where the magic beans are kept.
• Taken for Granite: According to Humpty, anyone who looks at the monster in the castle will turn to stone. This is a lie and is only meant to keep Puss and Kitty from finding out that the monster is the Goose's mother.
• Talking Animal: Puss and Kitty.
• This Cannot Be!:
  [the Cat in Black dances towards Puss, makes a defiant growl, and ducks below camera]
  Puss: [aghast] How dare you do the Litter Box on me!
• Toothy Bird: The mother goose. Actually reminiscent of real-life geese, which have serrated beaks.
• Trailers Always Lie:
  • A scene from the commercials where Puss uses his Puppy-Dog Eyes to repel a thrown dagger is nowhere to be found in the film proper.
  • Puss's Overly Long Gag with sipping the leche... he still does it in the actual movie, but it's no longer a long gag, and he doesn't say, "I'm still thirsty" after finishing.
  • The running gag with the cat that goes "Ooh...!" has him taking his hand out of his mouth after Puss scolds him, which doesn't happen in the actual movie.
• True Companions: Puss and Humpty, when they were kids, and considered each other "brothers". Not so much in the present, though Humpty tries to get it back or at least pretends to, in order to take revenge. However, Puss manages to appeal to the good still in him, and they seem to be friends again right before Humpty's death.
• Two Guys and a Girl: Puss, Humpty, and Kitty form this dynamic.
• Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Humpty Dumpty.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: Very much so between Puss and Kitty through most of the movie.
• Visual Pun:
  • First off, Humpty admitting that he's been a "rotten egg". Then after his Heroic Sacrifice, his exterior is obliterated to reveal a golden egg, making him a literal Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
  • Let's not forget the tip of the hat to the best known fairy tale mascot of all time — a literal Mother Goose.
  • Puss literally takes the bull by the horn when he takes the initiative towards being a hero.
  • In the Once More, with Clarity sequence, Humpty appears disguised as a cat — a literal cat suit.
• Vocal Dissonance: In the flashback, Puss is revealed to have had the same voice he had as an adult... as a kitten. As did Humpty.
• The Voiceless: Subverted in the flashback, where a young Puss almost never speaks until near the end of the flashback.
• Walk Into Camera Obstruction: With Humpty, when he Puss and Kitty first get into the giant's castle. Humpty, being rolled inside, with his gold disguise fills the screen.
• We Used to Be Friends: Puss and Humpty.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: Little Boy Blue is never heard from again. In a Deleted Scene, he appears briefly as an adult.
• What Measure Is a Non-Cute?: The adorable Puss is praised as a hero and loved like a son by the orphanage matron while his childhood friend Humpty, who is pretty much just a big face, is regularly mocked, gets into much trouble, and is the true antagonist of the film.
• What the Hell, Hero?: A comical example with Puss during the dance fight. After Puss hits Kitty (not knowing she is a woman at first) with a guitar, she unmasks herself and yells at him for it.
  Kitty: You hit me in the head with a GUITAR?!
• Where It All Began: The story eventually leads back to Puss' hometown of San Ricardo. Of course, this turns out to be intentional, as part of Humpty's revenge plot.
• Wistful Smile: Puss smiles sadly after Humpty sacrifices himself to save the Golden Goose, revealing himself to be a golden egg on the inside.

  Puss: I always knew you were good inside.

• Who's Laughing Now?: Invoked word for word (barring the accent) when the castle in the clouds is proven to be real.
• Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: Kitty has this moment when Humpty gives her a golden egg. She felt nothing but guilt and shame for betraying Puss and realize that the gold doesn't matter anymore because she loved Puss more.
• You Are Better Than You Think You Are: The Arc Words for this movie. Puss uses this to set Humpty right.

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"The Three Diablos" provides examples of:

• Animal Gender-Bender: Gonzalo is a male tortoiseshell cat. While it's possible with X-chromosome duplication, having three sex chromosomes comes with a host of other symptoms.
• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: "Fooood..." "Waterrrr...." "Toiler paper..." Puss then gives himself a hasty wash across the touch zone.
• Big "NO!": Puss gives one when The Whisperer tries to kill the Three Diablos, who saved his life after their Heel–Face Turn.
• Cats Are Mean: Initially played with, then subverted.
• Cat Stereotype: Gonzalo is a tortoiseshell cat whom Puss named for his scrappy temper.
• Cute Kitten: The titular kittens.
• Disney Villain Death: The Whisperer falls into a ravine during the fight with Puss and the Diablos.
• The Ditz: Sir Timoteo Montenegro III (a.k.a. Timmy).
• Epic Flail: The Whisperer's weapon.
• Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: Initially played straight for the kittens, then subverted. See Heel–Face Turn.
• Gender Equals Breed: Subverted. Although the title character is a male orange tabby, Gonzalo is a male calico. He even has a sister, Perla, who has a cream tabby pattern as orange, cream, and (the rare anyway) apricot colors are, although neither rare, let alone improbable on female cats, more common on male cats.
• Heel–Face Turn: Puss helps the kittens away from being the Whisperer's minions, having learned from his experiences in his movie.
• Tasty Gold: On giving the kittens each a gold coin, Gonzalo and Perla bite theirs to check its authenticity. Timoteo sees what they're doing and, misinterpreting the situation, eats his own.
• Skyward Scream: After Puss is buried alive from the Diablos and manages to get free.

  Puss: [furious] Pray for mercy... DIABLOOOOOOOOOOS!!!

• Two Guys and a Girl: Gonzalo (male), Timoteo (male), and Perla (female)

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