Pop Culture | Movies | 00s

There's A Depressing Story In The Background Of 'Shrek' That We All Completely Missed

Shrek was one of those movies that took the world by storm and honestly never let it go. Somehow the ridiculous and wonderful digitally animated movie managed to become one of the most quotable and frequently referenced films from our childhood.

Shrek
Dreamworks

The thing about the movie was that when we were kids, there was a lot of stuff that we happened to miss. A lot of jokes completely slipped past our little innocent brains, but if you try to watch it now you'll be a little bit surprised by what happened.

But the one I want to discuss today is the tragedy of Mama Bear.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Goldilocks and the three bears book
Usborne First Reading

The story is one we've all heard, right? There's a Papa Bear, a Mama Bear, and a Baby Bear. They live in a house and when they are out and about one day some little blonde girl breaks and enters, steals their food and sleeps in their beds.

It's a story that has been around forever, and because Shrek included all of our old fairy tales and nursery rhymes as characters in the plot.

The three bears were probably the saddest part of the movie, and you never even noticed. They were the ones that really suffered in this movie. Sorry Fiona, but your tragic life in a tower is nothing compared to these bears.

The horrible story line no one noticed

So at the beginning of the movie, we watch Lord Farquaad's goons cage up all of the creatures who live in Duloc right?

You see all the dwarves in handcuffs

Shrek
Dreamworks

You see Pinocchio getting sold for a few bucks

Shrek
Dreamworks

And this is where you meet Donkey, because his owner is trying to sell him

Shrek Donkey
Dreamworks

But you also see the three bears, caged and separated. You've got Mama and Papa in one cage, while Baby Bear is crying all alone

Shrek Bears
Dreamworks

Now here's the thing, you might be thinking that it's okay because they all got out right? Wrong.

It wasn't all happy time and relief after they were freed. At least not for everyone...

Look at this picture:

Shrek Bears
Dreamworks

What do you see? Or I guess, what don't you see...

You see Papa Bear comforting his little Baby Bear by the fire, while everyone around them is trying to deal with the trauma they experienced.

Obviously it's been a hard time, but the bears look more distraught than others. Why's that? Well, notice who's missing?

Mama Bear is not with them

Shrek Donkey
Dreamworks

Yeah... I know. It's sad. But it gets so much worse.

Mama Bear could have just been taking a walk, or looking around their new temporary haven, but that was not the case.

Instead she suffered a much darker fate at the hands of Lord Farquaad, the villain who was so much more evil than you initially thought.

Lord Farquaad
Dreamworks

Not only did he evict all the fairy tale creatures, he tortured them.

We all saw what he did to the Gingerbread Man right? That alone proved he really was a monster.

Shrek Lord Farquaad
Dreamworks

But Mama Bear suffered a much more permanent fate.

You might be thinking, "but we never saw her again, how can you be sure?" Well, someone saw her. They realized what we all had missed all those years ago and it's absolutely heartbreaking.

Lord Farquaad kept Mama Bear for himself, and brace yourself, he turned her into a rug.

Shrek
Dreamworks

Seriously.

Shrek Lord Farquaad
Dreamworks

Don't believe me? Well, here's the proof:

Shrek Bear Rug
Dreamworks

The bow is still on top of her head...

Shrek bears
Dreamworks

Seriously, Lord Farquaad is the worst

Shrek
Dreamworks

I'm glad I didn't notice that when I was a kid, because it would have traumatized me I think

Shreak Lord Farquaad
Dreamworks

Although this discovery does make it a little extra confusing that the Papa Bear is dancing his heart out at the end of the movie... I guess he deserves to find happiness again

Shrek
Dreamworks

Thanks to the Reddit thread that made me very upset, but honestly I guess it should have been expected. He WAS technically the bad guy, he's going to do bad things.

Did you realize that they were actually making more Shrek movies? That's right, apparently a Shrek 5 is in the works.

Source - Reddit