Brave (2012) Best Movie Quotes

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Sally Kinghorn, Eilidh Fraser, Peigi Barker, Steven Cree, Steve Purcell, Callum O’Neill, Patrick Doyle, John Ratzenberger

OUR RATING: ★★★★☆

Story:

Pixar animation directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman. Set in Medieval 10th century Scotland, Brave (2012) centers on Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald), a skilled archer, who decides to defy the age old customs enforced by her mother, Elinor (Emma Thompson), and refuses to marry the oldest son of one of three lords from other clans, causing chaos in her kingdom. Seeking to change her fate, Merida consults a witch (Julie Walters) for help, but by doing this her family becomes cursed and Merida is forced to undo the spell and discover the true meaning of bravery.

Our Favorite Quotes:

'Our fate lives within us. You only have to be brave enough to see it.' – Merida (Brave) Click To Tweet

Best Quotes

Elinor: [playing hide and seek with young Merida] Where are you? Come out! Come out! Come on out! I’m coming to get you! Where are you, you little rascal? I’m coming to get you! Hmm. Where is my little Birthday girl, hm? I’m going to gobble her up when I find her!
Elinor: [as she catches Merida] I’m going to eat you!

Elinor: Ach! Fergus, no weapons on the table!
Young Merida: [as she picks up the far too large bow] Can I shoot an arrow? Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? Please, can I?
Fergus: [as he presents Merida with a small bow] Not with that. Why not use your very own? Happy Birthday, my wee darlin’!

Elinor: A bow, Fergus? She’s a lady!

Young Merida: I saw a wisp! I saw a wisp!
Elinor: A wisp? You know, some say that Will O’ the Wisps lead you to your fate.
Fergus: Oh, aye! Or an arrow! Come on, let’s be off. Before we see a dancing a dancing Tatty Bogle. Or a giant having a jigger in the bluebells.
Elinor: Your father doesn’t believe in magic.
Young Merida: Well, he should. Because it’s true.

Merida: Some say our destiny is tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Others say fate is woven together like a cloth, so that one’s destiny intertwines with many others. It’s the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it. But there are some who are led.

Merida: The story of how my father lost his leg to the demon bear, Mor’du, became legend. I became a sister to three new brothers. The princes. Hamish, Hubert, and Harris. Wee devils, more like. They get away with murder! I can never get away with anything!

Merida: I’m the princess. I’m the example. I’ve got duties, responsibilities, expectations. My whole life is planned out, preparing for the day I become, well, my mother. She’s in charge of every single day of my life.

Elinor: Enunciate! You must be understood from anywhere in the room, or it’s all for
naught.
Merida: [mutters to herself] This is all for naught.
Elinor: I heard that! From the top.

Elinor: [to Merida] A princess must be knowledgeable about her kingdom. She doesn’t make doodle!

'We can't just run away from who we are.' - Elinor (Brave) Click To Tweet

Elinor: [to Merida] A princess does not chortle! Does not stuff her gob! Rises early. Is compassionate. Patient! Cautious! Clean! And above all, a princess strives for, well, perfection!

Merida: [as she rides into the forest] But every once in a while, there’s a day when I don’t have to be a princess. No lessons, no expectations. A day where anything can happen. A day when I can change my fate.

Fergus: [reciting his tale of his fight with Mor’du] And then, out of nowhere, the biggest bear you’ve ever seen! His hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors. His face scarred with one dead eye. I drew my sword and…
Merida: Whoosh! One swipe, his sword shattered. Then, chomp! Dad’s leg was clean off! Down that monster’s throat it went.
Fergus: Aw! That’s my favorite part!
Merida: Mor’du has never been seen since, and is roaming the wild, awaiting his chance for revenge.
Fergus: Let him return. I’ll finish what I guddled in the first place.

Elinor: Merida, a princess does not place her weapons on the table.
Merida: Mum! It’s just my bow.
Elinor: A princess should not have weaponry in my opinion.
Fergus: Leave her be! Princess or not, learning to fight is essential.

Merida: Mum, you’ll never guess what I did today.
Elinor: Hm?
Merida: I climbed the Crone’s Tooth, and drank from the Fire Falls.
Fergus: Fire Falls? They say only the ancient kings were brave enough to drink the fire.

'Legends are lessons. They ring with truths.' - Elinor (Brave) Click To Tweet

Elinor: [referring to Merida’s plate of desserts] Hungry aren’t we?
Merida: Mum!
Elinor: You’ll get dreadful collywobbles. Oh, Fergus! Will you look at your daughter’s plate?

Elinor: The lords are presenting their sons as suitors for your betrothal.
Merida: What?
Elinor: The clans have accepted!
Merida: Dad!
Fergus: What? I… You… She… Elinor!

Elinor: This year, each clan will present a suitor to compete in the games for your hand.
Merida: I suppose a princess just does what she’s told?
Elinor: A princess does not raise her voice. Merida, this is what you’ve been preparing for your whole life.
Merida: No! What you’ve been preparing me for my whole life! I won’t go through with it! You can’t make me!
Elinor: [as Merida angrily storms out of the Great Hall] Merida!
Fergus: Huh? Merida!
Fergus: [as he gets up to go after her, he knocks down the table] Boys!

Elinor: Once there was an ancient kingdom.
Merida: Oh! Mum! Ancient kingdom!
Elinor: Its name long forgotten, ruled by a wise and fair king who was much beloved. And when he grew old he divided the kingdom among his four sons, that they should be the pillars on which their piece of land rested. But the oldest prince wanted to rule the land for himself. He followed his own path and the kingdom fell to war, and chaos, and ruin.
Merida: [sarcastically] That’s a nice story.
Elinor: It’s not just a story, Merida. Legends are lessons. They ring with truths.
Merida: Och, Mum.
Elinor: I would advise you to make your peace with this. The clans are coming to present their suitors.
Merida: It’s not fair!
Elinor: Oh, Merida! It’s marriage. It’s not the end of the world.

Elinor: I blame you. Stubbornness. It’s entirely from your side of the family.
Fergus: I take it the talk didn’t go too well then?
Elinor: I don’t know what to do.
Fergus: Speak to her, dear.
Elinor: I do speak to her. She just doesn’t listen!

'It's marriage. It's not the end of the world.' - Elinor (Brave) Click To Tweet

Fergus: Come on, now. Pretend I’m Merida. Speak to me. What would you say?
Elinor: I can’t do this!
Fergus: Sure you can. There! There! That’s my queen! Right, here we go.
Fergus: [impersonating Merida] “I don’t want to get married! I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the glen, firing arrows into the sunset.”
Elinor: Merida, all this work, all the time spent preparing you, schooling you, giving you everything we never had, I ask you, what do you expect us to do?

Merida: [talking to her horse, pretending it’s Elinor] Call off the gathering! Would that kill them? You’re the queen. You can just tell the lords the princess is not ready for this. In fact, she might not be ever ready for this! So that’s that!

Elinor: [tells Fergus what she wishes to tell Merida] I understand this must all seem unfair. Even I have reservations when I faced betrothal.
Fergus: Hey!
Elinor: But we can’t just run away from who we are.

Merida: [back and forth between Elinor talking to Fergus and Merida talking to her horse] I don’t want my life to be over. I want my freedom!
Elinor: But are you willing to pay the price your freedom will cost?
Merida: I’m not doing any of this to hurt you!
Elinor: If you could just try to see what I do, I do out of love.
Merida: But it’s my life! I’m just not ready!
Elinor: I think you’d see, if you could just…
Merida: I think I could make you understand, if you would just…
Elinor, Merida: Listen!
Merida: I swear, Angus, this isn’t going to happen. Not if I can help it.

'Fate be changed, look inside. Mend the bond torn by pride.' - The Witch (Brave) Click To Tweet

Fergus: Clan Macintosh!
Lord Macintosh: Your Majesty, I present my heir and scion, who defended our land from the northern invaders, and with his own sword, Stab Blooder, vanquished a thousands foes!

Fergus: Clan MacGuffin!
Lord MacGuffin: Your Majesty, I present my eldest son, who scuttled the Viking longships, and with his bare hands vanquished two thousand foes.

Fergus: Clan Dingwall!
Lord Dingwall: [we see him standing next to a tall muscular looking young warrior] I present my only son, who was besieged by ten thousand Romans and he took out a whole armada single-handedly. With one arm, he was…
Lord Dingwall: [brings out his son, who is small and thin, from behind the tall warrior] With one arm, he was steering the ship, and with the other he held his mighty sword and struck down a whole attacking fleet.
Voice in the Crowd: Lies!
Lord Dingwall: What? I heard that! Aye! Say it to my face! Or are you a scared, simpering jackanape, afraid to muss your pretty hair?
Lord Macintosh: At least we have hair!
Lord MacGuffin: And all our teeth!
Lord Macintosh: And we don’t hide under bridges, you grumpy old troll!

Elinor: [after the clans have stopped fighting] Now, where were we? Ah, yes. In accordance with our laws, by the rights of our heritage, only the firstborn of each of the great leaders may be presented as champion.
Merida: [to herself] Firstborn?
Elinor: And thus, compete for the hand of the Princess of Dun Broch. To win the fair maiden, they must prove their worth by feats of strength or arms in the games. It is customary for the challenge be determined by the princess herself.
Merida: Archery! Archery! I choose archery.
Elinor: Let the games begin!

Merida: [after young MacGuffin shoots his arrow and misses] I bet he wishes he was tossing cabers.
Fergus: Or holding up bridges!

Merida: [after young Macintosh throws his bow] Good arm!
Fergus: And such lovely flowing locks.
Elinor: Fergus.
Fergus: What?

Fergus: [after young Dingwall wins the archery contest] Well, that’s just grand now, isn’t it? Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Elinor: Fergus!
Fergus: By the way, hope you don’t mind being called lady Ding…
[turns to see a dog sat in Merida’s seat]

Merida: I am Merid. Firstborn descendant of Clan Dun Broch. And I’ll be shooting for my own hand!

'Others say fate is woven together like a cloth, so that one's destiny intertwines with many others. It's the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it. But there are some who are led.' - Merida (Brave) Click To Tweet

Elinor: You just embarrassed them! You embarrassed me!
Merida: I followed the rules!
Elinor: You don’t know what you’ve done!
Merida: I don’t care how I…
Elinor: It’ll be fire and sword if it’s not set right.
Merida: Just listen!
Elinor: I am the Queen! You listen to me!
Merida: Oh! This is so unfair!
Elinor: Huh! Unfair?
Merida: You were never there for me! This whole marriage is what you want! Do you ever bother to ask what I want? No! You walk around telling me what to do, what not to do! Trying to make me be like you! Well, I’m not going to be like you!

Elinor: You’re acting like a child!
Merida: And you’re a beast! That’s what you are!
Elinor: Merida!
Merida: I will never be like you!
Elinor: [Merida sticks the tip of her sword into the tapestry] No! Stop that!
Merida: [as she slashes the tapestry] I’d rather die than be like you!
Elinor: [she takes Merida’s bow] You are a princess, and I expect you to act line one!
Elinor: [throws Merida’s bow the fire and Merida runs off] Merida! Merida! Oh, no! What have I done?

See more Brave Quotes

The Witch: [as a trail of will o’ the wisps leads Merida to old woman’s cottage] Oh, look around. You holler if you see anything you like. Everything is half off.
Merida: Who are you?
The Witch: Just a humble woodcarver.
Merida: I don’t understand.

Merida: Your broom! It was sweeping by itself!
The Witch: That’s ridiculous! Wood cannot be imbued with magical properties. I should know, I’m a whittler of wood!

Merida: You’re a witch!
The Witch: Woodcarver!
Merida: That’s why the wisp led me to you!
The Witch: Woodcarver!
Merida: You’ll change my fate!
The Witch: Woodcarver!
Merida: You see, it’s my mother.
The Witch: I’m not a witch! Too many unsatisfied customers!

Merida: [after offering to buy all the carvings] Every carving and one spell.
The Witch: Are you sure you know what you’re doing?
Merida: I want a spell to change my mum. That will change my fate.
The Witch: Done!

Merida: Where are you going? What are you doing?
The Witch: You never conjure where you carve. Very important.

The Witch: The last time I did this was for a prince.
The Crow: Easy on the eye. Tight pants.
The Witch: [referring to the coin bearing the symbol of two crossed axes] He demanded I give him the strength of ten men. And he gave me this for a spell. A spell that would change his fate.
Merida: And did he get what he was after?
The Witch: Oh! Yes! And made off with an especially attractive mahogany cheese board.

The Witch: Now, let’s see. What have we here?
Merida: A cake?
The Witch: You don’t want it?
Merida: Yes! I want it! You’re sure if I give this to my mum, it will change my fate?
The Witch: Oh, trust me. It’ll do the trick, dearie. Expect delivery of your purchase within a fortnight.
The Witch: [to herself] Ooh! Ooh! What was that thing about the spell?
Merida: Did you say something about the spell?
[as Merida turns, she sees the cottage and the witch have disappeared]

Elinor: Well, you’re home now. So that’s the end of it.
Merida: Honestly?
Elinor: [referring to the clans] I’ve pacified the lords for now. You’re father’s out there “entertaining” them.

Elinor: [referring to the plate of tart] What’s this?
Merida: It’s a peace offering. I made it, for you!
Elinor: [takes a bite of the tart] You made this for me? Mm. Oh. Interesting flavor.
Merida: How do you feel?
Elinor: What is that?
Merida: Different?
Elinor: Tart and gamy!
Merida: Have you changed your mind at all about the marriage and all that?
Elinor: [takes a drink and gargles to get rid of the taste of the tart] Oh, that’s better. Now, why don’t we go upstairs to the lords and put this whole kerfuffle to rest?

Elinor: I’m woozy suddenly. Oh, my head’s spinning like a yop!
Merida: Mum!
Elinor: Oh! Suddenly I’m not well.
Merida: How do you feel about the marriage now?
Elinor: Merida! Oh, just take me to my room.

Merida: Just take all the time you need to get yourself right, Mum. Then maybe in a bit you might have something new to say on the marriage.
Elinor: What was in that cake?
Merida: Cake! Mum? So, I’ll just tell them the wedding’s off then? Mum?
Merida: [as she sees Elinor transformed] Bear!

Merida: Mum? You’re a bear! Why a bear? Oh, that scatty witch gave me a gammy spell! It’s not my fault! I didn’t ask her to change you into a bear. I just wanted her to change you.
[Elinor roars at Merida in anger]

Merida: [Elinor, as a bears, growls at her] There’s no point in having a go at me! The witch is to blame! Goggly old hag. Eyes all over the place. Unbelievable! I’ll get her to fix this. Why do I always get blamed for everything? It’s just not fair.

Merida: Mum, you can’t go out there! Mom! What are you doing! Dad! The Bear King! If he so much as sees you, you’re dead!

Merida: [as Elinor covers herself with the bed sheet] You’re covered with fur. You’re not naked. It’s not like anyone’s going to see you.

Merida: [to the triplets] A witch turned Mum into a bear. It’s not my fault. We’ve got to get out of the castle. I need your help!
Merida: [the triplets cross their arms and stare at her] Oh, alright! You can have my desserts for two, three weeks! Fine! A year!

Lord MacGuffin: [as they’re chasing after the bear] Think we should lay a trap?
Fergus: Try shutting yours!

Merida: I was standing right here, and the wisp appeared right there! Then a whole trail of them led me off into the forest
Merida: [to herself as Elinor starts going off into the forest] Oh, does she think we’re just going to happen upon the witch’s cottage?

The Witch: [message from her cauldron] Welcome to the Crafty Carver, home of home of bear-themed carvings and novelties.. I am completely out of stock at this time. But if you’d like to enquire about portraits, or wedding cake toppers, pour vial one into the cauldron. If you’d like the menu in Gaelic, vial two. If you’re that red-haired lass, vial three.

The Witch: [message from her cauldron] Princess, I’m off to the Wickerman Festival in Stornoway and won’t be back till spring. There’s one bit I forgot to tell you about the spell. By the second sunrise, your spell will be permanent, unless you remember these words, “Fate be changed, look inside. Mend the bond torn by pride.”
Merida: Fate be changed? Mend the bond? What does that mean?

Elinor: [flashback, young Merida is afraid of thunder and is being comforted] My brave wee lassie, I’m here. I’ll always be right here.

Merida: [as Elinor growls, trying to communicate] Sorry, I don’t speak bear.

Merida: [referring to the berries Elinor found for breakfast] Find those by the creek, did you? They’re nightshade berries. They’re poisonous.
Merida: [as Elinor spits out the berries and drinks some water] Where did you get this water? It has worms!

Merida: [as she uses her bow to catch a fish] Breakfast! Oh, wait! A princess should not have weapons, in your opinion.
[Elinor nods in agreement]

Merida: [as Elinor starts to act more like a bear] Mum, is that you? Mum? You changed. Like you were a, I mean, like you were a bear on the inside.

Merida: [after the wisps leads them to the ruins of a castle and she falls through the floor] It’s a throne room. Do you suppose this could have been the kingdom in that story you were telling me? The one with the princes?
Merida: [sees a stone with three figures and a split stone with the fourth figure] One, two, three, four. The oldest. Split, like the tapestry. The spell. It’s happened before.
Merida: [as she remembers what the witch said about the prince] “Strength of ten men. Fate be changed. Changed his fate.” Oh, no! The prince became Mor’du!
[the bear suddenly goes to attack her]

Merida: [after escaping from Mor’du] Mum, we need to get back to the castle. If we don’t hurry, you’ll become like Mor’du! A bear! A real bear! Forever! Mend the bond torn by pride. The witch gave us the answer. The tapestry!

Merida: [after telling the clans the story of ancient kingdom and the selfish prince] My dad rallied your forces, and you made him your king. It was an alliance forged in bravery, and friendship, and it lives to this day. But I’ve been selfish. I tore a great rift in our kingdom. There’s no one to blame but me. And I know now that I need to amend my mistake and mend our bond. And so, there is the matter of my betrothal. I’ve decided to do what’s right and break tradition.
Merida: [she looks over at Elinor, who is miming what she should say] My mother, the Queen, feels, in her heart, that I, that we be free to write our own story, follow our hearts, and find love in our time.

Merida: The Queen and I put the decision to you, my lords. Might our young people decide for themselves who they will love?
Lord Dingwall: Huh?
Lord Macintosh: Well, since you’ve obviously made up your minds about this, I have one thing to say. This is…
Young Macintosh: A grand idea! Give us our own say in choosing our fate.
Lord Macintosh: What?
Young Dingwall: Aye! Why shouldn’t we choose?
Lord Dingwall: But she’s the princess!
Young Dingwall: I did not pick her out. It was your idea.
Lord MacGuffin: [turns to his son] And you, do you feel the same way?
Lord MacGuffin: [after young MacGuffin speaks but no one understands him] Well, that settles it. Let these lads try and win her heart before they win her hand. If they can.
Lord Dingwall: I say, the wee Dingwall has a fighting chance.
Lord Macintosh: Fine then! Seems for once we agree. It was my idea in the first place.

Merida: [after the lords have decided that their sons try and win her heart] Everyone, to the cellar! Let’s crack open the King’s private reserves to celebrate!
Fergus: Woh! Woh! Woh!
Fergus: [to one his servants and whispers] Bring the tiny glasses.

Merida: [after Fergus thinks that Elinor has been attacked by a bear] Dad, no! It’s not what you think!
Fergus: Merida, get back!
Merida: [Fergus starts attacking the bear, not realizing that it’s Elinor] No! No, Dad! Don’t hurt her!

Fergus: [after Elinor runs off] Oh, count your stars, lass. It almost had you. Are you hurt?
Merida: It’s your wife, Elinor!
Fergus: You’re talking nonsense!
Merida: It’s the truth! There was a witch and she gave me a spell. It’s not Mor’du!
Fergus: Mor’du or not, I’ll avenge your mother! I’ll not risk losing you too!
Merida: [locks Merida in the tapestry room and goes after Elinor] No, Dad! Just listen to me. Listen! You can’t! It’s your wife Elinor!

Merida: [after the triplets help her escape, she stops Fergus from striking Elinor] Get back! That’s my mother!
Fergus: Are you out of your mind, lass?
Merida: Mum, are you hurt?
Fergus: Merida!
Merida: [as Fergus goes to attack Elinor again, she stops him] I’ll not let you kill my mother!
Merida: [as the triplets, as little cubs, jump on top of Fergus] Boys!
Fergus: Boys?

Merida: [after Mor’du is killed, she notices the sun has risen] The second sunrise!
Merida: [throws the mended tapestry around Elinor, but nothing happens] Oh, no! I don’t understand. I…Oh, Mum. I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I did this to you. To us. You’ve always been there for me. You’ve never given up on me. I just want you back. I want you back, Mummy. I love you.

Merida: [as the sunrise washes over them, she feels her mother’s touch on her hair] Mum! You’re back! You’ve changed!
Elinor: [as they’re hugging] Oh, darling. We both have.

Elinor: [to Fergus, as the tapestry is wrapped around her] I’m naked. Naked as a wee baby. Well don’t just stare at me. Do something!
Fergus: [notices the lords have comes upon them, holds his hands in front of Elinor] What the…? Avert your eyes, lads! Show some respect!
Fergus: [suddenly the three triplets, now human again, run over to them, naked] Now, that’s what I call a wee naked baby!

Merida: There are those who say fate is something beyond our command, that destiny is not our own. But I know better. Our fate lives within us. You only have to be brave enough to see it.
[we see Merida rides off through the forest with her Elinor]

The Crow: [post-credits lines, to the guard, arriving at the castle with the carvings] Delivery! Sign here, sign here. Come on, birdbrain. I haven’t got all day.
[in shock, the guard just drops his spear]

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