Death (or Lobo) is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Jack Horner) of DreamWorks' 43rd full-length animated film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a spin-off of Shrek franchise.
He is the physical manifestation of his namesake whose sole purpose is to collect the souls of those who die or waste their life & determine their fate, he violates his boundaries in order to hunt and kill Puss in Boots as retaliation for laughing in his face whilst getting away with it by wasting away his 8 lives.
He is voiced by Wagner Moura.
Appearance
Death is a large, silvery-white, bipedal wolf with an elongated snout, gray "mask" marking on his face and sharp teeth. He has bright black sclera and red irises that glow when he's excited. He wears a black riding cloak that's torn at the edges and has a built-in hood. Under the cloak he wears brown trousers.
Personality
Lobo is a cunning and sinister individual whose sole purpose is to take the souls of the deceased. Although he waits in the shadows for people to die naturally, if someone angers or offends him enough, he will physically manifest in order to attempt to take their life by force.
Lobo is sadistic and thrill-seeking, as he takes a degree of pride and pleasure in his job, and openly admits that he enjoys striking fear into his victims. This is shown by the pleasure he took in scaring and provoking Puss in Boots with his taunts, eerie whistling, and his very presence, and how he got especially excited when he managed to draw blood on the cat. Lobo also admits to having a dislike of cats and the fact that they all have nine lives, finding the very idea to be "absurd".
Despite Lobo's sadistic and sinister nature, he does have a sense of honor and nobility, as his main reason for pursuing Puss in the first place was to punish the cat for arrogantly squandering his eight lives with reckless abandon, concluding from this that it would be best to kill Puss before he wasted his final life. Not to mention Puss often declared that he "laughed in the face of death", therefore Lobo was insulted and disrespected by Puss by his words as well as his deeds in wasting his lives. This indicates that despite representing the end of mortal life, Lobo holds life sacred and is disgusted by those who don't treat their own lives with true appreciation or care. He also has a sense of fair play, as he always gives Puss the chance to fight back whenever they encountered each other, even giving Puss's old sword back to him for their final duel on the Wishing Star. This suggests Lobo prefers to give fair fights for those who challenge him, but his comments about how much he would enjoy taking Puss out from the realm of the living seems to indicate that he may have brought him his sword back just for sport, finding it more entertaining to see Puss fight rather than just surrender.
When Puss finally stops running from him and instead fights him while promising to respect his final life with his friends, Lobo, although initially enraged that Puss has changed and thus "ruined his hunt", quickly calms down and recognizes that killing him now would be pointless and unethical. Thus, Lobo honorably decides to let Puss live out his final life, respectfully biding the cat to live his last life well. However, he does warn Puss that they will meet again eventually when Puss's life finally comes to a permanent end. This all but proves that Lobo isn't unbeatable, even if he is unavoidable in the long run.
Overall, Lobo is best described as a harsh, but fair and reasonable individual who takes his job seriously and enjoys a thrilling challenge, but doesn't kill just for the sake of doing so and is able to respect and spare those who prove him wrong.
Powers and Abilities
Being the physical embodiment of death itself, Lobo possesses great physical and supernatural abilities. He is an exceptionally skilled and powerful fighter, being able to hold his own very well against the legendary swordsman Puss in Boots, and is one of the very few that can match the cat's speed and agility. In fact, Lobo is the only known individual who has ever managed to draw blood on Puss with a blade.
Lobo is very strong, being able to smash crystals with his blades with no effort at all, and has some amount of control over fire, which was shown by him conjuring a ring of fire around himself and Puss for their final duel. He can go anywhere he likes, which is shown by him being completely unaffected by the Dark Forest, appearing inside a crystal trap that isolated Puss in Boots and effortlessly passing through the star wall. He has the ability to turn invisible and reveal himself only to those whom he chooses. This is shown how Lobo appears various times and no one could see him except Puss in Boots; until the final battle when Lobo finally revealed himself to everyone inside the star.
- Superhuman Strength: Lobo is shown to be very strong, being able to smash large crystals with his blades with no effort at all, and physically overpower Puss during their fights, even effortlessly restraining him with just one hand.
- Superhuman Durability: Lobo is also shown to be very durable, taking two direct attacks from Puss In Boots without injury.
- Superhuman Speed/Superhuman Reflexes: Lobo is as fast as he is strong. His reactionary speed is great to where he is one of the very few that can match the Puss' speed and agility, having outpaced him and even mocked him for his efforts during their first confrontation.
- Sickle Proficiency: Perhaps is trademark ability is his skill with the dual sickles he wields. In battle, he swings his sickles with lethal force, able to cleave through wood and metal with little effort. He can also combine his sickles into a dual-headed glaive whenever he faces a worthy opponent. Death not only matches, but also exceeds Puss' swordsmanship. In fact, Lobo is the only known individual who has ever managed to draw blood from Puss with a blade.
- Omnipresence: Being the embodiment of death, Lobo is everywhere both symbolically and physically. Although he shows at the end of one's life, as stated to be there each of Puss' lives, he is free to move to any location of his choosing as he's not bound to the laws of the physical realm. He was even able to traverse through the Dark Forest, appear with the Cave of Lost Souls that isolated Puss in Boots, and effortlessly pass through the star wall that wiped whoever touched it out of existence. He can reveal himself only to those whom he chooses. This is shown how Lobo appears various times and no one could see him except Puss in Boots; until the final battle when Lobo finally revealed himself to everyone inside the star.
- Fire Manipulation: A minor but effective ability, Lobo has some amount of control over fire, which was shown by him conjuring a ring of fire around himself and Puss for their final duel.
- Soul Reading: Being the harvester of souls, Lobo has the power to peer into a person's soul and see who they truly are, however they might deny it or are ignorant of their own true natures, as he saw for himself that Puss in Boots, whom he had labeled an "arrogant little legend who he thought he was immortal", but no longer saw that in Puss at the end of their last duel.
- Immortality: Being the literal embodiment of death means that he would have to existed from the very beginning of life. This makes it clear that Lobo possesses the trait of immortality and cannot grow old or fall ill and has roughly existed for eons. Typically in most immortal beings, the only way they can die is if they are killed by someone else, but for someone like Lobo, It is unclear if anything can actually permanently kill him because death cannot be avoided one way or another leading those to believe he may be a completely unkillable character.
- Intimidation: Due to his appearance and power shown throughout the movie, Lobo is feared literally and figuratively by mortals. He is the first character to make the legendary and "fearless" hero Puss in Boots feel fear for the very first time. Due to his love to feel fear from his victims, he uses his powers to torment Puss the entire movie. One of his most prominent choices of fear tactics is done by what is referred to as "Lobo's Whistle." Lobo's infamous whistle is eight beats long, mirroring how he's already taken eight of Puss's lives. During his fight with Puss when he summons the ring of fire, this melody lasts for nine beats until he starts talking instead, showing how Lobo is fully intent on taking the cat's last life.
- Weapon's Transmutation: Lobo's main choice of weaponry is two sickles he carries. When facing a worthy opponent, he has the ability to combine his sickles into a dual-headed glaive which closely replicates a scythe.
Biography
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- "Hey, I never do this, but can I get your autograph? Been following you for a loooong time. [Pulls out a wanted poster of Puss in Boots and points to the word "dead"] Sign right there."
- ―Lobo to Puss in Boots.
Lobo first appears, mixed in with the residents of Del Mar as Puss duels the Sleeping Giant of Del Mar to save some of the townsfolk and their governor. However, Puss first meets the Wolf after being told by the town veterinarian that he is down to his ninth life, meaning that if he dies again there's no coming back. Puss isn't bothered by this, as he goes down to his favorite bar to relax and drink some milk to avoid his problems. That attempt to deflect the serious news is suddenly interrupted by a sinister, melodic whistle. The source of that whistle is coming from a mysterious hooded figure, who appears seemingly out of nowhere and sits right next to Puss. The menacing figure claims to be a fan, but when he asks Puss to sign a wanted poster specifically where it says "dead", it's clear that he's got something else in mind.
Believing that this is just another bounty hunter trying to collect a reward on him, Puss triumphantly draws his sword, only to have it immediately swatted away by The Wolf. The two have a duel, but it's one that Puss is losing the entire time, with the Wolf somehow calculating and predicting every single move he makes. The fight concludes when the Wolf deprives Puss of his rapier and grazes the cat's forehead with one of his sickles, drawing a stream of blood which drips down Puss's face (according to the legend, Puss in Boots was never touched by a blade prior). As the terrifying realization that his demise will be permanent dawns on Puss, the Wolf picks up the scent of the blood and gets eerily excited to dispatch the cat, dragging his twin sickles across the floor as sparks fly. The horrific beast orders Puss to pick up his sword so they can finish their duel, but Puss flees out of fear instead, escaping through the sewage system, much to The Wolf's amusement.
Lobo appears again in front of Puss to terrify him on two occasions: first while Puss, Kitty Softpaws and Perrito are running away from "Big" Jack Horner and his Baker's Dozen (on the occasion Lobo places two coins on his eyes to send a message to Puss), and then during the battle on the river, scaring Puss to the point of having a panic attack. But in the Cave of Lost Souls in the Dark Forest is where they finally meet again. Lobo reveals his true identity and explains that he has come to personally kill Puss not for money or fame, but instead to punish him for arrogantly squandering eight of his nine lives with reckless abandon, all while "laughing in the face of death". Seeing Puss conversing with reflections of his past eight lives, Lobo also expresses his disgust for how cats have nine lives due to how some such as Puss can carelessly squander them, and shatters the crystal reflections as he taunts Puss. Utterly terrified that he has come face-to-face with the embodiment of the very thing he once laughed at, Puss runs away, much to Death's amusement.
Soon, with Puss's friends and his enemies watching from the various points of the fabled Wishing Star, except for Big Jack Horner trapped in his bottomless bag, they witness a final showdown between the fearless hero and the Grim Reaper, where the harbinger of Lobo slashes the ground with his sickles to summon a ring of fire around himself and Puss. He gives Puss his sword back for a proper climactic battle. Lobo has enjoyed the chase thus far, but grown tired of the cheap novelty and is ready to make that final notch on his sickle. But this time, Puss is ready to face the powerful enemy, now having true friends to protect and a last life he wishes to cherish.
Puss rises to the occasion and disarms his foe, mirroring the scene where they first met, where Lobo taunted Puss to pick up his weapon but with Puss is now the one taunting Lobo, not out of arrogance, but out of mutual respect. Puss makes clear that he'll never truly be able to defeat Lobo and only wishes to keep him at bay so he can cherish this one life before it later reaches its end. Frustrated, but also impressed, Death curses in Spanish out of rage.
Lobo stares into Puss's soul, telling the cat that he came here to claim the life of "an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal", but he doesn't see that in Puss anymore. Knowing now that Puss has changed, Lobo spares Puss by telling him to live his last life well. He walks off, but not before telling Puss that they will meet again, which he humbly accepts. Satisfied by Puss's response, Lobo departs from the Wishing Star, whistling that familiar tune as he walks off with a newfound respect for Puss in Boots, disappearing in the ring of fire.
The Trident
While not in full-frame, Lobo possibly makes a cameo on the quarterdeck of the ship where Puss exploded in the cannon. Only part of his attire, which is different from his black robe, is visible.
Quotes
- "Lobo: Well, well. If it isn't Puss in Boots himself. [Chuckles] In the flesh.
Puss: Uh... hey.
Lobo: There's the famous hat. The feather. And of course, the boots. My compliments to your cobbler.
Puss: [Ahem] Thanks... Uh, good to meet you too." - ―Lobo introducing himself to Puss for the first time.
- "Everyone thinks they'll be the one to defeat me. But no one's escaped me yet."
- ―Lobo during his first meeting with Puss in Boots, foreshadowing his true identity.
- "Slow. Sloppy. Sad!"
- ―Lobo while dodging Puss' attacks.
- "I do love the smell of fear. [sniffs] It’s intoxicating."
- ―Lobo in the Cave of Lost Souls.
- "Lobo: You know... I'm not a cat person. I find the very idea of nine lives absurd. And you, didn't value any of them. So, why don't I do us both a favor and take this last one now?
Puss' Second Life: That's cheating!
Lobo: [Throws a sickle at him] Shhh. Don't tell." - ―Lobo explaining his reason for wanting Puss dead.
- "Go ahead, run for it. Makes it more fun for me."
- ―Lobo as Puss runs away from him as he begins to chase him through the cave of lost souls.
- "I’ve enjoyed the chase, gato. But I think we’ve reached the end now, you and I. You're gonna take the coward's way out? Run away to more lives!? Or you're gonna FIGHT!?"
- ―Lobo taunting Puss before their rematch on the Wishing Star.
- "Lobo: What’s the matter? Lives flashing before your eyes?
Puss: No. Just one. I’m done running. (drops map and picks up sword) Fear me, if you dare!
Lobo: [Laughs] This is gonna be fun." - ―Lobo taunting Puss one last time before the cat overcomes his fear of Death.
- "Bien. Muy bien."
- ―Lobo after Puss successfully kicks him in the jaw.
- "You really gotta stop losing that."
- ―Lobo after disarming Puss again during their duel.
- "[Growls in anger] ¿Por que diablos fui a jugar con mi comida?! [Growls again] You're ruining this for me! I came here for an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal!... but I don't see him anymore. [Sheaths sickles] Live your life, Puss in Boots. Live it well."
- ―Lobo's villainous breakdown and defeat, all while gaining a newfound respect for Puss in Boots before leaving him to live out his last life.
- "Lobo: You know we will meet again, right?
Puss: Si. Hasta, La Muerte." - ―Lobo assuring Puss that they will meet again then disappears in the flames.
Trivia
- Lobo is the second antagonist to be an anthropomorphic wolf with supernatural powers Puss faced off with, the first being Bloodwolf.
- Lobo is based on the folkloric character of the Grim Reaper, whereas the tune he whistles is based on The Silbón, a legend associated with the Los Llanos region of Colombia and Venezuela.
- Since the Grim Reaper/Death is normally portrayed as a humanoid skeleton, it's possible that Lobo can shape-shift and specifically chose to take the form of a timberwolf, since the individual he is targeting, Puss in Boots, is a cat who notoriously has a fear of dogs and wolves. In ancient times, the wolf was often considered the embodiment of death by certain cultures, mainly because of its savagery and fury.
- On top of the fact of his Wolf-based appearance, when Lobo crosses his sickles on his chest, he bears a striking resemblance to Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Dead.
- Since the Grim Reaper/Death is normally portrayed as a humanoid skeleton, it's possible that Lobo can shape-shift and specifically chose to take the form of a timberwolf, since the individual he is targeting, Puss in Boots, is a cat who notoriously has a fear of dogs and wolves. In ancient times, the wolf was often considered the embodiment of death by certain cultures, mainly because of its savagery and fury.
- While it’s implied, Lobo is never seen or shown killing others.
- In order to not spoil Lobo's true identity, which isn't revealed until much later, he is credited as the "Big Bad Wolf" (or at least "the Wolf") in promotional material, although he is never referred to as such in the film. Lobo himself does not have any connections with the original original Big Bad Wolf from the Shrek films.
- The Dual Sickles he wields are likely a reference to the aforementioned Grim Reaper's Scythe, both being farming equipment.
- Contrary to appearance, he is not a bounty hunter, but instead this is just what Puss mistook him for until he revealed his true identity later on.
- Lobo admitted that he hated that cats have nine lives, considering it to be absurd and he held a personal contempt for Puss, who arrogantly squandered eight of his lives, in reckless abandon all the while claiming he "laughs in the face of death". This basically means that Puss was insulting Lobo every time he said this remark.
- Lobo is the only character completely unaffected by the Dark Forest, appearing inside a crystal trap that isolated Puss in Boots and showing the ability to effortlessly pass through the star wall. This is because he is not a mortal being, but instead the personification of death itself, the end of mortal existence.
- There are several subtle hints about Lobo's true identity throughout the film:
- The numbered cards during the death montage have a hooded wolf with sickles at the four corners.
- He makes his very first entrance by suddenly appearing right next to Puss with ghostly silence.
- Prior to that, he could be seen in the top left corner of the screen in an alleyway as the camera pans over the villagers of Del Mar watching Puss as he battles the giant. Unlike everyone else, he is not cheering for the cat and is instead ominously staring at him.
- This also proves his claim of witnessing every single one of Puss's deaths at least partially true.
- In the short: The Trident, Lobo can be also seen on the quarterdeck of the ship in a different attire beside the mast when Puss is in the cannon before wasting one of his lives, further verifying that he may have indeed present whenever Puss will lose a life.
- His weapons are a pair of sickles, and his attire is a pitch-black cowl, which bare a strong resemblance to the Grim Reaper's scythe and cloak respectively. Also, his appearance as a silvery-white, bipedal wolf with gray mark on his face is likely a reference as Lobo is usually depicted as a berobbed skeleton.
- Shortly before talking to Puss for the first time, he is holding up a shot glass with a reflection of Puss' face on it, signifying his long-awaited chance to take Puss' soul for his own.
- During his first encounter with Puss, the Wolf notes that "Everyone thinks they'll be the one to defeat me. But no one's escaped me yet", referencing the fact that everybody dies one day.
- When Puss once makes another crack at "Laughing at Death", the Wolf scratches his wanted poster, hinting why he's actually here.
- When Puss, Kitty and Perrito escape from Big Jack Horner's henchman, the Wolf puts two stray coins over his eyes as he watches him leave, making him look like a corpse. This is also a reference as to how Ancient Greeks buried the dead with coins over their eyes so they would have money for passage to the Underworld.
- When Puss sees the Wolf for the first time in the Dark Forest, the scenery surrounding him looks like a skull.
- The Wolf keeps appearing out of thin air with seemingly no one but Puss (initially) able to see him. This is a pretty clear indication that the Wolf is no mere bounty hunter.
- He knew about Puss's quest for the Star despite never mentioning it to him, and he appears anywhere Puss goes, including the Dark Forest, proving to be both omniscient and omnipresent.
- While every other major character is introduced with a wanted poster (sans for Perrito, who has an "unwanted poster"), he isn't. This lampshades how Lobo is not a criminal and merely wanted to hunt down Puss specifically for wasting his lives.
- During Puss's visit to the vet, his death is emphasized to him by the vet blowing out a candle. Likewise, shortly before Lobo appears in the bar, one of the candles on the chandelier above extinguishes, foreshadowing him coming to end Puss's life.
- When he appears while they are fighting The Baker's Dozen and Goldilocks and the Bears at The Dark Forest, the scenery forms with him a shape resembling a skull.
- Later on, when the Wolf reveals his true identity, right before the purple crystal representing one of Puss' past lives behind which the supernatural entity is standing shatters, cracks forming in front of his face start forming a wolf skull.
- Lobo is considered one of the most powerful villains in the Shrek franchise and the most terrifying character in the Puss in Boots franchise, due to cutting Puss and causing him to bleed, all while saying “I love the smell of fear”.
- Lobo, despite his major role in the series, has the shortest amount of screen time of any antagonist, at only around 7 minutes.
- There are a few indications of Puss in Boots’ nine lives being wrecked by the potential presence of Death in the bar scene:
- Before he even suddenly appears at the bar next to Puss, the bell in the background of the bar toils 8 times, referencing Puss’ past 8 lives, the last one wanting to be taken by Lobo.
- While Puss is at the bar sipping one of his cups filled with milk, 8 other finished milk filled cups can be seen at the bar counter, referencing that Lobo is about to come for Puss’ 9th life.
- Lobo’s whistle is regarded one of the most realistic elements for Death up-to-date, as Lobo’s whistle is a nod to the fact European villages hold a mysterious creature known as “The Whisperer.”— because of this, villagers would lock their doors and stay in at night. Since the whistle is used as a metaphor for the call of actual death.
- Lobo's infamous whistle is eight beats long, mirroring how he's already taken eight of Puss's lives. During his fight with Puss when he summons the ring of fire, this melody lasts for nine beats until he starts talking instead, showing how Lobo is fully intent on taking the cat's last life. Likewise, when Lobo spares Puss and leaves the whistle's notes are higher, giving it a less menacing tone as he now respects Puss and wishes to let him live his life well
- Lobo set out to kill Puss because he was "an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal". While he didn't kill Puss in the end, Lobo ironically succeeded in ending the flawed being Puss was before his adventure for the Wishing Star because everything he learned helped Puss become a better person with a true respect for the importance of life and death and a promise to cherish his last life.
- In addition, he did manage to sort of succeed in his hunt. While his target for most of the movie was Puss, in the end after Lobo leaves, Jack Horner ends up dying as the Wishing Star falls apart. Jack Horner, being a known nursery rhyme character and owner of a large baked goods factory, thought himself unstoppable due to the numerous magical items he had collected over the years, and was arrogant and sadistic to anyone who was not himself. So while Lobo did not walk away having killed Puss, he did end up with "an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal" in the form of Jack.
- During Puss' fight with the giant, Lobo can be seen standing in an alleyway among the crowd watching the fight in contempt.
- Puss addresses him as "Lobo" near the end, as lobo is both Spanish and Portuguese for "wolf".
- As he is the living embodiment of Death and speaks Spanish a few times in the film whose events started in Spain, Death can be seen as an evil counterpart to Santa Muerte, a Spanish folk character who also personifies Death. The difference is that Santa Muerte is depicted as a benevolent figure, while Death is sadistic and resentful.
- Lobo's quick rant in Spanish (¡¿POR QUÉ DIABLOS FUI A JUGAR CON MI COMIDA!?) roughly translates into English "WHY THE H*LL DID I PLAY WITH MY FOOD?!?", likely showing his disappointment in toying with Puss over the course of his journey instead of killing him when given the chance.