Brave (2012 Film) - Plot

Plot

In Scotland, King Fergus of Clan Dunbroch presents his young daughter Merida with a bow for her birthday. While practicing, Merida encounters a will-o'-the-wisp. Soon afterwards, Mor'du, a giant demon bear, attacks the family. Merida escapes along with her mother Queen Elinor while Fergus fights off the bear at the cost of his left leg. Years later, Merida has become a free-spirited 16-year-old and an older sister of identical triplets: Hamish, Harris and Hubert. Elinor informs her that she is to be betrothed to one of her father's allied clans. Reminding Merida of a legend about a prince who ruined his own kingdom, Elinor warns her that failure to marry could harm Dunbroch, but Merida is dissatisfied with the arrangement.

The clans of Macintosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall arrive with their first-born sons, who possess varied levels of dim-wittedness and egotism, to compete in Highland Games for Merida's hand. Merida announces she is eligible to compete for her own hand as the first-born of Clan Dunbroch and defeats each of her suitors in an archery contest. Later, Elinor argues with Merida about her entrance in the games, only for Merida to run off into the forest in desperation. Coming across the will-o'-the-wisps, Merida is lead to the hut of an elderly witch posing as a wood carver. After some bargaining, the witch agrees to give Merida a spell to change her mother in the form of a cake.

Merida returns to the castle and gives Elinor the cake, but much to the surprise of both of them, instead of changing her mind about the marriage, it transforms her into a large brown bear. Realizing she has made matters worse for herself, with the help of her brothers, Merida and Elinor return to the witch's now deserted cottage where they discover that the spell will be permanent unless undone before the second sunrise. The witch leaves Merida a riddle, mentioning that she must "mend the bond torn by pride." Merida and Elinor begin to reconcile their relationship while Merida observes that the spell is slowly becoming permanent, as Elinor often loses control and acts more like a wild bear. After encountering the wisps again, the two follow them to ancient ruins and encounter Mor'du, who they discover was once the prince in Elinor's legend who received a similar spell from the witch. Merida vows to her mother that she will not become a wild animal like Mor'du. Having torn a hole between herself and her mother on her family tapestry and their family bond, Merida theorizes that she can reverse the spell by repairing the tapestry.

At the castle, the clans are on the verge of war, but Merida quells their fighting and, with the encouragement of her mother, the princess states that the children should be allowed to get married in their own time to whomever they choose. Merida then sneaks into the tapestry room with Elinor, who is losing control of her human self. Fergus enters the bed chamber and is attacked by Elinor until she regains human consciousness. After Elinor races out of the castle in desperation, Fergus gives chase. With the help of her brothers, who have transformed into bear cubs by eating the cake, Merida rides after her father while sewing up the tapestry. The clan members and Fergus capture Elinor, but Merida intervenes just before Mor'du attacks. Just as Mor'du is about to kill Merida, Elinor saves her and a menhir crashes down on Mor'du, killing the monster and releasing the prince's spirit.

Realizing the true meaning of the witch's riddle after placing the tapestry over Elinor, Merida reconciles with her mother. The queen is transformed back along with the triplets, and the family is reunited. A few days later, the clans depart for their respective lands, and Merida and Elinor ride their horses together, their bond finally restored.

In a post-credits scene, the witch's crow asks a castle guard to sign for a delivery of wooden carvings that Merida bought simultaneously with the spell.