Spirit: Stallion of The Cimarron - Plot

Plot

The film starts with a brief introduction in the 19th century American West featuring a bald eagle gliding over the homeland of the mustangs, showing several western US National Parks. There is then a scene showing the birth of a Buckskin Kiger Mustang, Spirit (voiced in his narrations by Matt Damon). Spirit soon grows into a stallion, and assumes the role of leader of the herd, whose duty it is to keep the herd safe, demonstrated when he saves two foals from a mountain lion.

Spirit is a courageous leader, but has a serious mischievous streak and great curiosity. Spotting a strange light one night not far from his herd, the stallion is unable to control his curiosity and moves towards it. To Spirit's surprise, he finds restrained, docile horses, and two-legs (possibly wranglers) sleeping around a campfire. They wake up, and seeing him as a magnificent specimen, chase and capture him, then drag him to a US cavalry post. During this time, the army is fighting the Indian Wars and taking over the soon-to-be western United States. Frightened and confused, all around him Spirit sees horses used as 'slaves', branded and putting up no resistance to being ridden.

There he encounters, "The Colonel" (voiced by James Cromwell). The Colonel decides to tame the mustang, but Spirit manages to fight off the brander even when heavily restrained, and throws off all who attempt to ride him, impressing the other horses and reigniting their spirit. The Colonel orders him to be tied to the post for three days with no food or water.

During this time, a Lakota Native American named Little Creek (voiced by Daniel Studi) is also brought into the fort and held captive. Spirit is then broken in by the Colonel, who speaks of how any wild horse can be tamed. Spirit gets a second wind and throws the Colonel, and with Little Creek's help they, along with many army horses, escape the post. Little Creek's own mare, Rain, meets them along with other Indians who capture Spirit.

After returning to the Lakota village, Little Creek tries to tame Spirit with kindness and while it is more successful than army methods, Spirit refuses to be ridden. Little Creek ties Spirit and Rain together, and when he tries to leave, she insists on staying, then shows him her world. Spirit begins to warm to the Lakota and falls in love with the mare. However his affections for Rain do not soften his yearning to be free.

At the end of their time together Little Creek tries again to ride Spirit, but while they are friends, Spirit is still unwilling to be ridden. Little Creek decides that Spirit will never be tamed and frees him. As Spirit asks Rain to come with him to his herd, a Cavalry Regiment led by the Colonel ransacks the Lakota village. Rain is shot by the Colonel, knocking her into the river while Spirit knocks the colonel off his horse, saving Little Creek's life. Spirit dives into the river to try to rescue Rain, but is unsuccessful and they both plummet over a waterfall. Spirit finds Rain dying from her injuries, and stays by her side until cavalry scouts tear him away and sell him to be used for the constructing railroad. Watching Spirit pulled away, Little Creek vows to free the mustang once and for all in accordance with his life-debt; and follows the men after tending to his own mare.

Spirit and other stolen horses are loaded onto a train and taken to a work site on the Transcontinental Railroad where they are put to work pulling a steam locomotive. Not understanding, Spirit takes it as another challenge and is pulling towards freedom when he realises that if the track extends along its present course it will infringe on his homeland. Spirit feigns exhaustion, then breaks free from the sledge carrying the locomotive and breaks the chains holding the other horses to the sledge. They escape, and the locomotive falls off its sledge and down the steep hill where it collides with another locomotive at the railhead, causing a boiler explosion which starts the camp and woods on fire. Little Creek appears, saves Spirit from the wildfire, and takes him to safety.

The next morning, the Colonel and his men find Spirit and Little Creek. A climactic chase scene ensues on winding rock passages that lead to the Grand Canyon where the two again outsmart the Army. Spirit also makes a "freedom" jump which amazes The Colonel. The Colonel stops one of his men from shooting the two and exchanges nods of respect with Spirit before they part.

Spirit returns to the rebuilt Lakota village with Little Creek and finds Rain still alive, nursed back to health by the Lakota people. Little Creek decides to name the Kiger mustang "Spirit-Who-Could-Not-Be-Broken" and sets Spirit and Rain free. Eventually, the two horses joyfully meet up with Spirit's own herd, including his mother. Viewers then see the eagle as he flies up into clouds shaped like horses.