After releasing in 2001, Shrek recently ed its 20th anniversary and has since introduced viewers to a fictional world of magical characters and far away kingdoms. The original film was such a success that a second, third, and fourth movie was made. DreamWorks is also working on Shrek 5.
Although he's an ogre who shouldn't care about his feelings or the feelings of others, Shrek is a softie with a big heart. Throughout four movies, Shrek's true self has been shown and he had emotional moments that had fans feeling bad for him.
Shrek Thought Fiona Was Disgusted By Him (Shrek)
After Shrek rescued Fiona from a dragon-protected tower, the two got to know each other better on their way back to Lord Farquaad's kingdom. Shrek soon learned the princess was not as he assumed and Fiona's strength and wit quickly led to her being viewed as one of the greatest characters in Shrek.
Unbeknownst to Shrek, Fiona was under a curse that turned her into an ogre once the sun set. In Shrek, Fiona hid her true form from Shrek and Donkey by sleeping in a cave of sorts. Shrek thought the two were forming a sweet connection when he overheard Fiona tell Donkey, "Who could love a beast?" In reality, Fiona was referring to herself but poor Shrek thought she was talking about him.
Shrek's Dad Tried To Eat Him (Shrek 3)
Shrek's life as a child isn't dissected as much as some fans hoped, but he does shed some light on his youth in Shrek 3. While talking about comparing dads with Artie, Shrek said that his dad was worse than Artie's.
According to Shrek, one of the reasons why he was terrified of becoming a father was because his dad was a bad parent. He said his dad tried eating him as a baby and would bathe him in barbeque sauce. As memorable as this quote became, fans can't help but feel bad that Shrek's childhood was tainted, and it was now affecting his adulthood.
Shrek Felt That Fiona Would Love Him More If He Looked More Like Prince Charming (Shrek 2)
As legendary as Shrek was, some fans argue that Shrek 2 was better. In the second film, Fiona and Shrek see Fiona's parents (the King and Queen of Far, Far Away) for the first time as ogres.
Fiona's dad made Shrek feel so low that he felt the only way Fiona could be happy was if he looked like Prince Charming. He traveled to the Fairy Godmother's laboratory and drank a potion that would turn him into a man handsome enough for Fiona. In reality, Fiona didn't want Shrek to change, but fans felt horrible that Shrek felt like he had to just so that she'd be happy.
His Father-In-Law Hired A Hit-Man To Take Him Out (Shrek 2)
In Shrek 2, Fiona's dad wasn't pleased that Fiona fell in love and married Shrek because he had a deal with Fairy Godmother that her son Prince Charming and Fiona would marry. As a way to save himself, Fiona's dad hired a hitman to take care of Shrek.
The hitman in question was an orange cat who knew how to fight — Puss in Boots. Puss started as Shrek's enemy but when he wasn't able to take him down, the two became quick friends. Puss and Shrek's friendship aside, it was hurtful for Shrek that his father-in-law tried killing him.
Sometimes Being Alone Made Shrek Sad, But It Was Better Than Being Around Those That Hated Him (Shrek)
As many funny quotes as Shrek has, there were also a few upsetting ones.
In a gut-wrenching scene, Shrek told Donkey that he never had a problem with the world, it's the world that had a problem with him. This realization hit home for fans because his tough exterior was only because of the years of abuse he endured from others.
The Moment Shrek Realized He Ruined His Own Life (Shrek 4)
When Shrek is transported into a new world after g a mysterious contract with Rumpelstiltskin in Shrek 4, he realizes how different his new reality was. There was no Fiona and no kids in sight — even Donkey ran away.
Totally alone, Shrek took his daughter's baby doll out of his pocket and began to cry. As tired of being a busy dad as he was, Shrek now missed his wife and kids more than anything and realized he ruined a good thing. His realization was hard to watch for fans as he cried on a log.
Shrek Was Horrified Of Becoming A Parent (Shrek 3)
In Shrek 3, Shrek was shocked when Fiona told him that she was pregnant. As much as loved Fiona, it was clear that the idea of being a parent scared him.
Shrek's entire demeanor changed in the third movie. His nerves around being a dad paralyzed him and his relationship with Fiona changed because of it. For fans, it didn't make sense why Shrek was so against kids, but after hearing his own childhood trauma, it's hard not to feel bad for him.
He Saved Artie's Life Even Though It Made Him The Bad Guy (Shrek 3)
In Shrek 3, Fiona's dad dies, leaving the kingdom in Fiona and Shrek's hands. Shrek knew he wasn't meant to be king, so he went on a journey to find the next king in line — a young man named Artie.
Shrek knew the only way to get Artie to come with him was to lie and say that Artie was the only one that could do the job. But when Prince Charming takes them hostage and wants to kill Artie (so that he could be king), Shrek insults Artie enough where Charming lets Artie go and took Shrek instead. It wasn't until after that Artie realized that Shrek lied to save Artie's life.
The Future Wasn't What He Thought It Would Be (Shrek 4)
Shrek's complexities as a character make him one of DreamWorks' best characters. Despite his scary appearance, Shrek has a depth that makes him relatable to viewers.
In Shrek 4, Shrek's depth continued when he itted that as much as he loved his wife and kids, it wasn't the future he expected for himself. He missed the quiet days of being at the swamp alone. It made viewers sad that Shrek's happily ever after wasn't good enough for him. To make it worse, it was even sadder when he found out too late that a life with Fiona and his kids was better than without them.
Fiona Didn't Know Who He Was (Shrek 4)
Even though Shrek wasn't a Disney movie, Fiona is on Disney Princess territory. She's strong, independent, and as captivating as any Disney Princess. In Shrek 4, however, Fiona didn't know who Shrek was once he was under Rumplestiltskin's curse.
Shrek had to literally introduce himself to his wife and try to get her to fall in love with him. His reality upset him because he realized that he took Fiona for granted.
