The NeverEnding Story (1984) - Quotes

Narrator: [last lines] Bastian made many other wishes, and had many other amazing adventures – before he finally returned to the ordinary world. But that's... another story.

Bastian: Why is it so dark?

The Childlike Empress: In the beginning, it is always dark.

Bastian: What is that?

The Childlike Empress: One grain of sand. It is all that remains of my vast empire.

Bastian: Fantasia has totally disappeared?

The Childlike Empress: Yes.

Bastian: Then... everything's been in vain.

The Childlike Empress: No, it hasn't. Fantasia can rise anew. From your dreams and wishes, Bastian.

Bastian: How?

The Childlike Empress: [places the grain in the palm of his hand] Open your hand. What are you going to wish for?

Bastian: I don't know...

The Childlike Empress: Then there will be no Fantasia anymore.

Bastian: How many wishes do I get?

The Childlike Empress: As many as you want. And the more wishes you make, the more magnificent Fantasia will become.

Bastian: Really?

The Childlike Empress: Try it.

Bastian: [starting to smile] Then my first wish is...

Bastian: YEAH! Falkor, it's even more beautiful than I thought!

Falkor: Like it?

Bastian: Falkor, it's wonderful! Falkor, it's like the Nothing never was!

The Childlike Empress: Atreyu, why do you look so sad?

Atreyu: I have failed you, Empress.

The Childlike Empress: No, you haven't. You brought him with you.

Atreyu: Who?

The Childlike Empress: The earthling child. The one who can save us all.

Atreyu: You knew about the earthling child?

The Childlike Empress: Of course. I knew everything.

Atreyu: My horse died! I nearly drowned. I just barely got away from the Nothing! For what?! To find out what you already knew?!

The Childlike Empress: It was the only way to get in touch with an earthling.

Atreyu: But I didn't get in touch with an earthling!

The Childlike Empress: Yes, you did. He has suffered with you. He went through everything you went through, and now he has come here, with you. He is very close, listening to every word we say.

Bastian: [confused] What?!

Atreyu: Where is he?! If he's so close, why doesn't he arrive?!

The Childlike Empress: He doesn't realize he's already a part of The NeverEnding Story.

Atreyu: The NeverEnding Story"?! What's that?!

The Childlike Empress: Just as he is sharing all your adventures, others are sharing his. They were with him when he hid from the boys in the bookstore.

Bastian: [cannot believe it] But that's impossible!

The Childlike Empress: They were with him when he took the book with the Auryn symbol on the cover, in which he's reading his own story, right now.

Bastian: [runs off and catches himself; goes back to the book] I can't believe it! They can't be talking about me.

Atreyu: What will happen when he doesn't appear?!

The Childlike Empress: [in a grave tone] Then our world will disappear, and so will I.

Atreyu: How could he let that happen?!

The Childlike Empress: He doesn't understand that he's the one who has the power to stop it. He simply can't imagine that one little boy could be that important.

Bastian: Is it really me? How could I make any difference?

Atreyu: MAYBE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE HAS TO DO!!

Bastian: WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?!

The Childlike Empress: He has to give me a new name.

Atreyu: WHAT IF HE DOESN'T COME UP WITH THE RIGHT NAME?!

The Childlike Empress: He's already chosen it. He just has to call it out.

Atreyu: [now desperate and hysterical] WHERE IS HE?!?!?!? WHY ISN'T HE HERE?!?!?!

The Childlike Empress: He still does not have the confidence.

Bastian: [the Nothing continues to consume the tower and another quake from the Nothing kills Atreyu] But it's only a story, it's not real, it's only a story! ATREYU, NOOOO!!!

The Childlike Empress: [seeing Atreyu's death] ATREYU!

The Childlike Empress: [to Bastian] Don't you have the courage to save us, Bastian?

Bastian: [now scared and terrified] I WISH I COULD!!

The Childlike Empress: Why don't you do what you dream, Bastian?

Bastian: [on the verge of tears] BUT I CAN'T! I HAVE TO KEEP MY FEET ON THE GROUND!!

The Childlike Empress: [as the Ivory Tower is seconds away from being consumed by the nothing] Call my name! Please, call my name! BASTIAN, PLEASE!!! SAVE US!!!

Bastian: [finally giving in; climbs up to the window and yells at the storm] ALL RIGHT! I'LL DO IT! I'LL SAVE YOU!! I WILL DO WHAT I DREAM!!! MOONCHILD!!!!!!

G'mork: If you come any closer, I will rip you to shreds.

Atreyu: Who are you?

G'mork: I am G'mork. And you, whoever you are, can have the honor of being my last victim.

Atreyu: I will not die easily. I am a warrior.

G'mork: Ha! Brave warrior. Then fight the Nothing.

Atreyu: [G'mork laughs mockingly] But I can't! I can't get beyond the boundaries of Fantasia! What's so funny about that?

G'mork: Fantasia has no boundaries.

Atreyu: That's not true. You're lying!

G'mork: Foolish boy. Don't you know anything about Fantasia? It's the world of human fantasy. Every part, every creature of it, is a piece of the dreams and hopes of mankind. Therefore, it has no boundaries.

Atreyu: But why is Fantasia dying, then?

G'mork: Because people have begun to lose their hopes and forget their dreams. So the Nothing grows stronger.

Atreyu: What is the Nothing?

G'mork: It's the emptiness that's left. It is like a despair, destroying this world. And I have been trying to help it.

Atreyu: But why?!

G'mork: Because people who have no hopes are easy to control. And whoever has the control has the Power.

Atreyu: [briefly loses his balance, but regains it and turns towards G'mork with a cold look] Who are you really?

G'mork: [last words] I am the servant of the Power behind the Nothing. I was sent to kill the only one who could have stopped the Nothing. I lost him in the Swamps of Sadness. His name was Atreyu.

Atreyu: [falls, but grabs a sharp piece of stone and stands up] If we're about to die anyway, I'd rather die fighting! Come for me, G'mork! I AM ATREYU!

Rockbiter: [holding up his hands] They look like big, good, strong hands, don't they? I always thought that's what they were. Oh, my little friends... the little man with his racing snail, the Nighthob, even the stupid bat. I couldn't hold onto them. The Nothing pulled them right out of my hands. I failed.

Atreyu: No, you didn't fail. I'm the one who failed. I was the one chosen to stop the Nothing. But I lost the Auryn, I can't find my luckdragon, so I won't be able to get beyond the boundaries of Fantasia!

Rockbiter: [holds up his hands again] Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. I will just sit here, and let it take me away too. They look like good, strong hands, don't they?

Southern Oracle: Do not be afraid. We will not harm you. We have been waiting for you a long time, Atreyu.

Atreyu: Are you the Southern Oracle?

Southern Oracle: Yes, we are.

Atreyu: Then you must know what can save Fantasia!

Southern Oracle: Yes, we do.

Atreyu: Well, what is it? I have to know!

Southern Oracle: The Empress needs a new name.

Atreyu: A new name? That's all? But that's easy! I can give her any name she wants!

Southern Oracle: No one from Fantasia can do it. Only a human child can give her this new name.

Atreyu: A human child? Where can I find one?

Southern Oracle: [begins to crumble] You can only find one beyond the boundaries of Fantasia. If you want to save our world, you must hurry! We don't know how much longer we can withstand the Nothing.

Engywook: He made it! Atreyu! He made it through the Sphinx Gate! I always said he could do it!

Urgl: Oh, good! But that's no reason for you to fall out of the basket again!

Engywook: Ooh!

Falkor: I knew he would be safe.

Engywook: Nonsense! You don't understand anything! The worst one is coming up. Next is the Magic Mirror Gate. Atreyu has to look his true self!

Falkor: So what? That won't be too hard for him.

Engywook: Oh, that's what everyone thinks! But kind people find that they are cruel. Brave men discover that they are really cowards! Confronted with their true selves, most men run away, screaming!

Atreyu: Is that the Southern Oracle?

Engwwook: Oh, no. It's the first of the two gates you must pass through, before you reach the Southern Oracle, and get me the final information for my book. Of course, most people never get that far.

Atreyu: Why?

Engywook: The sphinxes eyes stay closed, until someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by.

Engywook: Get out of my light, wench!! You're disturbing my scientific work!!!

Urgl: You and your SCIENTIFIC WORK!!!! What the boy needs now... is one of my potions!!

Engywook: The boy will need my scientific advice much more! ...

Atreyu: Ahem...

Engywook: Ahhhhhh!!! He's well!!! Now it's my turn with him!

Urgl: Oh no, you don't! ... It's your turn when I say it's your turn. Well, little man... still in pain??

Atreyu: A little... but it's all right.

Urgl: [hands Atreyu cup] I like that!!! The patient telling the doctor it's all right?? It has to hurt if it's to heal! Here. Drink that... that's my batwing broth!! There's eye of newt in there, tree mold... old lizard brains... scales from a rancid sea serpent!

Engywook: Just where did you and your dragon come from? What are you on to? Anything of interest in the, uh, scientific community?

Atreyu: My name's Atreyu. I came here to find the Southern Oracle.

Engywook: Oh!

Urgl: Here we go again!

Engywook: You've come to the right place, my boy! I am somewhat of an expert on the Southern Oracle.

Urgl: It is my scientific specialty.

Engywook: It's my scientific specialty!

Urgl: Why don't you sit down and be quiet for once?!

Engywook: You keep quiet, wench!

Urgl: Ooh!!

Engywook: [to Atreyu] It's now my turn. My name is Engywook. She's Urgl. Ever heard of me?

Atreyu: I don't think so.

Engywook: [Atreyu shakes his head] You don't move in scientific circles. I am the expert on the Southern Oracle. Oh, you've come to the right place, my boy!

Urgl: There's no fool like an old fool.

Engywook: Wait! Stay here! The observatory. To the winch, wench!

Falkor: Leaving so soon? Hmm?

Atreyu: Uh, I was just going to – I-I-I have to... I was trying to–

Falkor: Sneak away?

Atreyu: [Falkor chuckles] Yeah... I mean no, no!

Falkor: I like children.

Atreyu: For breakfast?

Falkor: [laughs] Never! I'm a luckdragon. My name is Falkor.

Atreyu: And my name is–

Falkor: Atreyu. And you're on a quest.

Atreyu: How'd you know that?

Falkor: [winks] You were unconscious, and you talked in your sleep.

Atreyu: Wha–?

Falkor: [wiggles his right ear, and strains to reach it with his short leg; Atreyu giggles] Could you... get round and scratch behind my right ear? I can never quite reach it!

Atreyu: [approaches him and starts scratching] Here?

Falkor: [chuckles] Oh... yeah! That's so good. Thank you. So, little fella – you're on your way to the Southern Oracle?

Atreyu: Yes. But it's hopeless. It's too far away!

Falkor: Oh, I wouldn't necessarily say that.

Atreyu: You... you know how to get there?

Falkor: Why, sure. It's right around the corner.

Atreyu: How'd all this happen?!

Falkor: [chuckles; winks again] With luck!

Atreyu: You've already brought me the entire 10,000 miles?

Falkor: No, only 9,891... as the dragon flies.

Atreyu: You're amazing!

Falkor: [chuckles] Having a luckdragon with you is the only way to go on a quest. Things will work out fine, Atreyu. Never give up, and good luck will find you.

Atreyu: Are you Morla, the Ancient One?

Morla: [yawns] Not that it matters, but yes.

Atreyu: [holds out the Auryn] Please help me, Morla! Do you recognize this?

Morla: Well... we haven't seen the Auryn in a long time.

Atreyu: [looks around him] We? Is there someone else here, too?

Morla: [lets out an enormous sneeze, knocking Atreyu out of the tree] We haven't spoken to anyone else for thousands of years, so we started talking to ourselves.

Atreyu: [climbing back up] Morla! I bring terrible news! Did you know that the Empress is very ill?

Morla: Not that it matters, but yes. Actually, we don't care.

Atreyu: If I don't save her, she'll die! There's a terrible Nothing sweeping over the land! Don't you care about that?

Morla: [stifles a sneeze, Atreyu braces himself] We don't even care... whether or not we care.

Atreyu: Do you have a cold?

Morla: [sneezes again] No. We're allergic... to youth!

Atreyu: You know how I can help the Empress, don't you?

Morla: Not that it matters, but... yes.

Atreyu: If you don't tell me and the Nothing keeps coming, you'll die too! Both of you!

Morla: [starts to sneeze, Atreyu braces himself again] Die? That, at least, would be something.

Atreyu: Please help me. You said you knew the answer–

Morla: [sneezes again, knocking Atreyu out of the tree] We're tired of sneezing. Go away! Nothing matters.

Atreyu: [climbing back up again] That's not true! If it didn't really matter to you, you could tell me.

Morla: [laughs] Ah ha ha! Clever boy.

Atreyu: TELL ME, PLEASE!

Morla: We don't know, but you can ask the Southern Oracle.

Atreyu: How can I get there?

Morla: You can't. It's 10,000 miles away.

Atreyu: But that's so far.

Morla: That's right. Forget it. Give up.

Cairon: I'm sorry, but this is not the time nor place for children. I must ask you to leave.

Atreyu: If you don't want me here, you shouldn't have sent for me.

Cairon: It was not you we sent for. We wanted Atreyu.

Atreyu: I am Atreyu.

Cairon: [laughs] Not Atreyu the Child! Atreyu the Warrior.

Atreyu: [turns to leave] I am the only Atreyu of the Plains People. But I'll be happy to go back hunting the purple buffalo.

Cairon: No, wait! Come back, please. If you really are the Atreyu we sent for, you would be willing to go on a quest?

Atreyu: Yes, of course. What kind of a quest?

Cairon: To find a cure for the Empress, and to save our world. No one can give you any advice except this: You must go alone. You must leave all your weapons behind. It will be very dangerous.

Atreyu: Is there any chance of success?

Cairon: I do not know. But if you fail, the Empress will surely die, and our whole world will be utterly destroyed.

Atreyu: [takes off his bow and quiver of arrows and lays them on the ground] When do I begin?

Cairon: [places the Auryn necklace around Atreyu's neck] Now. And you must hurry, Atreyu. The Nothing grows stronger every day. Take this. He who wears the Auryn speaks for the Empress. It will guide and protect you.

Rockbiter: Where I come from, in the North, we used to have exquisite gourmet rocks. Only now... now, they're all gone.

Nighthob: [chuckles] I know how it happened.

Rockbiter: Oh, I-I swear it wasn't me!

Nighthob: Oh, heck, no!

Teeny Weeny: I think I know what it was. Tell us more.

Rockbiter: Near my home, there used to be a beautiful lake. But then... then it... it was gone.

Teeny Weeny: Did the lake dry up?

Rockbiter: No. It just wasn't there anymore. Nothing was there anymore. Not even a dried-up lake.

Teeny Weeny: A hole?

Rockbiter: [starts chewing a rock, and the pieces nearly fall onto the Nighthob] A hole would be something. No, it was... nothing. And it got bigger and bigger. First there was no lake anymore, and then, finally... no rocks.

Nighthob: If he keeps stuffing his face like that, soon there won't be any rocks here either!

Mr. Koreander: Are you still here? Didn't you hear what I said, boy?

Bastian: Um, I was...

Mr. Koreander: You're hiding, aren't you?

Bastian: No, I was...

Mr. Koreander: [[books] The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects. They're called ]. They require a little effort on your part, and make no "bee-beep-beeps". On your way, please.

Bastian: I know books! I have 186 of them at home.

Mr. Koreander: Aah, comic books.

Bastian: [[Treasure Island|''Treasure Island''; [James Fenimore Cooper#The Last of the Mohicans (1826)|''Last of the Mohicans''; [L. Frank Baum#The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)|''The Wizard of Oz''; [The Lord of the Rings|''Lord of the Rings''; [Jules Verne#Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870)|''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea''; [Edgar Rice Burroughs#Tarzan of the Apes (1912)|''Tarzan''] No, I've read ], ], ], ], ], ]...

Mr. Koreander: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... who are you running away from?

Bastian: Just some kids from school.

Mr. Koreander: Why?

Bastian: They wanna throw me in the garbage.

Mr. Koreander: Well, why don't you give em a good punch in the nose, hmm?

Bastian: [notices the book that Mr. Koreander was reading] Well, I don't know... What's that book about?

Mr. Koreander: Oh, this is something special.

Bastian: Well, what is it?

Mr. Koreander: Look, your books are safe. While you're reading them, you get to become Tarzan, or Robinson Crusoe.

Bastian: But that's what I like about em.

Mr. Koreander: Ah, but afterwards you get to be a little boy again.

Bastian: What do you mean?

Mr. Koreander: Listen. Have you ever been Captain Nemo, trapped inside your submarine, while the giant squid is attacking you?

Bastian: ...Yes.

Mr. Koreander: Weren't you afraid you couldn't escape?

Bastian: But it's only a story.

Mr. Koreander: That's what I'm talking about. The ones you read are safe.

Bastian: And that one isn't?

Mr. Koreander: Don't worry about it.

Bastian: But you just said it was...

Mr. Koreander: [closes the book] Forget about it. This book is not for you.

Bastian: I had another dream, Dad. About Mom.

Bastian's Father: [Bastian doesn't reply] I understand, son. But we have to get on with things, right? Bastian, we each have responsibilities. We can't let Mom's death be an excuse for not getting the old job done, right?

Bastian: Yeah.

Bastian's Father: Son, I think it's time you and I had a little talk. I got a call from your math teacher yesterday. She says that you were drawing horses in your math book.

Bastian: [crossing his fingers] Unicorns. They were unicorns.

Bastian's Father: What?

Bastian: Nothing.

Bastian's Father: She also says that you haven't been turning in your homework on time. And I'm very disappointed that you didn't even try out for the swimming team. As to those riding lessons you wanted, you say you love horses, and yet you seem to be afraid to get on a real one. Now Bastian, you're old enough to get your head down out of the clouds and start keeping both feet on the ground, right?

Bastian: Okay.

Bastian's Father: [smiles] Stop daydreaming. Start facing your problems. Okay?

Bastian: Okay.

Falkor: [[good; [luck] Never give up, and ] ] will find you.

Bastian: MOONCHILD!

Bastian: No, not again. No, not again!