The Corpse Bride is a stop-motion animated film released in 2005. It was directed by Tim Burton, famous for using a similar aesthetic in films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach... Read more
What is a cornucopia? Also called the Horn of plenty, it is a decorative object or motif used to symbolize abundance. The first cornucopias were curved goat horns overflowing with produce and grain. Later, baskets woven in this shape were used... Read more
When we first meet Lightning McQueen, he is a proud and self-assured racecar who believes he is destined for greatness. When he spends some time in the sleepy town of Radiator Springs, however, Lightning learns to care about others besides himself... Read more
Pocahontas was the first Disney film based on a real-life story. Pocahontas was born around 1595, the daughter of the Chief Powhatan. But for the children's film, that's where history ends and fiction begins... Read more
In Greek mythology, Pegasus was a winged horse. It is said that he "sprang from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa as she was beheaded by the hero Perseus." Another hero named Bellerophon captured Pegasus and rode him in battle but fell from his back trying to reach the heavens. Later, Pegasus became a servant of Zeus and was transformed into a starry constellation... Read more
Cheerleading has been around since at least the 1880s, when college football first became popular at America's Ivy League schools. Participants were then called "yell leaders." Cheerleading combines dance, acrobatics, and flashy attire to encourage the team and stir up the crowd... Read more
Skunks are mammals native to North and South America. They are highly recognizable due to their bold black and white coloration. They are most well-known, however, for their ability to spray a pungent liquid from glands located beneath their tails, which they use to ward off predators... Read more
Luigi is Mario's twin brother. He is younger, thinner, and a bit taller than his brother. Luigi debuted in Mario Bros. in 1983. Luigi was originally created to give the game a multiplayer option... Read more
Cyclops, also known as Scott Summers or Slim, first appeared in the X-Men comic books in 1963. He is a human mutant able to emit energy beams called optic blasts from his eyes. He wears special goggles that allow him to control these beams... Read more
Wolverine, also known as James Howlett, Logan, or Weapon X, is a Marvel Comics character and member of the X-Men. He is a mutant with superhuman strength, retractable claws, animal-like senses, and a rapid healing factor. His is considered an antihero, brooding and capable of deadly force... Read more
Vegeta is a Saiyan, part of a humanoid warrior race from the destroyed planet Vegeta. Only a few Saiyans exist - primarily Vegeta, Goku, and their offspring. Vegeta is... Read more
Princess Zelda is the title character of the Zelda video game series, which debuted in 1986. She is often a "damsel in distress" who must be rescued by the game's protagonist, Link. At times, she takes on a more active role. She was named after the American novelist Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of the famed novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald.... Read more
In the popular Halo video game series, protagonist Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is a Spartan-II commando in the United Nations Space Command's Naval Special Warfare Command. At the present point in the game, this fictional character has over thirty years of... Read more
Peter Pan was first introduced in the novel The Little White Bird in 1902. The play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, written by Scottish playwright J. M. Barrie, hit the world stage in 1904. Peter Pan soon became a part of modern mythology... Read more
Bugs Bunny may be one of the most recognizable cartoon characters of all time, second only to Disney's Mickey Mouse. The character was named after his animator and creator, Ben "Bugs" Hardaway. He first made it to the screen in 1938... Read more
The word "soldier" can be traced to a Latin word meaning "one having pay." Throughout history, soldiers have been individuals paid to fight in battles. Soldiers generally work for the country in which they live. There are also "soldiers for hire," called mercenaries, who are willing to fight for the highest bidder... Read more
Angels are defined as "any benevolent...spiritual being that mediates between the transcendent and temporal realms." Throughout history, various cultures have recorded such beings in their art, often endowing them with wings. Ancient examples can be seen in the Assyrian relief panel and other works displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art... Read more
Train by Darth Sidious, Darth Maul was a Sith Lord who wielded a double-bladed lightsaber. He is a Zabrak from Dathomir. The Zabrak males host a striking appearance, that of encircling facial horns and patterns... Read more
The story of Cinderella is an old one. Over 500 different versions of the story are known in Europe – there may be thousands around the world. Another was created in China during the ninth century. Another was recorded in Greece about 2,000 years ago... Read more
In Egyptian mythology, the Sphinx was a creature that had a human head and the body of a lion. In one legend, a winged Sphinx asked the riddle, “What is it that has one voice year becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?” The Sphinx would eat anyone that could not give the proper answer... Read more