Do Any Animals Die in Damsel (2024)

Starring Millie Bobby Brown, and directed by Juan Carlos Frenadillo, Damsel is about a young woman who agrees to marry a charming prince only to be thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon.

Spoilers below.

Elodie, played by Millie Bobby Brown, exploring a dark cave while holding up a makeshift lantern.

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Short answer
Detailed answer
What is Damsel

Short answer

Yes, several small birds and a horse are killed. The main dragon is severely wounded, and a flashback recounts the killing of baby dragons.

Detailed answer

Birds

While exploring the dragon's cave, Elodie finds a small bird on fire. She tries to save it, using mud to put out the fire, but the bird is briefly shown to have died from its burns. Shortly after hundreds of birds are shown attempting to fly out of the cave, only to be set on fire and killed.

Horse

Later in the film, Elodie attempts to ride away from the dragon on horseback. Knowing the dragon is close behind, Elodie dismounts and sets the horse to run as a distraction while she hides. The horse is quickly set afire and killed by the dragon. The horse is shown on fire, but it is very brief.

Does the dragon die in Damsel

No, the main dragon does not die. The dragon is however wounded with stabs to its mouth, and in its eye. It is also severely wounded with its own fire. None of these moments are very graphic, and the wounds only last a short while as the dragon is healed soon after.

Three baby dragons are killed by soldiers using swords. The deaths are not shown but can be heard.

Timestamps

00:39:00 A small bird is found on fire. The bird succumbs to its burns and dies.

00:39:30 Hundreds of birds attempt to flee but are caught and killed in dragon fire.

01:07:55 Soldiers are ordered to kill three baby dragons that have hatched from their eggs.

1:18:00 Elodie dismounts and sends the horse to distract the dragon. The horse is killed by dragon fire very shortly after.

Elodie, battered and bruised, walks confidently through a palatial hallway in the movie Damsel.

What is Damsel

Damsel is a 2024 action-fantasy film directing by Juan Carlos Frenadillo, released by Netflix. It stars Millie Bobby Brown alongside Robin Wright Penn, Angela Basset, and Ray Winstone. The story follows a dutiful damsel who agrees to marry a handsome prince to save her kingdom. The marriage is a ancient rouse by the royal family to sacrifice her to a vicious dragon.