Mowgli (The Jungle Book 2016) (2024)

Mowgli is the main protagonist in the 2016 live-action remake of The Jungle Book.

He is based on both the character from Rudyard Kiling's stories and Disney's 1967 animated film.

Role in the Film[]

As a child, Mowgli's father was killed by Shere Khan when they took refuge in a cave while traveling between villages, leaving him an orphan. He was later found by Bagheera, who later took Mowgli to the wolf pack, under the leadership of Akela. Raksha took him in as her son, and since his adoption, Mowgli spends his time training with Bagheera and his siblings and learning how to become a proper wolf. He also has a fascination with inventing and uses such creations to assist him in surviving, despite his lack of animalistic skills. These creations are looked down upon by the wolves, particularly Akela, and dubbed "tricks".

During the "dry season", only one area of the jungle, a watering hole know colloquially as the Water Truce, provides water, which the animals respond to by forming a truce to obtain an equal share for their own survival. This includes Shere Khan, who notices the presence of Mowgli. He threatens to kill members of the wolf pack unless the boy is handed over to him. Mowgli, not wanting anyone to get hurt, leaves the pack with Bagheera. Shortly after, Mowgli is separated from Bagheera during an attack by Shere Khan and manages to escape.

After Shere Khan later learns that the wolves allowed Mowgli to leave as opposed to turning the man-cub over, the tiger kills Akela and takes control of the wolf pack. Mowgli lost even deeper in the Jungle, soon encounters Kaa. The huge snake hypnotizes and tries to eat the man-cub, revealing his past while she entrances him, but he is saved by Baloo, who drives the giant python away. Baloo forces Mowgli to return the favor by obtaining honey from a high up cliff side. Mowgli does so successfully by kicking it to the ground with his feet and tries to leave. Baloo convinces him to remain by his side, saying that he needs more food and resources for 'hibernation' during the winter, but promises to take him to the Man-Village should he wish, also noting that Mowgli is capable of being a man in the jungle as opposed to being a man in the village. Over time, Mowgli and Baloo form a bond, and they eventually are located by Bagheera. Bagheera tries to take Mowgli to the Man-Village, but Baloo convinces the panther to wait until morning after Bagheera becomes angry with Mowgli for his use of "tricks" and inventions during his stay with Baloo. During the night, Mowgli notices a herd of elephants in distress. Their youngest member is trapped in a deep pit, and Mowgli quickly responds by creating a device from vines that rescue the baby, forming a bond with the elephants in the process.

Afterward, Mowgli is confronted by Baloo (who, on Bagheera's orders to protect him from Shere Khan, lies that they were never friends and that he only used Mowgli to obtain what he wanted) and is then kidnapped by bander-logs and is taken to the kingdom of King Louie. Louie commands Mowgli to teach him the ways of the "red flower", but Mowgli, not knowing the secrets, is unable to. After Baloo and Bagheera arrive to rescue Mowgli and nearly succeed in sneaking him out of the bander-log temple, Louie and his monkeys attack, with Louie personally pursuing the man-cub. During their confrontation, Louie claims to be Mowgli's only hope for safety from Shere Khan. Mowgli tells Louie that he'll return to Akela, prompting Louie to reveal the wolf's demise. After Louie is defeated and crushed to death by his own temple falling on him, Mowgli confronts Bagheera on Akela's death and, enraged by this revelation, chooses to return to the wolf pack to avenge their fallen leader and end Shere Khan's tyranny.

Mowgli travels to the Man-Village, where he is mesmerized by seeing other humans for the first time and retrieves a torch of fire from the village's entrance. As he travels to the wolf pack, he accidentally causes a fire to break out, which in turn causes the other animals in the jungle to gather at the Water Truce. Mowgli confronts Shere Khan who informs the former of the danger he's caused. Ashamed of his actions and discouraged by the fear seen in his family and friends, Mowgli puts out the fire, leaving him devoid of protection. Nevertheless, Baloo, Bagheera, Raksha, and the rest of the wolf pack defy the tiger to protect Mowgli. The animals battle Shere Khan while Mowgli escapes into the burning jungle to set a trap for the tiger. Shere Khan eventually follows behind and chases Mowgli up a dead strangler fig tree. Mowgli then tricks Shere Khan into leaping onto a weak branch, goading him by saying that he is not afraid of the tiger, resulting in the tiger pouncing and falling into the inferno below to his death, while Mowgli swings away. With Shere Khan dead, Mowgli rallies the elephants to his aid, and with their help, extinguishes the fire by damming the river so that the water overflows into the jungle.

Having proved himself, Mowgli remains a member of the jungle, accepted for his own unique methods of survival, and is last seen relaxing with Bagheera and Baloo.

Gallery[]

Screenshots[]

Miscellaneous[]

Variants[]

• Mowgli
• Mowgli (Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book)
• Mowgli (The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story)