List of The Neverending Story characters

This article lists character information from the book The Neverending Story and the film adaptations of the same name.

Bastian Balthazar Bux

Bastian Balthazar Bux
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Barret Oliver
Jonathan Brandis
Jason James Richter
Christopher Bell
Mark Rendall
Information
Species Human
Gender Male

Bastian Balthazar Bux is the main protagonist of the story. Bastian is a shy and bookish boy around 12 years old who is neglected by his father, who is still mourning the sudden death of his wife (she died of an unspecified illness). He is a dreamer, who is shunned by other children due to his immense imagination. During a visit to an antique bookstore, he steals a curious-looking book titled The Neverending Story, and upon reading it he finds himself literally drawn into the story.

Halfway through the book, Bastian becomes a character in The Neverending Story, in a world called Fantastica ("Fantasia" in the movies, which is closer to the German original "Phantásien"). He is bestowed the magical amulet AURYN, which allows his wishes to be granted. As the story progresses, Bastian slowly loses his memories of the real world as his wishes carry him throughout Fantastica and change him into a completely different person. Deluded by the witch Xayide, Bastian moves to the Ivory Tower and tries to have himself proclaimed Emperor. The ceremony is interrupted by Atreyu, who is nearly killed by Bastian.

Eventually, Bastian realizes that he is beginning to lose himself, and starts a desperate last-ditch quest for his one true desire. In the end he forgets even his name, but with the help of Falkor and Atreyu, who promise to finish the stories he started, he manages to return to the human world with the capability of loving, which was his deepest (and thereto unknown) desire, and bringing to his father the Water of Life, curing him of his melancholy. Bastian and Coreander exchange tales of their adventures in Fantastica, and Coreander reveals that a person can return to Fantastica as many times as they can think of new names for the benevolent Childlike Empress, and predicts Bastian will show others the way to Fantastica.

He has been portrayed by five different actors:

Atreyu

Atreyu
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Noah Hathaway (1st film)
Kenny Morrison (2nd film)
Dominic Zamprogna (Animated series)
Tyler Hynes (TV series)
Information
Species Greenskin warrior
Gender Male

Atreyu (German: Atréju) is the secondary protagonist of the story. He is the protagonist of the mysterious book that Bastian reads. To the readership, Atreyu is a metafictional character, existing fictionally and within the reality of the book itself. He is described as having green skin and blue hair.

He is a young warrior from the Grassy Plains (in Germany, "The Grassy Sea"). His parents were killed by a Purple Buffalo soon after he was born, and his entire village raised him; wherefore his name means "son of all" in his native language. He is summoned by the Childlike Empress to save the land of Fantasia by finding a cure for her illness, and given AURYN, an amulet that makes whoever wears it the Childlike Empress' herald. During the quest to find a cure, he meets Falkor the luckdragon, who becomes his steed after the death of his horse 'Artax'. Bastian, reading Atreyu's story in the real world, experiences everything Atreyu does; this proves Fantasia's solution and the Empress' cure, in bringing Bastian to Fantastica ("Fantasia" in the movies) to give the Empress a new name.

Atreyu features largely in the second half of the novel, as Bastian travels Fantasia far and wide as its savior. They quickly become friends, but as Bastian continues to use AURYN, he becomes arrogant and gradually loses his memory. When Bastian has lost even his name, Atreyu and Falkor offer favorable testimony to the powers in AURYN, who allow Bastian's return to the human world. With their friendship restored, Atreyu promises to finish the stories Bastian has begun in Fantastica.

In the 1984 film version, the character of Atreyu is played by Noah Hathaway. His skin is not olive green as described in the book; though it was attempted to do this through makeup, it never made it to the final production. As such, his people were called the 'Plains People' instead of Greenskins.

The character also makes a return appearance in The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, played by Kenny Morrison. In the 2001 Hallmark Channel mini-series, Tales from the Neverending Story, he is portrayed by Tyler Hynes and the character's people are called the Woodland People. He is shown to have a romantic relationship with a young aviatrix called "Fly Girl", and to be something of a village innocent.

Appearances in other media

Carl Conrad Coreander

Carl Conrad Coreander
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Thomas Hill
John Dunn-Hill
Freddie Jones
Information
Species Human
Gender Male
Occupation Book shop owner

Carl Conrad Coreander (Karl Konrad Koreander in German) is a cantankerous bookseller, and the name of his bookstore makes for the first words in the novel, the heading of the prologue being "skooB dlO srednaeroC darnoC lraC", the store name when viewed through the window from the inside outwards. Bastian finds the Neverending Story in his store. While Coreander is distracted by a telephone call, Bastian steals it and takes it to school with him.

In the end, the novel makes it clear that Mr. Coreander is one of the few humans who has been to Fantasia and returned. He and Bastian come to a better understanding and share telling the stories of their adventures to one another. Both he and Bastian share the oddity of triple letter initials, an insight into their mutual connection to Fantasia.

Coreander is portrayed by Thomas Hill in the first movie, and was the only actor who reprised his role in the second movie; however, in the third movie, he is played by Freddie Jones. In the television series, Tales from the Neverending Story, he functions in a double role as a wizard in Fantasia, wherein he is called "the Curiosity".

The Childlike Empress

Childlike Empress
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Tami Stronach
Alexandra Johnes
Julie Cox
Audrey Gardiner
Lisa Yamanaka
Information
Aliases Moon Child, Golden-Eyed Commander of Wishes
Species Fantastican
Gender Female
Occupation Goddess of Fantasy

The Childlike Empress (Die Kindliche Kaiserin in German) is the mysterious and benevolent monarch of Fantasia, who resides in the capital called Ivory Tower in the heart of the realm. Although she is nominally the ruler of Fantasia, she rarely interacts with the outside world. Should she die, Fantasia and all Fantasians would cease to exist.

The amulet known as the 'AURYN' is her emblem, and those who wear it are her representatives. As explained by Morla the Aged One, her lifetime is not measured in years or in time ("she's much older than the oldest inhabitants of Fantasia, or rather, she's ageless"), but by names, which only the imagination of a human child can give her. When she begins to need a new name, she begins to fade away, causing the Nothing to appear in Fantasia. She sends Atreyu on the Great Quest, which brings Bastian Balthazar Bux to Fantasia, and Bastian gives her the name of 'Moon Child' (Mondenkind in German), which restores Fantasia and begins the second half of the novel.

Her description is that of an indescribably beautiful young girl, appearing no older than ten, yet much older than the oldest Fantasians. Her hair is snow-white, as is her gown, and her eyes are the color of gold, earning her the title "Golden-Eyed Commander of Wishes" (Goldäugige Gebieterin der Wünsche in German).

The role was portrayed by Tami Stronach in Wolfgang Petersen's 1984 adaptation, by Alexandra Johnes in The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990) and by Julie Cox (apparently as an adolescent) in The NeverEnding Story III (1994). In the movies, her hair is dark, rather than white, and in the first movie, she is dressed like a bride.

In the 2001 television series Tales from the Neverending Story, the Empress, again depicted with dark hair, was played by Audrey Gardiner.

The Empress was also featured in an animated Neverending Story television series (episodes of which were edited into a movie), in which she had golden hair and wore a green gown. Her voice was provided by Lisa Yamanaka.

Engywook and Urgl

Engywook and Urgl
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Sydney Bromley (1st film)
Tony Robinson (3rd film)
Patricia Hayes (1st film)
Moya Brady (3rd film)
Information
Species Fantasian Gnomes
Occupation Engywook: Researcher of the Southern Oracle
Urgl: Housewife

Engywook (Engywuck in German) and his wife Urgl, called in German the "Zweisiedler" (neologism from "Einsiedler" hermit; roughly "doublitarian") are a quarrelsome pair of gnomes who live close to the Southern Oracle. Engywook is a research scientist who has studied the Southern Oracle and her three gates for most of his life, but has never entered any. His wife Urgl often gets in his way while brewing potions in a large cauldron, for healing wounded people. Engywook can observe the Riddle Gate, also known as the Sphinxes, from his telescope on a hilltop overlooking the first gate. In the book, Urgl removes poison from Atreyu and Engywook instructs him about the three gates that lead to the Southern Oracle. This scene is portrayed in the 1984 film, Engywook played by Sydney Bromley, and Urgl played by Patricia Hayes.

In the third film of the series, Engywook, played by Tony Robinson, and Urgl, played by Moya Brady, have moved to a forest and still argue continuously. The house is stepped on by Bastian during his return trip to Fantasia, although it is then completely destroyed by the Nasties. The two go with Bastian, Falkor, and Bark Troll to find the Empress for help, but are stranded on Earth and arrive in Alaska, where they mail themselves to the others and return home, their house rebuilt.

Falkor the Luckdragon

Falkor

"Side view Falkor", an original prop used by Bavaria Film Studios
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Alan Oppenheimer (1st film)
Donald Arthur (2nd film)
William Hootkins (3rd film)
Information
Species Luckdragon
Gender Male

Falkor (Fuchur in German) is a companion of Atreyu and Bastian. He is the only luckdragon to appear, although five others are mentioned in passing. He helps Atreyu find a cure for the Empress after escaping the web of Ygramul the Many.

The original name "Fuchur" is derived from Japanese "Fukuryuu" (福竜 or 福龍, "lucky dragon"). It was changed in the English translation because the pronunciation of the original name is similar to that of the agentive form of an English expletive. Personality wise, Falkor is optimistic, helpful and wise, trying to help Bastian remember to "never give up and good luck will find you."

Falkor has an elongated body with rudimentary paws and pink scales and hairs that appear white in dull light. His head is described less precisely, though his eyes are given the colour of rubies. In the illustrations of the German novel, he appears much like an Oriental dragon; whereas a cover for the book by Dan Craig illustrated Falkor as lion-like; and in the 1984 film adaptation of the novel, as well as its sequels, Falkor has canine features upon a white furred body and is pleased by affectionate scratchings behind his ear. Luckdragons possess neither an immense physical strength, nor great magical talents, though they can exhale fire, which is blue, as when Falkor fights Ygramul. Their only distinctive ability that sets them apart is incredible luck in everything they do, as shown when Falkor locates and rescues his companion after being lost in a violent, blinding storm. When in flight, a luckdragon is in constant motion. Luckdragons never stop drawing air and heat through their scales, which makes eating unnecessary and makes submersion in water deadly to them. Luckdragons are capable of sleeping while flying, and prefer to occupy as much open space as possible.

In the first film, Falkor is voiced by Alan Oppenheimer. In the second film, Falkor is voiced by an uncredited Donald Arthur. In the third film, Falkor is performed by Gord Robertson and voiced by William Hootkins. Bavaria Film Studios retains a "side view Falkor" which tourists can climb and ride. The prop is the last remaining version of Falkor from the original film, and was used for blue-screen side angle shots.

Other appearances

Gmork

Gmork (in Latin Spanish dubbing, is known as "La Nada", "The Nothing")

Gmork, as he appears in the 1984 motion picture.
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Alan Oppenheimer (uncredited)
Edward Yankie (TV)
Don Francks (cartoon)
Information
Species Wolf

Gmork is one of the main villains of the story. He is the servant of the power behind the Nothing. His appearance in the book is that of a large, wolf-like creature with night-black fur and capable of human speech; but the film gives him blue-black fur and luminous green cat-like eyes, as well as more fangs than an ordinary wolf would have.

Gmork's primary mission in the Neverending Story is to kill the young warrior Atreyu. He, and other dual-natured creatures like him, is able to travel between worlds, changing into a Fantastican or a human depending upon the world, in appearance only. Atreyu finally meets Gmork in Spook City, where he is chained, and Atreyu employs the name 'Nobody' to hide his identity in shame of his failure to complete his quest. Gmork confesses that he has been hunting a boy sent on a quest by the Childlike Empress to find her a new name, but lost him early on. He then met the Princess of Darkness, Gaya, who upon hearing of his mission to help the Nothing, chained Gmork with an unbreakable chain (reminiscent of Fenrir in Nordic mythology) and leapt into the Nothing, leaving him to starve. Gmork explains to Atreyu the nature of the Nothing, and that a Fantastican who enters it, must become a 'lie' in the human world. Eventually, Gmork reveals the name of the boy he is pursuing, and Atreyu reveals his identity, which causes Gmork to laugh until he finally succumbs to starvation. As Atreyu approaches the dead wolf, the carcass grabs Atreyu in its jaws, which prevents Atreyu obedience to the overpowering urge exerted by the Nothing to throw himself into it. He is freed from Gmork's grip by Falkor, who escapes with him to the Ivory Tower.

In the movie, Gmork almost manages to kill Atreyu in the Swamps of Sadness, but Atreyu is saved by Falkor. Their meeting in Spook City occurs in the movie as well, where Gmork attacks Atreyu, impaling himself on an improvised stone knife held by the young warrior.

In Tales of the Neverending Story, Gmork is a werewolf under Xayide who invades Bastian's world, under the name of 'Mr. Blank'.

Grograman

Grograman
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Gary Crawford (cartoon)
Information
Aliases The Many Colored Death
Species Lion
Occupation Guardian of the Desert of Colors

Grograman, known as The Many Colored Death (Graógramán, der Bunte Tod in German), is the guardian of Goab, the Desert of Colors, which exists in a symbiosis with Perilin, the Night Forest. He appears in the form of a huge lion, who changes colors to suit the color of sand under his feet, and changes all life around him into sand. Grograman turns into an obsidian statue at night allow the growth of Perilin.

Grograman is the first creature Bastian meets upon his arrival in Fantastica (if the Childlike Empress is to be excluded); Bastian is protected from the effect of Grograman's death aura by AURYN, and is thus the first living being ever to make friends with him. Grograman is the first one who teaches Bastian something of the nature of Fantastica, and he gives Bastian his magic (and seemingly intelligent) sword, Sikanda. One night, Bastian is called away; he promises to return, but is ultimately unable to keep his promise (the story states, however, that one day someone would fulfill the promise in Bastian's name).

In the animated series, Grograman burns down Perilin to protect Fantastica from being overrun by its roots and branches, and he is later captured by Xayide and freed by Bastian.

Morla

Morla
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Information
Aliases The Ancient One
Species Giant Turtle

Morla, known as The Ancient One (Die Uralte Morla in German), is a giant turtle who, because of her size, is mistaken for a mountain. She lives in the Swamps of Sadness, which might be either the cause or the result of her melancholy mindset: as the oldest living Fantasian (after the Childlike Empress and the Old Man of Wandering Mountain, who are both ageless) she has grown indifferent to the fate of Fantasia and her own survival. Reluctantly, she informs Atreyu that the Empress needs a new name and points Atreyu to the Southern Oracle. Morla speaks in the 'royal we' or nosism.

In the movie she has allergies to youth (Atreyu) and sneezes violently in its presence. Here, she knows nothing about the illness of the Empress, but sends Atreyu directly to the Southern Oracle.

The Old Man of Wandering Mountain

The Old Man of Wandering Mountain
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Information
Occupation Chronicler

The Old Man of Wandering Mountain (Der Alte vom Wandernden Berge in German) is an elderly chronicler whose chronicle contains all events in Fantastica. He lives alone in an egg-shaped home on top of the Wandering Mountain, which can be found only by chance or fate.

The Old Man appears in the story when the Childlike Empress is forced to use drastic measures to make Bastian fulfill his part in the story. As she approaches his mountain, the Old Man tries to dissuade her from entering, to the point of insulting her. On her request, the Old Man reads from his chronicle (starting with Bastian entering the book shop). As he reads, all events happen again and as they happen again he writes them down again, beginning a vicious circle of eternal repetition which finally drives Bastian into calling out the Empress' new name.

The Old Man does not appear in the first film and his appearance in the third film differs drastically from the book. He possesses the Great Book, which can seemingly write the future on its own accord. He dwells in a hidden crystal cave where he can see outside events using a "magic mirror". He is visited by the Childlike Empress and her guard Big Head, who remain with him until the end of the Nastie crisis. In this film, he grovels before the Empress and sees it as an honor that the monarch would visit him.

Pyornkrachzark and the other messengers

Pyornkrachzark
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Information
Aliases Rockbiter
Species Rockbiter
Occupation Messenger

The beginning of the novel as well as the film introduces a travelling party consisting of messengers: Gluckuk (Ückück in German), a tiny man (Winzling) riding a racing snail (in the film he is called Teeny Weeny and portrayed by Deep Roy), a Nighthob (Nachtalb) named Whooshwoozool (Wúschwusul) who rides on a bat, Pyornkrachzark (Pjörnrachzarck), a Rockbiter riding a stone vehicle, and Blubb, a will-o'-the-wisp. All four are sent by their respective people to the Ivory Tower to ask the Childlike Empress for help against the Nothing's destructive forces. In the film Blubb is not featured, and his actions are given to the Rockbiter.

Among the messengers, Pyornkrachzark, more commonly known as "Rock Biter" (in German Felsenbeisser) is the most famous. He is a large creature made completely of stone. The Rockbiter species are named due to their diet of rocks and earth-based materials. The Rockbiter seen in the movie particularly has a liking for limestone.

In the novel, the Rockbiter only appears early in the novel; whereas in the film he reappears, encountered by Atreyu. He has lost faith in himself after failing to save his travelling companions from the Nothing, and advises Atreyu to flee.

In the second and third films, Rock Biter's wife appears in the third film and his son appears in the second and third. Rock Biter Junior is the same size as a human, and is rather gluttonous and playful. He is sent to Earth during a wish overload caused by Bastian, Falkor, Bark Troll, Engywook, and Urgl; whereupon he is saved from falling to his death by Falkor and they are reunited with Bastian. Rock Biter and his wife nearly split due to the absence of their son and the further effects of the Nasties, who are in possession of the book and AURYN; but the family are reunited at the end of the film. Rock Biter also sings a rather corrupt version of Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf.

The Southern Oracle

Southern Oracle
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Information
Aliases Uyulala; The Voice of Still
Occupation Oracle

The Southern Oracle, also named Uyulala (Uyulála in German), is a mysterious and all-knowing oracle guarded by three magical gates. She is depicted as a disembodied, continuous female voice who speaks in - and can only understand - rhymed speech and otherwise sings ceaselessly to maintain her existence.

The ancient, giant turtle Morla tells Atreyu that Uyulala is the only one who knows who can give the Childlike Empress a new name and prevent her from dying; and with the help of Ygramul's poison, Atreyu transports himself near the oracle instantly. There he learns from the gnome Engywook, that to speak with Uyulala he must pass through the three gates:

Once past, Atreyu learns the reason why the Childlike Empress is ill, and what he must find in order to restore her health. Uyulala is then quiet and the Southern Oracle with its three gates is silently destroyed by the Nothing. Passing through the first two gates causes Atreyu to first lose all fear (the Great Riddle Gate), and then all memory of himself (the Magic Mirror Gate). This allows him to open the No-Key Gate, whereat Bastian's voice keeps the now empty-minded Atreyu from wandering.

The movie version of the Southern Oracle shares the generalities; but the first gate judges whether the person attempting to pass through it "feels his own worth"; if the person is doubtful of its ability to pass through safely, the two Sphinxes incinerate the visitor. The second gate is a mirror much like the book's description, located in a snowy wilderness; and there is no third gate (which, as the third gate would have stood for the precise contrary of "felling one's own worth", somewhat turns the message to the contrary). The Oracle itself is two blue glowing Sphinxes exactly like the yellow sphinxes at the first gate, and speaks in prose. As with the book, the Oracle crumbles and dies after revealing the cure for the Childlike Empress' condition.

In Tales from the Neverending Story, a hero must pass through the Riddle Gate, which tests his confidence in himself. He must then answer a riddle and pass through a mirror that displays the necessary thing he needs. In the case of Atreyu, he lands in a library owned by the wizard nicknamed "the Curiosity", who teaches him to read. Thereafter he passes through a glass door on which the name Uyulala is inscribed, to find the Oracle much as she is described in the book.

In The Neverending Story cartoon series, the Southern Oracle is depicted as two sphinxes facing each other and are voiced by Ellen Ray Hennessy.

Xayide

Xayide
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Clarissa Burt (film)
Victoria Sanchez (TV series)
Janet Laine-Green (cartoon)
Information
Aliases Mistress of Horok Castle
Species Fantastican
Gender Female
Occupation Sorceress

Xayide (Xayíde in German) is one of the main villains of the story. She is an evil sorceress who appears later in the book after Bastian enters the world of Fantasia. Xayide lives in a castle shaped like a hand;––– called Horok, the Seeing Hand, because its multitude of windows appear like human eyes. Xayide's most striking physical feature are her heterochromatic red and green eyes. She has the ability to control anything empty, and thus she employs as guards, empty suits of plate armour.

She presents to Bastian a warm and worshipping exterior, in hope to herself replace the Childlike Empress as ruler of Fantastica. Realizing she cannot defeat Bastian by force, she persuades him to invade the Ivory Tower. After losing Bastian, she is crushed to death by her iron minions who resist her waning magic. The book's chapters follow an alphabetical order pattern of the first word; thus her name serves well for the difficult "X" word in Chapter 24, where she meets her demise.

Xayide is portrayed by actress and model Clarissa Burt in The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, which is loosely based upon the second half of the novel. In the adaption, she has control of an entity similar to the Nothing, called 'the Emptiness'. In both media she gives Bastian the belt Ghemmal, which turns its wearer invisible and was intended to spy on Atreyu. She meets her end in the movie when Bastian uses his last wish to give her a sense of compassion, whereupon she destroys herself to amend the damage done by her.

In the miniseries Tales from the Neverending Story, Xayide is portrayed as the Childlike Empress' sister and the ruler of a 'Dark City'.

In The Neverending Story cartoon, Xayide is the main antagonist of the series.

Ygramul

Ygramul
First appearance The Neverending Story
Created by Michael Ende
Portrayed by Marilyn Lightstone (cartoon)
Information
Aliases The Many
Species Insect Hive

Ygramul, or The Many (Ygramul, die Viele in German), is a monster that lives in the land of Dead Mountains.

Ygramul is portrayed as a shapeshifter, who often takes form of a large spider and builds webs to catch its prey. The creature is actually composed of many little hornet-like insects who share a single hive mind. Ygramul's poison is deadly and kills within one hour, but grants the victim the ability to teleport to any location within the land of Fantastica before succumbing to its effects.

In the book, this poison is the means by which Atreyu travels to the home of Engywook and Urgl, near the Southern Oracle. At this point in the story Falkor the luckdragon is introduced; he is caught in Ygramul's web, and also uses the power of Ygramul's poison to follow Atreyu. The lingering effects of the poison are nursed out of the two by Urgl, while Engywook, a scholar of the Southern Oracle, instructs Atreyu on the challenges he is to encounter within the Oracle's demesne.

In The Neverending Story cartoon series, Ygramul is shown in her spider form. In "To Save Falkor," Bastian encountered Ygramul in the Dead Mountains while looking for a cure for Falkor's illness.

Other characters

Fantasian Creatures

The following are a list of creatures featured in the different media appearances of "The Neverending Story":

References

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