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Pterano

Pterano, voiced by Michael York, is a character and anti-villain who later turned into a minor protagonist, in The Land Before Time film series. He is a Pteranodon, called a "Flyer" in the films and TV series, and is Petrie's long lost uncle. He is related to Petrie on his mother's side, being her brother.

History[]

Originally, Pterano was a member of the herd who was trying to find the Great Valley after the Great Earthshake separated much of the group. While the grown-ups made decisions on what to do as a group, Pterano being a flyer believed himself to be more superior and higher ranked in his abilities. Eventually he convinced a portion of the herd to follow him to the Great Valley than with the other grown-ups. However his carelessness and overconfidence led them to a Sharpteeth ambush (Deinonychus). Pterano was able to escape since he was a flyer, but the rest of the group ended up getting massacred by the Sharpteeth and as a result was expelled from the herd for leading the group to their deaths. The event emotionally traumatized Pterano believing he was responsible for what happened. It's also implied Pterano suffers from PTSD as he had visions from the incident.

The Stone of Cold Fire[]

After reuniting with his sister in the Great Valley, he, along with his sinister henchmen Rinkus (a sly pink Rhamphorhynchus) and Sierra (a hotheaded brown Cearadactylus), began searching for the "Stone of Cold Fire", a comet which he thought would grant him magic power. Because Ducky had been eavesdropping on their plans, and because they saw her as a useful object in their mission, they kidnapped her during the night, and carried her off into the Mysterious Beyond. Littlefoot and the others followed them, to save Ducky, while Pterano began to slowly realize the mistakes in his actions. He ultimately failed in his mission when it was found out that the stone did not really contain any magical powers, and wound up putting Petrie and the other children in danger. However, he ended up saving them at the end. Rewarding the rescue, Grandpa Longneck and the other adults exiled Pterano to the Mysterious Beyond for a (reduced) period of five cold times (winters/years). Pterano appears to have truly changed his ways, having accepted responsibility for his actions (as shown by his last conversation with Petrie) and hoping that he can make up for them once he is allowed to return to the herd. He then leaves the Great Valley and, although it is very likely that the 5 years has expired by the time of the latest film, he is never seen again.

Prominence[]

Pterano has not been seen since The Stone of Cold Fire. However, in The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration a lone Pterosaur somewhat resembling Pterano - albeit skinnier and with different colors - is seen when Littlefoot and his grandparents leave the valley. He has also been mentioned multiple times in the TV series by Petrie; once in "The Meadow of Jumping Waters" when he said Pterano told him that whoever ate tickly red treestars would bring bad luck, and another time in "The Spooky Nighttime Adventure" when Petrie tells a story about a sharptooth-eating flyer. Petrie tells Cera that Pterano was the one who told him the story in the first place. It was originally rumored that he was going to appear again in The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers, however, the idea was apparently dropped, if ever considered.

Character[]

While idolized by his nephews and nieces, namely Petrie, he is not trusted by his sister, nor by Littlefoot, Cera, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, or Daddy Topps. The reason for such suspicion is seen in how, after the combined herds joined in search of the Great Valley, Pterano promised one faction an easy way to the Valley and, due to his incompetent leadership, unintentionally blundered them into a sharptooth (due to their size, more likely fast biters) ambush that only he survived.

He is considered an anti-villain of the seventh film as he is not truly bad and does some good things.

He bears several symptoms of PTSD, including flashbacks to traumatic memories, such as the moment when Threehorn Peak explodes and Ducky falls off of Spike's back. She holds on to the edge for dear life. Pterano sees her clinging to the edge, and is instantly reminded of the full grown swimmer that fell off a cliff during the ambush. When Ducky falls, he flies down and saves her.

Personality[]

Pterano is at first shown to be proud and cold, though less aggressive than his comrades Rinkus and Sierra. His pride is seen to be a sort of superiority complex, if not on a narcissistic personality disorder. However, he shows his softer and more mature side throughout the film as he scolds his companions for continuously acting violently toward the young dinos; feeling remorse when he believed Ducky had fallen through a hole to her death; taking responsibility for the action instead of blaming his henchmen; ordering the sidekicks to leave the young ones alone after Sierra had recaptured Ducky; refusing Sierra's idea to feed the children to the Sharpteeth once the trio had "taken over"; and at the end he personally gets the chance to redeem himself by saving Ducky from a fatal fall off the mountaintop. He is shown, although he often manipulates him, really caring for his nephew Petrie and somewhat for his other friends. At the end of the movie, he appears to have completely reformed as he says goodbye to Petrie and tells him he will miss him.

Pterano is also shown to be charismatic when he manages to lead a faction of the herd away from the main group and follow his leadership. Even though this faction was wiped out by Fast Biters, it does nonetheless show Pterano's ability to persuade others to his way of thinking.

Reception[]

Michael York received a Video Premiere Award nomination for Best Animated Character Performance in 2001, for voicing Pterano.[1] The nomination was shared with supervising animator Zeon Davush.

The character has become extremely popular among fans, featuring prominently in fanworks and cited by many fans as their favourite character outside of the five main characters, or their favorite new character. Many fans claim that his voice-actor is what makes him such an appealing character, being one of the few new characters to be voiced by an actor other than a voice-actor. His voice-acting has even been compared to that of Tim Curry, due to their similar overacting and English accents.

Many fanworks depict him returning to the Great Valley, either as a good character,[2][3][4][5] or as a bad character.[6] Among the fanfictions where he is a good character, he is also presented as having a (very) long-lost daughter and a mate that he believed to be dead.[7][8]

Gallery[]


Quotes[]

Petrie (to Pterano): "I no understand why you do this!"
Rinkus: "None of your business you little gnat, now buzz off!" (Rinkus knocks Petrie out of the sky) "He he he-"
(Pterano whaps him)
Pterano: "If there's one thing I will not tolerate, it's violence!"
Rinkus: "Then why are you hitting me?"
Pterano: "Right, make that two things. Violence, and stupid questions." (Whaps Rinkus again)
—Pterano reprimanding Rinkus for hitting his nephew

Trivia[]

  • It is likely that Pterano is still banished, as he is never seen in any later films. However, he is mentioned by Petrie twice in the TV series.
  • Although Michael York was born in Fulmer, England, he used a suave Scottish accent to voice Pterano.
  • Where or when he met Rinkus and Sierra is unknown.
  • Though many including Littlefoot, Mr. Threehorn, Grandpa Longneck, and even his sister can see through everything he says, his nieces and nephews appear to idolize him, especially Petrie. He brings out the worst in Petrie, getting him to lie to his friends to try and help Pterano get information about the Stone of Cold Fire and also making excuses for Pterano's bad behavior and belittling his friends for not believing Pterano.
  • Pterano is one of the few characters with a musical suite. Other characters that have a musical suite are the Diggers and Hyp and his gang.
  • Pterano is also similar to Cassim from Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
    • Both are family of protagonists. (Pterano: Petrie, Cassim: Aladdin)
    • Both have henchmen, but less sinister and redeemed themselves.

References[]

  1. List of Michael York's awards and nominations at The Internet Movie Database Retrieved on June 12th, 2008.
  2. A Land Before Time fanfic entitled "Shadow Fire" on Fanfiction.net. Authored by user Phoenix Ride (Published: 01-06-08) [1] Retrieved on June 13th, 2008.
  3. A Land Before Time fanfic entitled "After the Stone of Cold Fire" on Fanfiction.net. Authored by user Black Crystal34 (Published: 06-02-08) [2] Retrieved on June 13th, 2008.
  4. A Land Before Time fanfic entitled "Sweet Child of Mine" on Fanfiction.net. Authored by user Atomsmasher227 (Published: 01-22-08) [3] Retrieved on June 13th, 2008.
  5. A Land Before Time fanfic entitled "Twilight Valley" on Fanfiction.net. Authored by user Jakayrta (Published: 01-30-08) [4] Retrieved on December 16th, 2008.
  6. A Land Before Time fanfic entitled "Quest for the Lost Souls" on Fanfiction.net. Authored by user Green Dragon SWBF (Published: 05-23-03) [5] Retrieved on June 13th, 2008.
  7. Fan art done by Ptyra [6]
  8. An old fanfiction written by Ptyra (new versions are in the works) [7]


Main family members in The Land Before Time
Characters
Grandma and Grandpa Longneck | Ali | Bron | Littlefoot's Mother | Shorty | Old One | Ali's Mother | Daddy Topps | Cera's Mother | Dinah and Dana | Tria | Cera's Siblings | Tricia | Mama Swimmer | Papa Swimmer | Ducky and Spike's Siblings | Mama Flyer | Petrie's Siblings | Pterano | Papa Sharptooth | Mama Sharptooth | Ruby's Parents | Ruby's Siblings |
See Also
Main characters
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