Pterano

[Malte279]

I think one of the intersting aspects about Pterano is that his standing if he returned to the Great Valley (which depending on the circumstances of the return may not necessarily take five years) would be very different from that of anyone else. I think that most of the other grownups would under any circumstances still be very much on guard about him. The same is likely to be true about the kids with the likely exception of Petrie.
I think that Pterano might reckon higher chances of being "accepted" by the kids than by the other grownups. In turn he might "accept" the kids in one way in which none of the other grownups do. I think that Pterano might actually sort of treat the kids as sort of on "the same eye-level" by not putting as much past them as the other grownups would. Having been an opponent of sorts to the kids may have caused Pterano to gain a certain respect for them and in case he does no longer cling to extreme believes in his personal superiority he might give a lot more attention and value to what the kids say or do than any of the other grownups most of whom are either too "grownup" or too protective to deal with the kids on the same eye-level.
Such an attitude towards the kids may of course cause further skepticism on the part of the other grownups (along the lines of "he fills our kids' heads with nonsense and encourages recklessness!"), but if again one of the frequent situations arises in which the kids would do the right thing where the grownups would not Pterano's support might prove very important.
In my unfinished story "Old Threehorns" Pterano plays a rather important role and while there are a number of points about the story I am not too happy with I like how most of the scenes involving Pterano turned out.

[thebigdeal]

"Petrie, I'm heartbroken.... you don't remember your DEAR OLD UNCLE?"

[Ptyra]

I'm pretty sure it was "dear, old uncle"

[thebigdeal]

I'm pretty sure it was "dear, old uncle"

"If there's anything I won't tolerate, it's violence!"

[Amaranthine]

I wanted to start up this topic again, to get more opinions from other members and to just give my opinion about this character.

While I might go, "Gawd he's HAWT." at times, I'm not really being all that serious. I was definitely a lot more obsessed with this character as a youngin' then how I am now about him. I love his sleek design and color scheme. It's visually very appealing.

To me he's a very insecure character, he thinks he needs to be a certain way to get recognition and he actually seemed a bit racist to an extent. I mean he tries to glorify flyers as a species. While I don't think he's anywhere as racist as Mr. Three Horn, he still seemed to have this own predijuces. Probably not so much species but as dinosaurs in character. In his own song he says, "Some of us are born to lead while the rest of you must follow." It's completely his dark side exposing. It was as if he believed other dinosaurs really were stupid and he had all the answers.

I think Pterano was always very torn on what he wanted to do. He can try to intend good, but his ego gets in the way very easily. I think he was bullied for being his species, hence in the first movie, species stayed seperate from each other. I can also make a guess that he was just like Petrie as a kid. Because Petrie is insecure himself! He also seems to try to fight having his own views and making his own desicions. I think that would been a possible reason why Pterano is the way he is.

If I can think of anything more to add, I will.

[Ptyra]

^ Many, many concurrences !

I had now idea why I liked him so much when I was a kid. Now that I've done some heavy analyzing, I think I actually associate with him more. I admit that I want respect and recognition, kinda like him. Except that I see that there are just as many negatives to fame as there are positives XD !

After watching more Michael York films, I'm starting to think of him as one of Michael York's "typical" characters. Highly ambitious, rebellious, and very high self-esteemed. And perhaps when he was younger, he was a bit of a lady's man (Just look at D'Artanian! !)

I do agree that he could have been like Petrie as a kid, but maybe slightly more ambitious.

And his design was pretty neat. It was pretty interesting in comparison to Petire's (But there were some goofs where he was all one color) There was one shot where he even looked slightly fuzzy around the collar!

I do, however, like to think of him as a more logical thinker than the other adults. I can imagine all of them arguing over "x" situation while the kids are coming up with a plan to fix it. Pterano seems like the type to make a "Shame on you! Your children act more grown up than you!" speech and goes with them to help solve the problem...which might be helpful if it's in the Mysterious Beyond.

[Amaranthine]

Now that I've done some heavy analyzing, I think I actually associate with him more. I admit that I want respect and recognition, kinda like him.

I think a lot of people are like that. The difference is if people can actually admit it to themselves. A lot of the time, it's hard for most people, you really need to be mature enough and have a strong character to admit it.

I do agree that he could have been like Petrie as a kid, but maybe slightly more ambitious.

Maybe, but from what I see in the series, there are still attitudes of species being better over the other, even in the kids. Cera still goes on how Three Horns are better and so does her father. Petrie does seem to have competition within his family who is the better "flyer". He's a very timid guy, and just how his siblings treated him in the 12th sequel showed how much of an outcast he was with his family. I think with age, Petrie MIGHT become like Pterano in certain regards. However, if it wasn't for his friends, particularily Ducky, he would end up trying to be as much of an ambitious, ego maniac like his uncle. I highly doubt Pterano had real friends when he was growing up, because if he did, he would feel a lot more accepted as a flyer then he was portrayed in the sequel.

I do, however, like to think of him as a more logical thinker than the other adults. I can imagine all of them arguing over "x" situation while the kids are coming up with a plan to fix it. Pterano seems like the type to make a "Shame on you! Your children act more grown up than you!" speech and goes with them to help solve the problem...which might be helpful if it's in the Mysterious Beyond.[/color]

I agree, he definitely would be more friends with the kids, hence they would be more accepting towards him. Though I think Ducky's mom might accept him a bit too, since he saved her daughter, but the differences between how kids trust people and how adults trust people are VERY different. It can take quite a bit for older folks to trust other people because they had more experience with it, while kids can easily trust. Of course that's not always the case, but I'm just putting a general one out there just to explain why I think the kids would be more accepting of Pterano then they adults.

I love analyzing characters like this, the only downfall is though, the actual creators of them are probably not on the same boat because it's the dollar that's on their main goal, not the series itself. So, we can guess and analyze all we want about certain characters, but unless we know the cast personally, I don't think we can really know unfortunately.

My more then two cents.

[Malte279]

I do, however, like to think of him as a more logical thinker than the other adults. I can imagine all of them arguing over "x" situation while the kids are coming up with a plan to fix it. Pterano seems like the type to make a "Shame on you! Your children act more grown up than you!" speech and goes with them to help solve the problem...which might be helpful if it's in the Mysterious Beyond.

One could interpret it that way, but I think that there is another interpretation possible and the two might well overlap to some degree.
Rather than being a logical thinker (he doesn't come across that way through a number of his actions in LBT 7) he might be a bit more "practical" than some of the other grownups. While being practical can be a virtue it can also come with a price. In case of the other grownups in the Great Valley I think that some of them are at least as smart (or smarter) than Pterano (who in turn may well outwit some of the other grownups in the Great Valley). Pterano however does not subject to the "democratic" way of life that allows for the Great Valley dinosaurs to live together in relative peace at the expense of
plenty discussions which sometimes slow down everyone and everything because of the need to make compromises that satisfy everyone involved.
Pterano is very convinced of the own right and that if he just does whatever he may be up to it will be for the good of everyone. Well meaning as he may be he does not have much of an ability to see the world through the eyes of others or the consequences that his actions (in particular such actions that may be for his personal benefit) may have on others. In that sense he has traits that can be found with many people in history who tend to be known as dictators. Pterano is very ambitious and craving for recognition while at the same time largely dodging the responsibility for his actions (at least from what we see in the movie). If others punish him for his actions it is their bad vision rather than a recognition of the own fault. The only admission of guilt (rather than flimsy statements about things getting out of control) we ever hear from him comes very far towards the end of the movie after a last attempt to talk the other grownups into a guilty consciousness to lessen his punishment.
From what we see in LBT 7 he comes across as much of an opportunist. While he may talk about creating a paradise I think we are somewhat pressed to find the very few actions he conducts without any personal interests in mind.

Though I think Ducky's mom might accept him a bit too, since he saved her daughter

This is quite possible I think, but I would attritbute it to the kindness of Ducky's mother rather than gratitude to Pterano. After all none of the kids would have ever gotten into this peril had it not been for Pterano and flying after Ducky to save her was pretty much the only thing he could do in that situation without making himself utterly unacceptable (imagine him standing there at the edge just watching Ducky drop... no way!).
All this may sound harsh towards Pterano, but since I see a certain tendency to handle him with kid gloves (only interpret him into a very positive light) I think it is time to look at the darker aspects too.
He is not evil at heart but incapable of dealing with perceptions different from his own. He is extremely ambitious, craving for recognition, didn't do much to earn such recognition, ruthless in the pursuit of his aims, and unable to deal with the own weaknesses and failures.
Pterano is not really a villain, but he is very far from being a saint. Perhaps his being a character in the deep gray zone rather than a mere hero is part of what makes the fascination of this character.

[Saft]

I'm not sure if I like Pterano or not.  
I do like his character design but I feel that he isn't a villain.  He is just very ambitious and has a sense of power lust to be recognised as a leader.   He also seems to hold some sort of mild racist opinion that the flyers are better than any of the other dinosaurs.  

He does have some positive character aspects to him, such as his protectivness of Ducky, his concern for her and the young ones.  He also did do the right thing at the end of SoCF and save Ducky but he did allow his ambition to overrun him.  He seems to care more about himself and as someone who wants to become a leader...a leader isn't about that.

He isn't evil but at the same time, he isn't overally good and self sacrificing either.

(if that makes sense?)

[Ptyra]

Hm. I think I'm going to go back to my conversations with Malte from way back.

As of late, I've been watching more Michael York films. Jeez, he was so cute when he was young. Skinny as heck, though... Among them was the Three Musketeers movies. Now I've got it in my head that D'Artagnan=young Pterano.

D'Artagnan was pretty darn ambitious right from the start of the first movie and even tried to kill Count Rochefort when he first met him...three/five minutes into the movie. 'Course, Pterano probably would do that, but he'd still take an insult quite personally.

As for my comment a while back about the possibility of Pterano having a mate, I shall yet again link to D'Artagnan. As I said before, Pterano could have been a "prehistoric D'Artagnan" in his youth (lol). In the second part, D'Artagnan's mistress/girlfriend Constance (who he "loves with his heart") is killed by Milady (who he "loves with his head"). After "taking out" Rochefort in his fury, he never mentions her again, and seems to have "healed" in the third movie, which is twenty years later...in fact the only person who mentions Constance is the Queen and she was a b*tch about her. In the fourth, D'Artagnan has actually married (twenty years from the third...maybe), which is where Valentine comes into play. You'd think if there was a twenty "cold time" period where Pterano would have gotten over a loss. Now that I think about it, Pterano could be the D'Artagnan that never became a Captain (like at the end of the third movie) and let his ambitions get to his head.

And speaking of Valentine, since I have my character Ptyra, I've seriously been thinking about what kind of a parent he'd be if he did have any part in a family. All I've thought of is a mix between D'Artagnan ("Oh, I'm so proud of you! You're ready to be the first female Musketeer! Knock 'em dead, sweetie!") and "GET MY LITTLE GIRL HOME BY TEN, OR ELSE!!!" (...maybe that one's better for Mr. Threehorn).

Boy, I've run out of ideas.

[trulyfantasticme]

I love this character as well! In fact, he's my fave in the whole series. It sucks that he doesn't come back in another sequal or any of the tv series.

But in my crazy fangirl world, he met a blue flyer named Devon, who happens to be Sierra's son. At first, Devon despises Pterano for abandoning his father and plots revenge. Then one day, Pterano was flying high above the Mysterious Beyond and all of a sudden he spots a blue flyer being chased by a sharptooth. Seeing this as another chance to redeem himself, he goes in to save him by distracting the sharptooth and leading him into a forest where he knew that he could find lots of vines hanging on the trees. He found those vines very useful as he waited for the sharptooth to draw near.

With the vine in his beak, he dives for the sharptooth, aiming for its legs and tying them with the vine then he flew up to the sharptooth's jaws and very carefully tied them shut. Thus, the sharptooth fell over onto the ground with nothing but the tiny hands to break his fall. Devon is amazed by this, for this was something he has never seen before. A flyer taking on a sharptooth? And winning? That was just impossible! Or was it...?  :blink:

  Speaking of using vines to kick sharptooth butt, before the earthquake happened in the first movie, Pterano was flying up high like usual as he watched over his sister and his newborn nephews and nieces. But then he spotted a sharptooth heading for a very curious baby Petrie looking at the treestars. So he dives for the sharptooth, waiting in the trees. When the sharptooth draws near, he took the vine and did the same thing he did in order to save Devon.

But things aren't always what they seem. This so-called "sharptooth" just happened to be Mr. Threehorn, looking for his daughter, Cera, who was lurking in the trees, giggling at the sight. Of course Mr. Threehorn is mad at Pterano for humiliating him in front of his daughter. And Pterano apologizes, concluded with the fact that Mr. Threehorn "looked so much like a sharptooth from up there..."

  Jokes all on Pterano and Mr. Threehorn.    Poor Mr. Threehorn, getting his butt kicked by Pterano...

[Allicloud]

Well, seeing as I'm a pretty big fan of him, here's my opinion:

Most of the reasons for Pterano's appeal have been listed already. His possible insecurity, his ability to think more logically than most of the grownups. But I think another reason is his motivation: He does want to rule over the Great Valley, but he appears to want to do so as a loving tyrant. He wants to use the Stone to create a paradise, as he says, as a sort of perfect world, with hm ruling over it. He does not necessarily have an evil plan, but he is willing to go to evil lengths to get it.
But another reason, which nobody has touched on, is simply that he is voice by Michael York. York is a very well known actor, very respected. He's done Shakespeare films, The 3 Musketeers, all sorts of films before. But I thin this is his first voice-acting role. He's alo the first major actor to star in a Land Before Time film. Granted, they have gotten famous voice actors before, like Rob Paulson, Frank Welker, Jeff Bennet, etc. But York was the first major Hollywood actor. And naturally, ifa person is already a famous actor in Live Actin, you can almost certainly bet that asvoice-actor he will be brilliantly hammy (think Tim Curry). And of course, York hams up the role, chewing the proverbial scenery, but in a brillant, flamboyant way.

[Malte279]

I suppose Pterano is easily the most popular one time character of the entire franchise and might in his popularity even surpass a returning character like Chomper. I mean no offense when asking our many great Pterano fans, why?
Don't get me wrong, I consider him a very interesting character and in an unfinished story I wrote myself (and several I planned but never wrote) he is playing an important role. There are times though when I see him almost as revered as he would like for himself to be revered in the song "Very important creature" even to the point where his mistakes (the existence and prominence of which I consider undeniable) are denied or negated. I'm just asking, what do you (especially the major fans of Pterano) think is it that makes him so much more interesting or even lovable than other LBT characters?

[Allicloud]

I suppose Pterano is easily the most popular one time character of the entire franchise and might in his popularity even surpass a returning character like Chomper. I mean no offense when asking our many great Pterano fans, why?
Don't get me wrong, I consider him a very interesting character and in an unfinished story I wrote myself (and several I planned but never wrote) he is playing an important role. There are times though when I see him almost as revered as he would like for himself to be revered in the song "Very important creature" even to the point where his mistakes (the existence and prominence of which I consider undeniable) are denied or negated. I'm just asking, what do you (especially the major fans of Pterano) think is it that makes him so much more interesting or even lovable than other LBT characters?

Take your pick:


The voice. That voice is awesome, made all the more awesome by the fact that it's a famous actor voicing him.

How he's never returned to the series. Among the new characters who are introduced in the sequels, he is among the extremely small minority of new characters who never make a reappearance, either in another sequel or in the TV series (I think the only other such character is, thankfully, the Yellowbellies). That lends him a sense of mystery.

His deliciously hammy and over the top performance.

The fact that,apart from Hyp Nod an Mutt,he is the only anagonist of the seres to redeem himself.

The fact that he actually has a major motivation. The other speaking-villains (Ozzy and Strut, Hyp Nod and Mutt, and Ichy and Dil) all simply did what they did because they wanted to, or because they were hungry. But Pterano stands out, because he had a major plan. Granted it was a plan for the greater good, but he used evil methods to try to reach it.

His generally cool-looking design. It just adds a new image to the species whih generally looked kinda goofy previously in the films. It was also basically a debut of the new design fo the flyers. Beforehand, the designs for the flyers was a little bit different in every film. But after his film the flyer design was pretty much regulated.

[trulyfantasticme]

and here's another answer for your question.

The fact that, out of all the evil uncles out there, Pterano stands out the most because he actually cares about the children and doesnt want any of them getting hurt, loves his nephew and his nephew loves him, and he actually saved Ducky's life in the end. Thats pretty much why I love him, but there are other reasons too and if i list them, the list would be too friggin long!  

[EggStealerGirl]

In my opinion, I think that Pterano is the only LBT antagonist to have a motivational backstory.

I can't really think of any others that do...

[vonboy]

Like I've said before, Pterano is a great example of a tragic hero.

He has his flaws. He has done some things that he regrets. He has seemed to be selfish and deceitful, but he also has a good heart. He saved the lives of the Gang. And, In the end, he accepts the consequences of his responsibilities, and takes his punishment.

Now that I think about it, It's a real toss-up in my head of whether Chomper is the most complicated character in the series, or if Pterano is. Chomper is very interesting, but really only because he's a sharptooth. Pterano is interesting because of his character.

Don't ask me to choose, please

[Malte279]

What I remain uncertain about is to what degree he really "accepts" the punishment or sincerely understands what he personally did wrong. There is this one short line of him uttered just after another attempt to weedle out of taking responsibility for his actions. No offense meant, but I think that Pterano has yet a lot left to learn so his remorse will be really in his mind rather than in his words only and so that he understands where bad things happened because of his very own actions rather than because they just "happened" or others lacked "vision". The inability to reexamine the own words or actions and the inability to see any fault about oneself is a really major flaw and I think it is something that based on what the movie showed Pterano has yet to learn. Maybe the time of the banishment would give him some time for critical self-reflection.

[Allicloud]

Maybe the time of the banishment would give him some time for critical self-reflection.

I suddenly am struck by a vision of him returning to the valley, dressed as some sort of saurian Buddhist-monk.

[Malte279]

I continue to believe that while Pterano is surely an extremely interesting character many fans seem to be a bit too uncritical in their estimations of him. In some ways I feel his actual mistakes are just as vividly denied or ignored by many of his fance as they seem to be denied or ignored by himself.
I am very supportive of the idea of letting him appear again and I feel that he has a lot of potential for interesting stories, but I feel that unless he is to remain an anti-hero or even a villain there ought to be a serious bit of self-reflection on his part.