Death

“	Death: Sorry to crash the party with your past lives, or your past deaths as I like to call them. I was there to witness all of them… Each. Frivolous. END… But you didn’t even notice me, because 'Puss in Boots laughs in the face of death'… right? But you’re not laughing now. Puss in Boots: You are no bounty hunter. You are... Death: Death. And I don't mean it metaphorically or rhetorically or poetically or theoretically or any other fancy way. I'm Death. Straight. Up. And I've come for you, Puss in Boots.	”
—Death revealing his identity to Puss.

Death, also referred to as the Wolf or Lobo, is the physical embodiment of death, who takes the form of a white wolf in a black poncho. He is intent on killing the legendary Puss in Boots once and for all, as punishment for carelessly wasting eight of his nine lives.

Appearance

Death is a large, silvery-white, bipedal wolf with an elongated snout, silver fur around his eyes and on top of his muzzle, sharp teeth, and bright red iris in his eyes with his pupil that glow when he's excited. He wears a black riding cloak, and brown trousers under the cloak. He carries a pair of razor-sharp sickles with folding handles and can be combined at the handles and extended to form a double-bladed glaive.

Personality

Death is a cunning and sinister individual whose sole purpose is to take the souls of the deceased. Although he normally waits for people to die naturally, if someone angers or offends him enough, he will physically manifest in order to attempt to take their life by force.

Death is sadistic and thrill-seeking, as he takes a degree of pride and pleasure in his job, and openly admits that he enjoys striking fear into his victims. This is shown by the pleasure he took in scaring and provoking Puss in Boots with his taunts, eerie whistling, and his very presence. He also got especially excited when he managed to draw blood on the cat. Death also admits to having a dislike of cats and the fact that they have nine lives, finding the very idea to be "absurd."

Despite Death's sadistic and sinister nature, he does have a sense of honor and nobility. His motive for pursuing Puss in the first place was to punish the cat for arrogantly squandering eight of his nine lives with reckless abandon. Deciding that since Puss didn't treat all his other lives with care or gratitude, he felt that did not deserve to live out his final one. Not to mention, Puss often boasted that he “laughed in the face of death”, therefore Death was insulted and disrespected by Puss and his words as well as his deeds in wasting his lives. This indicates that despite representing the end of mortal life, Death holds Life sacred and is disgusted by those who don't treat their own lives with true appreciation or care. He also has a sense of fair play, as he always gives Puss the chance to fight back whenever they encountered each other; even giving Puss's old sword back to him for their final duel on the Wishing Star. This suggests Death prefers to give fair fights for those who challenge him. However, his comments about how much he would enjoy taking Puss out from the realm of the living indicates that he may have brought him his sword back just for sport- finding it more entertaining to see Puss fight rather than just surrender.

When Puss finally stops running and faces him while promising to respect his final life with his loved ones, Death; despite being infuriated that Puss has changed and thus "ruined his hunt," quickly calms down and recognizes that killing him now would be pointless and unethical- since Puss had learned his lesson about the importance of life and death. Thus, Death honorably decides to let Puss live out his final life, respectfully bidding the cat to live his last life well. However, he does warn Puss that they will meet again eventually (when Puss's life finally comes to a permanent end). This all but proves that Death isn't unbeatable even if he is unavoidable in the long run.

Overall, Death is best described as a harsh, but fair individual who takes his job seriously and enjoys a thrilling challenge. He doesn't kill just for the sake of doing so, and is able to respect those who prove him wrong.

Movies

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

“	“I never do this... but can I get your autograph? Been following you for a long* time. Sign right here.” (He pulls out a wanted poster of Puss and points to the word "dead")*	”
—Death to Puss in Boots, in The Last Wish.

Death is secretly seen watching Puss taking on the giant of Del Mar, and witnessed his 8th death. Puss meets a mysterious Wolf after being told by the town veterinarian that he is down to his ninth life; meaning that if he dies again, there's no coming back. Puss isn't bothered by this, as he goes down to his favorite bar to relax and drink some milk to avoid his problems. That attempt to deflect the serious news is suddenly interrupted by a sinister, melodic whistle. The source of that whistle is coming from a mysterious hooded figure, who appears seemingly out of nowhere and sits right next to Puss. The menacing figure claims to be a fan, but when he asks Puss to sign a wanted poster specifically where it says "dead", it's clear that he's got something else in mind.

Believing that the Wolf is just another bounty hunter seeking to collect a reward on him, Puss tells him that he laughs in the face of death, much the Wolf's chagrin. Puss further chastise the Wolf, telling him that his reward will not be any easy claim, but the Wolf retorts that no one as defeated him yet. Puss triumphantly draws his sword, only to have it immediately swatted away by the Wolf. The two then engage in a duel, but it quickly becomes apparent that Puss is up against a formidable opponent; with the Wolf somehow calculating and predicting every single move he makes. The fight concludes when the Wolf deprives Puss of his rapier and makes the slightest cut upon the cat's forehead with one of his sickles; drawing a trickle of blood which drips down Puss's face (according to the legend, Puss in Boots never been touched by a blade). As the terrifying realization that his demise will be permanent dawns on Puss, the Wolf picks up the scent of the fear and gets eerily excited to dispatch the cat- dragging his twin sickles across the floor with such intensity that sparks fly. The horrific beast orders Puss to pick up his sword so they can finish their duel, but Puss flees out of fear instead- escaping through the sewage system, much to the Wolf's amusement.

The Wolf later appears to Puss again to terrify him on two occasions: first while Puss, Kitty and Perrito are riding away from "Big" Jack Horner's men (on the occasion the Wolf places two coins on his eyes to send a message to Puss), and then during the battle on the river, giving Puss a panic attack.

Later on, they meet again in the "Cave of Lost Souls" in the Dark Forest. It is here the Wolf reveals his true identity as Death and explains that he has come to personally kill Puss not for money or fame; but instead to punish him for arrogantly squandering eight of his nine lives with reckless abandon- all while "laughing in the face of death". Seeing Puss conversing with reflections of his past eight lives, Death explains that he is not a cat person and finds the very idea of nine lives to be absurd, and lambasts Puss for carelessly squandering his own- which is why he had deemed Puss undeserving of his last life and has come to take it by killing him. Death shatters the crystal reflections as he terrifies Puss and chases him out of the cave. Utterly terrified that he has come face-to-face with the embodiment of the very thing he once laughed at, Puss runs away, much to Death's amusement.

Death final confrontation — *This is gonna be fun.*

“	What's the matter? Lives flashing before your eyes?	”
—Death as he faces Puss in Boots on the Wishing Star.

Soon, with Puss's friends and rivals watching from the various points of the fabled Wishing Star (except for "Big" Jack Horner trapped in his bottomless bag), they witness a final showdown between the fearless hero and the Grim Reaper. The harbinger of Death arrives, heralded by his eerie whistle and then stepping effortlessly through the star fire. When Puss confirms to his friends that the Wolf has come for him, Death slashes the ground with his sickles to summon a ring of fire around himself and Puss, to prevent Puss from running again as well as ensure the others can't interfere. Death has enjoyed the chase thus far, but grown tired of the novelty and is ready to make that final notch on his sickle. Taunting Puss about whether he'll take the coward's way out and wish for more lives or if he'll fight, Death returns Puss' sword, echoing their first meeting by telling the cat to pick it up so they can end this once and for all. This time however, Puss, now having loved ones to protect and a last life he wishes to cherish, finally faces Death and refuses to take the coward's way out and run.

Puss rises to the occasion, clashes with Death and holds his own until finally he gets the upper hand and disarms his foe. Mirroring their first duel, Puss taunts Death by telling him to pick up one of his sickles, not out of arrogance, but out of mutual respect. Puss acknowledges that he could never truly defeat Death, but now he has something meaningful to live for and so will fight to keep his last life. He now finally appreciates and understands the importance of living, never taking Life for granted again. Frustrated, but also impressed, Death curses in Spanish out of rage, berating himself for "playing with his food".

Death glares into Puss' soul, telling the cat that he came here to claim the life of "an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal", but he doesn't see that in Puss anymore. Holstering his sickles, Death tells Puss to live out his last life and to live it well as he turns to leave. Before he does, Death reminds Puss that they will meet again eventually, and Puss understands, responding "Si. Hasta la muerte" (Yes. Until death). Death once again whistles that familiar tune as he walks off with a newfound respect for Puss in Boots and vanishes into the star fire.

The Trident

Death's head is seen in the form of a quarterback of the ship where Puss exploded in the cannon. For a brief moment, a moving piece of cloth is seen out of frame, which is presumed to be Death witnessing the event.

Powers and Abilities

Being the physical embodiment of death itself, Death possesses great physical and supernatural abilities. He is an exceptionally skilled and powerful fighter, being able to combat very well against the legendary swordsman Puss in Boots.

Superhuman Strength: Death is shown to be very strong, being able to smash large crystals with his blades with no effort at all, and physically overpower Puss during their fights- even effortlessly restraining him with just one hand.
Superhuman Durability: Death is also shown to be very durable, taking two direct attacks from Puss In Boots without injury.
Superhuman Speed: Death is as fast as he is strong. His reactionary speed is great to where he is one of the very few that can match the Puss' speed and agility- having outpaced him and even mocked him for his efforts during their first confrontation.
Superhuman Reflexes: In addition to his inhuman speed, Death has great reflexes that are sharp enough to counter all of Puss in Boot’s attacks.
Superhuman Stamina: As Death is an immortal entity, he does not require food, water or sleep to sustain himself. He can also fight an opponent like Puss in Boots for a long time without getting tired.
Sickle Proficiency: Perhaps Death's trademark ability is his skill with the dual sickles he wields. In battle, he swings his sickles with lethal force, able to cleave through wood and metal with little effort. He can also combine his sickles into a dual-headed glaive whenever he faces a worthy opponent. Death not only matches, but also exceeds Puss' swordsmanship. In fact, Death is the only known individual who has ever managed to draw blood from Puss with a blade.
Immortality: Death is immortal, and has existed since the beginning of time. He cannot be destroyed by any normal methods that can kill a mortal being.
Omnipresence: Being the embodiment of death, Death is everywhere both symbolically and physically. Although he shows at the end of one's life, as stated to be there each of Puss' lives, he is free to move to any location of his choosing as he's not bound to the laws of the physical realm. He was even able to traverse through the Dark Forest, appear within the Cave of Lost Souls that isolated Puss in Boots, and effortlessly pass through the star wall that wiped whoever touched it out of existence. He can also choose who can see him and who can’t. This is shown throughout the movie where Death was surrounded by various people and no one could see him except Puss in Boots. Then, when he appears inside the Wishing Star, everyone could see and hear him.
Fire Manipulation: A minor but effective ability, Death has some amount of control over fire, which was shown by him conjuring a ring of supernatural fire around himself and Puss for their final duel. This also keeps the others on the star out of the way so they don't interfere.
Soul Reading: Being the harvester of souls, Death has the power to peer into a person's soul and see who they truly are. He saw for himself that Puss in Boots, whom he had labeled an "arrogant little legend who he thought he was immortal", but no longer saw that in Puss at the end of their last duel.

Quotes

“	Well, well, if it isn't Puss in Boots himself.	”
—Death's first line upon meeting Puss

“	Everyone thinks they'll be the one to defeat me. But no one's escaped me yet.	”
—Death during his first meeting with Puss in Boots, foreshadowing his true persona.

“	Slow. Sloppy. Sad.	”
—Death taunting Puss in their first due lwhile effortlessly dodging his attacks.

“	You're not living up to the legend, gato!	”
—Death mocking Puss in their first duel.

“	I just love* the smell of fear.*	”
—Death relishing Puss's fear after he draws blood on the cat.

“	What's the matter? Lives flashing before your eyes?	”
—Death mocking Puss' fear of his approaching demise.

“	Pick it up! Pick! It! UP!	”
—Death, taunting a disarmed Puss to continue their duel.

“	Corre, corre, gatito. (Run, run, kitty.)	”
—Death mocking Puss after he runs away from their fight.

“	You know, I'm not a cat person. I find the idea of nine lives ABSURD! And you, didn't value ANY of them. So, why don't I do us both a favor and take this last one now?	”
—Death telling his reason for wanting Puss dead.

“	I've enjoyed the chase, gato, but I think we've reached the end now, you and I.	”
—Death deciding to end Puss once and for all.

“	You're gonna take the coward's way out? Run away to more lives? Or are you gonna fight?! ...pick it up. Go on, pick it UP!!!	”
—Death returning Puss's sword and then taunting him just before their final duel.

“	This is gonna be fun.	”
—Death before dueling Puss on the Wishing Star.

“	GRRRGH, ¿POR QUE DIABLOS FUI A JUGAR CON MI COMIDA?!? (WHY THE HELL DID I PLAY WITH MY FOOD?!?) GRRRRGH! You're RUINING this for me!! I came here for an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal... But I don't see him anymore...	”
—Death's villainous breakdown and defeat and showing his new respect for Puss.

“	Live your life, Puss in Boots. Live it well. You know that we will meet again, right?	”
—Death allowing Puss to live his last life with a "friendly" reminder before taking his leave.

Gallery

Promotional

Trivia

Death is based on the folkloric character of the Grim Reaper, along with other figures of myths and fairy tale lore.
- Since the Grim Reaper/Death is normally portrayed as a humanoid skeleton, it's possible that Death can shape-shift and specifically chose to take the form of a Timberwolf, since the individual he is targeting, Puss in Boots, is a cat.
- His wolf form also parallels the common fairytale motif of the "Big Bad Wolf," which were often used to reflect moral lessons that test the main characters.
- Death is also inspired by the titular character in The Brothers Grimm's Tale, "Godfather Death." Both care deeply about their jobs and hate those who disrespect fate (i.e. The Physician and Puss Respectively).
- Many religions and cultures have canines associated with the dead- hence the decision to make him a wolf. The most famous of these depictions is the Egyptian jackal-headed god, Anubis.
As the personification of death in the Shrek Universe, Death is without a doubt the single most powerful character to appear in the franchise to date.
While it’s implied, Death is never seen or shown killing others.
In order to not spoil Death's true identity, which isn't revealed until much later, he is credited as the "Big Bad Wolf" (or at least "the Wolf") in promotional material- although he is never referred to as such in the film. Death himself doesn't have any connections with the original Big Bad Wolf from the Shrek films.
The Dual Sickles he wields are a reference to the aforementioned Grim Reaper's Scythe, both being farming equipment.
Contrary to appearances, he is not a bounty hunter; this is just what Puss mistook him for when they first met (understandably, as he brandished one of Puss' wanted posters), until he revealed his true identity later on.
Death admitted that he hated that cats have nine lives, considering it to be absurd and he held a personal contempt for Puss- who arrogantly squandered eight of his lives, in reckless abandon all the while claiming he "laughs in the face of death". This basically means that Puss was insulting Death every time he said this remark.
- Despite claiming to hate cats, Death seemingly shows no aggression towards Kitty Softpaws.
Death is the only character completely unaffected by the Dark Forest, appearing inside a crystal trap that isolated Puss in Boots and showing the ability to effortlessly pass through the star wall. This is because he is not a mortal being, but instead the personification of death itself, the end of mortal existence.
Death, despite his major role in the series, has the shortest amount of screen time of any Shrek antagonist, at only around 7 minutes.
- This is only rivaled by Lord Farquaad, who had around 8-9 minutes of total screen time.
From a certain point of view, Death is easily the most heinous Shrek villain, as he has been killing millions since the beginning of time due to his role in taking out the souls of the dead from the realm of the living. That said, given how everyone dies eventually, it can be said that Death just hunts down souls because that's his job as death is a natural part (and the end) of the life cycle.
- Other heinous villains such as Lord Farquaad and "Big" Jack Horner are arguably more cold-blooded as they are willing to harm and kill regardless of morality.
There are several subtle hints about Death's true identity throughout the film:
- Before his first appearance, a somber bell sounds 8 times, and a candle is snuffed exactly at the 8th toll, representing his just lost 8th live.
- He makes his very first entrance by suddenly appearing right next Puss with ghostly silence.
- His weapons are a pair of sickles and his attire is a pitch black cowl, which bare a strong resemblance to the Grim Reaper's scythe and cloak respectively. His pale silver-white fur and red eyes can be considered hints as well, since figures of Death are often described as "pale" which one turns after they die.
- During his first encounter with Puss, the Wolf notes that "Everyone thinks they'll be the one to defeat me. But no one's escaped me yet", hinting of his true identity and how death is inevitable for all living things.
- When Puss once makes another crack at death, the Wolf scratches Puss's wanted poster, hinting why he's actually here.
- When Puss, Kitty and Perrito escape from "Big" Jack Horner's henchman, the Wolf has two stray coins over his eyes as he watches him leave, making him look like a corpse. This is also a reference as to how Ancient Greeks buried the dead with coins over their eyes so they would have money for passage to the Underworld.
- When he appears while they are fighting The Baker's Dozen and Goldilocks and the Bears at The Dark Forest, the scenery forms a skull shape around him.
- Later on, when the Wolf reveals his true identity, right before the purple crystal representing one of Puss' former lives shatters, cracks form in front of his face resembling a wolf skull.
- The Wolf keeps appearing out of thin air with seemingly no one but Puss (initially) able to see him. This is a pretty clear indication that the Wolf is no mere bounty hunter, but rather a supernatural being.
Death set out to kill Puss because he was "an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal". While he didn't kill Puss in the end, Death ironically succeeded in ending the flawed being Puss was before his adventure for the Wishing Star because everything he learned helped Puss become a better person with a true respect for the importance of life and death and a promise to cherish his last life.
- In addition, he did manage to sort of succeed in his hunt. While his target for most of the movie was Puss, in the end after Death leaves, Jack Horner ends up dying as the Wishing Star falls apart. Jack Horner, being a known nursery rhyme character and owner of a large baked goods factory, thought himself unstoppable due to the numerous magical items he had collected over the years, and was arrogant and sadistic to anyone who was not himself. So while Death did not walk away having killed Puss, he did end up with "an arrogant little legend who thought he was immortal" in the form of Jack.
During Puss' fight with the giant, Death can be seen standing in an alleyway among the crowd watching the fight in contempt.
He is the second villain in the Shrek universe not to have any connection to Princess Fiona or her parents.
Puss addresses him as "Lobo" near the end, as lobo is both Spanish and Portuguese for "wolf".
Death is a playable racer in DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing, and is exclusive to the game's digital "Rally Pack."
- He drives a kart modeled as a coffin which can be customized with various horror-inspired designs.
- He also has an exclusive DreamWorks-inspired pattern for his kart along with Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda.
In the 3-D adventure game, South Park: Snow Day!, a variation pack features cosmetics and abilities referencing Death- including his iconic sickles as a variant of the game's dagger weapons.