It's the other hand, Ophelia: disobedience as a martyr in a Phalangist SpainDisobedience; the reason why hundreds of thousands of lives were lost. The contrast between those who courageously disobey and those who blindly obey has been at the heart of conflict throughout the existence of our modern world. In the visually stunning journey of Pan's Labyrinth, director Guillermo del Toro is able to create a world of fantasy and war, filled with the conflict of disobedience. Since both of these worlds serve on both sides of this struggle, this theme becomes an ingrained element in most of the film's scenes. Del Toro portrays his fairy tale with heroes who are rebellious characters through their constant disobedience. These characters demonstrate that disobedience can supersede blind obedience in both worlds created by del Toro. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay With the opening frames of the film, the audience is shown their first glimpses of disobedience through Ophelia, the main protagonist. Even before being introduced to the historical conflict of the Spanish Civil War (which serves as the ultimate foundation on which the character's disobedience is built) Ofelia and Carmen, her future mother, are guided through words and come to a halt. Ophelia's first action in the film occurs through her disobedience towards her mother when she is told to stay near the car, but she still manages to ignore her mother's wishes and explore the surrounding area. Immediately del Toro manages to reveal the essence of how bold Ophelia can be, given her passion for fairy tales in a world that is unconventional for them. It becomes apparent that through her penchant for adventure, Ofelia embodies disobedience, similar to that of the Spanish rebels. And it is through this challenge that Ophelia receives something worth fighting for when she meets the fairy who serves as a deus ex machine who guides her into the fantasy world from which she was once separated. The challenge emerges again from Ofelia while she is completing the second mission entrusted to her by el Fauno. In perhaps one of the most iconic scenes of the film, she challenges El Faunus multiple times, which ultimately nearly costs her her life. She is asked to listen to the fairies who will guide her and to refuse her temptations to eat any food she sees placed. However, as he navigates through the Pale Man's lair, he refuses to be guided by them; as she ponders which door contains the dagger and when they try to stop her from eating the grapes. Ultimately his defiance serves as a sharp sword, for although he chooses correctly, two fairies are sacrificed as he looks past the warnings to eat the food. Similar to the conflict the rebels are waging, the challenge also involves sacrifices. Both stories are juxtaposed perfectly and show how both defiance and obedience are in constant conflict. And Ophelia realizes this in the film's final scene, where her defiance ultimately serves as a true sacrifice that allows her to return to her kingdom. In the final scene, Ophelia's final moment of defiance in the Labyrinth is what allows the conflict to end. She is given the choice to blindly obey el Faunus and give her brother to him as a sacrifice or defy him, which leads to her death. Ultimately, defying him, Ofelia sacrifices her life for that of an innocent (her newborn brother) as she is killed by her stepfather Capitan Vidal. What may seem like an agonizing death, this was what el Faunus had intended to be the final task; because she was disobedient. His.