Over the years, Disney has probably released hundreds of movies and thousands of characters, each with its unique themes.
While Disney was primarily famous for its princess movies, it was equally famous for its one-of-a-kind storylines. From getting a prince by a glass slipper to working in a beast’s castle, Disney sure liked to rack their brains out.
Among such exciting storylines was the characters turning into humans. Many characters were either cursed or simply turned into other animals or objects and later turned back into humans.
However, there was a movie that stood out from the rest as the main character was neither cursed nor turned but was brought to life from a mere puppet to a real boy. You guessed it right, it’s none other than – Pinnochio.
Released as the second animated movie by Disney, Pinocchio has always been among the classic Disney movies. Over the years, the original film has been adapted by many and only recently has Disney released its live-action.
Disney has always been known for making larger-than-life movies right out of the fairytale, and Pinocchio was no different. The story of a wooden puppet boy and his adventures to becoming a real boy was something unique that people just loved.
The whole movie was a beautiful masterpiece, but the part where it got more attractive and exciting was when the wooden puppet truly became a human boy and did people cry? People were bawling their eyes out!
Well, it was indeed a magical moment and totally unforgettable as well. As unforgettable as it was, it is fully understandable even if you have forgotten about it, considering the number of years it has become since its release.
I mean, the 1940s were not yesterday!
So, even if you remember that Pinocchio becomes a human, do you remember how he becomes one? No! he didn’t seal the deal with a sea witch, like some dumb fish girl, and neither did he kiss a princess.
So, how did he become a human?
Well, we are here to provide you with the answers as we dig up the past, present, and future. So to find out how he became a real boy, make sure to stick with us till the end.
But first, let’s reminisce about the movie a little.
How Pinocchio came into existence
Curious about how this cute little wooden boy came to exist? Let us take you back to the late 19th century, somewhere in a small village in Italy, where a wood maker named Geppetto lived.
Not only was Geppetto skilled in woodwork, but he was also an excellent toy maker. He lived with his pets, Figaro, the kitten, and Cleo, the goldfish.
Even though he had gotten used to living with his pet friends, he did felt empty and lonely without any human interactions. So, one day he decided to put his skills to work and created a marionette which he named Pinocchio.
Later while getting ready for bed, Geppetto wished upon a shooting star for Pinnochio to be a real boy not because he was not happy with his creation but because he just felt that it lacked something, which was the human soul.
Listening to such a wish from a good soul like Geppetto, a Blue Fairy came to his workshop and brought Pinocchio to life. The fairy did bring Pinocchio to life and granted Gepetto’s wish, yet Pinocchio was still a puppet.
When Pinocchio asked the fairy if he could become a real boy, the Blue Fairy simply stated that only when Pinocchio proved himself brave, truthful, and unselfish could he become a real boy.
After their encounter, the Blue Fairy assigned Jiminy Cricket to become Pinocchio’s conscience and left before Geppetto woke up.
Upon waking up, Geppetto was filled with happiness and joy when he discovered that his puppet was alive and very much like a real boy.
The Disney live-action movie did follow the exact origins, except for the fact that in the movie, Geppetto created the puppet because he missed his son dearly, who he had lost a long time ago. This background story was not depicted in the original 1940s movie.
Did he become a real boy?
Yes, he did become a real boy.
When Geppetto created Pinocchio, he wished that Pinocchio was a real boy, and the Blue fairy just said, Say No more! As she gave life to the puppet, making it as accurate as a human boy, yet he was still a puppet.
Even though Geppetto was already very content with Pinocchio’s abilities, he still wished for him to become a real boy, and what do we know, manifestations do work, I guess, because at the end of the movie, in fact, at the end of both the original and live action, Pinocchio did become a human.
It was clearly shown in the original movie how he was supposed to be dead but was brought back to life as a human boy. However, in the live-action, it wasn’t much clear, and the fans had to look very close, by close, we do mean very closely, to know that he had indeed become a human.
How did he become one?
Now that we know he became a real boy, how did he become one? So let’s look at Pinncohio’s journey to becoming a real boy.
Pinnochio’s journey
The journey of Pinocchio becoming a boy started not even a day after he was brought to life by the Blue Fairy. Overjoyed by seeing his creation brought to life, Geppetto wanted to make him a real boy, and even though he was just a puppet, Geppetto decided to send him to school so he could learn like a real boy.
So, the next day Geppetto sent Pinocchio to school. On his way to school, Pinocchio encountered a con artist, fox Honest John and his sidekick Gideon the Cat.
Both of them tried to convince Pinocchio to join Stromboli’s puppet show. Now in the live-action, Pinocchio listened to his conscience and Jiminy’s objections at first and went to the school, even though he was kicked out for being a puppet.
However, in the original version, Pinocchio was lured in, and he agreed without giving it a second thought. Regardless, he joined the puppet show.
After joining the circus, he indeed became famous, but when he tried to go home, he was stopped by Stromboli.
Since Pinocchio became the star attraction, Stromboli wanted to keep him to himself. So, he locked Pinocchio in a bird cage and left to tour the world with him.
Although Jiminy opposed the idea of Pinocchio joining the circus, he was with him as his conscience and tried to free his friend but was unable to do so.
The Blue Fairy appeared when they thought all hope was gone. However, Pinocchio became anxious upon seeing her and lied about what actually happened to him.
This made his nose grow longer and longer. The Blue fairy found out about his lies and warned him that it was the last time she would help him as she restored his nose and freed him from the cage.
Pinnochio’s transformation
Promising to be good and never lie, Pinocchio thanked the fairy and made his way back home, where he found that his father’s workshop was deserted. When they discovered such a sight, they received a letter from the blue fairy saying that Geppetto had gone out looking for him.
The letter also further stated that he had sailed to Pleasure Island, where Pinnochio was taken to but was swallowed by Monstro, a vicious sperm whale depicted as a sea monster.
Knowing the state of his father, Pinocchio, determined to rescue his father made his way to the ocean along with Jiminy Cricket. However, just like Geppetto, Pinnochio was swallowed by Monstro as well.
Upon reaching the whale’s insides, he was reunited with his father, Geppetto, who was living inside the belly of the beast. Pinnochio was determined to save his father, so he devised a plan to get out of Monstro.
He suggested making the giant monster sneeze so they could get out as soon as the monster opened its mouth.
Surprisingly the plan worked, and they could get out of Monstro. However, the enraged whale didn’t let them escape as he chased them and smashed their raft with its tail.
Geppetto was about to be killed with such an attack from the monster, but Pinocchio quickly pulled him to safety in a cave. Pinocchio was able to save his father, but he ended up getting caught in the attack and was killed.
Devasted by the loss of Pinnochio, Geppetto, Jiminy, and Figaro and Cleo, were mourning. Just then, because Pinnochio was such a brave soul and proved himself to be truthful and generous, the Blue Fairy revived him; this time, he finally became a real human.
In the live-action, it was Geppetto but not Pinocchio who was killed by Monstro. At the movie’s end, Pinocchio is seen in a cave crying over the dead Geppetto.
The scene where Pinocchio literally cried was very beautiful, like tears falling from the eyes of a wooden puppet. Disney sure knows how to work their magic.
Well, moving on, when the tears from Pinnochio fell on Geppetto, he was miraculously brought back to life. Just as he was brought back to life, Pinnochio was happy to see his father well and alive, and the same feeling was reciprocated by Geppetto.
After the exchange of their love for each other, they made their way back to life. Now, Jiminy Cricket, as a narrator, did leave the audience in confusion as he said that nobody really knew if Pinocchio did, in fact, become a real boy or not.
Nevertheless, thanks to some eagle-eyed fans, it was confirmed that Pinnochio did become a human because at the ending scene when Pinocchio and Geppteo were making their way back, the scene focused on Pinocchio, showed his wooden legs turning into that of a real human.
So, yes! He did become a real boy.
Did he always want to become a real boy?
Well, in the end, Pinocchio did become a real boy but did he always want to be a real boy? Turns out he actually did.
Even from the very start, when the Blue fairy gave him life, he questioned when he would become a real boy.
He wanted to become a real boy because he knew that would make his father happy, as Geppetto always wished him to become one, and Pinocchio wanted nothing else but to make his father happy.
However, at the end, when Geppetto told his son that he had saved all of them and even remarked that no real boy could have done such a thing.
Geppetto soon realized that Pinnochio had always wanted to become a real boy because he kept imposing it on him.
When he realized it, Geppetto apologized to Pinocchio and said that no matter what, Pinocchio would always be his real boy.
So, even though it wasn’t really Pinnochio’s decision or desire, he wanted to become a real boy and make his father happy.
Hence, after going through all the troubles and being brave and truthful, Pinocchio could prove his worthiness and become a real boy. In almost every adapted version of the Pinnochio, he ended up becoming a human; not to mention the fruity and classified version became human as well.
