Bolt ⚡️

**Bolt** is the titular protagonist of the Disney film of the same name. **Bolt** is a fictional white haired German Shepherd and the eponymous protagonist of Walt Disney Animation Studios' 2008 film of the same name. In the film, he is voiced by John Travolta. His journey and the personal evolution that it provokes in him is core to the film's main themes.

In the film, he has spent his entire life from early puppyhood on the set of a television show, kept isolated from the outside world. In the show, Bolt must use his superpowers to save his owner and co-star Penny, whom he loves dearly, from the evil Dr. Calico. However, Bolt believes that he actually has the superpowers possessed by his television character, a delusion the directors of the show maintain by tricking Bolt into thinking his adventures are real, in order to make his performance more authentic.

The character Bolt was created by Chris Williams and Byron Howard together with the chief character designer Joe Moshier. Much of the inspiration for the character was provided by John Lasseter who also oversaw Bolt's visual development. Aside from the film, Bolt also appears in the direct-to-video short film *Super Rhino*, the two video games *Bolt* and *Disney Infinity*, the *Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom* trade card role-playing game. In addition, photos of Bolt appear in *Wreck-It Ralph* (2012) and *Big Hero 6* (2014). The character received mostly positive critical acclaim from film critics and became a breakout character, leading to strong sales of merchandise and toys following the film's release.

## Development

### Characterization and design

Early concept art of Bolt
The character known as Bolt initially started out as a red, bipedal dog named Henry as designed by Chris Sanders. He, in difference to Bolt, would be aware of the fact that he is an actor. Henry, as well as Sander's idea for the movie, was eventually scrapped when John Lasseter and some colleagues from Pixar reviewed the project. The character was subsequently redesigned and made into a White German Shepherd, although changes were done to the muzzle, ears and overall body-structure to give the character a more distinctive and expressive appearance. To make Bolt's movement seem more realistic and in-line with that of real canines, the animation department studied the body language and locomotion of real white shepherds and utilized virtual bone-structure in the CGI-models. Personality-wise, the new Bolt would be more naïve and insecure conveying more pathos than Henry. At the same time, the art department worked to give Bolt a whimsical nature with a pose which excels confidence, thus allowing the character to have a contrasty personality and a body language which reflects that.

### Voice work

John Travolta was chosen to do the voice work for Bolt. Despite a history of turning down voice over offers for animated characters, he agreed to provide the voice for Bolt as he, according to the actor himself, "indicated as the right character". In an interview with CBS, Travolta explained that he was intrigued with Bolt's personality after reading the script. "When I read this script and saw this character, so guileless, so kind of naive and fun and touching I just said to myself; maybe this is the one to do". When recording the dialog for Bolt the animators would film Travolta's facial expressions and use them when sketching the storyboard and animating Bolt's mimics. Travolta took inspiration from his performance from earlier action films such as *Broken Arrow* and *Face/Off*, mixing it up with a certain naiveté and guilelessness suitable for Bolt's character.

### Physical appearance

Bolt's breed is not specified in the movie but the animators based him on the Swiss White Shepherd Dog, his big, erect ears and long, brushy tail being the most prominent indicators. Most of the time, his ears are standing vigilantly erect over his head which matches his intent personality and sharp profile, and allowed the animators to emphasize his expressiveness as they leave his face uncovered.

Bolt is a medium-sized dog with a height at the wither of 50 cm and a creamy white coat. Bolt has a strong neck with thick, double-coated fur, which is raised when excited and lowered while running, much like a real shepherd dog. The difference between Bolt's back head and neck is not very defined. Bolt's appearance is "softer" than a normal German Shepherd with a more curved outline, thick, rounded legs and domed forehead. The "normal" Shepherd has longer, thinner legs and a more meager appearance.

Bolt's coat is a creamy white and his fur differs in thickness as it is short haired over his belly, flanks and back, and a bit thicker over his neck. The animators worked much with Bolt's fur so that it would seem soft and fluffy with every hair moving in a realistic way. Special animation software was used by the production team to animate and render Bolt's more than 200,000 hairs. During the making of the movie, having Bolt's white fur getting smudged and dirty was a bit of a challenge according to the animators.

### Breed

There has been some disagreement in the Disney fan community as to whether Bolt is indeed a White Shepherd (as suggested by early promotional material where he was erroneously referred to as a *German Shepherd*) or a Berger Blanc Suisse. Supporting this theory is the fact that the *Blanc Suisse* variate tend to be smaller with a more square-cut muzzle which aligns more with Bolt's in-movie appearance. Bolt's breed is never mentioned in the film. Joe Moshier, Bolt's main character designer, has indicated that Bolt is loosely based on a white German Shepherd puppy the animation team studied during the character's early design phase, but was never intended to be any one specific breed.

## Background

From early puppyhood, Bolt has been playing the lead in a popular TV-show where he is a genetically altered superdog with superpowers such as the ability to shoot lasers from his eyes and the iconic “superbark”. His mission is to protect his owner Penny, a child actress, and save her father from the evil villain Dr. Calico. Although the dog's love and concern for Penny is authentic, everything else about his life is, unbeknownst to Bolt, entirely fake. The programme makers are intentionally setting up the show with extensive scenography and real-time special effects in a way to condition the young canine into believing the fiction around him is real and that his owner is in immediate danger. This is shown when Penny and Bolt are chased by Calico's forces in a fictional city, which is presented as reality to fool viewers. For the experiment to work, Bolt is not allowed to get a glimpse of reality and is therefore locked in a trailer in the studio where he is allowed to spend a few minutes together with Penny after each shooting.

When, responding to demands from the higher-ups, the director ends an episode with a “cliff-hanger” in an attempt to boost ratings which involves Calico capturing Penny, Bolt escapes from his trailer convinced that Penny is in mortal danger. In the process of trying to find and save her, he knocks himself unconscious and ends up in a shipping box packed with Styrofoam, and, unknown to the film company and a saddened Penny, is subsequently shipped to New York City.

Stranded in the real world, Bolt initially and unsuccessfully attempts to recreate the stunts from the TV-show, most of the time ending up hurting himself in the process. As he eventually comes to realize that his sense of reality, and therefore his sense of identity, has been severely screwed, he still holds on the hope that Penny's love for him was real and not faked. With the help of Mittens, an abandoned street cat, and Rhino, a fearless, TV-obsessed hamster and Bolt fan, who help him recognize his limitations and come to terms with his self-realization, he embarks on a journey back to Hollywood where he is eventually rejoined with Penny after saving her from a burning sound-stage.

### Personality

Bolt and Penny are allowed a few minutes together after each shooting.
Bolt is depicted in the film as having a very complex and multifaceted personality. When in the company of Mittens and Rhino, in the beginning of the movie, he is earnest, intent and introverted. The gradual process of self-realization did at times make him hostile towards Mittens who attempted to convince Bolt that he is delusional. However, after his epiphany, Bolt opened up to Mittens and trusted her to help him adjust to reality and teach him how to be a normal dog. When in the company of Penny, his owner, Bolt behaves much like a normal affectionate, albeit very protective dog.

Despite the handicap provided by his delusions, Bolt is portrayed as a highly intelligent character who is quick to adapt to new environment and find solutions to problems. When he can't break into a U-haul truck with his heat vision, Bolt instead distracts nearby workers with a coin and sneaks in. When Bolt rescues Penny from the burning building, he is able to locate a ventilation shaft and bark to alert firemen outside, before succumbing to smoke inhalation.

During his entire journey, Bolt remained loyal to Penny, fixed on the goal of returning to her. After his brush with reality, Bolt also begins to open up to other characters in the film. His ability to trust other characters, despite the hardship he has been through is depicted as one of his most admirable characteristics.

## Reception and cultural impact

The character Bolt was met with generally positive critical reception with critics praising the animators' work with his body language, as well as Bolt's personality and expressiveness. A. O. Scott, writer for *The New York Times* said that "Bolt is a cute enough little fellow and a winning personality and a nice voice" and that "his physical gestures and expressions turn him into a memorable, irresistible character". A critic for the Daily Express wrote that "the wonderfully expressive features on Bolt make him feel almost real".

Many reviews praised the detailed and realistic animation of Bolt. British newspaper *The Daily Telegraph* wrote that "Bolt's fur is startlingly real, and animal gestures are faithfully reproduced: Bolt savaging his favourite plastic toy, raising a front paw slightly when he hears a distant unidentified sound". Movie critic Brian Tallerico wrote "Bolt is DAMN cute and shockingly well-rendered when it comes to his always moving hair". Many critics also praised John Travolta's voice work with Bolt: critic Jeffrey M. Anderson who praised the actors "earnest and gentle voice performance". Colin Covert, writer for StarTribune.com, wrote that "The dog's expressions are heart-rending as well as hilarious, and Travolta's vocal performance is utterly winning".

Other critics noted on the important values embodied by the character's process towards self-realization. "Bolt's disastrous attempts at using his powers off the set get laughs at first, but they give way to important lessons about accepting your limitations while still believing you are special." wrote Sean O'Connell from FilmCritic.com.

Josh Taylor from CinemaBlend, wrote "This is a beautiful, big, epic story constructed for the sole purpose of saying something incredibly simple and emotional. Your dog loves you. Go home and give him a hug".

Bolt was also included as the "recommended pet dog" in FilmCritic.com list of "*The best Fantasy Creatures*”. Another example of the characters cultural impact was the "Superbark Contest" which took place in Finsbury Park, England, shortly after the movie's release. Inspired by the titular character's iconic superbark, dozens of owners rounded up their dogs to try to break the record for loudest bark in history. More than 50 dogs participated and a represent from Guinness World Records was on hand to oversee the contest. A white American shepherd dog, who was handpicked due to his striking resemblance to Bolt, broke the record with a 108 decibels and became a Guinness World Record holder. Disney's Gavin Quirk was quoted saying: "The Big Bolt Bark has brought pride to the nation." Since 2009, the Bolt character has been spotted semi-regularly at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

## Before Auradon

In March 2003, an 8-week-old Bolt is raised at the Silverlake Animal Rescue Center. One day, a girl named Penny enters the locale and spots Bolt almost immediately. Bolt turns to Penny, smiling and wagging happily before being distracted by his own tail and starting chasing it. Penny adopts the puppy, hugs him, and gives him his iconic dog collar.

Five years later, Penny has received a call from her "father" alerting his daughter she is in danger from the evil Dr. Calico. To protect Penny, her father genetically manipulated Bolt to have superpowers, like super-strength, the super-speed, heat vision, and his legendary "superbark". His mission is to protect his owner from Dr. Calico and his minions and save Penny's father who is being held, prisoner. Using these powers, Bolt helps Penny foil Calico's plans, playing the role of a stereotypical, nerveless superhero.

However, it is soon revealed that the entire premise is part of a popular TV show where Bolt plays the lead role. Bolt, however, believes that his adventures are real and that Penny, his actual owner and whom he directs all of his considerable love and devotion to, is in real danger. The directors nurture this illusion through the use of extensive stenography and live-effects, hence tricking the apprehensive canine, year after year, into believing that Penny is in serious danger and in need of constant protection. Everything is done in order to achieve a more realistic, genuine performance from the poor dog whose only real interest is to be with his owner.

Penny, as a child actress who knows the drill, nonetheless returns Bolt's love when she is not being pulled away by other workers or her greedy agent. After each recording session, at the end of each day, Bolt and Penny spend some time alone in a trailer located inside the studio. Aside from the recording, this is seemingly the only time the two get to have together. Penny is forced to leave Bolt every night, alone in the trailer, as the directors are very keen to keep Bolt isolated from reality out of fear it would have on his performance, but she aspires to one day take him home with her and let him enjoy the life as a real dog.

After a recording session, the two have some time on their own, but the dog is too worried and triggered to play or even eat. Instead, he persistently guards the door against the potential evils he is convinced might still be outside. Penny seems worried and tries to connect with Bolt by getting him to play or calm him down but soon must give up when her pink cell phone rings, reminding her that it is time to leave Bolt alone. Bolt, obviously knowing from earlier experience what the ringtone means, looks insistently at Penny and tries to block the door with his body, trying to keep her from leaving. Penny sighs saying, "You know I have to go" and hugs Bolt before leaving, who stands by the door after that she left, whining uneasily.

During the night, two cats from the TV show visit Bolt's trailer to mock him and harshly and inconsiderately play on the fact that he thinks it is all real. Bolt does not realize that the cats are making fun of him and gets extremely frustrated when the cats ignore his threats and attempted intimidation. The cats leave him barking crazily.

When the ratings are dropping, the directors decide to make a "cliff-hanger" as a comeback with Bolt not getting to rescue Penny, who knows Bolt's condition will get even worse, at the end of the shooting. Instead, he is restrained and dragged to his trailer where they try to lock him in. Thinking that Penny needs to be rescued, he effortlessly tricks the guard and escapes the trailer. Spotting some props from the TV set outside a window, he throws himself against the hard surface, convinced that he will be able to break through. Instead, he knocks himself unconscious and falls backward into a box stuffed with packing Styrofoam which is then sealed and Bolt is shipped cross-country to New York without anyone knowing where he really is.

### Confused in New York

Alone, lost, and worried in the streets of New York, Bolt tries to find Penny while running down the crowded streets, convinced that she is still in danger. He tries to perform several of the stunts he used to do in his TV series. He first tries to knock out a man wearing a suit, thinking he's Doctor Calico, but he fails. He then tries to jump over a road construction ditch but falls down the hole in a most anticlimactic manner. Upon crawling back up, he spots a truck carrying a portable toilet that looks like the container in which Penny was captured. He runs up in front of the truck and readies to smash his head into it, but the driver, fortunately, spots him and stops just before hitting him, saving his life. Bolt doesn't find Penny in the portable toilet but he meets a few dogs down the street, which he refers to as "brothers" suggesting that his career at the TV series has left him with a view of all dogs as allies. However, he quickly becomes frustrated as the dogs seem entirely clueless rather than answering any of his questions, and he runs away when a concerned dog walker tries to put a leash on him.

In the next scene, Bolt accidentally gets his head stuck in a fence. He tries to bend the bars and rock himself free, but to no avail. Whilst stuck, three pigeons arrive and advise him to turn his head in order to break free. Bolt is too frustrated to listen, growling that he needs to find his person. He eventually calms down and listens to the pigeons, and actually manages to break free when following their instructions. Desperate to find Penny, he is led to a sassy alley cat named Mittens who bullies pigeons out of their food.

Since Calico has a thing for cats, Bolt believes Mittens is one of his agents and threatens her by holding her off a bridge over heavy traffic to tell him where Penny is. Deciding to play along after seeing Bolt's tags, Mittens directs him to Hollywood, but Bolt brings her along against her will.

### Self-Realization

Along the way, Bolt notices his "powers" aren't working, but he brushes it off as a side-effect of the Styrofoam from the box he was shipped. He thinks that it's his kryptonite (weakness). After jumping from the moving van he was using to get back to Hollywood, he also experiences pain and hunger for the first time. To sate his hunger and lower any more risks from his delusion, Mittens trains him to use "the dog face" to beg for food when they end up at an RV park. While persuading people out of their food, they meet a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino who is a huge fan of Bolt's show and (like Bolt) believes that it's all real. He convinces Bolt to let him tag along and leads them to a bridge over a railroad after Bolt states they'll "need a fast set of wheels." When Rhino mentions a "magic box", Mittens finally realizes Bolt is a TV star but is unable to explain to him before they end up almost killed on the train. Fearing her life, Mittens climbs a tree to escape him and tries to convince him he's an actor. His repeated attempts to use his superbark draw attention and they're eventually captured by animal control. Bolt breaks free but it turns out Rhino let him out of the truck's cage. The lightning bolt on his fur smudges (having splashed in a puddle during his escape), which finally knocks the truth into Bolt, much to his depression. His spirits are lifted just high enough after a brief pep talk from Rhino (who still has yet to realize the truth himself) to give Bolt the will to save Mittens from the pound. The dog, cat, and hamster escape the shelter in the distraction from an explosion.

### Cross-Country Journey and Training

They hitch a ride on a truck to continue, but Bolt is still hopelessly depressed and confused about his existence. She cheers him up at by letting him in on a "little-known cat secret" that cats hate dogs because they want to be dogs and she explains that being a dog is having the "greatest gig in the world". Mittens teach Bolt the meaning of being a real dog and how to act like one; like playing fetch, sticking his head out a car window, etc..

Acquiring a map, the trio resumes their journey across the USA with better accuracy. As the days go by, Bolt is brought into true reality with an entirely new outlook on life, something he never had in the studio. Soon, his superhero persona (and lightning mark) fades as he develops ordinary canine behavior and a friendship with his companions.

### Bolt's Broken Heart

Towards the end of the trip, the trio finds themselves in Las Vegas, where they enjoy ample leftovers from buffets and beautiful fireworks. But Mittens refuses to continue on and tries to convince Bolt that Penny is just an actress and only pretends to love him. Bolt refuses to believe this and, in a rant, Mittens reveals that she had owners who abandoned her, declawed when they moved. Bolt tries to convince Mittens that Penny is different but she pushes him away and apologizes for showing pity to him. Bolt says goodbye to Mittens and wishes her the best, and continues on alone.

With the help of pigeons, he's guided back to his old studio. Hearing Penny, Bolt heads towards her to play like regular dogs do with their owners. His joy turns to shock when he sees Penny hugging a replacement of himself and leaves with a broken heart, believing Mittens had been right. But what he didn't know was that that was a scene Penny was acting.

### Bolt to the REAL rescue

Outside the studio, he runs into Mittens, having been convinced to follow by Rhino. She explains to him that she was wrong when she observed how heartbroken Penny was and tells Bolt that Penny truly loves him as her own dog and misses him dearly. But this is cut short when Bolt then suddenly hears something and senses something's wrong and realizes that Penny is in actual danger. He, Mittens, and Rhino rush back to the studio, which is on fire due to his lookalike panicking and knocking over some torches. With Rhino's help, Bolt just barely makes it inside. He locates Penny and they share a heartwarming reunion which is cut short because they need to get out as soon as possible. Bolt leads Penny to an air-vent but she begins to succumb to smoke asphyxiation. Penny tells Bolt to save himself but he refuses to leave her side. Bolt realizes the sound echoes out through the vent and (recalling how Rhino did an echo) releases a loud bark through to alert the firefighters of their location before passing out. They're rescued just in time and sent to the hospital. When their agent believes they can exploit the incident for publicity, Penny's disgusted mother informs him that she, Penny and Bolt quit after angrily kicking him out of the ambulance.

### A New Life

Three days later, Bolt's show jumps the shark with an alien abduction plotline with his lookalike, and a new Penny starring in the show (the show explaining the new Penny's different appearance as a result of facial-reconstruction surgery) while the recovered Bolt and Penny have moved to a rural home, possibly Kansas, and neighborhood with Mittens and Rhino, who Penny has adopted. With this new lifestyle, the four and Penny's mother have a happier life.