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Shrek universe

Map of the Shrek Universe
Shrek Map right half

This article is about the fictional universe, world or reality where all films and other stories of the Shrek franchise (including Puss in Boots spin-offs) take place. It largely imitates fairy tale fantasy settings, with Medieval technology and society combined with magical elements. It is populated by humans and fantastical creatures. Another name given to this realm is the Shrekverse by many fans.

It seems that, just like humans, most animals, and other creatures are intelligent and able to speak, alongside some individual beings of other kinds, like plants (the Evil Trees) or food (Gingerbread Man). Others, like the Dragon, are intelligent, but do not speak. Horses and birds are species with no apparent intelligence.

Geographically, it has a variety of climates and biomes, including swamps, forests, deserts, mountains, and snowy environments. Hydrographically, it is known to have rivers and at least one large ocean which separates two landmasses.

Politically, it has systems similar to those of the Middle Ages, with the two known major areas being monarchies: Far Far Away (a kingdom) and Duloc (a lordship). Some places, like the Swamp and Merlin's House, seem to be separated from legislatures. One basic aristocracy also exists in this universe, being Del Mar.

Because of references to the real world in the series (see below), it has been suspected that this world may be in fact Earth. While the Puss in Boots spin-off franchise is confirmed to take place (at least partially) in the region of Andalusia (located in Spain), the continent that the Shrek stories are set on is largely unknown. They are supposedly based on the real life British Isles, which inspired many locations in the films- however which specific area they are specifically set in has not been confirmed.

There is also an alternative version of this world, created by Rumpelstiltskin's dark magic, where Shrek does not exist. It only appears in Shrek Forever After.

References to the real world

While Shrek is thought to take place in a fantasy world, the films include parodical references to places and other elements of the real world.

Places

People

Songs

Many songs performed in the franchise are real-life modern songs.

Geography

There are five known landmasses: the main continent where most known places are located, a second continent where the Worcestershire Academy is located, the Pirate Lagoon, the island where Merlin's House is located, and the fifth continent (Spain) where the events of the Puss in Boots films take place.

Main continent

The main continent takes up most of the known world. There are two rivers which run through the main continent: Pinocchio River and a large unnamed river which has a waterfall known as Fairy Falls. Some of its distinguishing features are:

Second continent

Andalusia, Spain

  • San Ricardo, a small town in Spain surrounded by harsh deserts
  • The Giant's Castle, an abandoned castle resting above the clouds
  • Santa Coloma, an isolated church in the middle of a barren landscape
  • Del Mar, a small town settling on a hill surrounded by green environments
    • The village doctor's offices, an area located in the midst of Del Mar
    • Mama Luna's Cat Rescue, an animal rescue home near Del Mar
    • Unnamed tavern, an establishment where Puss in Boots first encounters Death
  • Jack Horner Pie Co., a pastry factory in the middle of a Spanish industrial park
  • The Wishing Star Crater, an area where the the star struck the earth and locked away the Last Wish
    • Dark Forest, a plot of dangerous land surrounding the powerful Wishing Star, and can take new forms based on the holder of the map to the star
      • Valley of Incineration, a fiery forest from Puss' path
      • Undertaker Ridge, a rocky terrain from Puss' Path
      • Cave of Lost Souls, a crystal structure where Puss encounters his former eight lives and discovers Death's true idenity
      • Swamp of Infinite Sorrows, a musty swamp from Kitty's path
      • Mountains of Misery, two towering mountains where Goldilocks and the Three Bears kidnap Perrito
      • Abyss of Eternal Loneliness, a high mountain from Kitty's path
      • Pocket Full o' Posies, a blue field of deadly flowers that are kind when you smell them, but can kill if pestered
      • River of Relaxation, a cozy stream where Kitty shaves Puss' beard
      • Field of Quick & Easy Solutions, a happy landscape from Perrito's path
      • Nostalgic Pines, a pinewood forest that is also home to a replica of the Three Bears' cabin home
  • Gibraltar, a city nested on the edge of a giant cliffside

Merlin's Island

Pirate Lagoon

  • Pirate Lagoon is possibly where Captain Hook and his pirate crew come from. It has a volcano in the center, much like Neverland.

Neverland

  • Hook's Pirate Ship

Unknown location

Briefly shown

  • Milky Way outskirts, where the Wishing Star was formed

Possibly invented places

Life

The flora of this world is much like the real world's: diverse with many biomes, including swamps, forests, deserts, mountains, and snowy environments, alongside rivers and oceans. The only known intelligent and talking woods are the Evil Trees and Pinocchio. Fungi can be affected by magic, as seen in Shrek 2 when Shrek sneezed the Happily Ever After Potion at a mushroom and it transformed into a rose minutes later.

The creatures inhabiting this world are very diverse. Humans, ogres and cats are intelligent and able to speak. The same may be said about most other species, although some only from what is known of individual examples. Dragon, the only known dragon, clearly understands what humans say, but does not speak. Other species, like horses, dogs and birds, are seemly not intelligent at all, just like their real-life counterparts. Some food also have life, like Gingerbread Man (a gingerbread cookie) and Humpty Dumpty (an egg).

Higher entity beings have also been known to exist. The ghost of Lord Farquaad was the first supernatural inclusion, and living corpses (albeit in Shrek's dream) were implied in the Thriller Night parody. The only known character to be of any higher power is Death, who is the personification of death, and therefore, one of the major controllers of fate. While he took the form of a wolf when hunting down Puss, it is possible that is just one of the many appearances he has when performing his duties. He is also the only known primordial being in the main timeline.

Beyond the planet the films are set in, the Wishing Star came down to earth, causing a major cosmic explosion. The star is the only bit of extraterrestrial life seen within this universe, and has properties similar to a Lovecraftian creature. It can manipulate any surrounding area and shapeshift to personify itself for any wielder of the map leading to the star. The star is also strong enough to kill adventurers that dare fight through its paths. The only known ways it can murder are with the sentient posies, and the star's cosmic wall which can obliterate anyone who slips out of its orbit when rising up. It is unknown what happens to the star if one were to get their wish granted, as Puss, Kitty, Goldilocks, the Ethical Bug, and the Phoenix destroyed the map before "Big" Jack Horner could make his wish. What is know is that the star simply implodes on itself before shooting back up into space. The damage the star did to the land is left over, and after it explodes, many stars elegantly travel across the earth's surface.

List of creatures

This is a list of known creatures (animals and others):
* means that only one individual of this species is known

Intelligent and talking
Intelligent, but non-talking
Non-intelligent
Unknown
Unintelligent under the effects of Rumple's Spell
  • Pigs
  • Cats (Arguable)

Society

Politics and government

Only three government systems have been shown in the franchise: Far Far Away, a kingdom, Duloc, a lordship, and Del Mar, an aristocracy. The first is likely an absolute monarchy as it imitates medieval kingdoms shown in fairy tales, while the second was much like a totalitarian dictatorship. The third is more of a traditional state-wide structure, complete with a governor in control of the entire area, albeit with more restrains. The concept of private property also seems to exist outside royal rules, since the Swamp and Merlin's House are under no apparent jurisdiction (although, in the musical, Farquaad does state that the swamp is in Duloc's territory). This is also possible for the Southern Town and San Ricardo, which appear isolated from major royal control. It is not known under what government is the Worcestershire Academy.

Religion

There is a cathedral in Duloc, implying that Christianity or some kind of religion may exist in this world. The ghost of Farquaad suggests that paranormal events occur but not commonly. Further supporting the existence of religion, there is one known church, Santa Coloma, where Puss in Boots and Kitty Softpaws were supposed to be married. What can also be considered paranormal activity is the presence of Death, who was out to claim Puss' soul after burning through eight of his nine lives. Supernatural abilities exclusive to those who work in controlling the earth are shown through Death, which hints at other potential entities that can work in similar ways.

Aside from Christianity, Shamanism is the other known religion practiced. The doctor from Del Mar is shown using a shaman stick on Puss during his checkup. He helps heal Puss by removing any bad energy from witches through red mist. It is possible that the witches of this universe are affected greatly from the presence of shaman practices.

Either Polytheism or Kemetism are presumably practiced as well. This is heavily implied by the appearance of the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet as a statue in "Big" Jack Horner's collection of magical items. Furthermore, Hellenism is also implied through the mention of the Greek god Poseidon, and the presence of his famous trident, which is desired by many cold-hearted criminals.

Monetary system

Money, such as shillings and pieces of silver, is widely used in that world by different species. Gold coins however are only seen to be common in Spain, and are often found in large doses. Golden eggs laid by the Golden Goose are also accepted as currency if obtained.

Sewer system

Because of the time setting, the sewer systems are extremely primitive. Toilets come in a variety of forms, from outhouses (Shrek's swamp), crude indoor toilets (Del Mar), more modern devices (Mama Luna’s Cat Rescue), or chamber pots (Worcestershire Academy). Only two major sewer lines are known to exist in the Shrek universe, those being the catacombs of Far Far Away, and the pipes of Del Mar. Toilet paper also doesn't appear to exist in this world, and instead, storybook pages are used (similar to the real medieval times).

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