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When a film is successful, fans of that film often hope for, speculate and even petition for a sequel of that film to be made. Now, unfortunately, it’s more than likely that there will never be a sequel to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron made. Therefore, I thought it might be fun to get our creative imaginations flowing and think up our own plots for Spirit 2 ^^

So here’s where you let your imagination free to gallop across the Cimarron. What would you do as the plot for Spirit 2? Would it involve Spirit and Rain’s foal? Would it be just before Rain gave birth to their child? Would it involve Spirit leaving the herd again, and if so, for what reason? Perhaps it would even be a prequel, focusing on Strider and Esperanza starting the Cimarron Herd. If so, would it follow the Kathleen Dewey books, or would it be totally different? What story would you write for Spirit 2?

Here’s my idea for the sequel:

It would be done in the same style as the original film; only one horse character would speak, and they would provide a voiceover for the whole film. This character would be Spirit’s son, Rebel.

The movie starts with Spirit and Rain’s colt being born. The whole herd is overjoyed, and Esperanza seems particularly proud of her grandson. The colt grows into a fine young yearling under the watchful eyes of his parents and grandmother. But one day the Cimarron Herd is suddenly struck by a vicious mustang hunt. In the chaos and confusion the colt is separated from his parents, cornered and captured. He screams for his family, and Spirit hears him. Racing to the rescue, Spirit dives into the action, but he’s outnumbered by the cowboys and his son is dragged off before his heartbroken eyes. The colt sees his father knocked down, and the mighty stallion doesn’t rise. Believing the worst, Spirit’s son is pulled away from the battle and led off.

Before he really knows what’s happening, Spirit’s son is thrown into a band of other mustang yearlings from different herds, and driven off to a ranch. Here the foals are put into a large corral. One by one, they’re dragged out and tamed, not by the old fashioned method of tying the horse up and beating it, but with a revolutionary new idea of taming gently. Spirit’s son sees this, but he doesn’t want to be tamed, and fights the men boldly. The cowboys see his strength and courage, and name him Rebel. But he’s much younger than his father when Spirit was captured, and Rebel is gradually tamed by a kind hearted cowboy named Ted Banks, whom he begins to trust and befriend.

Returning to the Cimarron Herd, Spirit is back on his feet again. He’s bruised and sore, and his family are worried about him. But he’s even more worried about his son, and, leaving the herd in Esperanza’s care, he and Rain set off to get their son back. The Eagle aids them in their quest, acting as a scout in the air above.

Back at the ranch, Rebel has been put into a stable next to a black horse. In a voiceover from Rebel’s point of view, the black horse asks him where he’s from, and expresses surprise when he hears the colt is from the Cimarron Herd. The black horse then tells him in a flashback how he used to be a wild mustang too, but he was also captured by the humans one day, and cruelly broken in by the old fashioned methods. He tells Rebel that shortly after he was broken in, a fine young horse was killed by those methods, and the men, led by Ted Banks, decided to change their taming methods. He says many other men laugh at them for using gentle training techniques, but at the end of the day their horses are happier, healthier and live longer than the cruelly broken in mounts.

Rebel is torn. He has great affection for Ted Banks. But every night his heart returns to the plains, the herd and his family. The next morning the men tack up Rebel and the black horse, who one man calls ‘Strider’. Rebel is too small and young to be ridden, so he’s tied to strider’s saddle by a halter and led out with the other horses on a ride. Ted Banks hope that the calm natured black horse will help to comfort and quieten Rebel, and that he’ll get used to riding out with other tack up horses this way. But once they are out of the ranch and have gone some way, Strider tells Rebel that he’s going to help him escape. He says that he misses his life as a wild horse, and wishes he could go back to it. He says it’s too late for him now, but it’s not too late for Rebel. Suddenly rearing up, Strider throws Ted Banks to the ground, snapping the line tethering Rebel to his saddle in the process.

Spirit and Rain hear Strider’s neigh and rush to the scene. Spirit immediately gallops at Ted, who’s trying to scramble to his feet and grab Rebel’s broken rope. In a flash Rebel steps in front of his father and protects Ted. Spirit is stunned, but strider urges all three mustangs to run. Spirit and Strider’s eyes meet, and a flashback fills the screen; Spirit as a foal with Esperanza. Then the camera pans, and we see Strider standing a little way off, watching proudly. Then we’re back to the present day, and Spirit spins round and gallops off with his family. Rebels stops once in his gallop, looking back sadly at Strider and Ted Banks. Ted gives him a sad smile, and Rebel turns and re-joins his parents. Getting to his feet, Ted puts his arm around Strider and remarks on what a nice family the three horses make.

Back at the herd, the horses are immensely relieved to see Spirit, Rain and Rebel back. Esperanza makes a huge fuss of her grandson. The movie ends with Rebel galloping beside his father in the open plains.

I really like your idea, though I do have to say I would have thought the perfect ending would be Strider coming home with them too. It looks like you've put a lot of thought into this, and I have to admit I've never truly thought of a plot for Spirit 2 myself. The only thing I always swore never to acknowledge was the idea that Spirit and Rain have a filly. Cause we all know how those kinds of sequels turn out... with the father becoming uncharacteristically over-protective and the daughter being a naive, spoiled brat.

I tend to like sequels where the main character from the first movie is the main character in the sequel as well. What can I say? Once I fall in love with a character, you can't just tear them away from me. ^^;

But it seems like you've got a great idea going, in any case. As unrealistic as it is for Dreamworks to ever re-visit Spirit: SotC, it's still a nice thought all the same.

Thanks, Moki ^^

I thought it might make for a more interesting twist if Strider was unable to return with them. A sort of bitter sweet ending, if you will ^^;

I agree with you; it's nice when the main character(s) for the original film have a strong role in the sequel(s). I just couldn't figure out a way to add Spirit in more ^^; If this plot ever were to be made into Spirit 2, I'm sure Dreamworks would add much more action and events into it ^^;

I do like this idea, but personally I think it should be about Spirit's childhood. In the movie, the last scene we see Spirit as a colt is when he's rearing on his hind legs to the buffalo herd, before fading away to Adult Spirit and the movie continuing from that point forward. It kind of makes me curious about Spirit's childhood. Did he ever meet Strider? Did he have an earlier encounter with the cougar? How did he and the Eagle meet? So many questions about what could have went on during that time in his life as he grew older into a strong stallion.

that's a good idea, Tyto ^^ Sort of like the storyline of Bambi II ^^

And Tarzan II as well