The Flight Before Christmas.

 

                                   The Flight Before Christmas.

I love this one cause it has to do with family and believing in who 

you are and who has always been there for you no matter how mean you 

are. The animation is great and if you know me animation is a huge thing 

for me. The animation has to be good and match the story or the movie 

will not work, so the people who made this one did an amazing job with 

both. So, with that, lets get to the story shall we:

Niko, a young reindeer, is told by Oona, his mother, that his father is one 

of the "Flying Forces", Santa's flying reindeer. For years, Niko has 

dreamed of joining his father in the Flying Forces, but he himself is 

unable to fly and even has a fear of heights. While trying to fly with the 

encouragement of Julius, a flying squirrel, the other young reindeer 

teased Niko. To avoid further teasing, Niko and his friend Saga leave 

their protected valley so Niko can practice without any disruptions. 

However, they are spotted by wolves and flee back to the herd in panic, 

but wind up luring the wolf pack to the valley. As the herd flees, Saga's 

father, the herd's leader battles and defeats a wolf, but is wounded in 

the process. Later, Niko overhears others talking of how his actions have 

damaged the herd, and decides to leave the herd in an attempt to find 

his father and Santa's Fell.

When Niko is discovered missing, Julius chooses to look for Niko, since 

he can search without leaving a trail as fresh snow is falling. Once he 

finds him, Julius is unable to convince Niko to return to the herd, and 

reluctantly joins him in the search for Santa's secret location. 

Meanwhile, Essie, a lost pet poodle, stumbles upon the wolf pack and is 

about to be eaten, but suggests to Black Wolf, the alpha wolf, the idea of 

killing Santa's reindeer. Essie is considered Black Wolf's good luck charm 

for this idea and is spared, but is also forced to join the pack. Niko and 

Julius discover Wilma, a weasel, stuck in a small tree branch and rescue 

her. She reluctantly joins Niko and Julius, believing she is indebted to 

them. Julius and Niko later get separated in a sudden blizzard and Niko 

wakes up under a pile of snow, unnoticed by the nearby wolf pack. Niko 

overhears Black Wolf resolving to kill Santa as well and take his place so 

he could also eat children.

When Niko is discovered, he flees and finds Julius, but the two are 

cornered between rock cliffs. Wilma saves them by triggering an 

avalanche with her singing, then guides Niko and Julius to safety. She 

then continues to follow them, since she knows the way to Santa's home 

due to having previously worked there as a singer. Eventually, Niko tries 

to cross a dangerous river by flying with Wilma's help, but fails and falls 

once he looks down. Thinking they are dead, the wolves head for Santa's 

home. At the same time, Julius and Wilma save Niko from going over a 

high waterfall.

While waiting for Niko to recover, Julius recounts how his real family 

was taken by wolves, and says that he has viewed Niko like a son now. 

Once they arrive at Santa's place, Niko is almost hit by the Flying Forces 

while standing on the runway. Niko tells them of Black Wolf's plan, but 

they doubt a wolf would discover Santa's secret valley. As they celebrate 

at their bar before heading out on Christmas Eve, Wilma sings them a 

song that asks them the identity of Niko's father. None of the reindeer 

respond, but they decide to do a "flying test" to see if Niko has the 

genetics to fly and thus prove if his claim is true. Upon realizing the 

potential danger of this, Julius yells at Niko while he is in midflight, so he 

falls again but is saved by Dasher. After this, the wolves find their way 

into the valley and the scared reindeer lose their power of flight. Black 

Wolf chooses to pursue Niko and corners him up a tall tree.

Meanwhile, as the other reindeer are cornered on the runway by the 

other wolves, Julius convinces the reindeer that they can fly, allowing 

them to save Niko using the sleigh. Black Wolf latches onto the sleigh, 

but Julius dislodges the part he is holding on to. In order to save Julius 

from falling as well, Niko jumps off the sleigh, only to realize that he can 

finally fly, and successfully saves Julius as Black Wolf falls to his death. 

Niko, backed up by the Flying Forces, send the wolves fleeing when they 

realize Black Wolf's death. Prancer, congratulating Niko on his bravery, 

reveals that he is his father. Afterwards, Niko meets Santa, who invites 

him to join the Flying Forces. However, after Julius leaves to update 

Niko's mother and the herd on his well-being, Niko chooses to stay with 

his mother and Julius, but intends to visit Prancer. Niko and Julius then 

take the herd to a new valley.