- (spoiler!) Kes, the kestrel in Kes, symbolizing the casual brutality of postwar industrial Northern England, and how your dimwitted family can blot out your best friend for a larf, but since you don’t have any future anyway you don’t deserve anything that can bring you joy. Realizing this brings you into adulthood.
- (spoiler!) Old Yeller, the old yeller dog in Old Yeller, symbolizing how through no fault of their own and despite tremendous heroics, your best friend can turn on you, and you must kill them to save yourself and your family. Realizing this brings you into adulthood, and seriously, fuck rabies.
- (spoiler!) The Iron Giant, the iron giant in The Iron Giant, symbolizing how something that is miraculous to you is a threat to everyone else, and if you’re very lucky, it will sacrifice itself instead of letting thousands die in atomic fire. Realizing this brings you into adulthood, and for the first time with a sense of hope, because if a machine, a Terminator, can learn the value of human life … maybe we can too.
:’(