Up - Characters & Cast

Initially, Carl's sole motivation is to fulfill his promise to his late wife, Ellie, to move their house to Paradise Falls. This promise is his last connection to her and a way to honor her memory. As the story progresses, his motivation shifts to protecting his new companions: Russell, Kevin, and Dug.

Carl begins as a shy boy who finds his adventurous spirit through Ellie. After her death, he becomes a bitter, isolated widower, clinging to the past. His journey is one of emotional reawakening. Forced into an adventure with Russell, he slowly opens himself up to new experiences and relationships. He transforms from someone who sees Russell as a nuisance to a protective, fatherly figure. His ultimate act of letting go of his house to save his friends demonstrates his shift in priorities from preserving the past to embracing the present. He rediscovers that adventure is about people, not places.

Russell's primary motivation is to earn his 'Assisting the Elderly' merit badge to complete his sash and, more deeply, to make his absent father proud. This evolves into a genuine care for his new friends, especially Kevin, whom he is determined to protect from Muntz.

Russell starts as an eager, somewhat naive Wilderness Explorer focused on earning his final merit badge for 'Assisting the Elderly'. He is talkative and persistent, which initially annoys Carl. Throughout their adventure, Russell demonstrates immense bravery and loyalty. His simple, heartfelt desire for his father's attention is a key part of his character. He helps pull Carl out of his shell and shows him the importance of connection. By the end, he finds a new, more present father figure in Carl.

Muntz is driven by a decades-long obsession to capture a live specimen of the 'Monster of Paradise Falls' (Kevin) to prove his discovery to the world and restore his tarnished reputation. This goal has consumed him to the point that he is willing to harm or even kill anyone who gets in his way.

Muntz is introduced as a heroic and inspiring explorer, a childhood idol to both Carl and Ellie. However, when Carl meets him, Muntz has devolved into a bitter and obsessed old man. Disgraced by the scientific community, he has spent decades in isolation, ruthlessly hunting the creature that will vindicate him. His arc is a tragic one of a hero who has lost his way, becoming the villain of his own story due to his obsession and paranoia. He represents a dark path that Carl could have followed.

Dug's main motivation is simple and pure: he wants to find a master who will love and be kind to him. His loyalty shifts from Muntz to Carl, whom he instantly loves. He is also motivated by a desire to help his new friends, especially in protecting Kevin from Muntz and the other dogs.

Dug is an outcast from Muntz's dog pack, considered simple-minded and a poor hunter. He is the first to befriend Carl and Russell. His arc is about finding belonging and a master who truly values him. He proves his loyalty and bravery, ultimately helping Carl and Russell defeat Muntz and becoming the new leader of the dog pack. He finds the loving home he has always wanted with Carl.

Ellie's motivation in life was to live a grand adventure, with her ultimate dream being a trip to Paradise Falls. More importantly, her motivation was to build a happy life with Carl. Her final note to him shows her ultimate desire was for him to be happy and continue having adventures even after she was gone.

Ellie's physical presence is limited to the film's beginning, but her spirit influences the entire story. As a child, she is boisterous and adventurous, inspiring the shy Carl. The opening montage shows her full life with Carl. Even after her death, she serves as Carl's primary motivation. Her character's 'arc' is revealed posthumously through her adventure book. Carl discovers she filled it with photos of their life together, adding a note that their life was the real adventure and that he should seek a new one. This recontextualizes her influence from someone holding Carl to the past, to someone encouraging him to move forward.