Balto is the titular protagonist of Universal's 1995 animated feature film of the same name. He is a wolfdog hybrid, lives in an abandoned boat on the outskirts of Nome with his adoptive father, a Russian snow goose named Boris, and two polar bears, Muk and Luk. Being a half-breed, Balto is ridiculed by dogs and humans alike. His only friends in town are a little girl named Rosy, and her red husky, Jenna whom Balto has a crush on, and is challenged by the town's favorite sled dog, Steele, a fierce and arrogant Alaskan Malamute.
Background[]
Balto was born to a white wolf named Aniu and an unnamed husky, along with his brothers and sisters, making them all half-wolves and half-dogs, comparing to their parents. One day, Balto got separated from his family at a young age, but could still remember how his mother really looked like. One day, he was found by a Russian snow goose named Boris who took him in, and raised Balto as his own. While growing up, Balto never learned how to bark like other dogs. But when he grew older, all humans and animals judged him being a part-wolf, rather than a dog, due to his look. Deeply hurting Balto's feelings, living on an abounded boat with Boris, and two polar bears named Muk and Luk.
Personality[]
Strong and outgoing, Balto is smart and trustworthy, and cares deeply for others, willing to give up his own life to help others. In the first film, he dislikes his wolf heritage as it causes him to be hated by the people of Nome, but after safely delivering the Antitoxin to Nome, he finally learns to accept it. He seems to have good intentions, but has ended up on the dark side of the story due to his father's actions.
Physical Appearance[]
Balto is very strong and handsome, but unkept, he resembles a wolf more than a dog, but still not as much as his daughter, Aleu. He has a brownish-gray fur, light brown eyes, and big paws.
Appearances[]
Balto[]
In the beginning of the film, Balto is a stray and is disliked by the people of Nome. He was first seen with his adoptive father, Boris, during the race. He went to watch it, where he later saw Jenna and fell in love with her. When Steele and his team will come into Nome for the finish, Rosy's hat is suddenly blown onto the racing path. Rosy tried to get it, but Jenna held her back. Balto, seeing what happened, jumped into the race as Steele's team approached. Balto outran the incoming team and grabbed it. Balto brought the hat to Rosy, who's very grateful. Rosy's father scared Balto away, warning Rosy that he's part wolf and he might bite her. Balto walked away, rejected and disappointed.
Later, Balto heard Rosy's voice, excited at the thought of seeing her. He raced to meet her, but can't slow down in time and ended up bumping into Jenna. Jenna is surprised until her owners shall call her, but when she looked back, Balto is gone. Jenna tried to find him again until her owners called her once more and she left. Balto walked down an alleyway with Boris, who is trying to comfort the disappointed half wolf. On their way back to the ship wreck, where Balto lived, they can meet Steele, Nikki, Kaltag, and Star, who will mock Balto about being a half breed. Steele told Balto that he has a message for his mother, then howled like a wolf. This made Balto angry, but he refused to fight. Steele and his dogs may laugh and kick snow at him, and he ran away. Balto left town and headed to his home, a wrecked old boat. On the way, he saw a pack of wolves, reminding him of his wolf heritage. The wolves will howl at him in greeting, but Balto refused to howl back and went back to the boat, his ears drooping.
Balto is then visited by Muk & Luk, two polar bears, who shall annoy Boris, who then pretended to challenge the pair to a race in an attempt to get rid of them. Later Balto is sitting on his boat staring off into space, Boris asked him "And just what is so interesting?" which Balto responded "Jenna." Boris told him that he's in love with her and told him to tell Jenna how he felt until Balto denied it saying "Nah, she's not my type." "And why not?" responded Boris. Balto stayed quiet, "This wolf business again?" said Boris. He questioned Balto, asking him what's the matter with being half and half, before admitting that he wishes he was half eagle, bewildered. Balto asked why and Boris said that he would have "a bit of profile for one thing", "and nobody eats you for another".
A bit later, Balto visited Jenna, who is waiting outside the hospital. Balto tried to ask her out on a date, chasing sticks by moonlight, Jenna ignored him, staring upset, into the hospital window, Balto asked her what is wrong, "Rosy's in there," she responded. Balto asked why she's in the hospital, Jenna said that Rosy felt warm and has a terrible cold, "Balto, what's wrong with her?" she asked nervously, Balto said that he doesn't know, but he knew how to find out, he led Jenna into the boiler room, and showed her the way through the ventilation system to a small space under the building, and using colored broken bottles and light from the vent to project a image of the Northern Lights on the wall, Jenna gazed at the lights, and said "It's beautiful." "Yeah, beautiful," Balto responded, but instead looking at her, Jenna turned to him, and they shall touch noses, but they are interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the vent that they can turn and look, and after listening, they may discover that Rosy has Diphtheria, a deadly disease, which the doctor exclaimed that he is out of anti-toxin. Jenna, ran away crying, Balto followed her and said that he's sorry for taking her to see what was wrong with Rosy, Jenna, however, said that she's glad that he did.
Suddenly, Steele waltzed in with a string of stolen sausages. He offered them flirtatiously to Jenna right in front of Balto, which angered him. Jenna, seeing this, tricked him into burning himself on the boiler. Steele yelped, and Balto and Jenna shall take off, when two men with a lamp can come to see what all the noise was and Balto ended up getting framed for Steele's crimes. Meanwhile most of the children of Nome have become sick and the hospital is out of antitoxin, the people of Nome, in several attempts to send it in alternate ways, must select the fastest dogs in town to run a sled team, 674 miles to get more antitoxin. A race is being held to decide the dogs to be on the sled team. Balto wished to run the race, but Boris, discouraged him. Balto entered the race and won, coming in first place. Even though he came in first place, Steele ignored the fact that Balto won and when Balto pointed out that "I was the fastest dog", Steele quickly revolted and said, "You were the fastest what?" Still picking at him for being part wolf. While Jenna tried to stick up for him and told Steele to worry more about the medicine instead of worrying about him being in the team, Steele stomped on Balto's paw and the judges can declare that he may turn on them because he is part wolf, Jenna tried to apologize but angrily Balto walked away. Steele led the team out of Nome. After getting the antitoxin, Steele's team got lost in a blizzard on the way back, as the children of Nome, get sicker. After hearing the news of the lost team, and the thought of Nome, losing its children, Balto decided that he must go after Steele and his team and see what has become of them and the medicine, or die trying, and left Nome with Boris, and Muk & Luk tag along as well.
Back in Nome, waiting outside the hospital, Jenna stumbled on Balto's scent, and decided to follow him. Balto and his friends are moving along the trail. Balto is marking their path by clawing the bark off trees leaving a trail. Balto sensed that they're being watched, and decided the only thing to do is to keep moving, which he does, except his friends, Boris, Muk, and Luk. Muk and Luk stayed, having a snowball fight. Boris is all ready to put a end to the snowball fight, when he backed into a wall of fur, which he wasn't expecting. He turned around to see a grizzly bear. The bear attacked them and got them trapped under a bunch of branches, Balto heard the fighting and came running back, and hurled himself on the bear, but he is quickly thrown off and pinned down, as the bear began to crush him. Jenna appeared and jumped on the bear, making it let go of Balto. The bear stood up and stepped backwards, nearly crushing Muk, Luk, and Boris trapped. Jenna then wrestled with the bear, but she is, like Balto, thrown off. The bear then turned back to Balto, whom it followed down to a frozen lake, where Balto stood to face the bear, but the ice cracked, taking both the bear and Balto under. Jenna began to panic when Balto doesn't come back up, Muk & Luk must jump into the water, and find Balto, bringing him back to the surface, gasping and choking, Jenna, greeted Balto with enthusiasm, Balto decided to keep going, but Jenna is hurt from the fight with the bear, so Balto told Muk & Luk and Boris to take her back to Nome, which they do, but before leaving, Jenna gave Balto her bandana, which he happily excepted, Jenna and Balto shall say their goodbyes and Balto headed off on his mission.
Balto traveled through blizzard and snow, and after many days of traveling, he finally found the lost team, but they are in poor condition, stranded at the bottom of a cliff, and their musher out cold, all the dogs are overjoyed to see Balto, except Steele, too prideful to admit his failure, Balto tried to help but Steele, despite the other dogs, doesn't want him to, he attacked Balto in an effort to kill him, but Balto dodged skillfully to one side, and after Steele grabbed hold of the bandana, it unraveled, causing Steele fall down a cliff.
Thinking that Steele is dead, Balto led the sled team away as their new lead dog, but Steele is not dead, as a way of getting back, he messed up all of Balto's marks, causing the sled team to go the wrong direction, Balto and the team can end up sliding down a cliff that led to a sheer drop into a gorge, Balto caught hold of a branch, but not before the antitoxin box began to fall off the edge, and in a desperate effort, Balto jumped forward and caught it, but the ice under him gave way, dropping him into the gorge with the box of antitoxin.
All the sled dogs must think Balto is dead and look unable to go anywhere without a leader. At the bottom of the cliff, Balto awoke to find himself still alive, but assuming that he has failed and covered his face, then laid motionless, but not before seeing a great white wolf, standing in front of him. Balto watched as the he began to howl, but looked away. It's then that he noticed the unharmed crate of antitoxin, laying in a snow drift and he looked up to see the ridge where he fell. It is then he heard Boris' words earlier that a dog cannot make the journey alone but maybe a wolf can. Realizing the half wolf heritage in him, he turned around and gased at the wolf's paw print, he put his paw on the wolf's track, and grew amazed to see that his paw print and the wolf's are identical, then filled with new found determination, he let out a long howl, the wolf appeared and and joined him. Balto took the antitoxin and carried it up the cliff, the dogs will continue to run till a unlucky sneeze by Star, set off an avalanche, the team only managed to escape by ducking into a cave. Balto led them through the cave, then noticed that the roof of the cave is covered in stalactites, he warned the other dogs to be quiet, but the sled hit a bump, and made a loud noise triggering a fall of stalactites, they will manage to avoid the stalactites, and get out of the cave alive. Back in Nome, Jenna waited at Rosy's bedside, just then Balto came into view with the antitoxin, Jenna barked with joy and all the humans shall race out to see what's going on when Balto ran into town with the rest of the team. With many congratulations, Balto is hailed a hero and Jenna became his mate and in eight years, Balto finally disappeared into the afterlife.
Balto II: Wolf Quest[]
In the second film, Balto is Jenna's mate/Husband. The film is beginning with Balto having a terrible nightmare that he seemed to have been having for days. He dreamed that he is running across a great frozen lake with a raven following him and he saw a wall of ice appearing in front of him. He turned around and runs back, but is stopped dead by a pack of wolves. When Boris splashed him with water, he woke up coughing and sputtering, then Boris complained that the dream kept him from sleeping peacefully. Balto insisted that it's just a dream, but Boris kept telling him it meant something if he has it over and over again. Balto got up and walked over to Nome. On the way, he observed a large totem pole with the Raven, like in his dream on it as well as a Wolverine, Grizzly bear, Red fox and Gray wolf. Boris said that he thought that the Raven on the Totem pole has something to do with the Raven in his dreams, but Balto said that it doesn't and that the humans can carve totem poles to tell stories, but Boris kept on saying that it meant something to which Balto responded, "Look, all I know is that the Totem pole marks the quickest route to Jenna's." When they shall enter Nome, they are waylaid by a little dog who spun in circles, making Boris dizzy and yelling, "The stork has landed 1" After hearing this, Balto became alarmed and raced to the shed where Jenna is nursing her five newborn pups, all of which are red like her except one, Aleu, who is light brown. Balto entered nervously and looked down at his children then said in a warm tone of voice, "They’re so beautiful," to which Jenna agreed. Later, Balto is turning in his sleep as he is dreaming again. This time, he is running across the ice with the Raven close behind. As he ran, he turned to see Jenna standing by the shed calling out to him, but a light is so bright that he can't see her face. He got confused and turned and started running toward her, but before he can get there, he awakes to find himself in his own abandoned pirate ship.
He heard Jenna calling and looked over the side of the boat where Jenna is waiting on the beach with the pups, "Good morning sleepyhead," she said. "Did you forget about watching the pups today while my girl and I go on a picnic?", Balto said that he would never have to forget and jumped down to say hello to the pups, who will greet him with joy. As the pups shall go off to play with Boris, Jenna reminded Balto that the pups are going to be adopted the next day. Balto felt disappointed and wished that they didn't need to be adopted. Nevertheless, when adoption day came, Aleu isn't adopted due to her wolf-like appearance. Balto and Jenna must refuse the truth that their daughter will never be adopted, but they can believe that someday a human will take her, though they may know in their hearts that it isn't true. Almost a year later as Aleu grew up into a young adult, they can keep her hope's up by telling her that she is going to be adopted, but when she is playing with Muk & Luk, she rolled down a hill and almost got shot by a hunter and to her surprise, Balto saved her from any harm by wrestling the gun out of the hunter's hands. Aleu asked him why he attacked the human and Balto told her that the hunter had tried to kill her because she resembled a wolf perfectly. Aleu felt shocked at discovering that she is part wolf and ran away. Balto suspected that she will get over it, but Aleu isn't so sure. Then Balto has another dream where he is running with a herd of Caribou, running across the ocean on an ice bridge and hears the voice of his mother telling him about the Totem animals. He is woken up the next morning by Muk & Luk, who are looking for Aleu, but she is nowhere to be found. Balto went to see if she is with Jenna, but discovered that she isn't. To this, he picked up her trail on the beach and followed it into the wilderness, after which he is shortly followed by a Raven who led him to cross a log. On that log, he met a Fox which his mother described as, "The Cunning Trickster". The Fox tricked him into falling in the river by telling him that she will help him find Aleu. Balto swam, but is pulled by the current. Later, he is found unconscious by Boris, Muk, & Luk. After waking up, Balto found Aleu's scent and followed it, but is waylaid by a trio of Wolverines who can mock him and make fun of him. They shall insist that Balto is scared of them and Balto admitted that he is scared, but not of them. He told them that he is afraid for Aleu then the Wolverines will tell him to stop following the Raven before mysteriously disappearing. Balto continued to follow the Raven and came across Aleu just in time to save her from a bear. After that, Aleu refused to come back to Nome, due to an encounter with her spirit guide Muru, a kindly field mouse telling her that she has to find who she is. Balto encouraged her to come home, only to be further refused. Seeing that his daughter will not come home, he insisted that he's coming with her to which she happily agreed. Balto then smelled salt water, telling his daughter that they are near the ocean and they must decide to see it. When they can reach it, they are ambushed by four wolves who shall try to kill them, but the wolf's pack arrived and stopped them. The pack is led by an elderly wolf named Nava. His pack is faithful to him, but his leadership is challenged by a wolf named Niju, one of the wolves that ambushed Aleu and Balto. Niju is trying to encourage the pack to steal food from other animal clans in the forest, but Nava said that they should not. It is this way that Aleu and Balto will find out that the pack is starving, due to the Caribou leaving and crossing the ice over to Russia where the wolves cannot follow just like in Balto's dream. Aleu said that they should have to help them, believing that they are meant to and that all this was meant to be, but Balto said no and told Aleu that despite his dreams, the whole ordeal has gone too far and that they will leave in the morning. When morning came, Balto decided that Aleu was right, and that he should want to help them, because he is the only one that can lead them to find the Caribou, he decided this just in time to stop Niju from leading the pack into stealing, Niju insisted on fighting, but is stopped when the pack saw an ice bridge forming over the ocean, at first they are confused, but Aleu explained that last winter, the Caribou crossed an ice bridge to land in Russia, and now that bridge is forming again, and that if the pack is to survive. They must cross the ice bridge and get to Russia where the Caribou are. The pack saw that she is right and decided to let Balto lead them across to which he agrees. The pack began to cross, but Niju, being afraid of change refused to go as the pack is crossing. The section of ice Nava is on broke off and began to float away.
Aleu seeing that Nava is in trouble took a leap and managed to hold on to the edge of the ice. Nava tried to help Aleu, but is not strong enough, the piece of ice that Aleu is holding on to is heading toward the shore, Aleu scrambled madly but she can't get up and she is smashed against another piece of ice by the shore, forcing her underwater, for a few intense seconds she got stuck underwater, but eventually resurfaced and climbed onto the ice where Nava is, but the problem remained. Aleu and Nava are trapped on the piece of ice that is headed back to the shore. Aleu could want to make the swim, but Nava is too old for anything physically strenuous. With a swim that far, he'd never make it. Aleu called out to Balto telling him to lead the pack on and that she will find a way to get her and Nava back to the pack. Balto led the pack on, leaving Aleu alone with Nava. Just then, Niju appeared, intending to kill Nava and Aleu and had become the new pack leader. He easily knocked Nava down, but Aleu attacked and wrestled Niju to the ground in defense of Nava. Niju quickly threw her off and pinned her down, but Balto appeared and yelled, "Niju! Leave her be!" Niju released her. Aleu told Balto that he should not have to be there, and should have to be leading the pack across, Balto said that he will, as soon as he took care of Niju, but the ice that the pack is on is floating away to the other side, and they will never make it across without a leader. Balto told Niju that if he wanted to be a leader, this is his chance. But Niju's stubborn nature got the better of him. He refused to go and he is so busy talking that he doesn't see the patch of cracked ice. When he stepped on it, he fell through and surfaced on the shore.
Balto knew that Nava won't be able to swim to the pack, so he decided to do it, but Aleu said that he shouldn't have to. She told her father that he does not belong there. With Jenna and Boris. Aleu realized that this is where she truly belonged in the world, a proud and noble leader of her own wolf pack. Balto sadly agreed and said an emotional goodbye to his daughter, who turned and swam to the pack, becoming their new leader. Balto watched as Aleu and the other wolves can make their way to the other side and disappear on the horizon. Balto knew that Aleu is leaving, perhaps forever, but he also knew that she has finally found somewhere she belonged in the world. Though he will miss her, he knew that she will be happy with her new life. He turned and walked onto the shore, where Nava is waiting for him. Nava told Balto, "She will be a great leader. And now it is time for you to go home." then bid Balto a noble goodbye and left to find Niju. As Nava ran off, Balto turned to see Aniu, a great white wolf that appeared from nowhere. Aniu revealed herself to be Balto's mother and has also revealed that the Raven has been guiding the quest the whole time. She let out a howl and disappeared in a cloud of white fog, leaving Balto on his own. Balto bid his mother a goodbye as well and made his way back to Nome.
Balto III: Wings of Change[]
Balto is seen on a mountain top along with Jenna waiting for a bi-plane which Balto is intrigued by. As the plane flew over him is amazed and wished that he could have to fly like a plane. One of Balto's sons, Kodi, lived a career of being part of the mail dog sled team with Mr. Simpson, who's in charge of delivering the US mail to Nome. That soon became questioned when the bi-plane landed and Balto met its pilot, Duke, who is proposing on delivering the mail in his plane instead of the dogs, claiming that his plane is more reliable and efficiant than the dog sled team. Kodi and the other sled dogs, who were there, and just about every other dog in Nome, are stressed to hear this, so the team asked Balto to lead them in a race organized to decide who will be delivering the mail to Nome, the dogs or Duke. The dogs can enlist Balto on being their team leader because they shall know all about his fame for saving Nome from the Dysphoria can scare back in 1922. Instead of being honored to be their leader, Balto is stressed. He's seen what the bi-plane is capable of and he thought that there might be no chance in beating it, and neither does Boris, who had no surprise there. Balto went and seeked Jenna for advice. He's not afraid of losing the race, but he is afraid of losing his image and his respect. If they do lose, he doesn't want his son, Kodi, to see him as a failure. Kodi knew Balto as the greatest American dog hero in recorded history, and Balto doesn't want to disappoint his son who wanted to be just like him. Jenna sang to Balto and told him that he doesn't have to be Kodi's hero, he just has to be there for him. Ever since he was a pup, he was never good at keeping up with his brothers and sisters when they were running on the beach. Balto was always there to give him the motivation he needed to succeed and be fast. If it wasn't for Balto's encouragement, Kodi never would have gained the confidence to become a mail dog. Balto's stress finally melted away when he realized that he never had to be a hero, just a good leader. On the night before the race, Balto walked over towards the bi-plane to check it out, and Duke suddenly arrived. Balto tried hiding from him under the wing, but Duke saw his reflection in the window. At first, Balto is shy, but Duke presented him with jerky and showed him that he liked him. Duke told Balto how amazing it is to fly "soaring high above the clouds", and the two will become friends. On the day of the race, the dogs shall start gearing up to beat the bi-plane. A guy fired a starting pistol and everyone started running fast. The dog team got a head start because Duke's engine took a minute to get going. As Balto raced and guided the team on their relay from Nome to White Mountain, they will notice that the plane has already beaten them and they were only halfway there. The team thought that it's all over, but thanks to Balto's "never quit without a reason" attitude, the team sped up. Just as the team got the mail from White Mountain and made it halfway back to Nome, a snow storm helped to pick up. With Balto's help, though, the team perserved through the storm, which is kind of like how Balto did in the first adventure, and beat the plane to Nome, saving the dog's jobs. While the dogs will celebrate on the beach, Balto is still unsure about the fate of the mail dogs. He believed that the day of the deliveries by plane is coming. Kodi refused to believe him and joined the rest of the dogs. Yet, what Balto's real concern is, what could have to be taking the bi-plane so long to return.
v - e - d ![]() | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|