Y'all, that paradoxical line is what persuaded me to watch Labyrinth "Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave". It's just so... Alluring? Captivating? It honestly made my stomach have butterflies. He's offering her himself, but only if she offers herself to him. Hot dang.
hell yeaaaaaah his words are freaking yet soo much captivating! He would do anything for her heart desires as much as she gives herself to him to love her. That is the most beautiful and yet freaky thing I saw
You can tell Jareth wants her, he fell in love with her despite the fact that he wasn’t supposed to. You see, in mythology goblin King’s were known to take children and lure pretty young maidens to their castles. BUT the more Jareth watched her, the more he fell in love. So he used what he knew to try to get her, manipulation, deceit, power, but in the end that stuff never really works. He lost her and she got her little brother back, which was what she wanted. RIP Goblin King, king of heart breaks. 💔 #DavidBowie
He could have simply asked her for it. He's obviously an intelligent ruler. You'd think he'd consider simply asking her to be his queen and make life easier on everyone. Where is it written he can't/not supposed to fall for her? It's not like the Goblins are going to tell him "No" Even if she says no, he got a much better bride in Imam in the end.
Nope. He is a representation of Lucifer or Satan. This is story about freewill and innocence. As soon as Sarah realises that she has free will she realises that he has no power over her because she has a choice. She can choose to be afraid or not etc.
It gives me chills, the way he asks for so much and makes it seem like so little. "I am exhausted from living up to your expectations." Actual things he has done for her benefit: 1. stolen her brother which he seems to have wanted to do anyway. 2. Not been as cruel to her as he could have been. In return, he only wants her to leave her entire life behind. This is so brilliantly designed to emotionally manipulate her, that "You have no power over me" hits hard.
@@struggleisreal5892 He offers her something that she asks for but immediately finds out she doesn't want, and states throughout the rest of the movie she doesn't want, and continually rejects. He doesn't acknowledge or respect her evolving feelings at all, but seems to pursue her original request for his own reasons while claiming he's doing it all for her. It's definitely cool in the movie but in real life he'd probably be a pretty abusive and manipulative person.
Yep really manipulative! Like when he tried to make it seem that “reordering time” and “turning the world upside down” for her was generous...buddy you did all of that to give her even more obstacles 😂 hes obviously very hot but I have no idea why people are saying that they would actually accept his offer, if you can even consider it a offer
@@struggleisreal5892 You better not be defending him haha. He's a great, charming villain but Jareth is painted clearly as malicious and in the wrong. His intents are evil. He's a cool villain, but a vile villain still nonetheless. e literally says "do as I say and I will be your slave", that's so paradoxically brilliant and manipulative
L MV I like Jareth saying about him being her slave. because if she wanted to he can do what ever she want him do. If he ask me that part I will say yes to that part and I will have him clean my room and call me his master.😄
So, everyone else is giving their interpretation here, so why not throw my hat into the ring on this scene? I personally think that this is a bit of a Phantom of the Opera situation where Jareth has been watching Sarah for a very long time. He wants her because she is perhaps the only person who truly believes in his existence anymore. I mean, she's out reciting and acting out scenes from the book in the park instead of doing anything else. He believes she's in love with him and that's why she's constantly doing it, because she wants him to take her away to be his forever. After all, she does say, "Someone take me away from this awful place!" So... Jareth does as she wants, acting out the part in the book for her, being the big bad Goblin King who's in love with the girl who steals away her baby brother and forces her "Through dangers untold and trials unnumbered" just as she so desperately seemed to want. He thought he knew what she wanted, and at first even Sarah gave off the vibe of being entranced and yet afraid just like the girl in the book. She did say, "I-- I can't... It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me... but I want my baby brother back." Jareth thinks that she's too worried about the ties she has to the human realm, father, stepmother, etc. So... He takes the baby and everything that happens to Sarah plays out like the story, and in the end... In the end Jareth begins to realize she doesn't love him at all, but he still grasps at the few straws he has left and gives her the all too famous option to, "Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." If he can only get her to say yes... Then the girl he's obsessively pined for for so long would finally be his. He did, "Everything that you wanted." She, "Asked that the child be taken. I took him." She, "Cowered before me. I was frightening." He, "Reordered time and turned the world upside down." He even says, "I am exhausted from living up to your expectations." He did all of that for HER, and now he is getting pissed off and annoyed and letting his true colors show. He was never anything more than an obsessed, lonely, throw himself at Sarah's feet begging in desperation type of man. The one person whom he thought would love him doesn't reciprocate, and he simply couldn't cope. In the end he resigns himself to transform into the owl and watch over Sarah despite all that she did to him and that he did to her. He still loves her, but... He knows she will never love him in return. He's a really tragic character if you think about it.
Agreed. He isn’t a villain but he isn’t a hero either. I think he provided Sarah with all the right choices and elements to help her shift her perspective and realize what’s really important to her. (Like a manic pixie dream boy?)
Jareth is clearly Luciferian. Ultimately what he offers is in exchange for Sarah’s soul which he can only have if he can convince her to sacrifice her brother for her desires.
Cringe outdated lingo lol.. you m ight As well say cowa bunga what a doody spunk liccious ! Totally bodacious! But that would actually be cool and unique today, not just a bot human trying to sound 'saucy or hip' lol So Cringe ! What a square
I get where everyone is coming from with the whole "manipulative narcissist" thing, but he's how old? Been alone (except for the goblins) for how long at a time? He wants someone to love and to love him. Yes he wants power in the relationship because he's a king (duh), but his offer to be her slave...so sincere. She could ask for anything or for him to do anything and he would do it just to have her near. He's just so lonely and wants to be loved at the heart of it.
@@timidkitten1709 that's because most guys egis are to big for them to handle that's why you know they mean it if they were like this 🙂☺️☺️ Edit I love David bowie ❤️ R.I.P
He's never been alone. He is Sarah's childish impulses made real through magic. He's the embodiment of her childish selfishness, resentful of the responsibility of growing up, learning that her parents have their own lives, and realizing that the world doesn't revolve around her. He did not exist before she created him.
If you actually listen to what he is saying he is a master manipulator. The symbol of him as a magician of sorts~manipulating space into crystal balls that look solid at first, yet when Sara touched the "crystal ball of dreams" he was trying to sell her, she found that it was only an illusion~a fragile bubble that popped. He was actually telling HER to be HIS slave by asking her to basically worship him (do as I say, etc). but then saying he will be her slave? And Before that he tells her all the things he's done "for her," trying to make her feel guilty. These are classic tactics of a narcissist manipulator. Glad the movie ended with Sara realizing her power💛. Listen a bit more closely guys✨
Sara EarthAngel Yes, but there was also told, that goblin king fell in love with girl in the story and furthermore, when you see him looking at her when she ran from the danceroom - it's not that clear.
Sara EarthAngel THANKK YOUU!!! I realized it and I'm reading these comments and these people are making no sense. They didn't get the message of the movie.
Really? I was 10 watching this movie... And Jennifer Connelly did nothing for me (gonna have to wait until after puberty and Dark City) and I hated that the Goblin King was an old man instead of a giant Jim Henson puppet. For me this is 1 childhood movie which aged well with adult viewing, rather than the usual other way around.
My view on it is he did love her. The Goblin King is of Fae decent if I interpret correctly so in that meaning means that he was raised to be arrogant and the such and he's a king. He did bend some of his natural rules to allow for her to get what she wanted. He did what she asked of him but could not directly hand over her brother because of the agreement. Fae are also notorious for speaking in riddles. "Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." I take it as she must fulfill her duties as a queen but he intends to give her everything she asks of him. I dont know everyone interprets things differently 🤷♀️ that's the wonder of stories and movies
I agree with you on this matter. When I watch this all I can see is the moment his heart breaks. I would have said yes on the proviso that he send the child back.
This is like a masterclass of acting. The concentration and emotion, just astonishing! They are both so incredible. Sad that he is no longer with us, but he did bless us with his great personality, talent, music and movies. Thank you Bowie.
Yeah, when you think about how young Jennifer Connelly was at the time and how she was able to hold her own with Bowie - portraying innocence & wonder alongside toughness & being self-possessed - it's no wonder she's had such a long career.
I love this from the Fairy perspective. Jareth is clearly an Unseelie fae. They're obsessed with the letter of the law, and obligations, and love to trap mortals in them. Folklore says you must never accept anything from one of them, or you will be bound by obligation, and that you can trap them the same way, but it can make them very angry if they owe you. They have very warped ideas of desires and obligations - I love the idea that Jareth literally thinks that because Sarah was frightened of him, he was obligated to be frightening - and that was granting her a favour.
In fairness, he did hear her *asking* him to take the baby away. He didn't understand that she was speaking in anger and didn't even think he was real, let alone listening. The Fae tend to be very literal in these stories. So he probably genuinely thought he was doing what she wanted. Also, he seems to have been watching her for a while. He had probably been waiting for her to make a wish to him so he could grant it. In fact, I bet that he somehow got the book from the beginning of the movie into her possession, so she would at least be aware of his existence.
In real world, love is not self-conquer or control each other but the unconditional love to the person without personal motives or any selfish or jealous of others. No one has powers or controls over anyone that God had not force us to love Him but to give us decision and choices !!!
Weird how so many people miss the point of such an obvious scene. Her fear of him is what gives him his power. At the beginning she’s a spoiled child. She begs for her brother to be taken away and then immediately begs for his return once she realizes the consequences. She stamps her feet and declares every new trial as “not fair!”. He does not love her - he needs her to fear him, obey him, worship him. And at this moment she seems him for what he really is: a powerless wretch who only has as much control over her as she allows him to have. And that is what defeats him. To everyone who says they would have taken his offer, I get it - he’s gorgeous. But once the fantasy wears off, you’ll likely find it wasn’t quite what you bargained for.
Thanks for adding this. Many folks like to lean into the fantasy & romance aspects of the story; while potentially missing the main point: Sarah needed to grow up. We see her play-acting womanhood with an owl in the park - quite a lovely opening - but basically a renaissance faire bit. This game makes her late to attend to real family obligations, then she has a mini-tantrum and is *super* mad that one of her toys (of many) was given to her baby brother. Throw in some spite towards her dad getting remarried, and you've got the classic template for a spoiled child who, if she doesn't figure it out, has an ugly future as a stunted woman-child. All of the characters exist within her (will get to Jareth's song later) she's just got to learn when to set down the childish things ("It's all junk!"), stop daydreaming (ballroom scene); and get her priorities straight (Toby). Jareth is just one form of a Harlequin romance novel suitor - designed specifically by Sarah in her own mind and as he sings "I can't live within you" - it's kind of a warning that no man could live up to such expectations. So while he's tempting her that he could give her all her dreams, etc., she realizes that she's giving the fantasy too much power over her. She sort of figures it out, like the labyrinth, and the real world and Toby come back to her. Of course, should she ever need to tap into her inner child, her fantasy world is there "should she ever need" it (bc life would be boring if adults couldn't play once in a while). And yeah, who wouldn't take an offer from Bowie, I get it too; however, she caught the incongruity of it all (betting there's a few heartbroken/divorced/abused women who would yell "you go girl" at this scene). Note the owl represents Jareth & you do see it outside the window at the end, so one could interpret that Sarah adopted a healthier view of their relationship going forward.
Awesome point, especially considering in the original script Jareth was actually supposed to transform/revert to his true form after saying that line: a small goblin.
To me this scene is so powerful even outside of a fantasy realm. IRL this would be a classic example of being in a relationship with a toxic narcissist. Despite the horrible things he has done, he still tries to spin it as he has been the generous one and he has been doing wonderful things for her and how grateful she should be that he hasn't been as cruel as he could be. Turning things he has done on her making is seem like she asked for the behavior. "You asked that child be taken, I took him." "Love me, fear me do as I say and I will be YOUR slave." The line she says is the best thing to remember and stick to when ending that kind of relationship; "You have no power over me." Beautiful in fantasy and real life.
You do realized that he actually only took her brother because she literally told him to right ? 'i wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now' her exactly words. Then she regrets it. So he never actually stole her brother. She wished him away and he granted her wish. 'But what no one knew, the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had given her certain powers' Which was the power of wishes. he loved her but he knew she was too young. if you actually watch the deleted end part, you actually see not only his heart break like in this one, but you actually see him smile at her as if he was proud that she stood up and refused because of her age.
Can I point something out? Sarah technically FAILED. According to the terms of the challenge, she had until the stroke of the 13th hour to solve the Labyrinth and GET HER BROTHER BACK. Getting her brother back was not a reward for solving the Labyrinth. It was one of the tasks set to her. She had to physically get to the center, and claim her brother physically, in order to succeed. And she did not ever actually claim her brother, thus failing the entire challenge. So why did Jareth send her and her little brother back to their home? Simple. Jareth loves Sarah. At this point he knew how much getting Toby back meant to Sarah. And goblins can leave the Labyrinth on the command of the Goblin King. As a final gift to her, one last gift before he backed away, he sent Toby back with orders to grow up outside the Labyrinth with his sister, even though he was technically a Changeling now and belonged to Jareth.
Technically, she did. She jumped from a ledge to reach her baby brother, and the only reason she didn't land beside him was that Jareth prevented her from getting to him. This was Jareth making one final attempt to win the game, and it didn't work.
He did say "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us forever". Since he technically is part of the labyrinth, I'd say she was victorious, imo
I know this was posted forever ago, but I've always wanted to know what other people think on this bit... If you look at the Crystal at 1:31, does it not look like he is saying "I love you" ? You can clearly see that Jareth and his "reflection" are talking at different paces. Also note the story that Sarah told Toby in the beginning. She said the King of the Goblins fell in love with her. And he is supposedly showing Sarah HER dreams? Would that mean that she loves him as well??
Shyanne Shattered I saw it too. Not an expert lip reader, but the phrase his reflection says is clearly "I love you." Perhaps that is Sarah's dream. Or perhaps Jareth is under a curse that prevents him from saying those words, so he uses magic to say them subtly and hope she notices. The movie is fairly littered with other evidence that he's cursed...anyway, these two interpretations need not be mutually exclusive. Nice catch!
The thing is, I think Jareth is still living up to her expectations here. “Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.” He’s basically putting himself on equal ground as her but saying it in a way that still makes him look like a villain. You can tell he cares for her, from the way he reacts to her advancing towards him (he lets her walk towards him, he backs off and gives her space instead of taking it) and just the way he looks at her but he recognizes she’s too young. She doesn’t understand his desires because she’s so young. You can see the pain on his face because he knows this, but still wants her.
Synthia Hart This is an excellent point about his body language. As soon as she starts moving, he actually backs off *and moves down the decline so he's shorter than her*. A real sinister villain would be all up in her space, but he's actually *giving* her space. He doesn't just want her desperately, he *respects* her, albeit in his weird way. If he's supposed to be this irredeemable, sinister character, he's doing it all wrong.
@@polyhymnia701 He's afraid of her realizing that he has no power over her. He's moving away in fear at his plans being ruined. Besides, someone who is unrepentant will be irredeemable until penance.
Actually, you're wrong here. There was a scene where him and Sara were supposed to kiss, at the ball, but Bowie refused to do it because she was too young.
Has anyone ever realised that Jareth wanted to send Sarah to the beginning because he knows she won't give up and she will keep coming back so he gets to see her even more? and because he sends her back, he resets time again so she will stay longer! and this then fits in with the ending where he talks about how generous he has been and he wants her to love him!!! they should have made another one but if Sarah listened to Jareth and then what happened you know... like if they got together or something
I wonder why that line was so hard to remember, I think maybe it was a metaphor, like how in situations where someone is being manipulated by someone they believe is stronger, those words are so hard to say, even then, as she was facing him, she was intimidated, and it was hard to believe that she held that kind of power over herself. Thats just my opinion anyway!
Interesting take, never thought of it that way. I always thought it was a good way to break through the treacle of the scene, like she was still in the thralls of the soap opera-ness of it all and then was like "D'oh, I need to get some real work done here!"
I get goosebumps all throughout this scene but that last line does it all. "You have no power over me". Such a great build up, and the acting was spot on
See, the thing with this film is that if it were any other as good? I would want a remake. Keeping the same script and story, just with updated effects. Except that, in the end, it can't be done. Because *no-one* can ever play Jareth like David Bowie did. And that's fact.
I guess we will never know if he actually meant what he said about being in love with her or if he was just trying to trick her again. Love this movie and all it's mysterious factors.
Labyrinth is about the inner world. Jareth is the personification of Sara's negative animus. He wants to keep her with him in the inner world, then she will lost her autonomy, her freedom. Search about it in analitic psicology (Carl G. Jung). He is the personification of the inner lover in the women psique, and as an inner lover he doesn't want to love her, he wants to possess her. He is an archetypal figure. He offered her her dreams, because he wants keeping her forever dreaming and not leaving a real life.
This is so well said! I hate how many people think he’s being sincere when it comes down to wanting power over her. That’s why “You have no power over me” is so iconic!
There was a time I would have accepted Jareth's offer. Honestly who would turn down David Bowie. But the older I got, the more I realised exactly what he was offering and that Sarah had the right idea saying no.
Raven The Goddess of Duality I would call it "Breaking News: Byronic hero is self-centered, melodramatic, and wears a cape everywhere. Tape at 11." He's a Byronic hero or anti-hero - arrogant, lovesick, not opposed to doing the right thing but needing a lot of coaching. You want real evil, read/watch The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. If Jareth were evil, he'd act like the White Witch.
@Raven The Goddess of Duality He ony takes Toby because thats what he thinks Sara expect from him. He's Tragically in over with her, and sure he goes about it the wrong way, but he puts in so much effort just to have her.
@@optimisticdandelion2471 your name says it all, really. I hear you, but the story is about how to beat a classic narcissist. You have to find your way through the labyrinth of lies to be truly your own self.
David Bowie ( Jareth ) Is not dead, he just blew us out of this world. - R.I.P David Bowie, You will forever be missed, prayed for, and will always be remembered.
This is such an epic scene especially when he walks in the outfits in this movie are AMAZING this movie is my favorite and it is SO underrated the songs are amazing and the casting is perfect but my friends think I’m weird for loving this movie :/ the effort put into this movie is stunning though
Jam Lym She might have been a wee bit distracted by the brooding, handsome mage-king with the hypnotic voice asking her to marry him. I imagine he was hard to ignore 😁
i remember being sad bc she didn’t take his offer as a child; but now i really like how she took her power back and didn’t succumb to his manipulative tactics. BUT i would love to see a movie with an alternative ending👀
Suspect that's bc Bowie does such a good job at channeling emotions of disappointment and despondency so well. (See his "Be My Wife" video - the same sad look in his eyes.) There is kind of a hint of an alternate ending if you view the owl's presence at the end of the film as Jareth still keeping an eye on Sarah, but on platonic & distant terms.
Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way to the castle beyond the goblin City to take back the child you have stolen For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great .......... You have no power over me
In the end, Jareth really loved Sarah. Jareth cared more for her then her parents did. I really felt his broken heart when Sarah did not love him. I felt sad for Jareth.
worse that she likes him, directly or indirectly according to David Bowie they like each other, but in this case as she matured, she chose the responsibility for her brother first, but she likes Jareth yes but she was not ready to be with him because it has not matured enough, it is sad because I also wish she had stay with him.
I love this movie so much for various reasons, my dad was having heart surgery around the days I discovered it, and somehow every detail of all kind of situations that happened around those days were printed in my memory, including watching this film. Also this was the first movie I watched on the brand new PC my folks brought home, the first taste of Windows XP. The movie was ripped into two 600MB CDROM (So you had to change the CD to continue watching). I remember my mum telling us (my nieces and me) to take 1meter distance of the screen or we'd have a headache. And recently I realized the metaphere of the movie: the struggle to move on with life, leaving your childhood back to become an adult, which Sarah did in such a poetical playful way.
you know who Satan really has no power over? Atheists. the whole Devil vs God thing is just a way of shedding personal responsibility for bad behavior, even in the Bible they teach you, what goes around (do unto others) comes around (as you would have them do unto you) that's Karma Baby.!!
Many commenters don’t want to let go of the ‘romance’ of this relationship but the symbolism is pretty clear. Jareth offers Sarah ‘her dreams’ on the condition that she sacrifice her brother. Classic Faustian bargain.
I feel like in the song within you and why he is so scared to lose her is because he literally can’t live within her mind. At the end, ludo and the others say “should you need us” because they’ll be there for her as a connection to her childhood and imagination. But maybe Jareth can’t be there like the others can. Maybe in saying “you have no power over me” she vanquished him so that she can’t summon him again. Just my interpretation hehe I know this was posted literally 8 years ago but just thought I’d share. ♥️
You know, I watched this movie as a kid and it never really hit me that Jareth is actually kinda creepy. How he's just looming in the corner like that, watching her the whole time, trying to convince her. I'd be scared of him lmao 😣
Inner demon theory aside, which I tend to agree with, are you basically saying that she should accept to live in fear of a man for the sake of being loved by him, because HE has a fascination with her, just because he's sexy AF? Would you do it instead of her? Really?! Please. The "you have no power over me" is spot on.
To anyone thinking whatever they're thinking: This movie is a metaphor for a transitioning child who is learning step by step how to take responsibilities as an adolescent (thus why she hated taking care of Toby and got "taken away by goblins") this is all her fantasy make believe on whether or not she should abandon her half-brother and leave the house or stay until her parents told her to. Jareth was nothing more than the representation of her rebellious childhood and the challenges she faces are the phases she goes through to realize that there are more important things than make-believe, play with toys and dress-ups, she had a new task to be a guardian half-sister and it takes a little bit of growing-up to realize that. She had 13 hours because that's the time her parents spent out of the house while she took care of her half-brother.
Thank you for this, I needed just this scene so I could evaluate Jareth's character for my Drama homework and this is the clearest imaged video I could find without just skipping to that bit in the movie.
I haven't watched this movie but people saying oh she should have accepted him and stuff.... I think of him as a master manipulator who wants to entrap her in his games. Look at him saying do what i say and I'll be your slave. If she does as he says how can she rule over him? It's just that he's beautiful. He's devil wrapped in beauty but devil nevertheless. If he really loved him he would have returned the child himself. But he just wants to be a collector of prizes. And Sarah is one of them.
Have to agree w/ folks who think it would be a little off. (Let's give the reboots a rest for a little while, huh, Hollywood?) But would be okay with a new story that crosses paths w/ this one. People are always will to watch a good coming of age story with a young protaganist who must struggle through his/her own obstacles in order learn life lessons- while being surrounded by Muppets led by a fetching British music idol.
I saw this comment somewhere and I’m gonna repost it because it actually took a good eye to see this, but if you go to 1:30, turn your phone upside down and look at Bowie’s reflection in the bubble thingy you’ll see he’s lip syncing “I love you” It’s obvious he has some kind of egotistical dignity which stops him from telling her straight on so perhaps using his magic to tell her - shame she didn’t notice though..
This movie and Jareth was a symbolic story of how Satan/Devil in his pretiest disguise lures young girls toward him and later turns them his slaves. Remember: *you have No power over me* broke the illusion. *It was Not a love story, Jareth was not in love with her, he craved her loyalty hence her soul for him.*
All Sarah wanted was to save Toby. She had to undo what she did. That includes wishing the Goblins taking the baby away and encounter with the Goblin King.
@@emmasweijen3168 A grizzly bears pair can kill a Goblin King. If not a Shivan Dragon. I can control Shivan Dragons. I'm a witch. some are men. A male witch is a Warlock.
Sarah : *"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered , I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City ...And my Will is as strong as yours......"* Satan : *"STOP. Wait...look what I am offering you...Your dreams"* Sarah : *"And my Kingdom as great..."* Sarah: *"YOU DON'T OWN ME"*
Jareth's monologue is such a great parallel to what I believe was Sarah's true struggle; learning not to become willingly lost in her own fantasy and imagination. Toby represents some of the unpleasant responsibilities that come with getting older, a thing that Sarah initially wishes away. Jareth represents both the allure and bottomless potential of what one's sense of imagination could be, however Sarah grows to realize one cannot exist solely within their own fantasies, even when DAVID FREAKIN' BOWIE rules over said fantasy as king. What's nice, though, is that we see that Sarah can enjoy both adult responsibility as well as a connection to her imagination, realizing that those adventures will always be around 'should she need them'. Man, I love this movie.
