Original artwork, not a still
I've had enough of running away. Now I've got something I want to protect. It's you.
— Howl's Moving Castle ‧ 2004
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
For most of the film Howl's answer to everything is to run, and this is the moment he stops. The line is a promise made out of fear rather than bravado, which is why fans find it more romantic than a grand speech. It's become the standard Howl and Sophie quote on fan art and wedding vows, and a shorthand for the point at which a character chooses someone over their own safety.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Howl's Moving CastleShow the scene
The night enemy bombers carpet-bomb the city, Howl arrives just in time to shield the hat shop where Sophie and the household are sheltering. After healing Calcifer, he draws Suliman's blob-men guards away, and before leaving to fly into the war he tells Sophie that he is not going to run away any more, because he finally has something he wants to protect: her. It is the first time the wizard who hides behind a dozen aliases and cowers in his bedroom stands up. The war plot is Miyazaki's own; Diana Wynne Jones's novel has none of it, and the author's only request was that he not change Howl's character.
Sources (2)
- Ghibli Wiki: Howl's Moving CastlePlot, 'Love of War' section; introReference checked
- Ghibli Wiki: Howl Jenkins PendragonQuotesReference checked
Context reviewed
