SPOILER ALERT: the following article contains massive spoilers, including the ending. If you have not yet seen the movie, proceed at your own risk, or better, come back to this article later!
A species of creatures known as thoriphants rebel against their life of servitude and embark on a journey to find the fabled city of Uprights.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Mosley Plot Summary and Synopsis
In ancient times, the thoriphants were a tall bipedal species who migrated north in response to human encroachment. Those that stayed behind were enslaved by humanity, who used them as beasts of burden.
Gradually, their backs became bent and they lost the use of their hands. Some thoriphants believe that their cousins known as the Uprights will return to free them one day.
A young thoriphant named Mosley is auctioned off and sold to a farmer named Simon, who uses him to plough his fields. Twenty five years later, Mosley and his mate Bera have produced a son named Rue.
Mosley and his family are also acquainted with Turpin, who serves as a beast of burden to traveling salesman Bemus and his associates Shank and Ollie.
Later, Bemus tries to swindle Simon into purchasing a nearby rocky field. Simon agrees to sell Rue after Bera has given birth to her child, much to the dismay of Mosley and Bera.
Later that night Rue, guided by several fireflies, leads Mosley to a cave lined with drawings showing Upright Thoriphants. A dispirited Mosley dismisses them as fairy tales.
Mosley and Bera later overhear Simon agreeing to sell Rue to Bemus following the birth of her second child. To save their son, Bera convinces Mosley to escape the following day and return to the caves in order to seek clues on how to find the “Uprights.”
Despite being pursued by Simon, Bemus, Shank and Ollie, Mosley manages to escape into the forest.
In response, Bemus convinces Simon to hire the services of the ruthless, tattooed bounty hunter Warfield to bring back Mosley alive. Inside the cave, Mosley stumbles into a sinkhole trap planted by Warfield. However, he manages to escape when Shank and Ollie interfere.
Following a pursuit, Mosley manages to hide behind a waterfall with the help of several fireflies.
Behind the waterfall, Mosley encounters three “Upright” travelers named Warnie, Deaver, and the elderly Gailin and realizes that the legends of the Uprights were real.
Warnie and his companions agree to bring Mosley back to their city Kineserath, under the pretense that the Uprights are a species of great warriors. During their travels, Mosley and the Uprights learns more about his people’s history.
They also have several adventures including avoiding death at the cursed “Great Orchard” and escaping Warfield with the help of the fireflies, who can communicate with Mosley and Gailin. Warnie realizes that the fireflies are not ordinary creatures but something mystical.
Back at Simon’s farm, Rue tries to fill his father’s shoes by looking after his heavily pregnant mother. Turpin encourages Rue with stories about the Upright and also teaches him to fetch a bucket. However, Semus sells Turpin, devastating Rue. When Bera enters into labour, she convinces Rue to seek Simon’s help. Simon helps Bera to deliver her daughter Rosie.
Meanwhile, Mosley and the Upright reach Kineserath only to discover that the Upright are a dying species, who have not produced any children for a hundred years. Warnie reveals that the Upright are affected by the curse of the devolution, which he fears will cause them to regress into a non-sentient state.
Warfield catches up with them, laying siege to Kineserath and killing Gailin with an arrow. To save their people, Queen Agaba convinces Mosley to venture into the cursed Orchard in order to find the Living Tree and eat of its fruit in order to reverse the curse.
With help of the thoriphants, Mosley lures Warfield into the Orchard. He attempts to reach the Living Tree but is mortally wounded by Warfield’s arrows.
Before Warfield can kill him, the mystical fireflies form a mystical bright being known as the Guardian, who drives Warfield away and heals Mosley. Mosley returns to the Upright with several of the Living Tree’s fruits, which he eats and becomes an Upright.
The Upright Mosley returns to Simon’s farm where he stops Simon from selling Rue to Bemus. Following a confrontation, he frees his family from servitude.
Mosley Ending
Mosley also gives Bera, Rue, and Rosie fruits from the Living Tree, causing them to become Upright. Together, the family leave Simon’s farm to start a new life in Kineserath.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).