Let’s take a closer look at the fantastical Wisps and The Witch from the highly anticipated film Brave!

Just what are Wisps?

Travelers—particularly those who venture out after sunset on unfamiliar pathways—beware of the will o’ the wisps.
It is said—though by whom is a bit of a mystery—that on certain days for certain travelers in certain parts of the world, little lights dance on the horizon, whispering tempting invitations… pledging the answers to lifelong questions, the realization of dreams, a key to secret treasures—a change of fate.
Charmed and curious, unsuspecting travelers follow the floating lights, mesmerized by their whispers, their promises. Yet no matter how long or how fervently they follow, they never quite touch the beautiful beacons whose flickering lights eventually fade and disappear… leaving the inquisitors, the dreamers and the treasure seekers lost… and alone.

Here is director Mark Andrews explanation about these creatures:

“The will o’ the wisps are in a lot of Scottish folktales. They were said to lead you to treasure or doom—to change your fate—but they’re an actual phenomenon of swamp and bog gas seeping up through the earth and interacting with the natural resources to create the blue flames. People would follow these lights thinking they were little fairies, and basically drown or get sucked down into the bogs.

We made the wisps like actual little spirits. They’re almost like Marley’s ghost in a way, because Marley’s ghost isn’t an evil spirit—even though he’s frightening, he’s trying to warn Ebenezer to change his ways. That’s what the wisps are doing. There’s a duality to them, because they’re either good or evil—they lead Merida into more and more trouble, but in the end, they’ve led her exactly where she needs to go.”

Now let’s talk about that Witch (voiced by Julie Walters)!

Deep in the overgrown Highland forest, a ramshackle blackhouse cottage is home to the Crafty Carver. This seemingly harmless, eccentric and long-in-the-tooth crone specializes in the whittling of wooden bear trinkets, figurines and curios. But the mysterious recluse is more than meets the eye. When Merida sees through the guise and reveals her as the Witch she truly is, Merida begs for a magical solution to her problems. The Witch begrudgingly gives in, conjuring a haphazard spell with an obscure riddle, which hold Merida’s fate in the balance.

Don’t forget Brave hit’s theaters June 22!

You can check out the complete post on Collider!