Willowdale College is an unseen location in the 2020 Disney/Pixar animated feature film, Onward. It is a college in New Mushroomton that Wilden Lightfoot and Gaxton attended.
Background[]
Willowdale College is a prestigious institution of higher learning that offers various courses and programs for its students. The college has a griffin as its mascot, which is featured on its logo and merchandise. The college also has a history of magic, as some of its students were wizards who practiced spells and enchantments.
Role in the film[]
Willowdale College is mentioned by Gaxton, an elf who used to be friends with Wilden Lightfoot, when he recognizes the sweatshirt that Ian Lightfoot is wearing as belonging to his father. Gaxton tells Ian that he and Wilden went to Willowdale College together and that Wilden was a fun-loving and adventurous person who wore purple socks every day. Gaxton also reveals that Wilden was a wizard who knew magic, which surprises Ian.
Trivia[]
- Willowdale College is named after the street where director Dan Scanlon grew up.
- The college's griffin mascot is a reference to the mythical creature that is part lion and part eagle, which is often associated with wisdom and power.
- The college's logo resembles the Pixar logo, with the griffin replacing the lamp and the college's name replacing the word "Pixar".
