The disturbing detail in Shrek that you completely missed

Ah, Shrek. That instant childhood classic for Millennials, the love story of the giant green monster and Fiona, the other giant green monster.

It was the quintessential early noughties movie for all ages.

A Reddit user has spotted a very dark element to what seems like a perfectly innocent childhood tale.

Near the beginning of the first movie, you watch all manner of enchanted creatures coming together from all sorts of traditional fairy tales. There are witches, unicorns, gnomes and anything else you can think of - and there are also three bears in the background, caged up.

A disturbing detail in the first Shrek movie has just surfaced. Photo / Dreamworks

The movie continues and you forget about the three bears. No one can blame you, they seemed so peripheral to the whole thing.

It's only later on that two of the bears reappear, and papa bear and baby bear can be seen sitting around a campfire, having obviously been freed or escaped their cage.

A disturbing detail in the first Shrek movie has just surfaced. Photo / Dreamworks

But where's mama bear? Again, this is only a fleeting scene and not even remotely essential to the main plot so you carry on watching and don't really give it a second thought.

A Reddit user paid attention and noticed a disturbing detail further on in the movie.

A scene in Lord Farquaad's castle shows a bear rug covering the floor. It's mama bear, complete with pink bow on her head and all.

A disturbing detail in the first Shrek movie has just surfaced. Photo / Dreamworks

It turns out that mama bear, who you didn't even notice was missing when papa bear and baby bear were sitting round the campfire, was dead (probably murdered by Lord Farquaad in order to make that rug).

Reddit users are struggling to accept this theory as it puts part of their childhood under a dark shadow.

via GIPHY