Why are there no ogres besides Shrek? Exploring the possible reason

For years, fans of Shrek and the magical realm of Far Far Away have been perplexed by one question: why are there no other ogres besides the iconic Shrek? As we delve deeper into this mystery, we discover an intricate web of ogre customs, historical incidents, and individual experiences that may provide insight into ogres and how they may have been hunted close to extinction.

The answer to why there aren't any other ogres in the Shrek saga besides the titular protagonist is complicated. Ogres were born and conditioned to be monsters and trained to live solitary lives filled with distrust and terror. The potential extinction of ogres due to King Harold's deeds gives the story a tragic undertone. One can look to societal stigmas and past events in the fairytale land of Far Far Away to decipher the mystery behind the lone Shrek.

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Shrek and the ogre way of life

The lack of other ogres is noticeable throughout the early films. Only in Shrek: Forever After do we see a group of ogres, and even then, this film takes place in an alternate timeline. First and foremost, let's understand the customs that rule the ogre's life in order to fully decode this mystery.

Ogres did not often live in villages or close-knit groups in the Shrekverse, in contrast to many fanciful species in the fairytale kingdom. Instead, living alone was the norm for ogres, who each had their own swamp. Before the events of Shrek: Forever After, all ogres, even the resistance warriors, lived like hermits. It was the threat of extinction that brought them together.

Somebody once told me, The world is gonna roll me (Image via DreamWorks)

Ogres are a species hated by humans in the Shrekverse. They are seen as big, foolish, ugly, and dirty creatures, and therefore it was practically impossible for ogres to live in peace with humans, being frequently confronted with torches and pitchforks whenever they were spotted.

In addition, ogres were brought up with the idea that they should embrace and embody the horrifying and hideous stereotype that society had given them. For example, Shrek's parents were well known for prohibiting behaviors that did not fit the grim or scary ogre image.

Ogres were trained to intimidate, frighten, and horrify those around them. This acted as a self-perpetuating bias, maintaining the unfavorable preconceptions attached to their kind.

Humans hate Ogres (Image via DreamWorks)

Ogres were bound by a long-standing custom that required them to leave home at the age of seven and seek their own place in the world (Find your own swamp!). This custom accentuated their seclusion and solitude even more.

Due to the aforementioned upbringing and cultural norms, they also have a propensity to push away anybody they encounter. Thus, these sad creatures lived a life of solitude, made worse by the stereotype of ogres as frightening and deadly creatures.

One swamp per Ogre (Image via DreamWorks)

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The Ogres might have been hunted to extinction in the fairytale kingdom of Far Far away

Given that it is a children's movie franchise, the films don't go into detail about a potential Ogre genocide. However, it is conceivable to think that once a vibrant and widespread species, ogres met a terrible fate that may have been planned, at least in part, by King Harold.

Is King Harlod responsible for the Ogres' extinction? (Image via DreamWorks)

King Harold, a figure who was at first thought to be kind, may have played a crucial part in the ogres' doom. It is believable that he oversaw a military campaign or crusade against ogres in an effort to seize control of the land of Far Far Away. The ogre population may have been drastically reduced by a bloodbath that came from this war.

It is also impossible to ignore the Fairy Godmother's deceptive sway. In an effort to ensure her son, Prince Charming, would inherit the kingdom, she may have forced Harold to start the war with the ogres. Harold may have been forced to take extreme measures, such as the ogrekind's genocide, in order to preserve his royal title when the Fairy Godmother's enchantment changed him into a human.

Fairy Godmother is evil incarnate so it is safe to assume she is responsible in some way (Image via DreamWorks)

In the Shrekverse, the probable extinction or near-extinction of ogres would have had far-reaching effects. For starters, it could have served as an inspiration for Lord Farquaad's harsh activities toward mythical creatures in Far Far Away, which went much farther than Harold's own deeds.

Harold and Fairy Godmother’s acts may have contributed to the deeply established hatred of ogres that led to Lord Farquaad's dictatorial rule, which further leads to the expulsion and incarceration of fairy tale characters, as we see in the movies.