Spoilers Ahead
Beware if you haven't seen Starwars, Into the Spiderverse, or haven't played Undertale. Which is wild, since all of these have been out for multiple years (specifically Starwars)
A leitmotif is a musical phrase associated with a certain character, place, thing, or idea. Leitmotifs can be in anything, such as movies or video games, helping you, the listener, associate a piece of music with a feeling subconsciously. They're super interesting to me because not many people know about them despite their huge impact on how we perceive music and media. I highly recommend that you pull up the songs I mention on YouTube and listen for the motifs! It's so satisfying when you can hear the motifs in the songs and I hope that you can appreciate leitmotifs as much as me.
On a surface level, when you hear the “Imperial March” from Star Wars, you instantly connect it to Darth Vader and the evil Empire. But why? Because it plays whenever Darth Vader is on screen or when the Empire is doing something evil. However, a piece that shows this Vader motif more subtly is “Anakin's Theme” from “The Phantom Menace”. It has the iconic notes of the “Imperial March” laced throughout it, foreshadowing Anakin's betrayal of the Jedi and rise as Darth Vader. Although you may not hear the phrase and automatically think of Darth Vader, your mind subconsciously knows something about this piece is familiar and foreboding.
For an example that shows the more emotional side of leitmotifs, think of the video game Undertale. The opening track of the game, “Once Upon a Time” establishes a motif that’s expertly woven through the soundtrack by composer Toby Fox. This once upon a time motif, represents the journey that lies ahead and the hope of a bright future. Slowly the player realizes it represents more than their hopes, but the hopes of their newfound friends and the shared belief that the time of darkness plaguing them will end. This all culminates in what I believe to be the most emotional track of the game, “Undertale”. In it, an orchestral version of the once-upon-a-time motif plays while various characters speak of how they hope Asgore, who has been portrayed as the main enemy, will defeat you and end their despair through your sacrifice. Although the future of you, the main character, feels grim, you can't help but feel hopeful for the characters you've grown to know, and this leitmotif really hammers that feeling at home.
The idea of leitmotifs can go beyond even musical phases, such as in the hit movie “Into the Spiderverse.” When Miles is comfortable and in his element, there is always a hip-hop track playing, such as when he's drawing or walking through a crowd of people he knows. But as soon as he enters unfamiliar territory, the road to his new private school, his headphones fall off and the music comes to an abrupt end, signifying him leaving his comfort zone. On the other side of this, when one of the many different Spider-Men is on screen, their orchestral motif plays constantly. Repeatedly this motif is hammered home as the definitive theme of Spider-Man. Until a certain point in the movie, this theme is never associated with Miles, isolating him. The final main motif is the journey motif, which represents the journey it takes Miles to get from being a kid with abilities to his own Spider-Man. In the climactic leap of faith scene, Miles finally comes into his own as Spider-Man to the tune of the hip-hop song “What's Up Danger” accompanied by an orchestral rendition of both the Spider-Man motif and the journey motif. Miles has finally accepted his new identity and made it his own, musically shown through the combination of the hip hop and the Spider-Man motif, and has come to terms with the journey it took him to get there, hence the journey motif.
Leitmotifs have huge effects on what we take away from a movie scene or video, yet no one even knows what they're called. I'm fascinated by their subtlety in even their most bold iterations, such as the Undertale motif. They evoke such profound feelings and help us make unconscious associations. There are so many ways to learn more about leitmotifs, but my favorite is through video essays on YouTube. I've linked some of my favorites should you wish to check them out! I hope I was able to spark your interest in what I believe is the greatest piece of music theory. :)
- Sound of the Spiderverse
- Make a Soundtrack People Will Remember
- Leitmotif in Hollow Knights Soundtrack
My name's Liz (dj Traveler) and I host the show Out There Inn! I love folk, folk rock, metal, ghibli soundtracks, and video game music! Some of my favorite artists are Fleet Foxes, Hozier, Lord Huron, the Dip, and Sleep Token :) I also love hiking, painting, and reading.