Labyrinth begins on a rainy afternoon, with a young girl named Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) practicing a play in the park with her dog, Merlin. An owl is watching her, seemingly with much interest. As Sarah realizes she is late, she runs home as fast as she can. When she gets there, her stepmother is annoyed with her for being late. Then her father and stepmother leave for an evening out, with Sarah as a reluctant babysitter for her stepbrother, Toby. Sarah is furious when she realizes her beloved stuffed bear, Lancelot, has been taken and given to Toby.
THE END
As she retrieves her bear, she begins to tell the crying Toby all about the Goblin King and how the goblins will take him away. When his cries don't stop, she irrationally shouts out, "I wish the goblins would take you away.....right now!"
Moments later, he is gone, and Sarah stands before the Goblin King (David Bowie). He informs her that Toby is now in his castle, and if she wishes to rescue him, she must solve the mysterious labyrinth within 13 hours. If she fails, then Toby will become a goblin himself.
Sarah begins her quest, after encountering the strange dwarf, Hoggle, who helps her find the entrance to the Labyrinth itself, despite being rude and grumpy. Within the Labyrinth she finds many strange things: including a talking worm (my fave character), walls that appear and disappear, and a huge monstrous creature named Ludo, who is quite gentle and becomes Sarah's friend. She also meets the zany Fiery's and noble Sir Didymus, along with his faithful steed Ambrosious. Her journey also takes her to the Bog of Eternal Stench.
Appearing to interfere with her quest is Jareth, who dominates the weak Hoggle, who returns to help Sarah out from an oubliette she falls into.
Due to Hoggle, and Jareth, Sarah is swept away into a drugged peach-induced ballroom, where Jareth sings of what could be love, or simply trying to keep her from completing her quest. When Sarah breaks though the vision, she finds herself right outside the Goblin City, with Ludo and Sir Didymus waiting for her.
As they are attacked at the front gates by a giantantic robotic creature named Humongous, they are rescued by Hoggle, who overcomes his fear and joins their company. Jareth hears of their arrival and sends out his troops to stop them. A chase and battle ensues, which is won only by the help of Ludo's friends, the rocks. At last Sarah and her friends reach the castle, and Sarah enters to do battle with Jareth. In a climatic scene, she declares that he "has no power over her," and has won Toby's freedom. She is returned home, and because of the lesson's learned in her quest, is more at peace with herself, her parents, and Toby. She misses her new friends, though, and calls them to her for one last party.
Outside is the white owl, which is Jareth, watching sadly as he flies away into the unknown.
