Pete's Dragon
Pete, a young orphan, is fleeing his adoptive family, the Gogans, who abuse him as a slave. As family matriarch Lena Gogan and company pursue him ("The Happiest Home in These Hills"), an unseen force, which Pete calls Elliott, distracts the Gogans. The next morning, Pete and Elliott, who is revealed to be a green and purple dragon, share breakfast ("Boo Bop BopBop Bop") and decide to visit a nearby village called Passamaquoddy.
The unseen Elliott makes his presence known by knocking over things and making footprints in wet cement. Pete is immediately labeled a source of ill luck and is forced to flee. Nearby, an old man called Lampie stumbles out of a tavern and encounters Pete. Elliott makes himself visible to playfully scare Lampie, who runs into the bar to warn the townsfolk ("I Saw a Dragon"). Nora, Lampie's headstrong daughter, takes him back to their home, the local lighthouse, settles him down and puts him to bed. Nora then sees Pete walking along the beach and decides to investigate.
In a seaside cave, Pete rebukes Elliott for causing trouble. The two make up just as Pete is discovered by Nora, who invites him into the lighthouse for the night. As they talk ("It's Not Easy"), Pete sees a picture of a sailor. Nora tells him it's her fiancé Paul, whose ship was reported lost at sea. Pete promises to ask Elliott about Paul, because “he has a way of knowing things”. Nora, still believing Elliott is merely an imaginary friend, accepts Pete’s offer.
The next morning, Doc Terminus, a medicine showman, and his shill Hoagie, fleeing from pursuers, arrive in Passamaquoddy. The town's population is initially angered by his return, but Terminus is able to calm the mob ("Passamashloddy"). That evening, Pete asks Nora and Lampie to allow him to visit Elliott in the cave. Both agree, and Nora thanks her father for pretending that the dragon exists, but Lampie insists he actually saw a dragon. Nora tells him to be realistic, to which Lampie retorts that her hoping for Paul’s return is just as unrealistic. Lampie apologizes for his outburst and excuses himself, giving Nora time to think ("Candle on the Water").
At the tavern, Lampie tells Terminus and Hoagie about the dragon. Terminus dismisses the tale, but Hoagie agrees to go to the cave. In the cave, they frighten themselves with exaggerated descriptions of the dragon. Not realizing they are describing him, a now-frightened Elliott follows behind them. After all three face each other, Hoagie offers Elliott some liquor as a gesture of peace, but the alcohol triggers a fiery belch from his mouth that chases the pair away.
As Nora escorts Pete to school, the local fishers complain about the recent scarcity of fish and believe Pete is the cause. Nora reminds them the fishing grounds shift, and that "There's Room For Everyone" in town. At the schoolhouse, Miss Taylor is wary of accepting Pete as a new student, but relents. During the lessons, the invisible Elliott begins ringing the school bell, but when Pete attempts to stop Elliott, it appears he himself is ringing it. Miss Taylor punishes Pete for lying, which enrages Elliott, who smashes into the building. Doc Terminus sees the damage and realizes the dragon is real. After learning that dragon anatomy has many uses ("Every Little Piece"), Terminus makes Pete an offer for Elliott, which Pete refuses.
Later, Nora tells Pete that she and Lampie would like for Pete to stay with them, an offer Pete gladly accepts ("Brazzle Dazzle Day"). The Gogans arrive in town, and they find Pete with Nora and Lampie by the wharf ("Bill of Sale"), but are again defeated by Elliott. Terminus later visits the Gogans, telling them that he will give them Pete if they help him capture Elliott. He then convinces the superstitious locals that helping him capture the dragon will solve their problems.
That evening, a storm starts to blow into the area. Elliott tells Pete he has located Paul, whereupon Pete tries to tell Nora the good news; however, Nora, still believing that Pete has imagined Elliott, replies that Pete has no more need to believe in him. Even Lampie begins to doubt that he saw a dragon. Pete, however, is largely undeterred, and he helps Nora prepare the lighthouse for the storm. Out at sea, a sailing ship is approaching Passamaquoddy, its captain assisted by Paul.
Terminus lures Pete to the town's boathouse, while Hoagie does the same to Elliott. At the boathouse, Elliott discovers Pete, but is caught in an immense net. Elliott frees himself and rescues Pete from the Gogans before they can escape. As Pete and Elliott celebrate, Terminus aims a harpoon gun at the distracted dragon, but then realizes the harpoon's rope is looped around his ankle. He diverts the cannon, but is unable to stop it from shooting him through the ceiling. Before returning to the lighthouse, Elliott sees a utility pole falling towards the town hall as the mayor and other dignitaries are exiting. Elliott, now visible, catches the pole and saves the grateful townsfolk. Back at the lighthouse, the lamp has been extinguished by a storm-driven wave. Elliott returns and tries to light the lamp with his own fire. As he is doing so, Nora finally sees that Elliott is real. After several failures, the light is ignited and the ship is saved.
The next morning, the townsfolk praise Elliott for his help, and Paul and Nora are reunited. However, now that Pete is safe and has a loving family of his own, Elliott must move on to help other children. Pete and Elliott say their goodbyes, and Elliot flies off to his next assignment.
