Shrek villain Lord Farquaad's abrupt death ends his short-lived reign over Duloc, placing the future of the city-state in jeopardy. Duloc is a lordship residing in a giant field of corn and sunflowers. Towering over the Germanic-style houses, spotless streets, and perfectly manicured lawn is Duloc Castle, home to Lord Farquaad. The diminutive dictator plots to transform his authoritarian domain into a kingdom by marrying a princess, but he is killed before his plan comes to fruition.
Duloc's ruler, Lord Farquaad, holds a tournament of champions to select a knight who will rescue Princess Fiona from a castle guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. In exchange for the rights to his swamp, Shrek winds up undertaking the quest with Donkey. Although antagonistic at first, the tender-hearted dragon later comes to Shrek’s aid at Duloc Castle to eat Farquaad before the ruler can marry Fiona. Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey live happily ever after, but as for what becomes of Duloc and its people, nothing is mentioned.
Duloc Was Abandoned After Shrek Forever After
The 2010 Halloween television special, Scared Shrekless, shows the Lordship of Duloc completely abandoned. The special, which ties in with the first Shrek movie more than the sequels, is set after the events of the fourth movie, Shrek Forever After, and reveals the only glimpse into the fate of Duloc. Shrek and friends through the spooky, ivy-covered gate to find the Germanic houses falling apart along the once spotless streets now littered with trash and debris, giving the town, in the words of Donkey in the Shrek movie, a “creepy, house of wax vibe.”
The Duloc information booth at the town's entrance in Scared Shrekless encapsulates the changes Duloc has undergone since Farquaad's death. In the first movie, the booth welcomes Shrek and Donkey with a witty jingle describing Duloc as a "perfect place." After the town is abandoned, the booth changes its tune to a "creepy place," with a souvenir photo warning guests to get out. The events leading to Duloc’s dilapidated state are not explicitly stated in the special, but without a lord to govern and provide protection, the town most likely came to a natural end.
No New Duloc Ruler Was Ever Appointed
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Given Duloc’s state of decay in Scared Shrekless, the king must have never appointed a new lord over the land.
Had Lord Farquaad succeeded in Shrek, Duloc would have become a kingdom and surely enjoyed years of prosperity through Farquaad’s line of succession. However, Farquaad’s reign was cut short and Duloc was eventually abandoned. Duloc Castle still stands, however, as a lasting monument to Farquaad’s Napoleon complex.
