Sharptooth

Sharptooth is a fictional theropod dinosaur and the main antagonist of the 1988 animated film The Land Before Time. Within the film's narrative, Sharptooth is a predatory Tyrannosaurus rex who threatens a group of young dinosaurs during their journey to the Great Valley. The character is depicted as large and aggressive, with a massive jaw and rows of sharp teeth, and is named for these features.

In the plot, Sharptooth first attacks the herd not long after Littlefoot's mother is killed, becoming the principal obstacle the young dinosaurs must overcome to reach safety and the Great Valley. The character serves as a vehicle for themes of courage, family, and cooperation, as the group of friends bands together to survive.

Production and design: Sharptooth was conceived by Don Bluth's team as a single, formidable predator to provide a high-stakes antagonist. The design emphasizes size, power, and a fearsome bite, traits that contrast with the more sympathetic protagonists.

Reception and legacy: Sharptooth has remained a recognizable figure in popular culture as the iconic danger in The Land Before Time franchise. It has appeared in sequels and related media, sometimes reinterpreted but retaining the core motif of a dangerous, sharp-toothed predator. The name is occasionally used in fan works as a shorthand for a formidable predator.