Q1: Why did Donkey tell Shrek that Fiona was out of his league?
A1: Donkey was expressing the entrenched social hierarchy of classic fairy tales, where royals only marry other royals and ogres are feared outcasts. He wanted to shield Shrek from heartbreak because he had no idea Fiona harbored a secret ogre form herself.
Q2: Why didn't Fiona turn into a human permanently when Shrek kissed her?
A2: The wording of the curse specified that she would take "love's true form." Because her genuine emotional connection was with Shrek, and her true, unmasked identity was that of an ogre, the magic solidified her ogre body rather than her human exterior.
Q3: Did DreamWorks consider changing the ending during production?
A3: Production records confirm that several writers and studio executives worried audiences would be disappointed if Fiona remained an ogre. Screenwriter Terry Rossio insisted on keeping the ogre finale, arguing that returning Fiona to human form would contradict the film's entire message about inner self-worth.
