Best Character Design, and Best Direction. Plot In an unnamed Victorian era town, Victor Van Dort, the son of nouveau riche fish merchants, and Victoria Everglot, the neglected daughter of impoverished aristocrats, prepare for their arranged marriage, which will simultaneously raise the social class of Victor's parents and restore the wealth of Victoria's family ("According to Plan"). Although they fall in love instantly, the nervous Victor ruins their wedding rehearsal by forgetting his vows and accidentally setting Lady Everglot's dress on fire. Fleeing to a nearby forest, he successfully rehearses his vows with a tree and places his wedding ring on an upturned root. However, the root is revealed to be the finger of a dead girl named Emily, who rises from the grave, proclaims herself as Victor's new wife, and spirits him away to the Land of the Dead. During his time with Emily, Victor learns that she was murdered years ago on the night of her elopement by her fiancé, who stole the family jewels and gold she had brought ("Remains of the Day"). Emily reunites Victor with his long-dead dog, Scraps, and they bond. Desperate to return to Victoria, however, Victor tricks Emily into returning them to the Land of the Living by claiming he wants her to meet his parents. Emily brings Victor to see Elder Gutknecht, the kindly ruler of the underworld, who grants them temporary passage. Victor reunites with Victoria and confesses his wish to marry her as soon as possible. Before the pair can share a kiss, Emily discovers them and, feeling betrayed and hurt, drags Victor back to the Land of the Dead ("Tears to Shed"). Victoria tries to tell her parents of Victor's situation, but nobody believes her and they assume he has left her and she is going mad. Against her will, Victoria's parents decide to marry her to Lord Barkis Bittern, a presumed-wealthy visitor who appeared at the wedding rehearsal. After reconciling with Emily, Victor learns of Victoria's impending marriage to Barkis from his family's newly deceased coachman. Upset over this news, Victor decides to marry Emily properly, learning that this will require him to repeat his wedding vows with her in the Land of the Living and drink the Wine of Ages, a poison, in order to join Emily in death. The dead swiftly prepare for the ceremony and head "upstairs" ("The Wedding Song"), where the town erupts