Disney Princess Link Theory-There are countless of people who grew up watching and loving their favourite Disney characters. For most of them, especially girls, the Disney princesses brought their childhood dreams of fairy tales and happily ever afters to life. But unknown to most of us viewers of these films, are the little tricks that sneaked from the sleeves of the creators. Some of these tales may seem as old as time, but once you find out about these Easter eggs going on around their circle of life, you’ll understand that it is indeed a small world after all (wink)!
Disney Princess Link Theory
Frozen Parents Set Sail from Arendelle
First off on our hint hunt is the kingdom of Arendelle, where Anna finally sees the outside world of their lonely castle. As the gates open for the first time in forever, visitors from neighbouring and far lands start to flood through to attend Elsa’s royal coronation. Among those making their way into the royal castle, however, are Flynn Rider and Rapunzel from Tangled!
No doubt that the guests invited to the special event would be those of importance and among friendly terms with Arendelle. We can then conclude that the royal families of Arendelle and Corona share a connection. Let’s try to shed a little more light on this theory, shall we?
Secretly Sisters
Here’s the thing: what if the Arendelle and Corona families aren’t just tied together by a political bond? Have you ever noticed that Elsa’s mother kind of looks like Rapunzel’s mom? As our theory goes, the two may not be just friends, but sisters! Maybe only cousins, but there’s a considerable chance that they are related. That explains why each of them has made royal families of their own.
Not only that, but the theory goes on to explain that this family connection could also be the reason for the magical powers possessed by the two princesses. The princess of Corona can heal with her magical golden hair, while the Arendelle heir can spread eternal winter. Now the Frozen film didn’t explicitly say Elsa’s parents’ destination when they left their children, but we can assume that if the two queens were indeed related, then the king and queen of Arendelle must have heard the news of Rapunzel’s return to the royal family and her wedding. This announcement justifies their urgent need to travel and leave their children behind.
Not just the Faces, but the Place
In these tricky links and clue hunts, the places of the stories are essential to the speculations. While some may argue that the settings in these films are not real, they do have real origins. The kingdom of Arendelle, for example, is based on an actual location in Norway. On the other hand, the architectural design of the castle in Corona is believed to have 18th-century Germanic roots, where the Grimm Brothers also created the story of Rapunzel. It is most likely that Elsa’s parents were travelling between these two countries.
But Elsa’s parents never made it to Corona, did they? Sadly, the crashing waves of what is believed to be the North Sea swallowed the ship. We’ll never see it again. Wrong! At least, according to this theory. You will see it again! I mean, you have seen it before. Where? The Little Mermaid, of course! It is possible that the shipwrecked near the coasts of Denmark, where a particular Danish writer named Hans Christian Anderson wrote his story about a sea princess longing to live like a human being. It is possible that Ariel’s shipwreck is the same ship that carried Elsa’s parents.
Read also: Here is the new look of your Disney princesses which you have never perceived
Two Worlds, One Family
Now things just get juicier from here. And not only that, but it is also true. So get this: the directors of Frozen have revealed that the Arendelle parents didn’t die on the ship. They survived and got stuck in a jungle. Eventually, they made a home, and the queen gave birth to another child.
Chris Buck, the director of Frozen and Tarzan, added that the ship completely diverged from its Scandinavian route into the tropical regions of the world. The parents eventually faced their doom when they got eaten by a leopard, leaving the little boy as an orphan. So yes, Elsa and Anna have an unknown brother. His name? Tarzan!
Another Ship, Another King
Before Frozen, Tangled, and Tarzan, Disney had Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. The creators of these classics were already sneaky to hide a few easter eggs in these films. Luckily, we’ve got a keen eye for hidden treasures. We all know the story: Ursula tricks Prince Eric into marrying her by stealing Ariel’s voice. And here it is, another ship, another wedding (although unsuccessful), and more guests: the Grand Duke and King from Cinderella!
Read also: 13 Best Disney Princesses In Their Plus Size Avatar
More Weddings and Spottings!
It seems like weddings are the ultimate occasions in the Disney universe. We already know that the king and queen of Arendelle were travelling to attend a wedding, as confirmed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. And we also know that the creators were not particular in stating whose ceremony they were going to. What we can do is speculate.
It could be the bride and groom of Corona. However, it could also be for Tiana and Naveen. It could also be Cinderella’s wedding in which Princess Aurora also made an appearance if you look closely.
Under the Sea or Out of the Sea?
Although completely opposites, the team of creators that worked on Moana and The Little Mermaid was almost the same. While Ariel longed for a life walking on two feet and dancing on the sand, Moana wanted the sea to guide her on her journey to prove herself. But their families always kept confining them to a home in which they never felt like they belonged.
What’s the Easter egg, you say? Well, the famous Little Mermaid character, Flounder, made his appearance in Maui’s little song. A bit subtle, but at least you got to see him again! You’re welcome!
A Twinkle of a Tink!
Black Cauldron. Ring a bell? Maybe for some, it doesn’t. The film wasn’t much of a hit like Frozen or Peter Pan. And no, Peter Pan is not the Easter egg here, but a little fairy that was seen fluttering about in the cave. These little creatures helped the Princess Eilonwy, Taran and their friends get out. And what do you know? There she is the twinkling green Tinker Bell!
One Hook of a Tail!
When you put together two of the most famous classics such as The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan, you’ll get a magical world overload filled with fairies, mermaids, and pirates. What we also get is another piece of the puzzle to Ariel’s story. Her mother, Athena, was said to have been killed by pirates. And while Captain Hook may have turned back from the dark side in the hit series Once Upon A Time, Disney still depicts him as the main bad guy in Peter Pan. Who else other than the infamous Captain Hook would try to kill mermaids?
Don’t believe us? Here’s a picture from the film itself, showing Peter surrounded by mermaids in his lagoon. If you look closely, you’ll see a mermaid with an emerald green tail and ginger hair. Reminds you of someone? I don’t know, maybe her daughter a.k.a. Ariel? Given that the teams who brought these two stories to life were more or less the same, the idea can’t be too farfetched.
The Descendant and the Tea Pot
In the story of Tarzan, Jane Potter is the curious lady who ventured into the unknown territories of the jungle and befriended a strange creature which later becomes her better half. The bells are ringing, aren’t they? Yep, ding! Believe it or not, Beauty and the Beast and Tarzan have more connections than just plots.
The picture above is from a scene in Tarzan showing Jane’s tent. See anything familiar? If you said Mrs Potts and Chip, then you’re wrong. That’s not them, apparently, but what they were after the spell. In another theory, it explains that the characters from Beauty and the Beast were turned back into humans, but the objects they were before, however, remained intact.
What’s the tea set doing in Jane’s tent, then? It could be that Jane Potter is a direct descendant of Belle’s, and inherited the tea set. What she also inherited, was Belle’s skills in handling strange creatures such as the Beast. Tarzan was, too, an animal-like character, and Jane has Belle to thank for her natural communication skills. And you have to admit; they do resemble each other. How they’re related and why she brought the heirloom with her is still a mystery, though.
The Favorite Part, You’ll See
Beauty and the Beast introduced Belle’s character through a song of the same name. Here, we see Belle and her fascination with books and stories. She mentions a favourite of her’s, though, which is key to this Easter egg. “Far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!” she exclaims; a possible allusion to Aladdin, which was released the following year.
The Gods of the Sky and the Sea in Disney
Disney also adapted stories from classical Greek mythology. Take Hercules, for example. As Zeus’ son, Hercules is no doubt the prince of the heavens. But what’s a family tree without brothers and cousins, right? While Zeus may be the god of the sky, his brother, Poseidon, ruled the seas. He is also Triton’s father, who is, as we all know, Ariel’s father. From the depths of the oceans to the skies, that must be some family tree!
The Blonde Bond
Okay, we already know that Disney is pretty sneaky. I mean, how much detail can you put into the characters and their significant links to each other? Here’s one, for instance: hair! In the stereotypical world that we live in today, blondes are perceived as dumb people. But Disney has a way of debunking these stereotypes, and they did it with Rapunzel and Elsa.
You already know the theory about their relationship, but what about their hair? So they’re both blonde and powerful, so what? I’ll tell you what. It’s a simple royal family equation: you’ve got blonde hair? Voila! Magical powers! Think about it. None of their other relatives was blonde, and all of them seem pretty average. That is until a baby is born with blonde hair.
Still not convinced? Okay, remember that Flynn cut Rapunzel’s hair to free her from the restraints of the wicked Gothel, who wanted to use her power to remain young. However, her hair lost its magic along with its golden colour, proving that the golden hue is indeed a symbol of power.
The Protective Parents Predicament
Strict parents are the classic predicament of the Disney princess. There will always be a lock on the door, a doorless tower or a 24/7 guardian. How about gloves and a locked up room? Sound harsh, maybe? Well, Elsa’s parents had reasons for such measures. If our theory about their relationship with Rapunzel is right, they are probably aware that Rapunzel was stolen from the kingdom because of her magical abilities. How do you protect your child from possible kidnapping? Don’t let her go (Badum tss). The theory makes sense.
Whether these theories helped you change the way you look at the different Disney storylines or inspired you to keep on the lookout for more, we can all agree that Disney is one heck of a puzzle. No doubt that creativity oozes from the creators and teams behind our favourite films and characters. And if dreams are wishes our hearts make, let’s keep on dreaming about future crossovers and hope they will come true.
