#hercules and megara get a happy ending in the movie so they’re getting a happy ending in my head

[alwaysahiccupandastrid]

I saw you reblogged a Peter Pan gif set; what are some of your favorite older Disney animated movies?

Ooh thank you for the question! I really love that you asked this since I just got Disney+ last weekend!

I think it depends on what your definition of “older” movies is - like I know that some that may seem “old” to me aren’t actually that old compared to other Disney films. Like some films from the 80s and 90s might not be considered that old but they seem that way to me since they were made before I was born!

The Golden Age (1937-42): I wouldn’t say these are my absolute favourites, but I do like Snow White and Bambi!

The Silver Age (1950-67): I LOVE Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland - 2017-2019, my family and I went on holidays each year to Disneyland Paris, and all three years I met Peter and Wendy, and then for both 2018/2019, I met Alice and the Mad Hatter as well! (To be honest though, my Wonderland love is mostly because of the mature video games by American McGee!) I also absolutely adore Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmatians to be honest - I’m a sucker for dogs! (Also I had Lady and Tramp plushies when I was young so that’s lovely!)

Bronze/Dark Age (1970-1988): So these are seen as the bad ones but honestly? I love the Fox and the Hound so much, I even still have my Todd plushie on my bed from when I went on my school’s French immersion trip to Disneyland Paris when I was 15! I also really loved The Black Cauldron growing up - I know that that’s probably an unpopular thing to say because I know now that there’s books and the film apparently did no justice to them (I got the whole series for Christmas so I’m hopefully going to start reading them soon!), but I honestly really liked that film as a kid. I really think Eilonwy is an underrated princess, and I already like the relationship between her and Taran (also Gurgi is cute in the film!), so hopefully I’ll love the books even more!

Renaissance (1989-1999): these probably aren’t classed as “old” but I’ll include them anyway! I love pretty much every one of the films made in this period, but my ultimate favourite - and it’s my ultimate favourite Disney movie to this day - is Beauty and the Beast. I remember being so happy and excited as a kid watching it because Belle was a princess who loved to read, and I loved to read so much as a kid (I still do when I have time), and it’s such a beautiful movie in every way - the story, the songs, the animation... I love it so much. I also really love Tarzan (I used to do that knuckle-walking thing when I was little and so the Tarzan cry, plus I had a Terk plushie), The Lion King (I had a Simba and a Nala as a kid), Mulan, Hercules (the fact her name is Meg is icing on the cake, plus it gave me the idea to use her full name “Megara” for my Skyrim/RPG characters!), Hunchback of Notre Dame, Little Mermaid... I absolutely love this era of Disney.

I’ll end the list there since 2000 onwards is definitely considered “modern”, but there’s quite a few ones from 2000 onwards I enjoyed! (If you do want to hear about my favourite Disney films from 2000, just ask!)

Speaking of Peter Pan though, while I love the Disney Peter Pan, I acknowledge that its depiction of Native Americans (I.e. the Indian tribe) is not okay. Even in the book, the depiction is really bad and offensive. I happen to just love the idea and story in general of Peter Pan though, the whole flying away to Neverland and Lost Boys stuff (and obviously Hook/pirates). I just love Peter Pan in general! I even have a Peter Pan tattoo that’s a silhouette of Peter and the Darling children flying, and it’s the Disney one - not just because I love Peter Pan, but because my Nan used to take me to see Peter Pan at the pantomime growing up (I saw other pantos of course but the Peter Pan ones were my favourite), and I wanted to get something in memory of her that she wouldn’t haunt me for (because I’m 100% certain she’d have haunted me for life if I’d gotten her name or something similar tattooed on my body). It’s a subtle nod, and it’s not just because of her, but it’s still a nod nonetheless. I feel I should add though that the Disney adaptation isn’t my favourite adaptation of Peter Pan (though I do love it, don’t get me wrong - I love meeting Peter and Wendy at Disneyland, and I have Peter AND Wendy dolls on my bed): my absolute favourite version of Peter Pan is the 2003 one (which isn’t Disney but still). The Disney version, however, is more easily recognizable as silhouettes, plus it’s easier to get merch for Disney stuff than anything else!

(PS: if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend going to a Peter and Wendy meet and greet - they’re so much fun and they give great hugs! There are pictures somewhere on this blog but I look awful so I won’t add them here 😅 the pictures are there though, and I tag everything so you could probably easily find them by looking at the Peter Pan or Disneyland tags on my blog. Also Alice and Hatter are a riot as well - we mimed having UnBirthday tea and they asked if my flower tattoo spoke to me!)

[edda-blattfe]

You are absolutely amazing!!! Can you do more on how the boys would react to the movies?

Daaaww, thank you, darlin’! *cackcles maliciously* I will gladly do so! 😆

(I’ll just do the house leaders for now. If y’all want me to do any of the other characters send in an ask and I'll be happy to answer.)

Alice in Wonderland

- “What even is this movie?” -Leona, before falling asleep on Mal’s shoulder. He woke up at the end when Alice was getting chased down and had no clue what was going on.

- Almost everyone is confused, except for Riddle and Kalim. Those two are oddly invested in this film.

- For whatever reason, Riddle just does not like Alice from the very beginning. Maybe it’s the “know-it-all” attitude or that she’s completely hopeless in a world that makes perfect sense. Whatever it is, he won’t stop glaring at the animated girl and muttering insults towards her at every opportunity.

- Azul had to stop himself from questioning the movie’s logic. There is no logic, just absolute madness.

- Every time the Queen yells “off with their head” Riddle giggles....it’s getting kinda creepy tbh.

- Kalim is the only one who liked the “it was all a dream” ending. Riddle was disappointed that little blonde brat didn’t get her head lopped off. Meanwhile, everyone else was just glad it was over.

The Little Mermaid

- The movie’s opening sequence actually grabbed everyone’s attention immediately! Even Idia found himself swaying along to the music while Kalim and Azul hummed the tune.

- Vil is surprisingly enthralled with the animation and underwater backgrounds. The artists must have poured so much effort into their craft to create such beautiful scenery, he can’t help but admire it!

- Azul finds Ariel interesting. Her naivety makes her weak, yet she has such a fiery spirit gives her a streangth he can’t help but admire.

- Ariel: I’m 16 years old, I’m not a child!

Kalim: You tell him, girl!

Riddle: Yeah!

Leona: *scoffing* Kids.

- *Fletsum and Jetsum show up on screen*

Leona: Hey, it’s Jade and Floyd!

Azul: *does a trouble take* ...They do look similar, don’t they?

- Azul was the only one who felt the ending should’ve been different. After all, Ursula was only trying to keep her contract! Why should she be punished for that?

Aladdin

- Another great opening. The desert scenery has Kalim jumping in his seat as it reminds him of home, he even tries to sing along to “Arabian Nights” despite not knowing the lyrics. A month from now he’ll be annoying Jamil with the little ear worm.

- Leona wolf whistled the moment Jasmine appeared on screen AND I SHIT YOU NOT, KALIM PUNCHED THAT CAT WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT AND IT ACTUALLY HURT A LITTLE!!! HE WASN’T EVEN SMILING IT WAS SO FREAKING WEIRD!!! KID WAS ACTUALLY ANGRY, WTF?!?!?! But then they found out she was 15 in the movie...Vil went ahead and smacked the back of Leona’s head for good measure.

- Iago really grew on Idia. How could the underground sass master not love that salty bird?

- Azul: If you had three wishes-

Riddle: Don’t you dare finish that question! You’ll just use our answers to try and cut a deal in the future.

Azul: How do you know I wasn’t genuinely curious?.......Pft! No, never mind. Not even I can believe that!

- Malleus does not understand why all of the protagonists are getting married when they’re literally children. But whatever.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

- Leona fell asleep again during the opening credits. That’s what happens when you open up with soothing music and no animation.

- Snow really doesn’t strike Vil as a significant character, she lacks any sort of spunk and just looks like a child. Yet, she’s the fairest in the land? He swears the mirror must be lying. It has to be of the Queen thought she was the fairest in that outfit!

- Malleus: Isn’t that your throne?

Vil: You’re thinking of the Pomefiore throne, certainly looks like it. It is an heirloom passed down from the Fair Queen herself. The artists truly captured it’s splendor, I’m impressed!

- Azul was impressed by the huntsman’s ruse to fool the Queen, it was quick thinking on his part. Also gave him time to get out of dodge before she found out the truth. Too bad she didn’t respect his convictions, he would’ve made a great ally.

- Kalim: I wish animals would come when I sing.

Idia: I-it’s probably not as fun as you think...imagine the noise they’d make.

- And just like that, Grumpy becomes Riddle’s favorite Disney character after the Queen of Hearts.

- After the hag’s death scene, Vil is visibly shook. Like he just saw his life flash before his eyes and it was ugly as the witch.

- Everyone is confused when the prince just carries Snow off without saying anything. Not a word! Is that really ok? Isn’t she like 14?

The Lion King

- Malleus actually found himself admiring Mufasa. Not only did he strike him as a competent ruler, but also a responsible father. The only thing our fairy king can fault him for is allowing his brother so much freedom. If he had done something, anything, his family and kingdom wouldn’t have had to endure all of that suffering.

- Simba’s cocky attitude kinda got on the Savanaclaw leader’s nerves at first, but the kid slowly grew on him. How many kids could force themselves to permanently leave home, much less run through a desert until they faint from exhaustion? Points for determination. Then he grew up into a totally chill dude with no cares, no responsibilities, or worries? What Leona wouldn’t do for that! Was really disappointed when Simba chose to leave his carefree lifestyle in order to save the kingdom that was already in ruins. He could kinda understand why the kid would choose that, but come on! That boy really had it good and Scar was bound to die at some point, why not wait until then? Leona doesn’t say it, but he thinks Scar would’ve actually liked his nephew if he’d only stop obsessing over the kingship and got to know him a little.

- *Grown up Nala enters scene*

Leona: Well, someone grew into a fine huntress~

Vil: She’s a lion. An actual, quadrupedal lion. No human aspects whatsoever.

Leona: Your point is?

Idia: S-she is...kinda pretty...

The other leaders: .......

Idia: *goes back into his emo corner* never mind....forget I said anything...

- You know that scene where Simba pins Nala down and she totally gave him the bedroom eyes? Yeah, Kalim and Riddle weren’t allowed to see any of that. The parents Vil and Azul immediately covered their eyes. WTF Disney, isn’t this supposed to be a kids movie?!?! It didn’t help that Leona kept jokingly telling Simba to “get some”.

- The hulla scene has inspired Scarabia’s next party. The other leaders are already placing bets on how Jamil will react to the news.

- Scar being slaughtered by his Hyena army is gonna haunt Leona for the rest of his life.

Hercules

- Azul is LIVING for the muses’ musical numbers.

- Idia doesn’t like how “bright” Hercules is. He’s just way too optimistic for our gloomy boy’s taste.

- Riddle: That’s the underworld? It looks like the Ignihyde dormitory!

Idia: Which is exactly why it’s perfect!

- *Megara shows up*

Leona: That girl is bad news.

Riddle: She’s the love interest, she can’t be bad news.

Leona: Kid, I have experience with women. Girls like that always have an ulterior motive.

*a few minutes later, when Hades shows up*

Leona: I should’ve put money on that bet.

- The more famous Hercules gets in the movie, the more Idia low key hates him.

- Kalim actually started crying when Megara died. He cheered up when Hercules saved and delivered her soul, but that was a rough few minutes for the kid.

Sleeping Beauty

- *Maleficent does her thing with the curse*

Kalim: The witch cursed Aurora just cause she didn’t get an invite? WHO DOES THAT?!?!

Malleus: You wouldn’t?

Kalim: ........

the other leaders: *Concerned*

Malleus: Flora wanted to turn her into a flower. At least Maleficent gave her a chance to live!

- Without having to say a single word, the boys unanimously agree that Flora is the absolute worst. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

- Something about Aurora caused Malleus to go perfectly quiet....it was a little unsettling. He watched her scenes with cold, distant eyes. It was almost as if he were watching a ghost.

- Leona almost fell off the sofa upon hearing Mal softly sing along to “Once Upon a Dream.” No one was expecting him of all people to sing something so romantic. It didn’t sound too bad, to be honest.

- If anyone liked the end of the movie they were too scared to say so. Mal’s aura had grown oppressive within the span of the film. He promptly excused himself during the credits and didn’t come out of his room until he next day.

[mindflayedr-blog]

I Won’t Say it // Finn Wolfhard Imagine

So I was listening to some Disney songs today and one of the songs that played was “I Won’t Say I’m In Love” from the Hercules soundtrack. While listening to the song my mind kind of just clicked like “I should write an imagine for this.” So here I am. Happy 600+ followers to me, here’s a gift from me to you. 

Summary: Y/N refuses to admit that she has feelings for her friend, Finn.

Warnings: Cursing, as usual lmao

Characters: You, Sophia, Jack, Wyatt, and of course Finn.

Jaeden, Finn, Jeremy, and Chosen were sleeping in their rooms while you, Sophia, Jack, and Wyatt sat on the living of the hotel penthouse that the eight of you were currently staying. The seven of you just came back from a two hour press conference and you were all completely exhausted. Thankfully, they gave you all the rest of the day to relax. 

You four were watching Hercules on the T.V. It took all of you almost an hour to pick a movie. You were all arguing which Disney movie watch, the boys wanted to watch Big Hero 6 while you and Sophia wanted to watch Hercules. The boys gave in half way and decided to let you two have your way.

“I’ll be right back, I’m going to get more popcorn.” Wyatt said as he stood up and stretched his legs, “Fill me in afterwards.”

“Mhm, okay go.” You replied without taking your eyes off the screen. 

A few minutes later, Wyatt returns to the living room with a big bowl of popcorn and a bottle of water for himself.

“Okay fill me in, what happened?” Wyatt said as he shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

“Megara’s about to sing I Won’t Say I’m In Love.” Jack replied while also grabbing a handful and shoving it inside his mouth.

“Ah alright thanks.” Wyatt said as he sat beside you. 

“Speaking of saying that they’re not in love, Y/N, have you told him yet?” Sophia looked at you while teasingly wiggling her eyebrows.

“What? Tell who what?” You give Sophia a look of confusion, you had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

“Yea Sophia, tell who what?” Jack said curiously, now paying attention to Sophia and not the movie on the T.V screen.

Wyatt raises one of his eyebrows and looked at Sophia, “What are we talking about?” 

“Oh you know! Y/N has a little crush on Finn.” Sophia winked teasingly which caused you to roll your eyes.

“I never said that! When did I say that?” You said as you tried to recall the day you mentioned liking Finn. You couldn’t recall anything though because you never in your life said that particular line.

“OH SHIT REALLY? YOU LIKE FI-” You quickly put your hand on Jack’s mouth to cut him off. Jack tried to say something, but his sentences were all muffled and incoherent. Jack didn’t like this one bit so he licked your hand which caused you to quickly take your hand away from his mouth.

“What the hell, Jack! That was gross.” You looked at him in utter disgust as you wiped your hand on his shirt earning a laugh from Wyatt and Sophia.

“That’s what you get.” Jack laughed as you continued to wipe your hand on his shirt. 

“Anyway,” Sophia let out her last giggle before continuing, “You didn’t have to say it, actions speak louder than words you know?” 

“It all makes sense now, you were like staring at Finn the other day. Not in a creepy way though, it was like you admire him or something. You were the living embodiment of the heart eyes emoji.” Jack said with a wink causing Wyatt to laugh a bit. 

“You are so annoying.” You grabbed a pillow and threw it at Jack, hitting him in the face. “Look, I don’t like Finn okay? He’s… He’s annoying like you and… um…”

“You’re struggling.” Wyatt said as he opened his water bottle. He stared at you as you struggled to come up with reasons why you didn’t like Finn. He found it amusing how you tried so hard to hide the fact that you had feelings for his friend. 

“I am not! I don’t work well under pressure okay?” You huffed and crossed your arms, earning yet another laugh from Sophia and Wyatt. “As I was saying, Finn is annoying and… and loud! He is so loud! And he’s playful! And annoying!”

“You already said that though.” Sophia pointed out while chuckling.

“I hate you guys.” 

“You love us.” Jack said earning a nod of agreement from Sophia and Wyatt. 

No chance! No way! I won’t say I’m in love! 

It’s too cliche I won’t say I’m in love.

“Look at you, you’re like Megara.” Sophia joked as she watched Megara sing. 

“You know Y/N, you should just admit it. Why are you hiding it anyway?” Jack said while turning towards you. Whenever Jack does this, he means that he’s being serious. 

You friends have shipped you and Finn ever since you all started filming IT. They all thought you and Finn have some sort of connection, like you two have known each other for a while, like you were meant to be with each other sort of. They think you and Finn really blend well together. You didn’t know this of course and neither did Finn.

“Exactly, I’m pretty sure he likes you too.” Wyatt said matter of factly. As soon as Wyatt said that, you immediately turned red. 

“Aw she’s blushing.” 

“Shut up, Soph.” You say as you threw a piece of popcorn at her, causing her to giggle. 

“You didn’t answer my question. Why are you hiding the fact that you don’t romantically like Finn?” Jack placed his hand on his palm and waited for your answer. 

“The fans are probably going to come after me a-and besides… Finn doesn’t like me like that you know? He probably likes Millie or something, I don’t know.” You replied as you nervously scratched the back of your head.

“Welp thank you for confirming that you like Finn.” Jack said slyly, he just manipulated you to admit that you like Finn. 

“You little shit!” You exclaimed while throwing another pillow at Jack, so maybe you do have feelings for Finn, so what? It wasn’t a big deal. You didn’t know why your three friends are making a big deal out of it.

“Just tell Finn that you like him.” 

“Tell Finn what?” Finn said suddenly as he entered the living room. He stretched his arms and plopped himself between you and Wyatt. Your eyes grew wide as you freaked out on the inside. Your facial expression was priceless, you looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

“HOLY SHIT LOOK AT YOUR FACE, THAT’S PRICELESS.” Jack yelled out while laughing his ass off. Wyatt and Sophia were also dying of laughter. 

“What the hell is going on?” Finn said in confusion as he turned to you in hopes of understanding what was currently happening. 

“I’m going to sleep, goodnight.” 

“It’s like four p.m. though?” Finn scrunched up his face in confusion as he watched you stand up from your seat.

“I said goodnight.” 

You then ran to your room, shut the door, and belly flopped onto your bed. ‘That’s it. It’s all going down hill from here. Jack’s most likely blabbering his heart out about how much I like Finn. I’m so done for. I’m never going to hear the end of this.’ You thought you yourself as you buried your face onto your pillow trying to drown out the loud conversation coming from the living room. 

Later that day:

You woke up from your rather long nap. You lazily got out of bed and checked the time in your phone. 11:35 p.m.

“Holy shit I was asleep for that long?” You said with a yawn. You then got out of your room, totally forgetting what happened hours ago.

Your stomach was growling so you decided to go head to the kitchen to grab a snack. You entered the kitchen and see Finn eating cereal. You stood at the entrance of the kitchen, suddenly remembering what happened earlier. You mentally slapped yourself and tried to keep yourself together. 

“How was your sleep?” Finn said while eating a spoonful of cereal. He gives you a small smile as he chewed his food. 

“Um…g-good. Sleep is um… good.” You awkwardly say as you tried to reach for the cereal that was inconveniently placed on the top shelf.

“Let me help you with that.” Finn put his bowl of cereal down on the counter and grabbed the cereal from the top shelf effortlessly.

“I hate that I’m short, It’s so annoying. Who placed the cereal so high up anyway?” You grumbled as you poured yourself a bowl of cereal.

“I did, sorry.” Finn lightly chuckled as he ate another spoonful of cereal.

“I bet you did that to mock me.” You joked as you poured milk in your cereal. 

Finn laughed at your response which causes you to laugh too, “Yea, I totally did that to mock you.”

“You’re such an ass, you know that right?” You giggled as you ate your cereal.

“Yeah I know, whoops.” Finn replied causing you to jokingly roll your eyes. “Hey Y/N, can I ask you a question?” 

“You’re already asking me a question, genius.” 

“Don’t sass me.” Finn says with a chuckle. “Anyway… so I heard from Jack that you… you uh… li-like me? Is that true?” 

Your face turned red as soon as Finn finished his question. You looked down at your bunny slippers to avoid Finn’s eye contact. ‘Jack is so dead.’ You thought to yourself.

“I… I um… have a headache, I should rest. Night, Finn.” You lied as you placed your bowl of unfinished cereal on the kitchen counter. You then speed walked back to your room leaving Finn confused. 

You closed the door of your room, you then leaned on it, and slid down to the floor. ‘What the fuck am I supposed to do now? Do I just hide in my room for the rest of the week? Fuck I hate myself. Finn probably thinks I’m weird. I’m going to strangle Jack.’ You thought to yourself as you ran your hands through your hair. Your face felt hot and you felt your stomach twisting. You’ve never been this nervous since you auditioned for IT. 

A few minutes later, you were still sitting down on the floor. You didn’t feel like moving to your bed. You kept replaying what happened a couple of minutes ago. Your hands were clammy and you felt a bead of cold sweat run down your back. ‘I wonder how Finn thinks of me now… What if he thinks I’m weird? Oh shit what if he hates me… Holy shit…’

You heard soft footsteps outside your door. It paused when it reached your door. ‘Please don’t be Finn.’ You thought to yourself as you crossed your fingers. 

Finn sat outside your door with a sticky note on one hand and a pen on the other. He thought you were fast asleep so he figured it was now or never. He took the pen and quickly wrote a note. He then folded it and slipped it in the crack of your door. 

What he didn’t know was that you were still awake and was sitting by your door. You hear a piece of paper slide inside your room. You stared at it for a few seconds, then picked it up, and unfolded it. 

You couldn’t stop smiling. You read the note one more time and then held it close to your heart. As soon as you hear Finn’s bedroom close, you decided to do the same thing: Leave him a note. 

You quickly scribbled down a reply and tiptoed to Finn’s bedroom door where you cautiously slipped it in the crack of his door. 

“Goodnight Finn.” You whispered softly and you then tiptoed back to your room. You placed Finn’s note on your nightstand and then went off to sleep. Finn’s message replayed in your head endlessly. 

Lmfao I was supposed to post this last night. but I fell asleep. Hope you guys like this one xx

Also, I’ll write and post the requested imagines soon so sit tight! <3

[foxieflower]

Unpopular Opinion #6

Immortal Beings hating the fact they are immortal (except when they’re evil)

I can barely every find a story involving immortal beings that doesn’t have  them constantly griping that they are immortal. In Interview with a Vampire, I honestly felt a whole lot more towards Lestat than I ever did for Louis. Louis complained at the beginning that he had nothing anyways and when he is given something, he immediately becomes against it and is completely flattened down to “I hate being a vampire because humans cannot be human and immortal”

It’s almost like a weird psa towards humanity to never ask for immortality that, you don’t want to be immortal, you’ll either be asking for death or become evil!

Theres a few instances where the being isn’t completely upset by it nor is evil, but then usually it falls towards them finding their soulmate and not wanting to be immortal then for them. Like in Disney’s Hercules, he’s looking the entire movie to be a God, then, when he gets it, because he wants Megara, he becomes mortal. And thats the super cool, heartwarming ending.

There was another hollywood movie about a woman that was immortal after a freak accident, and the happy ending was that it got reversed at the end so she could be with her lover.

To be honest, I always find it so boring, especially at this point. Why can it never be that the other person finds immortality too? Or if they cant, they still stay with them. Why is it that the person who is immortal either needs to hate themselves or be inhuman to like being immortal. Wouldn’t it be much better if they liked who they were and they weren’t an asshole?

Its just like a rant I have about killing off characters being so common in media, writers don’t want their characters to be immortal, why? I have no idea.

I would much rather the end of a story going “They all became immortal, no character you liked died, and everyone is happy” rather than “Yeah, a lot of characters died, the vampire is cured, and he’s totally much happier now because people hate immortality” Because I can never related.

Why does no one want the dark gift?

[metawitches]

  Or, Why Do Little Girls have to Choose Between Being Good and Being Powerful?

I was never much for Disney princesses growing up. None of them ever spoke to me. I was more into characters like Simba from Lion King. I suppose, for whatever reason, I was more concerned with the personality and journey of the character than their gender. Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Ariel…none of them did anything for me. I don’t even remember thinking they were particularly pretty. I liked Megara from Hercules a little, but I was more about Pegasus, Hercules, and Hades in that movie. The complex characters with clear goals and inner journeys were always the ones who appealed to me. (And animals. Being an animal makes a big difference to me.)

I can only think of one work that I loved as a child where the female characters were my favorites – Avatar: The Last Airbender. Katara and Azula were my goddesses, and I loved Mai, Ty Lee, Toph, and Suki. (I didn’t care for Yue, though I appreciate her a lot now. She was too soft and weepy in my eyes.) They’re still some of my favorite characters ever. So I did have female characters to look up to growing up, but they weren’t Disney. And the story wasn’t about them. They were real, complex people, but they were there to support the story, not the reason the story was happening. But most importantly, they were on a random little show (popular, but still not terribly culturally influential) on Nickelodeon, not in one of the iconic movies about and for girls by the company that helps define American, and much of Western, culture. Not one of the movies that functions as a vessel to teach girls about how to be a girl and provides them with the people they’re going to look up to and aspire to be like throughout their childhoods and probably into adulthood.

I wasn’t concerned with that as a child. All I knew was that I didn’t care about the same characters most other girls did and I wanted to be a waterbender like Katara, or an insidiously powerful acrobat like Ty Lee, or a commanding princess who could get anything she wanted like Azula.

I was 17 when Frozen the movie first came out. I wasn’t a little girl, but I was definitely a girl. I had no idea what I was doing with myself and I felt very isolated and I didn’t know who or what I wanted to be. Going into the theater, I didn’t know what it was about – just that it involved a snowman, a reindeer, and a winter. I didn’t know it was a princess movie or even that it involved humans. (Whether something involves humans is of little importance to me.)

Watching the first part of the movie, I was charmed by Elsa and Anna like everyone else. I thought Elsa’s powers were pretty. I was a little surprised at Elsa having that much power, a small girl, in a movie like this, but I didn’t think very hard about it or try to pinpoint why.

One of the moments that sticks in my mind from my first viewing is the first moment we see adult Anna, towards the end of Do You Wanna Build a Snowman. She walks into the frame, grown up, smiling, as a soft, pretty, subtly inspiring piano melody plays. I’m not sure what it was about that particular moment that struck me, but I found myself thinking she was so, so beautiful, so hopeful, so excited about life. I felt so warm towards her in a way that I don’t remember ever feeling about any other character. I tend to focus on Elsa more, because she’s more my kind of character, but in truth Anna was deeply important to me too, and still is. I felt sort of maternal towards her, and something about it made me almost want to cry.

I kept feeling that way through For the First Time in Forever. She was so hopeful and youthful, so eager to live her life. I was a little shocked when Anna sang “don’t know if I’m elated or gassy” – Disney acknowledging that women have bodily functions?! Where did that come from? I was really happy about that. She was so real in that way. Drooling, dreaming about boys while also stuffing her face with chocolate, imagining she was one of the women in the paintings. Dancing and running and jumping, moving freely and gracefully but also clumsily. In tune with her body, unafraid to do whatever she pleased with it, but also not perfect with it. Kristen Bell sounded so sweet and beautiful and happy to be alive. I think she’s underrated as a singer.

And then we cut to adult Elsa. I was surprised by how husky her voice was, and it immediately made me feel like there was a deep power to Elsa. Her quiet, intense singing combined with Anna’s bell-like (ha, get it?) joy touched something deep inside me, though I didn’t know what.

Then Let It Go happened. When Elsa started quietly brooding about her failure to do what her parents told her and how alone she was now, I figured that was all the song was going to be. When she sang “Well now they know” and let her glove fly away, I thought we were about to enter a remorseful chorus about what a failure she was and how she’d ruined her life and it was all her fault. And I wasn’t dreading that. It was just where I assumed we were headed. That would be the typical path.

When she turned around, smiled, made a small swirl of ice and snow and sang the simple words “Let it go,” it literally felt like a light bulb turned on in my head. Elsa had gone in the opposite direction from what I was expecting, and I instantly understood. Of course. She wasn’t stuck in her depression and loneliness anymore – she wasn’t trapped in her room. She had no one to pretend for, no one to protect. And she’s immensely powerful. *She* doesn’t need any protection alone up there. So the feelings of loss were there; that’s what comes with letting yourself feel for the first time since you were a small child, having lost your parents and now lost everything and everyone you’d ever known. But now, she could let go of that (pun partially intended). I still feel chills watching her send her power out into the world, fearlessly running up that staircase, knowing without a doubt that she can continue it as far as she wants to go, stomping on the ground and creating a huge snowflake with a thunderous smash. Rising up in the center of this huge structure, a tiny figure in control of it all. And then she threw her crown away, rejecting the rules and expectations that had been forced upon her. She let her hair out of its tightly restrained style and sensuously ran her hand over it, ice-burned off the restrictive clothes she’d been required to wear as Queen, and instead gave herself a light, clingy yet comfortable-looking dress that showed off her body, and a cape to make sure everyone knew how much power she had. She was still a Queen, but she was now the queen of herself, no more and no less.

This was the opposite of the song I was expecting. She didn’t crumple in despair. She didn’t sentence herself to living in a cave. She certainly didn’t think, “I have nothing to live for now, maybe I should just kill myself.” She built herself a palace that a hundred men couldn’t build, as the song Frozen Heart echoes in the movie. She raised herself up to the top of the tallest mountain. She belted out, her voice fragile yet transcendent in its power (hail Queen Idina). She reveled in her power and her body, its movements, its feeling, its appearance. She no longer moved like a girl. She now moved more like a woman. She wasn’t controlled and graceful with every step, but she was powerful with every step. She showed aggression with her stomping and forcefully flinging ice into the air, throwing her crown away. She showed how easy it was for her as she built a huge palace in minutes. She showed the strength and the delicacy of her powers with the thick turrets and the intricate chandelier. She didn’t worry about making her movements feminine, but when she was in the dress that she made for herself, the one that came straight from within her and thus represented her better than any other piece of clothing could, she let her hips move like a woman’s. She didn’t sexualize herself, but she didn’t desexualize herself. She just was. She was a full, complex human being, and she was pure joy and power.

Just these two songs probably would have done it for me. I was hooked on the sisters, especially Elsa – she’s more my kind of character (I like the dark and sexy ones). But I wasn’t at all expecting the ultimate thesis of the movie, which is that true love can be a platonic relationship between two women. Romance and sex and men don’t have to be involved. The love two women hold for each other can be just as strong. Anna and Elsa sacrifice themselves for each other over and over again. Their stories revolve around each other, and in the end, it’s the love between them that saves not only their lives, but their whole queendom. And not only did the act of true love not need to involve a man, but it was in opposition to two men – Anna defended her sister from Hans while also rejecting the love she shared with Kristoff in favor of her love for Elsa.

Seeing something like this in anything would have been great, but this was Disney. One of the greatest upholders of social norms. The major corporation that has, for almost a century, reflected and shaped our cultural attitudes. If Disney of all companies was making a movie about two powerful, complex women whose relationship is the focus of the story, who actively reject men in favor of each other, what did this mean for our culture? It meant that we had come very, very far since The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, just a couple decades before. Anna and Elsa didn’t have to give up their voices to achieve what they wanted. They didn’t fall in love with and forgive men who abused them. The story had nothing to do with how physically attractive either of them were. A brief speculation from one of the attendants of the ball about the beauty of the princesses is all there is, and it’s immediately contradicted by the narrative showing us Anna asleep in a very non-feminine position, hair wild and tangled, drooling. But at the same time, the narrative doesn’t tell us that Anna and Elsa are ugly. When the men start objectifying the women for their attractiveness, the narrative quickly shuts them up by pointing out that they’re people just like everyone else. They’re not always perfect and beautiful, but that also doesn’t mean they’re not attractive.

Later, I found a clip of Let It Go on youtube, and I watched it countless times. When I was alone in the house, and I started singing Let It Go to myself, I would burst into tears, because I felt what Elsa felt. That loss, that rejection from the world, but also the relief of accepting that you will never be what the world wants you to be. But also, the willingness to move forward with that knowledge, to live your life as you and to see where it takes you, since living your life as what society wants you to be has failed. I wasn’t ready to fully internalize that message and start living by it, or even trying to live by it, but it put that seed in my head. It gave me Elsa’s voice, Idina’s voice, echoing in the back of my mind, singing about her power. Celebrating it.

And this was our culture as a whole supporting that. Of course people on Fox and the like complained about the movie being anti-man and showing that men are either stupid or evil. (Really, who got the idea that Kristoff is stupid? He’s the one who guides Anna through the woods and he’s often the One Sane Man. But even besides that, yes boys, feels pretty rotten to have your whole sex reduced to a false dichotomy, doesn’t it?) But to me, that was a good thing. It showed that Disney of all things was pushing boundaries. If no one was offended by it, it wouldn’t be revolutionary. And amidst that, Frozen was the most successful animated movie of all time. I pretty much couldn’t leave the house without seeing a little girl, or even the occasional boy, with some Frozen merchandise. Those little girls were internalizing the messages that Elsa and Anna sent: You are strong. You are complicated. You are allowed to be imperfect. Your love doesn’t have to be romantic to be true. The things that others fear about you are often the best parts of you. The boys were learning these things about women, too, and sometimes identifying with them the way that I identified with male characters as a child. They were all receiving those messages, and so was I. I was much older than them, already through a lot of my development, but I still idolized powerful female characters just as much.

And that’s the thing about me, personally. I’ve never liked female characters for their beauty or their kindness or their dutifulness. I have always liked the ones who are powerful. And that’s where it stops. All I want in a female character is power. That’s why Azula was up there with Katara for me, and ultimately a little more inspiring to me than Katara was. I didn’t care that Azula was evil. At least she was in charge of herself. At least she had the power to command people and get what she wanted, and she never, ever apologized for it. Katara and Toph and Suki, the good female characters, were similar, but they routinely lost some of that power due to the accidental misogyny that was still prevalent in that show. They were strong while being kind, but their kindness could also be a weakness. That was never the case for Azula. Azula never compromised her own goals for the sake of anyone else. She never had to apologize for her anger and aggression or for shutting people out, like Katara and Toph did. She was never reduced to somebody’s girlfriend, like Suki and Katara were. She was in charge of her own story, she knew what she wanted, she had the power to overcome almost anyone, she knew she was powerful and reveled in it, she commanded respect from others, and she never let a man control her.

But she was evil. Her unyielding, unapologetic determination and power came at the cost of her morals. She never apologized or hated herself for losing her temper because she was a bad person, not because she accepted herself as a flawed human who’s allowed to defend herself or call other people out when they’re being jerks to her.

And in a choice between being good and being in charge of yourself, when I let go of my intellectual morals, I will always choose to be in charge of myself. If someone wants to take away my power, then they don’t deserve my kindness. That was the choice I, and every other girl, was presented with as a child. Be kind or be powerful.

The movie didn’t make Elsa choose – it let her be both. The musical adaptation made her choose.

Everything that the movie had done, every message it had sent to us girls and women, was negated. Let It Go is now disproven – now, after singing “let the storm rage on” in the first act, Elsa then sings “[what if when I’m gone] the storm rages on?” She realizes that empowerment is actually evil. Letting yourself be free and wild only feels like a good idea in the moment. Then the men come to take back control of you, marching up to your castle with their murderous weapons, to put you back in your cage, and you remember that you’ve been a bad girl and need to pay. And of course, she sings this while contemplating suicide – because she did a bad thing, so she should probably die, right?

The Duke now makes a long, pointed speech to Elsa about her being the most beautiful queen he has ever seen, describing how ugly other female royals he’s met have been. Now, the show makes sure that we know our heroines have the most important trait for a female character – beauty.

They made Elsa a one-dimensional mess of self-loathing and poor judgement. She’s wrong to sing Let It Go, because actually, you shouldn’t let the storm rage on. They directed Caissie to speak in a breathy voice, not to stand too straight, not to face people head on too often. Whereas movie Elsa spoke with an assured power, no matter where she was in her journey, and stood straight and tall and looked people in the eye, stage Elsa is a timid mouse. She doesn’t seem to believe in her power as queen, while movie Elsa always remembered that she was queen. They took away her sense of humor. She’s no longer mischievous. She doesn’t giggle and send Anna off to dance with the Duke with a twinkle in her eye. Instead, she stands there, flustered by a man speaking to her, and it’s Anna who cleverly saves Elsa from the Duke’s annoying comments. Which is ironic, because, in the stage show, Anna then becomes the stupid one who needs endless rescuing as soon as Kristoff shows up to put her on a leash and drag her to her beloved sister, who she keeps forgetting about in favor of dancing naked for no apparent reason.

Years later, watching the movie, I still feel those feelings I had the first time. The adoration for the sisters and their relationship and the way the men are portrayed. In this world, it’s important to let girls know that they can’t trust every man they meet, that their loyalties need to lie with each other, first and foremost, and that they can and should trust themselves and their own power.

We won’t be hearing any men complaining about the stage show. They’ll probably see it as an improvement.

The saddest part of all this is that so many women like this new version better. Specifically, that they think Elsa is more relatable now. Because most adult women can relate to feeling suicidal guilt over letting themselves have something of their own.

But little girls can’t relate to that. They haven’t had time to fully internalize the messages of our culture. The movie showed them, while they were still young and developing their sense of self and understanding of the world, that they could be real, complex people and they could have bodily functions and they could use their bodies however they wanted. The stage show stops that in its tracks.

It’s like the creators of the movie were trying to send a completely different message than the one most people got. It’s like they noticed that everyone was seeing it as a female empowerment story, when what they meant to show us was a story about “family.” I’m increasingly noticing how often “family” is used to mean that women aren’t important, it’s the husbands/fathers who are important. And now the word “family” is what is beat into our heads in the Frozen adaptation. Not the word “sister.” “Family.”

I suppose I got complacent over the Obama years. I was 12 when his administration took over. Now, at 21, the real world has come crashing back in. I used to think Obama’s election was an infallible sign of progress. Now I think it was more along the lines of a lucky coincidence. Things clearly haven’t actually changed. We have a known rapist for a president.

Then again, maybe women will win out in the end. After all, we really voted for Hillary.

    In honor of Elsa and Anna pre-bastardization by the stage show, here are some real-life women who are both good and powerful.

Malala Yousafzai (human rights activist and youngest Nobel Prize Laureate), Oprah Winfrey (built her own media empire), Martha Stewart (built her own corporate empire) and Benazir Bhutto (former prime minister of Pakistan/first female leader of a democratic Muslim majority nation)

Stephenie Meyer (misunderstood author of bestselling novels about being a woman), Carol Adams (author of highly influential books on the intersections between non-human rights and women’s rights such as The Sexual Politics of Meat), Taylor Swift (singer-songwriter, outspoken about her sexual assault, donated all proceeds from one of her music videos to help African animals) & Lena Dunham (creator, producer, star, writer and director of Girls, first woman to win the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series, best-selling author, confident bearer of a body that isn’t a size 2), Venus & Serena Williams (Venus is a hugely successful tennis player despite having a chronic illness and successfully fought for equal pay for female tennis players, both are largely vegan, Serena, besides being arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time, does extensive charity work and has her own fashion lines).

  Starhawk (author of many books on Goddess traditions and nature religion, longtime activist and teacher), Ellen Degeneres (vegan, animal rights activist, one of the first female celebrities to come out as a lesbian), Hillary Clinton (honorary President of the United States), Meghan Murphy (founder of the blog Feminist Current, endlessly insightful radical feminist, lover of dogs)

  Jane Goodall (gave us our understanding of chimps and primates, animal rights and environmentalism activist), Koko (gorilla who has been an experiment her whole life, believer in environmentalism and human stupidity, learned to speak English and communicates with people through a modified version of American Sign Language, mother of many kittens, representative of all of the female animals who have given their lives in the name of science and human safety), Francesca “Fannie” (one of the oldest of the Metawitches chickens, survivor of a serious dog attack, food and excitement enthusiast, layer of small eggs despite being the largest chicken, lover of pecking human body parts in an endless quest to find more food, in honor of all of the exploited female animals used as livestock who are never named and appreciated by those who use them and their children)

Role Models for Girls: The Good, the Evil, and the Frozen Or, Why Do Little Girls have to Choose Between Being Good and Being Powerful? I was never much for Disney princesses growing up.

[servinglemonade]

Once Upon A Time...(The Disney Tag)

If you don’t know already, I’m a HUGE Disney fan. I have grown up with all these movies and I love to read or watch this tag from other people (because I’m curious). So I thought: “Why not do it myself?”

I just googled Disney tag questions and found these. Here we go!

1. Favorite Disney Movie? Well, this is really hard for me, because there are so many that I love. So I have divided them into 5 categories:

Favorite princess movie: Sleeping Beauty, because Aurora has been my favorite Princess since I was little. But I also have unconditional love for Aladdin, Beauty and The Beast, Mulan, Pocahontas and recently added to this line-up, Moana (even though she is not really a princess, but the daughter of a chief)! Favorite Pixar movie: Monsters inc., Finding Nemo/Dory and Toy Story Favorite live-action: Pirates of the Carribean Favorite movie with animals: The Lion King Favorite DCOM: High School Musical

2. Walt Disney World or Disneyland? I have never been to Disneyland before, so Walt Disney World. I went to WDW two times when I was little, I still have some great videos from those trips! So it has a special place in my heart. 

3. Favorite Disney Character? This is impossible. Disney has way too many good ones.

4. The first Disney movie you remember seeing in theaters? Gosh, I think it was Pooh’s Heffalump Movie.

5. What type of Disney item do you collect? I collect pins, I don’t have a lot, but I definitely want more.

6. Your favorite Disney song? I can’t pick 1 favorite, but all my favorites are in this Spotify playlist!

7. Favorite attraction/ride at the parks? It’s a Small World, The Teacups and Dumbo: The Flying Elephant ride. I haven’t visited any of the parks in YEARS, so I can’t really judge all the roller coasters and thrill rides but these are my favorites right now.

8. What is your dream job at Disney? I would love to be a part of making a new plot for a movie. I have no idea what the official name for that is.

9. Who’s the character you never miss meeting at the parks? I don’t think a Disney trip is successful if you don’t meet Mickey Mouse.

10. What’s your most treasured Disney item? All of the Disney ornaments that my family and I hang in our Christmas tree every year.

11. Which Disney voice actor would you like to meet? I would love to meet the voice actor of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger (it’s actually the same man #what), Auli’i Cravalho, who is the voice of Moana. I think she is incredible and Angela Lansbury, who is the voice of Mrs. Potts and an absolute legend.

12. Favorite Disney movie that is not a classic/famous? The Hunchback of Notre Dame! This is such a good movie.

13. If you could say anything to Walt Disney right now, what would you say? I would thank him for all the laughs, the cries, the happy moments and just making my childhood so magical. I would also love to know his opinion on the current state of The Walt Disney Company. Like the parks and all the movies.

14. Your favorite snack to get at the parks? I have never tasted all the famous snacks, like dole whip, the Mickey shaped snacks, and churros, so I don’t know if they’re any good. But I always hear good reviews about them, so that is pretty promising. Although I do remember eating such a delicious crepe with Nutella in Disneyland Paris. So I’ll go with that one.

15. Your favorite parade/show at the parks? FANTASMIC!

16. Flounder, Sebastian or Scuttle? This is so hard, I love them all. But I have to go with Sebastian. He’s so funny!

17. Your favorite Disney memory? STORY TIME: I went to Disneyland Paris for the first time with my aunt, uncle, little niece, and little sister. We went to celebrate my 10th birthday. On our last night, we went to Café Mickey for dinner. It’s a character dining experience. So at one point, music starts playing and it’s happy birthday. So I thought oh cool it’s someone’s birthday. So I kind of start clapping along. Suddenly I see a waiter with a cake coming towards our table with Mickey and Pluto. And then I thought omg this is for me?!?! And yes it was! So everyone in the restaurant is singing and Mickey starts dancing with me and as a 10-year-old you feel pretty special in a moment like that. That’ll always be such an amazing memory!

18. Do you have a favorite pair of Mickey ears? Just the classic Minnie ones.

19. Which ‘forgotten’ princess would you add to the official line-up, if you could? Megara from Hercules! Love her sassiness!

20. Your favorite princess dress/outfit? Aurora’s pink dress, Jasmine’s two-piece, Belle’s yellow dress and Cinderella’s blue dress!

21. Your favorite Disney soundtrack? This kind of changes, but right now Moana is on repeat.

22. Genie, Abu, Carpet, Iago or Rajah? I don’t like these sidekick questions….But if I would have to pick one, it would have to be Genie!

23. Favorite restaurant at the parks? I don’t really have one. But I think when I go back to Walt Disney World (whenever that may be) Be Our Guest would be on top of my list. I really want to try The Grey Stuff!

24. How did you discover the ‘magic’ of Disney? I think I discovered this when I was already a little older, 12 or 13 maybe. I just saw that Disney was something magical and it had taught me so many valuable things in life that when I was little didn’t really know or understand until I was older.

25. What attraction are you most likely to go on when you’re at the parks? I love rides and roller coasters, so I’ll try to get on as much of them as possible.

26. Your favorite ‘iconic’ moment? (ex. Ariel on the rock, Aladdin finding the lamp, Rafiki lifting Simba, etc.) Rafiki lifting Simba, without a doubt.

27. What’s the saddest moment for you in any Disney movie? When someone dies, I always cry.

28. Best Disney kiss? When Prince Phillip kisses Aurora and she awakens from her sleep.

29. If you could live in any world from a Disney movie, which world would you choose? Oeh, this is hard. I think San Fransokyo (Big Hero 6), Neverland (Peter Pan) or Motunui (Moana).

30. Favorite Disney musical sequence based on spectacle/animation? Not really a big musical fan (although I am obsessed with Hamilton), but I would love to see The Lion King on Broadway!

31. Which Disney princess has the best sidekicks? I think every princess has AWESOME sidekicks. I can’t possibly pick.

32. If you could have a party themed around any Disney movie, which one would you pick? Lilo and Stitch! Who doesn’t love a Hawaiian themed party?

33. Are you the only one obsessed with Disney in your family? My little sister and I are on the same level. My mom and dad love Disney as well, but I think me and my sister show it a little more.

34. Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth or Chip? But…Why???? Seriously these are 4 are a package deal. You can’t have one without the other. Although I adore Lumiere and Cogsworth! But Mrs. Potts is such a mom-like character and Chip is the cutest. So yeah, I’m not going to pick.

35. What are your top five favorite Disney blogs on Tumblr? @wdwpics @thatdisneylover @thedisneyprincess @world-of-moana @mickeyandcompany

36. If you could choose the plot/adaption for the next Disney movie, what would it be? Maybe something with a group of girls going on an adventure. They don’t have to be princesses though. Or maybe this group of girlfriends meets a princess and then they have to go on an adventure together.

37. Favorite hotel at the parks? I have never stayed in a Disney World hotel, but if I could pick any hotel to stay in, it would be the Animal Kingdom Lodge. My favorite hotel in Disneyland Paris is the Disneyland Hotel! It’s so pretty, the food is great and when you step out of the hotel, you’re in the park. What could be better?!

38. Which Disney movie do you watch when you’re sad? Anything from Winnie The Pooh.

39. The Aladdin show or The Little Mermaid show? The Little Mermaid show.

40. Do you plan to have your honeymoon at a Disney park? Maybe, who knows. Although I think it would be awesome to get engaged there, in front of the castle. #goals #basic

41. Favorite piece of Disney clothing/accessory to wear? My Minnie ears and Disney Christmas sweater.

42. Post a picture of yourself that’s Disney related. I think the picture on top of this post covers that.

43. Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck? Both. (Who made these questions?)

44. Which Disney movie, even if it’s not your favorite, will always have a special place in your heart and for what reason? Lilo & Stitch, because this movie has given me a love for Hawaiian culture. I just fell in love with the music, language, and dancing. I have wanted to go to Hawaii ever since. I also love the Ohana-spirit throughout the whole movie. “Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” This line has stuck with me ever since I saw this movie for the first time. My family means everything to me and that is why the line is so important to me. Any Winnie The Pooh movie, because they always give me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. It also makes me look back on the good ol’ times High School Musical, because these movies have made me so happy. So many memories have been made with my family and friends because of these movies. I feel like when these movies ended a part of my childhood ended as well. I ALWAYS cry at the end of HSM 3.

I actually had a lot of fun answering these! Feel free to share your own answers with me in the replies! Thank you so much for reading!

Stay Flawless!

XO 

Yenai

Enjoy this GIF of Walt Disney being an actual real-life Disney Princess.