The Case of the Best Disney (or Pixar) Princess Part 1

Who qualifies as a “Princess?” We’re pretty picky. For us, it’s not enough if Disney or Pixar markets you as a princess; you have to actually be the daughter of a king or chief or marry into royalty. Now, some may say that daughters of the chief aren’t royalty, but if you are going to lead your community one day because of your birthright, that sounds like royalty to us.

Therefore, we must tell you now that Mulan was disqualified from this bracket. “OH NO SHE’S MY FAVORITE!” Oh, well, we love her too! We’ll probably do another one at some point for Disney woman. Don’t forget: Lilo, Meg, Mulan, Esmerelda, and many other AWESOME Disney/Pixar non-royal women should also be talked about (and talk about them we shall!) Just, not today. Is Mulan a bada**? Absolutely. Is she technically royalty? Nah. Plus, let’s be real, if she was in this bracket she’d probably win and the others deserve a fair shake.

Week 1:

Tiger Lily vs Eilonwy

  • Tiger Lily

    • Referred to as “Princess Tiger Lily” in the Disney animated film Peter Pan (1953)

    • She was voiced by: Corinne Orr

      • Tiger Lily only speaks once in the entire film when she cries out for help as she begins to drown

    • Her first appearance was in that 1904 play by JM Barrie and has appeared in many film adaptations

    • What makes her a princess: Daughter of the chief in Neverland’s native tribe

      • Tiger Lily is possibly the unsung hero of Peter Pan. She’s definitely the bravest character in the Disney film.

      • When Captain Hook kidnaps her, she refuses to give up Peter Pan’s hideout. As Hook leaves her to drown, he reminds her that her people believe that those who drown won’t make it to the “happy hunting grounds”

      • So, even though she was faced with the possibility of death AND not having a happy afterlife, she still never gave up on Peter (WHO ALMOST FORGOT TO SAVE HER)

  • Eilonwy

    • Princess Eilonwy of Llyr appears in “The Black Cauldron” (1985)

    • Voiced by Susan Sheridan

    • Her first appearance was in the 1964 novel “The Book of Three” in the Chronicles of Prydain; she appears in four out of the five books

    • Does She possess magic?

      • Possibly. She has a magic orb called a bauble that the Horned King thought would show him where the cauldron was located

    • Eilonwy is brave, never seeming to be afraid of the Horned King even when being trapped in his dungeon. She helps Taron escape and joins him on this mission despite the fact that she doesn’t have to

    • Eilonwy is opinionated and speaks up when things don’t seem right; she’s also affectionate to Gurgie when no one else seems to be

 

Dot vs Atta

  • Atta

    • Atta is the oldest daughter of the queen and heir to the throne at Ant Island. Very smart and dedicated to her people. Always wanting what’s best for the ants.

    • She appears in A Bug’s Life (1998)

    • She is the first Pixar princess

    • Atta supports Flik when she realizes that his plan could save the colony, even though the rest of the colony doesn’t seem to approve of him

    • Atta starts to show true leadership near the end, getting the ants to work together to gather more food and she steps up when Hopper demands an explanation; She also rescues Flik when he is captured by Hopper and ultimately she is the one that kills Hopper by leading him to the bird

    • Voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus (What?! Did not know that!)

  • Dot

    • Dot is very young (~4 or 5?) More interested in having fun and what Flick is up to.

    • Voiced by Hayden Penettiere, she is the younger sister of Atta in A Bug’s Life (1998)

    • Dot is initially Flik’s only supporter, who firmly believes in her friend and is ultimate right in doing so

    • Dot is the one that tells Flik that the grasshoppers will smash the queen, and helps him with his plan to scare the grasshoppers with a fake bird

    • She also goes through a lot of growth and change in the film, overcoming her fear of the grasshoppers

 

Elsa vs Kida

  • Elsa

    • Do we need to write anything here? JK Let’s do this.

    • Elsa is the eldest princess and later queen of Arendelle

    • She is a Disney adapted version of “The Snow Queen” which was a character created by Hans Christian Anderson in 1844

    • Elsa is a special case when it comes to Disney princesses; technically she is also the villain of the story. But, it’s clear to children watching that she is merely misunderstood

    • Is she magical?

      • Um, did you see the movie?

    • Elsa distances herself from her sister and her people in attempt at freedom, and she shows children watching that being yourself can be beautiful

      • She’s notable more for what she represents and teaches children watching than for her actions in the movie

  • Kida Nedakh

    • Voiced by Cree Summer, first appearance in Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

    • Kida is the warrior princess of Atlantis; Animators were specific to design her personality and look differently than previous Disney Princesses (remember this was 2001, before Repunzel, Elsa, Anna, or Tiana)

    • She is incredibly powerful, yielding the power of the Atlantian crystal. She’s also the oldest Disney princess as she is between 8500-8800 years old

    • Kida will do whatever she can for her people to survive. She leads a group of hunter/gatherers to help sustain their people and even tries to convince her father that embracing change may save their people

    • She’s incredibly smart and brave, realizing that Milo’s knowledge of their culture is important and also gives herself up to the Heart of Atlantis which allows her to save the community from a volcano

Aurora vs Cinderella

  • Aurora

    • AKA Briar Rose, she is based off the character in the Charles Perrault version of the fairytale

    • She appears in Sleeping Beauty (1959) and is voiced by Mary Costa

    • We don’t know as much about Aurora, she doesn’t have a lot of screen time. We do know that she is kind and trusting of the three fairies and follows their rules

    • She intelligently doesn’t trust Prince Philip (whom we affectionately call “Philly”) immediately and asks him to meet her when her “aunts” are present

    • What makes her a princess? She is the daughter of King Stefan and Queen Leah, though she thinks she is a peasant until she pricks her finger on the the spinning wheel

    • She is the third Disney princess, and the last to be developed by Walt Disney.

  • Cinderella

    • Her first appearance is in the Charles Perrault story that the film is based on

    • Cinderella is voiced by Ilene Woods in the 1950 film

    • What makes her a princess? She marries a prince (legit he has no name)

    • She is charming and beautiful, which is why her step-mother and sisters treat her so badly; making her a scullery maid

    • Cinderella remains kind and cheerful despite her situation, and the animals reward her kindness by helping her make a dress which her sisters destroy

    • Cinderella, like Elsa, is more notable for the message that she gives to the children watching than for her actions in the movie. Her story perpetuates the belief that if you keep dreaming, stay positive, and be yourself, your dreams can come true. Her most notable action is being so kind to animals and staying positive. She also works hard, having finished her chores before the ball

Podcast, Disney/Pixar PrincessAdam OsburnBracket, Disney Princesses, Pixar Princesses