The Case of the Best Disney (or Pixar) Princess Part 3
Welcome Back, Cassettes! This week we’re following up with our third episode of our Disney Pixar Princess March Match-Up!
This week we revisit the winners of week one and pit them against the last set of princesses! After this week, every princess in our bracket will have fought.
Special thanks to Anthony Forrest for being our guest judge!
Anna vs Eilonwy
Eilonwy
We talked about Eilonwy in our first episode of the Match-Up (link)
Her film The Black Cauldron (1985) performed poorly commercially which explains her lack of status as an official Disney Princess
Eilonwy won over Princess Tiger Lily ultimately for her decision to act against the terrifying Horned King
Although Eilonwy is a lesser-known princess, she it notable for her bravery and intelligence; she never fails to believe in herself and will not tolerate nonsense from the people around her
Anna
Anna is a protagonist in the 2013 film Frozen
She is the sister of Elsa, and voiced by Kristen Bell
Anna is notable as being one of the first Disney princesses that literally saves herself
When Anna is freezing to death, she turns to a man she believes to be her true love in the hopes that he will save her
When this turns out to not be the case, Anna shifts her focus to saving her sister’s life which ultimately saves her own
*the sister that’s “completely ordinary” ends up saving the day
Anna is trusting, positive, and charming
She’s notable for her bravery and can-do attitude
Anna isn’t afraid to go after what she thinks is best for her kingdom
She trusts Elsa when no one else does
Anna believes in the people around her, which causes an issue when she is tricked by the villainous Hans; however, it’s that very trust and understanding that saves the day in the end
Nala vs Atta
Atta
The older princess and heir to the throne on Ant Island, Atta defeated Dot in our first round due to her relatability and leadership
Her film A Bug’s Life (1998) was only the second Pixar film
The survival of the entire ant population on her island is set on her shoulders, which is a tremendous responsibility
In all of these films, we see the princess face a struggle. However, that struggle rarely has to do with actually leading their people in the way that Atta is faced with the threat of the grasshoppers
Nala
The only Disney animated classic princess on our list that isn’t human, Nala is the future queen of Pride Rock
She first appears in The Lion King (1994) and is voiced by Moira Kelly
It’s made known by Zazu early in the film that Nala and Simba are betrothed, meaning that even if she wasn’t born a princess, she was always slated to marry into royalty
As Nala is not the main character of the film, we don’t see as much of her as some other princesses on our list
Nala is notable for having a strong, sassy attitude as a child, and a sense of responsibility to her pride as an adult
Nala goes out on her own after Scar takes over the Pridelands, searching for a way to help her kingdom
Despite her intense grief over the “death” of her best friend and future king, Nala will not submit to Scar
When Nala finds Simba, she convinces him to return and take his throne back
Nala refuses no for an answer and will not abandon the other lions to be with Simba; it’s her persistence (and some help from Rafiki) that convinces Simba to return and face Scar
Venelope vs Elsa
Elsa
The older sister to Anna and Queen of Arendelle, Elsa is voiced by Idina Menzel
In our first round, Jacob chose Elsa over Kida for her ability to overcome the fear of being herself and ultimately giving herself up for the kingdom that shamed and refused her in the first place
In a magical sense, Elsa is the most powerful princess on our list (the second being Repunzel)
Elsa is a fighter throughout the entire film
She takes down the men that come after her with weapons
She only allows herself to be taken after deciding not to hurt anyone else
She distances herself from her sister despite the fact that she loves her; Elsa wants to be herself and believes this is only possible if she is to be alone
Elsa shows audiences how you can be happy alone and as yourself; she also demonstrates the dangers of not embracing your true self
Although many may see Elsa as the hero of Frozen, it’s Anna’s love for her that saves the day and teaches Elsa how to end the winter
Venellope
Venellope is the rightful princess of Candy Crush as we learn at the end of Wreck-it Ralph (2012) and is voiced by Sarah Silverman
Venellope strays from the traditional mold of Disney princesses, though as we see in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), she has more in common with the other princesses than it would seem
A skilled racer, Venellope is strong-willed, smart, and determined
Despite the bullying she gets for being a “glitch,” she never abandons her dream of racing
She also shows audiences that you don’t have to fit a certain pattern to be a princess, and that your greatest weakness can often become your best feature
Snow White vs Cinderella
Cinderella
Possibly the most famous princess of all time, Cinderella has the most classic story of all the Disney princesses
Known for being Disney’s second princess, her songs are iconic and the supporting animal characters paved the way for future animal side-kicks
In a time when Disney was not known for princess animated movies, Cinderella broke ground with its popularity and lovable protagonist
Cinderella is hard-working and positive
Although her life is tough, she never gives up on her dreams
Cinderella follows the classic Disney mantra that dreams really can come true as long as you continue to believe in them
Cinderella doesn’t show resentment or ill will toward the women who have been oppressing her, she only focuses on her own dreams
Snow White
Based on the fairytale by Brothers Grimm, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was Disney’s first full-length animated film
This film paved the way for more animation and showed audiences in 1937 that animation was a legitimate art form
Although Snow White is young, she learns to adapt to a new life very quickly when she discovers that the queen wants her dead
Snow White is charming, innocent, and loving
Animals are naturally drawn to her because of her beautiful voice and gentle nature
Snow White has no issue taking care of the dwarfs in exchange for a place to live, which shows how resourceful she is and willing to do her fair share
Without Snow White, animation may not have been the same! Critics were sure that this venture was a mistake for Disney, only to be proven wrong
Snow White helped create a formula that has entertained and inspired many generations