The Case of the Best Disney (or Pixar) Princess Part 5

Well Cassettes, it’s finally here! Thank you so much for joining us on our quest for the best Disney (or Pixar) Princess! After 5 weeks of discussion, we do have a winner!

Special Thanks to Kelly Tyree for joining us this week as a guest judge!

We spent a lot of time discussing these princesses over the last few weeks, and our judges have brought us to the final four!

Elsa vs Tiana

• Elsa

  • With her groundbreaking character, showstopping signature song, and incredible ice powers, Elsa won over every competitor to make it to the final four

  • What really seemed to resonate with judges was the adversity Elsa faced through no fault of her own

  • Many times throughout the weeks, we discussed how Elsa was emotionally stunted by being kept in her room and unable to accept who she was until she finally freed herself

  • In this episode, we highlight the moment she breaks down on the ice at the climax of the film, showing true vulnerability as she succumbs to the fear that she is the monster Hans says she is

• Tiana

  • Tiana is the last of the classically animated princesses, but still broke ground as the hardest working royal on the list

  • She won over Merida for being relatable as a woman who with a goal that many of us could see ourselves aspiring to

  • Her unique music, inspired by 1920s New Orleans also gives Tiana a special perspective that sets her apart from other princesses

  • Even though she finds a prince, she never intended to and never relies on him in order to reach her goals

    • Although she breaks the princess mold, Tiana teaches us that loving another and being part of a team can be just as important as achieving your personal dreams

  • Kelly ultimately decided that Tiana should win over Elsa because of her work ethic and devotion to her dreams; She felt that Tiana is the most relatable princess

Rapunzel vs Eilonwy

• Rapunzel

  • Much like Elsa, our judges connected with Rapunzel for the adversity that she faced

  • We noted her bravery for leaving the tower when all she knew of the world was what Mother Gothel had told her; Her sense of adventure outweighed her fear

  • Rapunzel is an upbeat character in a terrible situation, held back by the manipulation and verbal abuse afflicted on her by the only person she knows and trusts

  • We also noted in an earlier episode that Rapunzel doesn’t need to be rescued physically, having no issue with jumping from the the tower, she was only held back by fear and devotion to her mother

  • Rapunzel must learn to trust others, come to terms with the fact that she’s been lied to her entire life, turn on the person she’s loved most, and watch her die all in one movie; this sequence of events helped Kelly (this week’s judge) decide that she deserved a spot in the final two

  • Kelly noted that Rapunzel is an example that someone can come from a toxic situation and still make something of themselves

• Eilonwy

  • In a lot of ways, Eilonwy is the dark horse of this competition

  • Coming from a movie made in the “Dark Ages” of Disney, she is the only princess in the final four that is not on the official list

  • Judges connected with Eilonwy for her bravery in the literal face of the Horned King, a terrifying villain by any standard

  • It was her action against him, her decision to help Taran find the black cauldron that got her to the semi finals of this competition

  • Eilonwy is strong, smart, and confident in her abilities

  • Even though we don’t know much about her from the movie alone, the fact that she made it this far shows that she is a character that still resonates

The Final Round

For the final round, Kelly selected Tiana and Rapunzel. For the final, we all voted and Tiana came out on top! We believe Kelly put it best when she said it was because “She is a self-made queen.”

Thank you so much to everyone who read our blog or listened to our episodes the past five weeks. This was a great time, and we are excited to continue to bring you new episodes on different topics! We also want to thank everyone who came on to judge!