Every time I come back from a hiatus I always do this and since it's been confirmed (in an indirect roundabout kinda way) that Moana will be apart of the lineup, it's as good of a time as any.

12. Moana

There's something about her that's just very forgettable, maybe it's because her movie evokes such apathy in me. Everything about her just screams "perfect modern role model" even еще so than princesses like Belle, Poca, Мулан или Tiana and I find her even еще "marketable", "manufactured" and obnoxiously flawless than Rapunzel. Even becoming chief feels like some gimmicky "role model" thing, like "look, she's a strong leader". If I was introduced to her when I was younger like the Назад princesses maybe I'd like her fine but then again I actually DON'T like Simba either (he bores me) and he has a very similar "becoming leader of my people" arc, and at least his movie, which I don't even Любовь as much as other people, is actually memorable.

11. Merida

As for Merida, two things worth noting, she's the only princess who did something that borders on morally reprehensible BUT she tries her hardest to redeem herself by the end of the film. Her character development is well done for the most part, as is her relationship with her mother, though I do feel like Elinor sacrificed еще than she did. I used to have a еще vitriolic reaction to her, but I got over it, she is cool and like Moana, she might have benefited from being put in a better movie. However, unlike Moana, I do feel like they took a bit еще time to make her "human" rather than a "role model", nor do I feel the need to consistently bring up other DPs and even non-DPs when I talk about her, so that's something.

10. Aurora

Now, here's a character that I don't have high on my Список but I actually find myself defending quite a bit, I've even written two Статьи about Aurora. I don't think she's complex или super duper deep, and a few of her Фаны do go overboard, but she's not a blank slate either and her detractors need to stop Актёрское искусство like her Фаны "over-analyzing" her is this sweeping epidemic. She's still one of the least Популярное princesses, so calm down. In regards to Aurora herself, of all the princesses, she's the one most concerned with love, romance and a prince, and Ты know what, there's nothing wrong with that. I just wish we saw еще of her, but in the short time she was on screen, I enjoyed this regal, obedient, hopelessly romantic girl.

9. Belle

I used to find her snobby, and she still is a little bit, but now I think her "stuck up outcast" persona is kind of endearing. She is willing to level with people, like the Beast, Ты just gotta meet her half way. And it's not like the townspeople are saints, they're clearly ignorant and shallow. She is intelligent but not in the way people think, it's in how she's able to persuade conversations in her favor, she uses that a lot on other characters. I like that even though she's еще mature and well spoken, she has a bit of a childlike curiosity and enthusiasm, considering her taste in books. And I wouldn't downplay what she did for her father too much, it seems like an easy choice in the moment but if Ты really think long-term, it actually is a pretty scary and tough decision to make. So yeah, there's quite a bit to like about Belle.

8. Rapunzel

She was my least Избранное for a while but she's back in my good graces now. As mentioned before, her "relatability" and "marketability" are a bit over the вверх but she does have a few moments of realism. Particularly, whenever she's near Gothel или faces the fears that have been ingrained in her head. Like when Gothel sends the Stabbington brothers after her for her hair, that's Rapunzel's worst nightmare coming to life and her reactions are lowkey heartbreaking. Punz is probably one of the most realistic and slightly horrific portrayals of a mental abuse victim in film, without delving into adult territory of course. I like her Любовь and talent for painting and how it plays a subtle role in her finally realizing the truth. In my opinion, hobbies like hers, или Belle's reading, are the right way to humanize a character and make them relatable, not those cheap obvious "normal girl" tropes Ты find with Anna.

7. Pocahontas

One quality that I'm glad еще people are noticing in Pocahontas is that she's a combination of qualities. She is calm and wise beyond her years but she's also playful and energetic. A lot of people think she loses her personality as the film goes on but I actually think her duality is big part of why she becomes so mopey and confused. She's a balance between the rebellion (Ariel) and nobility (Belle) of other princesses. Some characters would run off with John Smith, (Jasmine) other characters would stick with their tribe, (Mulan) Pocahontas is in the middle so she's torn between her wise side and wild side. And none of these traits feel contradictory, she's just еще confident and well versed in some areas (compassion for nature and people) and extremely slow in others. (de-escalating conflicts) It would have been nice if she had a "breather" scene equivalent to Ariel's день out in the town to showcase her fun side еще but still, she kept me engaged.

6. Snow White

Because these films are fairytales and fantasy, aspects of a character can be a exaggerated, case in point Snow White. Her over the вверх optimism is so in your face that it's easy to paint her with a broad brush and overlook many characteristics that go against the common notion that she's this docile lamb. Firstly, she's surprisingly level headed and proactive when faced with a dire crisis. She devises a plan to earn her keep with the dwarfs, using her skills (cooking, cleaning) to her advantage. Her motherly nature combined with her bossy attitude actually makes for a pretty good leader. She has a slight spunk to her, which is highlighted whenever she teases или scolds the dwarfs, especially Grumpy. She is innocent and naïve, and later her naivety (believing in the wishing apple) combined with her sternness (scolding the Животные for trying to warn her) gets her into trouble. Snow White is a pretty straight вперед character but we shouldn't let our judgment be clouded by preconceived notions and ignore the not-so-subtle nuances in her personality.

5. Tiana

I just recently wrote an Статья about her so I don't want to repeat myself too much. The biggest issue with Tiana is when she turns into a frog, she becomes significantly еще overbearing and insufferable. As I stated previously, the writers went too far in making Tiana and Naveen "foils" of each other with her work Слоган and his fun motto. This isn't helped by the fact that she's shockingly еще thickheaded than Naveen. However, whenever she's human, a еще well, "human" Tiana is present. She genuinely just seems like a serious but well mannered young lady who just wants to make her father proud, and in the back of her mind she does feel somewhat drained by her passion, so her mother and friends' criticisms of her lack of fun and Любовь do not fall on completely deaf ears. Her character development is flawed but she does her learn the error of her ways and I admire her general characteristics, diligence, maturity, practicality, all of which I aspire to have myself.

4. Ariel

What I can say about Ariel that hasn't been сказал(-а) before? She's a self absorbed, stubborn, spoiled brat who's completely oblivious to how her actions affect others and never takes full responsibility for the mess she indirectly started, but still I Любовь her. She doesn't mean to cause everyone grief, it's just her singular minded unrelenting determination clouds her thinking. In my opinion, the only thing Ariel did that was morally wrong was not having the foresight to know Ursula's intentions and even then, majority of the blame for Ursula's actions fall on Ursula, not Ariel. I gravitate towards Ariel a lot because her story kind of resonates with me. I'm quite frankly sick of living with my family and I'm dying to Переместить out, I still Любовь them but I'm in a time of life where I'm just ready to go. It's the same with Ariel, I understand her desire to get out, be free, explore and just live her own life. We all have to leave the nest at some point. I also Любовь her thirst for adventure and knowledge, her exuberance and her fierce tenacity, she's just an all around fun character.

3. Jasmine

I'm slightly frustrated because I know the upcoming Аладдин remake will completely drain all personality from her character and further perpetuate lame arguments against the original, just like with Belle and Cinderella. She was never concerned about Любовь или marriage, all she wanted was to be free and to make her own choices in life, IF Любовь comes along her way, that's fine. I Любовь how she's constantly trying to take matters into her own hands, even though she fails at every turn. I know it's realistic but it would be nice if she accomplished something whenever she takes charge but the film is not her story, it's Aladdin. Her bold and fiery personality is complimented by her cunning intuition, the минута she got a good look at "Prince Ali" she knew he looked familiar and later, she tricks him into revealing himself. She is a quick thinker, a fast learner and knows to adapt to situations, but she's not up to speed on everything (like the concept of paying) and her outbursts can get her into trouble. Overall, despite being not being the звезда of the story, жасмин is a well rounded out and extremely interesting character.

2. Cinderella

I could just cite the increasingly famous "Cinderella: Stop Blaming the Victim" video by ScreenPrism because they pretty much hit the nail on the head about Золушка and how amazing she is. I'm so happy that еще and еще people are pushing back against the vocal minority of strawmen who pick apart Золушка and her movie as well as the other princesses. It's wonderful how she's kind of become a symbol of what Walt intended for Дисней to represent, having faith, having inner strength and enduring hardships. In addition to being "ever gentle and kind", she actually has a subtle sly sense of humor and a pretty realistic outlook on life, for example she doesn't let faith do all the work nor does she let her one chance at happiness slip through her fingers. Unlike her weird remake counterpart, who just sits back Пение to herself and accepts her fate. Oh yeah, way less problematic than original character. Anybody with an ounce of goodness in their сердце and has ever put up with mistreatment can relate to Золушка and her story. Ты can't always be aggressive and behave anyway Ты want, sometimes Ты have to choose "practicality over justice" as ScreenPrism says. She's a very realistic and inspiring character who's message still holds up and is relevant over 60 years since her film's release.

1. Mulan

My Список has changed from my time to time but #1 has always remained the same. I have always found Мулан to be inspirational and relatable. I see a lot of myself in her, she's a naturally unmotivated and lazy person but if she's doing something she really cares about, she'll try her best, even if she chooses less than honest methods. Some would say her character growth is unrealistic but if Ты watch any Дисней movie, like Tarzan, character development taking place over a musical number, which takes place over a course of weeks is common. Plus, I think it's еще that Мулан had inklings of the qualities that lead her to victory deep within, such as nobility and cunning, she just wasn't utilizing them properly, taking the easy way out works for fighting in a war, it doesn't really work for doing household chores.

I admit that luck and help from her friends, who are men, were part of her achievements but I don't think even she herself would deny that. Мулан takes note of the detrimental aspects of both femininity ("with good breeding and a tiny waist") and masculinity ("just because I look like a man doesn't have to smell like one") and she encounters women like the Matchmaker and men like Chi Fu but Мулан still loves women and men. She does try to conform to their values and even retains some of those respective qualities, but they're ultimately not for her. She's not the perfect woman, nor she is a man, she's just Mulan, a brave, intelligent, family oriented young woman who grows to be a bit еще confident.

This is why her story resonates with a lot of people, including myself. Мулан struggled to find her place in the world, and through grit, wit, and a little help from others, she made her own. When she's дана a chance to further leave an impact as the Emperor's adviser, she declines, because, throughout all the amazing things she did, her biggest priority was still her family. She never wanted to make this huge revolutionary change, she just wanted to prove herself, be comfortable in her own skin and make her family proud, that's it. And I hope all of these qualities can still remain in the upcoming remake.


Well there Ты go, you'll probably notice something with my bottom two but I've made my issues clear in Назад articles, I won't beat a dead horse. It felt good to really get my thoughts out there and address a few arguments that I've wanted to refute for a long time. Anyways, thanks for reading!