Disney princesses have come a long way, from relying on a prince to save them from an evil queen to learning how to save themselves, but whether they're Snow White or Ariel, Mulan or Pocahontas, they all have a few unique characteristics that make them resonate with their fans. In recent years, since Disney has purchased Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, and 21st Century Fox, there have even been a few new additions to the pantheon of princesses.
Though certain tropes and stereotypes will always be associated with Disney princesses, like being graceful and talking to animals, many of them have broken free from expectations to define themselves by their own accomplishments, and not simply by the expectations of others. Fans have been poking fun at Disney princesses through memes for some time, but many celebrate the notion that being a Disney princess is all about being true to themselves.
They're Resourceful With Kitchen Utensils
Whether it's Ariel with a fork or Rapunzel with a frying pan, Disney princesses have been appropriating kitchen utensils to be used as beauty tools and makeshift weapons for decades. They're nothing if not resourceful - who could forget Mulan's epic duel against Shan Yu with nothing but a fan?
They might get a bad reputation for reinforcing outdated or unrealistic expectations about romance, but there are many Disney princesses who prove that when necessary, they can take charge of their own fairytale with nothing but a dinglehopper.
They Need A Moment To Let It All Out
It might be tempting to see a Disney princess throw herself on a bed to cry and make a judgment about her emotional maturity; after all, it's a tale as old as time, and a scene included in Disney movies for decades. While the meme lampoons the melodrama of the action, there's the context to consider.
What person wouldn't be worn out from the expectations associated with their royal title? Of constantly being told by an authority figure that their perspective carries no weight? To be dismissed as simply a young woman with no concept of the real world? It's enough to make anyone cry out of sheer overwhelming frustration, but what this meme doesn't show is how each Disney princess takes her agency into her own hands right afterward.
Pending Application
There are a lot of Disney princesses who aren't really princesses but have all of the qualities necessary to hold the title like dignity, compassion, and bravery. Characters such as Kida, Esmerelda, and even Mulan still get referred to in the same capacity as Ariel, Cinderella, and Belle in an unofficial capacity, opening up the discussion about exactly what classifies someone as a Disney princess anyway.
Not only does this meme showcase Princess Fiona from Shrek who proved ogres could also be Disney princesses, but it also highlights Emperor Kuzco who, with his love of fashion, desire to appear well-groomed, and his own looks, many fans feel acted more like a Disney Princess than a classic Disney Prince.
Went Your Magical Power Is A High Body Count
Mulan is definitely a princess movie that goes against stereotypes, particularly because of how violent it is, and the fact that Mulan herself doesn't spend a lot of time looking like a traditional Disney princess. After using her father's armor to take his place in the Chinese Army, she fights as a man, and doesn't present as a woman again until the end of the movie.
Mulan has long been a fan-favorite Disney princess because of her reliance on her own spiritual fortitude, physical strength, and mental acuity rather than her looks or any magical ability that her peers have.
That Checks Out
When Disney bought Lucasfilm, Princess Leia's title transferred over, and the fan-favorite Star Wars character became a fan-favorite Disney Princess as well. Not only because she's Alderaan royalty, but as this meme suggests, she fits the template.
With her ability to wield the Force, understand Ewoks, and fight alongside strong men against the forces of evil, she more than qualifies as a Disney Princess, but there are plenty of Leia memes that perfectly sum up her character.
Forest Dance Party
Ever since Snow White premiered in 1937, Disney princesses have had some strange thrall on the animal kingdom. Snow White is able to get deer, raccoons, chipmunks, rabbits, and birds to clean the dwarves' cottage with just a whistle and a few jaunty verses.
The source of this power is never explained; it's as if their gentle nature, quiet grace, and ethereal beauty are enough to convince woodland animals to perform manual labor for free. It makes slightly more sense for a princess like Merida, who has an affinity for nature and dwells in the highlands, or Pocahontas who lives in a forest, to be able to have a symbiotic relationship with the animals in their surroundings.
Disney Princesses Always Have Perfect Hair
Whether they're just waking up from a nap like Cinderella, leaping from a cliff like Pocahontas, or emerging from the ocean like Ariel, Disney princesses always have perfect hair no matter what.
There are a lot of Disney princesses who deserve a live-action movie, but even in the 2021 version of Cinderella, her hair remained perfectly quaffed, so it's difficult to say when fans will get to see examples of Disney princesses with realistic hair like in this meme.
Even A Norse God Can Still Be Disney Princess
There are a lot of Disney princesses who aren't really princesses but have all of the qualities necessary to hold the title like dignity, compassion, and bravery. Characters such as Kida, Esméralda, and even Mulan still get referred to in the same capacity as Ariel, Cinderella, and Belle in an unofficial capacity, opening up the discussion about exactly what classifies someone as a Disney princess anyway.
This meme suggests that anyone with magic hair, who can speak to animals, and might have gotten saved by a big strong man at one point could qualify. So why not Norse god Loki, the brother of the mighty Thor? He looks pretty fabulous as is in his royal Asgardian attire, and definitely has the hair.
Sometimes Being A Disney Princess Is Really Being A Disney Villain
The fairytales on which Disney movies are often based might provide children with unreasonable expectations of their adult lives if they're not tempered with a little realism. As they grow up, some fans find that the stressors of life make them identify much more with the villains, who are irascible from various disadvantages and setbacks.
Luckily, there are many relatable Disney princesses these days, who don't sit around waiting to be rescued and often become leaders in their communities by defining themselves by their integrity rather than their marriage to a prince.
After Disney Acquired Fox The Alien Queen Became A Disney Princess
After Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, it received the rights to all of its most popular movies, including those in the Alien franchise, making some fans of both Disney and Fox wonder if it meant that the Xenomorph queen might technically fall under Disney princess category.
This meme depicts the queen in an outfit similar to Belle's gold dress, complete with a tiara across her crest. If she can't be considered a princess because of her status as a queen, perhaps whatever hatches out of her egg would qualify, especially surrounded by pixie dust.