Summary

• Honeymaren could be Elsa's potential love interest in Frozen 3, potentially confirming Elsa is gay.
• Elsa and Honeymaren share a connection based on their Northuldra heritage and love for nature.
• Disney's LGBTQ+ representation has been poor in the past, and it needs to handle Elsa's potential romance with Honeymaren properly.

Elsa's sexuality hasn’t been determined yet within the Frozen franchise, but one theory suggests that Elsa's potential love interest could lead to the confirmation that Elsa is gay in Frozen 3. Honeymaren, a member of the Northuldra tribe who was trapped in the Enchanted Forest by the curse, could return for Frozen 3 as Elsa’s girlfriend based on the two characters' shared chemistry. Ever since Frozen debuted, the LGBTQ+ community has identified with Elsa’s story arc, since her character has personal goals as a Disney princess that extend beyond finding a prince, doesn’t conform to societal norms, and goes on a journey of self-acceptance.

While fans have been advocating for Disney to disclose Elsa’s sexuality since 2016 when the hashtag #GiveElsaAGirlfriend began trending, the studio hasn't addressed that Elsa is gay. With a third and fourth movies now announced, there is more opportunity to explore this aspect of the character. If Frozen 3 explores her new role as the fifth spirit, it could then naturally introduce Honeymaren as Elsa’s love interest, since the two characters have a similar connection to nature. If Disney were to go this route, it could also be a small step in the right direction for the studio's LGBTQ+ representation.

Why Honeymaren Would Be Elsa’s Perfect Partner In Frozen 3

Frozen 2 Sets Up Their Future Together

If Elsa is gay in Frozen 3, Honeymaren would be a great partner to tell that love story. Unlike any other minor character in the Frozen franchise, Honeymaren is the first who appears to have an instant connection with Elsa. After Elsa tames the fire spirit, Bruni, Elsa and Honeymaren sit beside a campfire and discuss the meaning behind the embroidery on Iduna’s scarf. Pointing out that the four separate crystal branches on the snowflake represent the four elements, Honeymaren tells Elsa the legends of a fifth elemental spirit, which is represented by the crystal at the center of the snowflake.

Since Honeymaren references Ahtohallan and sings Iduna’s lullaby “All Is Found,” it’s clear during the brief encounter that the two characters bond over their shared Northuldra heritage and love of nature. Since Elsa has always had trouble letting other people into her life due to her fear of hurting someone with her elemental magic, her instant connection with Honeymaren could be the beginning of a future romantic relationship. Frozen 3 could also naturally bring Elsa and Honeymaren together as a couple since they both live in the same location by the end of Frozen 2: the Enchanted Forest.

After Elsa discovers she's the fifth spirit, she finds her calling as the mediator between the natural world and civilization. Knowing that her place is with nature, Elsa abdicates from the throne of Arendelle in order to live in the Enchanted Forest, a place where natural magic and the elemental spirits thrive. Since Honeymaren is a member of the Northuldra people, it’s safe to assume she will most likely stay with her people in the Enchanted Forest even after the curse is lifted at the end of Frozen 2 since the Northuldra nation values nature and the spirits’ teachings.

Further proof that Elsa and Honeymaren could become a couple comes from their first encounter since it mirrors Anna and Kristoff’s early relationship. When Anna and Kristoff first met, Kristoff became Anna’s guide up to the North Mountain. Honeymaren also acts as Elsa’s guide, albeit unknowingly, when she tells her the legends about the fifth spirit. In both cases, Anna and Elsa’s possible love interests provided them with invaluable guidance. If Honeymaren were to become Elsa’s love interest in Frozen 3, her knowledge of nature, the elemental spirits, and Northuldra folklore could continue to help Elsa.

Where To Watch Frozen 2

Elsa’s Sexuality Wouldn’t Excuse Disney’s Poor LGBTQ+ Record

Ensuring Elsa's Love Story Is Handle Well Is Also Key

While it's reassuring to consider the possibility of Disney confirming that Elsa is gay and giving her a romance with someone like Honeymaren in Frozen 3, such a move still wouldn't mark nearly enough progress on its own. Disney's track record when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation has been notoriously poor, as has the company's responses to real-life issues. In the wake of Florida's Don't Say Gay bill, for example, Disney faced serious backlash from its employees over its initial failure to condemn the bill outright.

Even if Frozen 3 delivers a "yes" answer to the question "Is Elsa going to be gay in Frozen 3?" and gives her a girlfriend, this alone won't excuse Disney's disappointing stance on gay rights in the past. Likewise, Elsa getting a girlfriend would have to be handled properly and developed as a real, fleshed-out relationship, rather than a throwaway moment of tokenism. Whichever way Frozen 3 goes with Elsa's character story, the pressure will be on Disney to get it right, especially considering how the studio has recently failed its latest LGBTQ+ characters.

Frozen 3 Could Change Disney's Fortunes With LGBTQ+ Characters

Frozen 3's Box Office Prospects Could Be A Positive Step Forward For Representation

Disney has committed to providing greater representation of the LGBTQ+ community, and they've made good on that promise by introducing the strong-willed commanding officer Alisha Hawthorne in the prequel film Lightyear and the adventurous teen Ethan Clade in Strange World. However, the problem is that both of these films struggled at the box office, severely tainting the triumphs of long-anticipated visibility to the point that audiences were questioning if Lightyear's failure would cancel Disney's LGBTQ+ plans. Luckily that didn't happen, and Ethan was the next openly gay Disney character on the screen, and while his character is important, Strange World also didn't perform well.

However, with the massive success that the Frozen franchise has garnered, Disney might have the opportunity to change its current luck with LGBTQ+ representation. Elsa is a well-established character outside of her sexuality, and with two successful entries into the overarching story, it's nearly guaranteed that Frozen 3 is going to be a hit as well. Elsa has the opportunity to be the first successful LGBTQ+ Disney character, should studios finally answer the question of her sexuality, and the LGBTQ+ community deserves the kind of visibility Frozen 3 could give.

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  Frozen 3

  Rating:

  Not Yet Rated

  Main Genre:

  Fantasy

  Genres:

  Animation, Fantasy, Musical

  Franchise:

  Frozen

  Prequel:

  Frozen II

  Production Company:

  Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios

  Main Characters :

  Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven

  Distributor :

  Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures