Audiences can expect Frozen 3 to pick up where the second installment of the Frozen series left off, but viewers who are hopeful that the next movie will solve the Fifth Spirit plot holes will most likely be disappointed. Frozen 2 (2019)saw the introduction of the Fifth Spirit in the animated franchise, but this new addition raises some questions regarding the world-building around the series. While the Fifth Spirit may have served its purpose for the plot of Frozen 2, it is not actually needed in the upcoming sequel.
The second Frozen film sets out to explain the origins of Elsa's powers and why she is seemingly the only person in Arendelle who has them. As such, it is revealed that Elsa is the Fifth Spirit in Frozen 2's ending, suggesting that her powers embody the fifth elemental spirit of the forest, the one that connects the four other spirits. Furthermore, the film explains that Elsa's powers are a gift given by the spirits for the kindness shown by her mother. Queen Iduna saved Elsa's father even if the two were on opposite sides in the battle between the Northuldra tribe and Arendelle soldiers, and the spirits repaid her for her mercy.
While the Fifth Spirit may explain where Elsa's power originated from, it also complicates things in the Frozen world-building, leaving audiences with many questions regarding the voice Elsa heard in Frozen 2, how Fifth Spirit itself works and whether Elsa is the first one to have such powers. Evidently, the complexities of the plot involving the Frozen spirit are too confusing, even for Disney, as Frozen 3 will likely not address the plot holes that this new element created nor delve into the mythology behind it. In fact, it seems likely that Frozen 3 will completely drop the Fifth Spirit - and elemental spirits overall - storyline completely.
Why The Fifth Spirit Isn't Needed In Frozen 3
The plot of a potential Frozen 3 may yet be undisclosed, but the movie does not really need the Fifth Spirit, unless it wants to overly complicate its plot. After Frozen 2 established Anna as the new Queen of Arendelle, Frozen 3 is Disney's chance to explore and develop her character even more, making Anna's Frozen 3 story the more important one for the third movie. The first Frozen focused on Elsa and her struggles to control her powers and the second one on the origin of Elsa's powers. It's only fair that the third one will focus on her sister, who may be without powers, but is in charge of Arendelle.
With the focus shifted to Anna, then, there is no need to call back to the complex plot of the Fifth Spirit on which Frozen 2 was centered as Anna was gifted no powers. Perhaps, in this new Frozen, an interesting question to examine would be why Anna does not have any magical powers at all. There are still elements to explore before her story and character arc can come to an end, especially given Anna and Kristoff's engagement at the end of Frozen 2. On the contrary, the Fifth Spirit plot line can be considered very much concluded, with Frozen 2 giving its viewers all the answers it may ever give on the matter and Frozen 3 most likely distancing itself from it as much as possible.