Rapunzel and Pascal from Tangled are undoubtedly one of the most beloved Disney duos, but how did the two find each other? Tangled's success has resulted in a few spin-offs of the animated feature (with a possible Tangled live-action remake on the way), which has allowed for ample expansion on the kingdom of Corona and its inhabitants. As a result, Pascal's fairly dark backstory has been revealed.
Pascal fits the Disney princess tradition of being the cute animal sidekick to Rapunzel, in the same vein that Pocahontas has Meeko, or how Ariel has Flounder. He's a little green chameleon who is ever-present by Rapunzel's side. The two have a very strong and unique bond, but oddly, Tangled doesn't explain how Rapunzel found Pascal. With her being locked away in a tower she couldn't go outside to find him, but a spin-off series entitled Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure not only explains what happened to Rapunzel and Flynn after the movie, but also how Pascal came into the princess's life.
Episode 11 of Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure opens with a chameleon frantically running through a rainy meadow as they attempt to escape a snake. The chameleon ducks behind a tree and camouflages, where it's revealed that she also has a baby: Pascal. He and his mother set off on their escape again, but their path is blocked by a violent river. Pascal's mother places him on a lily pad and allows him to float away as she stays behind and is attacked by the Snake, essentially sacrificing herself to save him. Pascal is carried down the river and washes up on shore below Rapunzel's tower. The snake is still after him, so he climbs the tower and that is where he meets a young Rapunzel. The snake manages to bite Pascal, but Rapunzel uses her trusty frying pan to hit the snake out of the tower. She then uses her healing powers on Pascal and discovers that he's all alone, as is she, and she tells him they can stay together so they won't be alone anymore.
Pascal and Rapunzel's backstories being so similar — neither of them having their real parents around — was the foundation on which their friendship was formed. The two of them feeling so alone and happening upon each other by chance explains why their bond is so strong, and why Pascal is so involved in the film and its spin-offs. It also explains why Pascal is so protective of Rapunzel, evidenced by him being especially wary of Flynn at first and not being fond of Tangled's villain Gothel, because the two have experienced darkness and want to protect one another. Even at the beginning of Tangled, Pascal communicates to Rapunzel that they should go outside, and when she refuses, he doesn't just leave without her. Pascal is free to leave the tower at any point he wants, but he doesn't because he and Rapunzel promised, as seen in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, to never leave each other, and it's a promise they've both stuck to for many years.
Pascal is awarded something that Disney sidekicks rarely get: his own backstory. This emphasizes his importance not only as a character in Tangled, but also to Rapunzel, making him a very special Disney animal companion. The duo, despite one half not even being able to talk, have such an inseparable and unique bond that's become a Disney favorite.