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Credit: DisneyTo say that Frozen fever hasn’t been something of a cultural phenomenon would be blatantly and almost insultingly untrue, but the latest developments might have even dedicated fans clutching their pearls. Since the developmental stages of the second movie, a large portion of the series fanbase have wanted to see Queen Elsa further break princess stereotypes and Disney traditions by pursuing a same-sex relationship.
The campaign to give Elsa a girlfriend has circulated social media for years, but it might be the worst thing Disney could possibly do for both the franchise and the character.
It can be said that Frozen, as overdone as it might be, ushered in a new era of Disney features. It was a film that utilized the traditional fairytale narrative while departing from the traditional Disney formula. Instead of the power of true love coming from a handsome prince, it was the love between two sisters. A similar trope would later be used for the sequel where the love from a familial bond saved the day, despite a romantic subplot with Kristof and Anna.
However, Elsa has steadfastly remained single. While a large portion of the fanbase has begged Disney to let her have a female love interest, further deviating from the standard princess norms, it makes much more sense for her not to need any form of romantic interest at all.
That last statement alone is going to have thousands up in arms for the lack of LGBTQ representation, but that’s not the point of Elsa’s character. While the series is a bit overplayed, maintaining its consistency is one thing it does right every single time. The reason Elsa deviates from princess stereotypes so well is the fact that she is a truly independent female lead.
She doesn’t need a handsome prince to come save her, nor does she want one. She’s proven in both feature films that she is able to maintain her own developmental arc without the need for a second fiddle. By that logic, giving her any form of love interest would be detrimental to her character.
In terms of storytelling, the gender of Elsa’s would-be love interest is irrelevant, as giving her one period would diminish and undo the work of two successful films. Any form of romantic storyline involving Elsa would only erase her strongest character feature. In a world where audiences are constantly clamoring for more strong and independent female leads, undoing what makes Elsa precisely that is insultingly counter-productive.
From mastering her powers in her first film to unlocking the secrets of her family’s past in the sequel, Elsa has proven time and time again that she does just fine all by herself, and that’s an important value that needs to stick with the character.
Disney’s history with LGBTQ representation has been problematic at best, and given the backlash they received over characters like Ethan in Strange World, a forced relationship for Elsa would be the quickest way to put a bullet in the company’s biggest box office series. If they truly want to breathe some new life into their arguably most popular royal, the best thing Disney can do for Elsa is to simply leave her alone. She’s been a symbol of female empowerment for nearly a decade, any alteration runs the risk of taking that away. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
Do you think Elsa needs a love life? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!