Best Eyes

I think it’s undeniable that Prince Adam, otherwise known as the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, has the most incredible eyes of any Disney prince.

It’s a plot point that his eyes are so identifiable. Belle recognises his eyes in the painting in the West Wing that he slashed when he was first turned into the Beast. As the Beast, the eyes are the only thing he has that hints at or even remains of his humanity. And then when the Beast transforms back into Prince Adam, Belle only has to look into his eyes to recognise him.

As for the princesses, I think Rapunzel has the most incredible eyes. They are larger than even your typical Disney princess, and a beautiful shade of green, a colour not often used. Rapunzel’s eyes are not a plot point, but I almost feel like they should be, since they are the same as a baby and as a young adult. There’s a mosaic of the baby Rapunzel in the city, and I’m pretty sure adult Rapunzel recognises something about her eyes being similar before she’s distracted.

 

Favorite Singing Voice

My favourite Disney Princess singing voice is Ariel from The Little Mermaid!

Canonically, Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty is supposed to be the best singer? But considering she has, like, seventeen lines in her whole film, I’m ignoring her. After all, Ariel’s voice is a major plot point!

Where would be in, both in Disney and in musical theatre, if it weren’t for the first film of the Disney Renaissance styling itself on a Broadway musical?

And then becoming a Broadway musical?

Favorite Romantic Moment

My favourite romantic moment in any Disney Princess film is the moment when the Beast changes into Prince Adam because Belle says “I love you” just before the final rose petal falls in Beauty and the Beast.

They’re outside the tower in the rain and the Beast is wounded and dying from his battle with Gaston, and Belle’s exhausted from her wild ride back to the castle, and all she wants is for him to live because she realises she doesn’t want to be without him.

That’s love.

And then the rain changes colour and the music swells and some magical force raises the Beast up like he’s Jesus rising from the tomb and then BAM he’s this ridiculously good-looking HUMAN man.

Literally the power of her love transforms him.

 

Which, unfortunately, as romantic as that is, is a terrible trope that no one is real life should ever expect to happen.

Favorite Villain

I nominate Jafar the Royal Vizier from Aladdin as my favourite Disney Princess villain.

Quite simply, because he wins. He gets what he wants. He starts out as just a small-time hypnotist, and grows in power.  He outsmarts everyone, climbs to the height of power, and it’s only because of his love of ultimate power, his narcissism, and a quick-thinking street rat that he is defeated.

I love that his sidekick Iago the parrot is named after Shakespeare’s greatest villain, I love how dry his wit is. I love how he doesn’t even want to marry Princess Jasmine to begin with – it’s really just a means to an end. I even love how the voice of the movie Jafar, Jonathon Freeman, went on to play Jafar in the Broadway show. That voice!

 

Favourite Outfit

There is no two ways about it, Belle’s ballgown is my absolute favourite outfit ever worn by any Disney princess ever, even beating out Elsa’s magical shimmery blue dress, Tiana’s insanely gorgeous green wedding gown, Cinderella’s switcheroo, and Aurora’s changing colour gown.

I love Belle’s ballgown so much that I wore a ballgown to my own wedding.

I love the way it swishes and flares and the way it’s animated and everything about it is perfect.