Hello degenerates,
heathens, weirdos, and deviants. I am the Rock Otaku, and I’m here to
show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock, movies, TV,
anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream, shout, and let it all
out.
As some of you may
have noticed, I tend to have that opening slogan in my blogs when I do
something big or based on a series, but I seem to only discuss the first two
(and three after that when the opportunity arises) in my blog overall. As for the others, they end up serving as
times to make references or jokes in my main series. And this is the main reason why I am now
going to try to fit in more anime reviews, news, and countdowns into my blog.
You know what, I’ll
use the extra week I’ve added to my time to make my LET THEM EAT METAL series
bi-weekly to create a series of countdowns.
And they don’t have to be just about anime. I can use this to mention movies, TV shows,
episodes of shows, news, games, and even other musical artists I want to talk
about but aren’t able to usually thanks to my current load. But today, we’re talking Disney.
Specifically, the
romances and relationships that blossom during their legendary animated films. If there’s a standard they’ve set in the
world of animation and even cinema in general, it’s how to portray fairy tale
romance in a way that’s relatable and understanding to the viewer. With all the movies that they’ve made, Disney
have also created some of the most endearing couples to have come out in the
last few years. For this list, I’ll
focus on a few select categories:
1. The couples have to have some sort of
time added to their romance, so a single night won’t cut it. They need a good time frame within the story
for their relationship to bloom.
2. While there are a lot of types of
relationships, I’m aiming for some type of love, so friendships are not going
to be considered for the main list, though I’ll give some shout outs to good
ones.
3. I’m looking at the Disney Animation
Canon, so anything between Snow White and Moana. That also means that anything from Pixar,
Marvel, Star Wars, or even other stuff Disney has done will not be considered
(maybe next time).
Rather than that, this
is fair game. Though I will warn you
now:
Anyhow, here are my
Top 10 Disney Couples:
10. Ariel and Eric (The Little Mermaid):
For this
entry, it’s here for historical purposes rather than for the reasons the other
characters will make the list (plus, it’s been a while since I’ve seen this
movie). The main reason is that the
relationship is based around both of the characters having feelings for the
other initially driving it. For Ariel,
it’s because she fell in love with Eric after saving his life when his ship
sank. Plus, with him being a human it
allowed the little mermaid an opportunity to follow her dream of going
above the waves.
 |
| He said it. He said it. |
For Eric,
it’s driven due to him only discernably hearing her voice and falling in love
with that, and that leads to some issues when they meet in the story. At that point, Ariel traded her voice to Ursula
for legs…
…and now
she has to get a kiss with him in 3 days to stay human, and out of her
clutches, forever. Thus, where the
relationship is strongest is in how close the two get with Ariel communicated
with her actions and Eric more or less essentially hanging with a random girl
in his eyes (not the one he remembers, though).
Though Ursula manages to seduce Eric, after figuring out his thoughts,
Ariel was willing to try to get to Eric before her magic is undone and she is a
mermaid again, then Eric was willing to travel the seas to go after her (after
Triton proves his MVP status, trading places with his daughter in Ursula’s
collection, despite that causing the sea witch to be able to control the
sea). It is at the climax when Eric
completes the favor by impaling the sea witch with a wreck (possibly a ship
from Arendale, perhaps?), and Triton gives Ariel her dream of being on the
surface with the man she loves.
The only
reason this is on the list anyway is because this was probably the first
notable romance where the two were active in the relationship and time was
given for it to blossom. Where it falls
like a mermaid trying to stand up, and why it’s dead last, only above the
honorable mentions, is in how this affects Ariel’s and Eric’s character development. In short, the only changes is that they made
choices to get from Point A to Point B without learning something new (except
for Eric, though that’s the effects of hypnosis by sea witch in that moment),
especially for Ariel. She starts off
adventurous and curious, and she somehow may or may not still be like that at
the end, while her ability to get there was based on hormones and having her
stash wrecked by Triton, who’s not a fan of humanity to say the least, so
Ursula was easily able to manipulate her.
Hell, she was able to manipulate both of them. But considering that they saved each other at
least once, that gave them a spot on the main list.
9. Fix-It Felix and Seargant Calhoun (Wreck-It Ralph):
And now
for something a little interesting.
Where one is a pastiche of characters like Mario, the other is based on
modern sci-fi and military shooters. One
is an overall nice guy who happens to work with a cranky giant who just left
his game to find his true calling, and the other is a no-nonsense lady of war
who will not hesitate to shoot you in the face, bug or not. And they somehow end up in a relationship,
where it’s started by a common goal: to get Ralph back in the game he belongs
in before it’s unplugged. However, it
becomes more complicated when a bug from Hero’s Duty ends up in Sugar Rush,
obtaining power while Ralph tries to get Vanellope Von Schweetz in the game,
despite her being a glitch (another contender, but that’s more of a
friendship). Plus there’s something else
up in Sugar Rush that leads Felix stuck there, and they all have to work
together to ensure that Vanellope can race while uncovering the secrets
surrounding King Candy, and there’s a bug creating candy versions of itself
about to cause mayhem. Do they get
together, Felix and Calhoun, at the end?
Damnit
Bison!
As for
the relationship, it’s more hilarious and heartwarming than it is genuine, but
it’s a cute romance to see unfold. Plus
it’s hilarious to see an 8-bit character fawn over a next-gen character, just
like what Felix does when he first meets her.
As for Calhoun, there’s something so ridiculous about her backstory
(which was programmed to be the most tragic thing ever) when it involves, a
wedding, a suddenly-killed groom, tears, and blasting the giant bug responsible
with a minigun (talk about over the top).
Despite that, the issue is that it’s rather short and the timeframe is
not long enough to legitimize what is essentially a fairy-tale romance with a
goofy edge between a soldier and a mechanic (expect to see that complaint more
often). Plus with them not being the
focus does add to that. But regardless,
they’re a fun couple that I wouldn’t mind going alien bug hunting with.
8. Simba and Nala (The Lion King)
Despite
this being considered the crown jewel of the Disney Renaissance, I would
consider the relationship between these two lions to not be as impactful as the
rest of the list. It’s more a part of
Simba’s journey as a hero rather than a core focus of the movie, though it has
its moments. Where most of these
characters meet at random as teens and adults, Simba and Nala were childhood
friends who were separated after the death of Mufasa (must, avoid,
waterworks). Then, while Nala dealt with
Scar’s inability to properly rule the pride lands (need to check in a few years
if electing Trump was a good idea), Simba was raised by Timon and Pumbaa, two
bug-eating outcasts who follow the philosophy of Hakuna Matata (or “No
Worries”), which is how he copes with his loss (and the fact that Scar blamed
HIM for Mufasa’s death). After the two
reunite, they practically have a date, get closer, and almost turn the movie
into something seen on the Discovery Channel before Nala mentions how Simba
needs to fight Scar (no wonder why C. Robert Cargill hates this movie), and a
vision of Mufasa causes the now-adult lion to claim his birthright from his
evil uncle (who also has the voice of Simon Gruber). And while Nala, alongside Sarabi, Rafiki,
Timon, Pumbaa, and, to a certain degree, Zazu, aid Simba, it’s ultimately his
fight against Scar, with his victory leading to his status of king and a decent
direct-to-video sequel.
For this
relationship, the childhood friends issue might be weird, especially if you
know more about how a lion pride functions and the number of male lions in one
usually (and now this movie feels like a G-Rated Elfen Lied, considering one of
the relationships in that series).
That’s where it stumbles on this list, but its main factor is that,
despite being well set-up, it’s more of a function of the plot than a driving force
of it (like with other movies on this list).
That and once they reunite, they take no time to get to “feeling the
love tonight.” Doesn’t that seem rushed? I mean, The Little Mermaid gave its couple
more time than The Lion King as far as romance goes, and that’s lower than
here. At least we get meaningful
character development from the characters, especially Simba, and they do have a
lot of chemistry, both as friends then as something closer. But I’ll say that the better romances are
coming, despite this one’s greatness levels.
7. Hercules and Megara (Hercules):
Obvious
joke out of the way:
As for
the relationship itself, it starts with Hercules meeting up with Megara on his
way to Thebes, and deciding to save her from an angry centaur despite the signs
that she’s not in danger. But if there’s
an issue she has with Hercules, it’s that she has sold her soul to Hades, and
that it was all to resurrect a man she loved, only for him to chase the nearest
hot chick nearby, breaking her heart.
Then after telling Hades about him, she ends up hanging with Hercules
until she falls for him, while he falls for her. Then they end up being in a bind with Hades
using his control of Meg to rid Hercules of his great god-like power and
unleash the titans without any interference when he takes over Olympus. Too bad Meg sacrifices herself to allow the
son of Zeus to kick his ass to the Underworld while having Team Titan blast off
again! But it isn’t until he risks his
own life to save Meg before Hercules becomes the god he was born to be. And yes, he sacrifices his own godhood to
live with Meg, and possibly ends up killing her and their kids in a blind rage
caused by Hera after she learned Zeus’ latest fling ended up with the hero’s
birth.
Mythological
references aside, this is a decent relationship. The two have a Superman-Lois Lane dynamic
that allows for one of them to be the all-around good guy while the other is
sarcastic and doesn’t take a crap from anybody, despite falling for him. Then there’s the way they both are willing to
sacrifice themselves to ensure that one lives on, with Meg willingly got
herself mortally injured to restore Hercules to his max stats and vice versa
when she dies and he goes to into the River Styx to rescue her soul. All of this contrasting with the diabolical
Hades (who, again, is different from his actual mythological counterpart). However, while it’s a contrast to the
previous romances, the fact that it’s inspired by Superman’s relationship with
Lois Lane kind of gives off this stale feeling to the relationship. As a result, it’s a very predictable
relationship, but it’s also a cute one.
In short, it’s a decent romance that may have issues, but is memorable
enough and led to the rise of a true hero.
6. Tarzan and Jane (Tarzan):
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| Can we admit Jane is pretty moé. |
Ending
the Disney Renaissance was their adaption of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs
(the one everyone still knows rather than the one that inspired the space opera
genre). Here, Tarzan was a man raised by
gorillas in the jungles of Africa.
There, he became agile, intense, and a proud “ape man,” but when his own
kind came to the jungle, he saved the life of one Jane Porter, who taught him
the ways of humanity. As a result, he
wrestled with his growing interest in the customs and technologies of his own
kind while dealing with being true to his ape family. It all comes ahead when he decided to live
with Jane and the rest of humanity, only for Clayton (who might be his cousin
or other relative, considering that his human name was John Clayton before losing
his parents to Sabor the leopard) to prove to be dangerous to both his ape and
human sides. After a grueling battle,
Tarzan wins and takes the role of leader of his group of apes after Kerchak
dies. Afterwards, Jane decides to live
with Tarzan (with her father coming along as well), and she learns the ways of
living in the jungle.
As far as
characters go, Tarzan and Jane are, for this movie itself, a cute couple with a
wild side. For the former, he’s more
curious about what humans are like due to living with apes for as long as he
had despite, obviously, not being an ape.
For the latter, the mix of her attitude, her sudden interest in Tarzan
after saving her life, and her group’s desire to learn more about the gorillas
in the region causes her to fall for Tarzan.
And vice versa. Despite that,
there’s also a sort of pain that both feel when the former has to abandon his
ape family when he decides to live with Jane, which is a tough decision for
anyone with strong family bonds. Plus
there’s a passage of time that the movie shows in their relationship, and
that’s a big deal considering that love is a long process (despite it being
scored by a Phil Collins song). If
there’s a flaw, it’s rather predictable what happens in the relationship,
despite the nice nature of it, and that stems from the ubiquity of the Tarzan
mythos before Disney came to be. In
short, it’s a cute romance that proves that love can spawn in the deepest,
darkest jungles.
5. Anna and Kristoff (Frozen)
A couple
that start out discussing fairy tale romance and how full of crap it may be?
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| “Ha Ha! Knew It! Fairy tale romance is full of Lionwhyte’s ego.” |
As for
the backstory spiel, I’m 100% certain that most of you have already seen Frozen
at this point. Also certain that I won’t
go into too much detail on the story here, so I’ll just cut to the chase.
They’re a
surprisingly good couple together, and a more realistic one than what we got
earlier (that is the definition of a doomed romance). They play off each other well, they manage to
fill the gaps the other hasn’t, like Kristoff grilling Anna over her sudden
decision to marry a guy she just met that day, while Anna’s, well, Disney
princess-isms work well to show Kristoff’s funny and sensitive sides, though I
wouldn’t say that his vocalizations of Sven’s thoughts in a goofy voice aren’t
funny already. Plus there’s how they
connect to Elsa’s character and dilemma, both directly and indirectly, as Anna
is her sister while Kristoff was adopted by rock trolls. And said trolls’ papa warned Elsa about the
extent of her powers if she doesn’t learn to control them (gee, I wonder how
that turns out with her and Anna having the most overprotective parents in
Disney history). Plus while the synopsis
of their relationship might have helped with understanding why they’re here,
the main factor would be that they somehow have more time together than Anna
does with Hans (I hope to get to that soon), and this is out of necessity, as
Anna can’t travel the frozen landscape alone, as her first time doing so
proves. But what’s interesting is how
they both have a friendship with hints to a full romance (which might happen in
the sequel if Tumbler doesn’t write the script), as the ending shows. I mean, it starts as one, though it’s more
played for the silliness, then it gets serious when Anna’s heart is frozen by
Elsa’s ice magic.
 |
| ...and understanding Ciaran Hinds’ warnings. |
As for
that, you know how Anna ultimately surivives (hopefully). But if there’s a flaw, it’s that there isn’t
enough time for them to truly gel or avoid the friendzone issue (this is a
countdown about romance after all). But
beyond that, it’s a cute pairing that manages to show how, even when Disney
subverts the tropes they’re notorious for, love can still be genuine. And warm. And enough to make two references to Brütal Legend.
4. Aladdin and Jasmine (Aladdin):
Like with
the previous mainstream romances Disney did, the pairing of Aladdin and Jasmine
can be considered “opposites attract,” but it’s more about how they are on
similar wavelengths in regard to how they feel their lives affect them. Aladdin is a poor thief who has to steal his
food and rely on his wits to avoid the guards and imprisonment or, worse,
execution by losing their head (the story is set in the Middle East, if you’re
wondering). Jasmine is a princess who
feels that her way of life, and her inability to just go out and mingle with
regular people, is comparable to being a trapped bird in a cage. After she sneaks out and gets the attention
of Aladdin, she unknowingly sets him on a journey that leads to him finding a
genie who may know who Jack Nicholson, Rodney Dangerfield, Peter Lorre, and
Arnold Schwarzenegger are and wishing to have the title of prince, which solves
the initial problem he had. After that,
they somehow get closer when Aladdin decides to be himself (almost, due to
having a sentient magic carpet), while Jasmine warms up to this “prince” that
came out of nowhere like magic, but it isn’t until Aladdin thwarts Jafar’s
plans, all of them, and Jasmine provides the help and influence she can to aid
the Diamond in the Rough.
Where
this relationship succeeds is that it’s in how it’s given a start when Jasmine
poses as a commoner, then it grows when Aladdin poses as royalty (and later the
Genie becomes a combination hookah and coffee maker salesman, with some that makes Julienne
fires)
 |
| I got myself here. |
While the
big issue here is that the two are disguising themselves at one point, it’s
helped by the fact that they fall for who they really are, as it’s what’s on
the inside that counts. Hell, that’s why
it’s up so high. The only other flaw may
be that Aladdin does more than Jasmine plot wise, and later after the two meet,
even if Jasmine gives a hand in the fight against the evil vizier, Jafar. In short, it’s a great relationship, even if
it was aided by the wisecracking Genie.
RIP Robin
Williams, you will always make me laugh regardless of what mood I’m currently
in.
3. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider (Tangled):
All I can
say is that this one is just a good pairing in general. I mean, look at the characters
themselves. You have Rapunzel, who, like
in the original fairy tale, is trapped in a tall tower and has multiple skills
and interests, but wants to leave and see the lights that come from the kingdom
on her birthday every year (which is meant to show the way back for the Lost
Princess of that kingdom, whom Rapunzel happens to be). Flynn is a rogue who has dreams of massive
wealth, the ability to do whatever he wants to, and his own property, but has
to avoid getting caught and hanged for his crimes to do so. And they meet like this:
 |
| Love at first frying pan attack? |
And she
ties up Flynn with her hair to further the humiliation. Then she makes a deal that he’ll take her to
see the lights (revealed to be lanterns at that moment), and he’ll get his
satchel, containing his most recent theft, in return. After several moments where Rapunzel somehow
saves his life, Flynn reveals his name to be Eugene Fitzherbert, which she
calls him by for the rest of the movie, and they get closer, especially on that
fateful day, when at night, the lanterns rise in the sky as well as their
emotions. It isn’t until they both
realize that her “mother”, Gothel, is a manipulative monster who has been
keeping her locked up to maintaining her youth until the end of the story, and
Eugene sacrifices himself, after a nasty stab wound to the side (expect to see
that later) from Gothel, to save her for good by cutting her hair (who knew a
haircut would have dramatic weight). If
this didn’t make you cry, or at least shed a tear or two…
…then you
are a qualified candidate for Ghost Rider’s Penance Stare. Good luck with that.
As for
the couple, I really like this one. They
are both great characters on their own, their qualities make them very likeable
and entertaining, and the arcs they have are among the best Disney ever
written. But combining the two, and they
are a match made in heaven, with Flynn/Eugene’s smart-aleck personality and
roguish attitude meshing well with Rapunzel’s naïve optimism and naturally
sunny demeanor. And they’re also very
funny together, with several moments that have me laughing that involve either
character or both at the same time.
There’s also a strong heart between the two of them the showcases both
their personalities and how they each change the other, like Eugene becoming
more heroic and sincere and Rapunzel gaining enough confidence to Gothel’s
control of her. And yes, that moment I
showed is one of many Disney moments where even I tear up. Considering what you should know by now about
me, I can think that you might be surprised by that. If there’s a flaw, it’s that it’s a little
too brisk, but it also has that Star Wars quality of brisk romance like with
Han and Leia (with Flynn/Eugene definitely similar to the former), and I can
buy it after the relationship starts to exist as something important to the
both of them. That’s the only issue, and
I can say that it might be an almost-perfect Disney romance. But not perfect like the next few
entries. However, we can agree on the
following:
 |
| True that. |
2. Tiana and Naveen (The Princess and the Frog):
 |
| No frogs were harmed in the making of this entry. |
Tiana is
a hard-working waitress and chef who has dreams of opening her own restaurant
in the New Orleans of the Roaring Twenties, and will not stop working until her
dream is fulfilled, even when the possibility is closer than she realizes. Naveen is a spoiled prince who was kicked out
of his kingdom to become a better person, but would rather hang around and play
music all day. And they end up as frogs
thanks to dark voodoo magic, and it’s all thanks to the evil Dr. Facilier (with
the voice of Goliath asking if you’re ready to become a naval officer). As a result, they have to both find a way to
reverse their curse and fulfill their dreams and ambitions while digging deeper
into what’s important in life, like Tiana realizing how love and being there
for others is as important as working hard, and Naveen learning the virtues of
not being selfish and lazy and being able to provide a helping hand. It all comes ahead when they decide to stick
together rather than let their desires get in the way, and it rewards them with
their humanity (plus the two marrying made Tiana a certified princess by
default, and voodoo runs on European fairy tale logic here).
I think
this coupling is excellent, and probably one of the best. You have a hard working woman having to deal
with the mistakes of a lazy prince, and the two don’t start loving each other
automatically. It’s more out of
necessity as Naveen confused Tiana for a princess at one point, then they are
both stuck in the bayou, with only the help of trumpet playing alligator Louis…
 |
| Nothing weird's happening yet! |
…and Ray,
a firefly with a crush on a star and the voice of Jim Cummings, to get to Mama
Odie, who’s the only one who knows how to break the spell. As a result, their actions together, the
developing romance that comes ahead a few moments before the climax, their
chemistry, and how they each fill a hole that the other has is nothing short of
great. You can say that this romance
works so well because it’s a great example of…
…DISNEY
MAGIC! Plus, the two are a lot more
relatable than previous entries. If
there’s a flaw, it’s that we have that moment when Tiana assumes that Naveen
transformed before her and wallows in depression in a graveyard (damn voodoo,
be consistent). But the two ultimately
prove that love prevails in any circumstance.
In short, this is a near-perfect coupling that has one or two bumps, but
is satisfying to see unfold. Before we
get to the next part, here’s some sharp jazz from Louis:
 |
| King Gator, what are you doing here? Shoo! |
Well,
that ruined that jazz moment. Let’s
never talk of this again.
 |
| Aw nuts, I walked straight into that, didn’t I? |
Here are the Honorable
Mentions (which will include friendships that could be counted as for other
Disney Couples lists):
HM1: Phoebus and Esmerelda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame):
.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20111218052407) |
| Plus with a goat. |
I could
go into a spiel about how their romance happens in the story, but what keeps it
from the list is because the two become a couple when protagonist Quasimodo,
who’s in love in Esmerelda as well, gets jack in the love department (we don’t
talk about the sequel here). But where
this relationship works is in their chemistry, with Kevin Kline and Demi Moore
managing to come off as into each other despite being in recording booths when
recording their dialogue. Plus the
characters are great examples of opposites attracting, with Phoebus as
effectively a Middle-Ages (probably Renaissance era) policeman and Esmerelda as
a rebellious gypsy fighting the actions Judge Frollo perform on her people (all
in the name of God, believe it or not).
And they, alongside Quasimode, do everything to thwart Frollo’s plans,
which end up being based around Esmerelda as well (did I forget to mention that
this movie is dark and mature as all hell, despite its G Rating). As a result, this is a decent romance.
HM2: Mulan and Shang (Mulan):
This
coupling is more a result of their relationship growing once the movie
ends. Is it a ride to get there? Yes, but it’s not the best one due to the
fact that the relationship started more as a soldier (Mulan) versus her Captain
(Shang), and the lack of romance between the two until she’s outed as a woman
and then kicks Shan Yu, the villain, into Chinese hell ass first. Heck, the lack of romance makes certain
moments for Mulan somehow more empowering and badass than if they had
them. As a result, I can consider this
an honorable mention, but not a truly great couple (mention of the sequel
should not be brought up here).
HM3: Milo and Kida (Atlantis: The Lost Empire):
Anyone
remember Atlantis? Anyone? Did you know that there’s a decent romance
that occurs between the geeky Milo Thatch and Atlantean princess Kida? Because there is. It isn’t a deep romance, but it’s more of a
result of Milo wanting to learn more about Atlantis and that she’s his
key. But then he realizes what is really
going on with the city and her destiny, and he strives to ensure that she makes
it to the end. But where this couple
isn’t great enough for the main list is that there isn’t any strong elements to
it outside of them having good chemistry (who knew Michael J. Fox and Cree
Summer can play off each other well).
Though this film is a little underrated.
HM4: Bernard and Miss Bianca (The Rescuers and The Rescuers
Down Under):
HM5: Thomas O’Malley and Duchess (The Aristocats):
This one
is a good relationship, as O’Malley is not just being the man in Duchess’ life,
but the father figure to her kittens, all of whom being talented in some sort
of art and music. Hell, the reason they
meet is because Edgar tried to kill the cats that were going to get his master’s
inheritance (insert crazy cat lady joke here).
But don’t let that make you think this can make the list. It could have, but the movie gets points off
for this list when you consider that the moment when they grow closer includes
Paul Winchell singing in a stereotypical Chinese accent. Don’t believe me? Here it is:
Did I
sudden become an SJW that moment? Holy
crap, hell has frozen over.
HM6: Pacha and Chicha (The Emperor’s New Groove)
From the
hills of Peru comes this married couple expecting a third child, just in time
for a dancing emperor to turn their home into his summer resort. Talk about bad luck, though thankfully Kusco
becoming a llama helping him in the attitude department allowed for a great
buddy comedy, one that I’m sure has a friendly rivalry with The Road to El
Dorado. But for Pacha and Chicha,
they’re great together as both a husband and wife while also providing some
hearty laughs. For that last part, the
voices of John Goodman and Wendie Malick help do the trick.
Note: I
was considering Ysma and Kronk, but that doesn’t fit with the theme, and they
deserve an entry on the best comedy villain duos list.
And Finally:
1. Belle and Adam, aka. The Beast (Beauty and the
Beast)
What else
was it going to be? Was it going to be
two characters who aren’t a couple that Tumbler is demanding to be couple? Was it going to be a character that may be
Elsa’s female companion in the Frozen
sequel? Was is going to be Wreck-It
Ralph and Vanellope Von Schweetz due to the fact that we’re getting Wreck-It
Ralph 2? Was it going to be from a
Disney fanfiction? That last one is
obviously not able to even make this list.
Was it going to be a future character?
No! It was going to be the
obvious choice because we all knew it was going to be the obvious choice. The gold medal goes to Belle and Prince Adam,
or as we know him as for most of the movie, the Beast.
I could
summarize their romantic development, but it’s a tale as old as time, so it
isn’t worth mentioning unless I add a dumb joke. Or say something in an over the top French
accent.
I’m
instead going to explain why it works.
It’s because Belle and Beast grow towards each other as the movie goes
on. What I mean is that there were some
hostility initially, thanks to the circumstances the two ultimately met, and
Belle was practically a prisoner to an overgrown man-child at this point (don’t
ask me, ask the dishes). Hell, she
wouldn’t even talk to him after that. It
isn’t until they help each other out and start interacting more often when they
start getting close. What started as a
ploy to rescue her father from imprisonment in an unfamiliar castle culminates
into that iconic ballroom dance scene and the two realizing they love each
other. That’s the first point.
The
second point is how the Beast compares to Gaston, the films villain. Here’s the thing, Beast is an angry
20/21-year-old who was cursed as a preteen due to being a brat to an
enchantress, and ultimately lost what he had.
 |
| Not a great plan |
The third
point is Belle herself, who’s the kind of woman who’d be able to soften the
heart of any man and convince them to better themselves (except for Gaston,
because no one is perfect for Belle like Gaston, except not). She’s smart, caring, driven, and the kind to
make sacrifices for others, even if it means she’s screwed, like with how she
bargained for her father’s freedom by being prisoner in his place. She’s also curious, able to look into things
that no one would and determine how to solve problems that seem impossible,
which is one fact that ultimately broke Beast’s spell. That and she’s just pretty all around
(What? Is it wrong to say that?). Her devotion to the people she loves, who are
her father Maurice, who wants to ensure his boneheaded contraption works, and
ultimately Beast, is the ultimate factor that ensures her iconography as a
character. Hopefully Emma Watson gets
this great character right this March.
The final
point is how it’s a part of the story.
It IS the story, for all I care.
This is about two people who don’t like each other, then they become
friends, then ultimately they become something more than that. And one of them is a literal beast,
challenging the notion that women should stick to Prince Charming. Plus, the beast part can be correlated to a
person with an attitude problem that willingly betters himself when the
opportunity of love comes along. The
film is a perfect showcase of what happens when true love develops between the
most unlikely pairing ever, and that it happens over time in the story itself
(there’s a sense of time passing on throughout the movie, even if it’s less
noticeable at first). Plus, this is how
the film is resolved, their admittance of love to each other leads to the spell
being broken (and Beast alive, well, a better person, and human again). Belle didn’t get Prince Charming. She earned him, and Beast earned that status
the right way. As a result, I can
rightfully give the rank of the best Disney couple to the titular Beauty and
the Beast.
|
| He said it. He said it. |
You knew this joke would repeat.
And no,
this is not me shilling out to Disney to promote the remake coming this March.
So that was my
countdown on the Disney couples that I consider the best. If you have any suggestions, feel free to
leave them in the comments below. If you
feel like I missed a couple, tell me what you think and why I should have put
them on the list. I’d like to know any
Disney couples (this can be from Pixar, live action, Marvel, Lucasfilms, and,
thanks to Doug, Studio Ghibli if their films were localized by Disney) that you
consider the best.
Next week, we go Into the Metallic Ring of Rock ‘N’ Roll Hellfire! 6 Hair Metal icons will enter. One will come out on top! There will be metal, rock, anthems, ballads, shredding solos, enough Aquanet to turn your hair into spiky anime hair, makeup, and enough hot girls and booze to make a mess. Bring your spandex, leather jackets, spiked duds, makeup set, hairspray, pink Ibanez RG, tiger-stripped pants, boots, leopard-spotted scarf on a mic stand, band t-shirt, and your own booze, girls, anime, comics, manga, games, and drinking horn. I will bring mine in spirit. This will be a wild ride.
Next week, we go Into the Metallic Ring of Rock ‘N’ Roll Hellfire! 6 Hair Metal icons will enter. One will come out on top! There will be metal, rock, anthems, ballads, shredding solos, enough Aquanet to turn your hair into spiky anime hair, makeup, and enough hot girls and booze to make a mess. Bring your spandex, leather jackets, spiked duds, makeup set, hairspray, pink Ibanez RG, tiger-stripped pants, boots, leopard-spotted scarf on a mic stand, band t-shirt, and your own booze, girls, anime, comics, manga, games, and drinking horn. I will bring mine in spirit. This will be a wild ride.
Until next time, this
is The Rock Otaku. Love Loud, Play Hard,
and Happy Valentine’s Day!
All used references
are done under the rules of fair use and are owned by their original
creators. Especially Disney.
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