Disney’s Tangled How Rapunzel Gets Her Magical Powers, Explained

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Summary

  • Tangled’s magic starts with a Sundrop flower, using its healing powers.
  • Mother Gothel abuses Rapunzel for her hair’s magic, keeping her trapped.
  • Rapunzel retains magic after hair cut, showcasing power goes beyond hair length.

The animated film “Tangled,” released in 2010 and starring Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, is one of Disney’s most successful princess movies. It was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, earning $592.5 million at the box office. Since then, it has become a popular franchise, leading to additional short films, television series, and a live-action adaptation currently under development by Disney.

In my eyes, the enchantment that makes Tangled such a captivating tale primarily lies within Rapunzel’s extraordinary healing abilities, which eventually lead her to be confined in a tower. Her selfless acts of helping others during hardships have earned her immense affection from viewers, yet it’s easy to miss how she acquired these remarkable powers to start with.

Tangled Starts With A Magical Flower

While enjoying the film “Tangled”, viewers often find themselves captivated by Rapunzel’s glowing, healing hair. However, this extraordinary ability stems from a rare Sundrop flower, which is introduced at the beginning of the movie. This enchanted golden bloom has healing properties and can benefit those who possess it, as demonstrated with Mother Gothel when she uses it to maintain her youth. Yet, she keeps the flower hidden to monopolize its power. However, when Queen Arianna falls ill, this secretive behavior is challenged.

In a state of worry for her wellbeing and their unborn child, Rapunzel’s mother falls sick during pregnancy. This prompts a widespread search for the Sundrop flower, a rare bloom believed to have healing properties. Once found, they extract its juice and administer it to her. This miracle remedy saves Arianna’s life and facilitates the birth of Rapunzel. The magical properties of the Sundrop flower are passed down to Rapunzel at birth, which explains her golden tresses that resemble the flower from which she originated.

Mother Gothel Abuses Rapunzel For This Power

In the animated film, it is Rapunzel’s magical hair that provides the foundation for the storyline, as it has healing powers which Mother Gothel exploits by kidnapping Rapunzel. Mother Gothel uses this hair to maintain her youthfulness and, upon discovering that the power had been transferred to Rapunzel, she steals it. The importance of Rapunzel’s hair is evident from the start, as she spends her entire life confined in Mother Gothel’s tower while being deceived into believing that Gothel is her true mother. In reality, this isn’t the case, and Mother Gothel uses the power of the hair for her own selfish purposes, manipulating Rapunzel to remain in the tower until she eventually escapes with the intention of seeing the floating lanterns on her birthday.

Mother Gothel, a character from Disney, is often disliked despite her appearance of being overly kind throughout much of the film. This is due to her manipulative nature and the use of gaslighting tactics to maintain control over Rapunzel. Additionally, the movie reveals how deeply she craves the power provided by the flower, a theme that significantly impacts the storyline.

Rapunzel Retains Her Magic Without Her Long Hair

In the animated film Tangled, people often associate Rapunzel’s magical healing abilities with her long, glowing hair. However, her healing powers extend beyond her hair alone. After her hair is cut, it turns brown and shorter, leading some to believe she can no longer heal others. This is concerning when Flynn Rider gets stabbed, seemingly on the brink of death. Yet, it’s at this moment that Rapunzel discovers her powers extend far beyond her hair. When her tears touch Flynn, he remains alive, demonstrating that the magic resides within her. Although her iconic long hair is often highlighted in Disney promotions, it isn’t essential for her to help others. The true power lies in the magical flower passed down to her.

It’s uncertain if the same narrative will be utilized in the upcoming live-action version of “Tangled”. Previously, Disney has made changes to traditional storylines for their live-action movies, so there’s a possibility that this could happen again with “Tangled” when it is released. However, sticking to the original story might be more likely since it’s integral to Rapunzel gaining her magical powers, something audiences have come to expect in the film. The magic in “Tangled” plays a significant role not just in shaping Rapunzel as a unique character, but also in defining the villain and differentiating it from many other stereotypical Disney princess films.

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2025-03-21 01:27