Rapunzel

> *"I’ve been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it’s not everything I dreamed it would be?"* - Rapunzel
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**Rapunzel** is the protagonist of *Tangled*. She is the tenth official Disney Princess in the line-up and the first Disney Princess to be from a CGI Film.

## Background

### Appearance

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Rapunzel is 18 years old during the film. She's shown as petite at a height of 5'1". She has fair skin with a light tint of blush to it and is mostly known for her golden blonde long hair which in length is around 70 feet, though her hair is naturally brown, like her parents'. Rapunzel also has light freckles, as well as large bright green eyes, and a playful smile.

Rapunzel's dress is a traditional German dress called the "Dirndl", with a longer skirt than a normal Dirndl dress would sport, and her dress also has a purple theme, with a pink accent. The dress itself consists of a lavender corset top, and laced with a pink ribbon. The skirt is purple and decorated with swirl designs, in pink, dark purple and white. She also wears a white petticoat underneath. The skirt's hemline is above her ankles, but well below her calves. Her sleeves, at the top, are puffed and striped, pink and lavender, and the rest, is a pale, baby pink, with white lace at the end. In many cases, Rapunzel does not wear shoes, preferring to go barefoot, although she wears a pair of ballet flats in her 2012 redesign.

Rapunzel's homecoming dress has white lacing on the neckline and the sleeves and has a pink bodice that has swirly patterns on it and a corset lacing at the back. The skirt is purplish-pink with similar patterns that are found in her old dress.

### Personality

Rapunzel is a spirited, smart, clever, kind, playful, and a very adventurous girl in her late teens, though a bit naive. However, she is not afraid to stand up for herself or others when the situation calls for bravery. Having spent all of her life isolated in a tower with little else to do, she is proficiently educated in literature, and talented in almost all areas such as music and baking and even more advanced subjects like astronomy, as illustrated by her completely charted astronomical patterns. Her greatest passion is art, as indicated by the pervasive amount of painting on the walls inside the tower. While she longs to see the world beyond her window, she is very obedient to Mother Gothel. Despite having ambivalent feelings after leaving her tower in excitement to finally see the world, she confronts and rebels against Mother Gothel's wish of her returning to the tower after a short journey with Flynn Rider. She is quite daring; leaping from tall cliffs and swinging great lengths with her hair. She is completely immune to Flynn's so-called charms and has little tolerance for his antics, which usually results in her utilizing the pan against Flynn. Rapunzel is also very charismatic; able to influence a group of pub thugs to share their dreams and convince Maximus, the palace steed of the Captain of the Guard, to postpone his pursuit of Flynn until she fulfills her dream on her birthday (which is heavily emphasized). Rapunzel is also known, particularly by Pascal, to be quite trustworthy and never ever breaks the promises she makes.

She is very determined to accomplish her dream of seeing the floating lights, even strong-arming Flynn into going along with her plan and passing any other obstacle along the way, as well as *tricking* Gothel into making her beloved mother travel for three days to get a white paint for her birthday (of course, to buy some time). Although she initially feared that the dream of seeing those lights may not meet her expectation and that there would be no other means to pursue in life after that dream has been fulfilled, Rapunzel is able to overcome those fears by having Flynn's support and belief that a new dream will emerge in place of the fulfilled one. Rapunzel is also rebellious, tough, and courageous, as seen with the thugs.

## Disney History

### *Tangled*

For centuries, in order to remain young and beautiful, a vain old woman named Mother Gothel hoards the healing properties of a magical golden flower grown from a drop of sunlight that fell to earth. When the Queen of the kingdom falls ill during pregnancy, her subjects concoct a special tea from the flower. The tea restores the queen's health and gives the unborn Rapunzel magical healing powers, which reside in her unusually long golden hair. Hoping to regain full control over the flower, Gothel sneaks into the bedroom one night soon after birth. Mother Gothel initially attempts to steal a lock of Rapunzel's magic hair, but upon discovering that cutting the hair loses its power, she decides to kidnap the infant instead. Gothel locks Rapunzel in a tower away from the outside world and raises the girl as her own.

As Rapunzel grows, Gothel continually tells Rapunzel that the world is a dark and cruel place full of detestable creatures and people. Rapunzel is also never informed of her status as a princess, nor has she ever been told of her real history. Rapunzel matures into a teenager, spending all of her time confined to the tower with no one for company but Gothel and her chameleon friend, Pascal. But every year on Rapunzel's birthday, the kingdom of Corona releases thousands of floating lanterns into the sky in her memory. Rapunzel witnesses the festival nearby, unaware that it is both in remembrance of her kidnapping when she was a baby and a beacon for her to find a way home. Becoming immensely fascinated by the floating lanterns that took place on her birthday every year, Rapunzel dreams of one day traveling to the kingdom herself to see those "lights in the sky". On her eighteenth birthday, Rapunzel gathers the courage to ask Mother Gothel to go see the festival, but Gothel elaborately refuses and orders Rapunzel not to ask to leave the tower again.

A while later, a wanted thief named Flynn Rider, in search of a place to hide from the royal guards of Corona, stumbles upon Rapunzel's tower. Rapunzel knocks Flynn unconscious and hides him in her closet. Noticing the crown inside a satchel belonging to Flynn, she curiously examines the object and is momentarily captivated by wearing it. Rapunzel hopes to show Mother Gothel the captured Flynn in an attempt to prove that she can indeed handle herself in the outside world. Upon her return, however, Gothel is even more aggravated at Rapunzel's second request to leave the tower and shouts at Rapunzel that she will never leave the tower. Left with no other viable option, she keeps Flynn hidden and wearily asks for more paints as her birthday present, which will take Mother Gothel three days to retrieve. Gothel then leaves on the journey, promising to return in three days. Rapunzel then forcibly recruits Flynn into taking her to see the lanterns in return for the crown that he has stolen from the palace. Accompanied by Rapunzel's chameleon friend Pascal, they embark, but Gothel is soon in close pursuit.

Along the way, Flynn tries several tricks to get rid of Rapunzel and get his satchel back. One of these tricks includes him taking Rapunzel to the local tavern, the Snuggly Duckling, where they encounter just the kind of ruffians and thugs that Gothel has warned Rapunzel about. However, Rapunzel manages to gain their friendship by explaining to them her dream of seeing the floating lanterns, but not before they send for the palace guards, hoping to gain a reward for the capture of Flynn. Rapunzel escapes the tavern with Flynn through a secret passageway.

The two of them break into a run through the tunnel that leads them to a wooden dam, where they find themselves surrounded by people who don't like Flynn. Flynn and Rapunzel combat the guards and thugs and escape into a small cave when the dam collapses. The two find themselves trapped in the cave with water rising around them, unable to find any escape. Flynn cuts his hand in a frantic attempt to make an exit. Rapunzel believes she has doomed them and tearfully apologizes to Flynn. To cheer her up, Flynn reveals his true name to be Eugene Fitzherbert, feeling someone may as well know. She decides to share the secret of her magical glowing hair, causing her to remember its ability. Rapunzel illuminates the cavern with her power, much to Eugene's astonishment, allowing them to claw their way out through a small hole in the bottom of the pool.

That night at the campfire, Rapunzel heals Eugene's hand with her hair. Rapunzel explains everything to him, including her lifelong imprisonment by Gothel to protect her magic hair, and that if the hair is ever cut, it will turn brown and lose its power. Flynn is empathetic toward her feelings over returning to the tower. When questioned about his real name, Flynn explains it was from his childhood story called *The Tales of Flynnagan Rider*, the escapades of a daring adventurer with every benefit to an exciting life full of dangers, riches, and ladies. Flynn chose to adopt the name and lifestyle, even though the real Flynn Rider wasn't a thief, and feeling anything would be a better option than being a helpless orphan. Rapunzel tells him that she likes the name Eugene Fitzherbert much better than his adopted name, and the pair form a close bond. When Eugene leaves to collect more firewood, Gothel appears and tells Rapunzel they are going home. Rapunzel refuses, believing that Eugene is beginning to like her. Gothel presents Rapunzel with Eugene's satchel and challenges her to return it to him, warning her that he will simply abandon her as he only wants the satchel back. Gothel then disappears, leaving Rapunzel feeling doubtful about her new romance.

The next morning, Rapunzel wakes to find that they have been discovered by Maximus, a high-ranking palace horse on a personal mission to bring Eugene in. Rapunzel calms and befriends the frenzied horse, and requests that he refrain from arresting Eugene for the next 24 hours so that they can see the lanterns. Maximus and Eugene make a reluctant truce and journey into the kingdom with Rapunzel and Pascal.

Rapunzel and Eugene eventually arrive at the kingdom Eugene as they spend the day touring and indulging in everything it has to offer. At dusk, Eugene and Rapunzel row out onto the lake to watch the lanterns rise into the sky. As they wait for the lanterns to appear, Eugene notices that Rapunzel is not too happy; in fact, she's terrified. She confesses that after all of the excitement, she is worried that they may not be everything that she expected. Eugene assures her they will be, and if they are, she gets to go find herself a new dream afterward. That night, Rapunzel is overjoyed to finally be living her dream as she enchantingly watches the lanterns float from the streets of the kingdom to the boats on the lake. When Eugene presents her with a pair of their own lanterns, Rapunzel shows him his satchel, saying she was scared to give it to him before. Eugene refuses the satchel and says he knows how she feels. As Rapunzel watches the lanterns, Eugene unexpectedly takes her hand. They are just about to kiss when Eugene sees the Stabbington Brothers on the other side of the lake, unbeknownst to Rapunzel. He assures her everything is fine and quickly takes the boat ashore. He then takes the satchel and walks off into the fog, promising to return.

Soon afterward, Flynn is ambushed and rendered unconscious by the Stabbington Brothers, who tell him they want her instead of the crown. The Brothers then emerge from the fog to Rapunzel. They inform her that Eugene did actually leave her. At first, she doesn't believe them, but they show her a boat sailing across the lake towards the kingdom with Eugene's silhouette at the helm. However, before the Brothers can harm Rapunzel, Gothel knocks them unconscious and takes a heartbroken Rapunzel back to the tower.

Back in her bedroom, Rapunzel discovers that the emblem of the kingdom of Corona has been unwittingly sketched into all of her paintings. This triggers a surge of memories from Rapunzel's past, and realizing Gothel is a fraud, she finally finds the courage to rebel against her. Rapunzel rejects Gothel's claims of wanting to protect Rapunzel and tries to leave. Off-screen, Gothel chains her up and puts a gag on her face. When Flynn, having managed to escape from the castle, arrives at the tower, Gothel uses Rapunzel's hair to lift him in. As Eugene gets to the top, Rapunzel attempts to warn him but Gothel then fatally stabs him. Before Gothel prepares to escape with Rapunzel in tow, Rapunzel, desperate to save Eugene, promises to do whatever Gothel pleases in return for healing Eugene. Gothel complies, and Rapunzel goes to Eugene despite Eugene's pleas to leave him and escape Gothel. However, just as Rapunzel is about to heal him, Eugene cuts her hair before she can heal him. Rapunzel reacts in shock and despair as her golden hair turns brown and loses its magic.

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Without any magic to keep her young, Gothel begins to rapidly age to her horror and flies into hysteria until she is tripped by Pascal and falls out the tower window. Her body crumbles to dust before hitting the ground. With his dying breath, Eugene tells Rapunzel that she was his new dream, and Rapunzel replies he was hers. Eugene then dies in Rapunzel's arms and she cries bitterly. However, the original magic sundrop manifests itself through Rapunzel's tear and returns Eugene to life. The two embrace each other and share their first kiss. Eugene returns Rapunzel to the palace, where she is finally reunited with her parents. Rapunzel becomes a beloved ruler while Eugene is accepted into the royal family.

### *Tangled Ever After*

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Rapunzel, along with Eugene, appears in this short sequel to the first film. In the story, Rapunzel and Eugene are getting married while Pascal and Maximus struggle to retrieve the rings. Rapunzel joins Eugene in the opening narration of the short as they narrate the biggest wedding that is about to hit the kingdom forever.

She first appears, in her wedding attire and standing at the entrance of the wedding hall, attracting the attention of everyone in attendance. Her father, the King, then walks her down the center aisle, so that she can join her groom at the altar. The priest starts his speech, but Maximus sneezes and accidentally loses their wedding rings. The two appear in a vision of Maximus and Pascal where everyone in attendance becomes upset at the loss of the rings.

Rapunzel and Eugene are shown later after Maximus and Pascal manage to get the rings back, but the couple (and everyone else) are shocked at the grotesque-looking Maximus and Pascal, both covered with tar, who offer the rings. Eugene takes the rings and gives one to his bride. The two exchange their rings as the priest pronounce the couple husband and wife. Eugene and Rapunzel kiss and everyone in attendance rejoice.

## Other History

### *Sofia the First*

Rapunzel appears in the special Sofia the First: The Curse of Princess Ivy as part of a Disney Junior movie event. She is the first non-traditional animated princess to appear on the show and still sports her 70 feet long, mystical golden blonde hair instead of her short natural brown hair, including her tiara, and lavender flat shoes on her feet.

When Sofia and Amber are unable to stop Princess Ivy from taking over their kingdom, Rapunzel gives them a helping hand and a plan that will help them save the day. She tells Amber as they fly to Enchancia that Flynn Rider had to make up for his bad deeds during the song "Dare to Risk it All". Rapunzel then assures Amber that if she really loves Sofia as a sister, she will know what to do when the time comes and then magically disappears.

### *Ralph Breaks the Internet*

In *Ralph Breaks the Internet*, Rapunzel appears as a netizen in Oh My Disney. She works alongside the other Disney princesses, meeting and greeting net users. While visiting the site, Vanellope von Schweetz is targeted by First Order Stormtroopers. She unknowingly glitches into the backstage quarters of the Disney princesses, who are on break; Rapunzel is seen painting the walls of her vanity. Believing Vanellope to be a threat, the princesses charge at her wielding weapons; Rapunzel arms herself with her frying pan. Vanellope quickly explains that she's also princess, coming from *Sugar Rush*. The princesses question what kind of princess Vanellope is, and Rapunzel excitedly questions if Vanellope has magic hair. She and Belle also asks if Vanellope has ever been kidnapped or enslaved. She denies each question. Finally, Rapunzel asks if people assume all of Vanellope's problems are solved by a "big, strong man", which Vanellope relates to. This leads Rapunzel and the others to ecstatically declare Vanellope a princess.

Afterwards, Cinderella takes interest in Vanellope's casual attire. This leads to the mice sewing comfy outfits for each of the princesses. Rapunzel wears a pink hoodie over a top that reads, "We've got a dream, the Snuggly Ducklings." She also wears leggings that are patterned with the Corona sun crest. When Ariel tries to express her joy over wearing a human shirt, she briefly breaks into song before Vanellope's confusion cuts her off. The other princesses are unfazed, explaining that they've each had songs that help express themselves. When Vanellope notes that she's never had a musical number, Rapunzel (who is sitting in a lounge cushion of her hair) encourages her to find her song by thinking about what she desires most and singing about whatever that may be. This leads to Vanellope performing a ditty about getting a new steering wheel for her unplugged game.

During the climax of the film, Rapunzel returns alongside the other princesses. The ladies take notice of Wreck-It Ralph plummeting from the sky. Rapunzel remarks, "A big, strong man is in need of rescuing!", prompting the princesses to quickly rally together to save the bad-guy; Rapunzel uses her hair to create a rope of sorts. Jaq and Gus use sewing material to create a dress and hangs it on Rapunzel's hair to catch Ralph. Once the bad-guy is secured, the princesses introduce themselves and befriend him.

### *Once Upon a Time*

Rapunzel appeared in the 14th episode of Season 3 titled "The Tower" and was played by Alexandra Metz.

Before the Dark Curse was cast, Rapunzel was born as the second child to her parents, the King and Queen of an unnamed kingdom, and lives an unworried life knowing that her elder brother, instead of herself, will ascend the throne in the future. Though her parents warn Rapunzel against swimming in the stream, she disobeys them, becoming entrapped in the river, and is later saved by her brother. Tragically, her brother dies as a result, leaving Rapunzel as the next heir to the royal seat. Many years later, Rapunzel, afraid she won't live up to her parents' names as a ruler, digs up and ingest a plant called night root, which is rumored to rid the user of their fears, but it has no effect. Before leaving for home, she is chased up a tower by a cloaked witch, who refuses to allow her to ever leave. Unbeknownst to Rapunzel, the witch is a manifestation of herself as her own greatest fear as a consequence of consuming the night root. After the curse was undone, Rapunzel notices from her tower window a man digging up night root. Since he is the first person she's seen in a long time, the princess calls to him for help. The man, Prince Charming, climbs up the tower using her long, braided hair as a scaling rope. After she tells him of her past, he promises to rescue her. When the cloaked witch climbs up the tower, she is finally unmasked as Rapunzel herself due to the effects of the night root. While Prince Charming pushes Rapunzel to fight this manifestation of her own fear, the witch throws him out of the tower. As he is clinging onto a vine, the witch begins ascending up using Rapunzel's hair. Advised by Prince Charming to fend off the fear or risk dying alone, she severs the length of her hair; causing the witch to fall and dissipate. Prince Charming helps Rapunzel out of the tower, bringing the princess to her parents, who she happily reunites with.

Another Rapunzel iteration appears in Season 7, who is played in her young version by Meegan Warner. After fleeing her tower, she returns to her daughters, Drizella and Anastasia, and finds out that her husband has remarried a woman named Cecelia who had a daughter named Ella. When she grew up she became the wicked stepmother of Cinderella and is played by Gabrielle Anwar.

## Songs

* When Will My Life Begin?
* When Will My Life Begin? (reprise)
* I Have a Dream
* I See the Light
* Healing Incantation
* Dare to Risk it All
* Crossing The Line

## Trivia

* Rapunzel is based on the character from the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
	+ In the original tale, Rapunzel is named for the Rapunzel plant, known as corn salad or lamb's lettuce in English. Her mother had craved them during the pregnancy and her father had stolen them from Gothel's garden, which is why she claimed ownership of Rapunzel in the fairy tale. Also, Rapunzel was not of royal birth, but born a commoner.
* Rapunzel is the first Disney Princess with magical abilities, the power to heal, shown in her film.
* Even though she ends the movie with short brown hair, she is commercially represented with long blonde hair because of the aesthetics, and because she appears with long blonde hair for most of her movie.
* Her visuals were partly inspired at the style of the picture *The Swing*, by Jean-Honoré Fragonard.
* Rapunzel was originally going to be voiced by Broadway actress and singer, Kristin Chenoweth, but she was later replaced by pop singer-songwriter and former teen idol Mandy Moore.
	+ Reese Witherspoon, was at one point, considered for the role of Rapunzel.
* She is the third princess to have a television series, the first being Ariel and the second being Jasmine.
* Rapunzel, along with Eugene, can be seen at the beginning of *Frozen* to attend the coronation of Queen Elsa of Arendelle.
* In the original story, Rapunzel was 12 years old.

## See also

* Lady Tremaine

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