Mother Gothel

> **A distraction, perhaps. What if they aren't in Morva at all? We could invite them here! Offer them a bargain. We just need to entice them with something they can't resist wanting.**
> - Mother Gothel in Season 2, Ep. 1
>
>

**Mother Gothel** is the main antagonist of Disney's 2010 animated feature film, *Tangled*. She is also a deuteragonist of the 2018 series by Pattycake Productions, *The Villains Lair*. She is a witch who retained youth for hundreds of years through the healing properties of a magic, golden flower. When the flower's powers are transferred to the hair of Rapunzel, Gothel kidnaps the princess and locks her away in a secluded tower, where she hoarded Rapunzel's healing magic. To keep the princess under her control, Gothel posed as Rapunzel's loving, albeit overprotective mother with a mission to protect her daughter from the "cruelty" of the outside world.

## Mother Gothel

### Aliases

Mama - (by young Cassandra)
Mother - (by Rapunzel and Cassandra)
Creepy Old Mother Gothel - (Flynn Rider)
Old Lady - (Flynn Rider and Stabbingtons)
My Dear Woman - (Captain Hook)
Darling - (Cruella De Vil)

### Relatives

Rapunzel - Adoptive daughter
Flynn Rider - Adoptive son-in-law
Cassandra - Biological daughter

## Appearances

### Appears in

Tangled (2010)
Tangled: Before Ever After (2017)

Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (2017)

The Villains Lair (2018)

### Debut

Tangled (2010)

In *The Villains Lair*, she is one of the villains, who were tricked by Dr. Facilier, into releasing Ursula, but later found out and planned to steal the Sundial of Kronos from the Princess Academy.

## Portrayers

In the original film and spinoff series, Gothel is voiced by Donna Murphy.

In The Villains Lair, Gothel is portrayed by Helaina Wize.

## Background

### Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure

Centuries before the events of the first film, Gothel was revealed to be one of the three former pupils of the ancient engineer and inventor Lord Demanitus. She, along with the other two pupils, Sugaracha and Trombunous, would later betray him in order to become disciples of his archenemy, Zhan Tiri. However, Zhan Tiri's empire would experience a downfall when she was banished to the lost realm by Lord Demanitus. He then dismembered his research on the Sundrop and the Moonstone and hid the pieces across the world, in fear that the knowledge could end up in the wrong hands. He also made an attempt to imprison Zhan Tiri's followers. He successfully imprisoned Sugaracha, but Gothel and Trombunous were able to escape.

Now on her own, Gothel began her own search for the Sundrop. At some point, she took residence in a cottage on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Corona. Underneath the cottage, there existed a hidden room covered in notes about the Sundrop and the Moonstone. After a lifetime of research, she was finally able to discover the golden flower that held the restorative and healing magic of the Sundrop. She would go on to use the flower whenever she needed it most and do anything to protect its power. Underneath her cottage, she concocted spells, preserved her research, and even collected mirrors that were able to recall memories from her past.

Four years before Princess Rapunzel was born, Gothel also had a daughter, whom she named Cassandra. However, Gothel completely despised her daughter, finding the girl's demanding nature to be distracting. Cassandra merely became Gothel's maid, was obligated to conduct chores around the cottage, and wasn't allowed to go out into the world with her mother. She was only expected to serve her mother whenever she was asked.

After the Sundrop flower was taken by King Fredrick's guards for Queen Arianna, Gothel discovered that their daughter Rapunzel had inherited the magic of the Sundrop. Gothel stole the child and lost the guards who followed her to her cottage. She ended up abandoning her own daughter due to her obsession with protecting the Sundrop, which prolonged her life and kept her immune to aging, decay, and death.

### Tangled

For the next 18 years, Gothel raised the young princess as her own daughter and inflicted cruel tactics to ensure Rapunzel felt Gothel was the only one who could keep her safe and loved her. She manipulates Rapunzel at every turn in hopes of controlling her through passive-aggressive lines, which all attempt to destroy Rapunzel's self-confidence, isolate her, and eradicate any desire for adventure within her. At the same time, though, over the years, Gothel makes Rapunzel her favorite dinner, agrees to go on long trips to get seashells for paints Rapunzel said she wanted for her birthday, and educates Rapunzel, which leaves the lost princess to love Gothel genuinely. Gothel only creates favorable situations for Rapunzel as a way to increase Rapunzel's dependence on her. Gothel was a protector and a generous provider of luxuries to keep her occupied.

And the true testament to her devious performance as the mother of Rapunzel is when Rapunzel questions her intentions. When put into a corner, Gothel fabricates herself as the victim, blaming Rapunzel for any sort of conflict or unfortunate event that came into their lives. What she really covets is Rapunzel's hair and the magic of the Sundrop. Gothel frequently refers to Rapunzel as "Flower" rather than her name. She removes Rapunzel's braid when she returns to the tower to restrict her range of movement, and she always strokes and checks Rapunzel's hair when they embrace. Although Gothel was able to create a convincing persona for many years, her emotionally abusive nature is ultimately too strong to remain hidden beneath her facade, as she is seen constantly insulting Rapunzel, putting her down, and pressuring her to remain in her tower.

But this comes back to haunt Gothel when Rapunzel escapes the tower and voyages to Corona in search of the flying lanterns with Eugene, Maximus, Pascal, and a few other friends she meets along the way. Rapunzel is finally shown what true love means. While Eugene loves Rapunzel for who she is, Gothel only cares about Rapunzel for the magic within her. Gothel's love for Rapunzel is corrupted, selfish, and twisted, if she even loves her at all.

But Gothel wasn't going to be so easy to push away. Gothel's burning desire to retain her youth for all eternity had driven the woman to complete madness. She was willing to force Rapunzel to be locked away forever after Rapunzel discovered that she was the lost princess. Luckily, Eugene escaped his prison and rushed to rescue Rapunzel, but Mother Gothel was so far gone in her quest for immortality that she was driven to a murderous state, as seen through her immediate decision to kill Eugene when he entered the room. With all of Gothel's true evil finally exposed, Eugene used his remaining breaths to cut all of Rapunzel's hair, which removed the Sundrop's healing magic and transformed Gothel to her true age. In horror, Gothel squirms and shrieks in fear as she rapidly has her youthful presence reduced to dust.

### The Villains Lair

Years later, Gothel and several other villains were revived by Maleficent and they all take residence within a lair inside of a haunted castle. Yearning for revenge against their adversaries, she and the other villains are tricked by Dr. Facilier, into casting a time reversal spell, releasing Ursula in the process. (What Goes Around Comes Around)

She is then seen discussing her "parenting" methods with the Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, and Anastasia and Drizella Tremaine. She mentioned that she initially never wanted children and preferred life on her own. She goes on to recount the events of the original film, claiming that guilt trips, force, lies, and manipulation were necessary to parenting a teenager. She makes no direct reference to her biological daughter, Cassandra. (Tough Love)

Soon after the Villains set the plan of retrieving the Sundial of Kronos into motion, Gothel, Gaston, Cruella De Vil, and Yzma are reminded of the moment they first felt the dark desire to be bad. They are then approached by Dr. Facilier who summons an unexpected guest, known as Vanessa, to assist in the plan to control time. (Bad Never Looked So Good)

## Relationships

### Family

* Rapunzel - Adoptive daughter
* Flynn Rider - Adoptive son-in-law
* Cassandra - Biological daughter

### Romance

In a few episodes she is seen admiring and/or flirting with several villains including Gaston and Percival C. Mcleach.

### Allies

* The Evil Queen
* Maleficent
* Queen of Hearts
* Jafar
* Lady Tremaine
* Cruella De Vil
* Captain Hook
* Anastasia Tremaine
* Drizella Tremaine
* Claude Frollo
* Gaston
* Yzma
* Madam Mim
* Percival C. McLeach

### Enemies

* Dr. Facilier - Former Ally
* Ursula/Vanessa
* Rapunzel
* Flynn Rider

## Trivia

* In Season 1, Ep. 1, she is seen holding the Sundrop flower from her original film.
* In the latter part of Season 1, Ep.8, Gothel's actress was replaced by an understudy.
* Years prior to portraying Gothel in The Villains Lair, her actress dressed as Gothel for a Halloween party.

## Gallery

Press Photo of Helaina Wize as Mother GothelGothel during the opening song of Season 2, Ep. 1Gothel smirking at Gaston"If you've been there, you'd do the same!" Gothel during Season 1, Ep. 2McLeach and Gothel in Season 2, Ep. 3Gothel and Cassandra in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure