Courageous, self-resilient, and independent princess all with diverse backgrounds and different stories. Each one of these princesses is known as being severely independent and strong. Often, most princesses obtain the role of delicate, gentle, or weak. However, these princesses break that interpretation and the norm that princesses are fragile and merely respectful.  

     The story of princess Mulan is extremely powerful and sentimental. Mulan disguised herself as a man to join the army in order to save her father’s life. Her father was called off to war, and he had no son to go in his place. So, Mulan decided to disguise herself and join the army. The story does not directly examine the events that occurred during the war. However, the audience is aware that Mulan was gone for years and years. When she returns home, she puts on her normal clothes and applies her makeup. When she reunites with her acquaintances and friends that were soldiers alongside her in the war, they were astonished to discover that she was actually a woman. After years of fighting by her side, they were oblivious. 

     Another princess is Merida. The movie Brave is about how a princess goes against the expectations of her community. Merida is a princess in her kingdom who desires to become the best archer. At the beginning of the movie, it starts out showing how Merida has reached a marriageable age. However, she refuses to get married not only at such a youthful age, but also to someone who she does not care for or even know. Merida takes her bow and flees into the forest. She discovers a cottage in the forest with an old witch. She begs the witch to give her a potion that will change the queens (Merida’s mother) mind about forcing Merida to marry. The witch gives her the potion, and not only does it change the queens mind, but it turns her into a bear. However, Merida has exactly two days to reverse the charm. During this period, her mother and her become closer than ever and work together in order to try and reverse the spell, even though the queen cannot talk. This movie dives into the hardships, journeys, and growth that Merida endures and her experiences. Furthermore, Brave has a significant storyline about increased family growth and communication with the ones you love (Merida and her mother).  

     Finally, last but not least, Rapunzel is one of the most common princesses out of them all, and she is the main character and princess in the movie Tangled. Rapunzel was born into royalty. Her mother and father were the king and queen of the island that she lived on, known as Corona. When her mother was pregnant with her, she became severely ill and almost died. However, guards and knights searched the kingdom up and down in search of a magic flower, that had healing capabilities. Once the kingdom found this flower, they brought it to the queen, and she drank it in soup to heal. She was healed astonishingly, and she had her baby Rapunzel. Due to the magic flower, Rapunzel was born with long, luscious, golden hair that obtained powers of healing injuries or illnesses and prevented aging. Mother Gothel, an old lady who was fearful of growing old and death, broke into the castle one night and kidnapped Rapunzel as a baby. That way she could use Rapunzel’s hair to remain youthful and beautiful forever.  

     She raised Rapunzel as her own and for Rapunzel’s entire life, she believed that she was just some girl with magical hair. However, on her birthday each year, the kingdom lifted thousands of floating lanterns to call out to her. Of course, over her life, Rapunzel had no idea what they were intended for, but she felt like they were meant for her. She saw it as a sign, and a calling. As throughout her entire life, she had never left the castle that she lived in. Her “mother” never let her. One day, Mother Gothel left for multiple days to get ingredients for Rapunzel’s favorite soup for her birthday. During this time, a thief breaks into Rapunzel’s home in search of safety after being chased by authorities. She ties him up and interrogates him. Intrigued and confused, she begins to make a deal with him. In return for the satchel that she had taken from him, he would take her to the floating lanterns on the night of her birthday. While running from authorities and from people who wanted to capture Rapunzel for her hair, they fall in love and end up married. Rapunzel discovers her history throughout the adventures and soon realizes she is the lost princess. She escapes Mother Gothel and returns home to her true family.  

     All these princesses are strong, independent, fearless, reliable, and incredible. Each one of them has a beautiful story with true strength and resilience shown in each one of them and their stories. 

     Although each one of the princesses defeated the norm that princesses are delicate and fragile, Rapunzel accomplishes defeating this norm the best and is the most superior Disney princess out of all three of them. 

     Each princess is easy to compare because they each obtain perseverance through hardships and are the primary representations of strength and intelligence in Disney princesses. However, Rapunzel is the best princess out of the three of them. 

     Rapunzel is the best princess because she lives the beginning of her life without having true meaning or an understanding or knowledge of who she even is. She is raised in captivity, stuck on a constant repetitive cycle every day because she is forced to live the same life every day without the option to see the outside world. 

     Rapunzel makes the most of her life even though she has such a powerful desire to see the world and meet people. She had never met another person, touched grass or water, run around in fields, eaten food outside of her castle. Rapunzel quite literally lived in captivity and quarantine, without even knowing it or understanding that it was wrong.  

     Eventually, once Rapunzel left the tower, she discovered what it means and feels like to be alive. She met new people, discovered her true self, fell in love, and reunited with her real family. Despite her near-death experiences, and traumatic endeavors and encounters she persevered and created a happy and incredible life for herself. Therefore, Rapunzel is the best Disney princess out of these three.