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Most overrated and underrated Disney heroines

posted 9 years ago by number9-4
21 replies | jump to latest

Who are your most overrated and underrated Disney ladies? Not saying these are my favorites or least favorite, per se, just that the general consensus about how admirable of a character they are differs from my personal feelings on them.

For me:

Overrated = Belle (no sense of humor, sort of snooty, didn't see the good in the Beast until after he saved her life, gets treated like she's some sort of intellectual just because she reads a fairytale); Ariel (sort of ditzy, doesn't show an interest in anyone's well-being except the stranger she thinks is hot, although I will say that TV-show Ariel was a lot better and showed more admirable traits); Cinderella (no personality, too much of a perfect, turn-the-other-cheek-type who never even seems to lose her temper at her horrible family); Anna (awkwardness not that funny, mostly just annoying, though I do like that she didn't give up on Elsa).

Underrated = Aurora (it's not her fault she's barely in the movie, and what we do see of her shows that she's sensitive, introspective and nice); Pocahontas (obviously - she may seem serious most of the time, but she has her playful side, and she doesn't tolerate prejudice, even from John, for whom she was developing feelings. Ariel probably would have s-talked her fellow merpeople if Eric started to); Esmeralda (similar to Pocahontas, she's a crusader for the persecuted, but also has a sense of humor. Yet she's almost completely forgotten).

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] number9-4 9 years ago

Ugh. A general thread about favorites and least favorites is not a "Belle and Ariel hate topic." Defensive much?

[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 9 years ago

I'm fine with a favorites thread, but it should have been worded that way. Using the word overrated automatically lends itself to being a hate topic even if you didn't intend it.

My favorites are Ariel and Rapunzel, both are great inspirations. Both also have a wonderful love for adventure and discovery, albeit for different reasons. Ariel is a rebel in the best way, bringing great change to some or simply bringing out the best in others. Rapunzel is such an embodiment of positivity that I believe she can put a smile on anyone's face.

My least favorite is Jasmine. It may not totally be her fault, but she's not a character as much as just a plot device. It's an extreme rarity than an animated character comes off as scripted, but she accomplishes it.

"If life is getting you down and needs uplifting, then please come dance with me!"

[–] number9-4 9 years ago

it should have been worded that way. Using the word overrated automatically lends itself to being a hate topic even if you didn't intend it.

Good God. Hate topic? And I can word it whatever way I want. This is a discussion forum, and your crusade to preserve the honor of fictional characters doesn't have sway here.

I actually have some Belle and Ariel merchandise. I certainly don't "hate" them. I just think they seem to be two of the most popular - dare I even say the two most popular, period - and I don't understand why.

[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 9 years ago

Look, sorry I stirred things up. Since this is a discussion let us continue to focus on it instead of my issues with the term overrated. I have contributed a couple of posts that are relevant to the topic at hand. I've also deleted that first post since nothing in was relevant to this discussion.

"If life is getting you down and needs uplifting, then please come dance with me!"

[–] cheedo 9 years ago

Seriously. the popular princesses (those two and Mulan) have the most needlessly defensive fans. You don't adore their favorite? "OMG why do you HATE them so much?"

I drink coffee FOR BREAKFAST.

[–] Cristianos 9 years ago

I do have to object to a few of your points.

Overrated = Belle (no sense of humor, sort of snooty, didn't see the good in the Beast until after he saved her life, gets treated like she's some sort of intellectual just because she reads a fairytale);

Belle threw a snowball at the Beast for fun, and threw another one in which the Beast slipped where she is visibly seen giggling in the background. It's safe to say that Belle has a sense of humor. The Beast didn't show Belle any good for her to recognize up until that point. True, the Beast asked her attendance at dinner, but he's doing from a point of desire rather than a mutual need. When she refused, he then slammed on her door, and told her to starve. However, the Beast was justified in his anger when Belle intruded in the West Wing, though. And it is a widely backed fact that reading actually increases your knowledge in vocabulary and improves your spelling.

Ariel (sort of ditzy, doesn't show an interest in anyone's well-being except the stranger she thinks is hot, although I will say that TV-show Ariel was a lot better and showed more admirable traits);

Ariel was concerned for Flounder's safety when she rescued him from getting eaten by the shark when they are at the sunken ship.

Cinderella (no personality, too much of a perfect, turn-the-other-cheek-type who never even seems to lose her temper at her horrible family);

Unlike you, I don't see turning the other check as a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. It takes a lot of self-control to put up with people as self-absorbed and mean-spiritedness as her stepsisters and stepmother. If Cinderella retaliated back at them, it would make her sink to their level.

I'm starting to not believe that things are overrated, but appreciate that things in popular culture have their reasons for appreciation even it is a little excessive at times. Nevertheless, my list for underappreciated Disney heroines are Pocahontas and Esmeralda (for the same reasons you mentioned), Jane Porter from Tarzan for her spunkiness and interest for wildlife that not too many women during her era would share, and Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

What we do in life, echoes in eternity.

[–] jname967 9 years ago

I also think Belle gets too much credit for being some great, deep "intellectual", by fans, yes. She did show her bitchy side in my opinion, by defying the Beast's order to stay out of the West Wing. Even as a kid, I thought that was pretty obnoxious of her. I mean: why would she be dumb enough to invoke the wrath of a huge scary beast in the first place like that? Geez! I also agree w/ your statement that "reading" doesn't simply make her smart either. Yes, it helps a person be smarter for sure—but it's simplistic to assume all readers are automatically superior in the brains department.

I also think Pocahontas is criminally underrated. I do have to admit: her actual personality is kind of dull mostly because the Disney company was deftly afraid of offending ANYONE with her character, so they made Pocahontas devoid of truly human quirks and shortcomings. But I do agree w/ you: at least she had a playful, adventurous side which I always admired. She definitely did the most interesting things out of all the princesses: she dives from a cliff, runs through trees and lakes, swims, is in tune w/ nature, and is also believably deep and wise. That's why she's my favorite: I think she's sort of my soul sister. I'm also surrounded by mostly tepid, boring people and I'm the one who is invariably the most daring and proactive when it comes to actual lifestyle lol.

[–] number9-4 9 years ago

Yes, it helps a person be smarter for sure—but it's simplistic to assume all readers are automatically superior in the brains department.

Yes! So many people do that, though.

And I agree about Pocahontas - She is a bit dull, in some ways, probably like you said, because of Disney's fears of making her anything but admirable and wise. But she has a compassionate soul in the way a lot of other Disney women don't, and that means a lot to me. I've always felt a kinship with her, too.

@ Cristano: I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree about Belle, because throwing a snowball is hardly a sense of humor, in my mind. Everyone jokes around once in a while. I guess I classify "sense of humor" as being a pattern, not one playful action that's akin to how a 2-year-old behaves in the season's first snowfall.

And as for reading, as stated above, it doesn't increase your knowledge(or your vocabulary, for that matter) if you're reading trashy romance novels, which is basically the only thing we're shown Belle chooses to read (again and again - she didn't trade in her romance for a book on philosophy. She kept checking out the same fluffy story). So I'm not saying romance books are bad, but those are the only ones we're shown Belle reads, and they don't automatically make you smart. I've known plenty of people of average or even less-than-average intelligence who were voracious consumers of the works of Nicholas Sparks, for example.

re: Ariel - OK, I'll give you that she cared about Flounder, but I more just meant that she didn't seem to have a particularly compassionate soul in general in the way of Esmeralda, Pocahontas, the older Disney princesses, even Jasmine giving the little boy the apple. Being concerned that your friend is about to get eaten by a shark is kind of bare-minimum human (or mermaid) decency.

re: Cinderella - I didn't say turning the other cheek is a sign of weakness; Quite the opposite - I said the fact that she always did it made her too perfect, never losing her temper or complaining like most people would in that situation. It's one thing not to stoop to their level and be a miserable biotch to them back, but her grace under pressure just seemed unrealistic, to me.

I've never seen Atlantis, and I haven't seen Tarzan in years, so I may have to check them out. I've heard a lot of good things about both of their leads heroines.

[–] cheedo 9 years ago

Agreed, so much. It's so rare to see someone actually say that about Aurora (who indeed has a layered personality if you're not stone blind), or even acknowledge her, or call Belle overrated. Belle is kind of a self-insert (probably why her fans get so defensive the few times she gets criticism- they must take it as criticism about them) who's never allowed to be wrong in the movie, which always irked me. And it's annoying that poor Snow White is constantly bashed as stupid for making an honest mistake out of politely and naivete, while Belle willingly makes some of the least intelligent choices of all the DPs and is smart enough to know better, so why's she hailed as the token smart girl? Because she reads? Well, I guess 50 Shades Fans are inherently all smart too.

Though I think Esmeralda- and the other non-Princesses do in general (like Kida for some reason, who came off as a flat character to me)- do get a lot of love online. I actually find Cindy and Anna both underrated. Well, more Anna, since Cinderella's gotten a bit more respect over the years, but she's still gotten a lot of hate and victim-blaming for "letting" her stepfamily hurt her. She's not perfect by any means- she has a temper, she's just good at hiding it, she's pretty snarky, and was kind of careless a few times. Honestly, I think she's the most realistic of the old DPs. I find her very relatable. As for Anna, she get shoved aside by the genuinely overrated Elsa, who is just liked for being sexual and having powers. Anna is very warm and the movie wasn't shy about calling out her bad qualities, as much as it did the good ones.

As for Ariel, yeah, I think her fans are a little TOO passionate about her. Though I will admit she did set a standard for 90s heroines and is iconic. She's a fairly realistic teenage girl, and she gets hate for that sometimes. I'm all right with her now, though I used to despise her when I was younger. Personally I find Mulan WAY more overrated, as she has no real flaws and is too idealized for me to relate to at all. She just magically goes from an awkward dope at the beginning of the movie to an uber-competent person and even better fighting than all the more experienced warriors around her? And I'll probably get attacked for that too- Mulan fans don't typically take well to differing opinions.

I drink coffee FOR BREAKFAST.

[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 9 years ago

Agreed, so much. It's so rare to see someone actually say that about Aurora (who indeed has a layered personality if you're not stone blind), or even acknowledge her, or call Belle overrated. Belle is kind of a self-insert (probably why her fans get so defensive the few times she gets criticism- they must take it as criticism about them) who's never allowed to be wrong in the movie, which always irked me. And it's annoying that poor Snow White is constantly bashed as stupid for making an honest mistake out of politely and naivete, while Belle willingly makes some of the least intelligent choices of all the DPs and is smart enough to know better, so why's she hailed as the token smart girl? Because she reads? Well, I guess 50 Shades Fans are inherently all smart too.

Both Aurora and Snow White are exceptionally well done in the context of their film. I've always felt that Snow White in particular is unfairly underrated as a great role model and influence for anyone. As for Belle, she isn't perfect, no one is and that is a common misconception by her detractors.

Though I think Esmeralda- and the other non-Princesses do in general (like Kida for some reason, who came off as a flat character to me)- do get a lot of love online. I actually find Cindy and Anna both underrated. Well, more Anna, since Cinderella's gotten a bit more respect over the years, but she's still gotten a lot of hate and victim-blaming for "letting" her stepfamily hurt her. She's not perfect by any means- she has a temper, she's just good at hiding it, she's pretty snarky, and was kind of careless a few times. Honestly, I think she's the most realistic of the old DPs. I find her very relatable. As for Anna, she get shoved aside by the genuinely overrated Elsa, who is just liked for being sexual and having powers. Anna is very warm and the movie wasn't shy about calling out her bad qualities, as much as it did the good ones.

Anna is very likable and very enjoyable, Frozen wouldn't be what it is without her. As for Cinderella, the problems with that film aren't with the title character. It's a bit of a sell out film and heavily distracted by things that don't contribute to the main story arc.

As for Ariel, yeah, I think her fans are a little TOO passionate about her. Though I will admit she did set a standard for 90s heroines and is iconic. She's a fairly realistic teenage girl, and she gets hate for that sometimes. I'm all right with her now, though I used to despise her when I was younger. Personally I find Mulan WAY more overrated, as she has no real flaws and is too idealized for me to relate to at all. She just magically goes from an awkward dope at the beginning of the movie to an uber-competent person and even better fighting than all the more experienced warriors around her? And I'll probably get attacked for that too- Mulan fans don't typically take well to differing opinions.

I don't think Mulan is overrated, but she isn't a great enough character to save her problematic movie. And yes, us Ariel fans are passionate, but what else would you expect from such a wonderful character?

At the end of the day, I don't feel any Disney female is underrated, they are all viewed with the respect they deserve. I also don't believe that any are overrated except for Jasmine who doesn't go far beyond being a plot device. Not a bad combination of observations from an Ariel fan and occasional Belle defender.

"If life is getting you down and needs uplifting, then please come dance with me!"

[–] number9-4 9 years ago

Belle is kind of a self-insert (probably why her fans get so defensive the few times she gets criticism- they must take it as criticism about them) who's never allowed to be wrong in the movie, which always irked me.

I think you're onto something there. Maybe that's why Belle seems kind of dull to me, because they intentionally left her personality vague enough for as many girls to relate to her as possible (like people say about Bella Swan, whom I'm sure most Belle fans hate, but I have to admit, reminds me of her - the name, rather bland personality, brown hair/eyes, raised by father only, the love of books, the ambiguously abusive non-human boyfriend. I'm sure Stephenie Meyer was inspired by Disney's Belle in creating Bella, even if only subconsciously).

And yeah, she is portrayed as a total Mary Sue, even though she actually does do some stupid and not-so-nice things (the infamous West Wing incident, manipulating Cogsworth with flattery into showing her around so she could disobey the Beast. Not to mention, I always got the impression she wasn't nice to Gaston because she felt bad for him or something, but that she was just kind of being phony. It almost would have been "nicer" to just say to the guy, "Sorry, I'm not interested!" *cue argument from Belle-defenders that she probably did say that to him off-screen and we just don't see it, as though we can actually pretend fictional characters do things we aren't privy to*).

As for Cinderella, I will admit, it's been a long time since I saw her movie, so maybe I would appreciate her more if I saw it again with more mature eyes.

And Anna, I don't dislike, per se, but I just hate how much they overdid the awkward thing. I don't think Elsa is overrated because she cares about her family and her people more than anything, but at the same time, is not a perfect Mary Sue and has weak moments (snapping at Anna at the coronation, not to mention, her entire story arc revolves around doubting herself).

You make a good point about Mulan. I could never really put a finger on why I didn't warm up to her all that much, but I think you're right - She basically goes from being Anna to being Merida on steroids, and it just makes her a little too unrealistic and perfect. I know Disney felt the need to cater to the '90s notion of girl power, but realistically, how is going to war in place of your father but sucking at it any less honorable than going to war in place of your father and becoming this awesome fighter? If anything, it's more honorable to persevere for your father's sake even if you're really awful at what you're doing. It should be her intentions that count, but people lose sight of those and just focus on how "cool" it is that she becomes a skilled female warrior.

[–] LostKiera 8 years ago

(like people say about Bella Swan, whom I'm sure most Belle fans hate, but I have to admit, reminds me of her - the name, rather bland personality, brown hair/eyes, raised by father only

Nitpicking here: Bella was raised mostly by her mum. Twilight starts with her moving to live with her dad who she barely knows.

[–] number9-4 8 years ago

Well, fair enough. But the fact that, in the teenage years they both lived with only a father, is still rather unusual.

[–] tanisaur 9 years ago

Favourites- Mulan, Belle, Pocahontas, Kida, Esmeralda, Jane, Snow White
Least favourites- Ariel, Cinderella, Aurora, Anna

[–] ZakkWyldeMyLittlePony 9 years ago

Overrated: Jasmine. Has an overly sexualized appearance (I know people might say the same about Ariel, but she's a sea creature, not a human) and is just plain weak. The Walt era princesses aren't weak to me, I find Jasmine weak.

Underrated: Aurora. I find her underplayed.

RIP
Jeff Hanneman
1964-2013

[–] ricky_says_hi 9 years ago

I think Ariel is underrated, because she's criticised too much for her flaws. A good character can be flawed and still lovable. Ariel feels realistic because she makes mistakes and has personality flaws. Belle meanwhile feels almost too much like someone written so that people can go "oh isn't she a good role model for girls". I like her as a character but I find Ariel more appealing because she's more realistic.

I find Pocahontas underrated as a character too. It's mostly down to Irene Bedard's great performance but I've always been invested in her. A Disney heroine who is willing to defy her father and people to save hundreds of lives gets a big thumbs up from me.

[–] number9-4 9 years ago

Belle meanwhile feels almost too much like someone written so that people can go "oh isn't she a good role model for girls".

I think that's part of my problem with Belle. She doesn't want to marry the hot guy, she reads a lot, she sees inner beauty, she's heroic and loyal to her family. It's just a little much. Most of the other DPs have a few of those qualities, but not all.

[–] magnusplin 8 years ago

Aurora, Snow White, Pocahontas, and Tiana are all criminally underrated.
Elsa and Jasmine are overrated, especially Elsa.

[–] number9-4 8 years ago

Aurora, Snow White, Pocahontas, and Tiana are all criminally underrated.
Elsa and Jasmine are overrated, especially Elsa.

Jasmine, I think is just a little stale, at this point. Back in 1992 or whenever her movie came out, I think she *was* pretty much the first princess to have attitude and challenge societal norms. But now they pretty much all do that, so people instead focus on, "Why is Jasmine so whiny when she's a rich princess?" (which is a silly argument -- she was being forced to marry some guy she didn't know at 15; that's pretty much equivalent to human trafficking, yet she's supposed to just get over it because, hey, at least she lives in a pretty palace?) and, "She's just a love interest to Aladdin," (which has nothing to do with her personality, similar to how people don't like Aurora because she's only in the movie for 20 minutes).

I consider Tiana to be Belle 2.0, pretty much. I like her movie, but she's just a little too much of a perfect role model trope for me to consider a favorite. It's like that thing where people supposedly vote for the presidential candidate they'd rather have a beer with, even if the other one is more qualified. Tiana is a great role model, but -- at least the way she's represented in most of her movie -- I wouldn't necessarily want to hang out with her.

[–] 8 years ago

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