The Most Important Part of Frozen 2 Had Nothing to Do With Elsa
I went to see Frozen 2 for the second time with my daughter this afternoon. As always, Disney swept me off my feet with the magic of fireworks and perfectly timed thematic music. But this time I noticed something small. Something that made me even more of a fanatic frozen fan.
Its message.
Not the message of Elsa finding herself, or Ana getting up the courage to save everyone on her own.
No, the message I found most praise worthy came across more subtely. In fact,I bet most people glazed right over it. But this lesson, this idea is more world changing then finding out the truth of Elsa’s past.
Are you ready?
The greatest lesson in Frozen 2 is how to have a healthy, stable romantic relationship.
Yes.
More enticing then the magic and sparkling fantasy of going “Into the Unknown,” Frozen explains the complexities and the healthy boundaries of relationships. And they do this through Ana and Kristoff.
In Frozen, the original, Disney had me weak in my knees when they wrote Kristoff’s line asking Anna if he could kiss her. I mean, finally a children’s cartoon addressed the idea of consent in a cute and endearing way. I seriously gave them a standing ovation for that.
In Frozen 2, they take that role-modeling a step further with these moments:
1.Kristoff stands back while Anna holds Elsa’s hand through the mist
This was a huge theme of the movie. Kristoff knew Elsa was having a hard time and knew Anna wished to help her. In order to best support both of them, Kristoff stood back and waited to see how he could help.
2. Anna and Kristoff take quick moments to show their love for each other
Whether it was a hug or a shared smile, Anna and Kristoff took moments to remind each other of their love, even when the chaos of their adventure seemed consuming. It often wasn’t long dramatic or passionate, but that’s not how real life usually is. In real life, it’s those small, consistent gestures that really make a difference.
3. When Elsa and Anna decide to follow the north, Kristoff offers to help by driving not by taking charge.
Often the most helpful thing to do in relationships is offer to take a supportive job, such as driving, instead of taking leadership. Its so tempting to assume a leadership position, but I’ve found that a supportive role is usually more appreciated and helpful.
4. When Kristoff rescues Anna from the rock giants, the first words out of his mouth are, “I’m here. What do you need?”
Kristoff lets Anna know that he’s right there for her, immediately followed by asking how he can help her. I don’t know about you, but I think the most romantic thing in the world is when my husband stays by me, ready and willing to help when those hard times hit.
5. “My love is not fragile.”
I liked two things about this moment. First, Anna realized how her decision to leave without saying goodbye might have affected Kristoff then attempted to apologize for the hurt it caused him. Second, Kristoff saw her perspective, acknowledged why she had to leave him in the woods and decided to take the moment to show his support instead of wallowing in his hurt.
They both showed support. They both looked at it from the other’s perspective. Beautiful, right?