There are many ways to measure strength. Emotional strength, having a strong sense of self, standing up for one’s belief, physical strength, and even mental strength. Each and every Disney princess shows a certain degree of strength in their own unique and wonderful way. Cinderella has the mental strength to not allow her family to affect how she sees herself or treats others. Rapunzel has the strength to disobey her “mother” and seek independence from her unsafe home environment. Snow White runs away from everything she has ever known and finds the strength to find a way to survive in order to keep herself safe. And Ariel has the strength to pursue her dream, even when the whole ocean is against her.
Today, we will be looking at all of these different kinds of strength through the two princesses who are most commonly considered the most stereotypical strong princesses of the bunch.
11. Both: Acknowledge The Power of Family
There is power in numbers and it is important to note that one can glean a large amount of strength from leaning on those who have your back, no matter what. Mulan knows that her family is there for her, even when they seem to reject her for being who she is. She still puts her own life on the line in order to protect her father.
And Elsa learns that she can’t simply keep repressing everything and acting like that is okay. Isolation is not the answer, finding support in one’s loved ones is. Both women learn this by the end of their respective movies.
10. Mulan: Understands Importance Of Asking For Help
One of the most important aspects of Mulan’s film is the fact that she is never hestitant to ask for help. Even when she is convinced that her fellow soldiers have turned on her due to her secret being exposed. They don’t have to like her, they just have to help her.
She understands the fact that an army is much more powerful than a single soldier and does not struggle with the need to face the enemy alone that many heroes seem to struggle with.
9. Elsa: Can Control The Elements
Having the ability to control the elements of the Earth is a truly powerful skillset. Those who are able to manipulate the elements have unparalleled levels of physical strength.
Though Elsa considered herself a monster in her youth for her powers, it was wonderful seeing her learn to embrace this part of her as her story progressed.
8. Mulan: Military Training
Basic training is truly hard on the body and anyone who is able to successfully complete it must have a certain level of strength. One cannot simply luck their way through it nor can they get by without putting in their full effort.
Despite roadblocks at the start of her training, Mulan was able to successfully complete it in the end and that means that she is a truly strong and powerful woman.
7. Both: Dealt With Parents Disapproval
No matter how old someone gets, they are still their parents’ child. And feeling like you are not good enough for those parents or are seen as lesser in their eyes, can truly hurt. Mulan felt like who she was as a person was simply not good enough in the eyes of her parents and that her continued presence would provide nothing but disappointment. Elsa was taught by her own parents that she was a dangerous monster that needed to be locked away.
In their respective films, both women learned how to handle this rejection and learned how to accept themselves regardless of what their parents thought of them. And being able to truly reject that inherent need for approval takes a lot of strength to do.
6. Elsa: Nearly Ended The World
Though it was not her intention to do so when she decided to let go of the rules and boundaries forced on her by her late parents, it is important to note that her outburst at the party and the subsequent musical number plunged the world (or at least Arendelle) into an eternal winter.
If Elsa is able to wreak that much havoc without even knowing, imagine the level of destruction that she could achieve if she did so on purpose.
4. Mulan: Took Down Shan-Yu
Mulan should be applauded for being able to take down Shan-Yu. He is one of the most fearsome, ruthless, and powerful villains in the Disney oeuvre. He delighted in taking down a small child and her village and the mere mention of his name was enough to terrify most.
Mulan took him down on that rooftop single-handedly (for the most part) and that is not only brave but an incredibly impressive feat of strength and power.
3. Elsa: Will Kill To Protect Self
When Hans decided to “rescue” Elsa from her ice castle, his men took a very offensive position and it made it very clear that their mission was not one of goodwill and that they intended on taking her down and making it look like an accident.
When she sensed that something was off, she protected herself against those who sought to destroy her and nearly ended the lives of two guards (by rather brutal means) in the process. It was clear in this scene that she was holding back out of fear and one could only imagine would could have occurred if she simply let it go.
2. Both: Realized The Power Of Being Themselves
Both of these films explore the importance of being oneself: a lesson that viewers of all ages can learn from. Mulan learns that she does not have to be the person that people expect her to be and that the best thing that she can be is simply herself.
And Elsa learns to trust in the person that she knows she is and not the monster that those who do not have her best interests at heart tell her she is. They both learn to embrace who they are and find the strength that comes from that decision.
1. Winner: Mulan
Though Elsa is a powerful being who can control the elements, Mulan is a girl who stood up to her parents, a sexist society, those who betrayed her, and her own self-doubt in order to take down the most deadly villain Disney has ever seen. She saved all of China from those who sought to destroy it and encouraged those around her to question the way they view the world and themselves as well.
She encompassed all of the different kinds of strength in her film and used them to her advantage. She explored themes of mental strength, physical strength, and the strength one needs to embrace who they are in the face of adversity and rebuttal.
