Rapunzel

Rapunzel is the main protagonist in Disney's 2010 hit film Tangled. Her voice and likeness are provided by Mandy Moore

Biography
Born on May 14, Rapunzel is not a typically noble Disney Princess. She carries her signature blonde hair, which is said to be 70 feet in length; it has a magical ability that can both heal completely and reverse aging when she sings a special song. Kidnapped by Mother Gothel when Rapunzel was still an infant, Rapunzel had been raised and locked away in a tower up until her 18th birthday. However, she does view Mother Gothel as her maternal mother despite being kidnapped. Rapunzel spends her time painting, cooking, candle-making, reading, brushing her hair, playing with Pascal, observing the outside world from within the tower, singing, and interacting with Mother Gothel. Being immersely fascinated by the floating lanterns that took place on her birthday every year, Rapunzel begins to develop a sense of curiosity and seeks to fulfill the dream of seeing those "lights in the sky" one day. However, she does not overcome Mother Gothel's strict guardianship and thus has been staying in the tower, longing for the day when her life begins.

Personality
Rapunzel is a spirited, clever, kind and playful girl in her teens, though a bit naive. However, she is not afraid to stand up for herself or others when the situation calls for the bravery. Having spent all of her life isolated in a tower with little else to do, she is very proficiently educated in literature, and

talented in almost all areas such as music and baking and even more advanced subjects like astronomy as illustrated by her completely charted astronomical patterns; her greatest passion is art as indicated by the pervasive amount of painting on the walls inside the tower. While she longs to see the world beyond her window, she is very obedient to Mother Gothel Despite having ambivalent feelings after leaving her tower in excitement to finally see the world, she confronts and rebels against Mother Gothel's wish of her returning to the tower after a short journey with Flynn Rider. She is quite daring; leaping from tall cliffs and swinging great lengths with her hair. She is completely immune to Flynn's so-called charms and has little tolerance for his antics, usually responding in turn by smacking him on the head with her frying pan. She also seems to be very charismatic, able to get a group of hardened thugs to confess their dreams and convince Maximus, the captain of the guards horse, to postpone his pursuit of Flynn until she fulfills her dream on her birthday (which is heavily emphasized).

She has great determination to live out her dream of seeing the floating lights, ignoring all plots by Flynn to get her to return to her tower, but shows a little regret before actually fulfilling it, in fear of either it not living up to her expectations or losing the one thing she's yearned for all of her life. But with help from Flynn she realizes that once one dream is fulfilled, another one will take its place.

Powers and Abilities
Rapunzel once owned 70 feet worth of golden head hair with various magical properties. During the first 18 years of her life, Rapunzel's hair made her grow a beautiful, active, and healthy child and teen. Her hair channeled hidden solar energy stored in her heart into the outside world. It could heal injuries, warn off diseases, and purify age and beauty, granting limited immortality. These abilities are possible only when she or someone who is touching her hair sung a magical spell. Whenever this spell was sung, her hair radiated pure light. Her hair also possessed a limited prehensile ability, gripping and lifting objects that were far more heavier than Rapunzel herself without putting her in any strain. Whenever her hair was cut off, it would turn change into dark brown and loose its magic.



Rapunzel also had a small degree of superhuman strength. Her hair appeared to be weightless whenever she carried it. A hair that long would slow down a person and cause neck damage, a fact that Rapunzel never showed. Using her hair, Rapunzel could lift and pull objects that were far off heavier than she was.

She had also shown great agility with her hair such as climbing high altitudes and jumping off such without the slightest effort. Her speed was also altered, mainly because a hair that long would probably slow her down.

Like Ariel, Rapunzel has shown easy adaptability. The second she touched grass, Rapunzel somehow connected with nature, probably because her powers onced belonged to a flower. Interestly enough, she was once trapped in an underwater cave and seemingly was able to swim and dive, a feat that would be doubtful because she has never been taught to do so.

When her hair was cut off, Rapunzel lost her her abilities. However, the solar energy that saved her mother was still stored in her heart. Instead of being channeled through her hair, it could be channeled by her tears, or in other words, love.

Appearances
*Spoiler Alert* Tangled

When Rapunzel's mother, who is a Queen, falls ill, her subjects concocted a special tea from a magical plant grown from a drop of sunlight. The tea restores the queen's health and gives the unborn Rapunzel magical healing powers (located in her long hair). However, an evil and jealous woman named Mother Gothel kidnaps Rapunzel soon after birth, as she had wanted the plant's magical abilities for herself. Mother Gothel locks Rapunzel in a tower away from the outside world, and tells Rapunzel that the world is full of horrible things and horrible people. Rapunzel was also never informed of her status as a princess.

Ever year, Rapunzel witnesses a festival of lights in a nearby kingdom, unaware that it is in remembrance of her kidnapping when she was a baby. She dreams of one day going to the kingdom to see the festival. One Rapunzel's eighteenth birthday, she gathers the courage to ask Mother Gothel to go see the festival. Mother Gothel bluntly refuses, and orders Rapunzel not to ask to leave the tower again. A while later, Flynn Rider, a handsome thief, decides to use Rapunzel's tower as a hiding place after stealing the crown jewels. Rapunzel takes the satchel containing the jewels, and convinces Flynn to help her escape the tower to see the festival in exchange for the satchel. To get rid of Mother Gothel, Rapunzel asks her to travel to bring her white paint, which would take three days.

Rapunzel and Flynn leave the tower, and after several mishaps, arrive at the festival. Rapunzel learns that Flynn's real name is Eugene Fitzherbert and she starts addressing him as Eugene. At one point, Rapunzel reveals her backstory to Eugene. According to Mother Gothel, people wanted Rapunzel because of her magic hair, and so she was locked in the tower for her safety. However, if her hair is ever cut, it would lose its power. However, Mother Gothel learns that Rapunzel has left, and she confronts Rapunzel at the festival. When Rapunzel refuses to go back home, Mother Gothel hires two thugs to kidnap her. Mother Gothel fakes Rapunzel's rescue and takes Rapunzel back to the tower. However, through her paintings and a flag she collected at the festival, she realizes that the symbol for the kingdom is the same as the symbols she paints. This awakens Rapunzel's early memories, and she realizes that she is the lost princess of the kingdom.

Eugene soon arrives, and attempts to rescue Rapunzel. However, he is stabbed by Mother Gothel and is near death. Rapunzel wants to use her magic hair to heal him and tells Mother Gothel that she will go with her if she lets her do so. Mother Gothel agrees, but Eugene doesn't want this to happen. Believing Rapunzel deserves her freedom, he cuts her hair and it turns brown. Because the magic disappears. Mother Gothel ages and goes up in dust. While trying to say goodbye to the dying Eugene, Rapunzel inadvertently heals Eugene with one of her tears.

The next scene shows Rapunzel at the castle, reuniting with her parents. Ending narration reveals that Eugene proposed to Rapunzel after several years, and the two were married. The narration also states that Rapunzel ruled the kingdom for many years.

Disneyland Resort
She, along with Flynn Ryder, are making appearances ahead of the movie's release at all Disney theme parks worldwide. At Disneyland, both Rapunzel and Flynn are in the Fantasyland section in their own little chalet, with a facade incorporating Rapunzel's Tower.

Walt Disney World Resort
At Disney World, they can be found in the former "Belle's Storytime" stage in the Magic Kingdom, and at Epcot in the Germany section. With the Fantasyland Expansion currently in progress, Rapunzel will eventually become part of the Princess Fantasy Faire meet and greet location, planned to replace Snow White's Scary Adventures

Bonus Information

 * Rapunzel was originally to have been voiced by Broadway actress and singer Kristen Chenoweth, but was later replaced by singer-songwriter Mandy Moore.
 * Rapunzel is the second Disney Princess to have her hair cut after Mulan in 1998. However, she is the first to have the colour of her hair completely changed.
 * Rapunzel is the first Disney Princess to be animated in 3D.
 * For the first time, special software had to be used in order to animate Rapunzel's hair, since no one has animated that much hair before.
 * Up until the release of Tangled, the Disney Princess possessing the longest hair was none other than Jasmine.
 * Rapunzel is the first blonde Disney Princess since Aurora in 1959.
 * With short hair brown hair, Rapunzel bears a shocking resemblance to her voice actress, Mandy Moore. Coincidentally, Mandy Moore is known for often changing her hairstyle and color from brown to blonde and back again.
 * Although Rapunzel is based on the character from the classic fairy tale, she is altered quite a bit in order to develop a more adventurous and outgoing personality, and further diversify the romantic relationship between her and her rescuer.
 * Although Rapunzel is based on the character from the classic fairy tale, she is altered quite a bit in order to develop a more adventurous and outgoing personality, and further diversify the romantic relationship between her and her rescuer.