Sofia the First (character)

Princess Sofia is the main protagonist of the Disney Junior series Sofia the First. She is voiced by Ariel Winter.

Sofia is a little girl with a commoner's background until her mother marries the King of Enchancia and she suddenly becomes Royalty. Sofia learns that looking like a Princess isn't all that hard, but behaving like one must come from the heart.

Background
Sofia is a young girl of humble origins who lives with her mother Miranda. (Her biological father is absent for unknown reasons.) She becomes royalty after her mother's remarriage to King Roland II. Being new to the entire princess legacy, Sofia attends the Royal Prep Academy where Flora, Fauna and Merryweather teach her the books about what being a princess is all about. However, Sofia is caught between two messages - is being a princess about the fancy dress or the power of love? It is up to her animals, led by Clover the rabbit, and a powerful amulet, to set her on the path of the heart.

Personality
Sofia has a pure heart. Since she was originally a mere commoner, she retained a very carefree personality, and was once seen to enjoy sliding down the rails of the staircase. Her outcast-like behavior often puts her at odds with her sister Amber, who was apparently jealous of Sofia due to her social talents. Often times, the firm Hildegard is a little thrown off by her vivacious personality. She can be quite gullible when around Cedric the Sorcerer. When she was new to the Royal game, she often let Amber tow her around, and had to be brought to her senses by Miranda. Sofia and Amber clash due to Amber loving large events while Sofia prefers quaint things, like the maze of secret gardens. They also, most dramatically, have different views on the value of looks and other material things. Sofia prefers the power of the heart, while Amber is more focused on physical value. This makes them two completely different types of princess and will most likely lead to two completely different paths as they grow. Due to past magical experiences, Sofia is usually very careful and hesitant when using active magic, respecting its power and what it's capable of, whether it's done correctly or incorrectly.

Physical appearance
Sofia is an 8-year old girl with shoulder-length wavy auburn hair. She has fair skin with rosy cheeks and large light blue eyes. Sofia's prominent princess gown has a lilac color and comes with a crystal tiara inset with diamonds and pearls, which also decorate her dress. Around her neck, she wears the royal family's amulet called the Amulet of Avalor, which gives her powers for deeds of pure good, the only ones she currently has being the ability to talk to animals and transform into a mermaid and back, though the amulet also curses her when she does something bad, such as making her croak when she bragged about singing the Enchancia Anthem to her friends.

Powers and Abilities
Although a young girl, Sofia has displayed various skills, abilities, and magical potential.
 * The Amulet of Avalor: This magical amulet, gifted to her by her stepfather, grants Sofia the power to talk to animals (for which the amulet blessed her when she helped a baby bird back into its nest). When she brags about her singing at the Harvest Festival, the amulet temporarily ruins her voice, making her have bouts of croaking until she made things right which breaks the curse. When she helps Oona the mermaid out of a fishnet, the amulet blesses her with the ability to transform into a mermaid and gain everything that comes with it including the ability to breathe underwater. The Amulet also gives her the ability to shrink herself at will; she can even shrink what she is wearing to scale. Sofia started off wearing the Amulet merely to keep her promise to her father, though she did think it was lovely at the start. But only after it was briefly stolen by the Baby Griffin did Sofia begin to truly appreciate it. When Amber seeks it, Sofia reveals that it is special. By the time Miss Nettle seeks it, Sofia uses the promise as an excuse for not removing the Amulet and giving it to her, when her true reason is that it has become important to her.
 * Flying Horseriding: In "Just One of the Princes", Sofia tried out for the Royal Prep Flying Derby team, with Minimus as her steed. After hard work and training, she managed to win her spot on the team, and became a skilled flying horse-rider. She uses those skills later to rescue Clover from Boswell, then to chase Wormwood, the latter event occurring in her regular dress. This leads to James desiring her as his teammate. Her skills have grown to the point where she could teach herself how to drive a flying coach and ride a gryffin.
 * Magic: In "Cedric's Apprentice", Sofia began lessons in magic and sorcery, first having trouble with a spell to turn things into rubies. But with her temporary sorcery-teacher, Cedric the Sorcerer, she soon masters the ability to cast spells although it requires a wand. This comes in handy later when she frees the headmistresses from their bubble. However, after her first try at spell-casting when she put everyone attending her first ball to sleep, she remains cautious about bold magical attempts, even in measuring magical plant food. However, her skill has greatly increased, allowing her to break a bubble trapping the headmistresses in one try. As Cedric's apprentice, Sofia got to clean Cedric's books, enabling her to know of a few spells, such as one concerning animal-human transformation that came up when she later turned into a cat. In a rare exception of recklessness around magic, Sofia tested Cedric's new Duplication Spell on herself, despite the food-loving Clover advising her to copy the apple she had tried it out on first four or five more times. This recklessness led to the creation of Sofia the Worst. Her magical skills and knowledge have grown to the point where she's the top student in Sorcery Class.
 * Swordsmanship: In "Baileywick's Day Off", during a game of pirates, Sofia displayed competent skills with a sword (albeit a toy one), to keep her brother James on his toes and even disarm him. It's unknown where she gained these skills.
 * Various Buttercup Girl Scout Skills: As a Buttercup Scout, Sofia has learned many outdoor skills, such as wood-gathering, identifying various herbs, survival skills, etc.
 * Leadership: Sofia displayed potential and competency as a leader, when she led her fellow Buttercups in making a sled so they could hurry an ill Baileywick to get treatment at the castle. When Roland was lost in a snowstorm, she ordered the animals of the woods to find him and bring back proof. When rescuing Clover from Boswell, she used strategy with Mia, Robin, Crackle and Minimus, tricking Boswell into choosing her for a magic trick and repeatedly impeding him from holding on to Clover for long until Crackle shook him off for good with a fiery blast. When defeating Miss Nettle with Cedric, she begins to develop her cunning by using Clover's chewing ability with Wormwood's wings to get a spare wand for Cedric when his original wand is damaged, then uses his Morpho Mirrors trick to trap Miss Nettle. When the island she is having a picnic with her mother and siblings is levitated, her quick wit is used again when she tries to pull them down to a neighboring island with her allies and a rope. Sofia, however, often has difficulty seeing other people's viewpoints, but if she knows those views, she uses them well to her advantage. She also, especially with Amber, is good at winning arguments over opinions on how things should be run. Sofia has recently proven to be good at thinking through how to solve difficult tasks, such as finding the answer to an ogre's riddle, then at figuring out how to make a good science project without Hocus Crocus. When James becomes King For The Day, she proves to be a competent Royal Adviser. Sofia, unlike James, easily takes advice and learns well from experience. Her physical prowess improves after taking Roland's advice and running a race course as a cat in "When You Wish Upon a Well". However, when around figures of authority, even her siblings, Sofia can be overpowered.
 * Sofia's Heart: Many times, Sofia has shown compassion, kindness and resolve, all of which have helped her overcome the challenges that she has faced as a princess, as well as helping others. She never gives up, always finds a way to succeed and the goodness of her heart has helped others in ways that only kindness and patience can. Her heart is her most prized feature, valued by her allies, especially Fauna and Clover. Her corset and tiara, as well as her chest with her possessions that she had as a cobbler's daughter, have heart designs. Her heart, like all gifts, has its downsides - One of her biggest weaknesses is that though she asks why things are the way they are, she does not want her own world to change. This becomes clear in her feeling left out when Ruby and Jade play with Amber. It links to her being very protective and possessive of people and things she values. Sofia can be flexible, but it is hard to do. Sofia wants to please everyone and make the best impression, making her vulnerable to peer pressure. She dislikes being alone, for when she is alone, her inner vulnerability often surfaces. Despite being claimed as independent, Flora's drawing of her in RPA to help her learn the school motto shows a significantly different outcome for her in the end. Sofia is selflessly willing to help Amber out after she cheats in the RPA Halloween costume contest by using Cedric's magic and needs the Amulet of Avalor to remove her butterfly wings, for instance. Sofia's heart does not blind her cunning, which she uses to guide the cowardly Desmond and discover Amber's sudden desire for the amulet. Despite appearing to be gullible around Cedric, Sofia is very intuitive of trouble when Miss Nettle is around. Sofia's heart has led to her favoring group over individual effort, as shown in her dislike of her friends' competitive behavior in "Enchanted Science Fair". It has also helped her handle dangerous animals with the Amulet by talking to them, as shown in her mediating with Wilbur the Wombeast and the Jade Jaguar.
 * Intelligence and Patience: While Sofia's greatest assets are the power of her heart and the moral strength that comes with it, Sofia prefers to rely on knowledge and patience. This is because after her first attempt at casting a spell, she came to value the slow and steady approch. Sofia places a lot of faith in books she has read, usually thinks things through, and, contrary to what her family and Admiral Hornpipe believe, she is a hardheaded pragmatist who does not believe that something is so until she knows for sure that it is so and is very practical and realistic. She has a hunger for knowledge that makes her find out stuff that other people, especially Roland, usually overlook, like the fact that the "troll attack" King Gideon supposedly stopped was in fact a huge misunderstanding. This has also given her superb detective skills. However, her cautious approach does have its limits. As shown in the Floating Palace after Oona was kidnapped, when people she cares about are in danger, Sofia instantly throws caution to the winds and begins making decisions she usually refuses to make because she considers them too reckless and irresponsible.
 * Athletic Prowess: Despite initially being clumsy, Sofia has shown that she possesses superb athletic prowess. She was strong enough to throw Prince Hugo off his horse and into the haystacks and the RPA fountain, despite the fact that Hugo is bigger. She also posses great stamina as shown when she marched through a jungle all the way to the Jade Jaguar's cave, a feat that easily tired out Amber and Jun. Her prowess was heighted when she retained the cat reflexes she gained after Amber accidently turned her into a cat. Her athletic prowess has grown to the point where both the Dunwiddie Ducks and Royal Redhawk's wanted her to be on their team for the King's Cup.
 * Micromanagement and Resourcefulness: Like her friend Prince Desmond, Sofia values careful planning and is very resourceful. She is able to plan very far ahead. It is the second reason she has superb detective skills and why she is very cunning and why she is very good at riddles. It has also made her a very fast learner.
 * Discerning Mind and Attention to Detail: Sofia has shown that she's very good at detective work. This is due to her intelligence, resourcefulness, and her having a keen eye for detail. This is shown when she figures out that Amber gave her the trick shoes on purpose and that Tizzy enchanted Ruby's go-carriage so the pedals would move on their own and saw through Amber's and Ruby's lies to the contray and when she figured out Slickwell's plot against Baileywick. It's the second reason Sofia is good at solving riddles.
 * Quick Thinking and Creativity: Despite being a micromanager, Sofia also values quick thinking and is able to improvise. She is able to come up with plans on the spot. She is also very creative to the point where it was why she made an excellent royal adviser.

Songs Sung by Sofia
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Season One

 * I'm Not Ready To Be A Princess
 * A Little Bit Of Food
 * True Sisters
 * Rise and Shine
 * Princess Things
 * Anything
 * Perfect Slumber Party
 * Make Some Noise
 * All You Need
 * Blue Ribbon Bunny
 * I Belong
 * (You Can Always) Count On Baileywick
 * Picnic of the Year
 * Good Little Witch
 * The Ride of Your Lives
 * Bring My Best Friend Back
 * I'll Get My/That Amulet
 * We're Buttercups
 * Enchancia Anthem
 * Make It Right
 * A Recipe for Adventure
 * The Simple Life
 * Merroway Cove
 * The Love We Share
 * Wassailia
 * Peace and Joy
 * Royal Fun
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Season Two

 * Sisters and Brothers
 * Me and My Mom
 * Friendship is the Formula
 * Be Your Own King
 * Believe in Your Dream
 * Mystic Meadows
 * Stronger Than You Know
 * A Princess True
 * Know It All
 * Helping Hand
 * I Feel So Free
 * Never Forget The Sorcerer's Secret
 * Hoppin' Out With You
 * Play With Us
 * It's a Small New World
 * Improvise
 * Any Deed For Those In Need
 * My First Flight
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Season Three

 * Moment to Shine
 * A Better Me
 * Save The Day
 * }

Disney Parks
Sofia made her theme park character debut during the taping of the Walt Disney World segments of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade special at the Magic Kingdom on December 1, 2012. The fully-costumed character is part of the Disney Junior Live theme park meet and greets at Disney California Adventure, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Walt Disney Studios Park. Her first appearance away from the theme parks was at the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll along with Jake.

Disney Junior Live!
New segments in the Disney Junior Live! show featuring both Sofia and Doc McStuffins replaced Handy Manny and Little Einsteins in February 2013 at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure.

Trivia

 * Despite being a princess and being directly affiliated with Disney Princesses in her show, Sofia will not join the official line-up because she is too young.
 * Similar to Cinderella, she has a rags-to-riches story and has a stepsister who was once antagonistic, but became softer in the climax. Unlike Cinderella, Sofia's stepsister has been a princess her entire life.
 * Unlike Cinderella, Sofia moved into her stepfamily's home instead of the other way around.
 * Her hard work of learning to be a princess is similar to that of Cinderella and Tiana when she's trying to do her best while being herself.
 * Sofia is the first princess to have a stepfather rather than the typical stepmother. Plus her stepparent isn't wicked and neither are her stepsiblings, though Amber is briefly jealous and struggles with materialism. Amber and Sofia frequently quarrel over this difference in values, though they resolve these arguments, very often with Sofia winning.
 * Sofia is one of the few protagonists who isn't aware of the antagonist.
 * Also, Sofia is the first princess to have to deal with more than one main antagonist, though Ariel, Belle and Jasmine all got new foes in sequels and shows.
 * Sofia is the third princess with side-parted hair - the first was Ariel and the second Rapunzel. This also applies to all three having tomboyish lips. Anna and Elsa are the fourth and fifth of those two categories.
 * Sofia is the third Disney heroine to be artistic - Jane Porter was the first, and Rapunzel the second. This is shown in Sofia's drawing of herself and Miranda, as well as her painting of Minimus.
 * Sofia is the fourth heroine to be a good seamstress - the first was Cinderella, the second was Esmeralda, and the third was Rapunzel.
 * She is the fourth heroine to be transformed magically - Cinderella was the first, Ariel the second, and Tiana the third. So far she has been transformed into a lizard, a mermaid, and most recently a cat, making her the only heroine to have taken at least three distinct forms besides her human form throughout her depiction.
 * Sofia is the sixth heroine to wear a corset, the previous five being Aurora, Ariel, Esmeralda, Rapunzel and Merida.
 * Each Disney Princess she's met has taught her something important. Cinderella taught her about forgivness, Jasmine demonstrated to her not to be afraid to take charge and try something new, Belle showed her that actions speak louder then words especially when it comes to making things right. Ariel helped her learn emphathy and to see through others eyes and create teamwork based on that. Aurora reminded her that you can ask others for help. Snow White taught her to trust her instincts. Mulan taught her to find her courage. Rapunzel actually helped Amber understand why Sofia was mad and how to fix the curse on her. Tiana explained that true gifts come from the heart. Merida advised Sofia to always believe in herself and that she can accomplish anything if she does.
 * Sofia is the eighth Disney heroine who can sew. Snow White was the first, Cinderella was the second, Wendy Darling was the third, Eilonwy was the fourth, Esmeralda was the fifth, Giselle was the sixth, and Rapunzel was the seventh.
 * Sofia's transformation into a mermaid is almost similar to Madison's from the 1984 film Splash. When her feet make contact with the water they turn into a mermaid tail. This is also a reference to the mermaid Marina, whom Ariel Winter voices in Jake and the Never Land Pirates.
 * Like Frodo Baggins, Sofia's name means "wisdom". She hails from humble origins, and bears an enticing enchanted object of great power that has mythological origins. The One Ring is based off of the Ring of Gawain, Sofia's amulet has shared properties with the Brisingamen.
 * Sofia is frequently compared to birds for some reason, possibly because of her often being between home and travel. This reason may be due to her being the teacher's pet of Fauna, which is thanks to her having the gift of song, like Princess Aurora.
 * In Sofia's stained-glass portrait, she interestingly is not wearing her Amulet, it being substituted by a cloak pin. She is also not drawn wearing the Amulet in Flora's picture of her.
 * Sofia, like her peer, Princess Vivian, can play multiple instruments, being the mandolin and later the recorder, as revealed in games.
 * Sofia has six tiaras in the pilot, then seven after "Just One of the Princes", when Amber gives her the Derby Tiara.
 * Sofia, like Kairi, is linked to water―young Kairi was even voiced by Ariel Winter.
 * Sofia shows throughout the second season starting with The Enchanted Feast that she has learned magical knowledge and detective skills.
 * Sofia may not have been a strong swimmer before she gained the ability to transform into a mermaid because in The Floating Palace, Miranda stated that Sofia isn't supposed to go swimming by herself. Later in "Cool Hand Fluke" while the Mantacorn chase, Sofia stated she can not swim very fast.
 * Sofia is very good at solving riddles.
 * Sofia has been sailing since she was four years old.
 * Currently as of "Cool Hand Fluke", three people got jealous of Sofia: her sister Amber, Jane and Fluke. Amber is often jealous in some episodes whenever Sofia gets more attention.