Aurora

Princess Aurora is the title character and main protagonist of Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty. She is the daughter of King Stefan and Queen Leah. She is also the third Disney Princess. She has been voiced by Mary Costa, Erin Torpey, and most recently, Jennifer Hale.

Appearance
Aurora is an extremely beautiful young woman with hair that is golden like sunshine, violet eyes, a petite figure, and lips that shame the red rose. She also carries a very slender figure. As a peasant, she wears a gray skirt with a white petticoat, a black bodice over a white blouse, and goes barefoot. After discovering her status as a princess, she wears a ball gown, that changes from blue to pink and back, due to Flora and Merryweather disagreeing on the color.

Personality
Aurora is often described as kind, elegant, playful, shy and sophisticated, as well as a hopeless romantic. At first, she is seen as a little naive and insecure as a result of being sheltered for most of her life. She's very fiercely loyal to her "aunts" and obeys their rules respectfully, no matter how much she dislikes them. In later media, she is shown to have matured and become more self-assured, independent and confident in her opinions and abilities.

Abilities
In Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams, Aurora was given a magic wand from Merryweather to use, and Aurora was able to wield its magical powers such as making two stacks of papers pick themselves up, transforming her nightgown into a ballgown with a dazzling necklace, matching earrings, and a jeweled tiara. She summoned chickens and cows and temporarily turned a man into a duck. Later in the story Aurora fixed her problems and gave away the cows to peasants, and Merryweather got her wand back.

In the original film, despite Aurora having been enchanted by Maleficent, a powerful sorceress, Aurora was strong enough to regain control of herself for a few seconds.

Sleeping Beauty
Aurora was named by her parents after the Roman Goddess of the Dawn because she filled their lives with sunshine. Soon after she was born, she was presented to the kingdom at a christening, where she was betrothed to Prince Phillip, the son of King Stefan's good friend King Hubert. Also invited were the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, who give blessings onto the newborn infant princess. Flora and Fauna give the infant princess the gifts of beauty and song, respectively. However, after Fauna gives her gift, the evil fairy Maleficent arrives. Angered because she wasn't invited to the ceremony, Maleficent puts a curse on baby Aurora. According to Maleficent, on Aurora's sixteenth birthday, she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. Maleficent disappears, leaving everyone in shock and horrified. Merryweather, who had not yet given her gift, could not lift the curse, but she could soften it. Instead of death, she would remedy the situation by placing Aurora on a sleeping spell, only to awake by true love's kiss if this was to happen.

Still fearful for the princess's safety, the three good fairies agree to hide the princess as a peasant for sixteen years, until the danger has past. They take the baby to a cottage in the forest and raise her, disguising themselves as her mortal aunts and renaming her Briar Rose.

On Aurora's sixteenth birthday, her "aunts" send her out into the forest, so that they can prepare her birthday party in secret. While Aurora is out in the forest. While Aurora is out, she dreams of meeting a handsome prince, while singing "Once Upon a Dream". At first, she is singing with her forest creature friends. But she soon meets with Prince Phillip, who followed her melodic voice. Not knowing who Phillip was, or of their betrothal, she believes him to be a stranger, and attempts to leave. However, she dances with him for a bit, and ends up falling in love. When he asked for her name, she questioned him then left, realizing she wasn't allowed to give her name to strangers. She does, however, tell him where she lives, and asks him to meet her there that night.

At home, Briar Rose comes home to a splendid birthday party. She tells her aunts about the young man that she met, but is confused when they aren't happy for her. Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather reveal Briar Rose's true identity as Princess Aurora, as well as the fact that she is betrothed. The fairies sadly explain that she can never see the young man again, not knowing that he was actually her betrothed. Heartbroken, Aurora breaks into tears as she heads upstairs to weep on her bed.

The fairies bring the upset Aurora back to her father's castle, take her to a room, and decide to leave her alone for a time. They conjure a crown and place it on her head so that she can eventually come to realize her royalty. While they are gone, Maleficent enchants the princess and leads her up an abandoned tower staircase. At the top floor within the empty room, Maleficent conjures a spinning wheel. The fairies realize the danger and frantically runs up the tower staircase to stop Aurora, but before they can, Maleficent forces the girl to prick her finger, invoking the curse. The fairies arrive, but run into Maleficent, who mocks them of their efforts to stop her, reveals the fallen princess, who have been cursed, before their eyes and vanishes.

The fairies put Aurora, now under an enchanted sleep, upon a bed within the top of the highest tower. While putting everyone else in the castle to sleep, the fairies discover that Phillip has been the man that Aurora met after overhearing King Hubert speak of the prince meeting a peasant girl. So the fairies go to the cottage to get Phillip, but are prompted to go to Forbidden Mountain, Maleficent's domain, after discovering that Maleficent has captured the prince. They rescue Phillip from the dungeon and arm him with the sword of truth and the shield of virtue, then have to fend off Maleficant's goons and finally exit from the Forbidden Mountain and head for Stefan's castle, but Maleficent conjures a forest of thorns to prevent further entrance but is hacked through by Phillip's sword. Angered at this, Maleficant suddenly appears in their way and transforms into a dragon. After defeating the dragon with help from the fairies, Phillip enters the castle and walk up the staircase to the tower room where Aurora is still sleeping on the bed. He gives her a kiss, True love's kiss, which finally awakens Aurora and breaks the curse. Aurora smiles after she realizes that her betrothed and her love are the same person.

The pair go down to meet Aurora's parents and Phillip's father, and Aurora kisses King Hubert on his cheek before sharing a dance with Phillip. While the couple dance, Flora and Merryweather reignite their rivalry on their respective colors as the two fairies relentlessly change the color on her dress with their magic. Aurora's dress keeps changing colors as she and Phillip continue dancing and share another kiss, with the final words in the book, below the illustration of the couple kissing (and the color of Aurora's dress still changing), reading "And they lived happily ever after."

Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams
Princess Aurora appears in the first Sleeping Beauty story, "Keys to the Kingdom", since the original film, this time as the main protagonist. In the story, Prince Phillip, King Hubert, King Stefan, and Queen Leah go off for a Royal Conference for two days. During this time Princess Aurora, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather are in charge of the Kingdom until they return. Throughout the segment, Aurora attempts to rely on staying calm during hectic situations but this proves to be a challenge. Later on, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather leave the castle to return Hubert's forgotten speech. Before she left, Merryweather allowed Aurora to use her magic wand during harsh times. Aurora initially thought of this as an easy way to avoid hassle, ignoring her original vow to stay calm. Soon enough, the magic causes more trouble than before having her result to her previous plans which prevail. Aurora succeeds and when the others return, they enjoy a banquette she prepared.

Mary Costa, the original voice of Aurora, was not fond of this story and felt that it did not work. 

House of Mouse
Aurora makes numerous cameo appearances in the television series House of Mouse. In "House of Genius", Aurora and Phillip were waiting to be welcomed by Donald but as he slept on the job she commented "and they call me Sleeping Beauty!". In "Ask Von Drake", during Ludwig Von Drake's song, Aurora slept at her time having Ludwig leave an alarm clock by her side. In "Jiminy Cricket", she was advised by Jiminy to use a sewing machine as apposed to a spinning wheel. She also appears in Mickey's Magical Christmas and briefly in Mickey's House of Villains.

Despite her status as a princess, she seems to prefer the simple peasant clothes she wore during her years in hiding as Briar Rose.

Kilala Princess
In the manga series Kilala Princes, Aurora is celebrating her 17th birthday when princesses Kilala and Sylphy, and prince Rei enter her world to find a magical gem. Kilala is mistaken for a maid due to her appearance and is forced to work. Aurora finds Kilala on the balcony and comforts her. She has been told that Kilala is in love with Rei, and tells her of her own story with Prince Phillip and what kept her love strong. The witch, Maleficent, emerges to curse Aurora with slumber once more, but Kilala shields the princess from harm, sacrificing herself in the process. Rei kisses Kilala and, through the kiss of true love, breaks the spell and defeats Maleficent. Aurora then gives Kilala a rose quartz, depicting the importance of being faithful to her dreams if she wants them to come true.

She is last seen witnessing Kilala receive her own special gem: an emerald.

Once Upon a Time
Aurora has a recurring role on the second season of the ABC television series Once Upon a Time. She is portrayed by Sarah Bolger. She was afflicted with the Sleeping Curse by Maleficent and it was revealed that her mother was afflicted with the same curse by Maleficent years before making her the second "Sleeping Beauty." She is cursed by Maleficent, who wanted revenge because her first attempt, to kill Aurora's mother, the original Sleeping Beauty, failed. Aurora began her slumber less than a year before the casting of the Dark Curse. The palace in which she slumbered was untouched by the curse. While she slumbered, Prince Phillip (portrayed by Julian Morris) and Mulan (portrayed by Jamie Chung) journeyed to find her. They were frozen for 28 years while the Curse was in effect, but were able to resume their search after Emma Swan weakened the Curse in Storybrooke. Aurora was awakened by Phillip with True Love's Kiss but soon after Phillip was marked by a creature called a Wraith. He hides it from Aurora and Mulan.

When he goes to sacrifice himself Aurora and Mulan follow him. It is there Aurora discovers Mulan has feelings for Phillip too. But he has his soul sucked out of him by the Wraith and is killed. Aurora and Mulan carry his body back to Aurora's palace where Mulan explains the dark curse to Aurora. They hear a sound and find Emma Swan and Mary Margaret Blanchard underneath some rubble. Aurora, thinking that they were responsible for the Wraith's appearance, takes them to a safe haven as prisoners. When Emma and Mary Margaret were thrown into the pit they were eventually brought to the leader who turns out to be Sir Lancelot (portrayed by Sinqua Wells). Aurora expresses her distrust in him to Mulan. She also holds Emma and Snow White responsible for Phillip being gone and wants revenge but Mulan warns her against this. But when her back is turned, Aurora grasps a knife tightly in her hands.

Mulan accompanys Emma and Mary Margaret on their journey to find their way back to Storybrooke but Aurora secretly follows them. When Mary Margaret is alone Aurora seizes the opportunity and holds her and knife-point and holds her responsible for Phillip's death. But Mary Margaret easily overcomes her and pins Aurora to the ground stating that what happened to Phillip was not her fault and that she knows what it's like to lose someone she cared about. Mulan and Emma return to see what is going on. Emma is furious Aurora tried to kill her mother, but Mulan says she will deal with Aurora on her own terms. Later, Mulan is seen telling Aurora to keep up and that it is her own fault for being cold as she should have stayed on the island. Emma takes pity on Aurora and gives her her jacket to keep her warm. At the castle, Aurora and Mulan keep guard at the gate. Later, Aurora agrees to help Mary Margaret and Emma with trying to find another way home as it will give her a chance to channel her anger.

Aurora discovers Captain Hook beneath a pile of bodies, and Hook attempts to deceive the four of them by stating he survived Cora's attack on the camp by hiding under some dead bodies. Emma is not buying his story and pulls a knife on Hook's throat, stating that she wants the truth and she can tell when a person is lying. She then ties Hook to a tree and whistles for the ogres, and begins to walk away. Aurora believes that he may be telling the truth, but then Hook reveals his true identity as a shocked Mary Margaret pulls his hook out of his satchel. He states that he was working with Cora, but will now join forces with Emma and her team. He leads them to a giant beanstalk stretching up into the sky, Aurora lagging behind, stating that there is a magical compass at the top, but first they must deal with the giant. At the beanstalk, Aurora volunteers to go up, as she says she has no one left to her in this world, but is overridden when Emma says she will go up instead.

After Emma departs, Mulan suggests that the remaining three women split time taking watch. Mary Margaret volunteers to watch first, but Aurora refuses to sleep, saying she is having nightmares since her sleeping curse. Mary Margaret reassures her, saying the dreams will go away in time as she, too, also dealt with the after effects of the sleeping curse. Later, Aurora wakes up screaming from a nightmare, and Mary Margaret comforts her as Mulan looks on. Aurora describes her dream, in which she is in a windowless doorless room with blood red curtains and flames. Another person, a man, is looking at her from across the room, and she is scared. Mary Margaret comforts her and coaxes her back to sleep. When Mulan moves to cut down the beanstalk, Aurora asks why. Though Mulan was acting on Emma's orders, Mary Margaret tackles her to the ground to stop her from cutting it.

After Emma jumps down from the beanstalk, Aurora wonders where Hook is, and Emma replies that he is being temporarily watched and that the group has a ten hour head start, so they should take advantage of it. It is later revealed that she and Henry Mills, Emma's son, are experiencing the same nightmare. Aurora is seen sleeping when Emma and Mary Margaret pass by. We see her in her nightmare screaming and becoming engulfed by the flames when Henry reappears with the necklace given to him by Mr. Gold and puts out the flames. He tells her his name is Henry and she shouldn't be afraid. She is awakened by Mary Margaret and explains to her and Emma that there was a little boy in her dream, and his name was Henry. She's later captured by Cora, who tries to use her to get what she wants by revealing that Phillip's soul is in another world.

She refuses to help Cora and is knocked out cold, but Hook releases her and it's revealed he took her heart which Cora uses to manipulate Aurora. Cora and Hook then imprison her and the others in an enchanted dungeon. After the spell on the dungeon is broken, Aurora voluntarily stays behind because she knows that she cannot be trusted since Cora has control of her heart. When Hook and Cora are about to escape to Storybrooke in a portal, they attacked by Snow White, Emma and Mulan. At one point during the battle Cora vanishes and Aurora's heart almost falls into the portal, but Hook saves it because he feels that it is not right for a girl to lose her heart especially to him. Mulan then returns to Aurora and puts her heart back in her body. The two of them then resume their quest to save Phillip. She will return in the season finale.

Sofia the First
She is expected to be in this upcoming series on Disney Junior.

Maleficent
It was announced Aurora will appear in the upcoming feature film as Maleficent's rival. Elle Fanning has been confirmed to be play her. 

Songs
Songs preformed by Princess Aurora
 * 1) I Wonder
 * 2) Once Upon a Dream
 * 3) Keys to the Kingdom (and Reprise)
 * 4) If You Can Dream

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Aurora's backstory is more or less the same as it was in the film. By the time Terra arrives at the Enchanted Dominion, Aurora has already been placed in a deep slumber under the influence of the curse laid by Maleficent. When Terra reaches the tower and meets Maleficent, she uses the darkness in his heart to temporarily take control of his body and forces him to take Aurora's heart. Her heart was kept in Maleficent's castle until Ventus comes to retrieve it with the three fairies. Although her heart returned, the curse is not broken. Prince Phillip eventually escapes with Aqua's aid and reaches the tower where he kisses Aurora and breaks the spell.

During the ending credits, she and Prince Phillip are seen dancing in the audience chamber of the castle, just like at the end of the movie.

Kingdom Hearts
Sometime after the events of Birth by Sleep, Aurora was captured once more and her world was devoured by the darkness. It is unknown at what point of the original story Aurora was taken to Hollow Bastion by Maleficent (as there is a 10 year gap between Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts).

Aurora's likeness first appeared in Kingdom Hearts on a red-tinted pillar in the Awakening world. She was depicted in a state of sleep, suggesting that she had already been captured and imprisoned by Maleficent at this point.

She is first seen in Hollow Bastion when Maleficent attempts to open the Final Keyhole. Maleficent had placed Aurora in a standing glass case in the wall, alongside the other Princesses of Heart. Her heart leaves her when the Keyhole is partly opened, but is returned to her when Sora sacrifices his own heart to save her and the other Princesses, particularly Kairi. Upon awaking, Aurora stays in Hollow Bastion with the other five Princesses to keep the darkness from consuming the world. She also reveals Maleficent's origins to Sora. After Sora sealed the Keyhole, she and the other princesses remain in Hollow Bastion to protect it, along with the Beast, Yuffie, Leon, and Aerith.

When Sora finally sealed Kingdom Hearts, Aurora is returned to the Enchanted Dominion.

Kingdom Hearts II
While Aurora does not make an appearance in Kingdom Hearts II, her name is found to be part of the password to access the DTD in Tron's world. In addition, many characters from her world appeared in the game, including Flora, Fauna and Merryweather; and Maleficent with her pet raven, Diablo.

Kinect Disneyland Adventures
Aurora appears in the game as a meet-and-greet character outside the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique in Fantasyland. She assigns a few tasks to the player, including helping her prepare a party for the Good Fairies and searching for birdsongs. She also participates in the Mickey's Soundsational Parade and Princess Fantasy Faire mini-games.

Disney Parks and Resorts
Princess Aurora is a meetable character at Disney Parks around the world. She is usually at stage shows that include a princess scene. If it is not her and Prince Phillip, it is Belle and Beast or Ariel and Eric.

Aurora has her own spell card known as "Aurora's Rose Petals" in the attraction Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

Aurora also appears on the princess themed float in Mickey's Soundsational Parade as well as in Jubilation!, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, and Flights of Fantasy Parade.

For meet-and-greets, Aurora can be found at the Magic Kingdom's Town Square Theater. In Epcot, She can often be found in the France Pavilion.

Aurora is also present for the Fantasylands of both Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland. Aurora also makes meet-and-greet appearances aboard the Disney Magic.

Fantasmic!
Princess Aurora appears during the Princess Melody, but not in every showing. Aurora also reappears riding Steamboat Willie at the top with other Disney princesses and many other Disney characters.

Dream Along with Mickey
Aurora appears dancing with Cinderella, Snow White and their princes. Aurora assists Cinderella and Snow White in making Minnie dreams come true as being a princess. Aurora reappears at the end and celebrate with other Disney characters the defeat of Maleficent and her minions Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.

Redesign
Aurora did not receive many changes in her late 2012 redesign.

Her bangs no longer sport the distinctive curl in the front, and are now combed and curled more to the side like a typical hair parting. Her tiara is no longer as pointy, and the rubies that used to be studded in it have been replaced with pink rose quartz. The white shoulders of her dress are now more refined and no longer as sharp and pointed-looking. The entire dress itself is now decorated with swirly designs of climbing flowers and vines.

In her early redesigns, she had a long sash beneath her hips instead of the triangular cutouts, but in the current redesign, the cutouts remained in her dress.

Trivia

 * Princess Aurora is the third Disney Princess, after Snow White in 1937 and Cinderella in 1950.
 * Aurora ties as second-in-command (with Belle) of the 10 Disney Princesses to Cinderella.
 * Aurora is the first female to posses violet eyes, second was Vanessa (Ursula's alter-ego) and third was Megara.
 * In the sequel books, she has a palomino horse named Mirette.
 * Princess Aurora is the second Disney Princess to be involved with "true love's kiss", after Snow White in 1937. Though in Snow White the kiss was called "Love's First Kiss", well in Sleeping Beauty the kiss was called "True Love's Kiss". In the Little Mermaid Ariel needed another version of the kiss as well called "The Kiss of True Love" to stay human under Ursula's deal.
 * Aurora is the third youngest Disney Princess, with Snow White being the youngest at 14 and Jasmine being the second youngest at 15, but she turns sixteen at the end of Aladdin. Aurora turns sixteen in her feature film and a majority of the movie takes place on her birthday. The fourth youngest is Ariel who was already 16 in her feature film as well for sometime before the events of her movie took place.
 * Princess Aurora's alias is Briar Rose, which is also the title of the Brothers Grimm version of the tale.
 * The name Aurora is the daughter's name of the Sleeping Beauty in the version of Charles Perrault and is the name for the titular character in the ballet.
 * Princess Aurora is the first Disney Princess to have an official alias.
 * Aurora means "sunrise" or "dawn" in Latin.
 * Princess Aurora is the first Disney Princess to have both parents present during her film, the second being Mulan and the third being Rapunzel. Tiana could count as the third, as both parents were present when she was a child, but she may not because she becomes the first, and so far only, Disney Princess to have only her mother, since her father dies in war.
 * Princess Aurora is one of the five Disney Princesses to be royal by birth, second after Snow White.
 * Princess Aurora's dress is constantly changed from blue to pink and back again as a running gag during her film. The constant color change is due to Flora and Merryweather's disagreement on what the color should be. Although it is most commonly seen as pink in publicity photos, it hasn't yet been made official whether her dress is blue or pink. It is likely that she owns dresses of both colors. She may usually be seen in pink because of the fact that her original dress color when it was being made by Flora is pink, not blue as Merryweather wanted thus makes her commonly seen in pink. Another possible reason she's mostly seen dressed in pink is so she won't be confused with Cinderella, who (often) has blonde hair and wears a blue dress.
 * Aurora is the first Disney Princess to be initially unaware of her identity as a princess, the second being Rapunzel.
 * Aurora has been selected as the # 2 most attractive Disney heroine, the # 5 most popular Disney princess and the # 5 favorite Disney heroine.
 * Her real name, Aurora, which is mentioned few times in the film, is often unused or even unknown by some people, by them she is only called Sleeping Beauty.
 * Aurora is the first Disney Princess in which she has to deal with an unwanted marriage as a major or minor source of conflict. (Belle is the second as she has to deal with Gaston's intent to marry her), Jasmine is the third in that her father is trying to marry her off before her next birthday, and Pocahontas is the fourth in that her father is trying to marry her off to Kocoum).
 * Aurora is the tallest out of the 10 Disney princesses.
 * Aurora is an inspiration for Rapunzel, she share similarities with her, they both wanted to be free and meet new people, they dreamed on adventure outside their homes and they were unaware of their true identities for almost all their lives, they are both barefoot for almost all of the movie, and they both bear stricking resemblance to their birth mother.
 * Though she is supposedly the main protagonist, Aurora has only 18 minutes of screen time, making her have the least amount of screen time than any other Disney princess. Conversely, Tiana has the second least amount of screen time as a human. (19 minutes).
 * Aurora is the last Disney Princess to be created until Ariel's debut in 1989 (also she was the last princess created during Walt Disney's life time).
 * Aurora made a brief cameo appearance in the Mickey Mouse Works cartoon Mickey's April Fools.
 * Technically she is the first female character to have known her love interest since childhood as Phillip was present for her birth, though she was much too young to remember it so it may not count. She is followed by Faline, Maid Marian, Nala and Kiara. She is also the only human female to be so.
 * Aurora is the second Disney Princess to be sung to by her respective love interest. Snow White being the first.
 * Aurora is the second Disney Princess to participate in a dance with her respective love interest after just meeting him. The first being Cinderella.
 * Aurora is the third Disney Princess to run away from her respective love interest without telling him her name. She was preceded by Snow White and Cinderella, and later followed by Ariel and Pocahontas. However unlike the first two Aurora told Phillip where he could find her.
 * The final scene of Sleeping Beauty with her and Prince Phillip dancing and going off into the clouds was an abandoned concept from both Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella.
 * Aurora, along with Cinderella and Belle, are the only Disney Princesses to have songs sung about them.
 * According to Disneystrology book, her birthday is March 20.
 * Aurora is the first Disney Princess to ever get involved with political issues, as seen in her sequel, she is seen signing papers for her father.
 * A modernized Aurora can be seen walking down a street in Oliver and Company, just right after Oliver and Fagin's dogs (Dodger, Rita, Einstein, Francis, and Tito) finish singing "Streets of Gold", but before raiding the Foxworths' limousine resulting in Oliver being found and subsequently adopted by Jenny Foxworth.
 * In the version by Charles Perrault, Aurora and Phillip have two children; a daughter named Dawn and a son named Day because he was more beautiful than his sister.

Gallery
Aurora