Rapunzel



Rapunzel is the main protagonist in Disney's 2010 hit film Tangled. She is voiced by Mandy Moore.

Biography
Rapunzel is not a typical noble Disney Princess. Her long hair, which is said to measure 70 feet in length, not only has magical healing powers, but can be used as a weapon. Rapunzel had been locked away in a tower her entire life, she still loves her overprotective mother, Mother Gothel, who has devoted herself to Rapunzel. Rapunzel initially enjoys life in the tower, spending large portions of her days expressing herself creatively by painting the walls which line the tower. Later on, because of this creativity and curiosity, Rapunzel begins to question what else is out there, and has a hunch that there is something more inside of her.

Personality
Rapunzel is a spirited, clever, kind and playful young woman, though a bit naive, but not afraid to stand up for herself or others. Having spent all of her life isolated in a tower with little else to do, she is very well read and talented in almost all areas such as music and baking, and even more advanced subjects like astronomy, having charted star patterns, but her greatest passion is in art, turning her entire tower into a giant painting. While she longs to see the world beyond her window, she is very obedient to Mother Gothel, having major conflicting feelings after leaving her tower of excitement to finally see the world and guilt for disobeying her mother's orders, yet due to her experiences grows a strong sense of independence, refusing when Mother Gothel orders her to come home.

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 upside 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 the end of the festival.

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.

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.

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.

Trivia

 * Rapunzel was originally to have been voiced by Broadway actress Kristen Chenoweth.