Gale

Gale is a character in Disney's 2019 animated feature film, Frozen II. It is the elemental spirit of wind that dwells within the Enchanted Forest.

Background

Gale is one of four elemental spirits in the forest, the others being the fire spirit Bruni, the Earth Giants, and the water spirit the Nokk.^[1] Gale—who gets its name from Olaf—is identified by leaves and other debris that sway through the air. When not in this neutral state, Gale can transform into a powerful tornado or summon extreme winds. Gale and the other spirits were once on peaceful terms with the Northuldra tribe, who made their home in the Enchanted Forest. Gale was particularly fond of a young girl named Iduna. The two would often play together in the forest. Iduna also had a special call that would summon Gale to her side.

Thirty-four years in the past, a war broke out between the Northuldra and neighboring Arendellians. The violence angered the spirits, including Gale, who turned against humanity. In the midst of the chaos, a young prince named Agnarr was injured and left unconscious. He was recovered by Iduna, who called for Gale’s assistance in rescuing him. However, the damage between the spirits and humans was still present. A curse was unleashed amongst the Enchanted Forest, which was encapsulated in an impenetrable mist. Only by rectifying the source of the conflict—a dam built by King Runeard—would the curse be broken.

Development

Gale proved to be one of the more difficult characters to visualize for the animators, as the wind does not have a physicality to it. Early visual development portrayed Gale as an ethereal being. Eventually, it was decided that Gale would interact with leaves, sticks, and debris to identify itself. A new software titled "Swoop" was created to make this possible. Swoop allowed animators to create a path that Gale would travel along, which would then be used to add leaves and other objects to identify the character's presence.^[2]

Role in the film

Gale is the first elemental spirit encountered by Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf, all of whom have traveled from Arendelle into the Enchanted Forest. It sweeps up Olaf in a tornado, badly scaring him, and soon has the others in its grip as well. Elsa, however, is able to tame it and it ends up becoming quite playful, appearing as a swirl of leaves from its more hostile tornado form it first attacked them with. Gale leads Elsa and Anna to an icy sculpture of their father Agnarr being saved by their mother Iduna, allowing the sisters to eventually realize their heritage. Later, while Elsa and Anna are on their way north to find the source of a mysterious voice Elsa has been hearing, Gale reappears and leads the sisters to the wreckage of their parents' ship.

After Elsa is discovered to be the fifth spirit and saves Arendelle from the floodwaters resulting from Runeard's dam being destroyed, Gale helps Elsa recover Olaf's remains and bring them to her to reconstruct into Olaf's original snowman body to revive him.

At the end of the film, Gale visits Queen Anna in Arendelle, amusing her and the newly-promoted General Mattias with its wind; she gives Gale a letter to deliver to Elsa in the Enchanted Forest and Gale happily delivers it. After Elsa reads it with Bruni, she asks Gale if she wants to come with her for a ride, and Gale happily obliges, summoning The Nokk for Elsa to ride to Ahtohallan.

Trivia

• In real-world Elemental theology, the element of air and the wind is represented through magical beings known as Sylphs (or alternatively Sylphids or Sylvestrids). These are nymph/fairy-like invisible spirits who have true forms resembling beautiful women.
• In the storybook, Anna, Elsa, and the Secret River, Gale uses its wind to lift young Anna into the air, before bringing young Elsa and Anna back to the castle and in their beds before dawn. Gale leaves a few leaves lying around, making Elsa wonder if their late-night adventure really happened or was just a dream.
• In the real world, a gale is the name of a very strong force of the wind.

Gallery

Concept art, depicting Gale (with Anna) as an ethereal being.

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References

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Media Films: Frozen • Frozen Fever • Olaf's Frozen Adventure • Frozen II • At Home With Olaf Video games: Frozen: Olaf's Quest • Frozen Free Fall • Disney INFINITY • Disney INFINITY: 2.0 Edition • Disney INFINITY: 3.0 Edition • Disney Enchanted Tales • Disney Emoji Blitz • Kingdom Hearts III • Frozen Adventures Music: Frozen soundtrack • Frozen musical soundtrack • Disney Karaoke: Frozen • Frozen II soundtrack Books: The Art of Frozen • A Sister More Like Me • Phantoms of Arendelle • A Frozen Heart • Anna and Elsa's Secret Playtime • Across the Sea • Frozen Spring Fever • Melting Hearts • Comic Books • Elsa's Perfect Plan • Anna & Elsa: Sisterhood is the Strongest Magic: • Disney Princess Beginnings • The Art of Frozen II Disney Parks Arendelle: World of Frozen • Frozen Summer Fun! • Anna and Elsa's Frozen Fantasy • Disney Animation Building • Frozen Ever After • Fantasy Springs • It's a Small World • Royal Princess Garden • Storybook Land Canal Boats • Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs Entertainment: Disney's Dreams: An Enchanted Classic • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration • Frozen: Live at the Hyperion • Golden Fairytale Fanfare • Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire • Mickey and the Magician • Mickey and the Wondrous Book • Royal Theatre Shops: Anna & Elsa's Boutique Parade: Disney Magic on Parade • Disney Stars on Parade • Festival of Fantasy Parade • Frozen Royal Welcome Parade • Magic Happens • Mickey's Storybook Express • Paint The Night Parade • Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: DreamLights Firework: Celebrate the Magic • Disney Dreams! • Disneyland Forever • Frozen Forever • Happily Ever After • Harmonious • Ignite the Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light • Mickey's Mix Magic • Once Upon a Time • Wonderful World of Animation • World of Color: Celebrate! Christmas: A Frozen Holiday Wish • Disney Christmas Stories • Disney Dreams! of Christmas • “Frozen” Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony • World of Color: Winter Dreams Characters Frozen: Anna • Elsa • Kristoff • Hans • Olaf • Sven • The Duke of Weselton • Grand Pabbie • Marshmallow • King Agnarr • Queen Iduna • Erik and Francis • Trolls • Bulda • Oaken • Sitron • Wolves • Kai • Castle Guards • Hans' Brothers Frozen Fever: Snowgies Frozen II: Lieutenant Mattias • Northuldra • Yelana • Honeymaren • Ryder • The Nokk • Bruni • Gale • Earth Giants • King Runeard Locations Arendelle • Elsa's Ice Palace • The Southern Isles • Weselton • Arendelle Castle • Valley of the Living Rock • Arendelle Chapel • Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna • The North Mountain • The Enchanted Forest • Ahtohallan Songs Frozen: Vuelie • Frozen Heart • Do You Want to Build a Snowman? • For the First Time in Forever • Love is an Open Door • Let It Go • Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People • In Summer • Fixer Upper Frozen Fever: Making Today a Perfect Day Olaf's Frozen Adventure: Ring in the Season • The Ballad of Flemmingrad • That Time of Year • When We're Together Frozen II: All Is Found • Some Things Never Change • Into the Unknown • When I Am Older • Lost in the Woods • Show Yourself • The Next Right Thing Musical: Let the Sun Shine On • A Little Bit of You • Hidden Folk • Hans of the Southern Isles • Queen Anointed • Dangerous to Dream • What Do You Know About Love? • Hygge • I Can't Lose You • Kristoff Lullaby • Monster • True Love • Colder by the Minute At Home with Olaf: I Am with You Deleted: Love Can't Be Denied • We Know Better • Spring Pageant • More Than Just the Spare • You're You • Life's Too Short • Reindeer(s) Remix • When Everything Falls Apart • Resolution • Home • I Seek the Truth • Unmeltable Me • Get This Right See Also Kristoff's Sled • Spirits of the Enchanted Forest • Ice Hotel • Musical • The Story of Frozen: Making a Disney Animated Classic • Frozen: The Official Magazine • Disney On Ice • As Told by Emoji • Frozen: Northern Lights