Top 10 Unanswered Disney Movie Questions
#10: What Was the Glass Slipper Supposed to Revert To?
“Cinderella” (1950)
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We all know how Cinderella gets her happy ending, but some lingering questions remain about the story’s logic. Take, for instance, the prince’s vow to wed whoever fits the glass slipper. Would he really have married any girl who squeezed into that shoe? But there’s an even more puzzling detail. Earlier in the film, the Fairy Godmother transforms a torn dress into a gown, animals into men, and a pumpkin into a carriage. Basically everything in Cinderella’s entourage originates from the objects around her. So when the spell breaks at midnight, why don’t the glass slippers change back into ordinary shoes? We’re probably not meant to think about it, but if there are established rules about magic, we wanna know why they were broken.
#9: Why Didn’t Scar Kill Simba When He Killed Mufasa?
“The Lion King” (1994)
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Scar’s villainous plan actually succeeds, for a time. But there’s one oversight we can’t wrap our heads around. In order for Scar to become king, both Mufasa and Simba have to be taken off the board. He personally sees to his brother’s demise, then sends hyenas after his nephew. But why trust them to kill Simba? Scar was already in the perfect position to get rid of him, but instead he gave Simba the opportunity to escape. What’s worse is that he assumes that the job was done without seeing any evidence. Maybe he didn’t have it in him to hurt a cub. Or is he not as smart as we thought?
#8: Who or What Is the Great Stone Dragon?
“Mulan” (1998)
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When Mulan enlists in the Imperial Army, her ancestors decide to send a guardian to help guide her. After some deliberation, they settle on having the Great Stone Dragon take on the mission. But when Mushu tries to awaken it by ringing the gong, he ends up destroying the statue and the spirit never manifests. But ringing the gong should be all that’s needed to wake it up, right? So why didn’t it work? Some have theorized that the dragon now lies within Mulan, or that it maybe didn’t want to emerge. Or maybe Mushu just chose the wrong statue. We never really even get a clear picture on what the Great Stone Dragon is, or why it’s so powerful.
#7: Why Did the Ocean Choose Moana to Carry the Heart of Te Fiti?
“Moana” (2016)
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It’s established early on in “Moana” that the ocean needs someone to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. Through some trials and with help from the demigod Maui, Moana eventually returns the heart and saves her people. We can’t deny that her journey was a success. But we also can’t help but wonder why she was chosen for this monumental task. You could say that it’s because of her display of kindness as a toddler. Her desire to sail and explore the world could also be why she was deemed worthy. But in the end, it’s never explicitly said why she was the ocean’s best option.
#6: Where Are Kristoff’s Parents, & Why Was He Raised by Trolls?
“Frozen” (2013)
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While the “Frozen” series tells us about Anna and Elsa’s origins, we don’t get much information about Kristoff. We know that as kids, he and Sven were taken in by a group of trolls. But we don’t know why they were left alone in the first place. When we first meet Kristoff, he even seems to be with a group of ice harvesters. Why would he leave them for the trolls? Did he even have a say in his adoption? Could any of the ice harvesters be his father? There are just a lot of gaps in Kristoff’s backstory.
#5: Why Were Anita & Cruella Friends?
“One Hundred and One Dalmatians” (1961)
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When it comes to villains, Cruella De Vil is as cruel as they come. She’s not only vain and short-tempered, she also relentlessly pursues dalmatians so she can make them into clothing. So we have to wonder why Anita would ever have a relationship with her. We’re told that they were former “schoolmates,” but that’s not really a satisfying enough reason. Beside their differing views on pets, they don’t even seem to enjoy each other’s company. It is possible that Cruella wasn’t always such a terrible person to be around. But their friendship still seems puzzling and needs further context.
#4: How Did the Townspeople Forget about the Prince?
“Beauty and the Beast” (1991)
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The spell that turns the prince into the Beast has some weird conditions — one being that the castle’s servants are cursed to become household objects. It seems unfair to punish them all for one person’s mistake. But what’s even stranger is that their existence seems to have been wiped from the nearby town’s whole memory. It’s hard to believe that they’d all forget something as important as the monarchy. It definitely would make the curse far harder to break. Falling in love with a beast is an obstacle in itself. Not knowing he exists would make that even more difficult. Was the induced amnesia part of the plan all along?
#3: Why Didn't Mirabel Get Her Own Special Power?
“Encanto” (2021)
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In the world of “Encanto,” descendants of the Madrigal family are granted special powers, including super strength, precognition, and shapeshifting. But our protagonist, Mirabel, isn’t gifted with any such ability. You would think there’d be a reason as to why. But ultimately it’s left up to our interpretation. Some say her compassion and resourcefulness were her gifts, which end up saving the family in the end. Another theory suggests that Mirabel wasn't given a gift in order to punish Alma and her hubris. Or perhaps the candle knew that only a powerless relative could save the miracle. Whatever fans choose to believe, it’s clear that the filmmakers made an interesting mystery out of this one detail.
#2: Why Does Ursula Hate Triton?
“The Little Mermaid” (1989)
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The sea witch’s goals are relatively simple: manipulate Ariel and usurp the throne of Atlantica. We do, however, get hints at Ursula’s more complex motives. We know that she and Triton have a rough history and that she’s living in exile. In some adaptations of “The Little Mermaid,” it’s even implied that she’s connected to royalty. So what exactly did she do to deserve banishment? Was it because of an act of treason or her magic? The live-action remake does reveal some new details about her backstory, one being that she’s Ariel’s aunt. But it’d be nice to know just a little more about the origins of her conflict with Triton.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Who Made the Cat-Sized Instruments? “The Aristocats” (1970)
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How Did Mother Gothel Know to Sing to the Magical Flower & Rapunzel’s Hair? “Tangled” (2010)
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#1: How Did Kronk & Yzma Catch Up?
“The Emperor's New Groove” (2000)
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#1: Was the Genie Not Able to Make Aladdin a Prince?
“Aladdin” (1992)
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The Genie’s cosmic magic is practically limitless. So when the titular character makes his first wish to become a prince, it’s effortlessly granted. None of the rules are broken, and Aladdin is able to woo Princess Jasmine. But soon, Aladdin starts to feel guilty for lying about his royal status. But he wouldn’t technically be lying if the wish worked like it should have. By all accounts, Aladdin should officially be a prince, but the story suggests that he’s just masquerading as one. So did the wish work or not? If it did, Aladdin should be the legitimate ruler of some kingdom somewhere. But if the wish didn’t work, then we’re owed clarification as to why that’s the case.
What Disney questions keep you up at night? Let us know in the comments.
