Last year, we published a blog post titled, “10 of Our Favorite Disney Couples” in honor of Valentine’s Day. Disney fans, always a passionate bunch, were quick to respond, “How could you possibly leave out…” and then insert their favorite pair.
To be honest, we quite agreed with them. There are so many great examples that it was impossible to include them all in one article. Luckily, the holiday comes around once a year and gives us plenty of chances to celebrate our favorite Disney romances.
So, without further ado, here are eight more love stories to celebrate this year:
There may be no more romantic moment in Disney history than Rapunzel and Flynn (aka Eugene Fitzherbert) singing “I See the Light” in Tangled. Beyond the beauty of the song, there are the floating lanterns, which are just stunning. I doubt there’s a person alive who has seen it and not wished they could experience it themself.
It’s all the more remarkable given that their relationship begins with Rapunzel hitting Flynn in the head with a frying pan and then stuffing his body in a wardrobe. What could have turned into a weekend episode of Dateline, transforms into a love story for the ages.
They aren’t a perfect couple, like Mickie and Minnie. They bicker, wear on each other’s last nerve, and even split up from time to time. In fact, most of their cartoons involve them having some sort of argument. He’s got a temper and she can be a bit superficial. As crazy as it sounds, it’s one of the reasons they’re such an endearing pair. They’re relatable. Besides, no matter the bumps along the road, they always end up together.
While compiling this list, I seriously thought about listing Gonzo and Camilla the Chicken. He’s hopelessly devoted to her, and she…well, she’s a chicken. It just works.
That said, it’s impossible to talk about Muppet couples and not think of Kermit and Piggy. It’s been a treat for fans everywhere to see how their love story has gradually progressed over the years. From the early days of their romance in The Muppet Movie to their marriage in Muppets Take Manhattan, the two are the living embodiment of the idea that opposites attract. She’s loud, brash, and bold. He’s quiet, a bit reserved, and thoughtful. They compliment each other beautifully. Almost as must as Gonzo and Camilla do.
Folks have been telling the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian for centuries. He is an outlaw, known for stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and she is the good-hearted niece of the King. Together, they stand against the villainous Prince John, the man who has usurped the throne in his brother’s absence.
Their love story runs through the entire movie. We see it at the start when Robin burns the stew he is cooking because he is lost in rapturous thoughts of his lady fair. Of course, Marian does have one minor romantic dalliance aside from Robin Hood, but one can hardly blame her. She’d just been rescued by the brave bunny Skippy, and everyone knows that heroes are rewarded with a kiss. I’m sure Robin understood.
The Princess and the Frog takes a classic fairytale romance and gives it real depth. Tiana is an ambitious chef from New Orleans, and Naveen is a rich prince from Maldonia. He is wild and carefree, and she is focused, responsible, and ambitious.
Together, each character grows and stretches beyond their comfort zone. Through Tiana, Naveen learns to think of others, to live for more than simple pleasure, and that true love requires sacrifice. She, in turn, learns that there is more to life than work and that success cannot always be measured in accomplishments.
In the words of Mama Odie, each helps the other “dig a little deeper” to find what they really need in life.
If there’s any scene that compares to the floating lanterns in Tangled, it would have to be Wall-E and Eve dancing through outer space together. It’s such a sweet and tender moment, and their elegant frolic out amongst the stars is like watching visual poetry.
It isn’t the only romantic moment in the movie though. Who can forget Wall-E faithfully guarding Eve against the elements: holding an umbrella over her head in the rain and even getting struck by lightning as he tries to protect her? Then, there is the moment that Eve learns of his devotion, watching video footage of his steadfast refusal to leave her side through the storm. It warms the heart just thinking about it.
Tony Stark’s transformation from a megalomaniac billionaire to a family man willing to sacrifice his life for the good of others, is due in no small part to Pepper Potts. Throughout the Iron Man and Avengers movies, she is the force that grounds him, keeps him honest, and helps him see beyond himself.
Defying superheroes tropes, Pepper is no damsel in distress. She is brilliant, strong, capable, and one of the few people in the world who can stand toe-to-toe with Tony.
The full depth of their love can be seen as he floats in space and declares, “When I drift off, I will dream about you. It’s always you.”
This is, perhaps, one of the most heartbreaking love stories on our list. For much of the Infinity saga, theirs is a story defined by narrowly missed opportunities. They meet in Captain America: The First Avenger, and that is where we see them start to fall for each other.
Later, when Cap wakes up from his 70-year sleep, we see his dedication to Peggy as he visits her in her old age. For most of the series, we are left to wonder why they are never allowed to have their moment.
Until, of course, they do. The only problem? We don’t get to see it, so we don’t know their whole story. Maybe Cap will tell us about it someday, but you know what?
I don’t think he will.
ncG1vNJzZmiblaGyo77AraCopqOlv6a%2F0meaqKVfZ31zfo5paWhpY2SFbrnOq5xmp5ZivLa%2BjJ%2BYr6einsGmecOiqqedqWKwsMHPpZysZw%3D%3D