Intro
As someone with two big sisters herself, the movie became one of my favorites the first time I saw it with them in the cinema. Even when I was already an adult, I might have been just as obsessed with it as any of the little girls. I am a sucker for a family or friendship dynamic and a movie not specifically focusing on romance.
So, let's dive in to this movie, and see how to write a sisterly bound with the help of Anna and Elsa.
Best Friends, But Slowly Drifting Apart
When they were kids, Anna and Elsa were like best friends, playing together all the time. With Elsa's magic they'd make toys from Ice and play out different stories. Though there is a three year age difference between them, they adore each other.
Anna, being just about 5-6 years old loves Elsa's magic and Elsa has no problem in showing her. To be honest, though this is a fairy tale, I could imagine any 5 year old would go crazy excited if she'd find out her sister can do magic.
Sadly, the fun soon comes to an end when they sneak out of their rooms to play and Anna accidentally gets hit with ice. Both of the girl's life takes a turn. Anna's memory of the magic is erased, and Elsa is taught to hide away from the world until she learns to control her powers.
The whole sequence of 'Do you want to build a snowman' is honestly a thing that could often happen, even without the magic or the accident. The oldest gets older, and starts to like other things, while the youngest still wants to play. Doesn't mean they hate each other now. It just means the age gap is feeling a bit bigger.
Writer's note: If your character has a sibling they are distant with, it doesn't mean you have to make them hate each other. I see a lot of stories, especially fantasy where there is at least one evil sibling. Which is fine if you want to write that, of course, but being distant doesn't mean they have to be enemies. There can be conflict between the two of them without hatred. Maybe throughout the story, they put their differences aside and get along again. Or perhaps they remain distant, but it's clear they still care about each other. Siblings in stories could be more than simply either best friends or enemies.
You can see both of them struggling with the sudden new change in their relationship. Anna remembers the fun they used to have, but without the magic, so the moment it is snowing, she runs straight to her sisters room to ask if she wants to play. It's what they used to do until now, and she is excited to do it again. Elsa is meanwhile not only struggling with her powers, but also struggling to keep her little sister away from her. She wants to play with her. But the moment she touches the window pane everything freezes up completely, and she knows she can't go out there. So she has to tell Anna to go away, no matter how much it hurts.
If you ask me, her fear and her powers suddenly being out of control is not only because of her parents hiding her away from the world, but also because of what the Rock Trolls told her. Sure, taking away the magic was good to save Anna, but then going on to tell Elsa her powers were beautiful and dangerous, and she had to learn to control them... If you say that to a kid, of course they will be afraid, especially when they JUST hurt someone they loved. And even though her parents thought locking her up was for the best, it didn't help her too much either.
Writer's Note: This is another case of there being an antagonist, but NOT a villain (at least not in this part). The king and queen love their daughters and they are doing what they think is best for them. Sadly, they are standing in the way of the girls' happiness. Both of them are unhappy, even though it is not their intent.
Not Forgotten
The two might have been separated from childhood and slowly drifted apart because they never saw each other again, but that doesn't mean they have forgotten about each other. In the first scene for the coronation, you see them both in a different light. Anna is excited to finally be out of the castle and meet new people, but meanwhile Elsa is afraid she'll mess up and show her powers to everyone.
But both sisters are also happy to see each other. There is a song in the Broadway musical called 'Dangerous To Dream' where Elsa sings about how she wishes to be able to show her true self to the world. To show Anna who she is and be close with her again like she used to be. But she also knows the reason for her walls, shining through in the last part of the lyrics.
"I guess the queen can change the rules, but not the reasons they're in place..."
She knows there is technically no one who can hold her back and hide her away anymore. She is the queen and she decides, especially when it comes to her own life. But the reasons all of this happened cannot be changed. No one knows about her powers. How would they react if she showed the, How would Anna react?
(I can go on about this song for a long time, because I love it, but I suggest looking it up yourself. If they'd make a new addition to the movie with an extra song like they sometimes do, I would vote for this one. This one really makes an impact on the story in my opinion.)
Writer's Note: To be honest, I feel this kind of story is one where two different POV's are actually needed for it to work. We need to know both sister's sides to avoid one of them looking like an antagonist/villain. If it's just a sub plot, sure, one main character and POV is good, but this movie (in my eyes at least), evolves around their relationship and love for each other. If I'd read a story about siblings and only one of them actually gets to share their story, I would be wondering about the other sibling's side of the story too.
Like It Was For A Moment
The Big Reveal And A New Beginning
After Anna spends time with Hans and instantly says yes to his marriage proposal, Anna goes to Elsa, assuming she will bless their marriage. Honestly, rightfully so, Elsa refuses, but this pushes the girls into a bigger fight. Elsa is done with the conversation and the party, but Anna is sick of being alone. Elsa tries to walk away, knowing that if she is pushed too far her powers will explode, but Anna doesn't let her go this time, demanding to know why she keeps shutting everyone out.
And then it happens. Finally Elsa has had enough, and her powers explode, showing it to everyone in the ballroom. Everyone is scared as they see her eyes. Whether Anna is also scared I feel is up to debate, but not scared enough to run after Elsa and try to calm her down. Sadly, Elsa's powers are out of control now. At first everyone cheers when they see her, but the moment she freezes the fountain these cheers turn in gasps and even some screams of terror.
This was Elsa's biggest fear, and it has all come true. All she can think about is to run, even when Anna is still chasing her and trying to get her to calm down.
Everyone is shocked and confused, including Anna who has never seen her sister's magic. But the moment the Duke of Wesselton calls her a monster, Anna is quick to defend her. She knows Elsa was scared, and it only happened because she pushed her. She blames herself, ready to go after her, and refusing to believe Elsa would ever hurt her.
"Elsa is not a monster! She's my sister... She would never hurt me..."
She might be shocked by the reveal of the magic, but that doesn't mean she will turn against her sister. She's still her sister, and she loves her, no matter what. It isn't shown in the movie, but I could imagine her already hoping that maybe, just maybe this reveal will bring them closer together. Because now they can finally talk about it.
Meanwhile Elsa is alone in the mountains, still conflicted about what had happened. But now that they know, she thinks leaving was the right thing to do. If she is alone, she can't hurt anyone and everyone will be safe. At least, that is what she thinks...
Writer's Note: If a story is about friendship or family, it is realistic for there to be some fights or arguments along the way. Honestly, even in romance. Even best friends have conflicts and fights sometimes. They don't always agree with each other. Doesn't mean they will fall apart the moment it happens either, and not EVERY fight has to be resolved. Sometimes you can fight, and then the next moment you can talk normally again like nothing happened.
The Dark Moment And Sacrifice
Elsa is convinced she is finally free from the prison she was living in herself. She might be alone, but she is free, and this way she will never hurt anyone. When Anna comes to find her, she simply tells her to go back home and live her life. She knows Anna has been living in a prison her whole life too. She only thinks it's for the best to just part ways and let both of them be finally free.
But when Anna tells her that Aerendale has frozen over and no one can actually leave, Elsa realizes the truth. She can't be free no matter where she is. Even if she chooses to run away and leave her people for their own safety, no one can actually be save. She panics and her powers go out of control once again.
Anna, who now knows the truth is convinced she can help Elsa, and tries to get her to calm down, resulting in a strike of magic through her heart. This is Elsa's most darkest moment in the story. It isn't clear if she actually saw that she struck Anna's heart, but it was clear she hurt her. And the first time the rock trolls told her she was lucky it wasn't her heart. Once again scared and panics, she forces Anna, Olaf and Kristoff to leave, creating an Ice monster to throw them out.
Anna's heart slowly starts to freeze, and her hair turns white, making her grow weaker and weaker. Sadly, this time the rock trolls can't help her, and only an act of true love can. Of course, like a classic fairy tale everyone, including the audience expects a true love's kiss. Sadly Hans turns on her, leaving her to die. When she realizes Kristoff loves her, she goes out to find him, and she almost gets to him. But then she hears the pull of a sword, and sees Hans about to kill her sister. Anna has a choice to save herself, but chooses Elsa over her own life stopping her from dying. Her sister means more to her than Kristoff, even though she has fallen in love with him. Of course, this was counted as an act of true love, and she saved herself with it.
Writer's note: A character sacrificing themselves doesn't always mean they die and stay dead forever. It's what goes on in their minds that is the sacrifice. Anna stood before the choice of her own life, or that of her sister's. She didn't know saving Elsa would cure her heart and she had no hope of saving herself anymore when she made the choice. But she did it... Because surviving and watching her sister die would have been something she could never have lived with. Even though she unfreezes and comes back to life, her action was still a sacrifice.
Conclusion
I've said it before, but I am a sucker for stories that are more about family and have a romantic subplot (or no romantic plot at all, that is fine for me too). That is why Frozen is a movie that is still dear to my heart. Seeing a movie with a sisterly bond is a fun change from usual romance focused plots.
So what do you think of this post? Would you guys like me to make a part two and go into the second movie or the short films? Have you ever written a sibling dynamic in your story (big plot or small). Let me know! As always I would love to hear from you all.
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