Frozen's Elsa and Anna are two of the most popular characters in the Disney franchise. With the overwhelming audience approval of the first movie and the success of the highly-anticipated sequel Frozen 2, the two sisters are household names. In fact, they are so popular that Disney has dedicated several park events to the franchise, including themed treats, merchandise, parades, and of course, a chance to meet the characters.
One of the major differences between the two films is the shift from Anna acting as the protagonist to a shared spotlight with Elsa in the second film, a move many fans approved of. Each sister has unique traits that make them a fantastic protagonist. Elsa drives the story in many ways, while Anna has her own skills and values that make her time in the spotlight no less meaningful.
10 Anna Is Best: She Is Devoted To Arendelle
While Elsa is the current queen, Anna feels more connected to Arendelle as a whole. She is often shown wandering the town and interacting with the Arendelle citizens. Even Anna's outfits are embellished with the crest of Arendelle, something that is incorporated into everything she wears.
Elsa's outfits may be cosplayed more often but they represent her connection to her powers rather than Arandelle, and she tends to remain in the palace for the most part. Anna's obvious love for her people and her kingdom is quite prominent, and it is precisely these traits that make her a strong protagonist in the film.
9 Elsa Is Best: She Hears Ahtohallan's Call
Elsa is the one who starts the adventure in Frozen 2 when she hears a siren song calling out to her. Having finally settled into her life as the queen, Elsa initially ignores the call of the spirits.
However, she continues to hear it even when no 0ne else can, and eventually, this leads to her admission that she is afraid to let go of what she has, but deep down she feels that Arendelle is not where she belongs in her song "Into The Unknown." Answering the call is the hallmark of a protagonist, and Elsa, being the only one to hear it, fills the role in this respect.
8 Anna Is Best: She Performs Amazing Feats With No Special Powers
Anna is not shy about reminding Elsa of her accomplishments in the first film, and why she should be considered an asset on the journey despite her lack of powers.
While there are certain things only Elsa can do, Anna proves over the course of the story that she is capable of amazing feats despite being born without powers. Anna is the one that recalls the ship's waterproof safe and finds the map to Ahtohallan, and is also the one to eventually engage the Earth Giants, leading to the destruction of the dam.
7 Elsa Is Best: She Is The Only One Who Can Open The Enchanted Forest
Elsa's unique abilities are what enable her to enter the Enchanted Forest. There is a barrier around it that keeps outsiders away, while simultaneously protecting and entrapping those within. However, Elsa can walk through with little difficulty, opening the barrier for the rest of the characters who were repelled.
This ability is one of the earlier clues that Elsa is more connected to the spirits than anyone realizes. It may also be foreshadowing that she belongs in the forest and her eventual abdication of the throne and new role as the Fifth Spirit later on.
6 Anna Is Best: She Is Proactive And Quick-Witted
Throughout the film, Anna uses her wits, the environment, and her prior knowledge to her advantage whenever necessary. Anna wastes no time getting the people of Arendelle to safety when the elements force them out of the kingdom.
In the Enchanted Forest, Anna grabs an ice sword to use in case the approaching group attacks. She uses her wits to solve the mystery of what their parents were seeking by embarking on their journey, and ultimately understands and acts on Elsa's message to free the Enchanted Forest near the end of the film.
5 Elsa Is Best: She Wins Over The Spirits
The spirits of the Enchanted Forest are strong, and they are looking for Elsa. Not only is she powerful, but she is connected to them in a meaningful way. While trapped in the tornado, Gale makes a specific sound to indicate that Elsa is the one it is seeking, after which it releases everyone else while still engaging in a fight with Elsa.
For her part, Elsa uses a combination of her powers and her wits to defeat each element she faces. She freezes Gale, puts out Bruni's fire then uses kindness to win him over, and tames the Nokk in its own element, ultimately earning the right to call upon it when she needs it.
4 Anna Is Best: She Keeps Moving Forward
When Elsa is believed to be dead, Anna is devastated at losing the person she loved and depended on most. However, like many good protagonists, Anna manages to take one step at a time and refuses to give up even though she has lost everything. In fact, throughout the film, Anna is the one that keeps everyone moving forward.
Even at the beginning, it is seeing Anna outside of the castle that prompts Elsa to go outside as well. As the sisters learn the truth of what happened to their parents, Anna is the one that consoles Elsa and prompts her to keep going on her journey rather than giving up. Without Anna, Elsa may not have had the courage to continue, and the adventure may have failed. Like many good protagonists, Anna's words inspire those around her.
3 Elsa Is Best: Only She Can Reach Ahtohallan
To reach Ahtohallan, one must cross the North Sea and best the Nokk in a fight or be drowned in its waters. Elsa realizes the danger she will be facing and pushes Anna away both literally and metaphorically to protect her.
Despite having fantastic control over her powers, Elsa still struggles to cross the sea, nearly drowning when facing the Nokk before ultimately taming it and riding it to reach Ahtohallan. With these obstacles nearly stopping even Elsa, she may be the only one who was ever intended to reach Ahtohallan from the beginning and the one meant to uncover the truth.
2 Anna Is Best: She Makes Tough Decisions
Anna loves Arendelle. She wishes for things to stay the same in her kingdom, something she sings about early on in the film. So when she learns the truth of the dam and what it means for her kingdom, it says a lot about her character that she does not hesitate to act.
Knowing that her home will be destroyed, Anna still does the right thing and uses the Earth Giants to help her destroy the dam, even getting the Arendellian soldiers and Kristoff to assist her. Ultimately, Anna is rewarded for doing the right thing when Arendelle is saved and she becomes the new queen.
1 Elsa Is Best: She Is The Fifth Spirit
Elsa's journey hints that she is more special than the audience knows from the beginning of the film, and as it turns out, she truly is. Elsa is revealed to be the fifth spirit once she reaches Ahtohallan. She arrives and sings the hit song "Show Yourself" before finally revealing the mysterious voice as Queen Iduna's and discovering who she really is.
The ultimate reveal that she is the one she is searching for all makes sense when Elsa's true nature is established complete with a new outfit. As Elsa enters the depths of Ahtohallan, she risks everything to find the truth, even while knowing she may not be able to return.
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