Merida wants it her way and she wants it now, by whatever means necessary! That's my kind of princess. (Disney/Pixar)
I like my princesses with a whole lot of pluck. I don’t mean “Hey, I talk with birds and understand mice and dance in the woods” pluck; I mean unleash the dogs of war and go to the mattresses pluck. Disney’s (with Pixar) latest princess — and they are filled with them — to hit DVD (Nov. 13) is Merida of Brave. And she’s got it to spare (along with some lush animation). Merida wants to write her own destiny so much that she pretty much tramples everyone else to get to it. She’s a girl-power princess, almost surprised at how effective she can be; so much so that I’m surprised Disney has restrained itself and she hasn’t made an appearance on ABC’s Once Upon a Time, as a new companion to Snow White, Aurora and Mulan. Here are some more princesses who thumb their noses a bit at authority (along with tilting at some windmills that usually just turn out to be themselves).
Aurora: Folks forget about her resilience, all hidden in the forest under the assumed identity of Briar Rose. People write her off as just a beauty — and a sleeping one at that. She’s getting new life on Once Upon a Time, but the proverbial “they” still say, “She doesn’t do anything. All she does is sleep.” Stop it, I say. That’s my daughter’s favorite girl you’re talking about. And, yes, in my house, we address her by her proper name. “Aurora.”
Leia: Full of spit and fire, old girl can rock soldier gear and then turn around and make Jabba’s slave-girl getup as fierce as she is. There’s a slight ick factor when you watch as she and her brother flirt, flirt, flirt … recoil in horror … but hey, it’s Star Wars. Han Solo is the perfect prince for our smart-mouth girl.
Ann: Talk about first-world problems. “She don’t need the glamorous life,” so she plays hooky and takes a Roman Holiday. Of course, she does what princesses seem to do best in any iteration of a fairy tale: fall in love. (If you’ll indulge me, why do princesses seem to have it so easy when it comes to “falling in love”? Do they have some special powers that allow them to see through the gunk and instantly flash forward to love with The Right One? Or is it all a perk from having those fairy godmothers you hear so much about? Just sayin’.)
Anne Hathaway: Maybe it was because she was introduced to us in a big way as Mia in Princess Diaries, but whatever role she’s in, she plays it royally. Whether a fault of her impeccable posture (read: regal bearing) or some serious brainwashing by that series, every time I see her, she’s still princess material. Even as Catwoman, the crown princess of thieves.
Barbie: Don’t judge. Maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome from having to sit through the movies so many times with my Itty Bitty (when she gives me a break from “Everybody Needs a Thneed” from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax), but they’re well-written with lots of humor and some good lessons for wee ones. I’m talking about Princess Charm School –charming, of course — and The Princess and the Pop Star, which will make you want to take up guitar and just be yourself. Strangely empowering.
Also in the running: Xena, Warrior Princess; Jungle Princess of Adventure Time; Princess Mononoke; Princess Vespa of Spaceballs; Princess Fiona (Shrek); Storm (Ororo Munroe of the X-Men); Wonder Woman (Princess Diana of Themyscira); Starfire