50 greatest Disney characters of all-time ranked
By Mark Lynch
12. Merida
"“I am Merida, first-born descendant of Clan DunBroch, and I’ll be shooting for my own hand.” -Merida"
None of the Disney Princesses went against the system like Merida. She didn’t just defy her parents. She did it in front of three kingdoms and showed that she was a better shot than any of her male suitors. It upset her mother, but Merida knew what she wanted and went for it. It was admirable.
Brave is an appropriate name for this movie. Sometimes you have to confront the things that scare you to get what you want. Otherwise, you could end up ruining your life. Merida refused to conform to old traditions. While other Disney Princesses have done this, she did it with more force than tact.
11. Princess Jasmine
"“I won’t be silenced/You can’t keep me quiet/Won’t tremble when you try it” -Princess Jasmine"
Live-action remakes are rarely as good as the original. It’s even more unlikely that a character is better than the one who was originally one of the greats. This is where Naomi Scott’s Princess Jasmine comes in.
The animated Princess Jasmine was one of the first Disney princesses to go against the grain. She wasn’t going to marry someone because she had to. She wanted to be in love when she got married. The same thing applied to Naomi Scott’s version. The difference came in Naomi Scott was more powerful and direct.
In the end, it wasn’t just love she received. Her father recognized that she should be Sultan. A major change that only happened because Princess Jasmine stood tall, proud, and said she would not be silenced.