In Defense of Aurora......

[@casamiloku]

Aurora was cursed as a baby, almost every "major" decision was out of her control. At least she have some form of personality (humor stuff)

[@Amygrrrrl]

She does not. She just cries because she can't make decisions about her life. Many Disney characters before and after her have more spirit than her 🙄

[@Amygrrrrl]

@dasnet6846 weak performance from a weak princess 🤷‍♀️

[@Amygrrrrl]

@dasnet6846 she has no spirit, no personality, her "prince to the rescue" wasn't able to rescue her without constant outside help.... yeah, those two are the pair of the century 🤣

[@Amygrrrrl]

@dasnet6846 that's one dull personality in that case. Phillip has more spunk than her. He was opposed to the idea of marrying someone he doesn't love. Out loud, to his father, the king. It's a little strange wanting to marry someone you just met, but hey: if you know it's love, it's love I guess...

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

To me, Aurora is just a normal woman stuck in a horrible situation. I mean, in the span of one day Aurora learns that she's not an average girl but a princess engaged to some random prince she's never met and has to leave behind the only home and life she's ever known without even getting the chance to say goodbye to the guy she likes and invited over. To top it all off, not only did this all happen on her 16th birthday, but it all happened because she's cursed by an evil fairy who wanted to kill her for being snubbed by her parents. Really, it's no wonder why she breaks down crying at the cabin and then when they reach the castle. As for why she didn't leave, she was probably in midst of trying to come to terms with everything that happened that day so leaving probably wasn't the first thing on her mind. On another note, I don't believe she was inviting Philip over to marry him that day. I think it was more the equivalent of asking him out on a date and the reason she invites him to the cabin was so she can have the fairies chaperone.

[@Uta_Chandra.H]

Even if she ran away from the issue, she'd be Targeted by Maleficent and get struck by the Curse from the spin wheel anyways

[@mysterykiddo2167]

I don't blames her for breaking into tears at in her room at the castle, everything she just learnt was hard to process and she wasn't sure how to handle it. I think if I was in that situation, I'd feel the same.

[@adoramichis1884]

I totally agree with the dating thing. The one that wanted to marry after meeting her that same day was Philip, not Aurora, lol.

[@mysryuza]

I haven’t watched this movie in years, so I was like “SHE WAS ONLY 16 WHAT?!” Because her design gives the impression of a young adult who hasn’t matured all the way yet (mentally)

[@soren3569]

@@mysryuza Disney. Check out how old Pocahontas really was....

[@louisewilson2044]

Despite Aurora being an underdeveloped Disney princess she was my favourite. You do raise valid points about her having little to no choice in her circumstances. Prince Philip also deserves some credit as he did defeat a dragon to reach Aurora. There was also the fact that the entire kingdom were put to sleep until Aurora awakens so the entire Kingdom was literally at stake if he didn't do it.

[@MaidOfPasta]

Philip also has one of the greatest Disney Prince lines ever written when he proclaims that it’s the 14th century, he should choose his own bride!

[@huldress]

Aurora was also always my favorite, it always saddened me to see how much people criticize her :( my favorite princess and my favorite story.

[@eleonorepb4565]

She isn't the most devlopped character but the true protagonists of the movie are actually the three fairies : we start and end the movie with them, the are the most active characters, their magic is even behind Maleficiant's death

[@ariwl1]

This. The fairies are the drivers of the plot in them we have protagonists that are not only a group of women, but ones who have power, are on the older side of things, and have something of a Three Stooges dynamic going on. How often do we see ANYTHING like that in movies in general, let alone Disney? I think it was actually pretty cool that was the angle they took in the making of the film. It's just a bit of an unfortunate consequence that the titular princess is really more of a side-character in her own movie as a result.

[@siredgar1235]

I realize that Aurora did "save" herself by singing and walking with the animals, I believe her voice brought attention to Prince Philip, without her using her voice to sing, she wouldn't have true love's kiss.

[@AnnaPortia]

That's a good point! I hadn't thought of that!

[@Emily-the-faerie]

It was still a man that saved her and of course you say this your a Marinette fan

[@YukiIsArtist]

@Emily-sx7vd, why does it matter? I mean- in order for her to be saved is by true love's kiss. Its not wrong for a man to save the girl he loves

[@Emily-the-faerie]

@Hajimeswifeyy and she did nothing to move the story ot made me realize flora fauna and merryweather were the real main characters of sleeping beauty

[@animegraveyard776]

Comparing Aurora and Tarzan, I think either would have fallen for anyone if the person had showed them kindness, Male or Female.

[@singer2be256]

Aurora is my favorite too. She's the perfect combination of elegant and adorable

[@AnnaPortia]

I know! I always loved how graceful and playful she! Somewhat more recently I found out that the animation model for her was a ballet dancer so it all makes sense now😂

[@Uta_Chandra.H]

It wouldn't be called the Sleeping Beauty if the Princess wasn't cursed to sleep forever. Not even Modern Disney can whip up a full hour reboot of Girl-Boss Aurora 😂

[@singer2be256]

@@Uta_Chandra.H Considering the similarities her upbringing has with that of Rapunzel... a Sleeping Beauty tv spin off about Aurora finding her destiny sounds intriguing.

[@Victoria-_]

Agreed! She’s so sweet!

[@sweethistortea]

I agree! 💝

[@alishanightshade3270]

People only remember her 18 lines and sleeping all the time. I don’t like how she lefts with these impressions. Aurora is never a lazy person. She clean her house and help her aunts to get berries from the forest. At the ending, she’s gracefully hugging family she never met before. I’m a quiet person so I love Aurora. Also, people always mix up princess and the movie. Aurora is never a tired person, Snow White doesn’t say her favourite fruit is apple, Cinderella and pumpkins, did belle love roses?

[@lunarrize]

This! I see so many people cosplaying Disney princesses, and people play aurora as lazy and tired and only ever wants to sleep, and the fact that she will ONLY be asleep. Like no, she was cursed, she didn’t want to sleep, that’s not who she is!

[@foxpokemonforever4775]

Aurora is my favourite of the classic Disney Princesses. She’s elegant, playful, and has an air about her that makes me love her scenes. That moment when she wakes up and smiles at Phillip calls back to the dream she talks about earlier in the movie. “He pulls me close and then… I wake up.” Guys! Her dream guy is FINALLY THERE WHEN SHE WAKES UP.

[@shakirashipslied9721]

Much like many of the other girlies, calling any of them pathetic seems odd and cruel. A cursed girl, a girl whose step-mom wants to kill her, a girl whose step-mom uses her as a indentured servant, etc. Most of the girlies are victims of their circumstances, it's very victim blamey to rag on teen girls for not doing more to save themselves 💀

[@yasminthespiritsinger7704]

THIS THIS THIS. It is so terrible how people dragged Snow White, Aurora, and Cinderella.

[@magnusdiridian]

except for ariel. only could think of herself.

[@thefauxvenus]

So trueeeeeee, that’s literally the lesson the bratz episode tried to teach: they did their best with what they could at the time. It’s easy to say “haha dumb princess”, but putting in their actual shoes and imagining what else could they have done it’s really hard.

[@soren3569]

@@magnusdiridian Snow White, Aurora and Cinderella were Stage 1. Ariel was 'Stage 2', along with Jasmine and Belle. Stage 3 started with Pocahontas, then Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida and Anna. Stage 4 kicked off with Elsa, then Moana, Raya and arguably Mirabel Madrigal. (BTW, this totally arbitrary list is based heavily on the focus of the titular characters' arcs. In Stage 1, their stories are largely passive romances--they wait for their prince to come. Stage 2, they still want the guy, but now go out to find one of their choosing. Stage 3 girls have business to attend to, but in so doing, also find romance. And Stage 4s are basically not even bothering with romance (Confession: Haven't seen Raya and the Dragon yet, so I could be wrong about her arc). The most unfair aspect of the critiques leveled against Stage 1 and 2 girls is the failure to understand that their films were very much romances. Stage 3s are stories with a romance in them, while Stage 4s are not romances at all, and so won't contain any of those tropes. I suspect the reason a lot of the remakes have failed is that they try to make them into Stage 3 films, but that's not the heart of the story--they'd do better keeping them as romances, but with more modern sensibilities. So, in the case of Sleeping Beauty, have her and Phillip's prelude romance be more than one day in the forest--let them develop a real love affair over a few months--or even a full year--in-movie, perhaps even with a kiss (or three) that feel natural and earned. This would then both make her reaction to having to give Phillip up (so she believes) for her kingdom, and the waking kiss far less problematic. During the Year of Romance, you also show Aurora basically caring for herself, under the tutelage of the fairies, perhaps, but doing the actual work herself.

[@2dents513]

​@magnusdiridian yeah, because how dare she want to make choices for herself and live her life. No, she has to do what others tell her, especially her dad. Only her dad can tell her how to live her life. Because women must only think of others all the time and never themselves. 🙄

[@bookwyrm247]

I love her character. She was a princess but raised to be a normal peasant girl. When the fairies finally tell her the truth, she’s crushed because she doesn’t want to be a princess with all its trappings, she wants to stay a normal girl and maybe be with the guy she just met (whom she doesn’t know is royalty). The prince has a similar arc, when he tells his dad he no longer wants to marry Aurora but wants this peasant girl he’s fallen for. His dad threatens to disinherit him, and he couldn’t care less. They both care about life and love more than power or wealth, and they’re a good match in personality.

[@sta.catalinahighschoolinc.9486]

Who could save themselves from a sleeping curse? I dare you. Try to be cursed to fall asleep with only true love’s kiss as the only way to wake you up. Can you save yourself at that situation? It’s not her fault.

[@AnnaPortia]

FACTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DrawciaGleam02]

I think you would need a special spell/artifact to protect you so that you wouldn't fall asleep.

[@sta.catalinahighschoolinc.9486]

@@DrawciaGleam02 good luck finding one when even the fairies can’t help you with that.

[@GailXIfe1]

I really wish we got to see her in a dream world of sorts, pulling some strings behind the scenes

[@nestorsifuentesaguirre2722]

Ultra Vegito: Nothing a Time Ring can't cure. Or Seraphim

[@williamhanekom9882]

Even as a kid watching the original Disney Sleeping Beauty, I honestly wished we had more scenes with Aurora and the Fairies. They were guardians for most of her life and from the few brief glimpses we saw, they loved each other even when Aurora's experience of the world was limited. That's personally why her returning to the castle with them hurts more than her simply rebelling or running away. It's her resigning herself to a bigger cage she had than when she was at the cottage/the forest, because the betrayal of knowing your guardians were raising you on someone else's behalf broke her spirit, not to mention being betrothed just after meeting her first crush. It's also a good thematic reason why Maleficent's curse acts so quickly on her, because she's not a person anymore...but a hypnotised pawn being led someone else.

[@Aurora-qn2dx]

Aurora is my favourite Disney princess..shes a dreamer and shes graceful amd elegant..plus her dress is pink🩷

[@BlackDisneyPrincess]

Although it was blue most of the movie

[@akirahisui-vulpix]

Ariel wears pink. Plus they need to give Aurora her blue dress back.

[@akirahisui-vulpix]

@@BlackDisneyPrincessDisney needs to change her dress back to blue. It would be a great change for design

[@BlackDisneyPrincess]

@@akirahisui-vulpix I think it should be purple

[@BlackDisneyPrincess]

@@akirahisui-vulpix and teal

[@youtubewontletmetypeagoodu8128]

Aurora is so prettty. I loved her design sm. Her hair looks like it’s shining and her features are so modelesque. Her singing voice is also insane. And she’s so elegant. I just like watching her.

[@briannalee1998]

She may be underdeveloped, but that’s mostly the fault of the script focusing on other characters. I still like her even though she’s not as interesting and fun-loving as the princesses from Disney’s renaissance era and modern era. She’s lovely, graceful, charming, and has a sense of humor.

[@somekindofflower2024]

It wasn't the point of the movie at that time, neither for many animated movies or fairy tales to develop their main characters. They are very simple, with many deus ex machinas, love at first sight etc. They are meant to be aesthetically pleasing with balanced plot, but also focused on dancing and singing, especially from secondary characters. A lot of the magic those movies had would be taken away if there was a lot of exploring of character's struggle in a manner that we do today. That's why current animated movies and even live actions aren't as magical when it comes to the story. They want to include "realism", trauma, heavy themes etc, when Disney movies also had that before: Hercules and Lion king had betrayal and seeking one's identity, Mulan and Tarzan had the latter too, Cinderella and Snow White had domestic abuse, Aladdin had poverty etc, but these were issues not dealt with in a heavy way so the audience won't leave the theatre depressed ofc. It's just shame that we could've had 2d animated series nowadays that develop characters like Aurora, but Disney did that and messed that up back in the 80s or 90s idk the decade, so I doubt they'll do any better today.

[@cindellnelson2813]

Even in the original fairytale the Sleeping Beauty was never the main character. She's more of a plot device to keep the story moving. It's always been more about what other characters are willing to do to her or for her.

[@rooo358]

Yes yes yes love this defence of both Aurora and Phillip, they’re my Disney favs! Aurora is a medieval cottagecore icon with opera level singing talent and such quiet strength and grace and all I need say for Phillip is get you a man that will fight the literal “Mistress of all Evil” for you!

[@BlackDisneyPrincess]

I’d like to say Aurora’s best skill is that she’s versatile and easily adapts, because every decision was made for her. I could never adapt to different situations so easily so Aurora is definitely stronger than me and I actually do consider her a strong female character. I hate when white women want to say they didn’t have any Disney Princesses to look up to.

[@BlackDisneyPrincess]

*strong Disney Princesses

[@nyxldx]

Justice for my girl! ✊ it always pissed me off when people would accuse aurora of being boring or having 0 personality (or prince Phillip being a bad love interest) She's tragically underdeveloped but there are crumbs here and there where you can see her character traits. Her and Philip were also sweet, despite their short time (also the dude slayed a freaking dragon. You can't go harder than that)

[@doodlemunchkin2222]

It’s funny to me because all the Disney princesses that got crapped on in recent years for not “doing enough”, being bad examples to girls, or being weak and criticized for not doing more are also all the ones that start off as sheltered teenagers-children, being manipulated or hunted down by evil people and are raised often in very abusive households or unique circumstances and are very much victims learning to survive and cope in a cruel world. That’s like shaming a timid teenage girl for not trying to escape her abusive family and being a “girl boss” when doing so could quite literally worsen her condition, or implying them learning to survive and still harbor kindness towards others isn’t an incredibly admirable and strong-willed thing to do. Heck, you can even argue the Prince kissing Snow White wasn’t as creepy as people think because imo, I always saw it as a way to say goodbye to dead nobles back in the day. It’s not like he was lusting over her dead body and gave her a french kiss or something-none of that is implied and it’s literally a peck. And lets not forget ancient europeans and especially nobles would kiss each other hello and goodbye out of respect all the time. So to me it’s like him giving his biggest regards and respects to a princess gone too soon by pecking her goodbye. Also the 7 dwarves were literally all there to witness it, it wasn’t any sexual undertone at all to that kiss. And as you said with Philip, if a kiss happened to wake me up from literal death-idc who you are or how long I’ve known you-all I’m gonna be thinking about waking up and hearing the story of what saved me-I’mma be nothing but grateful towards that person! Especially if I woke up to find out it was my crush like come on-lol

[@ku1747]

The hate that old disney princesses get just shows how awful people treat and think of victims

[@reillykuhn5692]

You made a lot of great points in this video, basically everything was out of Aurora's control. Aurora is my favorite Disney Princess too and I really don't like the backlash she gets. She's graceful, elegant, charming, hopeful, and a dreamer (which I can totally relate to). Plus, I really like her sense of humor

[@yvaine.06]

For me, Aurora was my favorite because she felt like an introvert like me. Not all Disney princesses have to be talkative and bubbly/extroverted/expressive as that's also a stereotype. It's unique to see one who is sensible and a dreamer. She reminds of Francesca Bridgeton like her power lies in the mystery of her being a quiet character and having a pleasant and adaptable personality.

[@MercyxStarlight]

Adding onto the identity crisis thing: She was Raised for 16 years as Briar Rose. Now suddenly Her name is Aurora. Imagine finding that out in top of everything else.

[@Niko-qq2vr]

Sleeping beauty is one of my favorite disney princess movies. Everything about this film carries an special place in my life, since I watched it a lot in my childhood all the time, and Aurora is one of my favorite princesses because of that. The coloration of the movie, the designs, the interactions of the three fairies, the villain, the Once Upon a Dream song (specially Lana's version that they made in Maleficent) is something so unique! Did you know that the trees of this movie are squares? Lol. About Aurora as an character, I agree completly with what you said here. Her fate was unfortunatly chosen from outsiders and she literally discovered that her whole life couldn't remain the same anymore, because she was in actuality an princess that had to go away for protection. Though I agree that Phillip could be more developed with her (and they could have made them equal in age, though at the story's timeline it was unfortunatly normal) at least he did met with her briefly and kinda had the consent of the three faires (you know, her 'aunts' who raised her since childhood) to kiss her to break the spell. Many people might say that she could have left the kingdom or tried to get out from the whole 'princess' situation, but honestly, what could she even do? She was only sixteen, she never met the world as an whole, never had any human contacts aside from her own aunts, just discovered that she wasn't just an ordinary girl living in the woods and from what I can remember now, the fairies didn't even warned her about the curse, so how could she even protect herself against that too? It was interesting to see her managing to get out from the curse's hypnotism for a second, because it showed her mental strenght against someone who was more powerful then her and I just love it that she snapped out from it because of Fauna, get the chills everytime. Awesome video btw

[@AnnaPortia]

Same! It's such a shame that it didn't do well when it came out😔 The art style is so unique, which is definitely one of the reasons I've always loved it so much! Well, that and the three fairies are hilarious!🤣🤣

[@HeidiBrown-hh5gy]

Aurora is my favorite, but I think it’s because Sleeping Beauty is the most stylized and “classic” princess film using Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty ballet. As a young girl, I couldn’t explain why it was different than all the others… now I can- it’s the use of Renaissance type dresses and French architecture with the specific style integrated with the forest and Forbidden Mountain.

[@arcierv]

Aurora is my favorite disney princess & i have always loved her. Back then when I was kid I found book version of disney sleeping beauty at my school library & there it showed more on detail philip & aurora's interactions & aurora grieving but taking her responsibilities without putting harm or danger on the man he met on woods thinking he was just normal dude. For a 16 year old she loves her godmothers despite them hiding such big thing & can accept her responsibilities even if shes at edge of breaking down. The way she never cried in front of others & kept her desire of wanting to have normal life with more people within her doesnt make her weak. Shes aware of how much work her fairy godmothers did to put her safe & shes grateful of it as well as all animals & philip without dismissing anyone. She was just 16 trapped in a forest life yet so mature enough to see other's viewpoints & struggle which makes me adore her so much more. I love all disney princesses but aurora really deserves better treatment considering shes one of very few if not the only one princess disney made rn who would sacrifice her chances of escaping her problems & following her dreams & freedom, but instead do the right thing she must without showing a teardrop to others.

[@abgachastudio]

I have a theory : Aurora's dream about Prince Philip is the result of Merryweather's spell after Maleficent's curse. She met Philip in her dreams so she could fall in love with him and the true love kiss would work. But I think Merryweather wouldn't know about this consequence

[@AnnaPortia]

That's a pretty interesting theory!!!

[@reillykuhn5692]

@abgachastudio Oooooh, I really like that idea!

[@disneyvillainsfan1666]

I always admired how it was implied that Aurora met Phillip from "Dreaming." I mean, It doesn't sound too believable, but they seemed to be pretty happy to dance in the woods through the rest of Once Upon a Dream, even though he surprised her. It felt like Aurora knew who he was through Dreams and Sleeping, and she saw Phillip in person for the first time in her life. Animated movied were a lot simpler back in the 1950s-60s, so it's Best to admire the smaller details instead of just comparing them to modern animated features.

[@jfk-t9o]

In recent years in some ways she kinda remind me of Greek mythology Cassandra and biblical Joseph of dreams. She saw the future.

[@TsukabuNosoratori2]

I love Aurora. She shows a bit of spunk when the Fairies are trying to hide their fixings for her birthday, and yet she was (understandably) Shy when she first met Phillip. And also- people actually say Phillip is lame? He fought the got dang mistress of all evil in her DRAGON form to save Aurora. He had help from the Fairies' spell at the end to 'fly swift and true' yes, but he threw the dang sword. He's one of the most heroic Princes next to Eric who took out Ursula in the animated Little Mermaid to save Ariel and her father. Sleeping Beauty is an amazingly beautiful animated feature in the early 2D style too. Everything was painted by hand. *chef's kiss* Love your video, it highlights some of the best features from the movie as well.

[@922sunshine]

I love Aurora as well, she should be appreciated and loved more.

[@mysterykiddo2167]

And besides if she hadn't met Phillip in the Woods, the chain of events that lead to Maleficent's death wouldn't have been triggered

[@Humanlivingthrulife5044]

Aurora is someone who I don't immediately remember when Disney's princess are mentioned, but I don't recall ever having a bad opinion of her, and I attribute that to the knowing looks she gave to her fairy god mothers and played along to let them do what they intended without her knowledge 😁🤣. That scene tells you volumes of her personality and I would say wisdom, in approaching her life. I say wisdom since the storytellers could have animated her as naive and not knowing any better, but in this scene, it shows that Aurora is perceptive of people, and when she interacts and dances with the animals, she is mindful. And just my opinion, seeing as she had to be sheltered, I could only imagine days where she would be bored, and this could have easily turn any child petty, but in her case, she approached her lot in life with imagination, humor, and appreciation on what she does have access to. While the story called for other characters to be front and center for majority of the film, as the story revolved on how she got the curse, the efforts done to shield her from the curse, to bringing her back from the curse, I would say all this would have been all for naught, had she not been a lovable character. And in the few scenes that she is focused on, she radiated a strong character that rivaled her physical beauty.

[@fishnewt1331]

Even more interesting, she keeps on a brave and optimistic face in front of her friends and family, but when she actually speaks to the animals, she displays a depth of emotion where she feels hopeless about her situation. How her aunts treat her like a child and how her dreams have not come true despite what they tell her about wishing. A sort flaw and strength of character both at the same time, since the flaw is losing faith in herself or the possibility in things getting better. But a strength in not taking those emotions out on anybody else, speaking about it calmly (albeit sadly) to only her most trusted friends (or at least to ones who cannot blab to anyone about her thoughts).

[@PetProjects2011]

I've told this anecdote elsewhere, but I'll tell it here too. Some years ago, I saw Paige O'Hara (voice of Belle) and Linda Larkin (Jasimine) at a convention, and I attended their Q&A panel. I forget what provoked it, but O'Hara talked about how she does not like Sleeping Beauty, that's it's the Disney film she likes the least, and that Aurora was the worst of the Disney princesses. Her rant basically ended with "Why does she spend so much of the film asleep?" Larkin responded, in a completely bewildered tone, "The movie is called Sleeping Beauty..." It's one of those moments irl that I wish i could have been able to record because it was so funny. I also would have liked to have gotten an indie animator to make it look like Belle and Jasimine having the discussion.

[@SirenaofFlowers]

I think Aurora is strong when it comes to her returning with the fairies to be a princess. It shows she accepted her role and new life. Which means she could be dutiful, knowing that being a princess is incredibly important. Of course she was upset about it. But I think her eventually going through with it shows she put the kingdom before herself and her desires.

[@sarakennedy3467]

I feel like people are harsh on Pocohontas too, I am pretty sad she never made a appereance in Sofia the first as I am half Cherokee Indian and I really like her calm but playful personality. Aurora is an amazing princess and deserves more love too

[@AnnaPortia]

I know! I think it's because she's technically based off a real person, and Disney did what they always do.... Change everything until it's unrecognizable🤣 . I think if you just watch Pocahontas as it's own thing (as in, you aren't expecting it to be historically accurate) its fine. Though it wasn't my favorite movie, I thought that Pocahontas herself was good. Granted I haven't seen it in YEARS, but I remember thinking she was good 🤣

[@MayArif-hv1cg]

They should really change Pocahontas's name

[@sarakennedy3467]

@@AnnaPortia Awesome I think it had incredible songs

[@amandaslough125]

​@@MayArif-hv1cgThe name is flat out the main issue with her. Different name and she'd be praised despite not being like history.

[@Saltedroastedcaramel]

The portrayal of Pocahontas is a hot topic

[@alicianieto2822]

Also, let's be honest, a teenage girl being very interested in boys and men is NOT a stretch at all, is a common phase.

[@Echo-mg5em]

I never understood the vitriol with which “champions of women” tore Aurora down. She’s 16. She’s cursed. She’s never been told the truth about her identity. She’s unconscious for a large part of the movie. She’s the villain’s primary target victim… and their response is to blame the victim? No thank you!

[@cool677plusmaa]

This is so needed , ugh I remember becoming biased for aurora at like 10/11 bc always cursed to love the least popular characters . she deserves more recognition and defense essays just like Cinderella and Snow White 🩷

[@jfk-t9o]

In recent years in some ways she kinda remind me of Greek mythology Cassandra and biblical Joseph of dreams. She saw the future.

[@Capydapy]

Aurora has always seemed like the most level-headed and most mature and responsible out of the Disney Princess canon and I guess to some that's boring or not girl-bossy so she's "wooden".

[@marekwright427]

I appreciate you coming to bat for Aurora and my boy Philip

[@AliJayCraft]

Exactly! Phillip saved Aurora by kissing her! He literally saved her life because he wanted her to be in his life again!

[@AnnaPortia]

I know!! It's so ridiculous that people will complain about lack of consent in Sleeping Beauty 🙄

[@sta.catalinahighschoolinc.9486]

7:40 Uhm no with the Snow White thing. The prince met and fell in love with Snow White and promised to see her again. But, upon finding that Snow White was dead, he kissed her as a way of saying goodbye. A farewell kiss to the woman he loved. He didn’t know that what he did would revive her. (It was not uncommon for some cultures to kiss their love ones farewell upon death). Though I agree with you that it was weird.

[@loonytunescrazy]

She was under a curse

[@joaniedallaire4352]

I don't understand why people dislike her. For me, she is the ultimate role modele.... She teaches young girls that they deserve to take a nap and let the men do all the work!

[@ArtemisDalmasca]

In defense of the love at first sight thing for Aurora, it is more than possible for that to happen. It's not just an instant "I'm in love", it's a sense with the other person... Being together is just natural - as if you've known each other for forever. I can say this through personal experience, since it's what happened with my husband and I. That said, I do like the other points you brought up about her never having met anyone else

[@ivygirl5798]

Aurora's strength, which very few people seem to value these days, is the strength of obedience. To run off and choose her own path and carve her own way in the world is not always the thing that requires the most strength. She learned her entire life was a lie, that she was betrothed to a man she had never met after she'd just found one who was really sweet and nice with a similar sense of dreaming and humor, was clearly upset about it, and she still. Went. Back. Like, that takes guts. That takes extreme trust in the people who raised her, even after she found out they'd been lying to her. And you see that in the hypnosis spell, too. Maryweather tells her not to touch anything and she resists because she trusts the people who raised her, because she loves them. It is not weakness to obey. Sometimes obedience is much, much harder, but Aurora does it anyway, and she is rewarded for that tenacity in the end, when her obedience leads her to the place she wanted for herself, at Phillip's side. And I think that's beautiful. "Jesus replied: "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." - John 14:23, said at the last supper, on the night before he went to the cross in obedience to the Father.

[@DrawciaGleam02]

Though Ella enchanted shows how sometimes people can manipulate obedience......

[@ivygirl5798]

@DrawciaGleam02 This is true, but I would argue that forced obedience such as in Ella Enchanted is very different from chosen obedience. A choice to obey indicates love because it requires trust in another person, while taking that indicator of love and trust by force is nothing but cruel, just as love and trust given to the undeserving becomes a cruel weapon. We even see that in the scene with the spindle. Aurora is hypnotized and forced to obey Maleficent, whom she neither loves nor trusts, but when the voice of one she loves calls out, she manages to resist briefly before control is reasserted, and her obedience is taken by force, the result being her figurative death.

[@heathergray8846]

Even though she wasn't when I was little, Aurora recently became my favourite classic Disney Princess after rewatching the classics lately I love your essay ❤ it is wonderful and raises great points about her and Phillip's characters 😊 Thank you!

[@Wizard608]

Snow White didn't take the apple willingly though, the Witch handed it to her, and then proceeded to insist her to eat it in a manipulative tone.

[@Raichedian]

Thank you! Aurora has always been my favourite, glad to see someone else sticking up for our girl ❤️👍

[@missprofessionalyapper]

Honestly, she and Prince Philip are very admirable! They were going to give everything away just so that they could be together. That takes a lot of strength! Not to mention going through a curse and surviving a battle. I do wish Aurora had more screen time, but with the world-building in the movie, I didn’t mind. But maybe I'm bias because I sleep a LOT 😅

[@AnnaPortia]

I know! I thought about adding another subsection about how Phillip was literally willing to give up the throne and become a PEASANT for her but since the video was supposed to be about Aurora I decided against it.

[@tamsynspackman7090]

Aurora inspired me as a girl to develop my voice and become a singer. That was my major in college. She's my favorite and I love her. Aside from that, I think Sleeping Beauty has a lot to offer our boys. They establish that Philip must use virtue and truth (his shield and sword) to defeat his enemies. There's a lot to break down there. He isn't just handsome and charming. He is also brave and he conquers evil. I think Prince Philip gets a bad rap too! He literally kills Maleficent, this great evil that has plagued the kingdom for years, and all he is known for is kissing a girl while she sleeps. Give me a break.

[@sarahwallace]

Belle's my favorite Disney princess... honestly, I don't know if I could tell you why. She just kinda is.😅 This video was quite intriguing. I always love seeing people stand up for the underdogs... so this was right up my alley! TYSM!❤

[@AnnaPortia]

Glad you enjoyed it! Belle is one of my favorites too! She's a very strongly written character!

[@georgeprchal3924]

She just wanted to live with her aunts in the forest and meet a nice boy.

[@Krystie-f9d]

I love Aurora. Also, she was the first Disney princess to walk barefoot and not be afraid of the woods, how cool is that? Also Philip's great, I always thought he liked Aurora not only for her charms but that she is a fearless woods girl. If it was me, I'd freak out if a stranger walked into my woods.

[@laruriel7419]

Thank you for coming to Aurora’s defense! Also your editing and voice over are so great! Definitely subscribing!

[@hannahbarlow53]

Anyone who hates Aurora doesn't understand art. Not everything needs to be thrown in your face. Aurora's strength was hidden in the footnotes and really understood by watching and understanding. She has the quiet elegant kind of power.

[@aliditan]

I literally never watched Aurora's movie, but she was my favorite princess, only because i had this Disney laptop shaped like a heart, and when you clicked 4, it played a video of aurora dancing to Fur Elise and i loved it so much. (im tempted to buy one off of eBay)

[@redheadreviews8001]

Thank you!!!! She was my favorite Disney Princess too. Mainly because I loved her voice and she’s just so ridiculously pretty 😍. You gave me more reasons to love her now!!

[@SirenaofFlowers]

Her movie was the first Disney Princess one I watched. I have always adored Aurora. ❤

[@soren3569]

My wife has always favored Aurora (but she insists on blue-dress Aurora, being annoyed by the color pink). Her reaction to seeing the opening image was "Oooh!" So thanks for that.

[@elluriina7235]

For a long time I thought that this kind of a romance that Aurora and Philip have is not realistic, but then I experienced it myself just a couple years ago. There was a guy I danced with during one evening, talked to him a bit, and I was in love - and we started dating. Sometimes just one dance with someone can tell a lot about that person, and yourself, and also raise so many feelings. Those who are not lucky enough (or dance) and don't meet people this way don't understand that a perfect romance like this can actually happen in real life. Love at first sight is rare, but not impossible.

[@squallrowlandson8028]

I agree so much with your defence of Aurora and I can say nearly all of your defence of her towards Vixey (The Fox and the Hound). She too is an underrated and underdeveloped character who gets unjust persecution and a bad rap.

[@donnguyen1107]

Also in Jasmine’s case notice she does try to escape and meets Aladdin in the process but also sees how people like Aladdin get treated and tries to use her authority to stop the guards “by order of the princess!” And when she finds out Jafar gave the orders and is told BY Jafar (liar) he’s automatically carried out the death sentence without her father’s approval she sees how corrupt her government is and takes responsibility by going along with her marriage system if only to make sure people like Jafar don’t do this again with “at least some good will come out of my being forced to marry. When I am queen I will have the power to get rid of you!” But she’s not gonna throw herself at any guy or put herself up as an object or trophy with “I am not a prize to be won!”

[@littleloganjaime2232]

Aurora's also my favorite Disney princess 💖, thank you for making this video, you totally gave her some justice that she rightfully deserved 💅

[@fishnewt1331]

Also an intriguing detail, Aurora actually comes off far more pessimistic than the other princesses. Yes, she did believe in dreaming hard enough in your wishes, but she speaks to the animals about how she had dreamt so many times sadly and speaks of how her aunts always treat her like a child, implying a dissatisfaction with her current circumstances and might be starting to lose faith in a better future before Phillip comes in. It’s fascinating potential. Aurora is my favorite for untapped potential and her color palette is the closest to a Disney Princess wearing red that I will get currently. (Or it was until Moana came) It’s also why Ariel was number two after Aurora. And thank god someone has enough sense to read between the lines. I don’t believe you are wrong to note a sense of duty might have had something to do with Aurora’s decision to accompany the fairies. Yes, she laments not seeing Phillip again, but she should at that point know what she is getting into by going with the fairies. She is not just marrying a prince. She is gonna attend to her duties as a princess (or queen maybe), which would require someone with a sense of responsibility to her people. At the very least, we could at least infer she has respect for her aunts, meaning she feels obligation for them at least, who would be held responsible by the king and queen if Aurora were not to fulfill her duty.

[@miaaaseth]

Thanks for covering this and defending our sleeping beauty🩷 She's so my favorite Disney princess and I remember her being tidy and comical☺️🩷🩷

[@alexandrecovers]

"Sleeping Beauty" is probably one of my favorite Disney movies. The story has its flaws in storytelling in my eyes (I often skip the part where King Stephan and Hubert argue, for instance) but it's a feast for the eyes from start to finish, the music is gorgeous, the voice acting is top tier... I understand why modern audiences would see Aurora as extremely passive in this story, she even appears for a total of 17 minutes in the film I believe. But then again, the whole story IS driven by female characters: Maleficent (the Disney villain par excellence) places her terrible curse on the princess, the three good fairies offer to protect her by giving up their magical powers and raising her deep in the forest, the Queen accepts to give her only child up, the one she and her husband had hoped for for so long, Aurora accepts her royal duties with grace and dignity when the truth is revealed to her... In a way, I guess it shows different sides of femininity and they can all be compatible. (Well... Perhaps avoid cursing your friend's children if you don't get invited to their baby shower but... You know, you do you.)

[@AnnaPortia]

Really? I love that scene!!🤣🤣🤣 In all seriousness though, I think people get too caught up in the whole girl boss idea. But EVERY character doesn't need to be like that, nor should they. One of the most wonderful things about movies is that you get to see an array of different heroes, and personalities with various passions, and motivations; its what keeps it interesting. Who wants to watch movies that only have two stereotypical characters? Not me, I can tell you that right now🤣 Also you're definitely correct. The three fairies are the main protagonists. And if you think about it, that's pretty cool how they made three elderly ladies that main characters of a princess fairy tale😂 Also, Maleficent is one of, if not THE best Disney villain; I will DIE on that hill.🤣🤣

[@THEKOSZMAR77]

TBH I never saw neither Aurora or Philip as a main character. They were more like a plot devices. The real story for me was about faires vs Meleficent

[@pollystarlight2362]

Aurora is one of my favorite princesses, her story is really interesting to me and I think she's the most beautiful Disney princess. I'll defend characters like her forever if I have to, heck I'm about to do it again right now. I liked this video and I'm glad that you defended Aurora but if I can say this, I disagree with the Snow White part of the video. The old lady giving her an apple wasn't an obliviously evil thing to her, she shouldn't have accepted the apple nor should she have agreed that let her into the cottage but she was tricked by her and thought the hag was hurt. She's a naive person who has too much trust in people but other than that, she can look after both herself and others like the dwarfs. She genuinely trusted this lady and tried helping her out of the kindness of her heart. Despite her mistakes and flaws, she's also a strong and capable lady in her own right. Aurora and Snow White are in the same boat for me where their both underrated and independent, they can both take care of themselves if you ask me. Sorry if this was rude or snarky, I'll delete this comment if it came off that way or similarly to that.

[@yotuba9493]

I love how she was characterized by the love she gives to others

[@dllps]

The animation is more about Maleficent versus The Three Fairies. Phillip, Aurora and the Kingdoms are more the representation of the World, where these metaphysical forces clash.

[@maemadl54]

I would argue that there is no “original version” because there are hundreds of different versions of the story

[@AnnaPortia]

That's kinda where I come from. I mean there's probably older and newer versions, but again, like you said there's so many, its kind of irrelevant.🤷‍♀

[@aelitastone5629]

@@AnnaPortia There is still a first one that make some others version poping.

[@donnguyen1107]

In the case of Snow White’s Prince we get them having a connection and when he’s kissing her he’s actually kissing her out of grief, saying goodbye to a woman he wanted to explore a relationship with and expected to see again only to find her missing and dead as far as he knows. Also Disney wanted to give the prince some more time and character with the queen kidnapping him and him being rescued by the animals to reach Snow White but it got scrapped since they were struggling with realistic male characters. Obviously this concept was reused for sleeping beauty

[@vicki524]

Aurora also has a bigger role is Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams.

[@Player-kq6fd]

Kissing a dead body is not really weird in this situation. How I see it if you lose a love one it's a good bye Kiss "i kiss my grandma who passed away a long time ago because she gone and I never get to see her again" . Now, if it's a stranger, then it's weird or a friend's it's also weird to judge how close you guys are or anything, but I don't see it as weird it's just a good bye Kiss how I see it just like cinderella. They are not least, and if they are dead and if they are sleeping, they are in there, but Inot a coffin . That's how I see it

[@nightrousviolet33dgaming27]

In my personal opinion: Princess Aurora is one of my favorite Disney movies/ princesses because its a classic of love the soundtrack and songs but I love Aurora's traits because she is classy, elegant, shy, good spirt, graceful, and amazing singing voice that's my personal impute.

[@vray7607]

Also, let's not forget Jasmine almost lost a hand of Alladin didn't go along. Aurora made the smarter choice, especially since Malefacint was actively targeting her whereas Jasmine wasn't in any danger.

[@xadalau9758]

Frankly, Just going along with It is the most realistic and sensível choice that most people would make. Jasmine was really reckless running away like that and the movie implied she was a sheltered Princess (like not paying for the Apple).

[@LunaP1]

The fairies should've told her a few years ago what was going on, about her curse, and about the prince she was destined to marry. At least then, when she encountered the prince, they would've put two and two together and still found a way to protect her better. Aurora got shafted this whole movie with no one giving her the down low on her situation so the fairies wouldn't have to hide their powers from HER and her parents could be reassured about her safety.

[@bexfisch80]

Thank you for this. Aurora was always my favorite too. Yes, she's not the most developed character, but what we do see is so delightful. She's just a happy girl daydreaming about finally meeting a guy she likes, which after a childhood in isolation with only three old ladies to keep her company, can you blame a teenage girl for wanting that? Plus walking barefoot in the woods talking my animals and picking berries was like my ideal life as a child.

[@MiniJellyLoaf]

In defense of snow whites prince,kissing a recently deceased person you cared for was very normal in many places way back. BUT I AM SO GLAD SOMEBODY DEFENDED AURORA,I swear this is one of my favorite disney movies. However I do find the Fairies to be more of the main characters then Aurora. I would dare say the prince didn't save her at all,or at-least would never have been able to without them. They saved her from maleficent 2 times and we get to see it. 1st time they took her to the forest,2nd time they gave Philip magic weapons to defeat Maleficent. They broke Philip out of a prison,I hate when people point to this movie and say it's bad or the girl in it does nothing. Aurora may not be doing much,but 4 other ladies are! Maleficent, Merry-weather, Flora and Fauna are all powerful females in the movie who display their power, emotions and smarts. I would say the Queen but she barely has more then 1 line. I also thought that it just didn't occur to her to run away? You know you have a disagreement with your parents,your immediate thought isn't to pack up and run away into the forest. Which also shows more of a level head. Also when she was crying and arguably half or more of the reason was Philip possibly,I can't blame her. You meet this real nice person,spend possibly hours with them,You get on so well you can sing in harmony with each other,both of you want to see each other again and so you give him a time and place to come find you,and well you're told you never get to see the only person besides your aunts(The fairies) that you ever met or got along with,when they are already going to come looking. Ontop of that becoming a princess of an entire kingdom after only knowing and being around 3 people your entire life and isolated in a forest? Good luck adjusting,just the thought would be overwhelming,especially since she was shy/scared at first when meeting philip.

[@AnnaPortia]

I would definitely agree the fairies are the main characters, and really are the ones who save Aurora. Without them, Phillip would've been trapped in Maleficents castle for years!! Also about Snow-white, I don't really mean to pick on her either, my main point was that people will defend her case but not Aurora's.

[@MiniJellyLoaf]

@@AnnaPortia Yea no totally,it's just alot of people overlook that in history it has been normal to kiss a dead person you cared for and just call him a weirdo who kissed a corpse lol. I'm happy when people defend Aurora or any princess really,so many of them get over simplified and called weak. Especially older ones. I loved the video!

[@Saltedroastedcaramel]

I think the main reason why Aurora gets more criticism than Cinderella and Snow White is because she's in a lesser abusive environment. The criticism of Cinderella and Snow White are getting backlash because their stories are more relatable

[@eleonorepb4565]

@@Saltedroastedcaramel Cinderella and Snow White are also more present in their movies.

[@Saltedroastedcaramel]

@@eleonorepb4565 That's true, but Aurora didn't have as much control of her life like them

[@sonicmiku3009]

While Aurora wasn't my favorite princess, I never saw her as boring as a kid. She was still fun despite not doing much. Disney was able to put a lot of personality into her character. She was a pretty laid back kind of person because of the environment she grew up in. Imagine what kind of person she would have been if she never got cursed and stayed at the castle.

[@cadencek3576]

Aurora is my favourite Disney princess, probably because she was the pink princess character but she is also really pretty and now that I think about she is also one of the most fairytale like princess of all the princesses. 🥰💖🩷

[@nathenewendzel7806]

You know what, being in a situation where you need to be rescued and unable to rescue yourself from a situation doesn't make you any less valuable. It's okay if you can't rescue yourself from everything. It doesn't make you any less worthy of rescue. A woman does not need to be ashamed when she cannot rescue herself and somebody else ends up doing it. It doesn't mean you should wait around when you are capable of actually doing something, but we need to quit shaming people for needing rescue from a situation they can't get out of by themselves or by their own efforts.

[@donnguyen1107]

More to the point is that she’s also crying because not only can she not be with the guy she’s made a connection with or deepen the relationship with him but she’s also just been told her entire life has been a lie and that she’s a princess who has to marry a complete stranger as far as she knows yet after letting those emotions out she’s gracefully and dutifully going along with it until the crown is put on her head so the weight literally and figuratively hits her again. Also while we don’t know or see if she’s been told of her curse you can see either way she prob doesn’t care anymore because to her knowledge and situation either way she’s lost any independence she may have had or dreamed of as even if the curse breaks or is avoided she faces a political marriage.

[@Hlhud]

Hi there. Thank you for such an informative and insightful video. :) Aurora is also my favorite princess. As a matter of fact, not to toot my own horn or anything, but she was my main source of inspiration for the leading lady of the books I've written. :)

[@briannahlabelle2458]

You honestly have valid points and she’s one of my faves too

[@grapesauce5091]

She was a the first fem fetale and flirty animated women ive seen, she deserves more love

[@noodledaddy3234]

i'm always defending the classic Disney princesses

[@titaniatixie]

Cinderella is my favourite princess. And Philip is my favourite prince.

[@pandana6492]

She is so graceful, and has a very interesting story that needs to be eleberated on diving more into her character would help more poeple see the story in a differnt light.

[@Prototype-357]

I want us all to agree that knowing how to keep a house is NOT a skill to be looked down on, knowing how to do that is proof that person is independent. Be it a man or a woman, if you know household skills you rule!

[@morelihernandez7456]

Dont forget that the "love at first sight" in this case is debatable. Aurora didnt want to speak to Phillip at first, she tried to distance herself from him, but he was able to charm her. I don't think thats love at fkrst sight just a man exerting his spectacular rizz.

[@__________________________9190]

I mean... if you're up against some evil witch that can turn to a dragon with fire powers if you can't outsmart her like prince philip you're cooked.. LITERALLY

[@Spear_of_Boudicca]

It’s true that Aurora doesn’t get to do much, but she is charming, and she is actually interesting from a narrative standpoint. She was cursed as a baby without being able to do anything, she was never meant to have agency. That's one of the main themes of the story, lack of agency... which gets way darker in some of the older versions of the tale... Anyways. That's why is nice to her gain her freedom in the end, which includes being with the boy she likes instead of being forced to marry someone else. She is a likable side character, because yes... The critique that the "female lead" doesn’t get enough to do has always been curious to me because the *ACTUAL* protagonists of the movie are clearly the three fairies. Three single women on the older side being the most important characters? I love that for them. As for the bad reputation that people assign to Phillip, I think many have never actually seen the movie. Everyone recognizes the iconic image of the kiss, so they assume, "Oh, he randomly kissed her while she was unconscious-assault." Phillip is actually nice for what it’s worth; he’s one of the better Disney princes. These movies tend to be more princess-centric, so I’m not bothered by the prince getting a little bit of screen time. I like his fight with Maleficent, it’s a gorgeous sequence. Overall, the movie is extremely beautiful. People need to watch it carefully and appreciate the animation, character design, and backgrounds. I love this movie, even if isn't like... lore heavy enough for some people? like, okay, have you ever tried appreciating a stunning piece of visual art? Also, Aurora is easily one of the prettiest Disney characters in the canon. People can fight me on that! I love her design, and I’m kind of sad we’re unlikely to see it being used again. On a slightly unrelated note, I really dislike the modern redesigns that Disney has done recently of the classic princesses for their merchandise. They are ugly.

[@Princess_Chérie]

I never understood why the princesses get as much flack as they do, they are strong but they can be vulnerable

[@nori_mervis]

Cinderella also needs a honourable mention here. I see a lot of people casting her, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White (aka Classic Disney Princesses) as underdeveloped, non-feminist etc. Thank goodness the narrative around Cinderella is evolving because despite what people thinks of her, she's actually the strongest Disney princess of that era. She's silk hiding spine of steel. She's kind, caring, loving and despite all the crap she's put through by her stepfamily, that doesn't stop her from being nice as possible to them. Niceness is a virtue, not a vice. But even despite that, she doesn't let them walk over her and knows when she's had enough; she's quick to put Lucifer in his place, blatantly disobeyed her stepmother to go to the ball, and even attempted to escape their tyranny by trying to wear the glass slipper. I know it's unrelated but I just had to point that out. Not every feminist movie needs to push a girl-warrior narrative (that's good) but kindness and love aren't traits that we should tell our children not to identify with.

[@yasminthespiritsinger7704]

THANK YOU. JUST THANK YOU.

[@RoseBaggins]

YESSS!! Aurora was my first favorite princess, and is still in my top three (though, technically, it's Belle at the top with Ariel and Aurora sharing second, lol). I too never got the hate, especially her character. I always noticed that side eye of hers and knew she was smart. She was certainly smart enough to be cautious of Phillip and then picked up on his excellent vibes. I mean, it helps that he's good ... and good-looking. 😉

[@vanjenk]

Aurora is my favorite princess too, and Philip is my favorite prince. 😊

[@AngelnottheSaint]

Omg I didn’t know people didn’t like her :( she’s my favorite princess!! She’s playful and beautiful Her man fights a dragon for her like that’s awesome 💕💕

[@sailorearth2007]

People also need to remember these early movies were made by HAND with every cel being drawn and colored and then photographed in sequence to create the movies…reason the very SHORT credit list is at the start and the runtime in around an hour compared to the 90 min or 2 hours we get today

[@AnnaPortia]

It's just mind blowing to think about!!!!