For over almost one hundred years, Walt Disney Animation Studios has created some of the most
beloved movies, characters, and worlds. We’ve all grown up watching their movies, and they have been
passed down from generation to generation. With such a huge impact comes a huge following of fans,
ready to add their own elements to the stories. Some create fan art, others create fanfiction,
and some create fan theories. These theories range from explaining some of the stranger elements in
certain movies to giant crossover theories. Today, we’ll be looking at some of the most
popular Disney theories, and decide which ones are true, and which are little more than fanfiction.
I’m Brad with WickedBinge, and this is Disney Fan Theories: BS to Truthbombs
Starting things off, these are the theories that are either too outlandish to be true,
don’t have enough sufficient evidence,
or have been flat-out debunked by the creators. These theories are Bullsh*t.
Rapunzel is related to Anna and Elsa
There’s nothing like a good ol’ crossover theory to start us off! This one is pretty
self-explanatory. In the original Frozen, both Rapunzel and Flynn Rider make a small but fun
cameo during the musical number, “For the First Time in Forever”. So what exactly is Rapunzel
doing here? This theory answers that question, saying that she has come to see her cousins and
celebrate the festivities. It certainly doesn’t seem too crazy, but there are two crucial
flaws with this theory. First of all, if Anna and Elsa are supposed to be Rapunzel’s cousins,
why doesn’t this come up at all during either of the Frozen movies? The second
issue we have is much larger. While Tangled is intended to take place during the 1780s,
the plot of Frozen happens in the 1840s. That’s a massive 40-year gap between both movies, making
the possibility of the characters being related virtually nonexistent. We certainly understand
the logic behind this theory, but when you put it up against the timelines of both films,
it just doesn’t hold up. While some cameos in Disney animation have some truth to them,
which you’ll soon see, this one is merely for fun, and should be looked at as such!
Gaston killed Bambi’s Mom
Another theory that ties films together, eagle-eyed viewers have spotted the presence
of several deer heads mounted to the wall of Gaston’s tavern in Beauty and the Beast. Now,
what if one of these was the head of Bambi’s mom, making Gaston her killer? This is another one we
can understand the logic to. In the Bambi movie, the hunter who killed the mother is never shown,
nor is he named. Who is to say that Gaston couldn’t have killed her? It
doesn’t contradict anything else in the movie, does it? Unfortunately,
it kind of does. This is another instance where the timelines don’t match up. Beauty
and the Beast takes place in France at some point during the 18th century. Bambi, however,
is set in the United States and is more modern than the time Gaston inhabited. It isn’t totally
out of the question, as Gaston could have traveled to America and taken the mother out,
but it also seems a bit unlikely, and not just because of the potential gap in periods. Gaston
might be as rotten as they come, but we can’t say in good faith that he is the murderer of this doe!
Moving on, it’s time to look at the theories that have some logic to them,
but are otherwise pretty flawed. These theories are full of holes!
The Disney Animated Canon is One Universe
This is one we covered previously in our “Cartoon Crossover Theories” video, so we won’t get too
into this one, but because of its popularity, we felt it did warrant a spot here. Put simply,
a very widespread Disney theory states that each movie the studio has produced,
from Snow White all the way down to Encanto, is part of one singular story. While this theory
sounds legit, all the movies take place in different locations and time periods,
certain pieces of the puzzle don’t quite fit. For one, several of the references made between
movies don’t work at all beyond quick nods, the best example of this being the aforementioned
appearance of Rapunzel in Frozen. But the biggest reason this theory doesn’t
work is because of one movie, that being Ralph Breaks the Internet. This movie makes it clear
that all the Disney movies are just that in the Wreck-It Ralph world, nothing more. We see
various Disney characters interact together, despite the fact they’re supposed to be from
different eras. While the theory makes sense at first, this is one that falls apart the
more and more you analyze it. We’re not even going to get into the TV shows based on the movies,
as that is a whole other can of worms! Overall, the Disney animated movies may be made in similar
styles and with recurring filmmakers, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe this is not!
Moana is Maui’s Father
This is another rather popular theory that is as simple as it sounds. Moana in the
film of the same name isn’t the daughter of Chief Tui as we are led to believe,
but instead the demigod Maui. This one has been covered at length by many,
including TheFilmTheorists, and there is some genuine truth to this theory. Moana’s mother,
Sina, is the name of a figure in Polynesian mythology who encountered an eel. In Maui’s song,
“You’re Welcome”, he mentions defeating an eel. This means the two must be husband and wife,
right? Well, there’s one pretty big hole in the logic of this theory. Maui’s been gone for a
thousand years! Where would he have found the time to have a child with Sina? Besides that,
Disney has made it clear that they don’t have any issue changing the lore of classic mythologies.
Zeus in Greek mythology isn’t the greatest guy, an element that the version seen in Disney’s
Hercules completely ignores. The same is likely true for these elements in Moana. Disney wasn’t
trying to hint at Moana’s real father or anything like that, they were merely remixing Polynesian
legend to make a story of their own. While we can’t deny that Moana and Maui feel like kindred
spirits as they interact in the movie, the idea of them being father and daughter is a bit of a
reach if we’re being quite honest. What can we say except, that this theory has been busted?
Sergeant Calhoun killed her Husband
In the original Wreck-It Ralph, Calhoun is a warrior who was supposedly given the most
tragic backstory ever. During the wedding between her and her soon-to-be husband, a Cy-Bug attacked
the venue, devouring her husband in the ensuing chaos. Calhoun quickly took out the monster,
creating the cynic we see in the first movie. However, fans have suggested there is more
to this theory. The movie mentions that Cy-Bug’s turn into that which they eat,
and we see this happen in the story. By that logic, this means that Calhoun essentially
killed her husband. The logic appears to track, but if you remember the movie,
you’ll notice that she eliminates the bug before it ever gets the chance to turn into her husband.
So did she really kill him if she destroyed the Cy-Bug before it truly turned into him? Everyone
is free to argue their point of view, but for our money, that’s not accurate to what happened
on screen. Perhaps the flashback we see isn’t accurate and is more the work of faulty memory,
but from what we see in the movie, this is one we have to say does not hold up!
Going from theories that are full of holes to the ones that are not, these theories might
not be totally legitimate, but the amount of evidence means we have to
give them some attention. These ones are possible.
Snow White Is Dead
At the climax of the Disney Classic Snow White, the titular character takes a bite out of the
infamous poison apple. This, of course, kills her, at least until the kiss of her one true
love revives her. Or is that how it happened? In a theory created by Buzzfeed’s Matt Morgan,
it is suggested that Snow White did die from the apple. The kiss she receives isn’t one of true
love, it’s instead a kiss of death. After being awakened, she’s shown a castle in the clouds,
a possible hint to the afterlife. This all begs the question, does Snow White truly die at the
end of the movie? Of course not! It’s stated within the movie that true love will reverse
the apple’s curse. However, we cannot deny that this is an incredibly well thought out theory,
as dark and unlikely as it sounds. While you could say it is way too dark of a theory for
a Disney movie, everything stated in it makes sense both for the theory and what appears on
screen. Besides that, Snow White, like all the other fairy tales Disney has adapted,
is ripe for different interpretations and versions of the story. Between the story being ripe for
interpretation and its creativity, we have to say this theory is at least somewhat possible!
Aladdin is set in a Futuristic Dystopia
While Aladdin appears to be set in the middle east hundreds of years ago, there’s an interesting line
that suggests otherwise. Fans have noticed a most peculiar line from Genie, where he states that
Aladdin’s clothes are very third century. If this was the time he entered the lamp,
and he was supposedly stuck inside for 10,000 years, then this means the year 10,000 is the
earliest time he could have gotten out. This would place Aladdin in the distant future,
but then why does everything still resemble our past? That’s because the future of this
world is a dystopia. Agrabah represents what the entire world is pretty much like now,
and things like the magic carpet and Iago aren’t magic or comic relief, but instead
the results of technological advancements. This also explains Genie’s ability to reference modern
pop culture. Of course, some arguments could be made against it. Why does Genie reference
Jack Nicholson and Disney World? He’s an all powerful entity, perhaps he knows everything
there ever is to know about the universe. But even that doesn’t clear up the whole
“10,000 years” line. While we don’t entirely agree with everything this theory suggests, such as the
idea that things like Iago are born from modern technology, there isn’t anything in the movie
that negates it. Aladdin being a story of the future? It’s a lot more likely than you’d think!
Captain Hook is a Hero
Our next theory comes from Tiktok, of all places. User b.t.s.hearmeout made a video where he
suggested that in the Disney classic Peter Pan, the devious Captain Hook is actually the real
hero of the movie. He points to the captain’s refusal to attack any of the children as proof
that he is trying to save them from Pan. We must interject and say that isn't entirely accurate,
as Hook definitely tries to attack the kids in the movie. However, we still think there’s a big
nugget of truth wedged inside this theory. In a story, the villain rarely sees themselves as
what they actually are. A lot of times, they think of themselves as the hero, fighting a courageous
battle to the best of their abilities. Perhaps Hook does want to save these kids from whatever
terrors he thinks Peter Pan will unleash on them. Maybe this is what his goal started as,
but it was later warped into something more villainous. While there isn’t anything in
the movie that suggests this, it also doesn’t necessarily contradict things either. With that
in mind, we think that this theory may very well be true…from a certain point of view!
Hercules killed Scar
Remember at the beginning of this ranking when we mentioned we’d get into cameo theories that
held a bit more water? That time is now! In Hercules, there comes a moment where the hero
is being referenced for an art piece, and he is seen outfitted with a familiar piece of clothing.
That “clothing” is none other than the skin of Scar, the villain of The Lion King. Clearly,
there is some kind of link between the two. While the hyenas do attack Scar at the end
of that movie, we aren’t shown a body, and he’s never mentioned beyond that point. It could be
possible that Scar limped away right into the crosshairs of Hercules after this. Though other
crossover theories fall apart due to them taking place at different points in time,
there’s nothing in Lion King that suggests it couldn’t take place around the time of
ancient Greece. It doesn’t seem crazy to think that, during his trials and quests,
Hercules slew Scar, and took his fur as a trophy. While this isn’t quite
the last crossover theory we’ll look at today, this one is definitely the most sensible thus far!
We’re done with the possible theories, so now we discuss the theories that might have
one or two things that don’t add up, but are otherwise likely. These theories are probable.
Mother Gothel is the Evil Queen
A pretty famous theory, and our last theory that is a crossover, this one posits that the
Evil Queen from Snow White and Mother Gothel from Tangled are one and the same. So what exactly do
they have in common? Both sport green eyes, they are obsessed with youth and beauty, and both are
intensely jealous of the protagonist. The events of both Tangled and Snow White take place in
Germany, and we are dealing with two characters who possess magical powers. The timelines both
appear to add up, and the logic seems to be there as well. Though we saw the Queen crushed
by a boulder, maybe she used a magic spell that allowed her to survive, leading into the character
we know in Tangled. At the very least, we can safely say that Mother Gothel was a modernized
version of the Queen character. Since both characters are creatively linked, and nothing in
the movies contradicts the logic in this theory, we think this one is more likely than it isn’t!
The Gargoyles are Quasimodo’s Imagination
Though The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of Disney’s most acclaimed films,
the Gargoyles that are featured prominently in it are not. Many believe the characters
are nothing more than comic relief sidekicks, as was the standard for Disney movies of that era.
But maybe the Gargoyles are nothing more than imagination on Quasimodo’s behalf, or that’s
what redditor TheMartianManhunter believes. He notes the fact that nobody else in the film ever
seems to acknowledge their existence, whether it be Frollo, Esmerelda, or anybody else. He also
brings up the fact that, unlike the other Disney Renaissance films, Hunchback is heavily steeped
in realism. There aren’t any talking animals, magical creatures, or anything of the sort.
That just makes the presence of the Gargoyles all the stranger. It would make a lot of sense
that the Gargoyles were not always intended to be the characters we see in the finished movie.
Perhaps the creative team did intend for them to be nothing more than figments of Quasimodo’s
imagination, or maybe for them not to be in the movie at all. It’s possible their inclusion came
only from Disney executives. Really, the only thing that doesn’t make sense in this theory
is the Gargoyles' role in the climax of the film, but even that it could be argued was only included
to heighten tension. While the idea might be a bit muddled in the finished movie, we think it’s
probable that the Gargoyles really are nothing more than the product of our hero’s imagination!
The Fly in Emperor’s New Groove was once Human
In the Disney comedy The Emperor’s New Groove, there’s a scene where during Kuzco’s jungle trek,
he sees a spider consume a fly. The fly begs, speaking lines and all, before being devoured. So
what if we were to tell you that that was actually a human once? In a theory posted to Reddit,
a user by the name of lish_94 notes how the only animals who speak fluent english in the movie
were all humans beforehand. Kuzco even thinks of it as the freakiest thing he’s ever seen,
but why would such a vain ruler react this way to an ordinary insect being eaten? This
is another one where the logic makes total sense. The only reason we keep from labeling
it as a truthbomb is that we think it needs more evidence to it. Like, what if the fly
was another character from earlier on in the movie? Regardless, if Disney ever runs out
of ideas for Disney+ content, we think a prequel about the fly from Emperor’s New Groove would
be sure to get people watching! Come on, you all know you want it!
We’ve come a long way, but we’ve finally reached the theories that have too much going for them
not to be true, or have been confirmed by those involved. These theories are the truthbombs!
The Enchantress was in Love with Beast
Our second-to-last theory is another widespread one. In Beauty and the Beast,
though we know the Enchantress is the one who cursed the prince, we never quite get
to know her character. All we know is that she transformed him into the Beast because
of how nasty a person he was. Though we cannot argue that Adam wasn’t that great of a prince,
there are plenty of worse people in the film, yet she does nothing to any of them. Why is that?
In a nutshell, the Enchantress was actually in love with Prince Adam, and when their relationship
fell through, she enacted the curse. This one is a truthbomb because it’s actually backed up by
official Disney media, and you don’t even have to look that far back to find it. Released in 2014,
The Beast Within is the second novel in a book series that showcases the origins behind Disney’s
most classic villains. This book focuses on the Beast, and in it, it’s flat out confirmed that
they were in a relationship, the fall out of which prompted the Enchantress to turn the prince into
a monster. While the canonicity of this book is debated, it is one of the most recent additions
to the film’s universe, and these tie-in pieces of media are heavily regulated by Disney. Disney
is extremely protective of their characters, and they want them to represented as accurately as
possible. If this did clash with their ideal version of Beast, it simply wouldn’t have made
it into the finished product. The fact it did is all the proof you need to see that these two
were indeed in love. While the opening of the movie is a good summary of the story between
Beast and the Enchantres, clearly there was much more to their story than meets the eye.
Genie is the Peddler
Our final theory is another one related to Aladdin! In the opening of the movie,
a very minor character known only as “The Peddler” acts as the film’s storyteller. Though this is
his one appearance in the entire movie, there are a few interesting things about him. One,
he’s dressed in blue, and two, he’s voiced by Robin Williams. You wanna know who else
is blue and voiced by Robin Williams? The Genie of course! Thus, fans have naturally concluded
that the Peddler character is simply another form the Genie has taken. And the reason this theory is
the biggest truthbomb of them all? It’s because it was confirmed not by a book or spin-off material,
but by the directors themselves. In an interview from several years ago,
directors John Musker and Ron Clements stated that the similarities were intentional and that
there was even supposed to be one final scene at the end tying the two together. While this
scene didn’t make the cut, the connections remain. With the creators blessing, we can safely say that
the Peddler and the Genie are one character. Now we know how he got ahold of that lamp!
But let us know in the comment section if you agree with our ranking. And tell us what
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and binge more of our videos. But most importantly, stay wicked.