Disney Couples

We all love Disney movies, right? Well, most of us. We just won't talk about the outsiders. 

My friend brought up an interesting question the other day--

Which Disney relationship is most likely to survive?

Quick!- choose which one you think and then see how others' answers compare and because of what reasoning.

I'm not going to hit every Disney couple-- whether because the movies aren't as widely known, I have absolutely no interest in the couple, or simply because I can't remember enough about the movie to comment.

Touring from oldest to youngest:

Snow White and Prince Charming

First off, having the prince be known as only "Prince Charming" is a red flag. Let's stereotype for a minute-- prince.. therefore he has been pampered his entire life and as a result is expecting to get whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He is full of daydreams and fairytales because he has never once been forced to face "the real world." Then there is Snow White of whom we have very little personal background about. But we do know this-- she is timid and kind and likes to sing to animals. However, Snow White too is full of Disney dreams and a fluff future as she sings for her prince to find her and sweep her off her feet. 

So- relationship-wise how will do I rate this? Well, in all honesty, pretty high despite all the negative comments I just made. They're both young and naive but as royalty their life together will be aided with endless help. They are young enough that they have not yet become their own stubborn personality and can still adapt to working as part of a relationship. Then again, how often do our high school crushes actually make it to the big leagues?

Next-- the classic Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Again-- "Prince Charming" -> red flag. Cinderella however, has a lot to offer in my opinion. She's been scarred from failed relationships and family trauma but she is also a hard worker and kind and humble which hopefully she'll use all for her future benefit. I guess the real question in this relationship is whether Prince Charming is willing to adapt to Cinderella's lifestyle when it appears that she has experienced so much more than him and will therefore take life much more realistically and tend to be restless simply filling the role as Barbie queen. I give this relationship a moderate to low survival rating since there is nothing tying them together other than what I will refer to as "Disney love"

Peter Pan and Wendy girl

The boy who didn't want to grow up whose life was a game and then the girl who has been pampered by rich English parents while not quite even a lady. Yeah, I give it a miracle rating-- as in, if it survives I'll be entirely mind blown. Too young. Too immature. SO not ready for adulthood and a real relationship. It's a Bieber kind of love.

Lady and the Tramp (notice how almost all of these couples have the emphasis on the female)

What a charming and unlikely yet entirely likely couple. It's the classic love story-- the poor bad boy and the proper naive girl. Like Titanic. They're drawn to each other because of this intriguing new lifestyle and personality. And somehow,  it works. Plus, they're dogs-- far less emotional than people so they've got that on their side. High rating for the dogs.

Prince Phillip and Aurora

Well, its getting better at least on the male side-- he has a name. Then you throw in the arranged marriage aspect and Aurora's total separation from a normal world and you run in to some problems. I'm not sure their relationship started out as a lie. I think its actually a good thing that he didn't know she was the princess at first- it gave him time to see her without that classifier fogging up the screen. If I'm getting any of this wrong feel free to think I'm a fool but honestly, I haven't seen this movie in a very long time. This couple gets a low rating because he comes off as a macho glory-and-woman seeking "man" while she has her own troubles of being separated from the world for so long that she's so naive it's not even necessary to point it out.

Pongo and Perdita

Kind of the same relationship story as Lady and the Tramp.  . . Plus they have like a million puppies... it's gotta work out.

Robin Hood and Lady Miriam 

MEh... great movie but he's a go getter- attention seeking- kid. And she's once again a naive girl ready to be charmed by the most fun boy. Not gonna work.

Eric and Ariel

As much as I absolutely love this movie the survival rating for this couple is pretty low too. Eric is confused... He's in that awkward stage where he doesn't talk personally to many people and can't even kiss a girl. I mean, he's cute and all but the flute playing on the beach and ship parties and being smitten over a voice doesn't lead to a successful relationship that requires hard work and commitment and knowing what you want. Then there is Ariel who just found her first love and is engaged with the idea of a charming boy to like her in a world full of adventure. Not realistic and not going to work.

Beauty and the Beast

Ah, here is a couple who will most definitely make it happen forever. Although we all know the Beast was well, a beast, he had a change of heart and personality because of Belle that created a person worthy of her unlike the tools like Gaston back in town. And I believe that change to be a permanent one without the Beast eventually relapsing. He learned to put others in front of his own needs and figured out how to have a heart. Belle seems to have already been born with the whole compassionate loving person identity.. But she learned things too. She learned what trials were and learned how she personally can make a difference. And I think that by building a friendship and then eventually a relationship through difficulties creates something quite amazing.

Aladdin and Jasmine

Although this is a love at first sight, poor boy falls for rich girl story I see a lot of potential. Their personalities are very similar and both appear to be rather selfless even though they either have everything handed to them or stolen for their benefit. Their compatibility is what makes me want to say they'll survive. However, their relationship was started out on a lie which is always an extremely difficult thing to correct and forgive but in the case of the two of them it seemed to go fairly well.

John Smith and Pocahontas

SOoooo not gonna happen.. First off-- they're over by the 2nd movie. But pretending we didn't actually know that, let's be realistic.. their worlds are just too different. I think most of the intrigue is because each one is so different, not necessarily that the two like each others' personalities. The two of them would make a great friendship but more than that has to be build off of something and I don't really see much of that something between the two of them.

Meg and Hercules

As silly and shallow as this relationship appears in the beginning, it has true potential in the end as both of them grow up a lot and realize what really matters to them. There is a ...golden... noble... I'm not really sure what word to use here... bond created in their relationship and I can't imagine anything breaking it since they've already been through hell together. literally. So ya- high rating in my opinion.

Mulan and Shang

This relationship is all sorts of weird. Shang is only focused on being a good general and making his father proud but then his father dies and the fate of China rests on his shoulder so Shang sees everything as strictly war. Mulan is only focused on saving her father and gaining honor for her family. So you see-- the movie is really not focused on their relationship until the final scene. I agree that due to the fact that their relationship was based off of a lie in the beginning there is a lot to be worked through but the ending shows that both are willing to give it a second start and put forth the effort and in my mind, once that happens the rest is history. They both have strong personalities and want to prove themselves. They are both good to the core and work well together. I'm voting that they trust each other now even though that trust was lost. So they built that friendship and bond during war and now that said situation has ended they can start fresh and take time to test a relationship that in my hope will succeed.

Jane and Tarzan

This is also a strange case... woman and part ape.. weird. But honestly, it could work. Tarzan wants to be part of the human world and Jane is not exactly normal so she also could fit into his world. Kinda. It would be an interesting between worlds relationship but both are patient and understanding and ready to accept new things. I could definitely see things working out for them.

Anastasia and Dimitri

I realize that this is not technically a Disney couple but I'm going to count them anyways. I absolutely love the two of them. Their congenial personalities, their humble upbringings, their shared journey in not only Anastasia finding out who she really was, but Dimitri also. They went through a lot together and have built a lot of trust and started out as enemies that turned to friends that turned to love. That is the way I think relationships should happen. Maybe minus the enemy part though. High high relationship survival in my mind.

Derek and Odette

Also not a Disney couple but another one of my absolute favorites. Although I think Derek is a complete ding dong I think the relationship will survive... until the day they die? No.. much longer. Plus.. it was directed by a mormon. We're talking eternity suckas.

My initial answer to this question of Disney relationship survival was Mulan. The other few people I have asked chose Beauty and the Beast. They're both promising choices. 

But when it comes down to it... it doesn't matter. They're characters in animated fairy tales.

What really matters are these relationships and characteristics here and now and what they can tell us about ourselves and how we are trained to see relationships. 

To be or not to be? 

Always the question.