The Magic of True Love

Today is a very special day for me. It's the one year anniversary of the day I married my true love. My wedding was truly magical and made me feel like a princess because I was surrounded by all the people I love. Love is an important theme in princess stories. Even though they have shifted direction somewhat in recent years, it is still very much relevant to the princess genre. In fact, love is probably the biggest defining factor of a princess story. It is what gives them their strength against the bad guys and what ultimately allows them to achieve their goals. Of course, I'm not just talking about romantic love. Many people take issue with the unconscious kiss in "Sleeping Beauty" that gives the cursed princess new life. Though that particular act itself may be problematic due to issues of consent, it is still significant because it represents a universal idea--Love will set you free.


Of course, that doesn't mean that everyone must fall in love and get married in order to find freedom. What it does mean is that love is always worth fighting for, and it is the most humane solution to any conflict. While superheroes use their supernatural strength or abilities to fight evil, princesses use love, and they win every time. In the story of "The Snow Queen," Gerda melted the wicked queen's spell on her best friend Kay by never letting go of her love and faith that she would get through to him against all odds. Disney shifted the direction of that love with their Frozen adaptation by turning the Snow Queen into Anna's sister and having Anna set Elsa free through her undying sisterly love. It all boils down to the same basic concept. Even Moana, a movie with no romantic subplot at all, portrayed Moana bravely facing Te Fiti and returning her heart in an act of pure love instead of attempting to fight the powerful goddess. Magical Girl princesses always fight in the name of love and use glittery attacks that often contain hearts or flowers petals or other symbolic icons.

Princesses are here to show us that if we are good and treat others with kindness, we will one day be rewarded with kindness in turn. Snow White does not respond to her stepmother's attack by waging a war against her. Instead, she finds the cottage of the seven dwarfs and helps them tidy up, so they provide her with shelter in return. In the recently canceled Once Upon a Time series, Snow White blackens part of her heart when she decides to fight back against the evil queen, creating a lot of turbulence in the story from going against her nature. Romance is such a common theme in princess stories because it is earned by the princesses' gentle and forgiving nature. Cinderella finds her freedom through the prince's love because she does not allow herself to become a spiteful or cynical person even after years of her stepmother's abuse. Princesses show us that having a hard life does not mean we must harden our hearts.
"Love is the closest thing we have to magic."
One of my favorite quotes is from the 2006 mermaid blockbuster Aquamarine, based on the novel of the same name. Seeing the person you love will always feel like coming home no matter how many trials and hardships you must go through to get there. Once Upon a Time has overused the idea of "True Love's Kiss" as a deus ex machina, but they have the right idea in showing that love is the most powerful force in the universe. Villains see love as a weakness, which ultimately leads to their downfall. There are also people in real life who see it as a weakness, and those people are very lonely indeed. If you want to live like a princess, you must love fully, and with all of your heart. Even though it may sometimes feel like no one cares, that's never truly the case. There are always people out there who love you and look out for your best interest, even if you can't see them. It has never been easier to reach out to those people than it is today thanks to the conveniences of social media.

Why do princesses always seem to fall in love? Love is the invisible force that brings us all together as humans. It helps us see beyond the pessimism and cynicism in the world and gives us something to cling to during difficult times. Princess stories take this force and turn it into something incredibly powerful. It is their biggest strength and the source of all their magic. If you choose the path of love, you will find happiness. Don't forget to tell someone you love them today.

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