Disney princesses are a beloved group of strong women, shown in the movies many child watch growing up. Some have magical abilities, but all have a big heart, bravery and a sense of right and wrong. They each have their unique skills, all of which have the potential to be useful in various situations.
If the apocalypse were to come, many of the princesses could serve as integral parts of a survival team, each playing a different role. Here is a list of the official Disney princesses, with two additions, ranked in order of least to most potential for getting a team of her people safely through the apocalypse.
15. Aurora
Sleeping Beauty is an iconic princess, but she does not play a very active role in her own story. While she has a lot of really positive characteristics, such as loyalty, optimism and hopefulness. These would all be crucial things to have on your side during an apocalyptic level threat, but they do not set her apart from the other Disney princesses, who have these same skills as well as others that make them more useful in life or death situations.
14. Snow White
Snow White was the first Disney princess to be officially crowned, and she is a very similar character to Aurora. The only reason she makes it above one step above is due to her wilderness experience, and her particular connection with animals. While she might hate the suggestion, Snow White and her singing voice would be the perfect hunting tool for when food was scarce. Also, she might find and recruit a group of small men, whose knowledge of caves might be helpful if things get bad.
13. Cinderella
Another passive princess, Cinderella is the basic blueprint for rags to riches, with random elements of mistaken identity and a plot about her shoes thrown into the mix. The classic Disney Cinderella makes it above the previous two because her time serving her evil stepmother means that she would not be afraid to get her hands dirty, and all the adaptations of her story prove that she has more potential to be an inspiring member of a survival team, even if her skills are more domestic.
12. Anna
While Anna of Arendelle is not considered an official Disney princess, it would be impossible to keep her and her sister off of this list, given the chilling impact the pair made on the world. Anna might not make it very high onto this list, but her eternal optimism and sunny disposition would be refreshing to have around during the apocalypse, and she is incredibly loyal to all that she loves, especially her sister, Elsa.
Plus, we cannot forget Anna's bravery to chase after her sister into a thick forest of endless winter, despite having rarely left the palace before that. She would be a decent choice for a teammate in a life or death situation, because she is determined. But, when compared to the other princesses, she is far less skillful in many of the practical ways.
11. Ariel
Depending on what type of apocalypse it is, and depending on her form, Ariel could be many different levels of helpfulness. As a mermaid, she might be able to get unlimited food for her allies on the land, or even to swim and find somewhere safe from the apocalypse. However, if she were in her human form, she would be able to offer little more than her curiosity.
Ariel's curiosity can be either a strength or a weakness, especially within an apocalyptic context. She could be an adventurer, but it could possibly be tough to trust her to not wander off too far. There is also the possibility that Ariel would seek to make a deal so that she can see what it would be like to live as a zombie, and be part of their world.
10. Jasmine
This princess is a strong, independent woman with her own ideas for how her life is going to look. She had the courage to rebel against her father, the sultan, and go out into her kingdom to meet the people and see what life is like there. It is through her willingness to leave her palace that Jasmine is able to meet and fall in love with Aladdin, which is a big part of her story as the relationship helps her find more agency and individuality.
One thing that pushes Jasmine higher is the fact that her best friend is Rajah, a ruthless tiger, who is ready to defend Jasmine at any turn. Additionally, while she may not have a lot of traditional survival skills, Jasmine knows how to use her intelligence to manipulate situations, as shown when she kisses Jafar, the villain, to distract him and give herself and Aladdin an advantage. With her cunning personality and independent spirit, Jasmine has the potential make a great team member.
9. Tiana
Tiana is an amazing role model for all young people who seek to achieve their dream one day, no matter how hard they have to work. Throughout her life, Tiana had the dream of opening a restaurant where she could share her incredible food with the people she loves and with her community. She is never afraid to put in the work, or to do the right thing.
In an apocalyptic situation, a teammate like Tiana would be incredibly helpful. She is determined to reach her goals at any cost, and she is a good, supportive person. Also, to circle back to her dream, Tiana is a passionate chef, meaning that having her as a member of your team would keep your meals tasty. Because even if supplies are low, she would certain to keep everyone well fed and satiated.
8. Rapunzel
Having lived in a small tower for most of her life, Rapunzel is used to minimalism and making do with what she has, which would be perfect for an apocalypse where supplies may be running low. She has the ability to feel content with little, but she also has the bravery to act on her curiosities and leave her comfort zone. Rapunzel is shown to be a very loving and empathetic person who stands up for herself and those she loves.
Additionally, Rapunzel has healing magic, which would be infinitely helpful in an apocalypse. Even if she could not heal a zombie back to a human, she could keep the team healthy, although her hair is incredibly cumbersome, which could be an issue in survival. If you opted to recruit Rapunzel after her haircut instead, she still has some of her magic in her tears, but that is more difficult to access, since she is generally a bright and sunny princess.
7. Belle
A princess beloved for both her beauty and her brains, Belle is an avid reader with an endless love for books and reading. While her town finds this hobby weird, it would be infinitely important when facing a deadly apocalypse. It is very likely that Belle has already read many narratives about survival and nature, and to know the warning signs of danger. If she does not yet, she would be eager to do some more reading that she can get information from the books, and have some fun.
Belle also has a strong heart that guides her in all things, which allowed her to fall in love with a beast for his personality and to rescue her kind, elderly father who she loves. Her open heart and mind can guarantee that Belle would be able to bond with almost anyone in an apocalyptic setting, so long as they will embrace her reading for the superpower that it is, rather than ostracize her for it.
6. Moana
Called to the ocean from her early childhood, Moana is the daughter of the chief of her island, but wants to leave it to go explore the sea, risking her own life and all she knows to right the world. With little knowledge of anything past her island, Moana sets sail with her chicken companion. In addition to the bird brain, she has the literal ocean on her side, which proves to be an incredibly helpful ally.
While this partnership might be useful enough to place her in the top ten, Moana herself can only use it when the ocean cooperates. If this were to be guaranteed to carry over to a survival team, the ocean is decidedly its own character with agency. However, just with Moana's wayfinding and sailing skills, she could be remarkably helpful, as living on the ocean might be a way to escape zombies or other apocalyptic level threats.
5. Merida
This brave princess is an excellent contender for an apocalypse teammate, especially one with zombies involved. Merida is shown to be a scarily accurate shot with her trusty bow and arrow, but that is not her only skill. She is also shown to be an expert horse rider and good with a sword. To top things off, Merida has also faced bears in battle and survived.
Fierce and independent, Merida might be a bit too wild or stubborn to make a good teammate in an apocalypse, when compared to other people. While she has endless courage and love for her family, it would be more difficult to truly win Merida over to your side, unless you had some sort of magic spell to sweeten to pot. Regardless, her archery skill is reason enough to put her as a high-priority recruit.
4. Pocahontas
The only person on this list to have actually existed, this Disney princess is based on the daughter of the chief of the real-life indigenous Powhatan tribe. While most people know that the movie is only loosely based on the real-life princess, it is worth noting that Pocahontas the Disney character is functionally fictional and radically romanticized. Regardless, the Disney princess version of Pocahontas could be extremely valuable to a survival team.
Pocahontas is shown to have shamanic powers, meaning she can connect or speak to spirits, animals and nature. In an apocalyptic situation, this would be incredibly beneficial for survival, as well as her general knowledge and wisdom regarding these topics. With Pocahontas on your team, you could more than likely survive in the wilderness with little to no issue. Additionally, her values of acceptance and inclination towards peace mean she would be a delightful addition to the team.
3. Mulan
An intelligent, brave woman, Mulan is willing to do whatever it takes to protect what she cares about, and always knows the best way to go about it. She is incredibly strategic, and as a trained soldier, she would bring a lot of insight to her team that could be useful in surviving any situation. Mulan is resourceful and strong, and always knows the best way to handle situations.
Mulan, while not actual royalty in her films, has earned her status as a Disney princess for her exceptional bravery and heroism. She proves to the men around her that she is capable of doing anything that they are, and there are countless ways that she could prove people's expectations wrong during the apocalypse. Whether she is winning wars or caring for her family, Mulan is a hero and an exceptional role model for young people.
2. Elsa
Unfortunately, Elsa does not qualify as an actual Disney princess, but that cannot stop fans from considering her and her sister to be among these ranks. Elsa's bravery, grit and impressive ice magic are all reasons for her making it so high on this list. She has shown incredible growth in her bravery and confidence, as well as her control over her powers.
Whether she builds a shelter or impales zombies with ice spears, there is so much potential for Elsa's role on your survival team. One additional bonus is that she seems to be an endless source of clean water, meaning you would never have to worry about finding clean water or drinking some that was contaminated. This fact might just be enough to give her the top spot, but Elsa is not an official Disney princess, and there is one final option who is more team-oriented than Elsa, who is mainly loyal to her sister, Anna.
1. Raya
The most recent Disney princess addition, Raya is incredibly skilled in martial arts and is a brave warrior. She has many helpful companions, ranging from an adorable transportation pet to an actual dragon. She also contains a stunning amount of bravery, as well as what it takes to be a member of a team. Raya is skilled with a blade and is a witty and fun character, making her instantly at home among the crowd of impressive Disney princesses, but also allowing her to stand apart in many ways.
Raya's story focuses around trust, and taking the first step to trust in someone else for the greater good of the community. Because she has learned these lessons, she would be a great candidate for any survival style team. At the start of her story, Raya calls her own world "dystopian," meaning she is already ahead of some of her fellow princesses in handling these types of situations. Whether the problems need to be solved through intellect, compassion or fighting with martial arts, Raya is up for the challenge, which is a great quality in an apocalypse partner.
No matter which Disney princess you would choose to recruit to your apocalypse team, you made a good choice. All of these women are excellent examples of what it can mean to be a woman and some different ways that young people can express themselves and show their values, as is best exemplified by their many unique skill sets and personalities.
