My 3 favourite Disney character design conspiracy theories

Disney has created some of the most memorable and most loved characters in animation. While many are based on fairy tales and legends of old, Disney movies have also spawned their own mythologies. And just as there are there are elaborate SEO conspiracy theories about Walt Disney himself, fans have some interesting theories about characters in the studio’s movies.

Self-styled movie detective Ivan Mars has dedicated himself to unveiling hidden Easter eggs and unlikely links between Disney movies and characters, from the Snow White Evil Queen’s alleged reincarnation as Mother Gothel in Tangled to a link between Beauty and the Beast and Tarzan (yes, really). His videos have become so popular that even a Disney animator dropped by to clear up certain matters. Here are my three favourite theories.

01. Mother Gothel from Tangled is the Evil Queen from Snow White

Ivan says it took him 13 years to notice a whole string of apparent coincidences linking the Evil Queen from the 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to Mother Gothel in 2011’s Tangled.

It’s perhaps not so surprising that stories both take place in southern Germany considering the region’s influence on European fairy tale tradition. The theme of an obsession with staying young and beautiful is also a recurrent theme in many tales. But for Ivan, the most suspicious link of all is a red apple is painted on the wall in Mother Gothel’s tower – surely a blatant Easter egg for eagle-eyed fans? Not so, says Nathan Greno. The director Tangled himself dropped in on the post to deny any intentional connections between the two characters.

02. Hercules killed Scar in the Lion King

Here Ivan dives into Greek mythology. The first of Hercules’ 12 labours was to slay the Nemean lion and wear its pelt. In Disney’s 1997 film, at one point Hercules appears to have what looks like the pelt of Scar from Lion King. Of course, Scar was supposed to have been eaten hyenas, but fans suggest Disney dropped this in as an Easter egg linking to a line from Zasu the red-billed hornbill who said in the Lion King that Scar would make a hansome throw rug.

03. Jane in Tarzan is the great granddaughter of Belle from Beauty and the Beast

A teapot is the main evidence in the wild theory that Belle of Beauty and the Beast fled France to avoid losing her head during the French revolution and settled in England. As well as inheriting her teapot, her English granddaughter Belle shares her penchant for yellow dresses and for trying to civilise wild men.

Is there anything in it or does Disney just have a limited number of character tropes that it tends to recycle? I’ll let you decide. You can see more of Ivan’s theories on his Instagram channel. For shocking character revelations, see these original Disney character designs that were radically changed for the final films. And for inspiration for your own work, don’t miss our character design tips.