Princess Rapunzel is the protagonist of Disney's 2010 animated feature film Tangled. She is a beautiful princess with long, magical, golden hair who, with the aid of the handsome thief, Flynn Rider, leaves her isolated tower to explore the outside world.
Rapunzel is loosely based on the protagonist of the classic German fairy tale Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm. She is the tenth official Disney Princess and the first CGI-animated princess.
She will be the main character in Tangled: The Series.
History
Tangled: Before Ever After
Rapunzel serves as the protagonist of the animated television movie. Taking place a few months after the events of Tangled, and before Tangled Ever After, Rapunzel returns to her kingdom to resume her rightful place in the royal family. Having been reunited with her parents, Rapunzel tries to adjust with the life of a princess, receiving help from Pascal and her lady-in-waiting, Cassandra. She tries her best, and despite having a loving family and supportive circle of friends, Rapunzel feels overwhelmed with the amount of responsibility that comes with being a princess. She asks her father for a change of pace in this regard, but he denies, fearing Rapunzel's desire to explore the world will lead to her falling into harm's way, much like she did eighteen years prior, when she was kidnapped by Gothel. On top of this, — and the fact that Rapunzel's bubbly way of carrying herself is looked down upon by the royal community — Eugene feels confident enough to propose to Rapunzel, and does so, much to the princess' shock and delight. However, despite her love for him, Rapunzel does not feel ready to marry, instead wanting to figure herself out and live the life she's been longing for. Overwhelmed and anxious, she rejects Eugene's proposal and leaves the scene in a huff.
In her bedroom, Rapunzel laments her feeling of guilt to Cassandra, who believes Rapunzel could use some down time. She offers to take Rapunzel beyond Corona's security wall — a forbidden act — and sneaks the princess out with the help of Maximus. During their outing, Cassandra takes Rapunzel to the former location of the healing flower that saved Rapunzel and her mother when the latter fell ill during her pregnancy. Mysterious thorn-like rocks have appeared in the area, and not only are the ominous, but also unbreakable. As Rapunzel examines the area further, she is struck by magic that causes her long, golden hair to grow back.
After returning to the castle, Rapunzel and Cassandra try to rid themselves of the hair, but like the thorns, it is unbreakable. Eugene arrives and discovers the truth, offering assistance in hiding it from Queen Arianna and King Frederic. Rapunzel gets the idea of hiding the hair in an oversized wig, which helps well enough despite the awkwardness. She then joins her parents for breakfast, and in during which, Frederic admits that his methods of protecting Rapunzel have been rather unfair, and notes that he is reconsidering his decisions, much to Rapunzel's excitement. Afterward, Arianna visits Rapunzel in the latter's bedroom, to bestow a coronation gift. She encourages Rapunzel to choose how to live her life — and eventually rule the kingdom — despite her father's stubbornness and what others may think. She gives Rapunzel a journal she once used in her younger years, with a note the reads: "Plus est en vous", meaning, "There is more to you".
Later on, Rapunzel's coronation ceremony begins, and in during which, the royal family are confronted by a pirate known as Lady Caine, who seeks vengeance on King Frederic for imprisoning her father. Frederic and the rest of the royal guests are kidnapped, but Rapunzel refuses to stand down and reveals her golden hair. She uses it as a weapon to defeat the pirates with Eugene and Cassandra's help, saving her father. That night, despite proving her worth, Frederic feels more insecure about Rapunzel's safety than ever before. With the very reason Rapunzel was taken in the first place having returned, Frederic feels he's forced to forbid Rapunzel from ever leaving the walls of Corona without his consent, driving his daughter to tears.
With her father's new law, Rapunzel feels trapped once more, similar to her imprisonment within the tower. Eugene arrives and comforts her, uplifting her spirits a bit. After he leaves, Rapunzel reads a message in the journal given to her by Arianna, and becomes inspired to pursue the adventure she's always desired, despite the obstacles she will have to face.
Tangled: The Series
In "What the Hair?!", Rapunzel suffers from nightmares concerning her hair, driving her to seek answers regarding its return. Cassandra suggests they visit a young alchemist named Varian, and during the visit, Rapunzel learns that her hair has lost its healing powers, but can act as a human shield to protect herself and those around her from catastrophe such as falling debris. Unfortunately, Varian's workshop was destroyed before further information can be obtained. Afterwards, Rapunzel confesses the truth about how her hair returned, to Eugene, reestablishing their mutual trust despite Cassandra's apprehensions.
In "Rapunzel's Enemy", Rapunzel tries to win the favor of Uncle Monty, a kindly old man who booed her after unveiling the new seal for the 500th Gopher Grab. All attempts to make him like her fail, so Rapunzel resorts to disguising herself. At first things go well between the two of them, but the Gopher Grab starts before he can reveal why he doesn't like the princess. Unfortunately, the Gopher Grab gets out of control when the gopher goes crazy (due to Eugene feeding it dimberries instead of bimberries), so the two venture to a river. Monty tries to grab it from some rocks, but falls into the water. With no choice, Rapunzel drops her disguise and rescues him from a waterfall. Despite this, he explains that his naysaying is because of the new seal, as well as a disregard to tradition. He softens up by revealing the gopher he snatched up, which made him the champion of the Gopher Grab as he dreamed of being, but is still sour at the princess for lying to him. Rapunzel finally accepts that not everybody has to like everyone, and that she doesn't like him either, and the two part as not-friends.