By Quetzali Lopez
Every sweet, kind, and gentle princess needs a reality check from a snarky, cynical, and aggressive counterpart – but traditional fairy tales would never let you know that. The constant glorification of the individual, the chosen one, the fairest of all, demonstrates that “in fairytales there is no room for female friendships” (Maass 109). Feminist scholars perceive the complex nature of female friendships to be rooted in a fear of betrayal, whether it be over a man, social status, or opportunity (Chesler 317). Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, a series adaptation of the film Tangled (2010), diverges from fairy tale standards by centering around the friendship between Princess Rapunzel and her lady-in-waiting, Cassandra. The series examines multiple levels of tension between the two, regarding their class differences, the trust between them, and their power dynamics. Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure breaks away from the conventional fairy tale structure, because the series focuses on the journeys of not one, but two characters, Rapunzel and Cassandra, whose struggle to fulfill their own destinies puts their relationship at odds.
The serial adaptation of the fairy tale film brings opportunities for Rapunzel to encounter the challenges of “life after happily ever after,” with new responsibilities and new relationships (Tangled: Before Ever After). The series begins when Cassandra sneaks Rapunzel out of the palace to escape the pressures of being royalty for a night, and she shows Rapunzel mysterious black rocks that have begun sprouting across the kingdom. When Rapunzel touches the glowing rocks, they magically restore her long blonde hair, and she embarks on a new adventure to solve this magical mystery. Cassandra, Rapunzel’s lady-in-waiting and a new addition to the Tangled canon, is nearly the polar-opposite of Rapunzel and is meant to contrast her sunny disposition. While Rapunzel is trusting, naive, and optimistic, Cassandra is standoffish, jaded, and sardonic. Rapunzel, despite initially clashing with Cassandra’s brooding demeanor, ultimately needs someone like Cassandra in her life, because she had spent her entire life being manipulated and lied to, so the one thing she truly needs is someone to be unabashedly, ruthlessly, and brutally honest with her.
“Why is it so important to you to be friends with Cassandra anyway?”
“Because she’s real.”
(Beginnings)
Rapunzel and Cassandra’s class difference as princess and lady-in-waiting is what brings the two together in the first place. What makes Cassandra most distinct from the characters who debuted in the film is that she does not immediately fall for Rapunzel’s charm when they meet. Cassandra, at first, wants nothing to do with Rapunzel and is even upset that she was assigned to “princess duty.” The qualities that most people find endearing about Rapunzel, her warmth, creativity, and positive enthusiasm, Cassandra finds annoying. Rapunzel, despite Cassandra’s clear intentions to keep their relationship at a professional distance, is eager and determined to build a friendship. As much as Cassandra resists Rapunzel’s relentless efforts, they ultimately form a connection through the fact that neither have ever had a close friend.
The social disparities between Rapunzel and Cassandra, despite their growing friendship, become prevalent through the privileges Rapunzel takes for granted in comparison to the obstacles Cassandra must overcome. As the series begins, Rapunzel is clearly the main protagonist of the story as she grows accustomed to life in the castle, and Cassandra is characterized as the sassy sidekick who shows her the ropes. The only information given about Cassandra’s backstory is that she’s an orphan, she was taken in by the Captain of the Guard, and she dreams of one day becoming Captain like her father. Cassandra, although being kept apart from the central narrative, constantly strives to gain respect from the rest of the kingdom, a privilege that Rapunzel does not even realize she has.
“I mean, you’re a princess, you’ve got nothing to prove. To you, this was just a fun way to blow off a Saturday, but to me, it was a chance to show everyone that I am more than just your lady-in-waiting.”
(Challenge of the Brave)
Rapunzel reaps the benefits of her social status without even grasping that she has so many social advantages. No matter what, when Rapunzel messes up her own responsibilities or even the work of others, she is still the princess and is easily forgiven. Cassandra, on the other hand, is constantly under threat of losing her job, being sent to a convent, and is never given the chance to prove herself as worthy to serve on the royal guard. The obstacles that Cassandra faces, however, remain in the background of the show’s main storyline revolving around Rapunzel. Within the world of the series, and from a storytelling perspective, Cassandra is always on the sidelines. She is Rapunzel’s lady-in-waiting, a literal servant, and as a foil character to the princess, her initial purpose in the show is to highlight Rapunzel’s qualities.
Over the course of the series, however, the narrative begins to shift as Cassandra’s character arc begins to rise and ultimately interfere with Rapunzel’s. As Rapunzel matures, she is no longer the simple, fresh-out-the-tower girl she was before. She craves independence as she ventures from her kingdom, with Cassandra by her side, in pursuit of the Moonstone, the cosmic counterpart to the Sundrop that is the source of Rapunzel’s powers. On their quest, Rapunzel takes initiative and for the first time she questions Cassandra’s judgement, much to her annoyance. Cassandra is tired of being treated as merely a lady-in-waiting, especially by Rapunzel, someone she views as her friend and equal. When Rapunzel begins to dismiss her input and opinions, Cassandra views it as a breach of trust that begins to chip away at their friendship.
Their relationship faces a major turning point when the characters are led into a massive tree that once belonged to an ancient demon, and Rapunzel discovers a death incantation, opposite to the flower song that gives her the power to heal. Worried about the dangers of the tree and the incantation, Cassandra insists that they leave, but Rapunzel overrides her. A heated argument ensues, causing Rapunzel to raise her voice at Cassandra, prominently asserting her authority over her. The moment is so jarring that even background characters grimace at the scene. Cassandra flinches back, responding with a solemn, “Yes, your highness” (Rapunzel and the Great Tree). Rapunzel’s sudden shift from treating Cassandra as a friend to treating her as a servant is a is a betrayal of their friendship, because her decision to pull rank reveals that, deep down, Rapunzel does not view them as equals. The conflict between the two women brings Cassandra closer to the forefront of the narrative, although not as a fellow protagonist but rather an opponent standing in Rapunzel’s way.
Cassandra evolves from being a static side character to a dynamic main character, as her true emotions are unveiled through song in her first solo in the series, “Waiting in the Wings” – featuring a phenomenal performance by Broadway star Eden Espinoza. Singing a solo portrays Cass in a vulnerable light that has never been shown to the audience nor the other characters in the series. Her words are honest about her internal struggle with living in Rapunzel’s shadow.
“Guess we all are born with parts to play
Some of us are stars and some are just in the way
I know I was meant for glory
But that’s never what my story brings
And yet I keep on waiting.”
(Waiting in the Wings)
The lyrics reveal that Cassandra is aware of her inferior position as a side-character in Rapunzel’s story, and although she longs for recognition in her strengths and abilities, she feels obligated to have to wait for her own story to begin. The rift that has opened between them plants a seed of jealousy within Cassandra. Her resentment is solidified when Rapunzel, once again, ignores her advice and uses the death incantation despite being unable control her own power, and when Cassandra reaches for her arm to snap her out of the spell, she burns her hand, leaving it scorched and scarred. Cassandra has been branded, and from this episode on, she dons a suit of armor, a symbol of her strength and guardedness. Her relationship with Rapunzel also transforms, with Cassandra becoming more distant.
The female fear of betrayal finally manifests itself into reality when Rapunzel is face to face with the elusive Moonstone. Continuously throughout the series, the Moonstone had been considered Rapunzel’s “destiny,” because with the power of the magical Sundrop, she is the only one able to neutralize the Moonstone’s dark power. Just before Rapunzel is about to accept her “destiny,” she thanks Cassandra for sticking by her side throughout their journey and gives her an embrace. Cassandra does not hug back. The moment they have all been waiting for has arrived, but just as Rapunzel reaches out to accept the Moonstone, Cassandra snatches it first.
“Cassandra? What are you doing?”
“I’m fulfilling my destiny!”
(Destinies Collide)
To be hailed as a hero, or praised as a princess, is to possess power, and whoever is bold enough to challenge that power must take on the role of the villain. Cassandra recognized this power within Rapunzel as she was endlessly adored by everyone around her, while Cassandra felt that she always needed to somehow earn love and affection, “and when it came, it came with strings” (Rapunzel’s Return). Her decision to betray Rapunzel was a result of the pent-up pain and frustration she had accumulated from feeling powerless next to a princess. Cassandra’s acquisition of the Moonstone grants her magical powers, and in turn, she has become Rapunzel’s equal and rival. She uses her newfound power to enact her revenge, going on a rampage throughout the kingdom, not caring that she is also hurting the ones closest to her. Cassandra’s rationale, although flawed, still directs attention to the question of why only certain characters are granted the blessings of a fairytale narrative, while others must watch from behind.
“There’s a line between the chosen and the rest
And I’ve done the best I could
But I’ve always known just where we stood
Me here with the luckless
You there with the blessed”
(Crossing the Line)
The betrayal has placed Cassandra at center stage, as opposed to “waiting in the wings,” and in stealing the Moonstone she is also stealing Rapunzel’s spotlight. Cassandra’s anger is rooted in how she has constantly had to live her life in reference to Rapunzel, and she justifies her actions by telling herself she deserves to have the power that Rapunzel has always taken for granted. The other characters of the series, however, do not understand her point of view, and they begin to villainize her out of fear. Cassandra’s self-perception is representative of how every person sees themself as the hero of their own story.
“Cass, trust me, becoming the villain isn’t the answer!”
“Is that what you think I am?”
(Cassandra’s Revenge)
Rapunzel and Cassandra have parallel journeys. They are both women confined to societal restrictions, one as a royal and the other as a handmaiden, they both long for freedom and agency over their own lives, and they both wield cosmic power. Their stories diverge in the fact that Rapunzel fulfills the typical characterization of the fairy tale princess, whereas Cassandra is the antithesis. The iconography of the fairy tale princess, from storybook, to film, to television, is closely tied to her courteous demeanor, and “even as the fairy tale princess becomes hip, feisty, and updated she must maintain a kind, appealing, and approachable personality” – a personality type that Cassandra simply does not have (Wann 31). Even within their cosmic representations, Rapunzel is a gleaming ray of sunshine, and Cassandra is an ominous beam of moonlight. Cassandra had been set up to fail from the beginning. This is not her story, this is Rapunzel’s, it always has been. Cassandra realizes this during her meltdown in the series finale, and all of her mistakes, regrets, and self-doubt pour out.
The twist of the tale is that Rapunzel, the main protagonist, refuses to perceive Cassandra as a villain, and has always seen her as her best friend, no matter how strained their relationship had become. Rapunzel may have been naïve at times about her own privileges, but she never intended to make Cassandra feel less-than and always admired her. Cassandra may not fit into the mold of the perfect fairy tale princess – she is not a princess by any means at all – but that is what drew Rapunzel to Cassandra in the first place. Rapunzel and Cassandra have both betrayed each other in the past, and although the typical fairy tale structure aims to pit them against each other, they manage to subvert the narrative. Rather than having the protagonist battle and vanquish the antagonist, Rapunzel and Cassandra’s friendship survives and they both live on to see their own happily ever after. The series ends on a bittersweet note, with Rapunzel finally feeling ready to accept her role as crown princess and future queen, and Cassandra departing from the kingdom in search of her own destiny. The two exchange ‘I love you’s’ and part ways on their own separate journeys, owing their personal growth and transformation to their relationship with each other.
Works Cited
Chesler, Phyllis. Woman’s Inhumanity to Woman. New York, Thunder’s Mouth Press/Nation Books, 2001.
Espinoza, Eden. “Crossing the Line.” Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure: Plus Est En Vous (Music from the TV Series), Disney, 2019.
Espinoza, Eden. “Waiting in the Wings.” Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure (Music from the TV Series), Disney, 2019.
Maass, Vera Sonja. The Cinderella Test: Would You Really Want the Shoe to Fit? Santa Barbara, California, ABC-CLIO, 2009.
Waan, Regan M. The Persistence of the Fairy Tale Princess as a Cultural Icon. 1997. University of Louisville, Master of Arts Thesis.
Tangled: Before Ever After. Directed by Tom Caulfield and Stephen Sandoval, Disney Channel, 2017.
“Beginnings.” Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, created by Chris Sonnenburg, season 3, episode 7, Disney Television Animation, 2019.
“Challenge of the Brave.” Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, created by Chris Sonnenburg, season 1, episode 4, Disney Television Animation, 2017.
“Beginnings.” Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, created by Chris Sonnenburg, season 3, episode 7, Disney Television Animation, 2019.
“Cassandra’s Revenge.” Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, created by Chris Sonnenburg, season 3, episode 14, Disney Television Animation, 2020.
