- Despite what a freaking awesome villain he is, we'll never see him again because he's just too cruel to come back.
- Maybe he's not too cruel for a return, but doesn't return anyway, because the focus is on other characters. Frozen is the story of Anna and Elsa. As far as Anna, Elsa and the others are concerned, Hans was brutal and they want nothing else to do with him, and they're not obliged to help him either, when he could have explained his situation instead of manipulating them. Hans's story is a case of Hero of Another Story with a tragic ending and the cast of Frozen has already played their part.
The two never met. Hans never knows who Olaf is, but Olaf knows of Hans and doesn't like him. So the two meeting isn't off to a good start. Olaf throws his coals at Hans, while Hans makes his limited patience with Olaf clear. As the two are forced to spend time together, they start to unintentionally bond and become Vitriolic Best Buds after Hans starts his Heel–Face Turn.
- Jossed. Hans does not personally appear in the film.
- Perhaps Hans has been punished and is not allowed to ride on his horse. Instead, he shovels the horse manure, as shown in Frozen Fever.
- Alternately, Arendelle took possession of Sitron.
- Jossed. The sequel never addresses this.
- First, some backstory; Hans' mother was the second wife of King Bjorn of the Southern Isles, his first wife having died a year or so before. However, she was an evil witch who plotted to assassinate King Bjorn and his twelve older sons so that the infant Hans would be the nominal king, and she would rule as his dowager/regent. Her duplicity was revealed before any damage could be done, so King Bjorn dissolved the marriage and banished her forever. He did not blame the infant Hans for his mother's crimes, however, some of Hans' older brothers did resent him because of his mother, and generally treated him like dirt. This resulted in his growing sociopathy and prompted his attempt to secure his own kingdom by arranging for a convenient accident for Queen Elsa after becoming, in rapid succession, Anna's finance, her husband, and her widower. Bjorn's response to this development was to banish Hans from the Southern Isles forever.
- A little over a year after the events of the first movie, Elsa holds a ball to celebrate the impending marriage of Princess Anna and Royal Icemaster Kristoff. In a diplomatic gesture, she invites the twelve princes of the Southern Isles to celebrate at a formal ball two weeks before the wedding. The party is in full swing until Hans shows up uninvited. Having reunited with his witchy (possibly foster) mother during his exile, he learned the dark arts from her and was now planning revenge against both the Southern Isles and Arendelle. Casting a spell, he turns his older brothers into swans and is about to run Anna through with his sword. The swans rescue Anna and carry her away. Anna convinces the swans to land near the home of the rock trolls, hoping that Grand-Pabbie can help break the spell. Grand-Pabbie informs Anna that only she, due to her strong loving heart, can break the spell. She must gather nettles, extract the silk from them and weave them into garments. Once the swans don the magic garments the spell will be lifted and they will become human again. Oh, and during this whole thing, she must remain silent. If she says a single word during this, the garments will be sundered and the swans will die. This leads to an interesting reversal; this time it's Anna who has to shut out Elsa without explaining why. The climax of the action involves Hans attempting to have Anna burned at the stake as a witch, while Elsa confronts with Hans' witch mother and goes all Fimbulvetr on her!
- Alternatively, Elsa might defeat the villain with her wits.
- That. Would. Be. AWESOME!
Let's say something bad happens in Arendelle, and the gang seeks out Grand Pabbie's advice. Pabbie tells them to seek out a MacGuffin, but warns them that it can only be found in the Southern Isles and that a "ruler with a frozen heart" will try to stop them. Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf will initially groan about this, remembering how a certain prince from the Isles had tried to steal their throne earlier and automatically assume he's the "frozen-hearted" ruler. But then, it becomes a new and exciting adventure for them, since they'll get to see the wealthiest and most powerful of their trading partners (but also the most mysterious), alongside learning more about the man who tried to seize their kingdom and his 12 older brothers.
Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf will go to the capital city, which looks like a mix of Denmark, Imperial Germany, Great Britain and the United States in the 19th century. Just imagine these country kids' reaction to a huge, bustling metropolis! They would be impressed at the architecture and be awed by how Hans' home is far more prosperous and technologically advanced than either Arendelle or all the kingdoms they've visited so far (which may include those mentioned in A Frozen Heart, the comics, or the Anna & Elsa books), and wonder why Hans would want to seize control of another kingdom when his homeland is extravagantly wealthy and luxurious. They'll think that his people and family are warm and friendly despite what he did, combined with the locals wanting to show that they're not like the idiotic fool who sullied their kingdom's name. While visiting the Isles, they'd be impressed by Hans' Big Fancy Castle, as from a distance, it looked like a giant, black Sea Monster that somehow flourishes in the harsh environment (although they would feel a bit scared by its structure and compare it to their Bright Castle or Elsa's Ice Palace). As far as Hans' family is concerned, they'll put up a good appearance to show that they're not like Hans (although Elsa and co. would feel a bit nervous of his father's intimidating appearance). Perhaps Anna might take an interest in one of his 12 older brothers (presumably Caleb, Rudi, Runo or Lars), leading Kristoff to feel a bit jealous about this. It's also possible that Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff will be given Hans' bedroom for temporary lodgings, as a way to rub it in Hans' face, while Sven stays at the royal stables.
As they visit the kingdom, they slowly realize something sinister is going on in the Isles — it's actually an oppressive and totalitarian regime led by a profoundly violent despot who rules it by force. Perhaps people that they saw earlier mysteriously vanish in the middle of the night, while the gang later finds out that they're banned from entering certain areas of the kingdom or castle, which houses both corpses and prisoners. Once they witness the true nature of the kingdom, they would be really shocked and horrified at how the King uses Disproportionate Retribution to torture his subjects and abuse his power. Alternately, the crew could be disgusted at a scene where Hans' brothers viciously torment prisoners and subject them to Gulag-type conditions, or witness a scenario where Hans is ill-treated like a slave. At this point, serious drama occurs if Elsa and the gang give the king a Kirk Summation for running an incredibly repressive and autocratic Police State, leading to King Westergaard exploding in anger and having them condemned them to death, which forces them to do an Enemy Mine with Hans in order to overthrow the king. The king might be the Big Bad of the sequel (as he was the Greater-Scope Villain of Frozen), as he will try to prevent the heroes from getting said MacGuffin in their hands, since it's the big secret that's keeping him in power. If Hans is revealed to have a high rank within the Southern Isles armed forces, he could assist the crew by starting a mutiny to get revenge on his abusive family. The gang also realizes that the true "ruler with a frozen heart" mentioned earlier in Pabbie's prophecy is not Hans, but actually his father, who has a heart that's way too rotten and hollow to the core. King Westergaard hid this magical MacGuffin from outsiders, but once he realizes that Elsa and the gang are after said object, he becomes desperate to prevent anybody, including the Arendellers or Hans from taking it, and so, he corners the heroes, but a large battle ensues and the king is overthrown and either falls to his death or is incapacitated, leading to a vacancy. Most of Hans' brothers, realizing what had happened, will either be too terrified to take the throne or want nothing to do with being king after seeing it's more work than they thought, due to the fact that their father spoiled them too much. Lars might end up becoming the new king if Hans rejects it.
- The Arendellers' arrival in the capital at the beginning of the movie would be an ideal opportunity for a song like "One Short Day" from Wicked. They sing with its citizens how beautiful and amazing the capital city is and how happy they all are to be here, but like the Emerald City, the Southern Isles is actually a Crapsaccharine World with a lying, corrupt ruler.
- The urban environment would certainly be horrible and hostile for Kristoff, because of his wholly rustic lifestyle. Besides discomfort from the sheer culture shock, he would be contemptuously looked down on and ridiculed by the wealthier residents for his humbleness and attachment to Sven, and is condescendingly assumed by the king to be Anna and Elsa's servant at best and a backwoods hick at worst. All this while Anna is unable to empathize with her boyfriend, as she, Olaf, and Elsa enjoy this thrilling, fascinating new world, putting a strain on their relationship. Right up until the glitter fades and the kingdom is revealed for the hellhole it is under the king.
- It's possible that even Olaf, Elsa and Anna would feel a bit uncomfortable in an urban setting like Kristoff, given that Arendelle is more like a village or small town versus the modernized nature of Hans' homeland. And being that they're from a backwater country that's like a minor league team compared to the Southern Isles, which would be a big shot major league franchise, the four would have a The City vs. the Country debate about this when they visit the kingdom, combined with a bit of culture shock. For example:
- Being that Arendelle has a more rural feel to it, visiting a big city for the first time would make the gang feel a little disoriented. Plus, the heroes would be on edge, as they vaguely sense something is wrong about King Westergaard, but they won't know until they dig deeper into the Isles.
- The more advanced and prosperous lifestyle of the Southern Isles.
- The castle's dark and gloomy interior. The gang would contrast it to Arendelle's Bright Castle. Conversely, the palace could be littered with mirrors, causing the Arendellers to wonder if the royals care more about their personal appearance than the general welfare of their subjects.
- Why soldiers are everywhere — the gang is unaware that the Isles actually a repressive Police State where martial law is used to keep the citizenry in line.
- Elsa and company will be a bit confused as to why the locals always have smiles plastered on their faces. They're actually Stepford Smilers, more reluctant to criticize King Westergaard, as he uses his subjects' paranoia to suppress any criticism and maintain his iron-fisted grip on his subjects in various means, including restrictions against entering prohibited areas in the kingdom and curfews to prevent any unlawful assembly.
- It's possible that even Olaf, Elsa and Anna would feel a bit uncomfortable in an urban setting like Kristoff, given that Arendelle is more like a village or small town versus the modernized nature of Hans' homeland. And being that they're from a backwater country that's like a minor league team compared to the Southern Isles, which would be a big shot major league franchise, the four would have a The City vs. the Country debate about this when they visit the kingdom, combined with a bit of culture shock. For example:
- Given that the sisters grew up in a sadly distant but still loving family, it's probable that they would be baffled at the idea of an abusive man who ill-treats his family and subjects, unless witnessing it firsthand; this would also unnerve Elsa and the gang once they witness the barbaric and inhumane treatment of the king's subjects. And if the Southern Isles has colonies, the king would probably subject the natives to harsh conditions, possibly committing atrocities to wipe them out. Any dissent against the regime is met with extreme force.
- Also, during the gang going through their Enemy Mine moment with Hans after he unwittingly fell into a trap by his abusive brothers, but only to be saved by our heroes, he will be clueless as to why they saved him despite his crimes, assumes they had hidden reasons to do so, and rants about why Love Is a Weakness that makes people stupid and why one needs to be devoid of it. The four chew him out on it, stating that while they hate him for what he did, it's not that they would want to see his father kill him, as doing so would make them not so different from him. They also state he and his brothers should realize that acting in self-interest won't get them any friends or endure them to the Southern Isles' populace after witnessing how his father manipulates and lies on a whim to stay in power, and that there's more to life than just being obsessed with power. They also tell him how love can thaw his "frozen" heart out and turn him back into the decent guy he once was. This forces Hans to wonder if he wasted his potential in appealing to an unfeeling man, but also realize that his father is a selfish monster who will do anything and everything to cling on to the crown, even by destroying any perceived enemies, including his own sons. Plus, this makes him finally realize how his past experience has not only warped his mindset, it also caused him to become an enemy of the gang.
- Given how the king and his sons are misogynistic, they'll express ignorant views of women ruling a kingdom, and think Elsa and Anna should instead Stay in the Kitchen and sire heirs to the throne. They'll make a Mars and Venus Gender Contrast, thinking men would be better rulers than women, as they're purely driven by logic instead of emotions as the sisters are. Or, perhaps they could make rude and insensitive insults about the Arendellers' life choices, outraging the Arendellers a bit. For example:
- King Westergaard assumes that Kristoff, due to his background as an ice harvester, is a Social Climber who will become a Gold Digger if he marries Anna, not because of the genuine feelings he has for her. Alternately, he'll call Kristoff undeserving of being Anna's boyfriend due to him not being royal blooded, or make snobbish and inappropriate remarks on his humility or attachment to Sven.
- He could also call Elsa a witch who is unfit to rule a kingdom, relating to the popular theory that Arendelle is still secretly feared and despised by its trade partners and neighbours for having a sorceress as its queen, and that people like King Westergaard still hold prejudiced and contemptuous opinions of magic users like Elsa.
- He might also mock Anna for her choice for a partner, telling that she deserves someone of equal footing, not some lowly peasant oaf like Kristoff. Or that he'll tell her that she and Elsa don't deserve to run a kingdom, stating that men like one of his sons should rule Arendelle instead (if he thinks women should Stay in the Kitchen).
- If King Westergaard becomes the Big Bad of the sequel, he'll be a Contrasting Sequel Antagonist and Shadow Archetype compared to his son, with the difference being that while Hans almost killed Anna and Elsa out of desperation, the king has no qualms killing anybody, having been desensitized to violence for so long. Plus, while Hans has a chance to redeem himself, the king has no desire to end his tyranny. Also, he'll be one of the darker Disney villains, on par with Frollo, Scar or Lotso the Hugging Bear. And should he realize that Hans has escaped, joining the heroes, he might try to kill his own wife as a way to not only spite his own youngest son (given that he was his mother's favourite), but also to rub out any potential threats, real or perceived, to his power base.
- King Westergaard could also be Agnarr's Foil and Shadow Archetype, in that while both are kings, Westergaard represents what Agnarr could have been if he did not exercise restraint in his power of authority: an abusive father, a neglectful husband who sees his spouse as a baby-producing object, and a ruthless authoritarian who rules his kingdom through fear. While both are responsible for children developing mental health issues, Agnarr only wanted to keep Elsa and Anna safe, but Hans' father is unfeeling towards his sons.
- If Elsa is revealed to have directly executed the decision to send Hans back to his family, she will be horrified at herself and unsure of what to do next, after realizing how monstrous his father is. As a sign that he is beginning to improve, Hans could comfort her by bluntly stating that it was his own murderous actions which got him sent back and that she should not feel guilty for doing so, as she had no idea that his family was so messed up in the first place. She will also sympathize and tell him that her experiences have taught her exiling oneself to self-loathing isn't the answer, so she thinks that Hans should go on a Redemption Quest and is willing to help him. Hans will be skeptical about this, and bluntly assumes she's wasting her time as he's given up all hope. However, as they continue, Elsa will give him an Armor-Piercing Question that causes Hans to realize not all hope is lost and wonder if he could have forged a better path by deciding to stay in Arendelle. He begins to like Elsa, since she's treating him with kindness in spite of his backstory, as she made him realize how he wasted all of his potential on earning the admiration of a callous monster.
- As this goes on, the gang will learn a bit more about the true and ugly reason why the King of the Southern Isles singled Hans out for abuse in the first place, and begin to regret sending him back to a living Hell on Earth. Someone, presumably a sorcerer, tells them that Hans is tied to the MacGuffin the Arendellers are looking for and that he was born with magical powers like Elsa, but it caused his father to humiliate him for this reason. Knowing the full and deadly potential of his son's magic should it go haywire, the king may have consulted with another sorcerer at some point, who transferred Hans' powers to the MacGuffin, but also left the king with a warning: a prophecy that "one of his 13 sons will betray him." Obviously, the king thinks the traitor is Hans due to his powers, kills the sorcerer, hides the MacGuffin away to prevent anybody from knowing about his secret, and as a result, became increasingly suspicious of his sons and authoritarian in ruling his big kingdom and family, alongside instigating the bullying of Hans so that none of his children will overthrow him. The MacGuffin will be the key for Hans to unlock his powers, and although he plays a big part in ending his father's tyranny, it will ultimately be one of his 12 brothers who kills the king for good in an interesting Prophecy Twist. Upon hearing this, the gang would be left utterly conflicted in regards to their opinion of Hans and his family, as while they currently despise him for what he did, they also feel pity for the 13 sons for the abuse they endured under their evil father, and how it shaped them over the years. At the same time, they now understand that the true villain behind all of the mess that occurred in the first movie is neither Hans nor his 12 brothers, but their father the King of the Southern Isles, especially if the second sorcerer or person tells them that the king ordered Agnarr and Iduna’s deaths just for criticizing his regime when they showed up for potential trade negotiations. As far as the traitor son mentioned in the prophecy, the gang presumes it will be Lars, who isn't a "Well Done, Son" Guy unlike his brothers. Also, after witnessing Hans and his brothers' bad experience with their own father, Elsa and Anna realize it isn't a bad thing to not be like your own parents.
- Potential powers Hans could manifest:
- Many fanworks depict him having fire powers to counter Elsa's frost, despite not having them in canon.
- Reality Warping. Hans is capable of bending reality like Haruhi Suzumiya, but it poses a bigger crisis than Elsa's Endless Winter, and one that may have the potential to threaten all of reality should he have a superpower meltdown, with the additional Aesop that Reality Warping Is Not a Toy.
- Superpower Lottery. He is capable of manifesting a multitude of powers, including electricity, flight, telekinesis and Eye Beams.
- Combination of all of the above. This makes him a Flying Brick on par with Superman, with him being a Type 5 or 6 on the Super Weight scale.
- Potential powers Hans could manifest:
- A scene in the Final Battle may involve the king giving the usual Disappointed in You tirade to Hans, to which Hans has had enough, calls him out for his atrocities and tells him that he doesn't deserve the respect. The king tries Offing the Offspring for this, but Hans retaliates and gives him a severe No-Holds-Barred Beatdown for his abuses. Hans could also tell the king that his adventures with Elsa and her friends made him slowly realize how his family's harsh methods of ruling — lying on a whim, tormenting others for personal gain, abusing the power of authority — was morally wrong from the beginning and that his journey to earn their respect was self-destructive. Mocking his youngest son for his reluctance in killing people, the king attempts to goad Hans into finishing him off for good. Hans then comes within an inch of landing the final blow on his father, but stops when someone, noticing that he's about to Jump Off The Slippery Slope and become the very thing he once hated, tells him that while the king has it coming, killing him would make Hans the ideal son his father always wanted, and so, Hans simply backs out, having realized if eliminating his father would satisfy him. Hans' other eleven brothers try to attack him for this, but Lars intervenes and tells that their father is the one responsible for who they are today, and that he truly doesn't care for them. The King confirms this, causing the other eleven sons to have a massive Heel Realization, and they all immediately defect en masse and sever their ties from him.
- When Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff notice Hans' brothers or government officials violently harassing and beating up peasants for more money, the Arendellers try to intervene, only for them to be thrown in prison. Alternately, the four try to enter the forbidden areas, wanting to know what's going on, but realize that these "forbidden areas" are actually forced labor camps the king uses to condemn political prisoners. Appalled at the dictatorial nature of Hans' homeland, a scene in the sequel shows the four talking about the Isles once they realize the horrifying Crapsaccharine World it truly is: while it may be far more prosperous and technologically advanced than Arendelle, the only things lacking there are friendship and compassion, as it's a dystopia with everything being hollow despite the extravagance. Its people are Stepford Smilers, but its ruler is a ruthless tyrant who has no empathy. His wrath knowing no bounds, the king only cares for himself and is "frozen-hearted," viewing things such as love or loyalty with great contempt. And since he expresses ignorant opinions on women, they'll wonder how he can be morally bankrupt and cling on to outdated views despite ruling a highly prosperous and modernized place. According to them, the Isles is a land of contradictions and hypocrisy: its economy is booming, yet everything is barren; the people are always smiling, but they're faked; the king is powerful, but he is someone far worse than Hans; the kingdom is far more powerful than Arendelle, but everything is run on people's fear of what the king does. The four are repulsed at the downright toxic legal system, since anyone could be easily jailed easily via Kangaroo Courts, and the king perverted it to suit his whims as he assumes All Crimes Are Equal, no matter how minor or petty they are. To them, the Isles is actually a cesspool of hatred and paranoia under the King of the Southern Isles, not the beacon of wealth and power as they thought it was. They might also be appalled that he condemned Hans to slavery not for attempted regicide, but for sullying the Westergaard name. Ultimately, the four concede that Hans' father is really a tyrannical monster who should be dethroned for all the evil he committed, especially after finding out he murdered Elsa and Anna's parents for disproportionate reasons. When the four call the King of the Southern Isles out for running what in essence is a repressive Police State, he makes it clear that he has no desire to stop his tyranny.
- From their perspective after realizing how grim the situation is, it may harden Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf's perspective on King Westergaard, who had all the luxuries, the wealth and the power, yet still wanted more and contemptuously looked down on the poor. To them, the perks of being king would have been enough, but what more could the King of the Southern Isles want, especially by scaring his subjects into submission, or abusing his family just to show off? Why ruin and squander everything for his own personal ambition and greed? To the four, while old man Westergaard professes to be a Knight Templar Well-Intentioned Extremist ruler who claims to be The Good King, it's nothing but hogwash.
- During their Enemy Mine moment, the four give Hans an Armor-Piercing Question, asking if the king's actions count as "justice," and if he ever found satisfaction trying to earn his father's respect. Hans will attempt to dodge the question or is unable to respond back.
- Also in the same scene, the four will be confused at the royal family's dynamics. Despite being fraught with issues, Kristoff's adoptive troll family and the sisters' parents were genuinely caring and loving, but upon seeing Hans' situation, they realize the Westergaards crank the Dysfunctional Family trope up with misogynistic and arrogant royals, a father who is a violent oppressor two times over, and 13 sons that are at each other's throats and use highly questionable means, including taunts and outright violence, to earn their father's respect. The four also realize that growing up in such a macabre environment was a major factor behind Hans' actions in Arendelle.
- Olaf's innocence would have him horrified at the idea that truly evil persons like King Westergaard do exist, and are capable of doing such atrocities. At this moment, Anna, Kristoff and Elsa are grateful that Agnarr didn't turn out like King Westergaard. When they call the king out on his cruelty towards his people, he'll state that the words "hero" and "villain" are created by the weak-willed, calls the Arendellers interlopers who have no business telling him how he should rule, and says that his subjects need an iron fist, not a velvet glove.
- Such is the king's reputation that when the four go to the Southern Isles to acquire the MacGuffin, they will be warned by someone on how hostile the king is and how the Southern Isles is a horrible place. The four will ignore their advice, thinking Hans' family are nice people, but once they witness the grim situation in the Isles, they'll realize that even they're truly terrified of arousing the king's wrath when they call him out on his evil.
- To understand what led him to be evil, the four think the King of the Southern Isles had a Freudian Excuse, such as Hans briefly mentioning that his paternal ancestors were unbearable. It actually strengthens Hans and his father as Foils to each other, as while Hans, with help from the crew, manages to overcome his past traumas, the king is a lost cause. If the four ask why he is so cruel and how could this justify his abusive rule, the king inverts it by stating he actually had loving parents who spoiled him, but he decided he wanted a better life because of his bloated ego, and so, he betrayed everyone he knew, including his family, cheated his way to the top so he can have the riches and power he thinks is his, and is still willing to cling on to the crown by all means necessary. Hans will be dismayed over this, stating that while what he did in Arendelle was wrong, he tried to justify it as him trying to escape his pathetic excuse for a father and did really want to be The Good King, combined with being angry that his mother was killed just to spite Hans out of pure malice and hatred. The king might also admit point-blank that he doesn't care what his 13 sons do, only that he molded them in his image and cared more about his reputation. Realizing he always had no empathy, the Arendellers finally understand there's nothing behind why the king relishes such atrocities: like Shao Kahn, the Joker and Ernst Blofeld, he just is. The king may in fact be the most vile and despicable person they've ever met, given the Paranoia Fuel surrounding him. Also, when the four call him out on murdering Agnarr and Iduna, the king might just casually not care about it, much to their outrage.
- After the Final Battle, the defeated king might give the Arendellers a Hannibal Lecture on how their kindness and morals have made them soft and weak in ruling Arendelle, only for the them to retort and give a Shut Up, Hannibal! to the king, stating how their adventure have helped them to overcome their flaws (Elsa's insecurity and selflessness, Kristoff's stubbornness, Olaf's recklessness and Anna's naiveté), and a Kirk Summation on how his evil has caused the suffering and hurt of countless others, combined with telling him that a king and his crown should be a symbol of hope and prosperity, not one of tyranny and oppression. Having realized that their parents were killed by the king just for criticizing his rule when they came for trade negotiations, the four also tell the king that he is truly the only person around with an icy-cold, "frozen heart," as he was the person behind all the mess behind what happened in the last film. Hans corrects them, saying that while frozen hearts can be thawed, his father cannot be redeemed as he's way beyond that point. Enraged by his sons betraying him, the king has a villainous second wind and tries to attack Hans, but Lars pulls a Big Damn Heroes moment and knocks the king out, causing him to have a Disney Villain Death. Upon seeing the king's battered corpse after he took the plunge, neither his own sons nor the Arenedellers have no regrets in offing the man, seeing that he deserved the Karmic Death after seeing how despicable he truly was.
- Since this is a kid-friendly movie, perhaps we may be given a Gory Discretion Shot, where vultures start circling overhead before swooping down.
- The sorcerer's curse upon the king was fulfilled, as the "traitor son" mentioned in their prophecy was Lars, despite Hans having a major role in the king's downfall.
- Having found the MacGuffin, the crew gives it to Hans, as he realized that this was the true source of everybody's troubles, breaks it open, and finally regains the magical powers he was stripped of by his father when he was a child.
- At the end of the sequel, there could be an And There Was Much Rejoicing scene, as the populace, free of King Westergaard's tyranny, hail his Lars and Hans as the heroes who overthrew their Archnemesis Dad, and encourage the two to lead the kingdom towards a path of prosperity and freedom. Hans, after much Character Development and his adventures with Elsa and company, realizes he didn't want the crown, and so, he urges Lars to become the new King of the Southern Isles, given that he wasn't as obsessed with proving his worth to their father, unlike their brothers. In a CMOH, Hans also reconciles with the other eleven, as they now realize how their father's Social Darwinist mindset corrupted them long ago.
- A few months after the events of the movie, a wedding ceremony takes place, with Kristoff and Anna marrying after spending some time dating. Hans has not only reconciled with the others but also his brothers, who also attend the ceremony.
- Elsa and Hans may have Foe Romance Subtext, or really appreciate each other platonically - Elsa forgives Hans and he genuinely becomes more humanitarian, unbelievably.
- Or Hans is now in a relationship with Elsa, and everybody implores him to marry her. At first, Hans is a bit reluctant about this, given what happened, but he changes his mind and Elsa accepts his proposal, in a scene that's reminiscent of how he first proposed to Anna at the end of "Love is an Open Door", and which implies that their ceremony would be worthy of Physical Gods.
Elsa, infuriated by Hans' actions, loses her cool and leads Arendellian armed forces against the Southern Isles. She soon finds that this is what Hans' brothers counted on, and that Hans was sent to assasinate Arendelle's royalty and take over the kingdom to use as another stepping stone for their empire. It's possible that Hans' brothers may have used his knowledge of Elsa's powers to craft a plan in defeating her.
- Alternatively, due to all of the trouble that he put her in, Anna still feels revengeful towards Hans and is the one who decides to lead the Arendellian Armed Forces against the Southern Isles. Anna could have decision-making power to do so when Elsa is busy or unwell.
- Or maybe someone else orders Elsa to lead the forces against the Isles. Said someone is intentionally doing this so they could eventually seize control of Arendelle and the Southern Isles via an elaborate Batman Gambit while Playing Both Sides against each other.
Additionally, Kristoff, Anna and Elsa realize they're woefully unprepared to face what turns out to be a dictatorial and warmongering regime harbouring imperialistic ambitions, a history of brutally subjugating their colonies (including slavery and genocidal campaigns; such barbarianism would cause the three to be horrified about this shocking discovery), and an extremely powerful and highly advanced military.
- Alternatively, the Southern Islanders, along with the Weselton people, could still be bitter for the events that Elsa's powers caused. Elsa reluctantly has to send Arendellian armed forces against the Southern Isles and Weselton. She wishes to find a peaceful way to settle the conflicts, but Anna is eager to fight, so she somehow takes over from Elsa and causes the conflict to mushroom even more. Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven now have to calm down Anna, then end the fighting between the other places. They also realize that Arendelle had never been to war for centuries, so they must find a way to rebuild their military, defeat the Southern Isles, and liberate its colonies. Eventually, the events are resolved.
For whatever reason they come to the Southern Isles, they will decide to visit the royal stables so that Sven will have a place to sleep. There they find Hans, passed out from exhaustion. At first, because he's so overworked he thinks he's hallucinating and at first, bluntly ignores them. During this, Anna tries to talk down to him, making it clear he has no control over her, but he just passes it off. He starts to have fun with it, admitting he liked Anna's skunk stripe and that he thinks Elsa is "rather attractive" to them, leaving them baffled (and in Elsa's case, uncomfortable). When he sees Olaf, he thinks this confirms it's all in his head and starts laughing his head off. He ends up saying something rude, causing Olaf to throw a piece of coal at him. Hans snaps at him, but after a few seconds, he registers that a hallucination shouldn't hurt. After a few seconds of staring at the coal, he gives it back to Olaf, then poking him and the others to confirm they're real. Elsa grabs his finger and covers it in show, making him realize they aren't hallucinations. The situation actually gets serious for a moment as Hans panics at this realization. It becomes comical again when Anna points out Hans admitted to being attracted to Elsa, and she found that bit Actually Pretty Funny. Hans is outright embarrassed as he does a Face Palm, but Elsa is so awkward and unsure how to react to this that she orders them to promise never to bring it up again. And Hans agrees with her on this.
Apart from aiding Hans in his redemption in the above theories, Anna, Elsa and Kristoff will be utterly disgusted with how King Westergaard brutally treats people and that he chose to condemn Hans to hard labour not for attempted murder, but for disgracing the family name. Horrified and shocked by the display of utter cruelty they witnessed in Hans' father, they start to question if sending Hans home was a good idea, combined with having a hard time understanding the king's MO — killing people on a whim, lying to stay in power, believing that only the fittest survive, and forcing his family to emulate them. A serious drama could occur if the three call the king out for his abuse towards not just his youngest son, but also towards his own subjects.
Unless we see Sitron the horse again, who just vanished altogether (unless he's still in Arendelle), then Hans will have an animal who acts as a Foil to Sven that follows him around. This animal will probably be one associated with villains or evil, like a wolf or bat. As a Foil to Sven, it would be a carnivore and have a somewhat serious tone, acting as Hans' conscience but also behaving like The Spock. If a somewhat humorous moment happens, this animal would function as the Only Sane Man in the area, looking at everyone with a disapproving look. However, it would still have its own moments of fun and probably function as a Shipper on Deck, literally pushing a now repentant Hans into getting closer with Elsa.
- A good name for this sidekick would be Gorm. It is a name that sounds rather evil and putrid, but is the name of the first king of Denmark and means "God's mercy." Like his master, it symbolizes looking Beneath the Mask to find goodness. Plus it carries on the pseudo-tradition of the main characters' names being four letters long.
- Additionally, with the above theory on extra magic that Hans encounters, if it goes with Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane, maybe "Gorm" will "talk" to Hans when they are alone depending on how they meet, similar to how Quasimodo interacts with the gargoyles Victor, Hugo and Laverne when he's alone. Hans thinks that it's just him imagining a voice due to loneliness and deep-seated guilt, but when the two part ways, Hans outright questions if it was really all in his head or if something really was talking to him.
- A wolf would actually be an appropriate animal for Hans to have to follow him. The Southern Isles is likely based on Denmark, where wolves went extinct for the last 200 years, which would match Frozen's time period. Magic or no magic, a wolf would fit with Hans. In Frozen, the wolves might have gone extinct because of the king not liking them rather than any genuine concern for livestock. Gorm might be the last living wolf in the Southern Isles and he would act as a mirror for Hans: Used to Be a Sweet Kid but the king's evil and toxic influence ruined his life, forcing him to adopt a hostile and hardhearted exterior to survive. Going on an adventure with the heroes would change him and help him overcome his issues.
Hans briefly mentions the possibility of his father sending him to the brotherhood, where he will take a vow of silence. If we do see our heroes come to the Southern Isles, we might get to meet this brotherhood. They might play a role in the plot, acting as a Foil to the trolls; the trolls are a hidden race of non-humans who are friendly and helpful to the royal family, the Brotherhood is a group of well-known humans who aid people in secret yet have no loyalty to the current king and wish for someone nicer to take his place. If it turns out they have magic, then the leader, potentially being Ambiguously Human, acts a sort of mentor/fairy godparent figure for Hans, aiding him on a possible Redemption Quest.
They might eventually serve as a Parental Substitute, serving as replacement figures who fill Hans' lonely life with the guidance and mentorship he never got from his father or brothers. They guide and teach him how to stand on his own feet, have fun and enjoy life, and not be so bothered by the fact that he doesn't have to rely on his abusive family anymore.
Olaf, Elsa, Anna and Kristoff will remain confused in the sequel, if they decide to visit the Southern Isles, as to why Hans wanted to seize control of Arendelle, assuming he's an evil jerk who got his just desserts without realizing why he did it in the first place. Plus, when they visit Hans' kingdom, they'll be baffled as to why the people have grins plastered over their faces, unaware it's actually a Dystopia where people get killed for badmouthing the king or not paying their taxes on time. Also, when they realize the Isles' grimy secret, they'll wonder why the king has such a nasty temper and assume that he has some sort of Freudian Excuse to rationalize his behavior towards his 13 sons and subjects, only to realize that he has no such thing (or if he has one, it'll be a lousy one at the least) and that he simply uses it to selfishly abuse his power and authority over his family and kingdom. This ultimately leaves them struggling to understand how the king relishes in glee from the wanton violence he committed so far.
Given that he's one of the most hated villains in Disney canon (even beating out people who have actually succeeded in killing someone), he's going to have to do a lot to prove to Anna and Elsa (and the audience) that he's worthy of a second chance. This will involve being the Butt-Monkey of the group most of the time, getting picked on by all of Arendelle, almost suffering a Heel–Face Door-Slam, and a near Heroic Sacrifice - and he probably still won't be entirely forgiven by the end. But he'll have earned his second chance and be allowed to stay in Arendelle and away from his abusive family, which will go a long way towards cementing his Heel–Face Turn in any future media.
- Jossed. Hans does not personally appear in the movie, although he is mentioned in contempt a few times.
To show Hans isn't pure evil or at the least regretting his actions, he performs a good deed without expecting a reward of some kind. This could be aiding a mother or saving a child from harm. Someone, possibly Elsa since she's likely meant to be the protagonist of the film, will be the only one who notices without him being aware of their presence.
- Jossed. Hans does not personally appear in the film.
Olaf! Elsa and Kristoff hardly know him, and, although Anna is an All Loving Heroine, she was personally hurt by Hans and no longer accepts that he's more than a villain. Olaf, however, will want to learn Hans' side of the story and make friends with the prince, because that's just who he is. The snowman's kindness to the enemy will be what inspires the others to give Hans a chance.
In the first movie, there were two made by Pabbie. The first was telling Elsa that fear would be her enemy, though it turned out to be her own fear rather than the fear of others. The second was telling Anna that an act of true love would thaw a frozen heart, which turned out to be her giving her own life to save her sister and convince Elsa to embrace love instead loneliness. There may be one that occurs.
He's told by a mysterious figure that he will cut ties with the person who ruined his life and it will lead to him getting what he wants most. At first, he believes the person who ruined him was Queen Elsa, so he attempts to put her in danger to get his father's forgiveness, which is what he thinks he really wants. Instead, his father admits he was counting on Hans dying in a way that would avoid controversy. Completely broken by this revelation, Hans doesn't bother defending himself when his father tries to commit the deed himself, but Elsa saves his life, shocking them both. Now recognizing what he's become, Hans decides to go into self-exile, but Elsa convinces him to seek redemption for what he's done. During their adventure, Hans grows fond of her and helps her, even if he believes he'll never be forgiven. Near the end, Hans turns on his father, realizing HE is the one who ruined his life, but then his father blames Elsa for turning Hans and his kingdom against him, causing him to try and murder her. Not wanting her dead, Hans takes the blow for Elsa, mortally wounding him and it leads to his father's potential death. As Hans lays dying, Elsa finally forgives him, which is something he really wanted. Hearing this lets him die in her arms with a look of relief. The mysterious figure brings him back to life, seeing he's earned a second chance.
- Jossed. Hans does not personally appear in the film.
- Strained Relationships: Hans and Lars are strained and the two have barely spoken after what occurred in Arendelle. It's clear Hans regrets his actions, but he's too full of anger with himself that he directs it to the sisters, while Lars does want to help his little brother but can't see how in their positions. Meanwhile, Anna and Elsa go into a conflict that spirals out of control because Elsa is afraid they will lose their close bond because of her. When she sees Elsa and Hans bonding, Anna is uncomfortable with it and assumes something more sinister is going on, further damaging the conflict with her sister. Also, Anna and Kristoff's relationship starts to lose its spark, and trying to fix what they individually think is the problem rather than communicate only causes more misunderstanding. Meanwhile, the Duke has lost the respect of his people due to his actions in Arendelle, but his attempts to mend trading ties only causes more trouble. Ultimately, only by learning from and working with each other, do all parties find a way to reconcile.
- Mirrors: Since Hans was based on the mirror from The Snow Queen, his father may very well represent the Devil/Evil spirit/Troll who made it. He has moulded his sons into reflections of himself, not for their benefit, but to fuel his ego. After Hans goes through Hell, he realizes this mindset and behaviour is flawed. In important scenes, we see him and the other characters expressing what is truly in their hearts as reflections when alone. Near the end, after going through some self-reflection, he decides to adopt this idea instead, mirroring people so that they'd see what they're doing is wrong and fix it.
- Gloves: Gloves will be featured as an allegory for the suppression of one's true self again. While his gloves were pristine white in the first film, Hans will wear either his now dirty pair or black leather ones this time to symbolize the losing battle of hiding his corrupted, damaged side after his crimes in Arendelle. He only bothers to keep wearing gloves to have some semblance of refinement and to hide the scars on his hands. To show he does feel some guilt for giving into his dark side, Hans begins to pull one off early in the film, but sees his scars and decides he must hide still. Near the middle of the story, his gloves start to tear up, showing he's losing this image he's built up. When he finally breaks, the gloves will come off and stay off for the remainder of the film. Now with his bare hands freed, Elsa will notice his scars and question what happened, even at one point brushing her own bare hands on his scars. Since this is a kid-friendly film, Hans will not plainly admit to committing Self-Harm, only imply it by saying, "I'm used to pain." Later, thinking the sisters are a threat to him now, the king offers Hans a chance to be forgiven and be first in line for the throne if he agrees to side with him. Hans does briefly consider it, but seeing his scarred hands and remembering Elsa's concern for him, reaffirms his decision to cut ties with his father and finally have the courage to call him out. The King of the Southern Isles could wear red gloves to symbolize the metaphorical blood on his hands. Unlike Elsa or Hans, his facade is merely skin deep because he doesn't hide that he's an unpleasant and ruthless monster, only how much he can and will be. When the gloves come off, he is figuratively and literally prepared to get his hands dirty.
- Repercussions: The events of the first film inadvertently cause problems for the main characters now. By ending all business with Weselton, people in Arendelle who depend on their products and have family living there will be angry at this decision. When outside kingdoms learn that Anna and Elsa sent Hans back to the Southern Isles, they are furious because of how hostile King Westergaard is and how the Southern Isles is a horrible place, causing all of them to end all business with Arendelle and decree they want nothing to do with people who anger the king, presumably because one of his 12 older sons married off their daughters, as the Isles could use it as a bargaining chip to secure better trade deals. Meanwhile, the sisters get into an argument that goes out of control, but when they try to patch up things, it only makes the situation worse, while a separate argument between Anna and Kristoff is brewing. The Duke himself has lost both his important status and respect of his people for his actions, so his only interest at first is to do good to restore his status, but it only ends up making things worse for him. Hans has, of course, been reduced to slave labour for what he did. However, the king cares not for what almost happened to the sisters, only that Hans got caught and embarrassed the Westergaards, forcing to Hans to think he must find a new way to redeem himself to his father. His attempt at this gets him in more trouble with the sisters and his father flat out admits he never cared for any of his sons, only that they make him a more powerful king. Going through a massive Heel Realization, Hans accepts he's done awful things and, until convinced otherwise, essentially gives up on life. Any and all good decisions they make only make things worse, such as attempting to help Hans overcome his issues with his family and convincing him to seek redemption, which causes a sense of mistrust. While everyone manages to overcome their problems, they all realize even good intentions can lead to problems unless they think things through.
- Parents' Approval: Hans' actions are drawn from his hopeless desire to be his father's favorite son before secretly admitting that deep down, he always knew the king will only ever see his children as henchmen and a fan club, but believed he'd be the first to truly earn his respect because of how bad he wanted it. He admits that all he ever cared for was his father's love and respect, but now realizes he's an unfeeling tyrant who needs to be dethroned, so he rebels. Meanwhile, Elsa still appears to have some fear of not living up to her own father's legacy. In fact, a problem she may encounter is people calling out sending Hans back to a country she knew nothing about and severing connections with Weselton, comparing her negatively to her father. After having witnessed Hans' bad experience with his own father, Elsa realizes that she cannot be exactly like her father and that isn't a bad thing. If the Brotherhood of the Isles is introduced, they might be a Foil to the trolls: while the trolls are a hidden race of non-humans who are friendly and helpful to Arendelle's royal family, the Brotherhood is a group of well-known humans who aid people in secret yet have no loyalty to the current king and wish for someone nicer to replace him. The leader of the Brotherhood might become a sort of mentor/fairy godparent/Parental Substitute for Hans, aiding him on a possible Redemption Quest and helping fill his lonely life with the guidance and mentorship he never got from his father or brothers. Over time, they guide and teach him how to stand on his own feet, have fun and enjoy life, and accept that he doesn't have to rely on his abusive family anymore.
- Forgiveness: A major recurring theme in several fan-made stories involving Hans, though his actions at first clearly show he doesn't care about anyone forgiving him other than his father. Then his father tries to kill him and admits point-blank he cares for no one, not even his own wife, or his thirteen sons. Hans goes into self-exile, deciding he can't forgive himself for anything he's done or feel he has any right to be forgiven until Elsa convinces him otherwise. His adventure helps him rediscover the more peaceful person he used to be and be willing to go through lengths to be forgiven by the sisters. Elsa even asks him why he cares about being forgiven now when he didn't before, he responds it's because she showed him sympathy in spite of his crimes. Meanwhile, the Duke of Weselton is involved with helping the sisters go to the Southern Isles on the condition that they restore business so that he'd get his status back home restored. Like how he was a Foil to Hans in the film, he's one here again; he fakes wanting to be a good person for his own benefit, realizes when he has no other choice what he's done is wrong and turns over a new leaf for real, except Hans spends a majority of his time helping Elsa while the Duke spends his time aiding Anna and Kristoff. Elsa herself is still haunted by the night she struck Anna with her magic, coupled with some lingering belief it's her fault her parents died, but her experience with Hans helps her see she must learn to forgive herself. Ultimately, all the characters from the first film are able to make their peace and help each other out, even if it means going against King Westergaard, the only character no one wants to forgive after he ultimately makes it clear he has no desire to stop his evil ways.
- No one is just one thing: To make the forgiveness theme stronger, the film will have An Aesop of "We all have layers and it is unfair to reduce anyone to a label." Hans and the Duke of Weselton are shown to be more than mere villains of the sisters' story and therefore worthy of forgiveness for their transgressions, while Elsa overcomes the simplified impressions people have of her as an idealized pillar or a dangerous monster, allowing them to see her as she wishes to be seen: a human being with a flashy quirk.
- Kindness brings out the best in people: To counter the king's evil, the sisters show sympathy or kindness to the people who wronged them in the past when they learn more about them and how they came to be. The Duke of Weselton gets kindness from Anna when it becomes clear he has no means to fixing his status back home, while Elsa shows sympathy to Hans after he breaks down from guilt and the realization his father wants him dead. It causes both of them to turn over a new leaf.
- Inability to comprehend good and evil: This will run on both sides.
- Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf will be confused at the goings-on of the Westergaard clan.
- When the Arendellers decide to visit the Southern Isles, they'll be confused as to why Hans wanted to seize control of Arendelle and assume he's an evil jerk who got his just desserts, but they don't know that he's a severe victim of neglect who did it out of a desperation to win his heartless father's love at all costs. They will also assume that Hans' family members are not like Hans, only to realize that not all families are happy.
- Plus, they will have a hard time comprehending the general cynicism surrounding the kingdom, as it's a crapsaccharine dystopia with corrupt and/or decadent royals, general hatred of what the King does on a daily basis, and an incredibly harsh justice system. They would also be utterly baffled at the ruling family's dynamics, as the Westergaards exaggerate the Dysfunctional Family trope.
- To rationalize the king's temperament, they'll assume he has a Freudian Excuse, only to slowly realize he has none or that he just gave a lousy reason to justify his tyranny over his subjects. The king of the Southern Isles could ridicule them for believing in things like compassion and virtue, as he perceives such qualities to be "weaknesses" below him, and that such "weaknesses" must be purged from one's mind in order to be successful.
- Likewise, Hans and his brothers might have trouble understanding altruism at first.
- If Hans unwittingly falls into a trap set up by his father, but only to be saved by the gang, he wonders why they saved him despite their mutual animosity and suspects a hidden agenda. Since genuine compassion of any kind is alien to him as he grew up in a household that preaches Social Darwinism over anything else, he also mocks their belief in The Power of Friendship and Love, and thinks it makes them look idiotic, but it falls flat on his face when he realizes the gang has no ulterior motives to save him and that he's the idiot who believed in such things. It takes a massive Heel Realization for him to understand not all hope is lost and that he wasted his life on pleasing an unfeeling sociopath.
- Except for Lars, who is the Token Good Teammate of the Westergaards, the other 11 sons, who are sycophantic flunkies for the king, might encounter this problem at some point, making them wonder if their father really cared for them or if he actually used them for selfish reasons, and because of this, they immediately betray him, but the king will question why they're supporting Hans, Lars, and the Arendellers. Hans responds by telling them how the sisters and their friends have helped him and his brothers see that they don't have to be the sons their father wanted to make his life better and that they like them better after they chose to abandon their father's Social Darwinist mindset.
- The king, being the sociopathic Evil Overlord dictator that he is, thinks kindness to be a waste, and would ridicule the Arendellers for following such principles. He'll mock Kristoff's humility, and believes he and Anna are a doomed romance, but they come out stronger after overcoming their issues. Likewise, he'll also assume the same thing with Hans and Elsa, as he'll think Hans will help Elsa out of fear of her or for protection, but Hans actually listens to her since unlike his father, she was unconditionally good to him and sympathizes with his past despite not being ready to forgive him. In the climax, he'll assume his sons are weak and will come back to serve him, but having realized their mother was indeed the only good thing in their life, the sons instead state he doesn't deserve to be their father anymore.
- Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf will be confused at the goings-on of the Westergaard clan.
- What Is Evil?: The King of the Southern Isles' MO is Despotism Justifies the Means, meaning that he doesn't care if he's a greedy dictator, as long as he stays in power. He also cares not what his sons do, only that they make him a more powerful king. If Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff call him out on his evil, the Hans' father could fire back, stating that words such as "good" and "evil" are subjective terms invented by the weak-willed, cowards get crushed easily, and that the only thing that matters is seizing power in what he thinks is a dog-eat-dog world.
- What is family?: While Anna and Elsa's parents were misguided in their attempts, ultimately they were loving and caring to each other and to their children. Likewise, Kristoff's adopted troll family may be a bit overbearing and inappropriate, but they mean well and love Kristoff a lot. If they visit the Southern Isles, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff will be left utterly confused at the ruling Westergaard clan's deep-seated problems once they witness the goings-on, realizing that despite their flaws, Kristoff's adoptive troll family and the sisters' parents were genuinely caring and loving. However, upon seeing Hans' situation, they realize the Westergaards are full of narcissistic and arrogant royals, a father who is a violent oppressor and domestic abuser, and 13 sons at each other's throats. Being a neglectful parent and spouse, the king's abrasive attitude was a major factor in why the entire family is so miserable, with many of the older sons being fraught with a wide range of mental health issues such as a Lack of Empathy, immaturity and being dependent on their father for emotional support. The women of the clan are seen by their neglectful spouses as baby-producing objects and/or as status symbols, and cope with their unhappy married lives by drinking wine.
Some fanfics show him working as an unpaid servant in Arendelle as punishment, and give him a shot at his Heel Realization and redemption. Also, Foe Yay Shipping between him and Elsa occurs among a lot of fans, despite the fact Hans tried to murder her and Anna.
- Frozen Fever shows Hans shovelling manure at the royal stables as part of his penalty. Maybe it's later decided that it would be more appropriate for him to serve out his sentence in the country he committed the crime and he's transferred to Arendelle.
Elsa is unversed in the more underhanded side of ruling a kingdom, but Hans is clearly both well educated and Street Smart, and the Queen realizes that her new friend/significant other can be valuable as an advisor. Although Hans doesn't become an all-powerful king, he gets to leave the Southern Isles behind, and he is respected and listened to, earning a balance of what he deserves and what he dreams of.
- Working for Elsa can jokingly be referred to as a "punishment" for Hans' attempted regicide, like calling his position community service.
And if Hans does perform a Heel–Face Turn, he will help Anna and Elsa, defying his father. When his father gives him the usual Disappointed in You "The Reason You Suck" Speech, Hans has had enough simply stands up and calls him out for all the horrible things he does and tells him that he deserves no respect. The king tries to kill him for this and calls him "too soft, like his mother," but Hans retaliates and contemplates killing him, but only stops when someone, probably either Lars, Anna or Elsa, tells him that while his father had it coming, murdering someone out of hatred would make Hans the ideal son. Because he no longer wants to be The Dutiful Son for his father, Hans listens to them and backs out. And when King Westergaard gives the Arendellers a Hannibal Lecture for being too soft and weak in ruling their kingdom, Kristoff, Anna and Elsa fire back and call him out for his abuses and the brutal manner in which he runs the Southern Isles, telling that he is truly the only person around with an icy-cold, "frozen heart". Hans corrects them, saying that while a frozen heart can be thawed, his father is way past the point of redemption as his heart is way too dark, hollow, and rotten to the core.
A scene in the sequel shows Elsa and company talking about the Southern Isles: while it may be far more powerful, technologically advanced and wealthier than Arendelle or the kingdoms they've visited so far, the only thing lacking there is friendship and compassion, as it's a dystopia with everything being shallow, barren, and cold. Its people are Stepford Smilers, but its king is a very corrupt and dictatorial man who rules with an iron fist yet doesn't understand mercy. His wrath knowing no bounds, King Westergaard only cared for himself and is "frozen-hearted" and cold-blooded. Concepts such as mercy, love or loyalty don't register in his head, as he often despised such virtues.
- There could be hints that the King has a Freudian Excuse, such as Hans mentioning in passing that his paternal grandparents are unbearable. It strengthens Hans and his father as Foils to each other, as Hans, with help from others, manages to overcome his past traumas, but the King is much too far gone too.
- Conversely, it might end up the King has no excuse. If he's asked why he is the way it is, he might just admit that he actually had loving parents who spoiled him and he decided he wanted a better life because of his ego, so he betrayed everyone he knew and manipulated his way to being a ruler so he can have the riches and power he thinks he deserves. Hans will be more than upset over this, stating that while what he did in Arendelle was terrible and inexcusable, he tried to justify it as him trying to escape a terrible family and did really want to be The Good King.
Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf will have to deal with a problem that not only threatens Arendelle, but also the Southern Isles. So they go off to find a certain sideburns-sporting red-haired and green-eyed prince, who has been punished to work in the stables, and try to convince him - but he'll be grouchy, rude, pessimistic, and cynical towards them at first - earning a Silly Rabbit, Cynicism Is for Losers! speech from the gang. After realizing that could be his big moment, it's possible that Hans will get a Heel Realization and slowly become more of an Anti-Villain in the sequel, thus giving him a possible shot at his eventual Heel–Face Turn.
It's highly likely that the gang will understand a few facts about Hans in the process:
- Hans' Dark and Troubled Past, which is what made him into the man he is today.
- Some fanfics expand on the possibility of Hans having fire powers, similar to Elsa carrying ice powers - this is why his family, apart from his mother and Lars, treated him so poorly.
- Elsa, Anna and the others would be baffled by the concept of an abusive family, and eventually, realize why Hans became so cold-hearted in the first place - resulting in them pitying Hans. It's possible that they could call his father and brothers out for their years of abuse and neglect towards Hans.
- They could also learn a bit of the Southern Isles' history (or witness the true nature of the regime), and be really shocked and horrified at how Hans' father, an extremely stone-cold, ruthless and tyrannical dictator, uses violent and brutal methods to torture and execute prisoners, regularly strong-arms villagers for not paying taxes on time and silences any critics of the regime. Serious drama could occur if either Elsa or Anna lose their temper at the king and his sons for running an exceptionally totalitarian Police State, leading to Hans's father throwing a fit and sentencing them to be executed, resulting in the gang and Hans having to take on the Southern Isles monarchy alongside the sequel's main antagonist.
- The trolls use his remaining love to give Hans a more positive outlook on life. Olaf, despite sharing the others' dislike of Hans, could also try to help the fallen prince to become more optimistic.
As part of the theory that Hans' father will kill his wife during the sequel in order to stay in power, this may force Hans to realize if all the time he spent pleasing to the king was just a waste of time, alongside the harsh realization that his dad is a remorseless monster who would lie, manipulate and kill others, including his own family, in order to stay in power. Having realized the horrible man his father is, Hans first calls him out for the bad things he's done so far, but he won't have any and tries to kill his youngest son. Hans retaliates by grabbing him by the collar and proceeding to brutally beat the crap out of him to near-death. He contemplates killing him, but only stops when either Anna or Elsa tell him that while it would end the king's reign (as he had it coming), Hans will finally be the son he always wanted him to be. Because he no longer wants to be the ideal son for his father, Hans listens to them and backs out. And as far as Hans' twelve older brothers are concerned, they immediately apologize to Hans for bullying him over the years, and withdraw the support of their father, realizing that he only cared for himself by killing their mother out of spite.
- Alternatively, Hans's brothers (except Lars, who leaves) immediately start fighting over the crown and accidentally wipe themselves out in the process.
Suppose he and Elsa do go through an Enemy Mine scenario, Hans claims he's only trying to seek redemption. Elsa initially doesn't believe him but knows she needs his help. He eventually double-crosses her, saying he's only trying to redeem himself to his father, but when Elsa points out that his father doesn't love him, Hans snaps at her and leaves in a huff. He comes across a trap set by his family, revealing that his father lied about giving Hans a chance at redemption just to lure him to his death. Broken by this, Hans doesn't bother fighting back, but is saved by Elsa of all people. He questions why she'd save his life after all he ever did to her and Elsa counters that while she does hate him for everything he's done, including trying to kill her, it's not enough to want to see him murdered. She tells him to leave and that she never wants to see him again. Alone, Hans tries to rationalize everything that's happened, trying to find some way of thinking it through the way his father wants him to see things — how people use each other, only the fittest survive, and compassion is weakness — before finally realizing his father's twisted way of thinking, which he never liked in the first place, is morally and fundamentally wrong. He realizes that he's the villain of the story, that love is not a weakness as Anna and Elsa live far happier lives than him and he's become someone he never wanted to be and yet someone who has a valid reason for hating him saved him, and he breaks down as a result. Deciding to at least help Elsa one last time, Hans goes into self-imposed exile. Assuming there is new magic introduced, it will reveal to Elsa Hans's life before coming to Arendelle, revealing that he Used to Be a Sweet Kid and his father's treatment was pure evil. Hans tells her that he's not the Machiavellian mastermind everyone in Arendelle thinks he is, he's just too desperate for a better life, and that he resorted to his family's schemes, so as a result, he hates himself more than everyone else does. Elsa, actually having sympathy for him, suggests he can change. Hans counters he DID change, he used to be a good person, but he was so eager to be a good man with bad people than he became a bad man to good people, hurting civilians for his father and almost killing a good family to escape. He feels there is no redemption for him and that despite admitting he's sorry for what he did, there's no point seeking forgiveness when he feels he doesn't deserve it. Elsa tries one last time to help him reconsider, but he responds by asking if she could ever forgive him. Elsa, after trying to think it over, responds that she doesn't know. Hans muses that it's not what he wanted to hear but it's better than what he expected before deciding to continue his exile. And as a mirror to how in the film the perception of Hans's character changed when he betrays Anna, this would ultimately change how Elsa sees him, as she leaves she says he shouldn't give up hope, he counters "Oh, I already have". This time, instead of the old smug and sinister Hans, it's now replaced with a Hans that's now totally broken and weak.
During his adventure, Hans will have renounced loyalty to his father and realize his goal of becoming a king was because he wanted to impress him. If his father is overthrown, or dies by falling, there will be a vacancy. Caleb will either be too terrified to take the throne after what's occurred or wants nothing to do with the throne after seeing it's more work than he thought, as will most of Hans' brothers. Hans will actually be given the crown, but immediately realizes he never truly wanted to be a king. He suggests Lars be king, who admits he never wanted the throne, which is why Hans thinks he'd make a better leader. If he and Elsa grow close, she offers to let him stay and potentially rule Arendelle alongside her, but he rejects this as well, seeing Arendelle has a ruler unlike his father, but he's not against seeing her again.
King Westergaard is a Sociopath who saw any form of morality or kindness to be weak and a waste, and often scoffed or ridiculed those who followed such principles. It ends up being his Fatal Flaw, and the thing that leads to his downfall. For this reason, Hans gives him a Shut Up, Hannibal!, telling how the sisters and their friends have helped him see he doesn't have to be the son his father wanted to make his life better and that they like him better after he chose to abandon his issues and adopt his former non-violent mindset. The king looks down on Kristoff due to his humbleness and poverty and believes he and Anna are a doomed romance, but they end up getting through their issues and come out stronger. During Hans and Elsa going through their Enemy Mine scenario, he attempts to kill his son after the two split off, seeing that no one can save him and no one wants to save him, but Elsa ends up saving his life. His father thinks Hans will help Elsa out of fear of her or for protection, but Hans actually listens to her since, unlike his father, she was unconditionally good to him and sympathizes with his past despite not being ready to forgive him. In the climax, he expects Hans will be too terrified to face him and help Arendelle or will come back to serve him, but Hans stands up to him, calls him out as a cruel man and performs a Heroic Sacrifice to save Elsa that soon leads to his father's downfall and possible death.
About a year or so after the events of the first film, Elsa throws a grand ball celebrating the marriage of Anna and Kristoff. At the reception, Hans shows up uninvited, asking for the royal family to forgive him, but Elsa, not trusting trust him due to his past deeds, throws him out of the kingdom, threatening to have him arrested for treason if he ever shows up again. Bitter, Hans concocts a revenge scheme.
- It doesn't pan out as Hans hoped, so he eventually gives up.
Just as Frozen was centred on subverting the Prince Charming and Love at First Sight tropes, Frozen 2 will subvert another common fairy tale trope: Beauty and the Beast. Hans will meet a woman who is aware of his past but will be confident that she can "fix" him with love. But Hans being a deceptive man, he will use this to manipulate her somehow into escaping the Southern Isles and getting his revenge against Elsa and Anna. At the end, having realized he's way too "frozen-hearted" to be "fixed" with love as she was unwittingly tricked by him into his scheme (just as how Hans faked his romance with Anna), she ultimately gives up on him, moving on to another guy who genuinely loves her.
- Touched on in the original movie when the trolls say to Anna "We're not saying you can change him".
- Maybe a past friend who fell in love with Hans when they were young, but the two became separated as time went by. Years later, she tries to reconnect with him, but she's told about his crimes against Arendelle...and she refuses to believe it. Even after Hans personally drags himself out to confirm that it's all true, and describes it all to her in detail, she still thinks he's making it all up, to everyone's exasperation.
He will pull a few strings, and get a message out to the flame queen asking for help, claiming that he was wrongfully imprisoned by a tyrannical ruler. Hans will then formulate a Batman Gambit to transform the benevolent flame queen into an Inspector Javert bent on bringing what she thinks is an evil tyrant to justice by any means necessary.
- Elsa must try not to 'lose her cool'.
