Heartwarming / Tangled: The Series

Spoilers Off applies to Heartwarming pages. All spoilers are unmarked.

Before Ever After

Before Ever After, The Movie

• Much of the pilot movie is about Rapunzel and her parents adjusting to living as a family after so many years of never getting the chance to do so. It's clear that they love each other dearly, the queen in particular being a source of encouragement to her daughter.
• Rapunzel and Cassandra's friendship is nice, it's good to see that Rapunzel has someone she can trust and be open with besides Eugene. Or Pascal.
• Most of Rapunzel and Eugene's interactions as well, even after Eugene's sincere but unsuccessful marriage proposal. He still makes it unwaveringly clear that he'll stand by her and be patient with her, knowing that she needs time to figure things out.
  • Rapunzel's initial glee at Eugene's proposal.
• A small moment, but when Cassandra takes Rapunzel to see the mysterious black rocks, it just so happens to be the site where the Magic Golden Flower first grew. It's strangely sweet that Rapunzel can see the site of the very thing that saved both her and her mom.

Season 1

Season 1

What happens when a tiny, smol person and an even tinier, smol-er chameleon meet? You get proof that Rapunzel and Pascal have always been great friends.

What the Hair?!

• When they first meet, Varian kneels before Rapunzel and calls her "your highness". Rapunzel gently insists that he just refer to her by name.
• When Rapunzel is trapped in the collapsing workshop due to Varian's experiments gone wrong, Eugene refuses to leave her and stays behind even though it means he'll probably be killed as well. Rapunzel uses their final moments together to tell him she loves him "more than you will ever know."
• Varian's father instantly coming to check on him after the accident. He doesn't even think it could be his fault, like dads of similar stock, and doesn't become disappointed until he's told so and Varian is okay.

Rapunzel's Enemy

• The episode's ending casts ambiguity onto how much Uncle Monty supposedly still dislikes Rapunzel as he claims, as he's shown putting the picture of the Gopher Grab contest that Rapunzel helped him win on his wall and looking at it with a fond smile on his face.

Fitzherbert P.I.

• Not only is Cassandra actually nice to Eugene but when it becomes obvious that her father is actively trying to get Eugene to quit and even breaking rules to do so, she gives Eugene a pep talk and some advice. Later when he thinks an art thief has stolen a royal painting she is the only one to both believe him and help.
• Pascal and Rapunzel are so in time with one another that Rapunzel can hold a tennis racket behind her, not concentrating on making sure she doesn't drop it, while Pascal bounces on it and changes colour with every bounce as if they did it every day. Although, given their past life, maybe they did. Tennis rackets sting when they hit you - the fact that Pascal is not in searing pain after bouncing on it means that, even though she's not paying attention, Rapunzel must know the exact amount of pressure she can exert before she hurts Pascal.
• After spending the episode agonizing over how to appear in her royal portrait, Rapunzel does her own painting with her and her mother. (After Arianna told her it wasn't what she did that mattered but who she was and who she loved). It really shows how close she and her birth mother have become; growing up, the only mother Rapunzel ever knew was the one who kidnapped her as a baby. Rapunzel may have only known her birth mother for a short amount of time, but she takes comfort knowing Arianna is a mother she can love and trust.

Challenge of the Brave

• Cassandra technically loses the challenge she'd wanted so badly to win by stepping just a bit over the line in the final round, making Rapunzel the winner. Rather than be upset, Cassandra accepts her loss and helps declare her friend's victory. In response, when Rapunzel is handed the winner's trophy, she gives it to Cassandra since she too showed the spirit of a true winner. The two even share a mutual hug after Rapunzel's one-sided hugs had been a Running Gag in the episode beforehand.

Cassandra V. Eugene

• It's made very clear that Cassandra's father cares for her, as he backs off to keep the Stabbington Brothers from hurting her.
• Cassandra and Eugene's semi-heart to heart talk while resting on their prison cell beds, where Eugene talks about his childhood as an orphan to Cassandra and admits that he always imagined what his real parents were like and yearned for them to come back for him, and Cassandra reveals she too is an orphan who can't recall having any other parent but her adoptive father. Eugene and Cassandra are shown to be similar in how they've coped with not having a family, but their differences are big enough to get in the way of them seeing each other's similarities.
• When Cassandra and Eugene help each other out, and how Cassandra glued the king's priceless, one of a kind vase back together after Eugene had accidentally shattered it so that Eugene doesn't have to get in trouble for it.

The Return of Strongbow

• When Eugene returned her ring (and told her it was he who stole it all those years ago), Arianna could've told Frederic about how she lost it in the first place. But she instead simply tells Frederic Eugene returned it, recognizing that he's come a long way from the thief he once was.
  • What's more, it may help King Frederic warm up to Eugene in the near future.
• Turns out the real reason Lance stole from the Baron was to donate it to the same orphanage he and Eugene were raised in. Karma Houdini or not, that's incredibly sweet.

In Like Flynn

• King Frederic addressing Eugene with "son" in this episode and assuring him that he holds Eugene in high regard (even if he doesn’t always show it), especially since Frederic has up to now been pretty critical of Eugene, while Eugene really wants to win his approval. Even better, it's the first episode in which the two men bond.
• The Royal Seal, Trevor Jr., being granted his freedom by Eugene and King Frederic. The guys may have set out to prank King Trevor, but they still decide to let Trevor Jr. swim free in the ocean like any seal.
• All of Rapunzel's "pranks" are pretty sweet, such as giving Maximus a room full of apples, complete with an apple statue of himself.

Great Expotations

• Cassandra comforting Varian after he's unfairly disqualified from the Science Fair, and telling him he did impress her.
  Cassandra: You should've won.
  Varian: It doesn't matter. The truth is, all I really wanted to do was impress you. I thought if I showed you what I was capable of, you might see something in me. Something special. I was just being dumb.
  Cassandra: But you did impress me. Varian, you're a great kid. You're smart. You're compassionate. You're unique.

Pascal's Story

• Pascal runs away and, in searching for him, Rapunzel crosses the line between concerned parent and absolutely crazy mad woman as she erupts at Cassandra. Don't mess with Momma!
• Rapunzel helping Pascal, both in the past, and the present against the snake. After, she apologizes to her buddy for how she's been neglecting him lately. When they get back to the castle of Corona, Pascal is about to go up the hanging branch, when Raps says she wants him to sleep next to her. Aw...
• After enduring horrific emotional abuse her whole life, a quick, easy-to-miss little moment in this episode highlights how much healthier Rapunzel's new life is. Cassandra doesn't get angry or resentful over Rapunzel's outburst; she's just softly, visibly proud of her for asserting herself.
  • The fact that Rapunzel feels safe enough to put her foot down that way with no fear of being punished or rejected. She could never have done that with Gothel, but she trusts Eugene and Cassandra not to emotionally hurt her for arguing with them.
• Rapunzel's "lost chameleon" note offers a trillion dollars (or whatever the Corona equivalent is) for his return.

Queen for a Day

• Eugene, Lance, and the Snuggly Duckling gang volunteering to go on a dangerous mission to rescue Frederic and Arianna. Their reason being that the king and queen gave all of them a second chance, the least they could is give them the same.
• Pascal surviving a near-imminent death when unjamming the gears of the Demanitus Device, and Rapunzel snuggles him with Tears of Joy in return.
• Rapunzel seeing her parents alive and well post-blizzard and embracing them.
• Eugene’s heartfelt talk with Rapunzel in the end when she doubts becoming queen after what happened. He knows being queen is a long time away, and when the time comes, no matter what may happen, he will be right with her.

Painter's Block

• Rapunzel's ending: Not only does she overcome her artist's block and Heroic BSoD from "Queen for a Day", but she's found her inspiration to paint the mural (of herself and Eugene). Even better, the other painters who were hypnotized by Sugarby also get their own areas to paint on the mural.

Secret of the Sundrop

• King Frederic brings a frying pan along and Rapunzel's face lights up at the sight it.
• In its own way, Varian's determination to save Quirin.
• Ariana’s sympathy towards Varian and attempts to reason with him. Especially since she saw firsthand from her husband the grief and anger from losing a loved one and how it change a person.
• Shortly after Varian is arrested, his pet raccoon Rudiger comes to console him. Even being an animal, Rudiger knows that Varian is in the wrong, as earlier he helped free a captured Pascal. Despite this and being mutated as part of Varian's scheme, he is still willing to stay with his master in prison, perhaps to serve as a Morality Pet.
  • Also, there’s Rapunzel asking her father to help Varian, showing that despite all that Varian had done, Rapunzel understood his pain and wants to give him help.

Season 2

Season 2

Beyond the Corona Walls

• Eugene finally coming to terms that, although one day Rapunzel will want to settle down, she just isn't ready yet. She still has her whole life ahead of her and still has the whole world to see. If marrying her means waiting a few more years, then he's committed. Rapunzel greatly appreciates Eugene's loyalty.
• Rapunzel and Eugene are cooking a steak over a fire during the song Next Stop: Anywhere. Pascal has joined them, which is cute enough, but he's cooking a fly on a stick like a s'more, with a gentle smile of happiness on his face.

Goodbye and Goodwill

• Brief moment when the Sneezeweasel comes charging at Eugene and Vex, Eugene immediately covers Vex with his own body to try and protect her.

Keeper of the Spire

• What drove Calliope to keep pretending she was the titular Keeper of the Spire, even to the point that she became an annoying Know-Nothing Know-It-All? Why Rapunzel! Seeing this determined girl inspired her to realize that if anyone was going to be the Keeper in the previous Keeper's absence, it would be her. In the end, the real Keeper of the Spire says his absence was a Secret Test of Character meant to test her determination, and she passed.
  • What's more, Calliope holds the Keeper of the Spire in the highest regard like a father figure. Even for someone as annoying as her, she's a very caring person deep down.

Rapunzel: Day One

• Under an amnesia spell, Rapunzel attacks Lance and Eugene because she saw Pascal with them and thought they had her beloved chameleon held hostage. You can guess what her natural reaction was.
• In the end, Cassandra convinces an amnesiac Rapunzel that she can trust her enough to take the antidote that will restore her memories. Rapunzel wondered why she would bother trusting Cassandra, only for the latter to point out that friends have a way of knowing.
  • The two friends finally talking about what took place at the Great Tree, Cassandra's feelings about the incident, and making up.
• Eugene and Lance spend the episode trying to repair the caravan, which split in two. At the end they finally get the two halves together, just as Rapunzel and Cass are making up in the background.
  Eugene: See? I told you we'd get them back together.

You're Kidding Me!

• Kid Lance, in general. In contrast to Kid Cassandra, Kid Lance is a very nice boy, curious and sensitive.
  • While Pascal clearly isn't enjoying himself, Kid Lance's affection towards him is extremely sweet. Even Eugene is moved to recall that his friend used to love animals as a child.
• When he accidentally makes Kid Lance cry, Eugene begs the little boy not to cry because Eugene hates to see kids cry and it'll make him cry too. It shows he's not devoid of softness, despite tending towards the firmer side.
• Eugene deciding to try Rapunzel's approach and be open-minded as a surrogate parent.
• The vicious attack dogs in the kennel being turned into adorable puppies by the magic toy top.
• After the entire experience, Eugene and Rapunzel affirming that should they ever decide to start a family some day, they will have what it takes to raise them with a firm hand, compassion and love.

Destinies Collide

• Eugene admitting that he's come to love Cassandra as an "annoying sister", which makes Cassandra's later betrayal of him and Rapunzel all the more heartbreaking.
• Eugene meeting his father.
  Eugene: (closes his eyes and braces himself) What are you waiting for?
  King Edmund: (lets go of his axe) I...I won't fight you. (unmasks) You...are my son.
  • King Edmund trying to destroy the Moonstone in "Beyond the Walls of Corona" becomes Heartwarming in Hindsight when one realizes he was also driven by fatherly instincts.
• "Everything I thought I knew" may be poignant, but it's a sweet indication of how far Eugene has come to appreciate, not just his name, but his identity as an honest man who has put distance between himself and his past as a thief. Each memory throughout the song is a milestone of rediscovering himself, and he has plenty.
  • Not to mention his major milestone as "Eugene" was falling in love with Rapunzel and having a working relationship with her.

Season 3

Season 3

Rapunzels Return

• Despite also being a poignant moment, the flashback shows the instant the Captain adopted Cassandra, assuring her he'd take care of her.
• The happy looks on the gang’s, especially Rapunzel’s, faces when they see the kingdom of Corona after traveling for a whole year.
  • The Princess runs around the main streets of the kingdom, explaining how she has missed her home.
• When the heroes reunite with the Coronans who didn't leave the kingdom, Rapunzel even tells Monty that she misses him despite their mutual dislike for each other.
  • Monty actually smiles at the the princess after she told him that she had missed him as well.
• Varian's Heel–Face Turn after hearing Rapunzel's side of the story.
  • Just the way Rapunzel's face lights up when Varian switches sides.
  • Generally, is What You Are in the Dark moment. The Loyalists of Saporia wanted to weaponize his memory loss potion to destroy Corona. He could've gone down that path (it would've fulfilled his wish to start over anyway), but he refuses. Despite everything he's done and the lines he's crossed, Varian still has good in him to not want to see his fellowmen killed.
• Rapunzel using her powers to free Quirin from his amber prison. Upon reuniting with his son, he tells him that the letter he wrote meant to tell him he's proud of his son.
  • The music played when Varian embraces his father is a Triumphant Reprise to "Let Me Make You Proud".
• Rapunzel making amends with Varian and being able to trust him again is the most hopeful thing to happen; with everything Rapunzel went through, it's clear she will need him more than ever. Rapunzel may have lost her friendship with Cassandra but she regained her friendship with Varian.
  • When it seems like Rapunzel is trapped in another trance after singing the "Hurt Incantation". Varian doesn't leave her side even after throwing water in her face fails and he almost burns his hands like Cassandra did. She only wakes up after he vows not to abandon her.
  Varian: You didn't give up on me. I'm not giving up on you!
  • Mixed with Awesome. Rapunzel has spent the last 2 seasons haunted by the one promise she couldn't keep. Now, after being away from Corona for a year, she not only redeemed her reputation of keeping her promises, she reconciles with Varian and helped him reunite with Quirin.
• At the end Eugene is there for Rapunzel, listening to her when she talks about her feelings of Cass' betrayal. Throughout the episode, Rapunzel was going through the Five Stages of Grief, and Eugene repeatedly encourages her to not bury her feelings, while showing her that he's there for her when she's ready.

Return of the King

• Edmund steals the sash that he gave Eugene in order to have an excuse to spend more time with him.
• Eugene and Edmund bonding over the Flynn Ryder books.

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

• Rapunzel assuring a worried Red that she and Angry will be able to work out a compromise. It's very motherly of Rapunzel and speaks the promise of a good parent she might be some day.
  • She even refers to Angry as Red's sister.
• When Creighton the werewolf hunter insists the werewolf out there must be slain, Rapunzel opposes this. Werewolf or not, she won't let Creighton hurt it because it's still one of Rapunzel's subjects. Corona is lucky to have such a merciful queen.
• Although it was out of ulterior motive to get rid of some stale licorice from his supplies, Monty giving an olive branch made from licorice is still sweet.
• Rapunzel being understanding towards Red when it's revealed she's the werewolf. The poor girl meekly insists "I'm not the monster". Rapunzel's reponse? "No one said you were a monster."
• When werewolf!Red has Creighton at her mercy, Angry convinces her not to kill her. And she starts by calling Red by her real name, Catalina. And she tops it by telling her sister "I love you".
• Angry/Kiera giving her werewolf friend a hug. It speaks volumes that at this point, she trusts that Red/Catalina would never hurt her. In turn, the werewolf girl gives everyone a big old hug! Even Rapunzel is enthused to receive the "best hug ever"!
• As tragic as it was, Rapunzel's experience with Cassandra's betrayal did serve a purpose: it helped her save Red/Catalina and Angry/Kiera's friendship. It gave her the wisdom to help the girls mend the rift between them before it got out of hand.

The Lost Treasure of Herz Der Sonne

• The fact that Varian is seen amongst the very same people he fought against in the Season 1 finale shows that he has paid his debt to society and they now accept him again. Of course, the only person he can't reconcile with is Cassandra.
  • When he's paired up with Xavier, Varian smiles nervously. For his part, Xavier offers the boy a genuinely warm smile in return.

No Time Like The Past

• Rapunzel seeing Eugene back when he was a backstabbing, cheating jerk clearly only made her appreciate him more. Even though Eugene back then wasn't the Prince Charming she loves in the present day, she knows there is always good in him, and she still helped him see that.

Beginnings

• In the flashback, there's something sweet about Rapunzel unconditionally wanting to befriend someone like Cassandra. Normally (and even realistically), it would be more convenient to befriend someone who actually enjoys one's company. But as Rapunzel puts it, she likes Cass because "she's real" because she doesn't fake her emotions.

The King and Queen of Hearts

• Rapunzel believing that her amnesiac parents not getting together could mean the end of the world is one layer of funny and one layer sad, but at it's core, it's mostly sweet. For up to 18 years, she was living with Mother Gothel and had no concept of having a father, much less both parents in a happy marriage. It was only a relatively short while ago that she reunited with both her real parents, and she already so deeply invested in their marriage.
• Queen Arianna refusing to marry King Trevor. Even with amnesia, she does not love him quite as much as she loves her true husband.
• When King Frederic saves everyone by returning the sea serpent's egg, Arianna happily admires how brave he was. It's so sweet to see them fall in love all over again.
• The King and Queen recalling their youth in the end gives them, Rapunzel and the audience hope that their memories will return in due time.

Day of the Animals

• The episode opens with Pascal enjoying spending time with Hamuel. Even trying to get Max and Ruddiger to get along.
• Throughout the episode, Catalina is referred to by her real name.

Be Very Afraid

• The episode is in essence a mirror to The Alchemist Returns, through the lens of "what if Rapunzel and Varian ended that story as stronger friends, instead of enemies?" The end result fully shows how the rift in their relationship has come to be replaced with something stronger.
• Varian calls Rapunzel "Wonderous" and "magical"; judging by his reaction, Pascal agrees with all of this.
• Rapunzel reassuring Varian whenever he is about to be overwhelmed by his insecurities and regrets, assuring him throughout that he's a person worthy of caring about no matter what he's done.
  Rapunzel: (takes his hand) There's nothing ordinary about you.
• Far from the panic she showed on being discovered in Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?, Catalina is now so confident about her lycanthropy that she's eager to show it off for the whole kingdom to see. And Kiera is so accepting and excited about her sister's new abilities that she outright calls her the "eighth wonder of the world." Sure, it was an awful idea, but the fact that they were willing to do it shows how close they are.
• Speaking of, during his musical number, when Lance helps Kiera and Catalina deal with their fears, he gives Kiera a big hug, then grabs Catalina and tosses her in the air with a hug of her own.
• Eugene encouraging Lance to overcome his fear of singing. In turn, Lance sings a song that helps all of Corona face their own fears. By the end of the song, the crowd is cheering for Lance, as he realizes he had nothing to fear from sharing his talent after all.
  • Old Lady Crowley sincerely expressing pride in Lance.
• Feldspar running into Varian a second time, only instead of shunning him for his past misdeeds like before. Feldspar praises Varian for saving Corona from the red rocks.
• Rapunzel somehow sensed that despite every bridge she's burnt, Cass doesn't truly want to go through with hurting her former friend. This does lend a small ray of hope that she's not Beyond Redemption. Doubly so, it's the sense that as opposed to ending on a dreary cliffhanger like the end of Season 2, the audience has a ray of hope to hold on to until the second half of Season 3 continues.

Pascal's Dragon

• Pascal befriending the baby dragon just after it had hatched.
• In the end, Nigel deciding to let Little Big Guy and the other dragons leave Corona unharmed.

Islands Apart

• Owl has apparently switched sides, and seems to have bonded with Eugene.
• Rapunzel encouraging the Captain to not give up on saving the real Cassandra.

Cassandra's Revenge

• Both Rapunzel's and Eugene's parents got a chance to meet and hit it off before seeing them get married. It's a clear sign they do approve of their children's relationship.
• Eugene and Rapunzel's relationship growing so close that both simultaneously thought of proposing to the other.
• Cassandra not harming Varian to a great a extent and even stating their conversation by saying she didn't want to hurt him. She could have killed him at any point, but she didn't. Even though it was still messed up to drug Varian, she found a way to get the truth from him without resorting to violence. Her treatment of Varian in this episode shows that there is some decency left in Cassandra.
• The showdown between Rapunzel and Cassandra is this when you consider the Rule of Symbolism: Cassandra summoning the spikes in droves indicates she's using ever fiber of hatred she has for Rapunzel. And Rapunzel? Aside from the fourth incantation, she's using something entirely different: the righteous fury she has towards Cassandra for trying to kill her beloved Eugene. If her winning (and breaking a sliver of the moonstone) is any indication, she loves Eugene more than Cassandra could ever hate her.
• The sweet part of the Bittersweet Ending is this: despite that Cassandra's recent machinations prove Rapunzel and Eugene's engagement will have to wait a while, they are nonetheless moved by each other's affection at wanting to propose to the other. What's more, the gang decide to give Eugene a proper birthday, showing that even in wake of what's gone down, they're simply thankful to have everyone safe and sound.
  • In addition, Eugene overcoming his distaste for growing old, knowing it won't be bad so long as he can do it with Rapunzel.

Race to the Spire

• After receiving Calliope's message, Rapunzel shows immediate concern for her safety.
  • When Eugene brings up their disastrous first meeting with Calliope, Rapunzel, despite admitting that the latter is not one of her favorite people in the world, still wants to rescue her. This is one of the times that shows that the princess is willing to help anyone, even if it is someone she dislikes.

A Tale of Two Sisters

• Whilst she rants to Cass what an awful mother Gothel was, Rapunzel points out that the only good thing that Gothel ever did for them both was bring them together. Cass may not see it that way, but it strongly indicates Rapunzel doesn't regret they were ever friends despite the fateful betrayal.

Flynnposter

• The Captain of the Guards passing the title of Captain to Eugene (he retires due to not wanting to face Cassandra) shows how much his trust in him has grown and how their relationship has improved since the first season.
• While the (former) Captain is announcing his retirement, Varian is seen in the same throne room as King Frederic, Queen Arianna, and Nigel the advisor, and with no tension at all.

Once a Handmaiden

• The whole premise is Cassandra genuinely trying to reconcile with Rapunzel of her own volition. Although it ultimately backfires, it's nice to see that Cassandra still has enough good in her to recognize the error of her ways. At the time, at least.
• During a play that reenacts their battle in "Return to Corona", Cassandra (through her "Faith" disguise) is able to reconcile with Rapunzel, and vice versa. Symbolically enough, they do so whilst dressed up as each other... Or at least, they were reconciling, until Zhan Tiri ruined everything.
• Eugene and Varian (aka Team Awesome) work very well together, with them coming up with plans to stop Cassandra if she invades Corona and even battling her alongside each other.
• Eugene admits to Cassandra that he thought of her as being like a sister to him.

Plus Est En Vous

• Once the two are powerless and trapped together, Rapunzel ultimately forgives a despairing Cassandra for everything she's done. Rapunzel explains why she refused to give up on Cassandra despite all her vicious words and actions:
  Rapunzel: Cass, I was thinking about when we first met. Do you know it was nearly three weeks before I heard you laugh for the first time? I guess there wasn't much to smile about, you know. After being put in charge of a free-spirited flower child who painted smiley faces all over your things.
  Cassandra: (chuckles)
  Rapunzel: But that first laugh was so remarkable because I knew you meant it.
  Cassandra: What do you mean?
  Rapunzel: You had this look in your eyes. I don't know, it was seeing you, the real you, for the first time. And that's the Cassandra I became best friends with.
  Cassandra: Why are you telling me this? (Rapunzel puts her hand on Cassandra's hand)
  Rapunzel: Because even when I look at you now, after all that's happened, no matter what we've done, to each other, I still see that look in your eyes. You're my best friend, Cassandra, and I will never give up on you.
• Rapunzel's journal acting as a time capsule for why she befriended Cassandra in the first place:
  Journal Entry: Cassandra is such a faithful and loyal friend (...) I really admire her fearlessness and bravery!
• Queen Arianna's words "Plus est en vous" inspire Rapunzel to be the bigger person, reach out to a despairing Cassandra, and tell her "There's more in you."
  • Fridge-Heartwarming/Awesome: Throughout the series, Mother Gothel has posthumously caused so much trouble through her daughter Cassandra. But what turns it all around? "Plus Est En Vous", advice from Rapunzel's own kind, loving mom.
• When Eugene brings up Varian's dark past (in playful comparison to Zhan Tiri's threat), Varian amiably shrugs it off. Varian has overcome his past mistakes so much that he doesn't even mind them being brought up in jest.
• As Varian and his father prepare to storm Corona castle. We get to hear another Triumphant Reprise to "Let Me Make You Proud" playing in the background.
• At their lowest point, Cassandra lends the remaining sliver of the Moonstone to Rapunzel. In "Destinies Collide," Cassandra snatched the Moonstone right from under Rapunzel's nose. Now, Rapunzel is willing to let Cassandra use the shard herself, only for Cassandra to willingly give it to Rapunzel saying, "Rapunzel, this is your destiny." This is beautifully symbolic on two levels:
  • For one, the Moonstone sliver was a result of Rapunzel's Sun Drop magic overpowering Cassandra's Moonstone magic. In other words, it was born from an act of love triumphing over hate.
  • Also, if you imagine the Moonstone represents Cassandra's heart and how she previously closed it off to Rapunzel, her lending Rapunzel just that sliver subtly signifies she's letting Rapunzel into her heart again.
• Eugene's father King Edmund saying Rapunzel will make a fine daughter-in-law as a compliment and not him thinking out loud. He has given Rapunzel his blessing to marry his son!
  Eugene: (annoyed) Dad! You were thinking out loud again.
  Edmund: No, I wasn't. (smiles and winks at the pair)
• How does Eugene free Edmund from mind control? By opening his heart and admitting that he resented him for abandoning him, but now he's accepted just how much love his father has for him, and he forgives him. Edmund's mind is freed long enough for him to destroy the mind-control rune, and after doing so he picks Eugene up off the ground and embraces him.
• After complaining about not being part of the action in "Cassandra's Revenge", Angry, along with Catalina (and others), gets to be one of the main heroes in this episode.
• The visual of the black rocks disappearing. After watching them litter the lands like some nightmarish plague, the world is freed from them.
  • Among these visuals is that of Cassandra's tower disappearing. It's heartwarming in a two-fold way. On one fold, it represents Cassandra's previous hatred and resentment towards Rapunzel has faded away. On the other fold, it generally signifies how Rapunzel is freed from her tower on all levels. The very symbol of her imprisonment and Gothel's influence on her life is gone at last.
• Rapunzel mourning over Cassandra when the latter dies following Zhan Tiri's destruction. After everything she's done to her, Rapunzel has forgiven her friend enough to cry for her.
  • It gets sweeter when she revives her. If you apply her "Healing Incantation" ("Bring back what once was mine") to being her friend, then Rapunzel succeeded in bringing back the Cass she knew and loved.
• The magic of the Sun Drop being used on a larger scale to actually help many other people (specifically all of Corona), after it's been used for the better part of centuries to heal the cruel and selfish Mother Gothel. At last, even in its final moments on Earth, it could be used to help so many good people more deserving of its healing powers like it was meant to.
  • The Symbolism of the Moonstone/Sun Drop returning to space as one stone. If their separating is parallel to Rapunzel and Cassandra's failing friendship, she gave a fitting book end where the stones return together.
• Much like the movie, someone (Eugene/Cassandra) looks on as loved ones embrace (Rapunzel and her family/Rapunzel and Eugene) before being pulled into the embrace themselves. This time it's Eugene pulling Cassandra into their group hug, symbolically cementing her return as both the tritagonist, and as their friend.
• Cassandra reconnecting with the (former) Captain. True to "Islands Apart", he kept his promise: he didn't give up on his family. We can safely assume they made up and Cass now understands that despite what she said earlier, the Captain is more her unconditional family than her biological mother ever would've been.
  • What's more, it looks like it's her turn to go find herself a new dream.
  • Bordering on Awesome, Rapunzel letting Cassandra go counts as one. Bear in mind that in "Rapunzeltopia", she had dreamed up a Cass whose life revolved around contently being Rapunzel's best friend, but that wasn't the real Cassandra. Here, Rapunzel maturely accepts there's more to Cassandra than being her handmaiden all her life and is allowing her be her own person. Most importantly, she knows wherever she will go, they will be best friends.
  • After briefly reviving their back-and-forth friendly insult banter, Cassandra wholeheartedly admits that she's going to miss Eugene.
• What's this purple stone Cassandra now wears on her necklace? Why, it's Cassandrium, Varian's gift from "Great Expotations."
  • There is an extra bit of Fridge-Heartwarming when you consider that Cassandra's descent into villainy was marked by several scenes where she destroyed possessions that represented her bond with Rapunzel. Her new costume contains numerous reminders of her friends from Corona, suggesting that she has learned from her mistake: she will NEVER dismiss her connection to them again...
  • Adding onto the Fridge-Heartwarming is the white fabric tied tightly around Cassandra's shoulder; it's the headdress of her lady-in-waiting uniform! Despite loathing the position and all the trouble it caused her, even after destroying it in a rage, it's become a symbol of her time spent with Rapunzel, and that matters enough to her that she'll wear it on her sleeve.
• Varian being made the royal alchemist, with his father helping him with his (now more successful) inventions. They've both come a long way.
• Lance adopting Catalina and Kiera. "And they were thrilled about it. Even after finding out their new legal last name was Schnitz."
  • Fridge-Heartwarming: This brings his character arc full circle: His first episode was donating to an orphanage in order to provide for the orphans. His last episode has him adopting the orphaned girls because growing up as an orphan, he knows they deserve a home.
• Rapunzel's spirit inspired Edmund so much that he returned home to rebuild the Dark Kingdom...and he never lost touch with his son again.
• In the final crowd shot, Hook Foot can be seen with Seraphina in his arms.
• Now that harmony has been restored, Eugene can finally propose to Rapunzel in peace. And he does, right on the boat ride where they fell in love.
  • As seen by Pascal's Story, Pascal fears being replaced in Rapunzel's affections. Now he helps Eugene propose, knowing that Eugene is not going to replace him - that Rapunzel has room for both of them in her heart.

Short Cuts webisodes

Short Cuts webisodes

• "Checkmate" is full of adorableness from Pascal, as the chameleon tries to get Maximus to play chess with him. Highlights include Pascal trying to lead Max by tugging at his reigns, and wearing an old wanted poster of Eugene to encourage the stallion to follow him.
• Rapunzel pulling out every stop to make an infamously grumpy Miss Crowley happy in "Make Me Smile." After taking the time to talk to the old lady, Rapunzel realizes the perfect way to brighten Crowley's mood: a window shade painted with a pretty landscape and a pair of homemade noise cancelling earmuffs.
• "Hiccup Fever" has everyone jumping at the chance to cure Rapunzel's hiccups.
  • What's more, Monty offers a cure for her hiccups, showing that even as her "not friend", he cares about her.
• "Hairdon't" shows Rapunzel going to great lengths to make sure Eugene does't see how badly she cut his hair. While he is upset when he sees the haircut, he and Rapunzel learn the rest of Corona saw it as a great hairstyle.

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