Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Disenchanted
Disenchanted ending explained. After a very long wait, the sequel to 2007’s beloved Enchanted finally released on Disney+. With Amy Adams returning as the Andalasian character Giselle, Disenchanted is set a decade after the events of the first film and follows Giselle and her family’s move from New York to suburban Monroeville.
Giselle taps into her evil side to become Morgan’s wicked stepmother. But since there can only be one villain in town, she battles with Malvina (Maya Rudolph) for the title of queen. However, it isn’t long before Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino) escapes Andalasia armed with the memory tree to bring Giselle back to herself. And since she’s a daughter of Andalasia by way of being Giselle’s daughter, Morgan is able to reverse the wish and make things the way they were. Disenchanted ties up all of its loose ends, but there is much to explore in the breakdown of the film’s ending.
Why Giselle & Robert Move From NYC To Monroeville
Giselle and Robert had a baby girl, Sophia, and their lives became more hectic. A lack of sleep, less space, and Morgan growing more distant from Giselle made for a less exciting atmosphere. Such changes rocked Giselle’s world, in particular, and she began to feel like life had lost a lot of its luster and magic. A different change, one she likely felt she could control in some way, was what Giselle needed to reignite the ion and light she had always felt before. Giselle chose Monroeville because it had a similar fairy tale aesthetic to Andalasia, the home she missed now more than ever because of the disillusionment she was feeling with her life.
Why Disenchanted Is More Focused On Giselle & Morgan’s Relationship
Disenchanted sees Giselle and Morgan’s mother/daughter relationship at its core. Focusing on Giselle and Morgan’s relationship provides a different angle to the fairy tale story. Here, the pair have always had a positive relationship, distinct from the terrible (and often abusive) stepmother/stepdaughter relationships of the past. It was more interesting to explore their relationship. Plus, Enchanted already told Giselle and Robert’s love story. Creating unnecessary drama between them would have been a contrivance. Building upon Giselle and Morgan’s relationship, and expanding it from the original, was a natural way to carry on the story and go down a different path to explore a different kind of love within the fairy tale genre.
Why Malvina Wanted To Stay In The Fairy Tale World Giselle Created
Malvina was used to running things in Monroeville, and Giselle’s arrival in town threatened her status. The fairy tale world created by Giselle’s wish exacerbated Malvina’s worst tendencies and she saw the opportunity to truly be the queen of the town in not just name. Malvina mirrored Giselle in some ways — she wanted to maintain control and the only way she felt she could do that was by ensuring the spell’s changes were made permanent. It’s clear Malvina didn’t have all that much going on besides upholding her status in Monroeville. By becoming the queen of Monroelasia, she'd be able to assert her power and get everything she wanted without having to fight for it.
How The Wishing Wand Really Works (& Why It Still Does After Breaking)
The wishing wand is unique in that it only works for a true daughter of Andalasia and its power draws from the magic that keeps the fairy tale kingdom alive. It grants any wish (with stipulations, of course). It even manages to work despite being broken since it’s made of magic and, so long as one believes, the magic itself can never die. The wand is simply a conduit for the magic to through to grant wishes; it’s the magic within that really does the work. Despite the suggestion that the wand only works for those with Andalasian blood, the wishing wand seems to latch onto a strong Andalasian connection — regardless of genetics.
Why Giselle Transforms Into An Evil Stepmother
Giselle struggled with Edward’s evil stepmother in Enchanted, so it’s apt that she would turn into one in Disenchanted. A part of the reason she transformed was due to the magic of the wish, but it also stemmed from Giselle’s fear of being considered less than Morgan’s true mother. An evil stepmother not only fit the fairy tale tendencies of the wish, but it fed on Giselle’s insecurities in the wake of her fight with Morgan. Being called “stepmother” forced her to confront her place in Morgan’s life despite all the love she’d shown her throughout the years. Being the evil stepmother fulfilled that role, forcing her to become what she hated the most.
Why Robert Needed To Go On A Quest (Despite Being Bad At It)
Robert was also struggling to adjust to life in Monroeville. After a tough couple of days getting to work on the train, Robert needed a win because he felt like he’d just be doing the same thing over and over again with no real change going forward. In the fairy tale world, Robert needed to prove he could still have some adventure in his life, and that not everything would be so mundane. He also needed to feel like he could still help those around him. Robert wasn’t the Disney sequel's greatest knight, but he tried his best to be useful, especially since he was feeling less like he was in his everyday life.
Disenchanted’s Fairy Tale References Explained
Disenchanted fully embraces its fairy tale core — from song lyrics referencing Disney versions of fairy tales to the inclusion of storytelling tropes, the sequel has it all. In the film’s music, “be our guest” is included as one of the lyrics, an obvious nod to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which composer Alan Menken also worked on. In another song, Giselle and Malvina reference both Maleficent and Cruella, both of whom have been villains in Sleeping Beauty and One Hundred and One Dalmatians, respectively. Giselle becoming the evil stepmother is also a nod to Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, whose characters plot against the protagonists of the story.
Morgan wears blue to the Monroelasia festival, and it transforms into a beautiful dress. These moments allude to Cinderella’s blue gown being transformed in time for the ball. Morgan being locked in her bedroom is also a reference to Cinderella. The wishing wand itself is a nod to the Fairy Godmother, who grants Cinderella her wish. The three garden fairies who take care of Sophia in Disenchanted are a reference to the fairies from Sleeping Beauty, who raise Aurora. Andalasia being stuck inside a whale for a year recalls Pinocchio. And the clock striking midnight is a nod to most fairy tale stories to signify the magic ending or remaining permanent.
