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Hi! This is my Tangled the series fan side blog. This is where i write about what i think about the series.

[swan2swan]

*murmurs into cup*

Cassandra’s whole issue is a critique on caste systems and how hard work is no match for privilege…

[swan2swan]

Like, seriously, though, it bothers me when I see any analysis of Cass that just seems to consider her and Rapunzel as Equals, because that’s inherently not what they are. 

Cass can’t “control” Rapunzel at all because she’s the servant. That’s what she is. The most she can be is a friend and adviser, and even then, those aren’t Official Titles. Cassandra’s not the Captain of the Guard with the power to put Rapunzel under lock and key if she’s worried about her safety, she’s the foster daughter of an officer who can literally be cast out of the castle at any time if Rapunzel’s father wants it to happen. There’s no equivalence here. 

Cassandra isn’t manipulative, either. She is very much a hammer–there’s no cunning plans or manipulative ploys that she’s executing. Every time she stares at Rapunzel with those big, sad, “Please think about my well-being” eyes, it’s because her well-being is in Rapunzel’s hands. This isn’t some sort of “well, it’ll make me feel upset and won’t YOU feel upset then?” thing, it’s “I like having a job and a home”. 

During the second season, though, they both began to forget about that because they were on the road together (honestly, I don’t think Rapunzel ever really realized the power she wielded because she spent the first eighteen years of her life without it, but that’s also her theme overall), but around the midseason…that’s when the harsh realities snapped back into place and everything began to fall apart.

Leading, of course, to the third season, where Cassandra did run away and quit her job and is now living out in the middle of nowhere eating rocks and probably being rained on all the time, but she’s doing all of this because she can do it. And she really has no idea what she’s doing.

But…this is just something to keep in mind anytime you analyze this show. Cassandra’s got nothing. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t even have the clothes on her back right now and is just running around naked with magical clothes on her body. Meanwhile, Rapunzel is changing into new outfits and hanging out with all of her friends and her parents in the castle with her boyfriend. And the funny thing is: if Cass just waltzes back in there and says “I’m sorry I did all that, I’ll remember my place from now on,” everybody loses. Cassandra needed to assert herself for this story to reach its resolution…whatever that may be. 

[marahoping]

and so i keep on keepin’ on. my chances come and then i blink and they’re gone. always overlooked unfairly, while pretending that it barely stings… but it stings, yes, it stings!

[guardianofthesun56]

So.. let me get this straight: If Gothel was a sorceress.. does this mean that Cassandra is one as well?

[tangledbea]

Magic isn’t inherited in the Tangled universe, it’s learned or caused by contact with a magical object. So, no.

[guardianofthesun56]

Thanks for answering, i didn't remember that lore detail of the series.

[guardianofthesun56]

So.. let me get this straight: If Gothel was a sorceress.. does this mean that Cassandra is one as well?

[guardianofthesun56]

Now one arc i thought i was a bit unnecessary for the plot was the island arc.

First, I know that Tangled takes place on a fantasy world but why a tropical island of all places? An old town and forest make sence but.. this? How is it connected to the previous places they visited? If would have been better if the had been traveling by boat since the beginning of the season.

From episode 1 to 8, they all had something important like character development, foreshadowing and were related to the main plot. The thing is that the island arc feels like it´s own miniseries, that is separated from the story.

Look, i´m not trying to say the arc itself it´s bad, the episodes are fun and help developing the main characters a bit (Happiness is.. is such a good episode), my complain is that it feels out of place in the series.

[guardianofthesun56]

I don´t know how the fandom feels about season 2 but, in my case, i really enjoyed how creative some stories were. It gave more variety to the show instead  of only focusing on Corona. Some secondary characters were memorable like Captain Quaid and Vex. And i found Hook Foot subplot with his brother interesting. He was a character i didn´t care to much about at the beginning but i started to like him when the show gave him some focus.

[guardianofthesun56]

It always makes me happy to learn that the writers of the series had almost everything planned from the start.

They didn't just think "oh, let's make this character do this because of shock value". They already knew what they were going to do with most of the characters.

This is the difference between your typical cartoon and a good cartoon. Because you know the writers cared about writing a good story and didn't write things as they went along.

[guardianofthesun56]

I think it's very hard to watch Tangled the series and not come up with the conclusion that Cassandra has feelings for Rapunzel.

While Rapunzel may not reciprocate these feelings (to be fair, this is open to interpretation) it's easy to see that Cassandra has a crush on her.

[tangledbea]

I wish TTS kept Varian as the villain instead of forcing Cass to be the villain The 3 seasons could've flowed nicely instead of plot elements from season 1 being ignored & dedicating time to Varian's plot only to treat it as unimportant after and make Cass suddenly the plot focus It would've been nice to see Raps help her rival After the person put effort to make things right out of the goodness of her heart & wanting to help someone out of a bad situation not just because I want my friend back

How is Cassandra “suddenly” the plot focus? She was in the show a lot more than Varian from the very beginning. And maybe the spoken reason behind her turn was jarring to may of us, but it was built up to.

But you’re welcome to want what you want. Goodness knows there’s things I wanted from the series that I never got.

[tangledcassandra]

“Forcing Cass to be the villain“ as if Cassandra was not:

1. A character planned for the show from the very beginning (initial pitch image for the series):

2. Always intended to be the one to take the Moonstone (story concept artwork from when they were still in the planning stages 5 years ago):

Varian wasn’t even a thought in the original concepts for the show. He has always been a secondary character and a plot device. Cassandra was always planned as a main character and a staple for the series.

[guardianofthesun56]

Anyone who thinks that Cassandra "was forced" in a villain role makes me believe that they haven't been paying attention to the series at all.

How many times did Rapunzel and Cassandra fight during season 1 and 2? How many times was Cassandra linked to the moon? Even in season 1 there were tons of foreshadowing about her future role and how she would betray Rapunzel.

Like.. it's not subtle. Specially after their fight near the end of season 2. Cassandra started getting more bitter with Rapunzel. They would argue more often and one could notice that they were becoming distant.

[guardianofthesun56]

Freebird is one of my favourite season 2 episodes.

The interactions between Rapunzen and Cass are wonderful in that episode. They both have different perspectives on the issue (Cass doesn't want to waste time while Rapunzel wants to explore everything she sees) and they both are not exactly wrong.

I mean, Cassandra should try learning to have fun but.. she's right about how Rapunzel should be more careful and not trust strangers so easily.

"View from up here" is such nice song, it really describes Rapunzel's character well, how she values freedom so much and why so important to her and on deeper analysis it's about how she doesn't want to carry on these princess responsibilities.

As Cassandra asks her later in that episode: Don't you think that type of acctitude can be a bit.. selfish?. And she explains to her that carefree attitude is facade to hide how she's very scared of facing her destiny. She doesn't what they are going to find at the end of their journey.

Cass reasures Raps that she shouldn't be afraid as she's not facing this alone, they are here to help her and support her.

And the moment that she "sacrifices" her life to turn Cassandra back into human it's so heartbreaking. I think it's one of the few scenes that Cassandra almost cried. She really thought that she lost her friend.

The premise itself it's a bit silly but the episode itself is very well written. It's great for both Rapunzel's and Cassandra's character arcs.

[tangledincassandra]

[fitzherbertssmolder]

Season 3 + Soundtrack 

[wxlipse-deactivated20200907]

Is Owl basically Cassandra's conscience?

Whenever he tells her, "Hey, no. Don't do this. It'll all end horribly." And then Cass doesn't do what he says, it all ends horribly.

Yep, he's her conscience.

[guardianofthesun56]

I think this is a reference to Disney's pinocchio. Jiminy Cricket acts as the protagonist's conscience in the movie. Often telling him to "not do this" and guiding him.

[tangledincassandra]

iconic

[guardianofthesun56]

Speaking about Eugene, his character arc was pretty well written, in my opinion.

He went from a a bit inmature and lazy ex-thief to a responsible adult. Flynnpostor shows how much he has changed and how he's not the thief he used to be back in the old days. Some Tangled fans think the episode it's filler.. but i think it serves as good conclusion for his arc.

And it's great how at the start of the series he struggled with leaving behind his thief tendencies but he always did the right thing in the end. He then even tried helping others to stop commiting crimes.

What's more they did a good job at exporing his backstory and his conection with his father, why he was forced to send him away when he was a baby and how he kept sending him toys to play with.

His friendship with Lance it's great, it really feels the two are like brothers and grew up together.

[guardianofthesun56]

Rapunzel it's lucky to have someone like Eugene: When he noticed she didn't feel ready to marry yet, he completely understood.

He never forced her or pressure her into saying "yes". He waited until Rapunzel completed her destiny to propose her again.

Rapunzel and Eugene are probably one of those rare romantic relationships cases in media in which you know they love one another and have a healthy and honest relationship.

[marahoping]

she didn’t love either of us!