I already talked about it a little in a couple of my previous analyses, but I wanted to specifically discuss what I consider to be the most emotional part of the āShow Yourselfā sequence: when Elsa sobs in utter joy and sings the final song lyrics along with the memory of Iduna. These moments are the ones that also bring me to tears, not merely because Elsa cries, but because I understand the real meaning of the lyrics that she and Iduna sing.
When Elsa steps onto the centerpiece located between the diamonds that represent the four elemental spirits, it lights up and subsequently reveals visual moments in time, including those from the distant past, making Elsa realize that SHE is the fifth spirit. Among the memories of which she takes notice includes the one of her parents as children, when a vocalizing Iduna (revealing that she, in this memory form, has been the one calling out to Elsa) rescues the unconscious Agnarr with Galeās help.
As she smiles at what she sees before her with a few tears beginning to brim in her eyes, Elsa then hears a familiar voice and turns around to see another memory of Iduna, as an adult, singing (with an appearance of her looking straight down at Elsa as she sings),Ā āCome my darling, homeward boundā. Upon seeing her mother, and before singing in response, ElsaĀ brings her hands to her mouth and quiversĀ slightly while theĀ tears remain in her eyes.
Why? Because this is the first time in SIX years that Elsa has seen something of her mother, especially as a living representation! She begins to cry because she is stunned AND overjoyed to see Iduna again!!! šš
But itās not just seeing her mother again that makes Elsa so emotional; itās what Iduna is actually saying to her daughter while she sings. Iduna is telling Elsa that she has ācome homeā, in a sense that she (Elsa) has discovered her true place in the world. And Elsa responds to that by singing, āI am found!ā, by which she means that she realizes and understands her true calling, the true purpose of her existence, as the fifth spirit.
Then when Elsaās dress transforms, she and Iduna sing together as Iduna looks down at Elsa with a big smile, whichĀ clearly displays the great pride she feels in her daughter as she embraces her true identity. After the dress transformation is complete, Iduna sings to Elsa, āYou are the one youāve been waiting forā. Elsa responds by laughing and continuing to shed tears before she finishes her motherās sentence withĀ āAll of my life!ā
To me, this moment of Elsa crying feels more emotional than the one from moments earlier. Again, why? Because while Elsa is still crying out of joy from seeing her mother here, she also grows more joyous at her comprehension of Idunaās words.
As my dear buddy @foreverfrozensolidā commented on this analysis, during the scene, Elsa sees the pride in her motherās face as she is ācoronatedā as the fifth spirit. When Iduna sings, āYou are the one youāve been waiting forā, itās the ultimate affirmation of self-acceptance for Elsa. And as she completes the sentence with āAll of my life!ā, Elsa begins shedding tears of joy at that realization!
These words makes 100% perfect sense, because finding out who/what she really is and learning why she was born with powers, especially after not knowing why and growing up feeling burdened by so many negative emotions about them and herself, IS what Elsa had been waiting for all of her life! šš
Iāve said this before, but I just canāt help saying it again to make my point! By the time āShow Yourselfā ends, Elsa has all of the answers at last. She has not only gained complete self-acceptance, but alsoĀ self-discovery and self-realization.Ā She now knows exactly who she is and what she is. She has finally discovered the purpose of her existence, her true calling in life, her destiny.Ā She has learned that she was gifted her magical powers by the spirits to reward Iduna for rescuing Agnarr during the battle between their respective people. She realizes by now that her powers truly are a gift and a blessing, which makes her fully and wholeheartedly embrace them.
And because she now knows ALL of these things about herself, Elsa is at peace and has complete confidence in herself, so these are the other reasons why she sheds these tears of pure, absolute joy! šš
