Warning: spoilers for Frozen II are in play. If you’re not ready to let yourself go into spoiler territory, bookmark this page and come back once you’ve journeyed into the unknown.
For as much as Frozen tells us about the origins of Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel), it left out a pretty important story when it was teaching children to “let it go” or the joys of being a reindeer. As it turns out, we never really learned much about the king and queen of Arendelle, as they died rather early in the original film’s narrative. Which means that it was up to Frozen II to unravel the mysteries behind King Agnarr (Alfred Molina) and Queen Iduna (Evan Rachel Wood), and boy did this film ever deliver!
Not only do the characters have proper names now, but King Agnarr and Queen Iduna have actual origin stories important to Anna and Elsa’s adventure in Frozen II. So if you’re looking to stay out of the spoiler zone, again, you should leave right now.
Read up on what you need to remember from Frozen, and head on out to see Frozen II whenever you’re able, so you can come back and review the secrets this latest film has to offer. And now, for those of you still here, a quick history lesson from Frozen.
What Happened To Anna And Elsa’s Parents In Frozen
During the montage in Frozen that sees “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” playing through Anna and Elsa’s maturation, we learn that King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle are leaving the kingdom for a voyage across the sea. We’re not sure where they’re going, or what the purpose of their journey is. We only know they’ll be gone for two weeks through some exposition delivered by Anna.
Of course, this voyage in Frozen turns out to be fatal, as we see the King and Queen’s ship overtaken by the raging seas. Arendelle mourns their sovereigns, as they put a black veil over their portrait, and a funeral ceremony has been held. All that commemorates their passing are two gigantic headstones, and the rest of Frozen sees Elsa becoming Queen of Arendelle, with the rest of the story progressing around Elsa and Anna's relationship.
What Frozen II Tells Us About Queen Iduna And King Agnarr
As it turns out, Queen Iduna and King Agnarr did die, but it wasn’t because they were journeying south. Actually, the two sovereigns were headed north, in order to cross the Dark Sea and reach an enchanted frozen glacier. Apparently, that glacier was the source of Elsa’s power, and Frozen II sees Elsa voyage to that very land herself to learn the truth about her parents.
When it comes to Elsa’s ice powers, she actually got them from her mother. A magically-gifted young girl, Iduna was a member of the Northuldra tribe who lives in the forest near to Arendelle. We see her fall for young Agnarr throughout Frozen II when he and his father, King Runeard, visit the ancient forest we see enchanted by a magical protection in Frozen II. That protection was the result of a great betrayal to the Northuldra, which prevented anyone from entering or leaving its boundaries.
But not before Iduna saved Agnarr’s life, and stowed away with him on his journey back to Arendelle, where they eventually would fall in love and marry. Their love would provide them with the ultimate reward: two beautiful daughters, who would bring balance back to the land, and one who would unify the elements into cohesive harmony.
Queen Elsa IsThe Fifth Element
Frozen II tells us of a prophecy that predicts a fifth element that will unite the magical elements of wind, water, fire, and earth into one cohesive peace. That fifth element is none other than Queen Elsa, who is not only the key to Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven being able to join her in the enchanted forest of the Northuldra, but is the one party able to venture out to the magical glacier that acts as the source of all magic.
Not only does Elsa revive the memories of her past detailed in Frozen as she wanders the caverns of ice she’s discovered, but she also learns some new facts involving her family’s history. The new information that comes to light confirms her parentage, and the fact that young Iduna saved Agnarr’s life during the battle between Arendelle and the Northuldra, but that it was aggression from Arendelle’s side of the conflict that kicked everything off.
The Secret History Of Arendelle Revealed In Frozen II
As it turns out, King Agnarr’s father, King Runeard, was fearful of the Northuldra people who lived in the forests adjacent to Arendelle. So, in order to ensure their kingdom would maintain dominance, the king built a dam to withhold the waters in the region from the forest, using this as a way to draw out the Northuldra tribe from their forest. The plan was that King Runeard would take note of how big their population was, and assess how much of a threat they posed to his kingdom.
However, it wasn’t long before the Northuldra tribal leader eventually caught wise as to how the dam was weakening his people, which meant that it was time for King Runeard to act quickly. Inviting the Northuldra tribal leader to take tea in the forest, the monarch killed his opposition, which led to a full scale battle and the eventual retreat of Arendelle’s forces from the forest.
Through their love, Queen Iduna and King Agnarr would eventually unite a kingdom, and undo a wrong committed in their time. It would only take the adventures of Frozen II to show Elsa and Anna their true path, as the twin queens of the region they hold dear. Peace can now reign in Arendelle moving forward, as their family history led to their destruction of the dam, restoring natural balance in the region as well. So when they tell you Frozen III probably isn’t happening, it’s probably because Frozen II just ended the story in pretty much full-circle fashion.
Frozen II is now in theaters, whether you knew this information in advance, or wanted to peek into the unknown of what awaits.
