Merida (Brave)

Merida
File:Meridadisneyprincess.jpg
First appearance	Brave (2012)
Created by	Mark Andrews Brenda Chapman
Voiced by	Kelly Macdonald Peigi Barker (young child)
In-universe information
Nickname	Red-haired lass
Species	Human
Gender	Female
Occupation	Princess
Relatives	King Fergus (father) Queen Elinor (mother) Harris, Hubert and Hamish (younger brothers)
Nationality	Scottish

Princess Merida is the main character from the 2012 Disney-Pixar ] film Brave. Merida was added to the Disney Princess line-up as the eleventh Princess and the first Pixar character on May 11, 2013. Merida is also a main character of the game Temple Run: Brave.

Background

Princess Merida is the 16-year old daughter of Queen Elinor who rules the kingdom alongside her husband, King Fergus. Queen Elinor's expectations of her daughter make Merida see Elinor as being distant while also causing friction between the two. Despite Elinor's desire to see Merida as a proper royal lady, Merida is an impetuous, quick-witted girl who wants to take control of her own destiny. Merida has honed her skill in archery, and is one of the most skilled archers ever seen. She is also skilled in sword-fighting and racing across the countryside on her horse, Angus. Despite her outgoing, forceful personality, Merida does have a softness of heart, particularly when it comes to her triplet brothers, Harris, Hubert and Hamish. She is pampered but in no way spoiled, and even though she argues with her mother, Merida shows her parents that she cares.

Appearance

Merida has long, wild, curly, fiery red mane of hair, blue eyes, a pale skin tone, and slender body. Her main outfit is a dark green traditional dress, made of cotton, with stylish slits for movement during archery. When the Lords arrive for the games, she is dressed in a Medieval-style turquoise silk dress with long arms, gold trimming and gold beading, teamed with a white bonnet to hold in her hair. She also appears in scenes wearing a navy/black cape with a gold buckle. Merida's bow is slung onto her back, over her shoulder, with arrows in a brown leather quiver around her waist. In the final scene, Merida is seen wearing a dark blue dress with light green patterns.

Development

The brainchild of original director, Brenda Chapman, Merida is Pixar's first female lead. Overall Merida has received good reports from critics, some saying she is "a breath of fresh air among the princesses, and from a culture Disney has not yet explored. She is a good role model for girls who want to get out there and do it. Merida is certainly no damsel in distress and isn't haughty; she is torn between doing what's expected of her and following her heart. The people of Scotland have to accept Merida."

Appearances

Brave

Main article: Brave (2012 film)

Merida lives in the mystical Scottish kingdom of DunBroch with her mother, Queen Elinor, her father, King Fergus, and her mischievous triplet brothers, Hamish, Hubert, and Harris. Elinor spends the beginning trying to convince Merida to be a perfect princess, but they are unfair to Merida, who enjoys riding through the Highlands on her horse, Angus, and practicing archery and fencing; she inherited those skills from her father. At dinner one night, Merida receives news from Elinor that the king's allied clan lords are presenting their sons as suitors for their hand in marriage. Merida doesn't want to lose her freedom, so she refuses, even when Elinor tells her a story about a selfish prince who ruined his kingdom. All Merida wants is to convince her mother that she wants to be free to make her own decisions and follow her heart. The lords arrive with their sons, who are not her type, especially the arrogant young Macintosh. Merida chooses archery so she can win her freedom and wins the competition herself, which results in her and Elinor getting into a fight. Elinor warns Merida that feuding among the clans would occur if it isn't set right. Merida, angry about having to do always do as she is told, reacts by ripping a gash in the family tapestry between herself and her mother in a fit of rage. Elinor is so mad that she tosses Merida's bow in the fireplace. Merida runs out of the castle on Angus, oblivious that her mother is ashamed that she had ruined her daughter's bow and realized how much it meant to her. Will-o-the-wisps lead Merida and Angus into a dark forest where they come across a witch. Merida asks the witch for a spell to change her mother and her fate. The witch gives Merida a spell cake and she gives it to Elinor, but instead of changing her mind about the betrothal, the cake turns her into a giant bear. Merida realizes that she has made things worse. Ever since the menacing bear Mor'du bit off one of the king's legs in a battle when Merida was a child, Fergus had been hunting bears. Merida knows she must get Elinor out of the castle or Fergus would kill her, and with the aid of her brothers, she does so. Mother and daughter arrive at the witch's cottage, where the witch leaves a message in her cauldron, saying that the spell will be permanent by the second sunrise unless she "mends the bond torn by pride." The next day, Merida and her mother bond together as they help each other look for food. The wisps lead them to the ruins of an ancient castle, where Merida discovers that the prince in her mother's story was the same one who received a similar spell from the witch. The wicked prince had split himself from his brothers, ruined his kingdom, and became the dreaded demon bear Mor'du. As Mor'du attacks, Merida and Elinor escape, and Merida convinces her mother that if they don't break the spell, she'll become a wild bear forever like Mor'du. Merida realizes that "mend the bond torn by pride" would mean fixing the tapestry and the family bonds. The two of them rush back to the castle, where they discover Fergus and the lords brawling over Merida, who steps into the great hall and stops the fighting. Guided by her mother, Merida makes a moving speech, convincing the clans that she must restore their bond and that the lords' sons should marry whomever they choose. The lords reluctantly agree and as they celebrate, Merida and Elinor climb up into the tapestry room to fix the torn tapestry. Fergus attacks Elinor, thinking she is a wild bear, but Merida blocks his path and Elinor escapes. In a desperate attempt to protect his daughter, Fergus locks her in the tapestry room. The triplets, who have turned into bear cubs after eating the enchanted cake, arrive and set Merida free. They rush after Fergus and the lords who have captured Elinor. Merida intervenes and saves her mother just before Mor'du appears and overpowers the clans. Just as the evil bear is about to devour Merida, Elinor breaks free, rescues her, and takes down Mor'du by smashing him against a menhir, which topples over and crushes him to death, releasing the prince's spirit. Realizing what the witch's riddle meant, Merida places the fixed tapestry over Elinor and reconciles with her mother. The queen is transformed back into a human, along with the triplets, and the family is reunited. Merida and Elinor make a new tapestry of the two of them together and say goodbye to the lords. The two of them ride on horses together, making their bond stronger than before.

Reception and controversy

The character of Merida was well received by critics, as well as Macdonald's performance. The decision of Pixar to introduce a female protagonist was also highly praised. Empire described Merida as "feisty" and as "a modern girl in an accent world."

In May 2013, Disney released a redesign of Merida before the coronation of the character at Walt Disney World as Disney's 11th princess. The redesign featured a 'sexier' doll, with the character given a slimmer waist, more revealing neckline and a sparkly dress, sparking outrage from mothers and feminist groups who saw the new Merida as "an overly sexualized pin-up version of her former self." Creator and co-director Brenda Chapman fiercely criticised the change, calling it 'atrocious' and added that "Merida was created to break that mould." A Change.org petition was created to protest the Merida redesign, with female empowerment website A Mighty Girl arguing that "by making her skinnier, sexier and more mature in appearance, you are sending a message to girls that the original... version of Merida is inferior; that for girls and women to have value... they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty." Disney responded to the controversy saying that this version of Merida was only being used for her coronation ceremony. On the official Disney Princess website Merida appears in her regular 3D form, exactly as she looked in the film.

External links

• Template:IMDb character
• Official Film Website