Important note: Please read the Programme Note and remember that not all entries are meant to be taken seriously! Although the most likely theories are welcome, so are intentionally-silly ones or even ones that completely contradict canon. WMG pages are just for fun!
Original film entries go here
Frozen Fever entries go here
Frozen II entries go here
Hans' father is based on the evil troll king/devil who made the Mirror in the original story.
Since Hans was based on the mirror from The Snow Queen, his father may very well be a Satanic Archetype, as he molded his 13 sons into mere reflections of himself not for their benefit, but to fuel his bloated ego. He slowly corrupted them so they'll be forced to emulate him and regularly demands them to be obedient and perfect by subjecting them to intense emotional and physical abuse, and encouraging violence within his family as a way to indoctrinate them into his twisted Social Darwinist beliefs, causing them to become emotionally dependent on him over time. Any son who fails to exceed or even meet the extremely cruel goals he set is forcibly toughened up, as to him, meekness and kindness are for weaklings, traits he frequently saw in Hans. Also, it's a Crapsack World out there, so it's My Way or the Highway and Might Makes Right, according to the king. Hans' actions in the Tie-In Novel are drawn from his hopeless desire to earn his father's respect, but deep down, he always knew the king will only ever see his sons not as human beings, but as disposable henchmen and a fan club.Hans' family and kingdom are expies of the Fire Nation.
The Southern Isles is basically the Frozen version of the Fire Nation, as both kingdoms are absolute monarchies with prosperous economies. The two nations are also island nations with royal families that are totally dysfunctional.- Hans' father, the King of the Southern Isles, is very much like Fire Lord Ozai, as both are tyrants who abuse their power of authority and frequently look down on their youngest child, Zuko and Hans, respectively while favoring their older children.
- Except for Lars, most of Hans' brothers are very much like Azula, as they abuse and play cruel tricks on their younger sibling.
- Lars, the only one of Hans' brothers who didn't abuse Hans, is pretty much like Iroh. Both Hans and Zuko respectively see them as Parental Substitutes and mentors.
- Hans' mother, the Queen of the Southern Isles, is very much like Ursa, as both are Broken Birds who care for their children, but are forced to see their older ones pick on their youngest siblings, and are pretty much wed to men who don't even care for them.
Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged by his brothers, causing the kingdom to erupt into Civil War.
It seems most of them are violent, and none seem to be fond of him. Once the king dies or steps down, Caleb's legitimacy as heir will be challenged by some of his brothers, and before long, the kingdom will end up looking like Westeros. As the infighting rages on, Hans will secretly offer his services to the highest bidder, changing loyalties as different factions gain the upper hand, until one of his brothers runs a sword through him. Elsa and Anna, along with the other kingdoms, will end up deploying their navies to intervene and defend themselves as some of the brothers attempt to conquer nearby countries to consolidate their base. In the end, the entire Westergaard clan will end in bloodshed, the Southern Isles will be absorbed into Arendelle, and the people of the Southern Isles will enjoy a new age of peace and prosperity, heralding Elsa and Anna as the liberators who overthrew the hated Westergaard dynasty. After digging through the Westergaard clan's backstory from historians, journals, and eyewitness accounts, the two sisters point out to other kingdoms about the infighting between the 13 brothers and how it contributed to their downfall. Elsa and Anna point out that had the king of the Southern Isles taught his 13 sons to believe that strength lies in unity rather than the Social Darwinist nonsense he raised them in, then the Westergaards themselves would have been a force to be reckoned with.
The Southern Isles itself.
Instead of depicting the kingdom's royal palace as a giant ominous castle that looks like a black Sea Monster from a distance but is actually made from shiny stones, future stories can depict the Isles' royal palace as a grandiose spectacle of elaborate architecture that screams "we are so much better than you" and makes Arendelle's castle look like a cottage, while the capital city itself could be a literal City of Gold. The kingdom itself could be immensely prosperous and arguably the wealthiest of all the countries on the planet, thanks to its trade deals and the fact that many of the king's daughters-in-law are from other kingdoms. This could leave our heroes (Honeymaren, Ryder, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff) dumbstruck on why Hans would want to seize control of another country when his homeland is filthy rich. Kristoff might even comment that he's never seen such an ostentatious and blatant display of wealth in his life. While the heroes are excited about visiting a place that's been described as extravagant, they have a gut feeling that something is wrong and dark about the seemingly charming and opulent kingdom that Hans comes from. While everything is elegant and looks beautiful on the outside, the inner workings of the kingdom is a different story — it is hollow and cold. The royal family might fake being a big, happy family, when in reality, they are Royally Screwed Up. Neither the king nor his 12 older sons don't get along with each other and with their own spouses. The fierce Sibling Rivalry between the 13 brothers is something that's contributing to the family dysfunction and would cause the two sisters to feel repulsed at. Unlike Arendelle, the Southern Isles prefers male-preference primogeniture, something viewed by Kristoff, Anna and Elsa as patriarchal and outdated. These are big reasons that the royal family has become so fraught with issues that said dysfunction seeps into the populace as well. The king's wife and daughters-in-laws could actually be Broken Birds who were bubbly when they married, but became cynical thanks to abusive and neglectful spouses.
The locals might pretend to be appreciative of the Westergaards (the Isles' royal clan), but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The culture might preach egalitarianism, but even this could be fake, as it's actually a society whose nobility holds the real power, while the lower classes might feel left out. Guards are stationed everywhere not for the protection of the citizens, but as a quiet warning of what they can say about the royal family and to intimidate them into submission. Even the kingdom's judicial system could be notoriously corrupt and inefficient, with Kangaroo Courts and harsh sentences for criminals. The capital itself could be a Wretched Hive whose citizens are Stepford Smilers, a stark contrast to the liveliness seen in Arendelle. The locals could have the mentality of "keeping up with the Joneses," something perceived by foreigners as blatant Conspicuous Consumption. The kingdom might pretend being a democracy, but it's actually an authoritarian regime with power entrenched within the nobility, and even then, the nobles have limited say on how the government operates. There is a council of ministers and a legislature, but they essentially rubber-stamp the king's decrees, which means there is no mechanism to keep the royal family's power in check. The locals might pretend being open-minded, but are actually xenophobic.
The king, some of his sons, or even the locals may make insensitive jabs about:
- Why Arendelle is being led by women and suggest men are the better choice. The king might even state that the sisters deserve to Stay in the Kitchen. On the other hand, the king might ask Elsa why she didn't use her powers for conquest instead of making snowmen or ice rinks.
- Magic. Like the Duke, the Southern Islanders may be prejudiced against magic-users after learning about Elsa's ice powers or the Northuldrans' connection to magic.
- Iduna's heritage as a member of the Northuldran tribe and why Agnarr married her despite her background. As King Runeard looked down at the Northuldra and wouldn't have accepted her as his daughter-in-law if he were alive, Hans's brothers could insultingly call the sisters "half-breeds" or mongrels.
- Kristoff's past as a Sami ice harvester who slept with a reindeer and his poverty. The king may even think he married Anna only for the riches and not out of true love, or that he shouldn't have risen above his station. Kristoff might also struggle to adapt to an urban environment like that of the Southern Isles' capital city.
- Olaf's naivety. Either the royal family or the locals could call this Snowlem a stupid simpleton.
- Honeymaren and Ryder's background as Northuldrans. Just as Iduna, the king could make insulting and offensive remarks about their heritage or their connection to magic.
After witnessing the general cynicism and duality in the Southern Isles, the heroes feel this was their weirdest trip ever, wondering how and why such a society, despite being arguably the most powerful of all countries on the planet, could tolerate and even practice great injustices. That the locals have embraced the hypocrisy of their culture comes at a huge culture shock to the Arendellers. If they run into Hans, the heroes might even tell him that while he grew up in an abusive household, he could have chosen a different path instead of letting his family issues cloud his mind. They also ask if he would ever be happy even if he won or killed his own family in revenge, or if he even genuinely cared for others. They also state that as long as he remains stuck in the cesspool of self-loathing, he will never understand what made them truly happy or even seek redemption. Being an orphan who was adopted by trolls, Kristoff would not only be bewildered at such a large family, but one that is truly broken from the inside given the great degree of mistrust between them. Considering the other kingdoms have been appreciative of Elsa's ice powers, the heroes are shocked that Hans's family held prejudiced views and ask him if his people have always been like that.
Conversely, Hans being Hans, and having been taught that compassion is a weakness, he won't understand what they meant and may even think they are rubbing his failures in his face out of envy or planning something against him given his poor relationship with his brothers. Hans also wonders how the heroes found happiness despite their modest appearance while he remains miserable and dismisses love as a sign of weakness, but is unaware that his self-hatred all prevent him from knowing what makes them happy. Being selfish makes it very impossible for Hans to embrace the necessary demands of friendship and love, as he finds them to be flaws that hold people back. He seeks fame and power by all means possible and will use any means to obtain it, but his greed is what caused his downfall. His belief in self-preservation and individualism above all things stop him from making genuine friendships, and thus Hans would have truly been Lonely at the Top had he conquered Arendelle. That he's willing to forsake any and all relationships for more power highlight his inability to understand love. Hans might also assume Kristoff has ulterior motives for marrying Anna like he did and asks her What Does She See in Him? despite his gruff appearance. The heroes point out that Kristoff and Anna married each other for love, and it's what he fails to understand.
Ultimately, this could become a cross-cultural kerfuffle between the Southern Isles and Arendelle. What one would find normal and/or acceptable in the Isles would be seen as unacceptable or weird in Arendelle, and vice versa. On top of that, Hans's family would see the Arendellers as a bunch of "unrefined and unsophisticated country bumpkins and yokels" who run a backwoods country and have No Social Skills, while the sisters could see the island kingdom's royal family as full of "high-nosed, pretentious and elitist" aristocrats. Plus, the heroes also wonder if even a small amount of love would thaw out Hans's metaphorically "frozen" heart and have him reconcile with his family, or if it's impossible to redeem him as he's too fixated with pursuing power over bonding with others.
Conversely, if the sisters do visit the Southern Isles, things could become more darker than what they experienced with Runeard.
The Arendellers' arrival in the capital at the beginning of the movie would be an ideal opportunity for a song like "One Short Day" from Wicked. They sing with its citizens how beautiful and amazing the capital city is and how happy they all are to be here, but like the Emerald City, the Southern Isles is actually a Crapsaccharine World with a lying, corrupt ruler. The urban environment would certainly be horrible and hostile for Kristoff, because of his wholly rustic lifestyle. Besides the sheer culture shock, he would be contemptuously looked down on and ridiculed by the wealthier residents for his humbleness and attachment to Sven, or that he doesn't deserve to marry Anna. Instead of a castle that's gold and shiny, the royal palace is made of boulders found only in the Isles, but looks like a giant Sea Monster from a distance. The palace's walls could be littered with mirrors everywhere to highlight the king's narcissism and selfishness. Guards are stationed everywhere to make everything feel sinister.
Perhaps people that they saw earlier mysteriously vanish in the middle of the night, while the gang later finds out that they're banned from entering restricted areas of the kingdom or castle, which houses skeletons of dead prisoners. Alternately, the heroes could be disgusted at a scene where Hans's brothers subject and torment prisoners to Gulag-type conditions, or witness Hans being ill-treated like a slave by his father. Since the sisters directly executed the decision to send Hans back to his family, they will be horrified at the macabre scene and unsure of what to do next after realizing the violent and corrupt man his father really is.
As it progresses, the heroes give Hans an Armor-Piercing Question, asking if he ever found satisfaction trying to earn his family's respect and why would they abuse each other, but Hans will be evasive. The heroes even think his father had a Freudian Excuse, such as Hans briefly mentioning that his grandparents were unbearable. It actually strengthens Hans and his father as Foils to each other, as while Hans has genuine past traumas, the king is a lost cause. If the heroes ask why he is so cruel and how could this justify his abusive rule, the king inverts it by stating he actually had loving parents spoiled him, but he decided he wanted a better life because of his bloated ego, and so, he betrayed his own family, cheated his way to the top so he can have the riches and power he thinks is his, and is still willing to cling on to the crown by all means necessary. Alternately, it could be revealed that Hans's mother was the true heir to throne, while the king was originally a commoner or minor noble (who also happened to be a Gold Digger), but due to social customs at the time, the previous ruler of the Isles designated Hans's father as their successor instead. It's implied the king's predecessors were genuinely nice people.
The heroes will be horrified at the royal family's dynamics. Despite being fraught with issues, Kristoff's troll family, and the sisters' parents were genuinely caring and loving, but the Westergaards crank the Dysfunctional Family trope up with misogynistic and arrogant royals, a king who abuses his family out of contempt, and 13 sons that use outright violence to earn their father's respect. One scene could have the heroes shocked at Hans's father abusing his mother.
Runeard's true plans introduced some surprisingly heavy themes into the sequel, such as callous colonialism, oppression of indigenous peoples and even connotations of genocide, but the King of the Southern Isles and his 12 older sons are a different story altogether. Dark themes such as the king's oppression of his subjects just For the Evulz, a broken royal family, misogyny, and implied mentions of slavery could be introduced, making the heroes feel that Hans pales in comparison to his father, who really is an evil man in terms of atrocities committed. It's also possible Runeard got the idea of colonialism and his hatred of magic from the King of the Southern Isles, who already has colonies in far-flung areas and oppresses indigenous peoples for more resources just as he does with his subjects, and despises anything related to magic or the supernatural, making Hans's father the overall Greater-Scope Villain of the franchise. Hans's father could also make Judge Claude Frollo look tame, given the king's immorality.
Hans's family is actually nice, but he twisted his backstory to make them look bad.
After Hans is deported, Anna, Elsa and Kristoff wonder if his family is just as bad as he was, and correctly deduce that he's the "bad seed" of the family while they are actually kind and loving, but Hans spun it around to think they're abusive dictators and that he's the victim of his story. Having realized who he was, the sisters see through Hans's Freudian Excuse and realize he's just nothing but a self-serving man who became envious of his brothers, all of whom have shown more potential than him. In the end, Hans is ironically the one who shut his family out despite their attempts to bond and reconcile with him, becoming the "frozen-hearted" villain that he truly is. From the heroes' perspective, it just shows how selfish and egotistical Hans has become. Family or friends mean nothing to Hans, who's willing to alienate and abandon anyone for the sake of more power and would prefer being alone, but has no idea how to reconnect with them when asked by the heroes. At the end, he remains unhappy because he chose to do so out of arrogance and mistrust, forgetting how to relate to others when he's irreparably burned bridges with his own family. He instead views everyone around him as tools whom he could discard on a whim. In the kind of wealth that truly matters, Hans is the poorest man in town.Aside from 12 older brothers, Hans has at least one sister.
Hans' only interest in his brothers is that they are obstacles to the throne. Assuming that the Isles has a male-preference primogeniture or makes females ineligible to succeed, his sister would not be a problem. As such, she might fly beneath his radar and Hans doesn't bother mentioning her. When the heroes visit the Isles, they'll ask Hans on why he failed to mention about having a sister. This implies that he does care about her and didn't say anything bad unlike his 12 brothers. On the flip side, Hans's sister could be a genuinely nice person and the Token Good Teammate alongside his mother and Lars, the only one of the 12 brothers whom Hans got along with.
Hans will have a love interest or sister who tries to redeem him...and fails.
A future story could subvert another common fairy tale trope: Beauty and the Beast. Hans finds a woman who is aware of his past, but will be confident that she can "fix" him with love. But Hans being a deceptive man, he will use this to manipulate her somehow into escaping the Southern Isles and getting his revenge against Elsa and Anna. At the end, having realized he's way too "frozen-hearted" to be "fixed" with love, she ultimately gives up hope of redeeming Hans, moving on to another guy who genuinely loves her.- Touched on in the original movie when the trolls say to Anna "We're not saying you can change him".
- Maybe a past friend who fell in love with Hans when they were young, but the two became separated as time went by. Years later, she tries to reconnect with him, but she's told about his crimes against Arendelle, and she refuses to believe it. Even after Hans personally drags himself out to confirm that it's all true, and describes it all to her in detail, she still thinks he's making it all up, much to everyone's exasperation.
- Another variation of this could involve Hans coming over to Arendelle in youth and having a Childhood Friend Romance with Elsa, but as time passed and they grew up, they split apart and are now enemies.
- Perhaps a variation could involve subverting Thicker Than Water, Even Evil Can Be Loved, and Even Evil Has Loved Ones as well. Hans has a younger sister whom he didn't mention about, knowing she's far behind to ascend his kingdom's throne. They were inseparable in childhood, but became distant as they grew up. She doesn't believe in his crimes against Arendelle and still believes in their bond, thinking he's still making it up even when their 12 older brothers tell her about it. But being the deceptive man that he is, he tricks her into helping him get his revenge against Elsa and Anna. At the climax, when he reveals his scheme to his sister, she punches him for breaking her heart and pulling such a despicable prank, having realized he's Beyond Redemption. Witnessing Hans's betrayal a second time, it becomes a gut-wrenching scene for the heroes to see one sibling deceive their own blood. When they mention Hans's crimes to his sister, the heroes are glad to see that she's genuinely nice compared to the irredeemable monster her brother is. Hans ends up becoming her Evil Counterpart, having chosen to sideline his own family for personal gain. Even then, his sister is torn between accepting that Hans deserves to be punished for his misdeeds and struggling to comprehend how the brother whom she once shared a special bond could harbor a heart full of malice and evil.
Hans's mother was the true heir to the Southern Isles throne.
The queen could actually be the technical ruler while her husband was supposed to be a powerless figure when they married. However, due to a combination of social mores and the king manipulating her parents to anoint him as their successor, she ends up being sidelined in his quest to power so she won't challenge him. As time progresses, the queen is reduced to being a Trophy Wife for the king, as he only married her for the throne and to expand his lineage. It's also possible the king was likely an Impoverished Patrician who saw his marriage to the queen as the golden ticket to elevate himself.
