WEEKLY WHINE
Last week, the two of us discussed the campaign to find a female love interest for Elsa in the sequel to the Disney film Frozen. We came up with some promising ideas, and in a number of sessions over the last week, we have fleshed them out into what we feel is a coherent whole. We are now prepared to offer the following treatment for Frozen 2: Coming to Weselton.
Elsa travels to Weselton in search of her true love, but what she finds there will make her question her relationship with her sister, her abilities as a ruler, and even her own identity.
Arendelle, four years after the conclusion of Frozen.
On a pleasant summer morning in Arendelle, Elsa walks up and down town with Torill, the palace groundskeeper’s daughter, in tow. They chat with shopkeepers, restauranteurs, schoolteachers, carriage drivers, and anyone they happen upon [“Another (Mostly) Perfect Morning”]. All are pleased to see Elsa, but nearly all hint at some product or item that they have not seen in years, but that they believe is plentiful in Weselton. From Elsa’s growing exasperation, it is clear that these complaints are not new to her.
Back at the palace, Elsa informs Anna that she is going on a diplomatic mission to Weselton, aiming to reopen trade. Anna, still mindful of her betrayal by Prince Hans, urges her to avoid tying the kingdom down in agreements with other lands. Elsa does not listen and makes preparations to depart immediately, leaving the kingdom to Anna. Anna immediately sets about making policy changes, starting with wearing the tiara and closing the palace gates [“We’re Doing Things My Way”].
The following morning, Elsa, joined by Olaf, leaves in a carriage, with her economic advisors following behind in another carriage. Olaf, seeing the enthusiasm of the crowd, remarks to Elsa that a trade agreement will surely revitalise both lands. Elsa, however, confides in Olaf that her true purpose is to seek a husband. She believes that the male citizens of Arendelle are too afraid to treat her normally and still see her as a monarch rather than as a person; she plans to live as a commoner in Weselton for a time in order to find her true love, or, failing that, someone who can give her an heir [“That’s Kind of How a Monarchy Works”].
Meanwhile, in a far off village, there is excited talk of the queen’s journey. As he leaves the market, an ice trader grumpily reminds everyone that this leaves her sister, who has not stepped outside the palace in a year, in charge. The trader, as he returns to a distant ice palace, is revealed to be Kristoff [“Who Are You”].
When the carriages arrive in Weselton, they part ways. The advisors, believing that Elsa is visiting the new Duke and Duchess of Weselton at their summer home, proceed to the embassy to meet Arendelle’s ambassador to Weselton and prepare for the negotiations. Elsa and Olaf, meanwhile, are dropped off in a poor neighbourhood far from the centre of town.
Here, Elsa aims to blend in with the locals. As a result, Olaf, eager to dive into the local culture, is treated to a variety of new experiences: living in a cramped apartment; being awoken in the middle of the night by disturbances on the street; attending community meetings at which their neighbours demand a voice in the political process; seeing Elsa in plain, threadbare clothing with her braid cut off; wearing clothing himself; itching.
At the first community meeting they go to, Elsa sees an attractive man, Leroy, who is the son of restauranteur Mr Maakal. She and Olaf apply for jobs at his restaurant the following day, but Mr Maakal, displeased at the snow left behind by Olaf’s personal flurry, agrees only to hire Elsa. She insists that she will not join without Olaf and that he must hire both of them or neither. Mr Maakal selects the second option.
Elsa and Olaf apply at several other shops and restaurants without success. Frustrated, Elsa freezes a series of crates lined up behind a shop. The owner, Gertie, emerges and begins to cart a crate inside, but then, discovering how cold it is, she notices Olaf and asks if he is responsible. Olaf begins to explain that it was Elsa, but Elsa cuts him off and convinces Gertie that being a snowman, Olaf lowers the temperature of objects around him. Revealing that the crates contain ice cream, Gertie hires Olaf on the spot, but Elsa insists that he will not join without her. This time, the ploy works, and Gertie agrees to hire both.
Over the next several weeks, Elsa and Olaf befriend their coworker Melina, a petite young woman with unruly hair. Ice hockey season begins during this time, and Elsa, intrigued by a sport new to her, attends each of Melina’s games. At Gertie’s shop, Elsa freezes the ice cream every morning and credits Olaf to keep up the ruse [“Just a Little Touch”].
During this time, Melina and Elsa scheme to break up Leroy and his girlfriend Sara, but each ploy fails, in increasingly spectacular and bizarre ways. As the failures mount, Elsa’s mood darkens, and the weather turns. On the evening of a particularly embarrassing failure involving rotten fish, a freak snowstorm hits. Melina insists that Olaf and Elsa stay the night in her apartment, across the street from the shop. Elsa, at ease in the cold, initially settles down to sleep on the floor of Melina’s room. But seeing Melina shiver violently, Elsa climbs into Melina’s bed, and the two cuddle together for warmth [“Don’t Let Go of Me”].
The next day, they visit Gertie’s home for breakfast. Gertie mentions the ongoing trade negotiations between Weselton and Arendelle. Melina blames Weselton’s current recession on the queen of Arendelle, who she says cut off trade with Weselton years ago due to a “family squabble”. Still concealing her identity, Elsa halfheartedly attempts to defend herself, in the third person, but Melina will hear none of it.
Later, Melina invites Elsa to the ice rink, where two of Melina’s teammates are waiting. The three try to teach Elsa to play hockey, but Elsa is unsteady on skates and uncoordinated with her stick. In desperation, Melina, certain that Elsa can develop at least one hockey skill, asks Belinda, the largest and most physical player on the team, to instruct Elsa in the art of checking. The attempt ends after a particularly disastrous cross check into the boards.
When Melina finds Elsa that night, Elsa declines to participate in Melina’s latest idea to break up Leroy and Sara. Melina apologises, thinking that Elsa is upset about the hockey lesson. Elsa reassures Melina and simply tells her that she is no longer interested in Leroy. Elsa hints that she has found someone much closer to her, but Melina remains oblivious [“So Close”].
Two weeks later, Melina has been showered with gifts from an admirer, whose identity is a complete mystery to her. Meanwhile, Olaf, alarmed that Elsa has used up all of their spending money on the gifts, has contacted Anna. Anna arrives at Olaf and Elsa’s apartment, but finding only Olaf, angrily storms into town.
To celebrate Melina’s twentieth birthday, Elsa takes her out to dinner. Melina explains that Sara visited the ice cream shop earlier in the day and mentioned that she had broken up with Leroy. Melina eagerly points out that this gives Elsa a chance at him, but Elsa demurs. Melina again asks Elsa who her new love interest is. Just as Elsa is about to admit that the gifts are from her, she sees Anna and palace minister Inga walk down the street. Elsa panics and suggests, forcefully, that they leave. Melina asks if they can visit Elsa’s apartment, but Elsa insists upon Melina’s instead.
Shortly after they arrive, Elsa admits that she has fallen in love with Melina. While Melina is searching for a response, Anna bursts in and confronts Elsa. Outraged, Melina accosts Anna, who forces Elsa to reveal her identity. Melina descends into a violent rage at Elsa’s deception and shoves her out the door.
On their way home to Arendelle, Elsa angrily confronts Anna, accusing her of isolating herself from the people and becoming the very nobility she once rebelled against. When Elsa compares her to Prince Hans, Anna decides that she has had enough. Upon their return, Anna locks Elsa in a straitjacket that inhibits her cryokinetic abilities, while back in Weselton, Melina ponders how she could have fallen for what she sees as Elsa’s cynical manipulation [“Who Are You (Reprise)”].
Anna announces to the public that owing to her sister’s madness, she will continue to rule the kingdom, and she will not sign the recently negotiated trade agreement with Weselton. As Elsa falls into despair, Arendelle descends into winter once more [“Snowflake”].
One night two months later, a group of onlookers has amassed at the palace gates. Emerging to confront them, Anna discovers that Kristoff, her onetime boyfriend, is at the front. Anna allows Kristoff to enter the palace alone, but once inside, she assails him for abandoning her a year ago. He tells her that he was growing increasingly frustrated at her entitled behaviour and reminds her that she once risked her life to save her sister. His pleas fall on deaf ears, and Anna banishes him from the palace.
Meanwhile, Olaf frees Elsa from her room and removes her straitjacket, saying only that some friends helped him create a diversion. They hurry to the ground floor of the palace.
By now, both Elsa and Anna have allowed their feelings to boil over into mutual hatred. Anna is furious over what she calls Elsa’s abandonment of Arendelle, whilst Elsa is enraged at being treated as though she is insane. They fight in the palace’s grand hall, though Elsa is still unwilling to use her powers until Anna retrieves a sword. Elsa repeatedly creates her own swords of ice, but each shatters upon contact with Anna’s sword. In desperation, Elsa freezes Anna’s sword such that it shatters. After that, she gains the upper hand as she traps Anna between blocks of ice. But as Elsa prepares to deliver the fatal blow, Melina rushes in and shoulder checks Elsa.
Pinning Elsa to the ground, Melina tries to shout some sense into her. Meanwhile, Anna, having realised that two months’ solitary confinement has left Elsa in a blind rage, breaks down in tears. Between Melina’s anger and Anna’s self loathing, Elsa realises that she has gone too far.
Only then do the three of them observe their surroundings. They find that instead of killing Anna, Elsa’s powers have locked the entire great hall in ice. Sheets of ice cover all the walls and block the doorways. Their calls for help go unanswered, and all of their attempts to melt the ice or chip away at it are useless. Even Elsa’s powers have left her.
Seeing no way out, Elsa makes amends with Anna, and then with Melina. Anna, convinced that both of these should have constituted acts of true love, checks the ice again. It is as impermeable as ever.
Anna then begins to discuss what they will do when they escape, but this depresses Elsa, who is convinced that she cannot be with Melina. Before Melina can have her say, Elsa cries out that she is abdicating. Melina and Anna are horrified to hear this, but cannot stop her. They do not notice the ice collapsing around them.
When they come to, it is morning. Kristoff rushes into the great hall, where Anna immediately kisses him and apologises for her treatment of him. She then notices that he seems a bit older. He reveals that twenty four years have gone by since the great hall was first frozen. He has worked as a palace attendant the entire time to ensure that the great hall is protected, having vowed never to walk out on Anna again.
Olaf then arrives with Torill, now a grown woman. They are shocked but overjoyed; they tell Elsa that she has been considered queen in absentia the entire time. Inga acted as regent until her death two years previously, at which point Torill took over. Arendelle has experienced a renaissance in that time, thanks in no small part to Inga’s decision to sign the trade agreement with Weselton. Torill then announces a recoronation ceremony in the coming days, but Elsa declines, saying that she has already decided to abdicate. The room erupts in commotion.
Melina, at the top of her lungs, cries out for silence so that she can explain to Elsa why she was there in the first place. She admits that in the days after kicking Elsa out of her apartment, she came to the realisation that she loved Elsa, queen or not. She then travelled to Arendelle, where she saw Olaf through the palace gates. They sought out Kristoff and told him about the sisters’ falling out. Kristoff agreed to help by gathering a crowd outside the palace, so that Olaf could sneak Melina and Sven inside.
Despite Melina’s revelation, Elsa offers the crown to Anna. In disbelief that Elsa no longer wishes to be queen, Anna insists that she always had faith in Elsa’s leadership, and that the effects of the trade agreement prove this. Finally, Torill suggests that the sisters share the crown. Elsa and Anna agree.
Several days later, a joint coronation ceremony is held in the palace. As she enters, Elsa greets many of the townspeople from the title sequence; they have all of course aged, and some have brought children along with them. With Kristoff by Anna’s side and Melina by Elsa’s, the sisters are proclaimed co-queens of Arendelle. During the reception, Kristoff proposes to Anna. Anna responds that she is overwhelmed, but that Elsa would not want her to marry so quickly. Elsa, hearing this, enthusiastically gives her blessing, questioning Anna’s definition of the word quickly.
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