But before that can happen, the freeing of the forest wakes Elsa from her icy slumber and she rides on her new ally - the water spirit known as the Nokk - to her former home. With Anna finally destroying the dam and the waters of the river rushing towards the now deserted Kingdom of Arendelle it looks like the sins of the past are about to be wrought on the ancestors of those who committed them. But as is always the way with the world of Frozen, it's when the sisters work together that they are able to save the day. We also learn that Elsa and Anna's mother was the one who saved their father from the battle in the forest and that her act of love was the reason that the elements decided to gift Elsa with her supernatural talents. Frozen 2 showcases that the world of the Northuldra has always been connected to nature and the four elements and that in the time before the battle the Northuldra were able to control and utilize the elements just like Elsa and her magical icy powerset. This reveal also offers an explanation of Elsa's powers and where she got them. It's here that we are informed that Elsa and her powers represent a connection between the world and the people of Arendelle and the indigenous people of the forest. With Elsa drawn to the mysterious river at the edge of the Dark Sea she learns that not only is she the fifth elemental but also that her and Anna's mother was part of the Northuldra clan. Earlier in the film, we learned that there are not just four elements, but actually five, one of which balances and controls the other, acting as a conduit and bridge between the two worlds. "Show Yourself"Whilst Anna is saving the forest and the Northuldra, Elsa has discovered something else about herself. As she engages the earth giants in a battle to get them to destroy the dam, she takes her own advice of doing the "next right thing" even with the knowledge that the ensuing flood will devastate Arendelle, destroying the kingdom that was built on the lies and betrayal of the past. It was a tool in the attempted colonization of the forest and its inhabitants, and it's also a physical thing that is controlling and withholding the power of nature.
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Anna's realization that she has to destroy the dam to free both the Arendelle soldiers and the Northuldra people makes sense. After Elsa sends a storm of snow to her sibling which reveals the truth about their past and heritage, the youngest royal heads off to do the unthinkable and destroy their kingdom. It's a smart reversal of the end of the first film where Anna ends up frozen after saving her sister and here it's Kristen Bell's red-headed princess who saves the day. It's a horrifying reveal that causes Elsa to end up frozen by her own trauma in the depths of the icy river. Once Elsa reaches the mythical landmark she uncovers the truth: it was her grandfather who attacked the Northuldra after building the dam to weaken their land and make them vulnerable to his advances. Much of the movie's driving narrative is focused on the sisters teaming up and going on an exploratory journey to find the truth, and as Olaf keeps reminding them, "Water has memories." It's this phrase that causes Elsa to realize she can call up the past through the mysterious river that her mother used to sing about in her lullaby. Unsurprisingly, the true antagonists of the story are the former royalty of Arendelle. The desecration of this magical space led to the forest enclosing itself in an enchanted mist that made it impossible to enter or leave, which is of course where most of the action of the animated film takes place. In his version, the kind and generous people of Arendelle led by his father built a dam for the inhabitants of the forest - later revealed the be the indigenous community of the Northuldra - but were betrayed by them, leading to a battle. "Lost in the Woods"From the flashback that Frozen 2 opens with, directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee work to introduce an exploration of colonialism which begins with Anna and Elsa's father telling them the story of the enchanted forest.