After 6 long years and a critically-maligned short starring a snowman that ill-advisedly premiered in front of Coco, the highly-anticipated sequel to 2013’s animated blockbuster hit Frozen was finally confirmed for a November 2019 release date. Through a pair of trailers, Frozen II was unveiled to those who couldn’t wait to see Anna and Elsa on the big screen again. Problem was, they didn’t really make sense. Despite being beautifully animated and scored, the trailers were vague and provided little to no hints about the sequel’s plot.
Because of the lack of answers and the intrigue that the mystery has spawned, fans and online theorists resorted to mining the trailers for the smallest of hints while missing out on some rather obvious ones. Here are 10 such things that people may have missed in Frozen II’s trailers in their search for clear answers and spoilers.
That Water
For some, the best thing in Frozen II’s trailers was not the music or the familiar faces, but the water Elsa ran on. Frozen was praised for its top-notch animation but the water seen in sequel’s trailers makes even the amazing Let It Go sequence look outdated.
As pointed out by Youtube commenters, Frozen II’s oceans are so photo-realistic that it’s hard to believe that they were animated. In the time between movies, Disney improved its already impressive CGI techniques to the point where that water (and those leaves) alone could be worth the price of admission.
A Song of Ice
The trailers for Frozen II didn’t just feature the return of some beloved characters, but it also that of a familiar melody. As Anna, Elsa and the rest of the gang trek the Enchanted Lands, a new version of the song Vuelie is heard.
Though Let it Go is Frozen’s most popular song, Vuelie is its official theme. Originally composed by Frode Fjellheim in 1996, EatnemenVuelie combines Saami yoiking and the Danish hymn Fairest Lord Jesus. It was adapted and shortened for Frozen, with the omission of its more religious content so it could fit the movie’s fantastical setting.
Trolls in Public
A lot of the exposition in Frozen (and Kristoff’s adoptive childhood) is owed to the secretive Rock Trolls: an old race of magic creatures led by their elder Pabble. But in the trailers for Frozen II, the trolls have come out of hiding to warn Anna about Elsa’s powers.
It should be noted that the trolls rolled out of their habitat and appeared directly in front of Anna, Kristoff, and some bystanders, meaning they’ve either grown confident in appearing in public or they’re running away from a dire situation that just overrode their original need for secrecy.
The King in the North
When Pabble narrates how Anna and company must journey North into the Enchanted Lands, a quick shot of Elsa’s castle is shown. The castle created during Elsa’s iconic musical number still stands, but it’s safe to guess that it isn’t abandoned.
During Frozen’s after-credits scene, the snow giant Marshmallow is shown crowning himself as the ice castle’s lord. It’s possible that the sequel’s heroes will revisit Elsa’s former residence and come face to face with its new ruler who, hopefully, isn’t as violent as he was in the first movie.
Elsa’s Control of Ice
In Frozen, Elsa struggled to control her powers after she embraced them following years of hiding them. Though a sight to behold, Elsa’s powers risked unleashing a deadly flurry of ice and an eternal winter if she lost control.
By the time of Frozen II, Elsa has a greater command of her abilities to the point where she can quickly summon ice from both her hands and feet at the same time. Her mastery over her element has drawn both excitement and humor from fans, who jokingly compared her to ice-themed comic characters like DC comics’ Ice and Killer Frost.
Elsa’s Getting Stronger
It may be easy to miss while watching the beautifully animated ice bridges and snowflakes, but Elsa’s abilities have significantly increased in raw power in the time that passed after the events of Frozen.
Originally, Elsa’s abilities were limited to summoning icy structures and creating some sentient snow lifeforms but in Frozen II, she’s shown unleashing ice crystals and larger ice formations than before. Whether she can control these or not has yet to be answered. Pabble warns Anna that her sister’s growing powers may be Arendelle’s only defense against a coming threat, meaning someone stronger than Elsa could exist.
Elsa’s Visions
As the trailer’s narration emphasizes an upcoming exploration of Elsa’s past and how they connect to Arendelle’s fate, strange visions made of stars (or snow) show images like giants, a horse, and nature appear before Elsa.
The question isn’t just what these visions mean or foretell, but how Elsa sees them in the first place. Are they visions she can only interact with when dreaming, or does she see them every time her abilities increase in power? Whether they foretell danger or salvation will only be known when the sequel finally hits cinemas later this year.
The Water Horse
A constant image in Elsa’s visions is a water horse, which she first sees after falling into the ocean during the teasers’ opening moments. According to the official synopses provided by Disney, the horse is known as a “Nokk,” which is a water spirit in the form of a horse that guards the forests’ secrets.
The Nokk itself is based on actual mythology and has appeared in Germanic, Scandinavian, and Welsh lore. Given how Frozen was influenced by European fantasies (especially The Snow Queen), it only makes sense for the sequel to double down on its inspirations.
Queen Iduna
As the narration hints at uncovering Elsa’s past, a shot of her and Anna’s mother, Queen Iduna, is briefly shown. While a young Elsa sits on her bed, Queen Iduna looks up (seemingly with concern) at the Northern Lights outside the palace’s window. It’s worth noting that Iduna’s attire seems similar to what she was last seen wearing before the doomed ship she was in sunk during a storm.
This has led many to speculate that the Northern Lights signify some magical connection to Elsa’s powers, or that Iduna herself may have some magic of her own.
Elsa’s Past
A recurring theme in Frozen II’s foreboding and cryptic narration is that the sequel’s catalyst is somehow related to Elsa’s younger days. Whatever danger Arendelle is facing is connected to Elsa’s powers, and maybe that of others.
Pabble warns Elsa that her past isn’t what it seems, possibly referring to her powers’ origins. Given how the trolls’ leader was previously shown to have the power to alter people’s minds, it’s possible that more previously suppressed childhood memories and events may be revealed to provide answers to the present crisis that Anna’s home is facing.
The Elementals
Ever since Elsa was shown commanding frozen water, fans speculated that there were others like her who controlled different elements. If Elsa represented water or winter, surely there were those who embodied winds or summer.
Hints of this can be seen in the runes carved onto the stone pillars surrounding a portal and the sequel’s teaser poster, plus the elements’ appearances in the trailers. Specifically, what may be a rock giant lumbers in the distance while wind scatters the leaves. Fire possibly under someone’s control is shown burning a forest, hinting that Elsa isn’t the only elemental in the sequel.
