Elsa, also known as the Snow Queen, is one of the main protagonists of Disney's Frozen franchise. Born with the power of ice and snow, Elsa is the firstborn daughter of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna, the older sister of Queen Anna, and the former queen of Arendelle. Throughout most of her young life, Elsa feared that her powers were monstrous. Therefore, she isolated herself from the world as a means of protecting her family and kingdom. Elsa's anxieties would eventually trigger a curse that plunged Arendelle into an eternal winter during the middle of summer. Through Anna's love, however, Elsa was able to control her powers and live peacefully amongst her people with a newfound self-confidence.
Three years into her reign, Elsa is called forth to Ahtohallan to assume her rightful place as the Fifth Spirit of the Enchanted Forest, whose purpose is to bridge the magic of nature and people. She thereby abdicates the throne, allowing Anna to rise as the new queen of Arendelle.
Elsa is loosely based on the titular character of "The Snow Queen", a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Though pivotal to its events, the character had little presence in the original story. The Disney adaptation expanded the Snow Queen to serve as a villain initially, but the advent of "Let It Go" inspired the filmmakers to rewrite the character as a tragic heroine.
