Megara: Disney's Unsung Antiheroine

It's been a while, but I'm finally back! In this episode, I'm deconstructing Megara from Hercules - what makes her different from the other Disney heroines? What can we learn from her? And why is she so intriguing?

The part 2 to this video will be up shortly, so stay subscribed and hit the notification bell!

[rhondahoward]

Meg is different simply for one thing: She's older, and she has worldly experience. She's already experienced love and she's experienced heartbreak along with that so that's actually made her _jaded_ towards romance. You don't usually get that with Disney heroines. Someone who's afraid to love again because she doesn't want to get hurt. That's very relatable for an older audience, especially older women.

[tiffanifarrington]

Her sass makes her in the fierce category

[Jibriltz]

It's an interesting point that she doesn't have an unshakable moral core like the other disney 'princesses'. It could be suggested that her backstory alone mirrors the journey of other disney women: she gave up her soul to save her lover, a heroic and selfless act. The difference is, with Megara, that her story didn't end in happily ever after, she suffered the consequences of her deal and her man ran off with another woman. Megara is what happened when the story didn't have a happily ever after which makes her arc to find that heroism far more compelling, she changed who she was to become a better person. The other Disney princesses start off good people and finish their films still good people, though perhaps a little wiser.

[theapologist]

3:48 You (correctly) mention the artistic choice to narrow her eyes, but I always loved that small moment when, after Hercules kisses her, her eyes, for a small moment, become as big as any other Disney princess. 
I always interpreted Meg as what would happen if a Disney princess got their happy ever after, then got cheated on, and we see them 5 years later not recovered. So in that eyes widening scene, I always viewed that as her recapturing that side of her, recapturing the ability to love again, it's temporary, because he reverting back to that person would be silly, she still holds those memories and they still define her, but is finally able to move on, and discard the more toxic consequences to her personality from her backstory. (Obviously at that point in the story she's still in denial about her love, but that was the moment that cracked the levee.)

[SilverScarletSpider]

Nobody compares to Megara.
I like Belle, Mulan, Rapunzel, Nani (Lilo and Stitch), Jane, Tiana, and Moana. But Megara, she stole my heart when she pulled Hercules up from the dirt.

[GoddessOfWhim]

Meg is the most real character in all of Disney, which makes her incredible

[lorenacuenca]

While Cinderella is my favorite Disney princess for her kindness and resilience, Meg is my favorite female lead for her maturity and personality. I absolutely love her and this video!

[petermccain]

This is the best Disney film and you killed this analysis.

[distressedcondiments]

We need more Disney characters like her. We haven’t really had any since.

[herbalwolfooo]

Shame she isn't given the credibility or "fame" that other Disney Heroines get- the whole movie, in general, tends to get overlooked (when it comes to merchandise) and it's so sad to see.

Also, can we just applaud the music choice in the background? Alan Menken did such a good job conducting the soundtrack.

[neonnwave]

Meg's lived a life believing everyone is selfish thus became the same way herself in order to survive. Hercules challenged her beliefs since he's a decent, kind hearted, selfless person.

[hkazu]

I talked about the girls of Disney with a lot of people when I was younger and a lot of people I talked to used to just describe Meg as a “bitch”. I found that disappointing, bc I felt Meg was a great, interesting, strong yet vulnerable character, complex and brilliant. She’s easily one of the best characters Disney ever made.

[chickenlover]

Same as
I LOVE Meg a lot even in Hercules there is a deleted song I know
Meg is my favorite Disney character EVER
She is a very different heroine like what you said
And Meg was 20 years old when she met Herclues

[dudders]

Why am I tearing up? Damn you, nostalgia. Excellent vid!

[pamelahermano]

Kudos to Susan Egan for really bringing Meg to life.

I love Meg because she was broken hearted, but she reacted humanly about it.

[dwayne]

Meg is the most relatable. Who hasn't experienced all the emotional turmoil she's gone through?

[Plexer]

I like how her character is dynamic and grows through the new wave of female characters for younger audiences have been static and inherently "perfect" missing out on growth and change that made characters like meg endearing in the first place.

[ADragonNerd]

While I always admired Mulan for her courage and related to her feeling lost, I relate to Megera the most. But I also relate to Elsa

[elegrace]

Gosh! The last part! I really needed to hear that! Ty😭 I relate sm with that AND Megara, she is my favourite disney heroine, she is different from other princesses cause sge is a disney GODDESS 👑