Disney is known for its family-friendly films, and on the surface, Descendants fits the mold, but one theory suggests it might actually be about child indoctrination. This franchise is popular with 3 live-action installations and a fourth animated film now streaming on Disney+. Many would argue that it’s a simple tale about the children of classic Disney heroes and villains growing up and making their own choices. This theory, however, suggests that the children could be experiencing something darker,
Descendants is set in the United States of Auradon, run by Belle, Beast, and their son Ben. Beyond the border is the Isle of the Lost, where Disney villains and their families have been banished. The plot centers on Ben proclaiming that the kingdom will welcome four children from the isle and give them a chance to “be good.” The main character Mal, the daughter of Maleficent, the breakout character of Sleeping Beauty, is joined by Carlos (Cruella), Evie (Evil Queen), and Jay (Jafar). Initially, they are encouraged by their parents to use this as an opportunity to steal the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand, but, in the end, the group decides that being good is more fun.
Most viewers think this is a simple story about choosing to be good over evil, but one theory (via Reddit) posits that Descendants is a much darker tale of childhood indoctrination. “Childhood indoctrination” is when kids are raised with a set of beliefs that their parents’ force on them, which could be religious, discriminatory, and/or moral in nature. This is often seen in children who leave cults. The theory suggests that the children of villains were sheltered from the pursuit of truth and instead forced to believe their parents’ prejudices.
There is a lot of evidence to support this perspective. Carlos, son of the infamous Disney villain Cruella, grows up being told that dogs are violent killers trained to hunt humans. His mother lied to him so he would follow in her footsteps, and he begins to question what else might not be true. Evie goes through a similar period of deconstruction. She was raised with very strict gender roles and told she should never be anything other than a housewife. She is then never allowed to pursue her own passions or interests. The theory suggests that the Descendants characters were never allowed to know that they could make choices about their own lives due to their beliefs.
This viewpoint, however, does not take into account the context of the parents’ actions. For one, the Descendants characters are teens, an age when many people are exploring their identity and breaking away from their families. More importantly, their Disney villain parents never get to tell their side of the story. This is a trope in classic Disney films – the villains are evil for no real reason. It isn’t clear if Cruella is indoctrinating her son or warning him about a trauma she experienced. Likewise, the Evil Queen reigned in a world where who you married defined you. It isn’t clear if these villains are abusing their children or simply passing on wisdom from their own experiences.
All four Descendants films try to prove that people aren’t born good or evil but that actions and beliefs are what define you. The first film focuses on how these characters were raised. Some may look at it as a simple case of teenagers coming of age and making their own choices. Others might see a much darker story about young adults freeing themselves from manipulative parents.
