Frozen’s connections to Norse mythology could be the key to setting up a new villain for Frozen 3. The first two movies in the series saw Elsa grappling with her mysterious ice powers and finally figuring out her place in the world. Any follow-up movie would need a clear external antagonist for Queen Anna and full-fledged spirit of the forest Elsa to clash with, and while a third installment of the massively popular franchise has not yet been confirmed, it’s likely a matter of time before Disney returns to Arendelle since Frozen and Frozen II are the highest-grossing animated films of all time.
There are already theories and rumors swirling about potential plots and villains for the next outing, such as the return of Prince Hans. Elsa and Anna have no shortage of possible antagonists to clash with, but Frozen may have already slyly set up the reveal of a new villain. The movie’s source material, Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen,” draws upon Norse mythology, weaving pieces of old legends into the stories. Among Frozen’s Norse connections are the names of Anna and Elsa’s parents, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna, and the legends they pull from may be a clue to a future plot.
There is a real Norse legend about a prince named Agnar who bears similarities to King Agnarr’s fate in the original Frozen. The next movie could use this legend to expand upon the still little-known backstory of the royal family of Arendelle. Although their parents died when Anna and Elsa were young, the history of their family could still come back to haunt them in a potential Frozen 3.
King Agnarr’s Norse Mythology Connection
In the legend “The Lay of Grimnir,” Agnar and his younger brother Geirrod were the heirs to the throne of King Hraudung. When they were children, they were both swept out to sea and later rescued by a peasant couple, but Geirrod turned on his brother. One day when they were sailing together, Geirrod jumped out and sent Agnar out to sea in the boat, intending to declare him lost. However, when he returned home alone, their father had already died. Geirrod had told everyone his older brother drowned months before his return, so Geirrod was declared king. Years later, Geirrod was felled by Odin’s wrath and his more compassionate son – also named Agnar for his brother – took the throne instead.
Although it was not Frozen’s original plan, the franchise has come to revolve around the love and struggle of sibling relationships. The second movie revealed more about Agnarr’s cruel father, who betrayed the Northuldra, but little else has been confirmed about the royal family thus far. King Agnarr could have had a brother, Elsa and Anna’s uncle, and Frozen 3 may see his return and a dark twist from the family’s past based on this myth.
The King’s Brother Could Challenge The Sisters For The Throne
If King Agnarr does have a brother, he could come back into the story to challenge the newly-crowned Queen Anna for the throne. With Agnarr’s daughters removed from the line of succession, his brother would be next in line to rule Arendelle. Although Anna is the natural choice to lead in Arendelle, her actions in Frozen II nearly led to her home’s destruction and this might be twisted and used against her. With Elsa living in the forest as the Fifth Spirit, Agnarr’s brother would only have to turn Arendelle against Anna to take over. Frozen II mainly focused on Queen Iduna’s family among the Northuldra, and this reveal would allow fans of the franchise to know King Agnarr’s backstory in the same way.
The Return of Agnarr’s Brother Would Reveal Dark Secrets
If Frozen 3 used “The Lay of Grimnir” as source material, Agnarr’s brother may also harbor a dark secret. In the legend, Geirrod was responsible for Agnar being lost at sea. Since King Agnarr died in a shipwreck, his brother could have played a role in it, either intentionally or accidentally. He may have even sabotaged the ship to ensure his brother never returned from his journey to find Ahtohallan for Elsa.
This scheming would make Agnarr’s brother similar to Hans, but with the potential to explore a messed-up sibling relationship. Agnarr’s relationship with his brother would reflect Elsa and Anna’s sisterhood in a dark mirror, showing how the ties between siblings can fray and fall apart. Especially as Agnarr’s brother and Anna are the younger siblings of a powerful ruler, the story is primed for Anna to have an antagonist focused on her. She was unprepared for Hans, but she would be ready for and perhaps have some understanding of Agnarr’s brother.
King Agnarr May Have A Larger Role
Drawing upon this legend also gives Frozen the opportunity to expand upon King Agnarr’s role in surprising ways. The inclusion of his brother would naturally lead to more backstory about the royal family and the relationship between the two brothers over time. Even if their relationship does not culminate in Agnarr’s brother having a hand in his death and the shipwreck came from a more natural source like the elemental spirits, the story would still need to set up how Anna’s uncle came to be set against his nieces. Agnarr’s brother may even have a good reason for his turn, adding moral complexity to the story.
However, the legend also opens another opportunity – the survival of King Agnarr. In his conversations about the princes in “The Lay of Grimnir,” Odin mentions Agnar survived and has been living in a cave with a giantess. It may seem unlikely, but in a land where elemental spirits, trolls, and kelpies have control over nature, Agnarr might have been spared to deal with his brother’s nefarious plans in the future. The Norse mythology provides several pathways Anna and Elsa’s uncle could play into another dramatic story in Arendelle’s royal succession if a potential Frozen 3 chooses to go down this path with the next story.
