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An elderly woman named Gothel
witnesses a single drop of pure sunlight hit the ground, creating a
magical flower with the ability to heal the sick and injured. She uses it
to keep herself young by singing an incantation to it. Hundreds of years
later, the queen of a nearby kingdom falls ill while expecting a child.
Her guards, searching for a cure, find the mysterious flower. They make a
broth out of the flower, which heals the queen and she gives birth to a
girl named Rapunzel. Gothel learns that Rapunzel's golden hair retains the
flower's healing abilities, but if it's cut, it turns brown and loses its
magic power. Gothel kidnaps the child and isolates her in a tower, raising
the girl as her own daughter. However, every year on Rapunzel's birthday,
the kingdom sends thousands of sky lanterns into the sky longing for their
lost princess to return.
Eighteen years later, Rapunzel lives in the tower with her pet chameleon,
Pascal. While happy to be safe in her tower, she yearns to see the outside
world, and more importantly, the floating lights. Rapunzel asks Gothel to
let her see the floating lights on her birthday, but Gothel denies her
request, saying the world is full of people who would covet her abilities
for themselves. Meanwhile, thieves led by Flynn Rider steal the tiara of
the missing princess from the castle. Flynn abandons his accomplices and
stumbles upon Rapunzel's tower, choosing it as a hideout. During the
chase, the lead guard's horse, Maximus, is separated from his rider and
continues the search for Flynn on his own. Once inside the tower, Flynn is
knocked unconscious by Rapunzel, who then imprisons him in her wardrobe
and hides his satchel.
Rapunzel tried to tell Gothel that she was able to take care of herself
and show her Flynn, but Gothel refuses to listen. Frustrated, Rapunzel
says that she wants a special paint for her birthday instead of her
earlier request. Gothel agrees, and after she leaves, Rapunzel makes a
deal with Flynn — if he escorts her to the lights and back, she will
return the tiara. While Rapunzel is excited to be free, she is soon
conflicted between her freedom and her guilt of disobedience. While
traveling, the two visit the Snuggly Duckling Tavern, which appears to be
full of thugs like Gothel warned Rapunzel about, but they all each have
their own dreams, just as Rapunzel does.
As the royal guards continue their search, Gothel learns of the pursuit,
returns to the tower and finds Rapunzel gone. The tavern regulars help the
pair escape from the guards, but they eventually corner Flynn at a
man-made dam, which Maximus inadvertently causes to collapse. Trapped in a
flooding cave, Flynn cuts his hand while trying to save them. Thinking
they are going to die, Flynn tells Rapunzel that someone should know his
real name is Eugene Fitzherbert, and Rapunzel tells Flynn she has magic
hair that glows when she sings. She starts singing and her hair allows
them to find a way to escape. Later around a campfire, Rapunzel heals
Flynn's cut, telling him the reason she never tried to escape her tower
and Flynn tells her his reason for becoming a thief. Flynn goes off to
gather more firewood, but while he's gone, Gothel secretly meets with
Rapunzel. Rapunzel tells Gothel she has feelings for Flynn, and thinks he
may feel the same about her. Gothel tells Rapunzel that Flynn is only
after the tiara, claiming that he will leave once he has it. Giving her
the satchel, she tells Rapunzel to put him to the test before leaving.
The next morning, Maximus confronts Flynn again, but Rapunzel befriends
the horse and convinces him not to turn in Flynn yet. The group travels
together to the royal kingdom and spend the day celebrating the Lantern
Festival with the rest of the townsfolk. Here, Rapunzel learns about the
lost princess for the first time. That night, Rapunzel and Flynn watch the
lanterns rise from a boat on a lake. Flynn gives Rapunzel a lantern for
her to release and in return she gives him his satchel back. Flynn pushes
the satchel aside and attempts to kiss Rapunzel, but sees his former
accomplices on the shore. Flynn gives them the tiara, but the pair are now
working with Gothel. They knock out Flynn and make it appear that he is
escaping with the tiara by tying him up in a boat and sailing him across
the lake. They reveal Flynn's "betrayal" to Rapunzel before they try to
kidnap her so they could sell her hair's power. Betraying the thieves,
Gothel "rescues" the heartbroken Rapunzel and takes her back to the tower.
Meanwhile, Flynn wakes up but is caught by the guards. Maximus sees
Flynn's arrest and overhears him saying that Rapunzel is in danger. Flynn
is sentenced to be hanged and learns of the treachery from the
now-captured henchmen. Maximus, however, rounds up The Snuggly Duckling
regulars and they rescue Flynn. Together they ride to the tower.
Meanwhile, Rapunzel realizes that she is the long-lost princess, and
confronts Gothel with the revelation, saying she will never let her use
her hair again. Flynn reaches the tower, but upon entering, he sees
Rapunzel bound and gagged and is stabbed by Gothel. She attempts to take
Rapunzel away to a new hiding place, but Rapunzel promises to keep
fighting her unless she allows her to heal Flynn. Gothel agrees, but
Flynn, saying that he would rather die than have her trapped forever, cuts
her hair short with a piece of broken mirror. The healing power is gone
and as a result, Gothel rapidly begins to age. While covering her face,
she trips on the cut hair and falls from the tower. She disintegrates
before reaching the ground. Flynn and Rapunzel reveal their love for each
other, before he dies. Heartbroken, Rapunzel sobs the last word of the
healing incantation over his body. A tear containing the last of
Rapunzel's healing powers lands on his cheek and revives him. Overjoyed,
they share their first kiss. The royal family has a tearful reunion, the
king and queen pulling Flynn into their embrace. After a celebration of
Rapunzel's return, Flynn (the narrator throughout the movie) reveals that
some years later he and Rapunzel are married, the pub thugs fulfill their
individual dreams, and Maximus becomes a respected official on the Royal
Guard. |
