Do we like Elsa?
A character from Frozen (2013)
Our score: 8 out of 10. Yes, we'd back her. She's a scared, well-meaning woman whose worst moments come from fear, not malice. She's far easier to root for than the 'Snow Queen' label suggests.
Elsa is the elder sister of Anna and heir to the throne of Arendelle. She was born with the power to make ice and snow. After a childhood accident, she learns to hide it, shutting herself away and living by the rule of conceal, don't feel. On the day of her coronation, the secret slips out and she flees to the mountains.
Elsa is easy to like because her flaws come from love. Her fear of hurting Anna drives almost every bad choice she makes. When she finally stops hiding, she is guilty and overwhelmed rather than triumphant. She is often cold on the surface but warm underneath. Her big solo moment is a show-stopper, and it comes across as a person finally breathing, not a villain announcing herself.
She loses points for running away from a problem she partly caused, and for taking a long time to trust Anna and the people around her. She is not a schemer, and she never really wants anyone harmed. By the end she has learned that love, not fear, is what lets her control her power. In the sequel she goes on to become an active hero in her own right.