Mother Gothel's Fate in 'Tangled' Creates a Surprising Mystery 

'Tangled' may have a typical Disney happy ending, but Mother Gothel's fate throws a curveball, leaving a big hole in the plot. Rapunzel, our newfound heroine, snips away Mother Gothel's control by cutting her magical locks. Yet, this act also means losing her healing powers, causing a twist in the happily-ever-after.

Despite the magical Disney touch, the ending of ‘Tangled’ gets a bit tangled. It raises questions about the logic of magic in the story, especially with Mother Gothel's fate. The plot holes may stand out, but Disney takes a unique spin on the Rapunzel tale, keeping us on our toes and shaking up fairy tale expectations.

Rapunzel's magical hair, a healing powerhouse, keeps Mother Gothel looking young. But when Rapunzel snips it off, she breaks the anti-ageing spell, turning Gothel into an old crone. Here's the kicker: this change doesn't seem to affect everyone Rapunzel healed during her adventures. Flynn, for example, got healed but didn't age backwards like Gothel.

This magic inconsistency creates a plot hole in ‘Tangled’. Magic in fantasy works best when it follows the world's rules. Tangled's magic hair leaves us scratching our heads. If the movie explained the magic system better, the ending could have been even more thrilling. Fans could have been on the edge, wondering if Rapunzel unintentionally doomed many folks with that haircut.

After witnessing Mother Gothel's fate in ‘Tangled’, it's easy to imagine a dark twist for everyone Rapunzel helped with her magical hair. If they suffered the same ageing fate as Gothel, Rapunzel unknowingly triggered a mass catastrophe. This flips the script on Rapunzel's freedom, turning it into a brutal test, suggesting that true happiness comes with significant sacrifices.

This scenario echoes the moral dilemma in Richard Matheson's ‘Button, Button’ where pressing a button grants your greatest desire but kills someone unknown. Unaware of how Gothel used her hair, Rapunzel couldn't predict the consequences for those she healed. If she knew, the ending might have taken a different turn.

However, Flynn's survival without rapid ageing suggests magic works differently in ‘Tangled’. The film doesn't explore this, but considering healing is a one-time deal and anti-ageing requires repeated magic, those Rapunzel healed might be safe.

The original Rapunzel tales were dark; one involved her being sold to an ogre, and another left her lover blind and lost in a forest. Disney's Tangled deviates from these grim origins, making Mother Gothel's plot hole a minor shadow in the light-hearted narrative.

– Farheen Ali