Princess Sofia is the main protagonist of the Disney 2012 television special Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess as well as the 2013 spin-off TV series. She is voiced by, Ariel Winter (Modern Family, Phineas and Ferb and Jake and the Never Land Pirates).
Sofia is a little girl with a commoner's background until her mother marries the King of the Kingdom and she suddenly becomes royalty. Sofia learns that looking like a princess isn't all that hard, but behaving like one must come from the heart.
Background
Sofia is a sweet and adorable young girl of humble origins who lives with her mother Miranda. Her biological father is absent for reasons unknown. She becomes royalty after her mother's remarriage to King Roland II. Being new to the entire princess legacy, Sofia attends the Royal Prep Academy where the fairies from Sleeping Beauty Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, teach her about what being a princess is all about. However, Sofia is caught between two messages - is being a princess about the fancy dress, or the power of love?
Personality
While cute and beautiful, Sofia is rather clumsy but has a pure heart. Since she was originally a mere commoner, she retains a very carefree personality, and was once seen to enjoy sliding down the rails of the staircase. Her outcast-like behavior often puts her at wits with her stepsister Amber, who was apparently jealous of Sofia due to her social talents. Often times the firm Hildegarde is a little thrown off by her vivacious persona. She can be quite gullible when around Cedric the Sorcerer. Being new to the royal game, she often lets Amber tow her around, and must be brought to her senses by Miranda. Sofia and Amber clash due to Amber loving large events, while Sofia prefers quaint things, like the maze of secret gardens. They also, most dramatically, have different views on the value of looks and other material things. Sofia prefers the power of the heart, while Amber is more focused on physical value. This makes them two completely different types of princess, and will most likely lead to two completely different paths as they grow.
Due to past magical experiences, Sofia is very careful and hesitant when using active magic, respecting its power and what it's capable of whether it's done correctly or incorrectly.
Physical Appearance
Sofia is a young girl with shoulder-length wavy, auburn hair. She has fair skin with rosy cheeks and large, light blue eyes. Sofia's prominent princess gown has a lilac color and comes with a crystal tiara inset with diamonds and pearls, which also decorate her dress. Around her neck, she wears the royal family's amulet called the Amulet of Avalor, which gives her powers for deeds of pure good, the only ones she currently has being the power of talking to animals and shape-shifting, though the amulet also curses her when she performs bad behavior, such as making her croak when she bragged about singing the Enchancia Anthem to her friends.
Powers & Abilities
Although a young girl, Sofia has displayed various skills, abilities, and magical potential.
- The Amulet of Avalor: This magical amulet, gifted to her by her stepfather grants Sofia the power to talk to animals (for which the amulet blessed her when she helped a baby bird back into its nest). Without the amulet, however, Sofia loses the ability to understand her animal friends when her amulet was stolen by a baby griffin. When she brags about her singing at the Harvest Festival, the amulet temporarily ruins her voice, making her have bouts of croaking until she made things right which breaks the curse. When she helps Oona the mermaid out of a fishnet, the amulet blesses her with shapeshifting. Specifically into becoming a mermaid, including the ability to breathe underwater. The Amulet gives Sofia good luck, allowing her to accomplish challenges such as joining the Flying Derby. Hugo correctly suspects that luck got her in, though Sofia does not believe this to be true. Sofia started off wearing the Amulet merely to keep Roland's promise, though she did think it was lovely at the start. But only after it was briefly stolen by the baby griffin did Sofia begin to truly appreciate it. When Amber seeks it, Sofia reveals that it is powerful. By the time Miss Nettle seeks it, Sofia uses the promise as an excuse for not removing the Amulet, when her true reason is that it has become important to her.
- Flying Horseriding: In "Just One of the Princes", Sofia tried out for the Royal Prep Flying Derby team, with Minimus as her steed. After hard work and training, she managed to win her spot on the team, and became a skilled flying horse-rider. She uses those skills later to rescue Clover from Boswell, then to chase Wormwood, the latter event occurring in her regular dress. This begins her fondness for sporting events, such as the Tri-Kingdom Picnic. Sofia has also been revealed to be a good gymnast, adventurer, and mountain-climber.
- Magic: In "Cedric's Apprentice", Sofia began lessons in magic and sorcery, first having trouble with a spell to turn things into rubies. But with her temporary sorcery-teacher, Cedric the Sorcerer, she soon masters the ability to cast spells although it requires a wand. This comes in handy later when she frees the headmistresses from their bubble. However, after her first try at spell-casting when she put everyone attending her first ball to sleep, she remains cautious about bold magical attempts, even in measuring magical plant food. However, her skill has greatly increased, allowing her to break a bubble trapping the headmistresses in one try. As Cedric's apprentice, Sofia got to clean Cedric's books, enabling her to know of a few spells, such as one concerning animal-human transformation that came up when she later turned into a cat. In a rare exception of recklessness around magic, Sofia tested Cedric's new Duplication Spell on herself, despite Clover advising her to copy the apple she had tried it out on first four or five more times. This recklessness led to the creation of Sofia the Worst.
- Swordsmanship: In "Baileywick's Day Off", during a game of pirates, Sofia displayed competent skills with a sword (albeit a toy one) to keep her brother James on his toes and even disarm him. Given Royal Prep offers fencing lessons, Sofia probably learned there or she received a tutor. Wand work also requires similar arm movements, which could also add to explanation of her skill.
- Various Buttercup Girl Scout Skills: As a Buttercup Scout, Sofia has learned many outdoor skills, such as wood-gathering, identifying various herbs, survival skills, etc.
- Leadership: Sofia displayed potential and competency as a leader, when she led her fellow Buttercups in making a sled so they could hurry an ill Baileywick to get treatment at the castle. When Roland was lost in a snowstorm, she ordered the animals of the woods to find him and bring back proof. When rescuing Clover from Boswell, she used strategy with Mia, Robin, Crackle and Minimus, tricking Boswell into choosing her for a magic trick and repeatedly impeding him from holding on to Clover for long until Crackle shook him off for good with a fiery blast. When defeating Miss Nettle with Cedric, she begins to develop her cunning by using Clover's chewing ability with Wormwood's wings to get a spare wand for Cedric when his original wand is damaged, then uses his Morpho Mirrors trick to trap Miss Nettle. When the island she is having a picnic with her mother and siblings is levitated, her quick wit is used again when she tries to pull them down to a neighboring island with her allies and a rope. Sofia, however, often has difficulty seeing other people's viewpoints, but if she knows those views and abilities, she uses them well to her advantage. She also, especially with Amber, is good at winning arguments over opinions on how things should be run. Sofia has recently proven to be good at thinking through how to solve difficult tasks, such as finding the answer to an ogre's riddle, then at figuring out how to make a good science project without Hocus Crocus. When James becomes king for a day, she proves to be a competent royal adviser. Sofia, unlike James, easily takes advice and learns well from experience. Her physical prowess improves after takiing Roland's advice and running a race course as a cat in "When You Wish Upon A Well." However, when around figures of authority, even her siblings, Sofia can be overpowered.
- Sofia's Heart: Many times, Sofia has shown compassion, kindness, and resolve, all of which helped her overcome the challenges she's faced as a princess, as well as helping others. She never gives up and always finds a way to succeed, and the goodness of her heart has helped others in ways that only kindness and patience can. Her heart is her most prized feature, valued by her allies, especially Fauna and Clover. Her corset and tiara, as well as her chest with her possessions that she had as a cobbler's daughter, have heart designs. Her heart, like all gifts, has its downsides - Sofia is sensitive and emotional, overreacting at times. She can also be very selfless when it is unrequired. One of her biggest weaknesses is that though she asks why things are the way they are, she does not want her own world to change. This becomes clear in her feeling left out when Ruby and Jade play with Amber. It links to her being very protective and possessive of people and things she values. Sofia can be flexible, but it is hard to do. Sofia wants to please everyone and make the best impression, making her vulnerable to peer pressure. She dislikes being alone, for when she is alone, her inner vulnerability often surfaces. Despite being claimed as independent, Flora's drawing of her in RPA to help her learn the school motto shows a significantly different outcome for her in the end. Sofia is selflessly willing to help Amber out after she cheats in the RPA Halloween costume contest by using Cedric's magic and needs the Amulet of Avalor to remove her butterfly wings, for instance. Sofia's heart does not blind her cunning, which she uses to guide the cowardly Desmond and discover Amber's sudden desire for the amulet. Despite appearing to be gullible around Cedric, Sofia is very intuitive of trouble when Miss Nettle is around. Sofia's heart has led to her favoring group over individual effort, as shown in her dislike of her friends' competitive behavior in "Enchanted Science Fair."
My Disney Experience Official Description
Sofia the First is finding out what being royal's all about. She's excited to become the best princess she can be!
Appearances
Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess
In the film that acted as the pilot for Sofia, the young girl's story was told beginning where she became a princess. The film also shows her first days in the palace, attending royal school, and meeting famous Disney Princesses such as Cinderella. A notable event to occurred was Sofia's amulet, the Amulet of Avalor. The amulet contains powerful magic that allows Sofia to speak to animals and the power to bring fellow Disney Princesses to her aid. The amulet was also on the wish list for the villainous sorcerer Cedric, who secretly plotted to rule the kingdom using the magic of the amulet.
Sofia the First
She is the titular character in this series.
In the series, Sofia is often thrown into the fray of what is to be expected of her whilst being a princess and what she wants to do being a free spirit.
Theme Park Character
Sofia posing for a photo at Disney's California Adventure.
Sofia made her theme park character debut during the taping of the Walt Disney World segments of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade special at the Magic Kingdom on December 1, 2012. The fully-costumed character is part of the Disney Junior Live theme park meet and greets at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida and Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. Her first appearance away from the theme parks was at the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll along with Jake.
Disney Junior Live!
New segments in the Disney Junior Live! show featuring both Sofia and Doc McStuffins replaced Handy Manny and Little Einsteins in February 2013 at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida and Disney California Adventure in Anaheim.
Songs Sung by Sofia
Soundtrack Songs
Season One
- I'm Not Ready To Be A Princess
- A Little Bit Of Food
- True Sisters
- Princess Things
- Anything
- Perfect Slumber Party
- Make Some Noise
- All You Need
- Blue Ribbon Bunny
- I Belong
- Count On Baileywick
- Picnic of the Year
- Good Little Witch
- The Ride of Your Lives
- Bring My Best Friend Back
- I'll Get My/That Amulet
- We're Buttercups
- Enchancia Anthem
- Make It Right
- A Recipe for Adventure
- The Simple Life
- Merroway Cove
- The Love We Share
- Wassailia
- Peace and Joy
- Royal Fun
Season Two
- Sisters and Brothers
- Me and My Mom
- Friendship Is The Formula
- Be Your Own King
- Believe in Your Dream
- Mystic Meadows (upcoming)
- Stronger Than You Know (upcoming)
- Helping Hand (upcoming)
- Never Forget The Sorcerer's Secret (upcoming)
- Improvise (upcoming)
Gallery
Trivia
- Despite being a princess and being directly affiliated with Disney Princesses in her show, Sofia will not join the official line-up because she is too young.
- On a press tour, executive producer Jamie Mitchell said, "She is Latina" after one reporter asked about Sofia's mother's darker skin. This makes Sofia Disney's first Latina princess to appear in an animation project. But recent articles on Sofia's heritage says that she is "not" Latina, but a Hispanic of mixed heritage, with her mother hailing from the Kingdom of Galdiz (loosely based on Spain) and her biological father hailing from a kingdom based on Scandinavia. Despite her father's blood being reportedly Scandinavian, Sofia may likely have Irish or Scottish blood on that side as well, judging by her skirt designs and ruddy features.
- Similar to Cinderella, she has a rags-to-riches story, and has a stepsister who once was antagonistic, but became softer in the climax. Unlike Cinderella, Sofia's stepsister is born a princess.
- Also unlike Cinderella, Sofia moved into her stepfamily's home instead of the other way around.
- Similar to Cinderella, Jasmine and Rapunzel, Sofia resides with the antagonist.
- Similar to Snow White, Cinderella and Aurora, she has animal friends.
- Her hard work of learning to be a princess is similar to Tiana's hard work, and Cinderella when she's trying to do her best while being herself.
- Her spunkiness and curiosity is similarly compared to Ariel. They also have similar singing voices and hairstyles.
- Her decision to race in the flying horse-race that has always been done by princes and never by princesses is similar to Mulan when she joined the Imperial Army of China, where it is a crime for a woman to pretend to be a man, let alone even join the army due to the social structure of Ancient China favoring men over women.
- She is similar to Princess Sofia from Mattel's Barbie as the Island Princess. Both share the same name and are around the same age. Both have sea blue eyes and hair parted on the left side. Also, both are sweet and joyful and love animals. The only difference is that Sofia the First isn't born a royal, and isn't a blonde.
- Sofia is the first princess official and non-official to have a stepfather rather than the typical stepmother. Plus her stepparent isn't wicked. Neither are her stepsiblings, though Amber is briefly jealous, and struggles with materialism. Amber and Sofia frequently quarrel over this difference in values, though they resolve these arguments, very often with Sofia winning.
- She is similar to Eilonwy in the fact they both have magical objects. Eilonwy has her golden bobble and Sofia has the Amulet of Avalor.
- Sofia is one of the few protagonists who isn't aware of the antagonist.
- Also, Sofia is the first princess to have to deal with more than one main antagonist, though Ariel, Belle and Jasmine all got new foes in sequels and shows.
- Like Rapunzel, Sofia has short, side-parted hair and has purple as her chief color.
- Like the Beast, Sofia is cursed for her pride in a way that affects her voice, has wavy reddish hair, and captivating blue eyes, as well as being very sensitive and selfless, though also proud and perhaps moody. Both are also very protective of people and things they value.
- Sofia is the third princess with side-parted hair - the first was Ariel, and the second Rapunzel. This also applies to all three having tomboyish lips. Anna and Elsa are the fourth and fifth of those two categories.
- Like Cinderella, Sofia's animals stand in for her family when required to.
- Like Snow White, Sofia is innocent to the point of being naive, though this changes as she matures.
- Like Belle, Sofia is focused on the value of interior over exterior beauty, and is fairly clever. Both also wear unique colors in their villages as workers - Belle blue amongst red, Sofia purple amongst blue, which mark them as important people by both the other characters and the audience. Their surroundings are also similar, and both often feel out of place in their homes.
- Sofia is the third Disney heroine to be artistic - Jane was the first, and Rapunzel the second. This is shown in Sofia's drawing of herself and Miranda, as well as her painting of Minimus.
- Sofia is the fourth heroine to be a good seamstress - the first was Cinderella, the second was Esmeralda, and the third was Rapunzel.
- She is the fourth heroine to be transformed magically - Cinderella was the first, Ariel the second, and Tiana the third. So far she has been transformed into a lizard and a mermaid making her the only heroine to have taken at least two distinct forms besides her human form throughout her depiction.
- Sofia is somewhat similar to Harry Potter from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series in that both are titular characters who are taught magic, enjoy flying, and have responsibility over magic that makes them more unusual than they were before (Harry's scar, and Sofia's Amulet).
- Sofia has a remarkable similarity to Prince Phillip - both are clumsy, falling off of their horses, landing in water, chasing people around trees, climbing mountains, handling raven - toting villains with lairs, and evil fairies using plant power.
- Sofia is the sixth heroine to wear a corset, the previous five being Aurora, Ariel, Esmeralda, Rapunzel and Merida.
- Each Disney Princess she's met has taught her something important. Cinderella taught her about making amends with her sister, Jasmine demonstrated to her not to be afraid to take charge and try something new, Belle showed her that actions speak louder then words when apologizing for bragging. Ariel helped her see that by working together, anything can be accomplished. Aurora reminded her that you can ask others for help. Snow White taught her to trust her instincts. Mulan taught her to find her courage.
- Sofia is the eighth Disney heroine who can sew. Snow White was the first, Cinderella was the second, Wendy Darling was the third, Eilonwy was the fourth, Esmeralda was the fifth, Giselle was the sixth, and Rapunzel was the seventh.
- In every episode where Sofia's amulet is gone, but reappears a shot later, she doesn't panic. But when she is aware of it and when someone tries to take it, she panics. The amulet's chain allows it to slide back and forth, so the "vanishing" for brief times may really be it sliding to the back of her neck.
- Sofia's transformation into a mermaid is almost similar to Madison's from the 1984 film Splash. When her feet make contact with the water they turn into a mermaid tail.
- Like Frodo Baggins, Sofia's name means "wisdom," she hails from humble origins, and bears an enticing enchanted object of great power that has mythological origins. The One Ring is based off of the Ring of Gawain, Sofia's amulet has shared properties with the Brisingamen.
- She has similarities with Jessie, both have reddish hair, both their widowed parent (Mr. Prescott, Miranda) got married again, both have two step-siblings (Darla and Caleb for Jessie, Amber and James for Sofia), both their stepsisters are mean, snobby and selfish (Although Amber reformed while Darla is still mean). Both their names were in the lyrics in their show's theme songs. Prince Zandar's voice actor Karan Brar is also on Jessie as Ravi.
- Sofia is frequently compared to birds for some reason, possibly because of her often being between home and travel.
- In Sofia's stained-glass portrait, she interestingly is not wearing her Amulet, it being substituted by a cloak pin. She is also not drawn wearing the Amulet in Flora's picture of her.
Sources
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