Tangled: Flynn Rider & Rapunzel’s age gap caused Controversial, Here why

By Ben Sherlock & Amanda Bruce

• Flynn Rider is 26 years old in Tangled, while Rapunzel is 17 turning 18, creating an age gap that raised some eyebrows.
• Flynn subverts the typical Disney prince archetype, with some finding him too cocky and obnoxious to be likable.
• While Flynn starts off as a thief with a price on his head, his journey with Rapunzel leads him to mature and leave his life of crime behind.

While Rapunzel’s age is a major plot point in Tangled, the hit Disney movie never states how old her love interest Flynn Rider is. The character of Flynn Rider subverts the expectations of a Disney prince, and the reveal of his age causes some eyebrows to be raised. The age gap between Flynn and Rapunzel has become a talking point.

In traditional Rapunzel stories, the damsel in distress is saved from the tower by Prince Charming, but Flynn is the polar opposite. He’s not a noble hero; he’s more of an antihero with a price on his head, more like Han Solo or Indiana Jones according to his creators. Critics were divided as a result, with some finding him to be too cocky and obnoxious to be likable. Rapunzel blackmails Flynn into taking her to see the floating lanterns in time for her 18th birthday. While Rapunzel turning 18 is key to the plot of Tangled, Flynn’s age is never mentioned.

Flynn Rider Is 26 Years Old In Tangled

Although Flynn Rider never mentions how old he is on-screen, the animators behind Tangled have confirmed that Flynn is 26 years old in the movie. (via Showbiz Cheat Sheet) When he meets the likable Disney princess Rapunzel in her tower, she’s 17 years old with her 18th birthday right around the corner. At first, Flynn only joins forces with her to get her to the floating lanterns before her 18th birthday so she won’t turn him in for his crimes. However, during their adventure, Flynn falls in love with Rapunzel and vice versa.

Like most individuals in their 20s, Flynn has a lot of maturing to do when he first appears in Tangled. His lifestyle isn’t sustainable – he’s a thief on the run from the law, constantly on the brink of getting caught – so he needs to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. Ironically, it takes going on a journey with Rapunzel, who’s eight years younger than him, to finally mature and leave his life of crime behind. At the end of Tangled, after returning Rapunzel to her royal parents, Flynn is pardoned for all his crimes.

BUT, Flynn Doesn’t Propose To Rapunzel Until She’s Ready

The 2012 short film Tangled Ever After featured Rapunzel and Flynn Rider’s wedding, but this was a while after they first fell in love. The main reason why so many years pass is that in Tangled: Before Ever After, Rapunzel had told Flynn that she wasn’t ready to get married just yet. Given that she had spent 18 years locked in a tower and Rapunzel was still trying to get to know her parents and readjust to her newfound responsibilities as the princess of Corona, it wasn’t surprising that she didn’t want to rush into anything (and it was great to see Flynn listen and support her decision).

The Tangled shorts and series are available to stream on Disney+.

Eventually, the couple does get engaged – as seen in 2017 TV series Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, which is set between Tangled and Tangled Ever After. In this series, the plot revolves around Flynn trying to pick the perfect moment to propose to Rapunzel. After much consideration, Flynn soon decides that the proposal should take place at the same spot where Flynn first fell in love with Rapunzel in Tangled – in the middle of the Corona lake.

Sources: Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Screenrant