Several Disney heroines and "unofficial" princesses are famously depicted without shoes for significant portions of their stories, often symbolizing their connection to nature or their humble beginnings. Ariel is the most obvious example; as a mermaid for most of the film, she is barefoot by default, though she eventually gains shoes in her human form. Rapunzel from Tangled is perhaps the most dedicated barefoot princess, spending the entire film and the subsequent television series without footwear to represent her freedom after years of confinement. Moana is also consistently barefoot, reflecting her island upbringing and her role as a wayfinder on the sea. Other characters frequently seen without shoes include Pocahontas, who navigates the Virginia wilderness barefoot, and Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Even Princess Aurora is shown barefoot during the iconic "Once Upon a Dream" sequence in the woods as Briar Rose. These design choices are often intentional to contrast the "royal" expectations of footwear with the characters' more adventurous, grounded, or "rebellious" personalities.