Zhan Tiri is the main antagonist of the Tangled franchise, serving as the unseen overarching antagonist of Tangled and Tangled: Before Ever After and the main antagonist of Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, serving as the overarching antagonist of Season 1: Mystery of the Black Rocks and Season 2: Journey to the Dark Kingdom and the main antagonist of Season 3: The Rise of Zhan Tiri.
She is a power-hungry shapeshifting demon sorceress who dreams to gain the full control over the Sundrop and Moonstone. Once an ally of the talented engineer Lord Demanitus, Zhan Tiri engaged in war with him, until an inventor was able to imprison her within an alternate dimension to prevent her from gaining the power of two elements. As the centuries passed, everyone came to believe that Zhan Tiri was a demonic and unstoppable warlock, while she herself patiently waited for any opportunity to break out from her prison and finally claim the powers of both Sundrop and Moonstone, believing this to be her rightful destiny. She is the arch-nemesis of Demanitus.
History[]
In a flashback during "Plus Est En Vous", it is revealed that Zhan Tiri was once human and a friend of Lord Demanitus. They were on a quest to find the Sundrop and Moonstone, two elements that were created and divided by a mysterious cosmic event. However, Zhan Tiri eventually became power-hungry and wanted the two elements all for herself. This caused Zhan Tiri to betray Lord Demanitus. She confronted Lord Demanitus, and Demanitus, knowing he couldn't stop her, decided to imprison Zhan Tiri in another realm. Demanitus succeeded, but Zhan Tiri vowed that Corona would be destroyed. In the realm, Zhan Tiri was able to gain access to shapeshifting abilities.
During another flashback told by Demanitus himself in "Lost And Found", it's revealed that Demanitus' pupils (Sugracha the Eternal, Tromus and Mother Gothel) betrayed Demanitus to serve Zhan Tiri and summon her once again. Zhan Tiri then unleashed an all-consuming blizzard on the kingdom that destroyed everything in her path and nearly wiped out Corona, taking the form of a warlock.
Zhan Tiri also took over the Great Tree during her attack on Corona and used it as a base to stop and kill anyone who approached her, but Lord Demanitus used his spear to stop her and rendered the evil magic in the Great Tree dormant.
Using magic and science, Lord Demanitus built a giant device called the Demanitus Device that was strong enough to change the storm back in the direction of Zhan Tiri to imprison her, saving Corona. Demanitus was also able to imprison Sugracha, but Tromus and Mother Gothel were able to escape. However, Zhan Tiri's defeat did not leave her abated; her magic storm remained in Corona as a curse that waited for Corona to be at its weakest and strike again.
Demanitus knew that Zhan Tiri would be after him for his scroll, so he used his magic to hide inside a monkey's body, waiting to come out at the right time. For over 1,000 years, Zhan Tiri remained in her prison, plotting to break free.
Over time, the legend of Zhan Tiri and Demanitus's conflict became distorted. Most people believed that Zhan Tiri was an unstoppable warlock and demon, and weren't aware of her shapeshifting abilities nor the fact that she was female.
Tangled[]
While Zhan Tiri does not physically appear in the movie, her actions play a big role in shaping the events of it. Due to Zhan Tiri's knowledge about the incantations, one of her pupils, Gothel, eventually discovers the Sundrop and uses it to keep herself young for almost 1,000 years.
Later on, Rapunzel ends up kidnapped by Mother Gothel and becomes the Sundrop, something which Zhan Tiri would later use to her advantage.
Tangled: The Series[]
Season 1: Mystery of the Black Rocks[]
In "Queen for a Day", after Rapunzel's parents' event of the anniversary of their marriage, things start to turn bad. Zhan Tiri's ancient curse resurfaces and creates a horrible snowstorm, and the princess has great difficulties keeping the people of Corona safe. When King Frederic and Queen Arianna go to a mountain with Maximus, a frozen spike falls near him, and the King and Queen fall with the coach. Meanwhile, Maximus returns to Corona to tell Rapunzel about the incident of her parents in the mountain.
The next day, Rapunzel tells her adviser Nigel that she must go to save her parents, but Nigel tells her that she can't leave the kingdom because she's the Queen and can't abandon her people in this time. After that, Eugene tells her that he, Lance Strongbow, and the Pub Thugs can go, but Rapunzel gets worried for them. The Captain of the Guards leaves her to decide what to do, and Rapunzel lets them go. Because of everything, she has to abandon Varian and not help him when his father gets trapped in amber because she has to do so to save her kingdom, leading to his fall to evil. Rapunzel sadly orders to the royal guards to evacuate the island.
Following this, Rapunzel, Pascal, and Cassandra go to Xavier's store to find the Demanitus Device and use the Device to divert the snowstorm away, just like Demanitus did a millennium ago to save the kingdom from the storm and foil Zhan Tiri's plans.
Zhan Tiri's makes her first semi-physical appearance in the episode "Painter's Block". When Sugracha the Eternal manages to escape her prison in the Demanitus Device after Rapunzel had used it to stop the storm, she forms a plan to free Zhan Tiri. She starts assembling five artists using her mind control spell, which also includes Rapunzel, and has each painter paint a perfect tree for a spell to open a portal to her realm. Zhan Tiri is seconds from being freed from her imprisonment, but Rapunzel, whom Sugracha had under her spell, breaks free from it due to Eugene managing to get to her, and destroyed the canvas, closing the portal. Then, Fidella kicks Sugracha into the portal with Zhan Tiri.
Season 2: Journey to the Dark Kingdom[]
In "Rapunzel and the Great Tree", Hector, having just lost to Adira, sees the spear in the heart of the tree, and despite knowing what will happen, he takes it out anyway. Because of him doing this, Hector ends up possessed by the dormant magic inside the Great Tree left by Zhan Tiri. Luckily, Rapunzel is able to defeat him, causing the Great Tree to collapse.
Zhan Tiri makes a brief appearance at the end of the episode "You're Kidding Me!". When Matthews (who is really Tromus, one of Zhan Tiri's minions), having just had his previous plan foiled, which was to turn the entire group into children, vows to keep Rapunzel inside his inn, the House of Yesterday's Tomorrow, forever. Tromus then closes the door, revealing a door handle shaped like Zhan Tiri. Then his eyes glow, making a sadistic expression.
In the episode "Rapunzeltopia", Tromus, under Zhan Tiri's orders, tries to keep Rapunzel inside The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow so that Zhan Tiri can have the Sundrop's (aka Rapunzel's) power so Zhan Tiri can escape from her prison. To do this, Tromus traps Rapunzel in a dream world, a perfect world where everything goes right and nothing goes wrong, but it's all a trap. If Rapunzel accepts the Dream World, the power of the Sundrop will be transferred to Zhan Tiri, who is represented by a statue, but her subconscious acts up. Because of this, she figures out that if she touches the Black Rocks, she will be able to escape. Tromus nearly succeeds, but Rapunzel snaps out of it in the last second after she realizes that it is fake. Luckily, due to figuring out that she has control over the dream world, she is able to escape the dream world, causing Tromus and the House of Yesterday's Tomorrow to vanish into oblivion, foiling Zhan Tiri once again.
Season 3: The Rise of Zhan Tiri[]
Manipulating Cassandra[]
Zhan Tiri is first seen in a flashback disguised as the Enchanted Girl during the episode "Rapunzel's Return". When Cassandra walks into the door of The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow, she is greeted by the Enchanted Girl. She tells Cassandra that she wants to help her regain her lost memories while lying to her that she is her friend. This causes Cassandra to learn about herself being Mother Gothel's daughter, and that she abandoned her for Rapunzel. Cassandra's pain causes her to cry when the Enchanted Girl lies that she is sorry about what happened to her, telling her that she will always be outshined by Rapunzel unless she does something. This causes Cassandra to betray Rapunzel and take the Moonstone for herself.
In the episode "Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?", the Enchanted Girl comes to Cassandra as she tries to master her powers, telling her to use her emotions of hate and anger, which she claims the Moonstone responds to.
When Cassandra starts to feel guilty about her betrayal towards Rapunzel in the episode "Beginnings", the Enchanted Girl tells Cassandra that some of the opal's power which should be hers are within Rapunzel's regrown hair due to her touching the Black Rock, causing Cassandra to get even angrier.
During the episode "Be Very Afraid", the Enchanted Girl tells Cassandra that she is destined to clam both the Moonstone and the Sundrop once she destroys Rapunzel to gain the ultimate power. Hearing this causes Cassandra to create red versions of the Black Rocks. The Enchanted Girl explains to Cassandra that the Moonstone reacts to emotions including fear and rage. After Rapunzel and Varian get rid of the red rocks in Corona, as that was where they were sent, the Enchanted Girl uses said fact to continue to manipulate Cassandra, telling her that she will always be outshined by Rapunzel and that the only way to stop it is to destroy her.
In the episode "Islands Apart", the Enchanted Girl is seen with Cassandra at the ruins of the Great Tree looking for the Incantations, but Cassandra says they were destroyed. Upset, the Enchanted Girl makes a passing remark that the only other place to get them is Demanitus' scroll which was destroyed, not knowing that the scroll was reassembled. Going by the Enchanted Girl's words, Cassandra says that they are going to Corona.
Escaping Her Prison[]
In "Cassandra's Revenge", the Enchanted Girl accompanies Cassandra to Corona, warns her against giving in to Rapunzel during their confrontation in the Demanitus Chamber, and tries to convince her that Rapunzel is attempting to trick her. After Cassandra abducts Varian, the Enchanted Girl tells her that she must be prepared for Rapunzel, and unintentionally gives her the idea to create her own castle made of Black Rocks.
After Cassandra imprisons Varian in a cage made of Black Rocks and Rapunzel and her gang attempt to enter Cassandra's castle to rescue him, the Enchanted Girl sadistically tells Cassandra to let Rapunzel in and break her spirit by killing her loved ones, to which Cassandra reluctantly agrees. However, unknown to Cassandra, the Enchanted Girl has other plans as well. She makes Varian fall asleep and invades his dreams, her spiritual form literally splitting in half just before she twists her head, likely to purposely terrify him. There, she advises him to "use the Sun to see the Sun" so he can master the fourth incantation and unknowingly further her evil plans, right before waking him up.
During the battle between Rapunzel and Cassandra, the Enchanted Girl continues to tell Cassandra to destroy Rapunzel and break her spirit, all while giving off deranged smiles. As Rapunzel uses the fourth incantation against Cassandra's attacks, the Enchanted Girl displays a black silhouette resembling Zhan Tiri, indicating she is her. Soon afterwards, a purple vortex opens up, and the Enchanted Girl lets out a burst of maniacal laughter as she levitates and flies into it.
Following Cassandra's defeat and the Moonstone being cracked, the exhausted Cassandra gets up just in time to see the Enchanted Girl exiting the purple vortex yet again. The Enchanted Girl gains a physical form, incorporating the colors black, gray, and purple. She deviously reveals how she manipulated the events leading to the clash between Sun and Moon that released her from her prison. She then smiles maliciously, saying that it's good to be back.
Plotting to Destroy Corona[]
In the next episode, "Race to the Spire", she is seen with Cassandra after the latter gets the box to the mind-trap to control the entire Brotherhood of the Dark Kingdom, but lost the key after Calliope sends it to Rapunzel. Cassandra tries to get the box open with the rocks, but it doesn't work, so Zhan Tiri suggests that they use a different method to get the key.
Zhan Tiri's plan is to disguise herself as Calliope, so she does just that and knocks down Rapunzel's hot air balloon with her boomerang, and comes to them while pretending to have escaped, but that Cassandra is still at the Spire and they need to get back to it. Some Ice Vodniks attack them as they were able to escape, but Rapunzel goes back to help them when they're in danger. This makes Zhan Tiri realize that Rapunzel's greatest weakness is her compassion.
After they arrive, Zhan Tiri tries to get the key from Rapunzel by telling her that she wants to see if the mind-trap is still there, but she refuses. Cassandra then shows up and tells Rapunzel to give her the key, Rapunzel tells her that she has hidden it, but "Calliope" tells Cassandra, and reveals herself to be someone else. Zhan Tiri then uses Rapunzel's compassion to threaten to kill the real Calliope if she doesn't give her the key, which Rapunzel has trouble deciding. However, before she can make a decision, Zhan Tiri uses her boomerang to snatch the key, and gives it to Cassandra.
They all of them get into a battle to hold onto the mind-trap, which ends with Rapunzel and Eugene getting it, but Zhan Tiri threatens to use a oil lamp to trap Calliope in limbo for 10,000 years if she doesn't give Cassandra the mind-trap. To save Calliope, Rapunzel gives Cassandra the mind-trap, who then uses the Moonstone to escape.
Zhan Tiri is last seen near the end of the episode showing up to give Rapunzel a proper introduction, saying that Rapunzel already knows her and that she has taken on the appearance of many things: a warlock, a demon, and a blizzard. This makes Rapunzel realize she is Zhan Tiri, and she wonders why Cassandra obeys her because she knows how evil Zhan Tiri is. However, Zhan Tiri reveals that she only tells Cassandra what she wants her to know and that she is playing her, and tells Rapunzel that an eclipse is coming and Corona will be wiped out, right before an artifact to vanish.
Zhan Tiri first appears in the episode "A Tale of Two Sisters" in the room that used to hold the Demanitus Device. She brags that Demanitus has lost, that she has won, and that when the Eclipse comes, she will draw the Sundrop and Moonstone's power to herself. To make sure that Cassandra and Rapunzel's bond doesn't interfere, she has a plan set into motion.
Zhan Tiri's plan is to make Cassandra's former cabin seem haunted with Gothel's spirit to lure both Rapunzel and Cassandra out. They discover Gothel's secret room, full of magic mirrors that store moments. Zhan Tiri then plants a mirror in Rapunzel's bag and tears out a piece of it. When Cassandra sees it, she thinks that Gothel truly loved her as Gothel showed some kindness to her. The plan works, and the bond between Rapunzel and Cassandra is torn even further apart.
Zhan Tiri is last seen at the end of the episode in Cassandra's stronghold, hiding the piece of the mirror she tore off. Cassandra then comes in and tells Zhan Tiri that she was right and that Rapunzel doesn't care about her. Zhan Tiri pretends to feel sorry for her before knocking the piece off the tower, which reveals that Mother Gothel was only nice to Cassandra to get the latter away from her.
Next, Zhan Tiri appears in the episode "Once a Handmaiden" when Cassandra confronts her after she finds the missing piece of the mirror and realizes that Zhan Tiri tricked her. Zhan Tiri acts calm and says that all she did was push Cassandra down the path she was always meant to go on, but Cassandra gets angry and wonders who she is. She touches Zhan Tiri and is shown an image that makes her finally realize that the Enchanted Girl is Zhan Tiri. Cassandra is horrified, but Zhan Tiri tells Cassandra that they are not so different, they were both cheated out of their destiny, and they both want the same thing. However, Cassandra doesn't believe they are similar and runs away, but while Cassandra runs away, Zhan Tiri taunts Cassandra to run but that she can't run from who she is.
During the festival at Corona, Zhan Tiri tries to trick Cassandra, who sneaks into the kingdom to make things right with the Princess. She starts by taunting Cassandra and commenting on how she's scared that Rapunzel won't forgive her and that she is right to be scared. She manipulates Cassandra by telling her that Rapunzel has authorized Project Obsidian which was designed to destroy her, leaving out the fact she only authorized it as a means to protect the kingdom, and only as a last resort. Zhan Tiri then offers Cassandra a potion to protect her while lying that Rapunzel will inevitably turn on her.
During the festival, Zhan Tiri puts her plan into motion, first by taking the shapeshifting cloak off of Cassandra so everyone would see her. Then, when Rapunzel tries to convince Cassandra to step down, she activities Varian's launcher, making Cassandra believe that Rapunzel would try to destroy her, and now sees her as a threat. The plan works perfectly, and Cassandra is successfully able to take over Corona, with the manipulation keeping Cassandra on Zhan Tiri's side.
In "Plus Est En Vous", Varian learns that Lord Demanitus has a machine that trapped Zhan Tiri in another world, so Rapunzel, Eugene, Pascal, Maximus, Varian, Lance, Kiera and Catalina venture to Demanitus' tomb to get the plans. They realize they have to build the machine close to Zhan Tiri, and the Coronans proceed to storm the castle.
Later on in the episode, Zhan Tiri is seen alone in Varian's lab, taunting Demanitus. She comments on how things could have gone differently, but because of him, she will lay waste to his beloved Corona and everyone inside while laughing maniacally.
In the castle, Rapunzel and Zhan Tiri encounter each other, with Zhan Tiri taunting Rapunzel and then running away. Meanwhile, while Zhan Tiri and Cassandra are talking, the former encourages Cassandra to destroy Rapunzel, but Cassandra not trusting her anymore, imprisons her in some rocks before leaving. However, Zhan Tiri, having suspected that this could happen, uses some of Varian's chemicals to burn through the floor so she can escape.
Rapunzel faces off with Cassandra, but with the impending eclipse, Rapunzel's powers begin to wane, but she stands guard, and the sunshine symbol on her dress transforms into the Sundrop. Meanwhile, the Coronans successfully build the machine, but Hamuel accidentally activates it, sucking everyone in except for Eugene and Edmund.
Cassandra grabs the Sundrop from Rapunzel with the eclipse in full effect, but Zhan Tiri appears and snatches it from her. She then grabs the Moonstone from Cassandra, depowering her and transforming into the form of a giant demon, her true form. She taunts the both of them before locking them in a prison of golden rocks, and arrogantly deems them unable to stop her.
Zhan Tiri then proceeds to start her destruction of Corona. Everyone tries to stop her, but it seems hopeless as she effortlessly overpowers them and plays with them. Then, when she is tired of messing with the Coronans, she uses the Decay Incantation to destroy Corona and murder everyone in it, slowly and painfully.
Rapunzel then makes amends with Cass, and they collaborate to stop the evil beast. Just as Zhan Tiri prepares to strike Rapunzel, Cass stuns the demon in the head with a frying pan. They try to merge the unconscious spirit's hands together, but she recovers and breaks free. Rapunzel then lasses Zhan Tiri with her hair before taking a shard and slashing her hair with it, meshing Zhan Tiri's wrists with the Sunstone and Moonstone. This leaves the wicked demon to scream in horror as she obliterates into nothingness, ending her threat once and for all.
Relationships[]
Scar[]
She is Scar's most loyal follower.
Medusa[]
Trivia[]
- She will face Mac once again in Mac Grimborn's Adventures of Tangled: The Series.
- She will join the Fifth Brother's Army.
- She will face Lloyd Garmadon and the Ninja in Lloyd and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure.
- Zhan Tiri is revealed to be Mac Grimborn's old enemy. Upon learning about him, she sought to use his love for Cassandra against him as part of her revenge for helping Demanitus imprison her in the Lost Realm by allying with the Crystal Council, seeing as they have a common enemy. She then became shocked to find out that Mac once recited the four incantations during his time as a Sith Lord.
- She eventually becomes the main antagonist of Mac Grimborn Meets the Bad Batch, where she plots her plan of vengeance by betraying and murdering Dr. Hemlock and thus, deceiving the Empire into believing Mac was responsible for the Imperial scientist's death.
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