Descendants 2 (2017)

Descendants is a media franchise created by Disney that focuses on the sons and daughters of classic Disney heroes and villains. The series first focuses on four villain kids--Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie--but later expands to include other characters as well. This series has a long-lasting legacy for Disney fans everywhere. This article will discuss the first three films in the series.

The first movie in the Descendants series centers around Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie. These children go to Auradon Preparatory School, located in the city of Auradon, where they meet the children of numerous Disney heroes. As they attempt to fit in with the other students, they start to wonder whether to follow their parents' orders and stay evil or follow their hearts and become good. Mal and Ben fall in love with each other; Ben's encouragement on following one's desires convinces Mal to change for the better.

The sequel to the first movie introduces new children to the Descendants series. Mal struggles with her new celebrity lifestyle, as she longs for the freedom she previously had on the Isle of the Lost. When Mal returns to the Isle of the Lost, she encounters Uma, the daughter of Ursula, the antagonist who took over Mal's spot as a self-proclaimed queen.

The legacy of this movie starts off the film series with a bang of magic, plot twists, and battles.

Disney's Descendants (2015) is the first movie in the film series. This movie brings diversity to young audiences in the present-day kingdom while preserving elements of magic, romance, and following one's dreams. The film features four offsprings--Mal, Carlos, Jay, and Evie--of respective villains Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Jafar, and The Evil Queen; who travel to the kingdom of Auradon to go to preparatory school. As they start to fit in with the other students, they discover that their identities are different from those of their parents. Despite their original goal of stealing the Fairy Godmother's magic wand to break the barrier of the Isle of the Lost, the kids decide to follow their dreams.

This article will discuss representation and diversity in the present-day kingdom and the movie's legacy.

Mal, the main character of Disney's Descendants, has inherited her magic from the wicked fairy Maleficent. She struggles with obeying her mother's orders to steal the wand using her powers and following her desire to marry Ben, the son of Belle and The Beast. She discovers that Ben has romantic feelings for her, even without the love potion. As love is something that comes from within you, Mal realizes that she can use her magic to defy her mother's wishes of staying evil and change for the better.