Frozen 2: Why The Nokk Tries To Drown Elsa

Frozen 2 sees a water spirit named the Nokk try and ultimately fail to drown Elsa, despite them working together to bring balance to the elements by the end of the sequel. Though it becomes Elsa’s firm ally, the stallion-shaped Nokk’s introduction is as violent as it is visually stunning. Elsa is pushed down into the water and dragged around under it before finally taming the spirit and gaining an important accomplice. Described by Disney as “a mythical water spirit that takes the form of a horse” that “uses the power of the ocean to guard the secrets of the forest,” the Nokk in Frozen 2 is inspired by similar creatures in Scandinavian mythology, but its behavior can be explained by events, or rather memories, in the movie.

The Nokk introduces itself to Arendelle long before the attempt on Elsa’s life, however. When awoken, along with the three other spirits, at the beginning of the movie, it’s the Nokk that causes the fountains and the waterfall of Arendelle to run dry. This act alone plays a massive part in Elsa’s decision to journey to the enchanted forest and eventually meet the steed at the dark sea. So why did the Nokk have such animosity toward Arendelle and later toward Elsa? Did she do anything wrong?

Elsa may not have, but her grandfather, the great King Runeardn (Jeremy Sisto), did. Along with the other spirits, the Nokk held the Northuldra in high regard, and in pre-Runeard times, lived harmoniously by their side, granting passage across the waters in exchange for reverence. When Runeard built the dam, murdered the Northuldra leader, and instigated the conflict, the spirits were enraged. They turned against the people they had once held such a close bond with, and the enchanted forest was truly damned. Unless the king’s actions were amended, the elemental spirits, including the furious Nokk, would hold a grudge against humanity. And that meant Arendelle, Northundra, and Elsa, too. They are creatures of instinct and are not all-knowing: rather, Elsa had to prove herself to each of them to gain their trust.

So if the Nokk was furious with Elsa and really was trying to stop her by any means possible, why did it fail? Elsa’s mother, Queen Iduna (Evan Rachel Wood) was Northuldra, and her father was a prince of Agnarr; she and her sister Anna were a bridge, a connection, between the two. The spirits saw this and gave her the gift of magic. As the fifth elemental spirit, the one that would reconnect humanity to the magic of nature, she could connect with, tame, and harness the Nokk. The spirit’s backstory appears to be based on the Scandinavian folklore tale of dangerous shapeshifting water-spirits that would lure travelers to the waterside, as the Nokk had been planned to shape-shift in Frozen 2 before the plan was changed.

While that parallel doesn’t reflect the reason the Nokk attempts to drown Elsa – which is far more rooted in narrative – it is still a key reference point. In fact, Frozen‘s lore could be seen to explain the real-world mythology. As with Bruni, the fire spirit, and Gale, the wind spirit, Elsa’s power, and pure heart won the Nokk over. She proved herself in what could have been a traumatic test of worthiness. The ending of Frozen 2 sees Elsa bridge generations through time, unite the Enchanted Forest and Arendelle, and, most importantly, reconnect humanity, nature, and magic.