Introduced in Hercules, Megara is one of Disney’s most compelling female characters to date. Hercules is one of Disney’s best animated movies for several reasons. Although Hercules changed Greek mythology in several ways, the film’s deviation is fun and innovative. The movie features iconic stars, including Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, and Susan Egan—an excellent group who brought the beloved characters to life. John Musker and Ron Clements directed Hercules, two well-established Disney directors.

Hercules also includes several pop culture references to complete the riveting storyline. Hercules has a wide-eyed, optimistic protagonist, but everyone around the тιтular is cynical. One character that stands out is Hercules’ love interest, Megara, who he instantly falls for, but she requires some time before warming up to him. Megara is also an unofficial Disney princess, but she is so unlike any of Disney’s official princesses—or other female characters, for that matter. However, Meg’s differences make her compelling and elevate Hercules.

Meg Isn’t Like Any Other Disney Heroine Before Or Since

Meg Is One Of Disney’s Few Morally Gray Heroes

Megara is unlike any previous Disney heroines, but this factor is one of her biggest strengths. Meg’s backstory makes her a complex character – Hades owns her because she sold her soul to save her boyfriend, only for him to run off with someone else. As a result, Meg does a lot of Hades’ bidding, which suggests that she is not an ideal heroine. In fact, Hercules’ romantic perception of life makes him much more similar to a typical Disney heroine than Meg. Meg might have been romantic before Hades. However, once her boyfriend broke her heart, Meg became a pessimistic cynic.

Disney has improved with female characters’ backstories, but Meg’s stands out because of her connection to the villain. Meg’s heartbreak vastly shapes her moral ambiguity since she is unafraid of devious creatures and has no issue helping Hades hurt others. However, even at Meg’s worst, there are still cracks of light within her personality, such as when she secretly hopes Hercules will get out before the Hydra arrives to kill him. Meg is also sarcastic and witty—unusual characteristics for Disney heroines. Meg’s personality thaws as she falls in love with Hercules, but she retains her independence, sharp humor, and hints of cynicism.

Meg Is The Rare Disney Lead Who Feels Like An Actual Adult

Meg Stands Out From Typical Disney Characters

Meg also differs from other Disney heroines in more subtle ways. She is a grown adult who has seen the worst in humanity. She is confident and perceptive, unafraid to say what she thinks. Although Hercules is a Disney movie, Meg feels more mature than typical Disney characters. When Meg meets Hercules, she unabashedly flirts with him, using phrases such as “Did they give you a name with all those rippling pectorals?” Meg speaks in a sultry, sophisticated, and confident tone when talking to the bashful Hercules.

Meg is also experienced because she understands most men, telling Hercules that men “think ‘no’ means ‘yes’ and ‘get lost’ means ‘take me, I’m yours.‘” Hercules does not understand that. In Disney films, the heroes often teach heroines about the world, from Aladdin and Jasmine to Rapunzel and Flynn to Ariel and Eric. However, in Hercules, Meg is the one who has to explain certain things about life to the тιтular character, establishing a surprising role reversal that works well. It is a bold decision on Disney’s part, especially for a Disney 1990s movie, but it pays off.

Meg Was Based On Noir Icons And Screwball Comedies Instead Of Disney Archetypes

The Inspiration For Meg’s Character Is A Significant Reason Why She Is So Different

There is a significant reason why Meg is so different from other Disney heroines involving the inspiration behind her character. Disney usually takes heroines from classic fairy tales and creates happy endings for them, but Meg is different. Meg had to be a different character because Megara’s Greek myth is significantly more tragic (via World History Encyclopedia). Hercules kills Megara and their sons because Hera bestowed insanity on Hercules. The directors of Hercules, John Musker and Ron Clements, have spoken about drawing inspiration for Meg from Preston Sturges and Frank Capra’s screwball comedies of the 1940s.

Although screwball comedies were the general inspiration for Meg, The Lady Eve provided the most influence because of its protagonist, Barbara Stanwyck’s Jean Harrington. Jean Harrington is a con artist who unexpectedly falls in love with the man she tries to con—eerily similar to Hercules and Meg’s love story. John Musker and Ron Clements have said that Hercules is “a comedy about the battle between idealism and cynicism,” illustrating the contrast between Hercules and Meg (via The Irish Times). It is unusual for Disney to draw inspiration from such bold characters, but it worked well for Hercules.

Constructing Meg’s personality was such a different process that Alan Menken had to change Megara’s song. Meg’s voice actress and singer Susan Egan revealed to Jim Hill Media that Meg’s original musical number was a ballad called “I Can’t Believe My Heart.” However, Meg’s animator, Ken Duncan, told Alan Menken that Meg would sing this type of song. Alan Menken went back to the drawing board to write “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love),” a song that was inspired by his work for Little Shop of Horrors—a horror comedy musical Menken wrote with Howard Ashman.

Meg Is One Of The Disney Princesses That Aged The Best

Meg Continues To Resonate With Many Audiences

Despite Disney’s unusual inspiration process when crafting Meg’s character, she still stands the test of time. Many aspects of Disney’s films have not accomplished the same feat because of Disney animated movie scenes that have aged poorly and other elements that illustrate Disney’s dark history with various types of bigotry, including misogyny. However, Meg has become only more beloved in the almost 30 years since Hercules. Her iconic line, “I’m a damsel, I’m in distress, have a nice day,” is often pᴀssed around Disney fandom spaces, and many adults reminisce about Meg being a critical part of their childhoods.

Fans have attributed Meg as part of their “gay awakening” (via VICE), while others have spoken about how Meg’s realism and complexity make her one of Disney’s best characters (via Medium). As time pᴀsses, modern pop culture has embraced Meg’s cynicism and experiences. Disney should not be afraid to continue making bold decisions because they end up being their best. As production of the live-action adaptation of Hercules is in full swing, Disney should not have to reinvent Meg—she is already perfect the way she is.

Source: World History Encyclopedia, The Irish Times, Jim Hill Media, VICE, Medium