The following contains spoilers for Snow White, now playing in theatersSnow White gives some new powers to the seven dwarfs. For the most part, Snow White is a faithful adaptation of the broad strokes of 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This extends to the seven dwarfs, a group of silly but noble protectors of Snow White. Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey became foundational members of the Disney animated canon. Over the course of production, however, Snow White has generated backlash to several expected elements of the story. This includes the seven dwarfs, who some have come to see as offensive to people who have dwarfism.
This is likely the biggest reason that the dwarfs of Snow White have new elements and attributes in the film, which could help to further distinguish them from the rest of the overtly human characters. This includes a new power that actually has potential as a thematic device to further connect the dwarfs to the plot and make them more important to Snow White‘s plot and ending, even if the film never realizes that connection to its true potential. Here’s the dwarfs new power in Snow White and how it could have made them more crucial characters to the film.
The Seven Dwarfs Have Magical Powers In Snow White’s Live-Action Remake
The Dwarfs Have A New Means Of Finding Gems And Emeralds
The seven dwarfs all have a new magical power in 2025’s version of Snow White, even though it doesn’t really become all that important to the film’s story. Much as in Disney’s classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the characters are introduced mining for jewels while singing “Heigh-Ho.” The new version of the song has been lengthened somewhat and now includes new comedy beats, bigger visuals, and more moments that showcase the personality of each of the dwarfs in turn. The sequence also introduces a new power of the dwarfs, which makes their work in the mines significantly easier.
Through some unseen ability of unknown origin, the dwarfs are able to generate a light within their hands that can be then sent through earth and stone. When the dwarfs do this, the light spreads into the ground and illuminates the diamonds and precious stones that are hidden beneath the dirt and rock. This gives them an easy target to mine for. It’s an interesting development for the characters, overtly giving them a power that they lacked in previous iterations of the Snow White story (even if it doesn’t notably change their role in the overarching narrative of Snow White).
The Dwarfs’ Magic Powers Is A New Addition To The Snow White Lore
The Dwarfs Are More Magical In Snow White Than They Were Before
This new power for the dwarfs wasn’t one of their abilities in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which depicted them as largely grounded figures in comparison to the magical machinations of the Evil Queen. This new magical ability isn’t the only innately magical thing about the dwarfs. Doc reveals they have lived for centuries and have worked together for much of that time, implying the dwarfs also age at a far slower rate than humans. This is a new addition to the lore of the dwarfs, as they did not possess these attributes in previous iterations of the story.
Snow White has faced many controversies during production and up to release, including their depiction of dwarfs, the casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White, and the personal politics of the stars.
These attributes could be part of Disney’s attempt to respond to criticism about Snow White featuring the dwarfs. In 2022, actor Peter Dinklage explained his frustrations with Snow White likely portraying the dwarfs as cartoonish characters. As reported by Screen Rant at the time, Disney released a statement in response saying that they were “taking a different approach with these seven characters.” The decision to make it clear that the seven dwarfs are a magical species might have been the result of this — especially in contrast to George Appleby, a British actor with dwarfism who plays Quigg in Snow White.
Snow White Doesn’t Full Explore The Seven Dwarfs’ Magic Powers
Snow White Brings Up The Power Of The Dwarfs Once And Then Never Uses It
Despite being established as a new power of the seven dwarfs in Snow White, their ability to locate emeralds and gems in bedrock never comes up again after “Heigh-Ho.” This is largely understandable on one level, as there are very few scenes in the film where that power set could actually be used. The dwarfs only return to the mines once more in the film, and even then only for a brief time. On the other hand, this makes the prominent beat during “Heigh-Ho,” where they reveal this ability, unnecessary. Even their advanced age comes up more in the story.
[These powers] are is never overtly addressed in the film though, making it a big missed opportunity to infuse this beat into the central narrative of [Snow White].
Both beats make it clear the dwarfs aren’t meant to be human, and do little else. If anything, the new power could be seen as playing into the faults of the Evil Queen, who seeks the diamonds that the dwarfs can easily find. If she was the kind of fair leader that Snow White is, she could potentially work with the dwarfs and gain access to their riches, instead of lording over her wealth. This is never overtly addressed in the film though, making it a big missed opportunity to infuse this beat into the central narrative of the film.
How Snow White Could Have Better Incorporated The Dwarfs’ Powers
The Dwarfs Being Magic Could Have Actually Given Them A Full Storyline
That’s a shame, as the dwarfs having these unique abilities could have actually fit into the thematic throughline of Snow White. The Evil Queen’s constant search for jewels could have made her envious of the dwarfs’ natural ability, giving her reason to go hunting for them. The lack of gems that the dwarfs used to give the Good King could explain why the kingdom is struggling so poorly under the Evil Queen’s rule. This would have also made her failures as a fair ruler more clear, especially in light of Snow White quickly befriending the dwarfs and earning their loyalty.
This could have justified their distrust of humanity, making Grumpy’s frustrations with humans feel more rooted in personal experience instead of hundred year old grudges. If Snow White was going to give the dwarfs a new magical ability as part of their means of making it clear the characters aren’t human, then they should have a found a way to make it relevant. There was potential right there that would have fleshed out the world and given the dwarfs more of a role in the plot, but Snow White instead used their ability once and then promptly forgot about it.
Source: Screen Rant
