Three images are side by side. On the left is a still of Isabella from the animated film Encanto. Under a pink light, a young woman sits on a floral swing high in the air as flower petals fall around her. Isabella has long dark hair and a flowing light purple dress. The middle still is of Anger from the animated film Inside Out. In Headquarters, the bright red emotion loses it as flames spout from his head and he screams out, slamming forward two control levers. In the live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaid, Ariel looks up in her grotto. She has long red hair and an iridescent purple top.

12 Disney Characters Who Would Thrive in Element City

By Jessica Benda

Element City is a sizzling, bubbling, breezy metropolis—and on Friday, June 16, we get to meet some of its residents! Disney and Pixar’s Elemental introduces Fire woman Ember and Water guy Wade, representing two often-clashing elements that they find might complement each other instead.

While we’ve yet to meet the whole crew—which also includes characters representing Earth and Air—we can’t help but wonder what other element-based Disney characters might move into Element City. From the lighthearted Air residents to the lush Earth people, these are the characters we think would thrive in Elemental.

In the animated film Luca, two young boys—Luca and Alberto—stand on rocks at the mouth of a seaside cave. The ocean and bright blue sky are behind them, and there is a small pool inside the cave that shows their reflections. They grin.

Luca—Water
Do they have Vespas in Element City? If so, Luca will surely be found there. In the Disney and Pixar film Luca, the titular character is a sea monster who turns into a human while on land. He explores Portorosso but keeps his identity a secret—which is difficult considering one splash of water reveals the scales underneath. He wouldn’t have to hide in Element City, which would welcome their new Water friend with open arms.

Mufasa (Ghost Edition)—Air
Appearing out of the clouds is about as close to Air citizenship as you can get. After Mufasa is tragically killed in The Lion King, he later appears in the sky to deliver some harsh truths to a now-grown Simba. The former king of the Pride Lands might be the new king of Element City.

In the animated film Hercules, the god Hades grips his two minions, Pain and Panic, by their necks. His usual head of blue fire has erupted into orange flames in his anger. He shouts, his sharp teeth prominent under his yellow narrowed eyes.

Hades—Fire
Not only does Hades have the hottest hair in town, but his tendency to burst into flames makes him an honorary Fire person. In Hercules, the flamboyant Lord of the Underworld has rage issues that can pose a fire hazard, but it would be no trouble in Fire Town.

Isabella—Earth
From hanging vines to a hurricane of jacarandas, Isabella’s gift bonds her deeply with the earth in Encanto. She was first confined to sprouting flowers, but as she freed herself from her family’s expectations, she dared to grow carnivorous plants and fantastical trees. She’s an Earth person through and through—and she’d be a fantastic city decorator!

In the animated short Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, snowman Olaf stands on a snowy doorstep. His clasps his branches together in front of him and smiles.

Olaf—Water
If a bout of cold weather came over Element City, you’d probably get Frozen’s lovable snowman Olaf, who at his core is really just chilled water. With his friendly attitude and upbeat smile, Olaf would make an outstanding Water citizen—though his hugs are surely warm enough for a Fire friend!

Vidia—Air
Our favorite fast-flying talent would be the speediest in Element City. The snarky yet sincere Vidia flies through the Tinker Bell series while whipping up tornadoes and spurring on the breeze. With wit as quick as her winds, she’d be an outstanding Air resident.

Anger—Fire
Anger’s rage causes his head to erupt in flames, and considering his name, that happens a lot. In the Disney and Pixar feature Inside Out, Anger is one of five emotions living in Riley’s head, and he’s dedicated solely to bouts of unchecked rage. Luckily, Fire Town is fireproof, so he’d be a perfect friend for Ember and the other Fire people.

A still of baby Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. He is a tiny, tree-like creature with small vines growing around his bark and big brown eyes. He clasps his hands together and looks onward nervously.

Groot—Earth
In the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Groot—and after Vol 1, the being lovingly known as Baby Groot—are unforgettable team members. Like many Earth people, the Groots are made of bark and branches, and we think the residents of Elemental City could learn a thing or two from Groot’s dance moves.

Ariel—Water
Anyone who breathes H2O is a perfect fit for the Water community. Ariel spent 16 years living under the sea, so her mermaid experience has well equipped her to travel through Element City. She may be a human now, but hey, humans are about 60 percent water anyway!

Gale—Air
As one of the five elemental spirits in the Enchanted Forest, Gale is a helping breeze to Anna and Elsa in Frozen 2, another Disney film that reimagines the four primal elements. This wind spirit is often seen only through rustling leaves and airborne dust, but Gale is certainly felt when a gust tosses you up in the air!

In Thor: Ragnarok, the fire demon Surtur takes up the whole screen. It’s a close-up of his fiery face and yellow glowing eyes. With his fists up, the green Hulk is airborne as he hurtles right toward Surtur’s face.

Surtur—Fire
As the opening and closing act of Thor: Ragnorok, Surtur is an unforgettable Fire person. Thor kills the fire demon in an epic opening sequence, but later resurrects him so he can defeat Hela, Thor’s sadistic sister. While Surtur succeeds at beating Hela, he also mercilessly destroys Asgard, one of the Nine Realms and Thor’s home. That said, maybe we shouldn’t invite Surtur to Element City.

The Flowers—Earth
Alice stumbles upon many fantastical beings in Wonderland, among them a garden of talking flowers. The matronly rose, haughty iris, and playful pansies of Alice in Wonderland could easily be found in Element City (though they clearly wouldn’t take kindly to non-Earth residents).