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Megara, commonly known simply as Meg, is a fictional character who appears in the
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...
animated film ''Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'' (1997). Voiced by actress Susan Egan
Susan Farrell Egan (born February 18, 1970) is an American actress, singer and dancer, known for her work on the Broadway stage. She is best known for originating the role of Belle in the Broadway musical adaptation of '' Beauty and the Beast'' ...
, Meg is introduced as a cynical young woman enslaved by Hades
Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
, god of the underworld. Hades forces Meg to uncover Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
' weaknesses by seducing him in return for her freedom, only to develop genuine feelings for the hero instead. Loosely based on Megara
Megara (; , ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
and Deianira
Deianira, Deïanira, or Deianeira ( ; , or , ), also known as Dejanira, is a Calydonian princess in Greek mythology whose name translates as "man-destroyer" or "destroyer of her husband". She was the wife of Heracles and, in late Classical acc ...
, Heracles
Heracles ( ; ), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a Divinity, divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of ZeusApollodorus1.9.16/ref> and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive descent through ...
' first and third wives in Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
, directors Ron Clements
Ronald Francis Clements (born April 25, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director John Musker and is best known for writing and directing the Disney animated films ...
and John Musker
John Edward Musker (born November 8, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director Ron Clements and is best known for writing and directing the Disney animated films ''Th ...
adapted Meg into a morally conflicted con artist
A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibi ...
, while basing her role and personality on 1940s screwball comediennes, particularly actress Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career, she was known for her strong, realistic screen p ...
's performance in ''The Lady Eve
''The Lady Eve'' is a 1941 American screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda.Belle in the stage adaptation of Disney's ''
Beauty and the Beast
"Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales'').
Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...
'' (1994) when she learned of auditions for ''Hercules''. Despite campaigning heavily for the role of Meg, Disney initially prevented Egan from auditioning because the studio felt Meg and Belle's personalities differed too greatly. To prepare for both her audition and the role, Egan drew inspiration from several classic Hollywood actresses, including Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 190? was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion-picture cont ...
, Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
, and Lauren Bacall
Betty Joan Perske (September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014), professionally known as Lauren Bacall ( ), was an American actress. She was named the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the America ...
, in addition to Stanwyck. After opting not to draw the character realistically, supervising animator Ken Duncan decided to input elements of Greek pottery into Meg's hair, body, and clothing, while borrowing some of Egan's own mannerisms.
Reception towards Meg has been positive, with critics welcoming her independence, wit, and moral ambiguity
In philosophy, an ethical dilemma, also called an ethical paradox or moral dilemma, is a situation in which two or more conflicting moral imperatives, none of which overrides the other, confront an agency (philosophy), agent. A closely related defi ...
as departures from previous Disney heroines, as well as praising Egan's performance. The character is considered to be underappreciated by retrospective critics, with several media publications ranking her among Disney's most underrated heroines. Meg has made subsequent appearances in the film's sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
, television spin-off
Spin-off, Spin Off, Spin-Off, or Spinoff may refer to: Entertainment and media
*Spinoff (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*''The Spinoff'', a New Zealand current affairs magazine
* ''Spin Off'' (Canadian game show), a 2013 Canad ...
, and video game adaptations, as well as a live-action iteration in ''Once Upon a Time
"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...
'', portrayed by actress Kacey Rohl
Kacey Rohl (born August 6, 1991) is a Canadian actress. She is known for playing Sterling Fitch in the television crime drama ''The Killing (U.S. TV series), The Killing'', Prudence in the 2011 dark fantasy film ''Red Riding Hood (2011 film), Red ...
.
Role
Meg first appears in ''Hercules'' (1997) as a young woman working for Hades, god of the underworld. She meets Hercules when he frees her from Nessus, a centaur Meg had been sent by Hades to recruit for his army. Resisting Hercules' help, Meg distrusts men, having once sold her soul to Hades in return for an ex-boyfriend's life only for him to pursue another woman, leaving Meg indebted to Hades for eternity. Hades enlists Meg to entice the seemingly infallible Hercules in hopes of distracting and ultimately defeating him, offering her freedom for uncovering his weaknesses. Upon convincing Hercules to take a day off, they share a romantic evening during which Meg realizes she has unwittingly begun to fall in love with him, although she denies feeling this way. Meg refuses to assist Hades any further, prompting him to kidnap her to lure Hercules upon discovering that Meg is Hercules' weakness. Hades tricks Hercules into giving up his strength in return for Meg's guaranteed safety, only to reveal that Meg was initially working for him. With Hercules incapacitated, Hades attacksMount Olympus
Mount Olympus (, , ) is an extensive massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, between the regional units of Larissa (regional unit), Larissa and Pieria (regional ...
and Thebes, but Hercules remains determined to defend both regions. During the battle, Meg pushes Hercules out of the way of a falling column, by which she is fatally injured. Meg's injury restores Hercules' strength and deems his agreement with Hades null and void, which he uses to confront Hades and retrieve Meg's soul from the River Styx
In Greek mythology, Styx (; ; lit. "Shuddering"), also called the River Styx, is a goddess and one of the rivers of the Greek Underworld. Her parents were the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, and she was the wife of the Titan Pallas and the mothe ...
before it reaches the underworld, ultimately reviving her. Hercules' sacrifice for Meg proves himself a true hero, becoming a god in the process and finally allowing him to return to Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus (, , ) is an extensive massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, between the regional units of Larissa (regional unit), Larissa and Pieria (regional ...
. However, Hercules chooses to relinquish his immortality so that he can remain on Earth with Meg.
Meg appears as Hercules' wife in the film's direct-to-video sequel '' Hercules: Zero to Hero'' (1999), in which she learns about Hercules' past and childhood.
Development
Creation and writing
Meg's role in ''Hercules'' is one of several creative liberties Disney took when adapting theGreek myth
Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories concern the ancien ...
into an animated film. In Greek mythology, Megara
Megara (; , ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
is Hercules' first wife, with whom the character has several children. The eldest daughter of King Creon, Megara is gifted to Hercules after he defeats the Minyans
In Greek mythology, the Minyans or Minyae ( Greek: Μινύες, ''Minyes'') were a group of legendary people who were the inhabitants of the city Orchomenus in Boeotia, and who were also associated with Thessaly. They were named after their ...
at Orchomenos. Megara and their children are eventually killed by Hercules himself, having been driven to insanity by Hera
In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; ; in Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is queen of the twelve Olympians and Mount Oly ...
, the wife of his unfaithful father Zeus
Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus is the child ...
. These elements were entirely omitted from the animated film while retaining a female character named "Meg", instead adapting her into a con artist
A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibi ...
with a troubled past, whose relationship with Hercules ultimately redeems her.
The writers adapted the way in which Hercules meets his second wife, Deianira
Deianira, Deïanira, or Deianeira ( ; , or , ), also known as Dejanira, is a Calydonian princess in Greek mythology whose name translates as "man-destroyer" or "destroyer of her husband". She was the wife of Heracles and, in late Classical acc ...
, into the way he meets Meg. ''Herakles'' author Emma Stafford
Emma Stafford is Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Leeds. Her work focuses on Heracles/Hercules and his reception.
Education and early career
Stafford read classics at New Hall, University of Cambridge (1987–90) and began her ...
determined that Disney had assimilated the character with Deianira, in addition to making Meg older and more experienced. Directors and screenwriters Ron Clements
Ronald Francis Clements (born April 25, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director John Musker and is best known for writing and directing the Disney animated films ...
and John Musker
John Edward Musker (born November 8, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director Ron Clements and is best known for writing and directing the Disney animated films ''Th ...
primarily drew inspiration for the film from screwball comedies
Screwball comedy is a film subgenre of the romantic comedy genre that became popular during the Great Depression, beginning in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1950s, that satirizes the traditional love story. It has secondary charact ...
during the 1930s and 1940s, particularly films directed by Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director.
He is credited as being the first screenwriter to find success as a director. Prior to Sturges, other ...
and Frank Capra
Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...
, with Musker describing ''Hercules'' as "a comedy about the battle between idealism
Idealism in philosophy, also known as philosophical realism or metaphysical idealism, is the set of metaphysics, metaphysical perspectives asserting that, most fundamentally, reality is equivalent to mind, Spirit (vital essence), spirit, or ...
and cynicism, in the same way as some of those Sturges and Capra movies". Thus, Meg was written as a cynical heroine who finds it difficult to trust men.
The writers based Meg on actress Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career, she was known for her strong, realistic screen p ...
's character in the film ''The Lady Eve
''The Lady Eve'' is a 1941 American screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. Clements said that Meg "was especially interesting for us o createbecause she was so different from the other Disney heroines" of the time period. In addition to her "sharp-tongued" nature, writing Meg as a heroine who plots with the film's villain against its hero was a stark departure from previous Disney heroines and virtually unprecedented at the time. Since Meg initially works for Hades, the writers also drew inspiration from Lola, a temptress contracted to work for the devil in the musical ''
Several of Egan's Broadway contemporaries vied for the same role, including actresses
Meg was inspired by 1940s screwball comediennes, specifically actress Barbara Stanwyck's performances in the films ''The Lady Eve'' and ''
Damn Yankees
''Damn Yankees'' is a 1955 musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., d ...
'' (1956). According to ''The Baltimore Sun
''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news.
Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
'', Meg was one of Disney's first heroines to have been written with a past and backstory
A backstory, background story, background, or legend is a set of events invented for a plot, preceding and leading up to that plot. In acting, it is the history of the character before the drama begins, and is created during the actor's prepara ...
.
Voice
Meg is voiced by American actress and singerSusan Egan
Susan Farrell Egan (born February 18, 1970) is an American actress, singer and dancer, known for her work on the Broadway stage. She is best known for originating the role of Belle in the Broadway musical adaptation of '' Beauty and the Beast'' ...
who, prior to ''Hercules'', had auditioned for every animated Disney film since 1991's ''Beauty and the Beast
"Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales'').
Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...
''. Disney was interested in casting a Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
performer as Meg, instead of casting different actors as the character's speaking and singing voices. At the time, Egan was starring on Broadway as Belle in the stage adaptation of ''Beauty and the Beast'', a role she originated, and had been four months into her tenure when she learned of auditions for Meg. Despite strong interest in the role and assuming her professional relationship with the studio would improve her chances, Disney refused to let Egan audition, believing Meg's "bad girl" personality was far too different from the kind, sweet-natured Belle for Egan to play convincingly. Egan pursued the role constantly until Disney finally relented.Several of Egan's Broadway contemporaries vied for the same role, including actresses Donna Murphy
Donna Murphy (born March 7, 1959) is an American actress, best known for her work in musical theater. A five-time Tony Award nominee, she has twice won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical: for her role as Fosca in '' Passion'' (1994–1995) ...
and Audra McDonald
Audra Ann McDonald (born July 3, 1970) is an American singer and actress. Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win in all four acti ...
, both of whom attended the same audition. Composer Alan Menken
Alan Irwin Menken (born July 22, 1949) is an American composer and conductor. Over his career he has received List of awards and nominations received by Alan Menken, numerous accolades including winning eight Academy Awards, a Tony Awards, Tony ...
and musical director Michael Kosarin, both of whom Egan had worked with on ''Beauty and the Beast'', oversaw her audition. She described the audition process as unusual because the filmmakers did not look at her, preferring to either close their eyes or study a drawing of Meg to avoid being distracted by Egan's appearance. Egan read Meg's lines in her naturally deep voice which sounds different than the manufactured "Belle voice" Disney had grown accustomed to, surprising the casting directors and Menken. Egan explained to the filmmakers that "when I play Belle, I'm acting", describing herself as much more similar to Meg in both voice and personality. Aware that Meg was based on Stanwyck, Egan researched some of Stanwyck's films, as well as the performances of actresses Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 190? was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion-picture cont ...
, Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
and Lauren Bacall
Betty Joan Perske (September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014), professionally known as Lauren Bacall ( ), was an American actress. She was named the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the America ...
, drawing inspiration from their "cadence
In Classical music, Western musical theory, a cadence () is the end of a Phrase (music), phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution (music), resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don ...
of acting" and mid-Atlantic accents. Egan then performed "Somewhere That's Green" from Menken's musical ''Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors may refer to:
* '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film
* ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film
* ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...
'' (1982) as her audition song. Apart from periodic updates from Kosarin, Egan would not hear from Disney until six months afterward when the studio chose her as one of three contenders to begin animating the character to, until she was finally cast following her last animation test. Egan had begun to grow anxious because Disney had opted to cast "big name actors in several prominent roles, considering herself fortunate to play both the speaking and singing parts of her character, which had grown more uncommon in animated films.
Egan continued to perform in ''Beauty and the Beast'' while working on ''Hercules,'' playing Belle throughout the day and Meg during evenings. Egan's first recording session
A studio recording, or a recording session is any recording made in a studio, as opposed to a live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance.
Studio cast recordings
In the case o ...
was postponed due to a foot injury she suffered on stage. At one point, Menken warned Egan that she had begun incorporating aspects of Meg's personality into Belle, saying, "You're onstage and your hip juts out ... it's like you're going to roll your eyes and tell the Beast to shave", which she corrected. Egan continued to draw inspiration from classic Hollywood performers, adapting "a hard-boiled frame of mind" when approaching Meg's putdowns, retorts and insults. She channeled actresses Jean Arthur
Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American film and theater actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s.
Arthur had feature roles in three F ...
and Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...
for the scene in which Meg first nicknames Hercules "Wonder Boy". Some of Egan's lines were lifted directly from her audition, particularly "So did they give you a name along with all those rippling pectorals?" and "My friends call me Meg. At least they would if I had any friends". This posed a challenge for the sound engineers, who were tasked with removing background noise
Background noise or ambient noise is any sound other than the sound being monitored (primary sound). Background noise is a form of noise pollution or interference. Background noise is an important concept in setting noise levels.
Background no ...
such as New York City traffic from the footage. Egan described Meg as "the gorgeous, girl-with-a-track-record" female character that she had always wanted to play, possessing "the Liz Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...
look and the one-liners I wish I could come up with in real life." Egan felt it "fun to be funny" as Meg, believing that her sarcastic and witty personality is typically reserved for male characters.
Personality and design
Meg was inspired by 1940s screwball comediennes, specifically actress Barbara Stanwyck's performances in the films ''The Lady Eve'' and ''Ball of Fire
''Ball of Fire'' (also known as ''The Professor and the Burlesque Queen'') is a 1941 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The Samuel Goldwyn Productions film (originally distr ...
'' (both 1941). Both Egan and supervising animator Ken Duncan drew inspiration from Stanwyck's "tough-minded" demeanor in her films, with Egan describing Meg as a "fast-talking, 1940s dame who has guys wrapped around her little finger". Egan believes Meg is a character "somewhere in between" good and evil
In philosophy, religion, and psychology, "good and evil" is a common dichotomy. In religions with Manichaeism, Manichaean and Abrahamic influence, evil is perceived as the dualistic cosmology, dualistic antagonistic opposite of good, in which ...
, unlike most Disney heroines who are typically either one or the other. Egan called Meg a "beautiful and brilliant" woman "who knows how to go after what she wants," describing her as "disillusioned with people" until she meets "Hercules, who is so pure of spirit and so honest that it re-establishes her faith in goodness." Egan said Meg and Belle are "not exactly the same type" of character; comparing Meg to her other Disney heroine, Belle, Egan described the former as the Beast
Beast most often refers to:
* Animal, a multicellular, eukaryotic organism in the biological kingdom Animalia
* The Beast (Revelation), one of three beasts described in the Book of Revelation
* Monster, a type of creature found in fiction, folklo ...
to Hercules' Belle: " eg isthe one who's had a traumatic event in her life which has forced her to lose faith in people. It takes a pure spirit to reestablish that faith. For the Beast, it was Belle. For Meg, it's Hercules." Furthermore, Egan believes "there's no other character like Meg", elaborating that she lacks the moral compass
A moral compass is a metaphor for a moral value system that provides guidance on "good" or "right" choices in human interaction and especially in decision-making situations. This value system can be very personal or represented by a larger group. E ...
that Belle has "because that's Hercules’ job in the movie. She's not a princess, and she's not a villain." Egan believes that Meg undergoes "a much larger arch than the Disney princesses" as she experiences a change of heart, describing her as flawed and feeling that Disney not crowning her a princess makes her "more relatable".
Disney enlisted cartoonist and caricaturist Gerald Scarfe
Gerald Anthony Scarfe (born 1 June 1936) is an English satirical cartoonist and illustrator. He has worked as editorial cartoonist for ''The Sunday Times (UK), The Sunday Times'' and illustrator for ''The New Yorker''.
Scarfe’s other work in ...
to help design the film's characters. Alongside Hercules, Meg is one of only two prominent human characters in the film; Scarfe determined that neither character "offer da lot for caricature
A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...
" in comparison to the film's non-human characters, opting to draw them as "good looking, hunky, pretty" instead. Observing that Disney heroines "ha ecertainly evolved over the years", Scarfe identified Meg as very different from Snow White
"Snow White" is a German fairy tale, first written down in the early 19th century. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', numbered as Tale 53. The original title was ''Sneewittch ...
from ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
"Snow White" is a German fairy tale, first written down in the early 19th century. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', numbered as Tale 53. The original title was ''Sneewittch ...
'' (1937), describing her as "a feisty, in some ways cynical girl who has a lot of oomph." Duncan served as Meg's supervising animator, both designing and animating the character. Duncan Marjoribanks was originally intended to animate Meg, while Duncan had been slated to animate Nessus. Duncan asked to replace Marjoribanks when the latter left the production to work for DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios or simply DreamWorks) is an American animation studio, owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal as part of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios, Inc, Universal Stud ...
. Duncan originally attempted to draw Meg as a realistic-looking heroine. Upon deciding to incorporate elements of Greek pottery into the character's hair, Duncan ultimately decided to base the character's entire body on pottery as well. Duncan hoped that his animation would change how Meg's personality was originally depicted in storyboards, from "tough and angry to street smart and playfully sarcastic." Clements and Musker described Meg's head as "sort of a vase shape", while "she's got a Greek curl in the back." Notably, Meg's hair is designed and animated in a way that is very difficult to replicate in real life.
Egan feels her character closer resembles Stanwyck than herself, although some of Egan's mannerisms, facial expressions and features, such as Egan's arched eyebrows, were incorporated into the character's appearance by animators watching video footage of the actress recording. While reviewing storyboard
A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of simple illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence. The storyboarding proce ...
s early during production, Egan recognized Meg performing a "slicing" gesture with her hand she had originated during her audition when her character says "Thanks for everything, Herc. It's been a real slice", which producer Alice Dewey confirmed had been borrowed directly from Egan's audition. Meg's eye colour had been changed from blue to purple by the time Phil's line warning Hercules not to be distracted by her eyes was written, prompting the writers to change it from "Don't let your guard down because of a pair of big, blue eyes" to "goo-goo eyes". In 2011, Egan enlisted Duncan to animate animal characters in the music video for her single "Nina Doesn't Care".
Characterization and themes
Meg is the film's female lead, whose listless personality distinguishes her from Disney's history of earnest heroines. '' Stylist'' writer Kayleigh Dray described Meg as manipulative, sarcastic, fierce, and wise, characteristics that Egan said are typically reserved for male characters in Disney films. IndieWire's Greg Ehrbar observed that Meg'ssardonicism
Sardonicism is form of wit or humour, where being sardonic often involves expressing an uncomfortable truth in a clever and not necessarily malicious way, often with a degree of distrust or skepticism; or behavior disdainfully, cynically humoro ...
is "unusual for a Disney heroine", describing her as a "descendant of a Barbara Stanwyck film noir
Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
character" who is also hesitant "to get close to anyone lest they wreck her life further", suffering from a complicated past that leaves her bitter and cynical. The ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan (; born October 27, 1946) is an American retired film critic, author, and lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California. He was a film critic for the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1991 ...
remarked that Meg is "a different kind of Disney heroine, the kind of been-around, good-bad girl who could have been voiced by Barbara Stanwyck." Meg is also very sarcastic, a characteristic considered to be unusual among most Disney heroines, often speaking in "misandrist quips." Olivia Martello of ''MovieWeb
Valnet, Inc. is a Canadian media company established in August 2012 by Hassan and Sam Youssef in Montreal, Quebec. It operates primarily in the entertainment media industry, where it has sought to acquire producers of content in this space. In ...
'' agreed that Meg has a more complex background than typically afforded to love interests.
''Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...
'' writer Jill Gutowitz reviewed that Meg "was measurably more sexual than any female character" at the time of the film's release; "I had never seen a woman treat men the way she did, luring them with her catlike eyes; tugging them around by the shirt collar; dragging her spindly fingers across their pecs. Meg teased her friends and foes, taunting them with an air of mystery that implied she harbored secrets" Observing that "Female characters tend to be fully good or fully bad in Disney movies—a Maleficent or a Sleeping Beauty, if you will", Kate Knibbs of '' The Ringer'' wrote that "Meg is a little harder to neatly categorize, as she's a good person with an attitude problem who makes some bad choices. ''Disney, Pixar, and the Hidden Messages of Children's Films'' author M. Keith Booker called Meg Hercules' "version of Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton (comics), Krypton that emits a u ...
", Superman's weakness. Describing Meg as "cynical and articulate," ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
''Moviefone
Moviefone is an American-based moving pictures listing and information service. Moviegoers can obtain local showtimes, cinema information, film reviews, and advance tickets, as well as TV content and a comprehensive search tool that allows users ...
identified Meg as "one of Disney's few lady anti-heroes
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero or two words anti hero) or anti-heroine is a character in a narrative (in literature, film, TV, etc.) who may lack some conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as Ideal (ethics), idealism ...
", representing "a reluctant hero" until she encounters "someone who brings out the good in her".
Meg resents being referred to as a damsel in distress
The damsel in distress is a narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has been kidnapped or placed in other peril. The "damsel" is often portrayed as beautiful, popular, and of high social status; she is usually depicted ...
, particularly by Hercules when they first meet. Uninterested in and opposed to the idea of love, the character is cynical towards the idea of new romantic relationships due to suffering from a broken heart
A broken heart (also known as heartbreak or heartache) is a metaphor for the intense emotional stress or pain one feels at experiencing great loss or deep longing. The concept is cross-cultural, often cited with reference to unreciprocated o ...
as a result of past failed relationships, being one of the few Disney heroines to have had their heart broken prior to meeting their true love. At the same time, love complicates Meg's motivations, affecting choices she makes both about herself and others. The ''San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
''Bustle
A bustle is a padded undergarment or wire frame used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skir ...
''PopSugar
PopSugar Inc. is an American media and technology company that is the parent to the media property PopSugar (stylized POPSUGAR) and a monthly subscription business PopSugar Must Have. The company was founded in 2006 by married couple Brian and Lis ...
's Stacey Nguyen considers Meg one of the studio's most sexually confident characters. According to Shoshana Kessock of ''Tor.com
''Reactor'', formerly ''Tor.com'', is an online science fiction and fantasy magazine published by Tor Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers. The magazine publishes articles, reviews, original short fiction, re-reads and commentary on specul ...
'', Meg is an example "of some creative editing ... where he finds herparticular power in the films: through blatant uses of sexuality." Meg is depicted sexualizing herself to use her sexuality as a weapon unlike Jasmine, Pocahontas and Esmeralda, who instead are sexualized by the men around them. Meanwhile, Meg also undergoes character development, slowly opening up to and sacrificing herself for Hercules. Identifying Meg as "a stronger and more complex female character ... than the typical Disney princess". Booker considers Hercules' decision to sacrifice immortality to be with Meg as a "progressive twist" in which the hero sacrifices something important to be with his love interest, as opposed to the woman sacrificing.
Critical response
Critical reception towards Meg has been mostly positive. Critics such as the ''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
''The Baltimore Sun
''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news.
Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
'' welcomed her witty personality, complex morals, and backstory as refreshing departures from traditional Disney heroines. Journalist Janet Maslin
Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, who served as a film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1977 to 1999, serving as chief critic for the last six years, and then a literary critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000, M ...
called Meg "hipper" than typical Disney heroines. Film critic Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for '' Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...
described the character as "refreshingly saucy". Amy Longsdorf of ''The Morning Call
''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second-longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after '' The Express-Times''. The newspaper is owned by Alden Global Capital ...
'' declared Meg "one of the most complicated heroines in the Disney canon" and "revolutionary" for her moral ambiguity
In philosophy, an ethical dilemma, also called an ethical paradox or moral dilemma, is a situation in which two or more conflicting moral imperatives, none of which overrides the other, confront an agency (philosophy), agent. A closely related defi ...
. ''The Irish Times
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...
'' considered the character to be a creative breakthrough for Disney heroines "as the company's first (albeit implied) non-virginal female romantic lead". John Rundin of ''Animation World Network
Animation World Network (often just "AWN") is an online publishing group that specializes in resources for animators, with an extensive website offering news, articles and links for professional animators and animation fans.
Content
Specifically ...
'' called Meg "A surprisingly liberated heroine" for Disney and the film's sole exception to the studio's intolerance "for moral complexity and ambiguity". Several critics found the character reminiscent of classic Hollywood actresses such as Barbara Stanwyck, Mae West
Mary Jane "Mae" West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American actress, singer, comedian, screenwriter, and playwright whose career spanned more than seven decades. Recognized as a prominent sex symbol of her time, she was known ...
, and Veronica Lake
Constance Frances Marie Ockelman (November 14, 1922 – July 7, 1973), known professionally as Veronica Lake, was an American film, stage, and television actress. Lake was best known for her femme fatale roles in films noir with Alan Ladd durin ...
.
Egan's performance was also widely praised. Film critic Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan (; born October 27, 1946) is an American retired film critic, author, and lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California. He was a film critic for the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1991 ...
believes ''Hercules'' owes at least some of its success to her work. Derek Armstrong of AllMovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, television series, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne.
History
AllMovie was ...
said Egan's delivery "drip with the kind of eyeball-rolling feminist wit that makes egone of Disney's strongest female characters". Josh Spiegel of ''/Film
''/Film'', also spelled ''SlashFilm'', is a blog that covers movie news, reviews, interviews, and trailers. It was founded by Peter Sciretta in August 2005. The site's reviews appear on Rotten Tomatoes, and as of 2024, two of its leading film cr ...
'' described Meg as "vastly more interesting" than Hercules due in part to Egan's performance, dismissing Hercules as an "overgrown child" in comparison. ''Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' ranked Egan's work among Disney's finest voice acting performances. ''Geeks + Gamers'' contributor Virginia Kublawi crowned Egan one of ''Hercules''CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
, Carol Buckland appreciated Egan's "smart, surprisingly sexy" interpretation, but warned that some parents might be disturbed by some of her actions. Similarly, Bob Smithouser of ''Plugged In
''Plugged In'' is a 1994 album by Welsh rock musician Dave Edmunds. The album is the last completely new studio album released by Edmunds to feature vocals.
On ''Plugged In'', Edmunds returned to the "one man band" approach of his early solo ...
'' was wary of the character's sexuality and immodesty. In a more mixed review, Nell Minow
Nell Minow is an American movie critic and corporate governance scholar and expert who writes and speaks frequently on film, media, corporate governance, and investing. Minow was named one of the 20 most influential people in corporate governance ...
of Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.
said Meg is still mostly relegated to the sidelines despite being "tougher and braver than the traditional damsel in distress".
Critics have discussed how Meg's personality and complexity makes her a stronger, more developed character. Author and film critic Mari Ness said Meg's cynicism, sarcasm, broken heart, and selflessness ultimately makes her more than merely a plot device
A plot device or plot mechanism
is any technique in a narrative used to move the plot forward.
A clichéd plot device may annoy the reader and a contrived or arbitrary device may confuse the reader, causing a loss of the suspension of disbelief ...
. Karen Mazurkewich of '' Playback'' credited Duncan's design with subverting "the Disney stereotype by crafting a more sly and sexy female lead", prior to whom she often found Disney heroines "cloyingly naive". Shoshana Kessock of ''Tor.com
''Reactor'', formerly ''Tor.com'', is an online science fiction and fantasy magazine published by Tor Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers. The magazine publishes articles, reviews, original short fiction, re-reads and commentary on specul ...
'' described the character as a complicated woman whose heart remains entirely her own, despite her internal conflict. Kessock said the character's sexuality "makes her a difficult character for the PG brand. Yet in the pantheon of Anti-Princesses ... she claims her place among the more in command, take-charge Disney women", concluding, "When she finally does give in to her feelings for Hercules, it is after a lot of soul-searching and character growth, something that could be a good story for young women to learn—if she was given the same air time as the other Disney heroines". Romper's Allison Piwowarski described Meg as "a very powerful character in the Disney universe" who "is just as much of a hero as Herc is". ''Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and comic books. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publications including Comic Book Resources, Collider, MovieWeb and XDA Developers.
...
''s Matthew Wilkinson called Meg "one of Hercules' best characters" because she balances sassy confidence with emotion. Writing for ''Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...
'', Jill Gutowitz described Meg's "depth, her wit, her bullheaded resistance to being saved, and her willingness to rebuke masculinity" as "The most intriguing" aspects of her characterization, as opposed to her appearance.
Legacy
Since the release of ''Hercules'', Meg has continued to inspire discourse about the film’s reputation and her distinctive role as an unconventional heroine within Disney’s canon. A Plus contributor Jill O'Rourke reported that Disney fans often defend ''Hercules'' from its detractors due to their strong appreciation for Meg. Dirk Libbey of ''CinemaBlend
Future plc is a British publishing company. It was started in 1985 by Chris Anderson. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
History
1985–2012
The company was founded by Chris Anderson as ...
'' hailed Meg as "one of Disney's most interesting female characters", finding it frustrating that her film is less revered than some of its contemporaries. Critics Mary Grace Garis of ''Bustle
A bustle is a padded undergarment or wire frame used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skir ...
'' and Lindsey Weber of ''Vulture'' agreed that Meg is superior to Disney Princesses, with Weber describing her as one of Disney's few heroines to possess "an actual personality". Nerdist
Nerdist Industries, LLC (also simply known as Nerdist) is part of the digital division of Legendary Entertainment. Nerdist Industries was founded as a sole podcast ( The Nerdist Podcast) created by Chris Hardwick but later spread to include a net ...
named Meg "The real star of ''Hercules''", while Clarisse Loughrey of ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' described her as "a close runner-up for the title" of the film's hero, calling her "the go-to Disney princess for the cool kids". Freeform deemed Meg a character everyone wishes they could be. ''Thought Catalog
''Thought Catalog'' is a website founded in 2010 by American entrepreneur and media strategist Chris Lavergne.Newton, MattheThought Catalog And The New Age Of Confessional Media''Forbes.'' June 7, 2015 Owned by The Thought & Expression Compan ...
'' ranked Meg Disney's 10th "Most Awesome Female Character". ''Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and comic books. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publications including Comic Book Resources, Collider, MovieWeb and XDA Developers.
...
'' ranked her Disney's 23rd best heroine, with author Colby Tortorici describing her as more "fleshed out" than her predecessors. IndieWire called Meg "one of Disney’s best and most complex female characters". ''The Mary Sue
Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, and author. He is currently the host of '' On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz, and ''The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets The Law'' on SiriusXM's P.O.T.U.S. cha ...
''/Film
''/Film'', also spelled ''SlashFilm'', is a blog that covers movie news, reviews, interviews, and trailers. It was founded by Peter Sciretta in August 2005. The site's reviews appear on Rotten Tomatoes, and as of 2024, two of its leading film cr ...
'' said Meg seldom receives the attention or merchandising she deserves. Critics have offered different theories attempting to explain Meg's exclusion from the Disney Princess franchise. According to Sara Franks-Allen of ''ScreenCrush
Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wit ...
'', Meg was omitted due to ''Hercules''Mashable
Mashable is a Online newspaper, news website, digital media platform and entertainment company founded by Pete Cashmore in 2005.
History
Mashable was founded by Pete Cashmore while living in Aberdeen, Scotland, in July 2004. Early iterations o ...
's Erin Strecker writing that she "was always one of the more feminist 'princesses' in the Disney animated canon". '' Stylist'' ranked Meg Disney's ninth most feminist princess character, with author Kayleigh Dray crediting her villainous role with disproving that "non-bubbly women are deemed evil". Natalie Xenos of ''Metro
Metro may refer to:
Geography
* Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
'' called Meg "the badass heroine cinema needs", recognizing her as a feminist who "was inspiring girls long before Moana and Elsa", and Patrick Ryan of ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' called her "one of Disney's most subversively feminist characters". Stacey Nguyen of PopSugar
PopSugar Inc. is an American media and technology company that is the parent to the media property PopSugar (stylized POPSUGAR) and a monthly subscription business PopSugar Must Have. The company was founded in 2006 by married couple Brian and Lis ...
argued that Meg is neither a role model or feminist icon like some of her contemporaries but remains one of her favorite Disney heroines, describing her as "one of the richest, most developed characters in Disney's library" who she believes is deprived of the discussion she deserves. Nguyen crowned the character "the other hero in ''Hercules''".
In other media
Meg guest appears on the television series '' Disney's Hercules: The Animated Series'' (1998), in which she eventually marries Hercules. Like many other Disney animated characters, she has cameos throughout the television series ''House of Mouse
''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001 ...
'' (2001–2003). A live-action
Live action is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live action with animation to create a live-action animated feature film. Live action is used to define film, video games or ...
alternate version of Meg appears on the fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
television series ''Once Upon a Time
"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...
'', portrayed by Kacey Rohl
Kacey Rohl (born August 6, 1991) is a Canadian actress. She is known for playing Sterling Fitch in the television crime drama ''The Killing (U.S. TV series), The Killing'', Prudence in the 2011 dark fantasy film ''Red Riding Hood (2011 film), Red ...
. The character first appears in the 13th episode
An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a serial (radio and television), series intended for radio, television or Streaming media, streaming consumption.
Etymology
The noun ''episode'' is ...
of the show's fifth season, " Labor of Love", alongside Hercules ( Jonathan Whitesell). The show's iteration of Meg is described as "a plucky young adventurer with a sly sense of humor and a tough, no-nonsense spirit". In the episode, Meg is imprisoned in the Underworld for several years after having been eaten by Cerberus
In Greek mythology, Cerberus ( or ; ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a polycephaly, multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Greek underworld, underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring o ...
. She has no affiliation with Hades and little is revealed about her backstory. Critics and audiences were divided over Meg's portrayal in the series; fans expressed their disappointment in the character's weaker, more dependent characterization.
Meg appears in the ''Kingdom Hearts
is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square) and owned by The Walt Disney Company. A collaboration between the two companies, it was conceptualized by Square employees, Japanese gam ...
'' video game series, beginning with ''Kingdom Hearts II
''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'' (2005). She meets Sora during his second visit to the Olympus Coliseum while she was contemplating asking Hades to stop sending monsters for Hercules to fight, having grown fond of him. She accepts Sora's offer for him to go in her stead, under the condition that they keep the arrangement a secret from Hercules. Hades kidnaps Meg as bait to convince Sora to unlock the Underworld's Underdrome, holding her hostage when Hercules and Auron refuse to fight each other in the Underdrome. Sora and Hercules rescue her, promising to repay the heroes as best as she can. The character appears briefly in the game's sequel ''Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
'' (2019). Meg is a playable character to unlock for a limited time in the video game ''Disney Magic Kingdoms
''Disney Magic Kingdoms'' is a 2016 city-building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Disney Parks. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.
Gameplay and story
The game ta ...
''. She is also a playable character in the racing game ''Disney Speedstorm
''Disney Speedstorm'' is a free-to-play kart racing game developed by Gameloft Barcelona and published by Gameloft. It features various Walt Disney Studios (division), Disney and Pixar characters racing vehicles on tracks themed after the worlds ...
'', once again voiced by Egan.
Actress Krysta Rodriguez
Krysta Anne Rodriguez is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Ana Vargas in the NBC series '' Smash'', Summer Henderson in the NBC series '' Trial & Error'', Maxine Griffin in the ABC series '' Quantico'' and Ms. C ...
originated the role of Meg in the stage adaptation of ''Hercules'', which premiered Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
in 2019. They ultimately decided to have Rodriguez perform wearing her natural hair, despite fitting her for a wig while rehearsing for the part. Michael Plunkett of ''Slant
Slant can refer to:
Bias
*Bias or other non- objectivity in journalism, politics, academia or other fields
Technical
* Slant range, in telecommunications, the line-of-sight distance between two points which are not at the same level
* Slant ...
'' complimented Rodriguez's performance but complained that Meg is still rescued in the show's climax, wishing her "dreams of independence" were treated more seriously. Meanwhile, Sara Holdren of ''Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
'' found herself bored by Meg's "sharp-tongued, demonstratively self-sufficient“ role.
References
{{Disney animated characters Hercules (franchise) Animated characters introduced in 1997 Animated human characters Female characters in animated films Female characters in film Fictional characters who have made pacts with devils Fictional con artists Fictional Greek and Roman slaves Film characters introduced in 1997 Walt Disney Animation Studios characters