Elsabela

Elsabela is the femslash ship between Elsa and Isabela Madrigal from the Frozen and Encanto fandoms.

Canon
Since Elsa and Isabela are from different series, they have never met in canon. Even though their paths haven't crossed in any official Disney crossover games as of yet, the two do have a few things in common that can serve as common ground for them to stand on.

The two are older sisters who were blessed with magical abilities involving an element (ice and flora) and were forced to present themselves as the perfect daughter for their families and the people who look up to them. While their powerless younger sisters are free of the burden that were placed on their shoulders at a young age. Luckily Elsa and Isa were able to find themselves in a situation that allows them to be open about themselves while singing their songs (Let it Go and What Elsa can I Do) as they embraced their power in ways they never got a chance to. Making them feel free and were able to keep that freedom, thanks to Anna and Mirabel.

Similar to how Isabela was able to use her powers to change her clothes at the end of Encanto, like the way Elsa had used magic to change her clothes a few times, Frozen Fever has Elsa draw from the essence of flowers to change her and Annas' clothing. Showing that Elsa's icy powers can work with plants. Even though Isabela had been using her powers to help others ever since she got them, Elsa had to hide hers until the end of Frozen. As her people began to except them and inspired Elsa to start using her powers to make them smile. Since snow fall and flowers are two of the things that gets people to smile. Their powers have also been shown to be connected to their emotions, for example Elsa freezes whenever she is touching and the flowers that popped up from Isabela's hair were due moments of stress.

Fanon
After Encanto came out and people got to know Isabela's character better they realized that she is just like Elsa. With them being older sisters with a magical power while their younger sisters don't have any magic of their own, as well as them sharing a similar energy, it inspired many to ship them together. Making Elsabela one of the most popular Disney crossover ships of 2022, since Encanto was released near the end of 2021. Elsa and Isabela are also two of the Disney characters that people would like to be placed as lesbians, due to the energy and vibes they get from the two. Elsabela being femslash ship had got a few people to create fan art of it to showcase their support for the LGBTQ+, Asexual and SAPHIC community, during the weeks that they are being appreciated and felt that Elsabela fitted right in with it; despite the Disney crossover ship being pure fanon than canon.

The popularity of Elsabela had got a few people to rival it with Elsamaren, or to ship all three women together to prevent another ship war. This peaceful idea, however, isn't always used with other well liked ships involving the two Disney women. Like Jelsa, Isastrid and a few other crossover, as well as fanon, ships. With the two being single women, even though Isa was given a love interest in one of the earlier layouts of Encanto, before he was cut from the film's final settled plot. Whenever Elsabela isn't shipped beside any other well liked Disney crossover femslash ship, like Moariel or Moabel, there have been those who have featured Elsabela beside the crossover ship between their powerless sisters. Due to the kind nature of both Anna and Mirabel it had got a few fans to feature them as Elsabela shippers, for wanting their magical sisters to be happy, and to reference the times that Anna and Mirabel have popped up in a few Elsabela fanfics and art.

Similar to how Elsa and Periwinkle have been portrayed as one another in AUs of their Disney films, because of traits they share, it is the same with Elsa and Isabela. There have also been occasions when the two have been placed in the same AU together, as a rare number of them do have Elsa and Isa be featured as characters that are a couple or simply close friends. Outside of the more common Modern AU, or when they place Elsa in Isabela's world and vice-versa. As they have Elsa meet Isabela in the hidden town of Encanto, or Isa traveling to either Arendelle or the Enchanted Forest where she meets Elsa.

Even though Elsabela has a small fan base on fanfic websites, it does have a decent size one on websites that allows people to showcase their fan art. Along with there being a few videos on the ship. Most of those fan works share one or two common ideas, like the two showing off their powers to one another, Elsa having Isabela ride on the Nokk's back with her or them being each other's confidants. With the pressure they feel from being the perfect daughter and having no one to turn to about it for years. Sparking the idea of Elsa and Isabelsa forming a friendship through the struggles they understood and being able to be themselves around each other. The plans Alma set for Isa, however, would have Isabela hiding her romantic feelings for Elsa from her family. Fearing that they wouldn't approve or prevent her from ever seeing Elsa again. Along forcing Isabela to choice between her grandmother's approval or her feelings for Elsa. A common trophy and theme that is seen in a few known love stories.

Another common theme trait seen in Elsabela fanart has made references to their beautiful dresses. For example, the flowerily nature of Isabela's powers sometimes has fans draw Elsa as in her green Frozen Fever dress. Just as Isa's new look at the end of Encanto has her wearing it beside Ice Spirit Elsa or Snow Queen Elsa. With blue being one of Elsa's iconic colors and the pinkish flowers of her Frozen Fever dress could be used to reference the color Isabela wore for a large part of the 2021 film. One of the theme tasks for the first Elsabela Week of 2022, even had people drawing the two swapping their dresses with one other. Due to the occasions when Elsa has been portrayed as her evil counterpart from an earlier version of Frozen, it has got some people to draw Evil Elsa with Isabela in one of her earlier concept art designs.

The energy and nature of their songs, "Let it Go" and "What Elsa can I Do", has inspired people to either have Elsa and Isabela sing each other's songs, or to mash them up together. From how both songs have the two embracing their powers without the restraints that were forced upon them for years, and saying their cheerful thoughts out loud. Without caring about someone or no one at all listening to them. Making both swapped songs fit in well with the two. This idea is sometimes featured in the ship or just fan works on the two Disney women. Some of those works have been made by people who prefer to ship Elsa and Isa as friends than lovers. Even though the support of the ship's femslash side is high, there will always be those who'll rather have Isabela and Elsa as good friends who happen to have a few things in common.

Fandom

 * FAN FICTION


 * DEVIANTART


 * TUMBLR

Trivia

 * Their names appear to originate from the same Hebrew Elisheba, with Isabela being its Spanish/Italian form and Elsa is the German/Scandinavian form.