#cave of reflection

Having rewatched Barbie Mariposa (the original, mind you) recently, especially the Cave of Reflection scene, the parts of the reflections and how the three fairies react to them really struck me as an adult.

In this scene, the reflections can be seen as an insight into our minds and ego, but it can also be a metaphor for your inner critics and insecurities. How the fairies react to them can be a metaphor for how we deal with the mental side of ourselves.

Rayla was just not meant to be the one to find the antidote from the get-go, since the aversion she showed her reflection in the cave hints at her lack of inner stillness required to properly reflect in the final challenge, in addition to a lack of true understanding of herself, thus volunteering to stay behind was a wise choice.

Rayna, on the other hand, was able to reflect meaningfully with her reflection, but when the reflection highlighted how her pursuit of the antidote were for all the wrong reasons (prestige, a relationship with the Prince she was crushing on, wealth, etc.), it made her stop and think about why she was taking on that pursuit. The encounter also pushed her to willingly defend Mariposa from her own reflection when it insulted her friend as well as volunteering to stay back as well, a start to (Rayna's) budding maturity.

Mariposa was the only one to reflect with AND reason with her reflection during the final star test, even as it was flinging barbs at her regarding her introverted nature and insecurities about fitting in. In the end, she was able to refute her inner critic in this encounter as she reasoned why the star she selected was the antidote that would save the Queen, and by extension the Kingdom. Special points to her for using her constellation knowledge to her advantage and introspecting on how the lone star is akin to her usual loner status (both with a revolutionary purpose). She is rewarded for her success with a new set of wings, a physical manifestation of this inner growth.