Sofia is a fantastic role model, teaching lessons about friendship, compassion, forgiveness, and bravery. In these ways, Sofia the First was revolutionary for its time period, and it delivered everything it promised and more. Her show also launched the groundwork for Elena of Avalor, the first Latina Disney Princess, whose series is still going strong. In fact, she received her magical training at Royal Prep from Sleeping Beauty's three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. She was the first Disney Princess to be introduced with a television series instead of a theatrical release, the first who doesn't grow up into a teenager during her story, the first to become a princess through the marriage of her mother instead of her own, the first to have a good stepfather (as opposed to an evil stepmother) and brother, and the first to wield her own magic relic instead of seeking help from a fairy or sorceress. Sofia the First lives up to her namesake in many ways. Over the next six years, she took me on a four season-long journey filled with Disney Princesses, fairies, mermaids, and unicorns that concluded today with an epic TV movie special called Forever Royal.

The series premiered on Disney Junior with a TV special called Once Upon a Princess in which Sofia received her legendary Amulet of Avalor and sang about her insecurities for her future life as a princess heroine in the song 'Not Ready To Be a Princess.' I loved her instantly. Something about this description and image got me so excited for the series that I got to work right away on making a grown-up sized cosplay of Sofia's elegant gown. The endearing image of the little girl on the press release instantly caught my attention with her unique reddish-brown curls, playful expression, and gorgeous lavender dress that was dripping with pearl accents. Back around 2012, a friend of mine sent me a press release about how Disney was making a new princess show about a little girl from a poor village who becomes a princess overnight when her mother marries the king.

Sofia the first forever royal