Summary
- Olaf's iconic "Some People Are Worth Melting For" showcases his loyalty and kindness towards Anna.
- Olaf's naive and silly questions, like "Who's the reindeer?" add humor to his character in Frozen.
- Olaf's witty observations, like realizing "Wandering Oken's" anagrams to "Naked Norwegians," highlight his humor.
The Frozen franchise has proven to be incredibly popular for Disney with fantastic songs from Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell) and great quotes from Olaf (Josh Gad) to keep the audience wanting more. Even the sequel and the shorts lived up up to expectations. With a brilliant story and stunning animation, the films are easy to watch, and the characters are written perfectly with deep emotion so that audiences can easily connect with them.
One of the big reasons the movies are so great is Olaf. The Frozen snowman brings an amazing sense of warmth and humor to the films, and he has quickly become one of the most popular Disney characters of all time. Performed brilliantly by Josh Gad, the popular actor brings the right balance of laughs and emotion to the character. Olaf's quotes across both movies shine a light on one of the best new characters created by Disney during the 2010s.
"Some People Are Worth Melting For."
Frozen
This is arguably Olaf's most well-known quote and it showcases the kindness in his heart. He's the perfect Disney sidekick for a reason, which is because of his loyalty and friendship, and when the fire starts to save Anna, he is well aware it will cause him to melt. Olaf understands that how much he cares for Anna is more important than whether the heat of the fire will melt the ice that makes him.
The fact that he stays close to Anna despite the heat of the fire shows what his personality is like and why he's so great. He's willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his friend, and this sweet line is one that will bring tears to people as it happens. Kids in the audience might just see it as Olaf being Olaf, but adults will see the bigger picture.
“And Who’s The Reindeer?”
Frozen
One of the fun aspects of Olaf’s character, especially for children watching the Frozen movies and shorts, is that Olaf is very naive, so his questions often seem very silly. In some cases, those questions might even end up being a little insulting without meaning to. That’s the case with this Olaf quote. It’s actually preceded by another question.
Who’s the funny-looking donkey… And who’s the reindeer?
When Olaf first meets Kristoff and Sven with Anna, he is very excited and has a lot of questions. One of his first is “Who’s the funny-looking donkey,” and Anna assumes he’s talking about Sven, but he goes on to ask about the reindeer as well, hinting that he thinks Kristoff is the funny-looking one. It’s a sign of things to come in their friendship as Kristoff also jokes about telling him what happens to snowmen in summer.
"It's An Anagram For Naked Norwegians. And I Can't Even Read."
Once Upon A Snowman
Olaf's spin-off movie, Once Upon A Snowman continued to deliver incredible quotes from everyone's favorite Snowman. This moment comes from him heading into Wandering Oaken's, where he makes a brilliant observation about the name. There are often jokes in Disney movies that go over the heads of kids in the audience, but writers for this line from Olaf don't let the joke get away, having Olaf comment on it.
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The full quote from the snowman is even funnier, with Olaf stating: "Wandering Oaken's? Do you know that if you scramble up those letters, it's an anagram for Naked Norwegians? And I can't even read." It just showcases his brilliant observation skills, adding in his humor at the very end of the line. Having a character that's as beloved as Olaf give this line makes sure that the audience will be paying attention to any other potentially hidden jokes.
"I Don't Have A Skull...Or Bones."
Frozen
Of course, Olaf doesn't have a skull or bones. After all, he is a snowman. Snowmen aren't known for having any kind of skeletal system beyond sticks for arms. However, the fact that Olaf feels the need to address this idea to people who already know it makes the quote so hilarious. Josh Gad's delivery is perfect for this one as well, being as dry and deadpan as possible.
Olaf constantly bringing up situations like this is one of the reasons the character is so likable. He's incredibly funny and just confidently stating that he has no skull or bones is very funny to hear. Olaf has a way of stating the obvious that is funny for the audience instead of grating. Other animated characters who attempt to do the same haven't been as well received.
“Hey, We Were Just Talking About You! All Good Things, All Good Things ...”
Frozen
Olaf and Marshmallow are both icy creations of Elsa’s magic. Both magical beings made of snow initially appear to have very different personalities. Olaf is fun-loving, while Marshmallow is intimidating. While Olaf isn’t initially as afraid of him as Anna and Kristoff might be, he does still offer these placating words for Marshmallow after asking the others if they beat him.
It’s like a sibling discovering their brother is listening in to their conversation, wanting to prove that they aren’t saying anything bad. Interestingly, after the first Frozen movie, Marshmallow appears in books and shorts without being as hostile as when Elsa first created him to aid in her isolation. It's as though Marshmallow was a reflection of her fear and isolation, and was able to grow when she was no longer isolated. He and Olaf trade stories and have fun together, so they really do become more like siblings.
"So I'm Made Of Snow, And I'm Walking On Snow. That's Kind Of Weird."
Once Upon A Snowman
Throughout the movies, Olaf often makes observations about the fact he is a snowman, questioning why he can or cannot do certain things. During his spin-off film, Olaf wonders how he is able to walk on snow, while also being made out of it, which is a good point when the audience thinks about it. Shouldn't Olaf just become a part of the snow that surrounds him? It's likely the magic that protects him, but it's still a fun question to ponder.
These kinds of questions are what make him such a brilliant character. He's never satisfied with not knowing things, and the character openly points out flaws from the movies or about his character, which is something that adults really enjoy. Olaf's questions and clever observations allow adults to get the meta jokes that kids might not.