This is a superhero origin story: a charmingly grumpy, ice-harvesting, non-super superhero origin story.

Reindeers (if the “s” is correct, why does it feel so wrong?) are better than people: confirmed. One Arendellian has known this from day one. We call this ultimate hipster, “Kristoff.”

As “Frozen Heart” kicks off, we’re introduced to an aspiring little ice harvester with a child-sized pick and a good attitude. But wait! Who will keep an eye on this otherwise apparently unsupervised child? With whom will young Kristoff share his meager ration of carrots in an effort to stave off the scurvy and bitter wind-chill factor endemic to ice harvesting?



We have a winner!

There could be no better companion for our as-yet unjaded ice-harvesting protege. Just look at those tiny antlers and that waggy tail! Not to mention that even as a young calf, Sven boasted preternatural poise:



Dodging grown men who display remarkable indifference to safety in the workplace, then happily hopping onward. That’s Sven.

Contrary to what he might later want us to believe, Kristoff was not an ice-harvesting natural. We can’t exactly fault him for this—the tiny child-sized forceps he’s using do not appear conducive to lifting giant cubes of wet ice—but the important thing here is Sven. Look how he gazes onward, generally pleased and entirely unphased.



We’re calling him Sven the Zen.

After the grown-ups finish ice harvesting and go off to drink coffee and make manly grunting noises or something, poor Kristoff is still doggedly working on his single mini ice cube. Sven, meanwhile, is acting like this isn’t the 638th time he’s watched Kristoff splash ice around helplessly.



Just look at how he encourages his friend to never give up!

When finally, well past dark, Kristoff completes his one task, look who’s there to (literally) support him and celebrate with quiet dignity.



“I’m not at all surprised you succeeded. I knew you had it together this whole time.”

Now that Kristoff has successfully procured his single block of child-sized ice after what we can only assume were hours of failed attempts, he’s off in his child-sized sled, pulled by none other than his trusty steed.



Did Arendellians domesticate reindeers (WHY THE “S”??) because of their ability to walk on ice, their good attitudes, or both?

Kristoff isn’t sure what to do with his brand new block of ice, so he uses it as a seat. Then he and Sven see something magical.



You know Sven is into this because his tail is wagging.

They proceed to do the only logical thing and follow the magic. Sven’s body language here says to us, “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to assist my best buddy in the entire world, and equally thrilled by the prospect of finding real magic at the end of this trail.”



“Also, my tongue doesn’t fit in my mouth.”

Sven is so thrilled, in fact, that Kristoff has to stop his overeager pal from galloping right into the clearing. Long gone is the mellow, zen Sven of earlier this morning. This is Crazy Sven.



Crazy Sven LOVES magic.

If you weren’t already convinced that Kristoff and Sven are each other’s perfect other halves, look at their completely opposite reactions to the discovery that trolls exist.



Again, Sven is a HUGE magic fan.

Why would Sven stop at supervising, encouraging, transporting, and inspiring this tiny lad? He has bigger plans in mind. His good vibes and gentle kisses win the trust and admiration of a nice troll whom Kristoff had previously mistaken for a rock.



And just like that, a family is formed, and these two best friends are orphans no more.

What’s your favorite thing about Sven?

Posted 5 years Ago