I’ve been a fan of Disney’s Frozen since I first saw it. The animation is amazing, the songs are awesome, and the story is inspiring.

But the one thing that really bothered me about the movie was the villain. The reveal of Hans’ evil plan never felt natural to me, like a cheap afterthought wedged in where it didn’t quite fit. But I’ve watched the move a few more times, and with a little more time to think about it, I’ve come to a startling conclusion. We’ve all been duped. Hans isn’t the villain. The villain is hiding in plain sight, unnoticed by both the characters in the movie, and most of the film’s viewers.

But it’s not so subtle when you think about it. Who was there when things first went bad, and Anna lost her memory? Who was there when Elsa turned her back on everyone she loved and built a giant evil ice castle? Who was there when Elsa froze Anna’s heart? And who, may I ask, was there when Hans, completely out of the blue and in opposition to everything we’ve known about him up until this point, turned out to be an evil villain?

Olaf.

I know, I know you’re skeptical. I was too when I first heard this theory. But when you really sit down and think about it, it all fits. What better disguise to take on than the cute, loveable, seemingly clueless comic relief snowman?

Think about the first time Olaf appeared. He shows up just as a young inexperienced sorceress is tapping into her latent powers. It’s clear at this point that she has very little control over what she’s doing and has no understanding of where this power of hers comes from.

And then Olaf shows up. And things go wrong.

Elsa spends the next twenty years suppressing her powers, but that can’t last forever. And at her coronation she loses control once again, bringing the greatest ice storm the world has ever seen down on the land in a wild uncontrolled release of her powers.

And then Olaf shows up.

Anna goes searching for her sister to try to talk her down from her fear-induced isolation, to get her to come back home and make everything right. She meets up with Kristof and they almost make it to the castle.

And then Olaf shows up. And soon thereafter Anna’s heart is frozen.

Anna and Kristof head back to the city to reverse the curse by kissing Anna’s true love, Hans. But then Hans, completely out of left field reveals his evil plan and leaves Anna to die. No points for guessing what so conveniently happens next…

Olaf shows up. He “saves” Anna and she heads out into the storm to confront her sister. Anna and her sister are reconciled and the kingdom is restored. And who’s right there with them, now safely preserved from ever melting by his own personal flurry? Who has wormed his way into the confidence of the two most powerful women in the kingdom, and the most powerful sorceress in the world, both of whom have proved to be highly unstable and suggestible?

Oh, yeah! It’s Olaf, baby!

I know you’re still skeptical. But follow me just a little farther here. Because it makes more sense than you realize.

Who is this Olaf really? He’s obviously somehow linked to people with the power of ice. He has the ability to bend the minds of those close to him to his will. He’s got an insanely intricate plan. And he’s always pretending to be something he’s not. Now who in the pantheon of Disney characters fits that description.

Loki.

Yeah. You heard me right. He’s the son of frost giants, so that’s the ice angle covered. We’ve seen he has the power to manipulate the wills of others, which would explain Hans’ face-heel turn at the end of the movie. He’s always got a plan, and he’s the master of disguise, deception and trickery.

It makes all the sense in the world. But you still don’t believe it. Of course you don’t.

And that’s the genius of this, the grandest of all deceptions.

Because Loki’s just that good.