The Friends on the Other Side are mysterious, malevolent spiritual entities that appear in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog (2009). They are summoned and served by Dr. Facilier, the film’s main antagonist, who refers to them as his powerful and ominous benefactors. While they never speak directly, their presence looms throughout the film, influencing events from the shadows and ultimately enforcing the supernatural bargains they uphold.
Nature and Identity[]
The Friends on the Other Side are supernatural spirits, most likely loas or dark voodoo spirits, loosely inspired by elements of Haitian Vodou and New Orleans voodoo folklore. They reside in the spiritual realm and can interact with the physical world only through rituals, pacts, and possession. Their true forms are abstract, often seen as glowing masks, swirling shadows, totemic faces, and eerie glowing eyes.
They are never named individually, and their collective nature adds to their unsettling aura. While they grant power to Dr. Facilier, they are not under his control; instead, he is indebted to them, making him more of a servant than a master.
Powers and Abilities[]
The Friends on the Other Side possess vast magical powers, which they lend to Dr. Facilier in exchange for favors, servitude, or souls. Their abilities include:
- Dark magic infusion: They empower Facilier with abilities such as voodoo hexes, illusions, transformations, and tarot card divination.
- Soul bargaining: They manipulate desires to entrap mortals into deals that result in spiritual debt or damnation.
- Spiritual possession: At the climax of the film, they drag Dr. Facilier into their world as payment for his failure to deliver souls, showing their ability to claim the living and transport them to the other side.
Role in the film[]
In the film, the Friends serve as the unseen force behind Facilier’s schemes. They enable him to transform Prince Naveen into a frog and manipulate others to pursue their selfish goals. However, Facilier’s reliance on them becomes his downfall. When he fails to fulfill his promise of delivering souls in exchange for their power, they appear in terrifying form to collect his soul instead.
Their role highlights the dangers of making deals with dark forces, serving as a metaphor for greed, deception, and the cost of shortcuts to power.