Take notes, Disney fanatics! This is a fan theory you won't want to miss.
For more than a quarter-century, Beauty and the Beast diehards have never gotten over the flick's biggest plot hole. Enter 2017 and its live-action adaptation, and we finally had an answer as to why Belle's fellow villagers had no idea the Beast's massive castle—which literally overlooks their town—even existed until she was taken captive. Or did we?
Warning: Spoilers ahead...
Right off the bat, Emma Watson and Dan Stevens' Beauty and the Beast lets us know that the enchantress cursed the townspeople into forgetting anything and everything about the prince and the castle.
And here's where the new plot hole comes into play: Over the course of many years, none of the villagers seem to age, nor does the Beast and his servants. When Mrs. Potts is reunited with Mr. Potts in human form, they're still around the same age, despite time having passed.
A Reddit fan theory offers a remarkable explanation. "The village of Villaneuve is caught in the Enchantress' curse as well," the user explains. "It's stated outright that she erased the memories of the Prince, his lands, and servants from the villagers' minds, but if you pay attention she also locked the village in a time loop."
We're talking Groundhog Day, people.
As for why Belle and her father are thought of as outcasts by the townspeople, it's because they moved to the village after the curse was already in place and thus, age naturally. It's no coincidence Belle can sing and dance her way through a crowded marketplace without so much as a second glance to the chaos happening around her. They're living the same day over and over again!
What do you make of this theory? Sound off in the comments!