Long ago, a drop of liquid sunlight sprouted a magical healing flower. For centuries, Mother Gothel used the flower to retain her youth, until soldiers from a nearby kingdom plucked it to heal their ailing queen. The Queen gave birth to Princess Rapunzel, whose golden hair contains the flower's healing properties. Gothel tries to steal a lock of Rapunzel's hair to use the power once again but discovers that cutting the hair renders it inert. She instead abducts Rapunzel and raises her as her own in a secret tower. Gothel teaches Rapunzel to fear the outside world and its people. Each year, the King and Queen release sky lanterns on Rapunzel's birthday, hoping for their daughter to see them and return.