Sadly, 2014’s Big Hero 6 went vastly underrated compared to Disney’s Frozen, which premiered the year before. Big Hero 6 follows Hiro, a young engineer, in the devastating aftermath of his older brother’s death. The last remaining pieces of Tadashi that Hiro has left are Tadashi’s college friends and his recently invented school project, Baymax. Big Hero 6 is a story of friendship in a way Disney films not always are. Hiro is a grief-stricken kid desiring to avenge his brother’s death while realizing he does not have to be alone in his grief.

However, it is not just a movie about trying to move on. It is also a superhero movie as Hiro, and his new group of friends uses science to become a team of superheroes. Big Hero 6 does not create a romantic relationship for Hiro to focus on rather than his brother. Nor does it take the easy way out of breezing over Hiro’s grief to tell a different story. Instead, Big Hero 6 strives to be a comedy that understands the emotional depths and struggles its characters are going through. Hiro’s relationship with Baymax becomes the heart of the film as it gives Hiro a way to connect to his late brother and figure out a way to start moving forward.

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Baymax

     Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Hiro’s relationship with Baymax is the heart of the movie. Although Baymax is a healthcare companion robot, he holds plenty of heart, soul, and comedy within the film. His marshmallow appearance makes him easy to respond to, and his openness and willingness to help others is a bright spot for Hiro. Of course, Baymax is only well-intentioned, as that was Tadashi’s initial design when he invented Baymax. Tadashi created Baymax to help people, and that is precisely what Baymax does for Hiro throughout Big Hero 6. Baymax helps Hiro work through his emotions and the mystery surrounding what happened to Hiro’s microbots.

However, his refusal to cause harm also allows him to teach Hiro alternative ways to handle his problem. As a healthcare companion, Baymax functions to help people, not harm them. Hiro’s willingness to override that design shows how far he is willing to go in a moment of weakness. However, Baymax holding footage of Tadashi and reminding Hiro of what Baymax was made for helps bring Hiro back to his center. Catching the villain will be enough; there is no need for violent revenge.

Discusses Grief

Some Disney movies discuss serious real-life topics. Big Hero 6 is one of them, as Hiro explores his emotions after his brother dies. There is no quick fix to Hiro’s emotional journey, as he believes finding and killing the man responsible for Tadashi’s death will help him. However, through spending time with Tadashi’s friends and Baymax, Hiro allows himself to begin the healing process. In one of the movie’s final scenes, Hiro even seems to understand his brother’s decision to run into the fire when he repeats Tadashi’s reasoning as Hiro is about to fly into the portal, that someone is alive in there and that someone has to help.

But, the movie also uses grief to fuel the motivation of its leading villain, Professor Callaghan. Professor Callaghan had lost his daughter in a science experiment when she flew through a transportation portal but never got out. Ever since the accident, Professor Callaghan had been grieving his missing daughter. Hiro’s microbots allow Professor Callaghan to finally take revenge on Krei for allowing Callaghan’s daughter to test the portal, knowing there were issues. But, while Professor Callaghan’s daughter does make it out of the portal alive, Professor Callaghan faces the consequences of his actions as he is arrested while his daughter is given medical attention.

Found Family Dynamics

While Hiro still has a relationship with his aunt, the found family dynamic Hiro gains from Tadashi’s friend group is one of the most prominent elements of the movie. Hiro leans on Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Fred, and GoGo after they come across Hiro and Baymax, tracking down Hiro’s microbots and the mysterious man in the mask. Fred, GoGo, Honey Lemon, and Wasabi had wanted to be there for Hiro after Tadashi’s death, reaching out to him and wanting Hiro to join them at school. When they begin a small superhero team with Baymax, it brings the group closer together in their strive to catch the man responsible for Tadashi’s death.

Hiro is surrounded by supportive people, whether it be his aunt, newfound friends, or Baymax. By leaning on friends, the movie also avoids other potential issues, such as forcing romantic relationships when there is no room for them. Instead, Big Hero 6 relies on the importance of friendship and found family to create a team of people who can help and support each other unconditionally.