I know that hopeless romantics might say that it would have been a "good lesson for kids" if she had ended up with Quasimodo, but I think it was more realistic of Disney to have her go for Phoebus. Not because Quasimodo couldn't have won her love, but because those two characters just fit better together.

I think it was a better story line.

No, no he can’t. The gallant, blonde, muscular, hero gets the girl instead of the deformed Quasimodo.

Never mind the fact that Quasimodo saved your life on multiple occasions. Never mind that you’re this decent man’s last hope for finding affection. No, let’s all fall for the pretty one. Well, you know what? There’s more to life than looks! Maybe you’ll realize that when you have to take care of your unemployed husband.

Okay, that was harsh.

But, while I realize that it was realistic for her to fall for Phoebus, is realistic always best?
If we were being realistic, I doubt Belle would have ever fallen for the Beast in Beauty and the Beast.

Anyways, I love it the way it is, but I get so sad that Quasimodo will never be loved.

kateliness-- he's loved in Hunchback 2, if that's any consolation. :o)

There's a Hunchback 2? Wow. I did not know that.

Also, I apologize for my rant above. Not necessary to prove my point ;)

I like that not everything was completely perfect and neat...it was a little step out of disney and into reality.

This was one of the hardest picks I've made on fanpop! lol... I mean Quasimodo totally deserved Esmerlda because he was so sweet and helped her, but Phoebus deserved her too.. he risked his life for her... so I think that Esmerelda should have a twin sister... and then there really would be a happy ending. :D

It makes sense either way for me...they're both such great guys, regardless of looks. And on the one hand, the happily-ever-after part of me really wanted Esmerelda to choose Quasi, but on the other hand, I did enjoy sobbing my heart out from the tragedy of it at the end.

I just choose Esmerelda&Quasimodo because it's behind. Lol, maybe we should give it a shipper name...Quesmerelda? Esmerodo? Quasielda? Esmodo? Hmmm...

I think it's okay,either way. I never had any strong opinion of which of the two should get Esmerelda. But,I think Esmerelda and Phoebus kind of look cuter together. But,Quasi is very sweet and at least everyone saw the hero within him at the end of the movie. And ofcoarse,in the second film,Quasimodo got Madeline.

Poor Quasimodo! I don't know, it would be nice for Esmeralda to end up with Quasi, but then they had to make Phoebus a "bad guy" (as he is in the original novel), otherwise why not to choose him?

Phoebus did save Esmeralda's life twice, anyway. so It wasn't like he didn't do anything for Esmeralda.

Plus, obviously, he was deformed. I know she was nonjudgemental but even I wouldn't tap that. ...

Quasi found a girlfriend in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame 2!

Well, Esmeralda and Phoebus just fit together. Plus, it's closer to the book, right?

they're just good together and he's funny aswell :)

Before seeing the second film, i was kind of tied for this.
I mean, Phoebus and Esme are cute together, but so were Quasi and Esme.
Its good that Quasi accepted it, though, and was glad that Esme was alright and they could still be friends. Its not like she completely forgot about him, amirite? ;)
But either couple works for me. I just chose PhoebusxEsmerelda because Quasi has Maddy now ^_^

Mostly what you said. But also...Quasimodo loved her more, I think.

I know it's closer to the book, but I don't like Zepher and Madeline. I feel that Quasi loved Esmerelda more.

Well in the book Phoebus let her die and Quasi died for her so I thinkit's obvious

They were following the book - Esmeralda ALWAYS falls in love with Phoebus. In every other version, she can't even look at Quasimodo because she finds him so repulsive.

as it is

I know a lot of people have said that Esmeralda's ending up with Phoebus is hypocritical to the movie's 'looks don't make the man' theme, but I believe the end pairing is exactly as it should be.
Whenever I saw Esme and Quasi's interactions I never saw true romantic love. Quasimodo seemed to attach to Esme because she was the first to accept his deformity. Esme was able to see eye to eye with him because she also was an outcast, but the way he acted around her was like a little boy with his first crush. Esmeralda seemed to see him as a sad little boy who needed a friend. Perhaps Quasi attached to Esmeralda because she was a strong independent woman who accepted him. With Frollo as foster parent, Quasimodo never felt true family love. Never knowing his real mother, Quasi attaches to Esmeralda because she shows him the acceptance he can't ever remember receiving from a parent (he was too young to remember his Gypsy mother).
This is why (and I know pretty much everyone hates it) I like the pairing in HoND2. It has been a few years since the previous movie and Quasi has grown up a bit. He now accepts himself and is a stronger, more independent person.
Basically I like Quasi better with Madellaine because he's more of a man with her, whereas with Esmeralda like I said he seems like a child.

I agree that Quasi is better with Madellaine.They have a lot more in common personality wise. Esmeralda views Quasi, in my opinion, as a younger brother. She calls him a "Sweet boy" and treats him like a younger sibling or younger child at times. Idk, they're good friends, but Esmeralda deffinately belongs with Phoebus. He challenges her in ways she never thought of before, and they can teach eachother things that the other needs.

i don't give a damn about the book, as disney obviously only got inspired by it. i think phoebus deserves her, as he is the only one who loves her as a woman. to frollo she was just an object of lust, and to quasi... i always got the feeling that she was more like a mother to him, as he was thirsting for love, the poor guy. but he deserved somebody whom he could love as a woman and who loved him. and esmeralda started to notice phoebus before she noticed quasi.

Neither- Frollo/Esmeralda all the way! It's creepy and wrong, but once the Stockholm Syndrome starts settling in, I think they're actually quite well-matched. Both are passionate and willing to fight for what they believe in.

... I have SO many problems.

My reasons for it have already been mentioned.

yeah quasimodo and esmeralda were better off as friends <3

I think they're both good couples, really. (On the other hand, I feel so sorry for Quasimodo having to watch the two of them kiss -- it must have felt like his whole world was falling apart. Damn you Tom Hulce and Alan Menken both. :( )

But yeah, Phoebus and Esmeralda work out a little better. Quasimodo and Esmeralda are more like brother and sister, really.

She saw him as a friend, whereas Phoebus had catched her eye. Why must be she an object to get (as in "the goog guy gets the girl")? She should choose who to be with, and she liked Phoebus. Too bad for Quasi, but he would never ignore her feelings either.

I think that they would make a great couple. I think that Quazi loved Esmarelda more. But I still like Phoebus.

I would've taken Quasi any day, however. He's the type who freaking protects you when you faint and cries over lifeless bodies.

Of course Quasi deserved Esmeralda, but the lesson is to love yourself, isn't it? I think that's a better lesson for this movie other than love someone for their personality and not their looks. I mean, we already have Belle to teach that lesson, does it really need to be repeated? I prefer Quasi learning to accept himself as he is than him getting the girl personally.

Kinda reminds me of how Miguel should have of ended up with Chel,except,unlike Quasimodo,he finds someone to fall in love in with at the end of the movie,rather than having to wait like Quasimodo did.

It's more realistic. And why is it only okay if the guy is ugly/deformed?

Esme X Phoebs never really latched on to me. I don't hate the couple with the power of a thousand blazing suns unlike most fans, nor do I hate Phoebus, but I prefer Quasimerelda or Fresme...I never really liked disney canon pairs (except Pocahontas X John Smith and Jane X Tarzan). I would love to have had Esmeralda be with Quasi, but not everything in life is fair!

Also I don't claim Esmeralda to be an ungrateful harlot for being saved twice by Quasi despite Phoebus being her main squeeze, I mean sure it was awkward for her to not have noticed that Quasi loved her, but she loved him just as much as she did Phoebus(though not romantically, boo). Besides, the movie also proved that you don't always need a princess or prince charming to have a happy ever after, If you acknowledge the sequel Quasi gets a girl...however the sequel is dead to me in my eyes, it warps that message from the first movie into the opposite.
And can we at least appreciate that Disney was REALLY trying to stay faithful to the book?!

It's just more realistic.
I don't think Esme would be happy with Quasi, she never looked at him that way.

i feel it is more realistic. but i feel she broke Quasi's heart so much.

I feel like Esme had more chemistry with Phoebus to be honest. They had more snark between them and they just fit well! Not because they are good looking (Let's face it, Phoebus is not excatly the ideal guy either ahaha) but seeing them together is rather funny. I feel like the feelings she had towards Quasimodo was more like friendship, although what Quasi felt for her was different. I felt that their relationship seemed more like friendship anyway. And unlike the book version's, the movie's Phoebus was genuinely good and helped her out two times, if not more. I know Quasi's a nice guy but hey-There's a difference between friendship and romantic feelings, you know?

well I think you can save your friend as well, he was friendzoned simple as that. Esmerelda deserved Phoebus because they clicked from the start. I guess it wasn't mutual between quisi and her at all

I really hate Phoebus, he wins Esmerelda's heart so easily. she loves him more then Quasimodo because she considers him a better men for her than quasi. quasi has suffered all his life and he gives up a chance for happiness so willingly. I myself are very attracted to women of Indian decent witch I'm certain Esmeralda is. I don't understand how did quasi accepted Phoebus and emerald's love without being upset at all which I would if I were him. he deserves emerald's love more then phoebes. Esmeralda should have realized that Quasimodo loved her and fell in love with him instead of phoebes. if I were Quasimodo I would do anything and everything to gain Esmeralda's love. I would not care what makes her happy or not. even though quasi gets a love of his own in the sequel she was not as good as Esmeralda. having a romantic companion is better than just having friends. phoebes is a dumb no good pretty boy knight who doesn't deserved Esmeralda.

Quasimodo found love with Madellaine.
Plus, Phoebus kinda had his eye on Esmeralda first

I liked them together. :)

yes