The storyline of Disney's Descendants: The Rise of Red centers on a prank that viewers don't quite understand.
First released on Disney+ on July 12, Descendants 4 follows Red, the rebel daughter of the Queen of Hearts, who travels back in time (along with Cinderella's daughter) to stop her mother from becoming a villain.
[ Descendants 4 Cast - All 25 'Rise of Red' Characters & Actors (Photos) ]
What Is Descendants 4's Mystery Prank?
After Kylie Cantrall's Red and Chloe, played by Malia Baker, time-travel to the past, the two discover the young Queen of Hearts (aka Bridget) was once best friends with Chloe's mother, Cinderella.
But that all changed when Uliana, Uma's aunt and Ursula's sister, plays a cruel prank on Bridget at the "castlecoming."
Red and Chloe's goal is to stop the prank from ever happening to prevent Bridget from becoming evil, but Descendants 4 fails to show or even describe what the life-altering prank was.
Rise of Red centering on this event but never revealing it isn't just frustrating for audiences, but it may have contributed to a plot hole.
Descendants 4's Prank Plot Hole Explained
In addition to The Rise of Red's failure to show the prank that set Bridget down her path of villainy, the film's events seemingly confirmed it never could've happened in the first place.
When Uliana and the villains obtain a magical book to use against Bridget, opening the book freezes them.
Since this happens without Red or Chloe's interference, Uliana couldn't have pulled the prank. She would've been frozen regardless.
Some fans have theorized that perhaps Cinderella/Ella was responsible for the prank, which is why the Queen of Hearts references two-faced people at the film's start.
But again, this is never fully explained, and it raises questions about why the Queen of Hearts is seemingly reformed when Red and Chloe return to the present at the end.
It's worth noting that Descendants 4 left the Queen of Hearts' story somewhat open-ended, and Uma admitted this isn't the end in her final voiceover.
It's unknown when Disney intends to begin production on Descendants 5. But for now, The Rise of Red's trajectory-changing prank and its true impact on the Queen of Hearts remains a mystery.
Descendants: The Rise of Red premiered July 12 on Disney+ and will debut on Disney Channel on Friday, August 9.
Read more about the Descendants franchise on The Direct:
Descendants 4's Surprising Dove Cameron Decision Explained: Why Mal Isn't In the Movie
Descendants 4: Who Is Morgana le Fay? Disney Character Explained
What Happened to Carlos In Descendants 4? Cameron Boyce's Character Departure Explained
