A fan theory laid out by Andres Diplotti of Cracked suggests that Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a sequel to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It sounds absurd, but the evidence laid out by Diplotti is actually pretty intriguing.

For starters, Snow White is befriended by seven dwarfs, which fits the "Seven [rings of power] for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone." Sure, the rings were ultimately lost, but the One Ring had a powerful effect on Gollum, even after it was taken from him. Therefore, it's plausible the rings extended the Seven Dwarfs' lives long enough to outlive the near extinction of their race. In turn, their personalities deteriorated until they were reduced to single traits (i.e. Happy, Grumpy).

RELATED: Movie Legends: Did People Fear Snow White Would Blind the Audience?

Snow White Prince

Diplotti also points out that Tolkien derived many of his dwarf names from the Norse epic "Voluspa." Durin translates to sleepy, and Oin is shy or bashful. However, dwarfs aren't the only Middle-earth race to join forces with the Disney princess. According to Diplotti, Prince Charming is Gandalf.

Much like Saruman and Radagast, Gandalf hails from the Maiar, a race of spiritual beings sent to Middle-earth to help fight against Sauron's growing evil. It just so happens Gandalf and the other Maiar took the guise of elderly, bearded men in robes. However, in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Gandalf returns as Prince Charming, a new form that better fits his purpose of saving Snow White.

Gandalf can summon lightning strikes, which is precisely how the Evil Queen meets her demise in Disney's adaptation of the fairy tale. Prince Charming also shows up just when he is needed, much like Gandalf. He seems to know that a kiss will break the spell and hardly seems surprised when it works, suggesting he may have familiarity with magic.

RELATED: Lord of the Rings: Why Saruman Betrayed Gandalf & Joined Sauron

Hobbit Cookbook LOTR

If Gandalf is in fact Prince Charming, his interest in Snow White might not be romantic but to keep her alive. According to the theory, she is the descendant of Aragorn and Arwen. Her distant Elven linage would explain her deep connection to nature and ability to communicate with animals. Not to mention, in The Lord of the Rings, the Elves sing to the goddess Varda, who is also referred to as Fanuilos, aka Snow-white.

The story never explains how the Evil Queen acquires the Magic Mirror, which excels in manipulation and lies -- much like Sauron. Considering the One Ring was destroyed, perhaps the Dark Lord managed to derive new strength from another magical item.

RELATED: Lord of the Rings: Why Númenor Is So Important to the Second Age

Just as he was able to corrupt King Théoden via Gríma Wormtongue, Sauron aims to do the same to the Evil Queen. He uses her insecurity and vanity to manipulate her into killing Snow White, whose blood relation to Aragorn makes her the descendant of Isildur, the man responsible for cutting the One Ring from Sauron's hand.

Sauron's resurrection also explains Gandalf's sudden return to Middle-earth. Aside from keeping Isildur's heir safe, Gandalf's chief responsibility is to prevent Sauron's power from growing, which is the same mission initially assigned to him by the Valar.

RELATED: Lord of the Rings: Legolas Basically Married Gimli

Gimli in The Lord of the Rings

As intriguing as this theory is, the story of Snow White originated as a German fairy tale popularized by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, long before Tolkien created The Lord of the Rings. That said, as a fantasy writer, Tolkien was well acquainted with fairy tales. His choice to gift seven rings of power to the Dwarf Lords of the seven kingdoms is probably no accident. So, the similarities found in J.R.R. Tolkien's universe and Walt Disney's adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are likely due to the creators drawing from the same source material.

Tolkien's and Disney's shared appreciation for fairy tales is where their similarities end. In fact, Tolkien is well known for his outspoken dislike of Disney's creations. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered only a few months after The Hobbit's publication in 1937. Tolkien went to see the film with his literary friend C.S. Lewis and walked away disappointed due to the dwarves' "gross oversimplification."

Although the timeline makes it apparent Disney did not plop the princess into Middle-earth, Diplotti showcases some compelling evidence to suggest Snow White is the perfect, unintentional sequel. Tolkien might be displeased, but at the very least, it's fun to imagine Prince Charming as some strange incarnation of Gandalf.

KEEP READING: Amazon’s Lord of the Rings Will Show Elves Like Never Before