Characters of Disney's The Little Mermaid
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This article lists information of fictional characters from Disney's The Little Mermaid franchise, covering the 1989 film, its prequel series, its sequel and the stage musical adaptation. This article does not include four main characters that have their individual articles: Ariel, Prince Eric, Ursula and Sebastian.
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[edit] Triton
| King Triton | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | The Little Mermaid (1989) |
| Created by | Hans Christian Andersen (original story) Roger Allers & Andreas Deja (adaptation) |
| Voiced by | Kenneth Mars (1989 film, TV series, first sequel) Jim Cummings (second sequel) |
| Also known as | The Sea King |
King Triton is the sea king and Ariel's father. His name is derived from the mythological Greek character Triton, whom was the son of the Greek sea god Poseidon. Triton is the king of the underwater kingdom of Atlantica. He is a merman and the father of seven daughters: Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Atina, Adella, Allana, and Ariel.
Triton is very protective of his daughters, which often turns into a conflict with Ariel. When the film begins, Triton is xenophobic about humans, and Ariel's fascination with humans cast a strain on their relationship. The reason for his constant clashes with Ariel, as told by directors Ron Clements and John Musker, is that he is very strong willed and independent, like his daughter. She is also his favorite of his offspring because as a child, he also had red hair and sees himself most in Ariel. By the end of the film, Triton softened his attitude towards humans, and allowed Ariel to marry her love, Eric. His archenemy in the film is Ursula, who once lived in Atlantica's royal palace.
King Triton also appears in the prequel television series and in the Kingdom Hearts series of video games. In the prequel series, his is explicitly called the son of Poseidon, and the grandson of Neptune. The series also reveals that his childhood nickname was "Red", for his red hair.
In the stage musical, Triton is explicitly stated to be Ursula's elder brother, and reveals that a reason he is overprotective of Ariel is because she reminds him a great deal of her late mother. Although he doesn't sing in the film, he sings new songs written specifically for the musical. These songs are "That World Above (reprise)" in which he confronts Ariel in her grotto and destroys it, "If Only (quartet)" in which he expresses regret over his behavior towards Ariel, and "If Only (reprise) in which he lets Ariel go to be with Eric. The stage role is originated by Norm Lewis.
Triton will appear in the upcoming 2008 direct-to-DVD film The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning in which he is voiced by Jim Cummings.
[edit] Flounder
| Flounder | |
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Flounder at Disney Parks |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid (1989) |
| Created by | Roger Allers |
| Voiced by | Jason Marin (1989 film) Edan Gross & Bradley Pierce (TV series) Cam Clarke (first sequel) Parker Goris (second sequel) |
| Also known as | Guppy Number 35 |
Flounder, Ariel's best friend, is a yellow and blue-colored fish. Despite the name, he is not a flounder, but is more similar in appearance to a Convict Tang.
Flounder scares easily, and is prone to panicking under stressful situations, but when Ariel is trouble, he comes through for her without hesitation. In the film he is the only character to give unconditional support for Ariel's fascination with human things, and at one point gives Ariel a statue of Eric as a gift. He is voiced by Jason Marin in the 1989 film.
Flounder appears in all the episodes of the prequel television series, sharing constant adventures with Ariel. According to the television series, Flounder's real name is Guppy Number 35. In the series, he is voiced by Edan Gross and Bradley Pierce.
Flounder appears in the Kingdom Hearts series, where his role as Ariel's friend remains. His biggest role is in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, where Ursula sent him to the surface to force Ariel to give her the trident.
Flounder has a small role in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, where he is reunited with a grown-up Ariel. He is shown as having become a father himself, with a number of children of his own. In this film, he is voiced by Cam Clarke.
At the Disney theme parks, Flounder makes cameo appearances in the Mickey's Philharmagic 3D show and in the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It's a Small World. He has also appeared in the parks as a walk-around character from time to time, but mostly in parades, shows and special events such as Mickey's Pirate & Princess Party.
Flounder appears in the stage adaptation of The Little Mermaid. His supporting role is similar as in the film, but he does not give Ariel the statue of Eric, and does not help Ariel reach Eric's wedding barge before the finale as the Vanessa subplot had been removed. However, Flounder performs the song "She's in Love" with Ariel's sisters, in which the characters start to notice that Ariel has been acting "fishy lately". The stage role was originated by Cody Hanford and J.J. Singleton, but the two actors had to leave the show when their height overshot that of Sierra Boggess, who originated Ariel. The role was taken over by Trevor Braun and Brian D'Addario. On the Original Broadway Cast Recording, Brian D'Addario performs as Flounder.
Flounder will appear in the upcoming 2008 direct-to-DVD film The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. He will be voiced by Parker Goris in this film.
[edit] Scuttle
| Scuttle | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | The Little Mermaid (1989) |
| Created by | Roger Allers |
| Voiced by | Buddy Hackett (film & sequel) Maurice LaMarche (TV series) |
Scuttle is a seagull and friend of Ariel. He appears in the original film as an expert on human objects, with whom Ariel consults about things she salvages, though his identifications consist of nonsense. He wrongly named a fork a "dinglehopper" and said it was used as a comb, and a smoking pipe a "snarfblatt" while claiming it worked like a trumpet. Ariel refers to her collected relics from the human world as "whatsits," "whozits," "gadgets," "gizmos," and "thing-a-mabobs."
Scuttle provides further support and advice when he learns that Ariel has to win Eric's heart in three days. On the third day, Scuttle is the one who discovers that Vanessa, the woman Eric has decided to marry instead, is actually Ursula. He immediately tells Ariel this information, and helps stall the wedding so to allow Ariel to arrive and confront Eric.
Scuttle appears in a small role in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, where he helps Ariel find her daughter Melody, who has run away.
He is voiced by Buddy Hackett in both the 1989 film and 2000 sequel.
Scuttle appears in two episodes of the final season of the television series in which he is voiced by Maurice LaMarche. The episodes he appears in are "Scuttle", where Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian meet him for the first time, and "The Island of Fear".
Scuttle appears in the 2007 stage adaptation of the original film, where he sings two songs: "Human Stuff," where he explains the human things Ariel has brought to him, and "Positoovity," where he encourages a now-human Ariel to be positive in achieving her goal of winning Eric. The role is originated by Eddie Korbich.
In the Swedish-dubbed version of the 1989 film, the character is named Mozart. This naming is a pun as seagulls in Swedish are called måsar, pronounced like "Mozart" but with a silent T.
[edit] Flotsam and Jetsam
| Flotsam and Jetsam | |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid (1989) |
| Created by | Roger Allers |
| Voiced by | Paddi Edwards |
Flotsam and Jetsam are moray eel minions of the sea witch Ursula. They appear in the film The Little Mermaid and the prequel television series.
Flotsam and Jetsam are voiced by Paddi Edwards in the film. They frequently speak in unison, finish each other's sentences, and entwine their bodies. The concept of their linkage is further heightened when their eyes combine to form a single crystal ball, a portal through which Ursula can view the outside world. Ursula would remain in her lair, working from behind the scenes, and watching everything from the crystal ball.
Flotsam and Jetsam are the first to notice Ariel's infatuation with the world above. Upon witnessing the girl fall in love with a human male, Prince Eric, Ursula sends Flotsam and Jetsam to propose a deal to Ariel. In making sure that Ursula wins the deal, Flotsam and Jetsam sabotage what would have been a kiss between Ariel and Eric. In the climax, Flotsam and Jetsam are accidentally killed by the trident when Ariel grabs Ursula's hair just as the sea witch fires a killing shot intended for Eric. Flotsam and Jetsam are notable for their efficiency. Until they were killed, they succeeded at every task Ursula gave them.
The eels appear in a few episodes of the television series, whenever Ursula makes an appearance. Unlike the film, in the television series Ursula is hostile towards the eels, often scolding and berating them.
In the video game Kingdom Hearts, Flotsam and Jetsam appear in a role similar to the first film. They return in Kingdom Hearts II briefly, during "Ursula's Revenge." They try to attack Sora once more, but are eventually destroyed by Sora's Keyblade. They were both voiced by Corey Burton in the first game, but had no dialogue in the second game.
Flotsam and Jetsam appear in the 2007 musical adaptation of The Little Mermaid, but unlike the film, their eyes are not magically linked used for Ursula's spying of others, as this role has been taken over by Ursula's Nautilus shell. Flotsam and Jetsam provide supporting vocals in Ursula's introduction song "I Want the Good Times Back" number, and have their own duet song, "Sweet Child", As well as its Reprise. Tyler Maynard and Derrick Baskin play Flotsam and Jetsam respectively.
[edit] Max
| Max | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | The Little Mermaid (1989) |
| Created by | Roger Allers |
| Voiced by | Frank Welker |
| Also known as | |
Max is an Old English Sheepdog and Prince Eric's pet, first appearing in the original film voiced by Frank Welker. Unlike all the other animals in the film, Max is minimally anthropomorphic and does not speak in the human language. Max's barking and growling is provided by Frank Welker throughout his animated incarnations.
Max is present on Eric's ship at the beginning of the film. During Eric's birthday celebration, Max catches Ariel's scent and tracks her down, licking her on the cheek in an apparent show of affection. When the ship catches fire, the sailors escape safely, but Max is left behind. Seeing this, Eric dives out of his lifeboat and climbs back on board, grabbing Max and tossing him to safety. This event causes Eric to be trapped on board when the ship explodes.
Later, when Eric is brought to shore safely by Ariel, Max smells out his master and rushes out to greet him with a sloppy lick on the face. Max is also able to smell Ariel, hidden off-shore behind rocks, but Eric does not understand his barking. After Ariel has made her deal with Ursula and becomes human, Max smells her on shore and leads Eric across the beach towards her. Max recognizes Ariel immediately and gives her a lick on the cheek again, but Eric does not recognize Ariel, because she doesn't have the voice that he remembers.
Eventually Ursula herself appears in the guise of a human girl to distract Eric from kissing Ariel before the third day is up. Max can see Vanessa for what she really is, and during a sequence where animals try to stop the wedding, Max bites her in her rear end, causing her to release the shell containing Ariel's voice.
Max makes a brief appearance in the sequel The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea]], and is the only named character of the original film who does not appear in the musical.
[edit] Urchin
| Urchin | |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid (TV series) |
| Created by | |
| Voiced by | Danny Cooksey |
Urchin is a merboy and one of the main characters of the The Little Mermaid prequel television series, in which he is a close friend of Ariel, Sebastian and Flounder, and often goes on adventures with them. He is voiced by Danny Cooksey.
Urchin first appears in the fourth episode of the series titled "Urchin". In it, Urchin is seen to be an orphan who lives by himself and wants badly to have friends. He is approached by small-time villains Lobster Mobster and Da Shrimp, who bring him into their gang and use him to steal food for them. Urchin manages to steal food from the palace, but in doing so is confronted by Ariel. Ariel tries to befriend Urchin, who at first rebuffs her.
Urchin then shows his true colors when he helps Ariel escape after she is kidnapped by Lobster Mobster and Da Shrimp. Urchin also helps when the gangster Crab Louie tries to steal treasure from the royal treasure vault, saving the day. Ariel encourages Urchin to apologize to King Triton for stealing his food, and he does. King Triton accepts the apology and advises Urchin to watch whom he decides to be friends with.
Urchin reappears in many following episodes, almost always taking part in an adventure alongside Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian. In the episode "Trident True", Urchin plays pranks on Ariel's sisters and buys a Father's Day present for King Triton, implying his closeness with the royal family.
[edit] Melody
| Melody | |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea |
| Created by | Elizabeth Anderson & Temple Mathews (screenplay) |
| Voiced by | Tara Strong |
Melody is the protagonist of The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, which opens with the celebration of her birth. She is Ariel and Eric's daughter, and the granddaughter of King Triton. She has long black hair styled in a ponytail and a red tail with pink fins when she's a mermaid. Melody is voiced by Tara Strong.
The celebration is interrupted by Morgana, who threatens to hurt Melody if Triton does not hand over the trident. Although this initial attempt is thwarted, Ariel decides that the sea is too dangerous for Melody, and vows to keep all knowledge of the sea from her, including her own family background.
Melody grows up banned from entering the sea, and ignorant of the reason why. This causes a misunderstanding to exist between her and Ariel, who refuses to explain the truth of Melody's past. By the time Melody is twelve, she has been regularly secretly sneaking out to swim in the sea. Melody and Ariel eventually come to blows in an argument, and Melody runs away from the royal palace.
Melody eventually encounters Morgana, who uses Melody's love of the sea against her. Morgana transforms Melody into a mermaid, promising her that the transformation will last forever if Melody will retrieve the trident from Triton, claiming that he stole it from Morgana. While searching for the trident, Melody befriends a penguin named Tip and a walrus named Dash, and they join her in her search. They manage to sneak into the Atlantican royal palace and make off with the trident. Melody returns to Morgana at the same time that her mother Ariel, who's been turned back into a mermaid, arrives. Melody, angered at Ariel's decision to hide Melody's mermaid heritage, gives Morgana the trident. A battle ensues, which is eventually ended when Melody retrieves the trident from Morgana and throws it to Triton.
The film ends with Melody reunited with her family turning down Triton's offer of letting Melody become a mermaid permanently.
In the film, Melody sings in the songs "For a Moment", "Tip and Dash", and the finale song "Here on the Land and Sea".
[edit] Morgana
| Morgana | |
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Morgana |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea |
| Created by | Elizabeth Anderson & Temple Mathews (screenplay) |
| Voiced by | Pat Carroll |
Morgana is the villain of The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. She is the sister of the then-deceased Ursula. Both Morgana and Ursula are cecaelians, who have tentacles instead of a tail. Morgana's voice is provided by Pat Caroll, who had also voiced Ursula.
Morgana's prime motivation, rather than seeking revenge, is proving her superiority over Ursula, apparently the favored child of their mother. Unfortunately, Morgana lacks her late sister's talent with magic. Furthermore, Morgana initially lacks Ursula's subtlety and deviousness, openly attacking Melody's birthday party and using her as a hostage to gain Triton's trident, a ploy that ultimately fails due to Ariel's quick thinking.
Twelve years later, Morgana meets with Melody, who has rebelled against Ariel's overprotective ways. Morgana lures Melody with the promise of becoming a mermaid, ironically using the last of Ursula's magic potion to transform Melody temporarily into a mermaid. Morgana asks Melody to get the trident for her, claiming herself to be its rightful owner. Morgana succeeds in getting the trident thanks to Melody, but is eventually defeated when Melody, realising her error, returns the trident to King Triton. Morgana is permanently encased in ice as punishment, and is left to sink to the bottom of the ocean.
[edit] Tip and Dash
| Tip and Dash | |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea |
| Created by | Elizabeth Anderson & Temple Mathews (screenplay) |
| Voiced by | Max Casella (Tip) & Stephen Furst (Dash) |
Tip and Dash are supporting characters in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea and friends of Melody. Tip is a penguin voiced by Max Casella, and Dash is a walrus voiced by Stephen Furst. Their names are derived from the convention of Morse Code which uses dots (or "tips") and dashes to communicate messages.
In the film, Tip and Dash are established odd couple best friends whom Melody encounters when she has been transformed into a mermaid. She learns that the duo want to be "heroes" but find it difficult to do so when Tip is a braggart who exaggerates his accomplishments and Dash is openly a coward. Tip and Dash join Melody on her journey to retrieve the trident for Morgana. In the final battle, both characters find their inner courage and help to save the day.
The duo perform the song "Tip and Dash" with Melody.
[edit] Undertow
| Undertow | |
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| First appearance | The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea |
| Created by | Elizabeth Anderson & Temple Mathews (screenplay) |
| Voiced by | Clancy Brown |
Undertow is a supporting villain of The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, and the main sidekick of Morgana. He is voiced by Clancy Brown.
When the film opens, Undertow is a very large shark, and enjoys using his size to intimidate others. In the opening scene, Morgana and Undertow crash the celebration party for Ariel's daughter, Melody. During the struggle, Undertow is zapped by the magic of King Triton's trident, transforming him into a tiny fish.
Undertow spends about twelve years being a small fish, for which he is bitter. He expresses anger when Morgana reveals that she has been keeping a secret stash of Ursula's magic all these years, but did not use it to transform him back to his original form. Instead, Morgana uses it to turn Melody into a mermaid, so to use her to steal King Triton's trident. When Morgana gets the trident from Melody, she uses it to restore Undertow to his original form.
Undertow, restored to his regular size, intimidates Melody's friends Tip and Dash in the final battle. During the fight, Undertow crashes into a wall of ice and all his teeth fall out. It is unknown what his final fate is.
[edit] References
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