Ariel (2023)

## Media

### Alias

Child (by Sebastian), Poor Child, Kid (by Scuttle and Ursula), The Little Mermaid, The Mermaid, Sea Creature, My Little One (by Triton)

### Occupation

Princess of Atlantica
Ruler of the Carinae Sea

### Affiliations

Disney Princesses
Daughters of Triton

**Ariel** is the titular main protagonist of the 2023 remake of *The Little Mermaid.*.She is a young mermaid princess of Atlantica and the youngest daughter of King Triton who saves the life of a prince and sailor, Prince Eric. Wishing to be with him, she trades her beautiful singing voice with the witch Ursula that ultimately puts her family in jeopardy.

She is portrayed by Halle Bailey.

## Analysis

* After learning from Scuttle that Ursula cheated on their deal. She engages Ursula in a cat fight and smashes her necklace.
* Ariel is kind to all animals, whether they are from the surface or in the seas. She pets Max when he first met her on the ship. Max recognizes her again as she was going out on a tour of the kingdom with Eric and she pets him again. Before reuniting with Eric, she pets and greets Max yet again.
* To save Eric, Ariel is forced to kill Ursula. Recalling how Eric steered the ship during the storm, Ariel takes the helm and directs the sharp end of the mast to impale Ursula. Not only is Ariel able to save Eric, Triton is later revived by the Trident.
* Ariel admits she couldn't have possibly have done it without Eric's help. Realizing she can stand on her own, Triton turns Ariel human for her to be with Eric.
* Triton acknowledges Ariel's bravery as she returns his trident. He gave up his life for her while she fought for his.
* Shortly after her wedding to Eric, both Ariel and Selina seem to have made amends (despite Selina being horrified at learning Ariel was a mermaid at Eric's and Vanessa's engagement party. She thanks Selina for accepting her and Selina admits she was wrong. Their worlds do belong together, and Eric and Ariel's love is proof of that.
* Before she sets off to see the world, Ariel is glad to see her friends. Sebastian, Scuttle and Flounder touch her when Ariel sees they have mermaid figurine out of the sea. Instead, she lets them have it. Sebastian tells her not to be late for the next Coral Moon but Sebastian, tells her in a teasing way.
* Instead of correcting Scuttle about a "dinglehopper" being a fork, tells her friend she was right about the artifact.
* Upon seeing her father, sisters and people are attending her wedding, they are accepting of her marriage to Eric. Ariel is brought to tears for the first time in her life (as she is no longer a mermaid). Tearfully, Ariel hugs her father and thanks him for everything he has done for her. Triton does so in return and proud to see the woman Ariel has become

## Relationships

### Family

* King Triton - Father
* Eric - Husband
* Mala - Older Sister
* Indira - Older Sister
* Caspia - Older Sister
* Tamika - Older Sister
* Karina - Older Sister
* Perla - Older Sister
* Queen Selina - Mother-in-law
* King Maximillius - Father-in-law

### Allies

* Flounder - best friend
* Scuttle - best female friend
* Sebastian
* Lashana
* Grimsby

### Enemies

* Flotsam and Jetsam - secondary arch-enemies and indirect victims

## Trivia

* Unlike the original, Ariel is more direct in her confrontation with Vanessa: she gets into a cat fight with her in order to steal Ursula's necklace and get her voice back. This is similar to the original Broadway musical.
* Throughout the whole movie, Ariel does not shed one tear. Even when Eric decided to marry another woman (when she was cursed at the time), Ariel still does not cry. Therefore, her heartbreak is more tragic and Ariel suffers more. However, when she is made human, Ariel finally cries tears of joy when she sees how her family supports her and how her father has finally heard her. This also signifies that Ariel is not a mermaid anymore and is fully human, but tearful to say goodbye to her old life.

## Navigation

* Also, unlike the original, Ariel and Ursula are related: they are aunt and niece, a concept from the Broadway musical and the original transcript.