You're Watching the LITTLE MERMAID Wrong - Secret Meaning EXPLAINED

[@DeepInMusic123]

90 seconds in and just want to say: as a fan of the original story as well as Disney's Little Mermaids, THANKYOU!! I always thought it was obvious that Ariel wanted to up to surface for reasons outside of Eric. She was always intrigued by the human world and Eric was icing but the big push to actually do it.

[@TheBlackSaint]

Yes, Ariel is almost a mermaid Gatsby to Eric’s Daisy Buchanan. Few people suggest that Gatsby’s objectives are just about loving Daisy.

[@ViewerOnline101]

I know, right. Everyone seems to forget that she sang "Part Of That World" BEFORE she even met Eric.

[@brianb99]

If anything, Eric was the damsel in distress. She stood up to everyone and fought for everything she wanted. Ariel is strong af.

[@redflame300]

😂

[@jarrydfederico7272]

Not to mention that he's much more lovesick, dropping everything for the girl he just met.

[@joshuaarvizu6627]

Well said.

[@gregr3720]

There was no damsel in distress. Who said anything about a damsel in distress?

[@gregr3720]

@@jarrydfederico7272 What did Eric drop?

[@KannIsBornToWin]

Your take is exactly what I took from the Little Mermaid as a little girl. I loved her rebellious spirit!

[@moptop4355]

Same here! While I liked the wholesome romance between her Eric, it was kind of the last thing I focused on as kid. I never took that lesson away from the film. She just seemed like a strong dreamer who wanted more and to be part of something bigger than herself, and that always resonated with me. Not the romance.

[@jfess1911]

Did you ever ask a Father about this movie? We sometimes see it as : "Immature and rebellious Daughter does something stupid, gets played and Father sacrifices himself to save her." Fathers often get teary-eyed at the point where Triton gives up his freedom to save his Daughter. Since most Parents have signed binding contracts in their lives, the ending becomes: "Upset Boyfriend murders the person with whom the Stupid New Girlfriend had signed a binding contract."

[@joshuagorski9452]

Agreed, Ryan. Also, you should DEFINITELY keep making videos about animated Disney movies like this.

[@Beth-cj7ip]

Yes!

[@sararubinstein5384]

OMG This is everything! I have been defending Ariel and this movie for so long and I'm so glad I'm not the only who sees the movie this way. Also you deserve extra credit for using a clip from A Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals. StarKid references are always welcomed and appreciated 😄

[@gingersnapcoldbrew]

I LOVE this. This is the problem with all the remakes, particularly of the Renaissance classics. The people rewriting these for a “modern” audience are completely missing the masterful, nuanced storytelling that made these classics in the first place. Which is why they always fail to measure up. They don’t need to be redone. They are perfect.

[@mzaite]

No the problem is them making them realistic. Realistic CGI, dead eyed animals.

[@TheFroneyZone]

@@mzaite yep totally takes the escapism out of the whole escape lol - I mean seriously I Just Can't Wait to Be King is one of the most iconic and funniest, joyful & colorful moments in Disney's animated movie catalog and then what do they do with the live action version? - take all of the fun, joyful and colorful moments OUT of it? - and for what? - to be more realistic. Seems they didn't learn nothing cause here we are now with this one and early reviews are all saying the same thing. Sure the "human" actors all seem great but it was Sebastian's animated face that really made the situation he was in hilarious...and now we get a "real" crab amongst other "real" sea critters...🙄

[@horizonblack8351]

@@TheFroneyZone The bird that can swim and talk unda the sea :))). Talking about cringe in just one scene

[@davidwindell]

The other issue is that what Hollywood considers the “modern audience” isn’t actually real. Nobody wants to see what they’re pushing, it’s why the remakes fail spectacularly. The “modern audience” is a replacement term for “our code of morality that we want everyone to adhere to, which also happens to be in lockstep with China’s national agenda”. So much of “the message” of modern Hollywood is a direct result of pandering to China to release films and television to their audience, which after can double the worldwide revenue of entertainment. It’s why Lebron James refuses to admit that Tawain is not free and refuses to acknowledge human rights violations by China. He knows that if he does, he can no longer sell is $200 shoes in China (which he sells for $30 there and still outperforms US revenue). Lebron and Hollywood never hesitate to speak out on social issues that they know next to nothing about, let alone the nuanced intricacies of, unless it’s anti-China… then, and only then, they will universally claim ignorance.

[@jfess1911]

I first saw Little Mermaid as an adult and it bothered me. From a Father's eyes, it is : "Immature and rebellious Daughter does something stupid, gets played and Father sacrifices himself to save her. Upset Boyfriend murders the person with whom the New Girlfriend had signed a binding contract."

[@katiesensei6270]

YES!!! I've been saying this to my friends for YEARS! Ariel is obsessed with the human world well before she meets Prince Eric. Meeting him is simply the catalyst that realizes her dream to be part of that (human) world.

[@jfess1911]

Even so, as a Father, I always saw : "Infatuated, rebellious Daughter does something stupid, gets played and Loving Father sacrifices himself to save her". You are probably now old enough to have signed contracts. That changes the ending to: "Upset Boyfriend murders the person with whom the Stupid New Girlfriend had signed a binding contract."

[@stefanied3219]

Thank you for showing others how to have a conversation about something they may disagree on in a calm and fact driven manner ❤

[@slospop1125]

I watched more Disney Princesses movies than I should've as a kid, and I've always thought that those who said they were bad influences never looked past the surface of who these characters actually were.

[@teinelona7]

I never thought of Little Mermaid as a romance but you've put it in the right words to confirm it. I always thought of her as a runaway that didn't get what she wanted bc she never considered the cost.

[@ashleyhoran5388]

I've loved that movie, I never saw it as giving up her voice for a crush. It was always about her obsession with another world, one she saw as better. How many people have immigrated to other countries to live a life they want? Eric was just the push. It was always about her relationship with her father. Thank you SO MUCH for this.

[@AndreasLaMonica]

That’s why I always loved the original version of the German dub of “part of your world” which was originally called something more in the line of “to be human”. The song was about her longing to be human. Almost no mention about a prince or man

[@brettlovell8761]

The English version features the lines "Up there on land they understand / they don't reprimand their daughters / bright young woman / sick of swimming / ready to run". It's really clear if you're paying attention.

[@forrestcraiggarrett4491]

The German version is BEAUTIFUL

[@catzamorag]

It's similar in Spanish, at the end it actually says " the exterior, I want to be part of it", at not point at all mentions or makes any reference to Eric, just to the human world and its freedom.

[@gregr3720]

@@brettlovell8761 it's ready to stand.

[@gregr3720]

What about the reprise when she sings "What would I give to live where you are? / What would I pay to stay here beside you? / What would I do to see you smiling at me? / Where would we walk? / Where would we run if we could stay all in day the sun? / Just you and me and I could be part of your world. I don't know when / I don't know how / But I know something's starting right now / Watch and you'll see / Someday I'll be part of your world". Ariel is definitely singing about Eric.

[@Erictime4fun]

Here’s a thought, Ursula used her magic to put the statue in the grotto flounder found it and just said hey how did this get here then he ran to tell Ariel I got a surprise for you. This is one item that not only makes Ariel much more interested in prince Eric, in constant physical remind to her of the person she is connected to on the surface.

[@jfess1911]

That would have been a good answer to "How did the Statue get there". Ursala's spies would have needed to have told her about the infatuation with the Prince, first, of course.

[@kendal11D]

@@jfess1911 They did. 😄 When she sings the second part of PoYW on the rock, Flotsam and Jetsam are spying on her and it cuts back to Ursula. Honestly, I never thought about how it got there.😅 I guess I thought it fell through the opening in the ceiling of the grotto.🤷‍♀😂 Ursula makes more sense.🤭

[@jfess1911]

@@kendal11DYou're right, I forgot that Ursula knew about Princy-poo prior to his stature appearing in the cave. If not Ursula.... maybe Flounder secretly does steroids? Maybe he's a werefish and nobody noticed what happens at full moon?😀.

[@LazyReaderKanon]

Thank you so much for this explanation. This entire situation just reminds me how self centered we have all become. We no longer see past our first impressions and give things more thought. It makes me feel both ashamed and sad. Hopefully we can all grow past this one day and start seeing the bigger picture for what it is. And no longer see the world as it centers around us.

[@gregr3720]

We? You mean you.

[@LazyReaderKanon]

@@gregr3720 lol, i guess so. If you are watching this video and reading this comment, yeah, you are not part of 'we'.

[@gregr3720]

@@LazyReaderKanon I meant, speak for yourself. You make statements with "we". "We no longer see past our first impressions". You can only state what you see. Not what anybody else sees.

[@LazyReaderKanon]

@@gregr3720 oh, alright then. I was talking about the people who keep misunderstanding the plot behind the mermaid, because they only want to see that particular plot. But okay, i guess it was just me. I apologise.

[@nandimkhize]

1:18 the way that’s how Ariel always was. The thing I hate about Live Action remakes is that Disney casts actors or actresses that don’t even like these Disney Princesses. Like how are you going to badmouth Ariel when you’re only living off her legacy. This is something Emma Watson also did with Belle and it annoys me to no end

[@StevieMcQween]

Yes!! Thank you for pointing this out. I was obsessed with this movie when I was a kid, and to me Eric also acted as a gateway so she could get an introduction to the human world. The main issue was always her dreams versus her father's rules, and in the end she gets everything she wants. It's pretty great. Also, there are a lot of queer readings into this film. There's a great recent youtube video by La'Ron Readus on this topic. The Disney Renaissance was also ushered in by Howard Ashman, a gay man who died from complications due to AIDS, and the commentary on being a queer person who feels othered, not accepted, and wants to fit in are pretty apparent. That's why there's even an argument that this is a trans allegory, and even in that view, Ariel still gets everything she wants and the happy ever after she'd always dreamt of. If anything, I think it's a pretty empowering story for anyone who feels like they don't fit in.

[@Amy-yh8kf]

I absolutely LOVE the Little Mermaid and it's sequel! My daughter and I have watched it (probably) hundreds of times! I, also, agree with you! It is a story about a mermaid wanting to belong to the human world!

[@Metronoma1]

This Analysis is great and on point!! Thank you🙌🙌

[@ericz9527]

Thank you for bringing some sense to the conversation. It's amazing how easily people give their minds over to delusion and forget about reality just to have something to fight about

[@fina81]

I agree 100% with this analysis! I've never agreed with the bad mouthing of this movie. I watched it 3000 times as I was born in -81 and I've analyzed the crap out of it and came to the same conclusion you did. Love to see it!

[@ViewerOnline101]

The remake Ariel also went all "girl power who don't need no man to save her". Original Ariel already saved Eric from drowning and again later from the eels when Ursula was about to kill him, and he later gets to save her by taking out Ursula, thus earning her father's trust. In the remake, she not only foils Ursula's plans by taking back her voice, which Scuttle did in the original, but she also somehow knows how to sail a ship and she's the one who steers it into Ursula because God forbid a girl these days be saved by anyone, let alone a man.

[@someOldBaldguy]

It's funny when I saw this movie as a 5-6 year old I understood the movie was more about a father daughter relationship and less about the "love interest" It's sad grown women couldn't grasp that concept, I feel bad for them and their childhood. I don't think they had a relationship with their fathers if they honestly believe the movie was about a girl giving up her voice to be with a man. These women are literally Ursula incarnate.

[@jfess1911]

Thank you. I was already an adult when this movie came out. I grew a bit conflicted over it after I had a daughter since I saw it as partly as: Loving Father sacrifices himself for Daughter. I joke that the cynical view would be: "Immature and rebellious girl does something stupid and Father sacrifices himself to save her. Upset Boyfriend murders someone in contract dispute."

[@ScreenCrush]

What do you think of the original Little Mermaid?

[@chasehedges6775]

It’s a Disney classic

[@zachryder3150]

Fine as hell.

[@ChewyRocksandiscute]

better than the blackwashed, feminist version. wish they didn't push identity politics on the new one or else I would've taken my 3 nieces to go see it.

[@harrymamez]

u r mansplaining bud, strike one, u fuked up

[@daytrippera]

It was perfection. I'd rather stick a dinglehopper in my eyes than watching the remake.

[@hyrumbeijerling1460]

Thank you! I’ve always seen this movie as a tale about the lengths children can go to when their parents don’t make the effort to understand and listen to them. But you guys went even deeper and showed me more than I realised! Love it!

[@isaacguerrerojaimes1850]

You guys remind me of my favorite subjects in highschool and then college: media analysis. Thank you!

[@gtoface-qx6ci]

I agree, when I saw this movie when I was young this is a father and daughter story. The song "apart of your world" is not really a love song about Eric, but so much more its really the thesis of the movie.

[@foamysoap99]

I think the main point is that we have an unconscious bias in society where we think that the story we tell is going to be taken as we see it, but we forget viewers will pick what they want to see - Eric is always problematic in Ariel's journey in the old movie because it states a woman always needs a love interest in her life (same as all old Disney princess movies) and she will give everything to have that perfect life that includes him. I particularly saw it as a coming of age movie where Ariel was seeking new adventures and independence, but some of my friends saw it as Ariel is giving up everything for a man...

[@arielfilmsinc1926]

AND alot of the newer films as well

[@Disneybyashley]

Ty so much for naming this! People make me mad saying she gave up everything for a man. She was obsessed about the human world before she ever even saw Eric. Girl just went after what she wanted and got it!

[@SamSnoekBrown]

I have two different college students currently writing research essays about Disney princesses and this video dropped at JUST the right time. I've already shared it with them. Thank you, Bevin!

[@therosethornjam]

*spoilers* They definitely switched the roles on who kills Ursula in the upcoming film fyi, and it really didn't make any sense, especially considering Eric's sailing abilities and what he would naturally do to fight an enemy versus getting caught up in the whirlpool.

[@GeekyGaymer]

Thank you for including the clip from "Love, Simon" during the section talking about crushes! It's nice to see LGBT representation in videos that aren't specifically about LGBT stories.

[@gregr3720]

Would your day have been ruined if he didn't include it? It's not all about you.

[@netherpan6667]

@@gregr3720 youre so mad someone is happy lmao

[@gregr3720]

@@netherpan6667 Who is?

[@GeekyGaymer]

@@gregr3720 I never said it was, silly ignorant person. Imagine being so filled with hate that you have to comment with negativity on a comment thanking someone for their inclusivity. It's actually funny that you use the phrase "it's not all about you." - because that's exactly the reason you took time out to reply. Grow up.

[@netherpan6667]

@@gregr3720 The person you replied to is happy and here you are being miserable about thar

[@derekstein6193]

Solid point. As a child, I noticed the relationship between Triton and Ariel and how it was important to the story, but I thought the romance was the bigger part of the story. Now I know.

[@einatharel9412]

What a fantastic video! Everything I've been saying for years! Thank you for making it and thank you for crediting the writer ❤

[@MusicLover-my6fo]

Prince Eric getting slightly expanded upon as a character does sound refreshing, I can't be the only one who wondered why he's never referred to as "King" despite saying "would you like a tour of my kingdom tomorrow?" in the film. Now that he has a mother and proper Queen of the kingdom, this makes more sense to me.

[@josephholyfield4867]

Spot on!! The Screen Crush team nailed it!!

[@e3vL1]

11:00 yeah live action had Ariel kill Ursula

[@toyadiinae9800]

Thank you for this eye-opener 😮😊

[@tyronea6231]

I LOVE this take it is so so so so good and makes so much sense! I appreciate it and thank you so much!

[@jallenvisconti]

@12:42 I can hear Gamora saying "...which isn't the point"

[@AlexSanchezber]

Great video dude, I love that you went back this far to make a great point. Keep up the great work

[@j.a.velarde5901]

You (and your company) have honored our father's generation and have honored the truth of good writing in Hollywood. Thank you.

For there to be a "conflict" you must be able to at least be able to empathize with both sides. But if you feel the king's argument has no value, then you can simply dismiss it. I feel this is the reason that the main conflict (Ariel and her dad) is ignored is that it is not seen as a conflict, but rather a hurdle for her to overcome.

[@MsChaosDancer]

Yes!!! Thank you. This is the movie I watched and fell in love with. This is the Ariel I resonated with because of her relationship with her father. She was, is, and always will be my favorite Disney princess. 🧜🏻‍♀️

[@theunicornmouse5424]

This was a really great analysis! Makes so much sense. Well-thought out and logical. KUDOS! Think it makes me like the flick more. :)

[@_CoachW]

Your channel is truly underappreciated. Some of the best breakdowns any where!

[@bitteroldhousecat9304]

The scene where Ariel saves Eric in the beginning, she's basically a superhero. I'm thinking Jules Winnfield might have gotten his wallet from Ariel. And you're absolutely right about the importance of Eric's roll in defeating Ursula... it served a key plot resolution that humans aren't all savages. And yes, it seems odd that King Triton would give over his daughter to a "savage barbarian" or whatever without him proving that he can do good also. And even if someone wants to argue that Ariel did indeed give up her voice for a man instead of for a being a part of that world, it wasn't about her giving up her voice, like as in, her ability to express herself. It was about her giving up her singing voice. That's why Ursula makes her sing as she's giving it up. Isn't the whole thing about sirens and mermaids was that their voices were enchanted? The singing did the alluring. She had to prove that she was more than that. Eric had already fallen in love with her by the time he realized she was the one who saved him and sang to him. There so much more to unpack there once it's not about her giving up her voice. It was about her giving up her singing voice. Yes, I too do wonder sometimes if people are watching the same movies.

[@heyamberlily]

I love the new editing, It really makes me LOL! Thanks for this breakdown, I always felt this way about the original movie. I'm excited to see this new version as well.

[@bennytherotty]

Ariel may have wanted to rebel against her father, but she wasn't willing to leave until a man caught her eye. Then she gambled EVERYTHING (her literal soul) on getting that man to fall "in love" with her (well, not "her" as she really is, but the version of "her" Ursula created) in just 3 days, which would save her and give her the life on land she's dreamed of. Ariel was dumb enough to sign a very bad contract without reading it, because she was blinded by a man she found physically attractive but knew nothing about.

[@arielfilmsinc1926]

Read the contract in the film t is mostly GIBBERISH

[@VictoriaTamiaJames]

I totally agree and always have. I think people get caught up on a few things in the first movie which derail the true point of the 1989 film. 1. Ariel's "love at first sight" intro to Eric 2. Her proclamation of love for Eric to her father 3. Ursula making Eric the central focus of Ariel's mission to remain human 4. The development of her love story with Eric All of this distracts from the coming of age story and father daughter conflict for most viewers. Thankfully it seems that most of the fans of The Little Mermaid understand that Ariel is far more complex. I do think that the runtime restrictions have a lot to do with the 1989 film being unable to make things clearer. The live action version, which I've now seen four times, has corrected that and made it much clearer.

[@ellsworthtallman2475]

This is a great break down and more need to see it!!!

[@MyNiagaraGarden]

Great analysis, love the take. We’ll done Ryan.

[@izzyxblades]

In the original story, she did it for the prince. This may partially explain why people think that the animated version is telling the same story. The original story is a cautionary tale for girls, warning them not to give everything up, sacrificing everything for a guy. In the original story, if her true love falls out of love with her, she will turn into seafoam (and die obviously), and that is exactly what happens--the moral of the story is, if you give your heart to a guy, he can easily betray you and you will be so screwed. Anyone who pays any attention will realize the vast majority of Disney movies is about children rebelling against parents who are trying to protect them.

[@jfess1911]

Yup. I am a father and have joked that the plot is: ""Immature and rebellious girl does something stupid and Father sacrifices himself to save her. Upset Boyfriend murders someone in contract dispute."

[@GabyGibson]

I wish people would remember this when talking about the film. Excellent video, fellas!

[@LdyVaJedi]

Damn!!!! Y'all nailed! It is a Father and Daughter story.

[@vitorsfate]

I love these breakdown videos of older films I know this ties into the new Little Mermaid film but it’s still great giving us a different lenses to view such classics

[@alouis0317]

As usual AGAIN!!!! Spot on! And like others in the chat here, I've seen this since day one and it's why this movie was always my favorite. (It helps that I was a kid feeling stifled by my dad in the same way. LOL) Love your breakdowns and love hearing someone think like I do 😁

[@jhmcd2]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been saying this for years. I even did a video and haven't been able to finish it yet, about this issue. Just my point was the timing. Her, I want, song comes before she even meets Eric, not afterward. This just shows how much people let popular notions determine how they see a movie and not watching it for themselves.

[@RonaldHolliman]

Never really considered she did it FOR Eric. But because she wanted to experience being human and Eric was of interest to her. Plus, if you're thinking as a writer, she has no experience with anything outside of the sea and peoples. So, what would she do with no voice, no money, and no experience of human customs once she got legs and all within 3 days? People with all these sometimes can't decide what to do on 2 day weekend. 😅

[@originalcosmicgirl]

I think the source of many people's confusion over the plot has to do with the way Disney has marketed this film. From the beginning, it was largely presented as a love story. This combined with the history of Disney princess films being about girls looking for true love, caused people to focus on the love story more than the father/daughter story. As Ryan said, this was the first princess movie that broke away from the romance tradition. However, that part of the story was not really a part of how Disney presented The Little Mermaid. As a result, the public paid less attention to it.

[@sailordarkjupiter]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!! BEEN SAYING THIS FOR YEARS!!! Literally in the song part of your world, wanting to be with a guy is never mentioned till the reprise. Even then Ariel has always wanted to be on the surface and wants to feel what its like to be a HUMAN. Eric was just a bonus and was the only thing that Ursula could use as leverage to get Ariel to even go see her in the first place.

[@apeman505]

Wow, that was very insightful, I had never thought of it that way but you're absolutely right! This is the disney movie that I've probably watched the least though. I confess that when I saw parts of it in kindergarten it terrified me and I only ever got around to watching it in its entirety a few years ago as an adult. ^^;

[@eddieg.9568]

Great all around points Ryan! Great vid.

[@Artoooooo]

This changed my perspective on my own relationship with my soon to be father in law. Thanks Ryan. I really needed this.

[@zoebrennan799]

I have to admit it the twist at the end, where a female wrote the script, was really funny

[@jonnyboy4289]

10:58-11:05 SPOILER ALERT! Prince Eric gets little to do in the climax and the whole film in the remake. All Eric did was scratch Ursula with a harpoon saving Ariel once. But, everything else, Ariel did all the work (giving the Eric and the other sides characters little to nothing to do in the remake. Who saves Flounder from that shark in the beginning? Ariel (still). Who saves Max from the shipwreck? Ariel. Who saves Eric from drowning? Ariel (still). Who helped Ariel swim to the surface when she got her legs for the first time? Ariel (herself). Who tells Eric Ariel's name in Kiss the Girl? Ariel (despite her not knowing about constellations and the night sky because she had never been to the surface in all her life). Who helps Ariel get to the engagement part? Ariel (herself). Who gets Ariel her voice back from Ursula/Vanessa? Ariel (herself). Who saves Ariel from Ursula with a harpoon? Eric (A Man saving a woman! BAD MOVIE! HIDE YOUR CHILDREN!). Who kills Ursula by driving a ship toward her in the end? Ariel. All of this just to make up for the critisim of Ariel being a typical weak damsel in distress. So, all Eric did was scratch Ursula with a harpoon. That's it!

[@Nimi856]

This is great!!! Even in the original story the focus is on Ariel wanting to be part of a differnet world, some say even that this is an alegory for coming out of the closet (which was rumerd about Hans Christian Andrensen).

[@gregr3720]

They said that about Frozen. I've never heard that about TLM.

[@AAA839]

Hans Christian Anderson want to comeout closet is not really a myth. It had history to prove it.

[@jonnyboy4289]

Even Jodi Benson herself even stated in one of her interviews that Ariel was not motivated by Prince Eric. She was determined to achive something what seems like a challenging task. So, never argue with the source.

[@mamadoll3774]

👏👏👏 Nicely said!! I've been saying the samething for years thank u for putting it on video so people can see what this beautiful movie is all about. Love ur channel

[@TheCountChuckula]

"Part of your world" isn't Eric's world. She wants to be part of the human world.

[@BrcRosa]

The love story portion of Disney Fairytales are not about crushing on the newest, or only boy you come across. They meet their True Love. Their other half. That ideal love that most people dream about when they are younger. They aren't looking for a Friday night distraction behind the fish gutting hut. They meet or just see one another across a room and feel an instant connection. The guys and the girls feel the same way. Both or struck "like lightening" by the love that they will have the privilege to share their life with.

[@BrcRosa]

Thank you for recognizing Ariels vulnerable impulsive decision to take Ursulas deal was encouraged by how she was being manipulated. Thank you for recognizing the importance of Triton and Ariels changing relationship and how it was crucial that Eric prove himself to Triton in order for him to trust Eric enough with his daughters safety and heart. I'm not saying Ariel needs Tritons blessing but she loves him and would want him to accept her and her choices. Triton overcomes a lifetime of understandable fear and mistrust of humans in order to gift Ariel with legs so that she can live in a world he has always seen as horribly dangerous. In the remake those idiots just Disintegrate the King Of The Seven Seas like he's a goldfish in a 3,000° fire pit. Then they just bring him back like thats something that just happens. In the OG Ursulas death releases her magic which makes complete sense. In the new trash Ursula isn't even the one to end him. Her stupid silent no personality eels do it. So he doesn't see Eric trying to help. Ariel tells him afterwards that "Eric was 'there' 😒". And They Go Home! Then he gets tired of her pouting and decides he'll give up all his hatred cause she says Eric doesnt suck as badly as Triton thought. Seeing things for ourselves has a Much Much bigger impact on our psyche. So many changes. So much dumb.

[@leeci33]

I agree. When I was a kid I related to this movie because of the relationship with the dad. Eric was an after thought. I felt she always wanted to be human, Eric is a prince so that should please dad. Easy fit.

[@archie0110]

what people dont understand is that disney has always been modernising thier fairytales to meet the society. its just that times and standards change over time. if we critique old disney movies we should critique most movies and tv shows from the 90s 80s etc.

[@Skellybeans]

The bargain with Ursula goes deeper than just Ariel giving up her voice for a man. What someone wants and what someone is good at doing, are two different things and some people are lucky they can have both while others have to convince themselves that what they already have is what they wanted. Ariel is good at singing, the first thing we learn about her through Sebastian is how beautiful her voice is, King Triton held a concert in honor of his daughters, and was excited to hear Ariel, Prince Eric searches for the voice of the girl that saved him. When we get to see Ariel she is exploring a sunken ship because it's her way of knowing what humans are like, she asks Scuttles about objects to understand human culture more, and her "I want song" is about being part of the human world, which is sung before she sees the ship. She sings about jumping and dancing and then swims up to see people jumping and dancing. She says how she had never seen a human that close before because she literally had never seen them in person and all she knew about them was the wonderful things they made. She gives up her voice, not her expressiveness or opinion, her voice the thing she is good at to be a human the thing she wants. On land she shows excitement for things around her, getting to try dancing like in her song, taking the reigns and showing boldness with the carriage ride, and despite knowing she has a 3 day deadline she doesn't push herself to kiss Eric but enjoys her time in the human world. The second night Sebastian is the one telling Eric to kiss Ariel because he knows she likes him and she moves forward but Eric pulls away because.... Eric is still thinking about the voice, the thing Ariel is good at, but hasn't seen the other part of her the thing she wants, Ariel kissing Eric means she will get to stay human but she isn't there to use him to get what she wants. Later that night Grimsby tells Eric that far better than any dream girl is one of flesh and blood, one warm and caring and right before your eyes, and Eric makes his resolve to be with Ariel when he throws his flute out to sea, the flute he would play her song in hopes she would hear it and find him, but now isn't after what he wants but looks to someone who appreciates him and wants to be part of his world (though he might not know it to that specific intent). Ariel gets her voice back because Ursula couldn't let Ariel get away. Ursula takes Ariel's voice to the surface and uses it to take Eric, they fight on the ship and the shell breaks giving Ariel her voice back. Ariel could have spent her life as a mute human princess married to a prince if Ursula didn't try to cheat. Ariel got to have both what she wanted and what she was good at in the end not from going behind her father's back like she did with Ursula which was a desperate situation but when Triton now recognized being a human is what she wanted. Earlier Sebastian learns this when he thinks her becoming a human was foolish and realizes she would just have been miserable for the rest of her life. Triton sees his daughter not just for what she is good at, her voice, but what she wants and grants it to her. Now she is able to have both things without that compromise. When Ariel first gave up her voice she wasn't giving up her capacity to express herself, she gave up the expectations placed on her, and it was when the three characters Sebastian, Eric, and Triton gave up their own expectations on her from the thing she was good at doing that story could progress towards what the thing Ariel wanted.

[@tammygant4216]

More of this kind of content please! By the way, I've never watched the Little Mermaid because of the original story (I know the movie doesn't end like the book, but reading that as a kid in the 70's kinda scarred me 😊, so I never bothered with the Disney movie) BUT this analysis is thoughtful, insightful and compelling. It may be enough to make me finally watch the movie. I love this. More of this kind of content please!

[@arielfilmsinc1926]

It's better then the "celeberty people" CLAIM it is

[@The_Infamous_Boogyman]

How did she not know a fork when her dad carries one around all the time? 😂

[@gregr3720]

Triton doesn't eat with it.

[@billsedutto8824]

@@gregr3720 Pretty sure he doesn’t comb his hair with it either. Lol😂

[@jfess1911]

Maybe Ariel isn't the brightest lantern-fish in the sea? The triton is really a spear. Thank goodness she didn't attack anyone with the fork!

[@kevinphiggins]

1:37 feels like a real missed opportunity not to cut to a clip of Voss

[@MagicCityMayhem]

The other thing we learn about Eric when we first meet him is he sounds oddly like Spider-Man.

[@hasaahnjackson]

Great show. Some of your best work

[@LisaMariavanHarmelen]

In the Dutch version she literally sings about becoming a human, even in the first song, when she did not meet Eric yet.

[@calebpeterson]

VERY well argued. Great video. 👍🏼

[@thelostpawn]

Ryan’s really a team player and that’s why I love SC

[@Bee4Reel]

Great literature lesson!!!!!! Love your content!

[@robertlopez628]

I always thought the movie was a father and daughter story. She rebels and has to find herself as she grows into a woman, but her father is still trying to hold on the that little mermaid daughter of his. I don't see how people get this confused. Maybe, and this is just my opinion, IQs have dropped alot since 1989. lol

[@chasechaney3055]

Where do you get off? Getting me excited to see the frickin little mermaid? I already wanted to see it but now I'm really really looking forward to it!

[@mitchellbutcher1588]

Great explanation on why it is still relevant and a great classic! Appreciate the thought provoking explanation of little mermaid! Thank you!

[@daytrippera]

I'm 41, I was 8 when Little Mermaid was released, and I understood what the movie was about. Keira, Halle, etc are idiots. It amazes me they are in the movie industry and don't understand a movie for kids, I mean Halle literally sings the song where Ariel says what she desires and wants most of anything else, before even seeing Eric... duh! 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Thank you for this video. And R.I.P. Howard Ashman ❤

[@mngbennett]

That was a great analysis. Thank you.

[@erictanaka]

That was genius. Thanks Ryan. You made me love my name all over again.

[@IllusiveBunny]

The reveal at the end was marvelous

[@spicybag22]

Thank you Thank you THANK YOU! I've been saying this for years and people just say no I'm wrong.

[@Hollywood041]

This is exactly how I have been watching the movie. I remember hearing the trade and being like, "don't give up your voice, negotiate for your singing ability or sthg", but I was not even paying attention to the secondary and tertiary excuses Ursula gives for trading the voice, like humans don't want some mouthy female.

[@aarspi]

As a kid I always thought the Eric statue fell through that little hole at the top of Ariel’s grotto and flounder just discovered it in there.

[@Lisa-ol1ih]

Listen, as a 38 year old I totally get what you're saying. But when I watched this as an 8 year old, all I saw was Yeah! Totally go behind your dad's back for true love at 16! But I think that speaks more to my upbringing than anything else.

[@danielwynne3526]

I could watch a video of Ryan reading a phone book with Doug and still enjoy it. Love the versatility, give us other non nerdy movie analysis

[@chasehedges6775]

The original is still my favorite

[@Jay-Darkclaw]

you nailed it Ryan!!

[@audioacc]

I always saw that Ariel was Triton’s favorite because she was most like him. Just as she was willing to change for something she loved, he ultimately did too, but for her. He also has a fierce love that will do whatever it takes….and sometimes he also makes mistakes in that intention…..just like his destroying of Ariel’s treasure trove. He regrets it but was motivated by a fierce love.

[@ccaatthheerriinnee]

Going back to see who wrote all my fave screen crush videos. I thought Ryan was an insane workaholic

[@powergirl7619]

You did a great job on this video and explaining this movie🥰