MovieChat Forums > The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008) Discussion > Ariel's sisters...interesting observati...

Ariel's sisters...interesting observation...

posted 16 years ago by gurgitoy2
29 replies | jump to latest

Ok, I just watched this film last night. I'm a huge Little Mermaid fan, so I bought the movie no questions asked. Yes, I even own "Return to the Sea".

Anyway...I enjoyed the fact that the sisters got more screen time...however there were some issues I noticed.

The first one is that there is a 6 year age difference between the youngest and the oldest. However, in the opening scenes when the girls are all little, they look roughly the same age. They could be septuplets from the look of them. They are all about the same size, and their faces look cherubic too. Ariel would have been 5 years old, and Attina (the new oldest) would be 11. Shouldn't she look 11? Melody was 10 in the sequel and her body looked it...however all of Ariel's sisters looked pretty close to Ariel's age in the beinning of "Ariel's Beginning". What was up with that?

The other thing is that it looks like anything that happened in the TV series is totally thrown out the window. The sisters got some screen time on the series, and especially Arista was fleshed out there. In this movie, the personalities changed around. So, basically it was inconsistent.

Oh, and although I see a lot of complaints that Ariel's mom Athena looked a lot like her, I don't mind that. The thing I kind of was annoyed by was Triton. In the series, his younger self had red hair, and here they gave him brown. So...more inconsistency.

[–] xThatsWhatSheSaidx 16 years ago

His hair looked red to me in this movie.

[–] thsmdh 16 years ago

The thing with Ariel's sister's ages... that's interesting to observe.

But the thing I really want to know is why does Ariel look kinda like her parents and the other sisters all look like they were adopted?

[–] bloody_vampiru_dracul 16 years ago

Triton probably has a harem... different moms for each daughter. Or something.

[–] ozgirlfan 16 years ago

Maybe being half human and half fish means mermaids lay eggs...

[–] klchu 16 years ago

The ages according to the DVD "vanity" these are the ages:

Ariel 15
Andrina 16
Arista 17
Aquata 18
Adella 19
Alana 20
Attina 21

[–] ozgirlfan 16 years ago

That would be the only way it could work.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] blondiebear_17 16 years ago

Melody was 12. Also the show isn't considered canon at least I don't think so.

Your no bunny til some bunny loves you

[–] simplecry 16 years ago

I figured that the show was in it's own alternate universe kind of thing. More like a what if she stayed a mermaid and had no intreast in human stuff. I don't know I was really little when the Series was on, like I wasn't even born when the movie came out since I was established in 1991. lol I think I was like 4 when it stopped being on Disney channel and switched to 122 which was Toon Disney and had Tail spin and duck tails.

But I always considered the Show to be it's own stand alone and not part of the real little mermaid universe.
_______
"love will find a way, I know love will find a way."
The Lion King 2-Simba's Pride.

[–] otness_e 10 years ago

"I figured that the show was in it's own alternate universe kind of thing. More like a what if she stayed a mermaid and had no intreast in human stuff. I don't know I was really little when the Series was on, like I wasn't even born when the movie came out since I was established in 1991. lol I think I was like 4 when it stopped being on Disney channel and switched to 122 which was Toon Disney and had Tail spin and duck tails.

But I always considered the Show to be it's own stand alone and not part of the real little mermaid universe."

Nope, it was specifically stated to take place prior to the film. And she had an interest in human objects in it. The fact that Ursula is alive and well makes it very clear that it was before the movie.

Ariel's Beginning's closer to an alternate universe, though, especially when she clearly didn't even have any interest of humans at all, nor did she even develop any. Plus, Marina del Ray going to the surface after usurping Sebastian seems to indicate there is no ban on surfacing (otherwise, she would have lost that power and ended up arrested for breaking the law, especially considering how Triton reacted when he discovered Ariel surfacing, even wording his anger in such a way that implied that Ariel had surfaced an indeterminate amount of times before.). Flounder's completely different, and I'd forgive the differences if they actually explained what caused him to change in the first film, but they didn't even give a hint that he changed at all. Heck, Ariel's role conflicts with the beginning of the film due to her missing what was stated to be her debut appearance in the band, not to mention her actions in this film would probably make her almost legendary instead of merely being Triton's youngest daughter.

EDIT: Also, They messed around with the birth order of Ariel's sisters (probably the only thing they got right was that Ariel was the youngest). Even if they wanted to simply ignore the TV series, the original film already strongly implied with the "Daughters of Triton" musical number that the birth order was "Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, Alana, and Ariel," so there was simply no excuse for this sort of failure to do the proper research.

[–] Takedi21 16 years ago

I agree with the OP about changing who was the oldest sister. Given the way she acted in the series I always assumed that Arista was the oldest sister, with either Alana or Attina being the 2nd oldest. But then after watching the movie it kinda did make sense to me that Attina would be the oldest sister given that she's the only sister with a crown on her head, and that her name is the closest match to their mother's name (Attina - Athena). I'd still put Arista as the 2nd oldest though and Alana as the 3rd. What really irked me about the sisters was that they changed Arista's personality from a headstrong, outspoken, bitch in the series to a stereotypical, ditzy, bubbly blonde in the movie. They changed Adella's weight from big-boned in the series to skinny in the movie ('cause God-forbid we actually have some diversity amongst the sisters and show little kids that it's okay to be fat by having one of the sisters be chubby), and also what was up with Andrina's voice? I get that Tara Strong didn't want to use her Melody voice for her (i.e.: Tara's trademark voice that she uses for virtually all of the characters that she voices), but geez did she have to make her sound like a crackhead? Half the time throughout the movie I though Andrina was either drunk or stoned!

Life can be good FOR you, if you allow it to be good TO you.

[–] thsmdh 16 years ago

They tried hard to make sure the series stayed within the canon of the movie.

They used Eric without ever actually having Ariel see him. But besides that there are many plot holes that can't be explained in any way other than the series is its own canon.

[–] atomicseasoning 16 years ago

That's probably the best way to describe the difference between the series and this movie. Ariel's over all personality in the series in some ways was probably more similar to the original movie, in that she had her collection of human things & were championing humans (sometimes secretly desired to be human) despite what her father thought. However though she seemed more forgiving & slightly less self centered too, such as in the episode where she sacrificed her treasures for her friends, or befriended a deaf mermaid & learned American Sign Language. (Ah but where was her ASL skills when she tried to speak to Eric in the original film? lol, Plot hole! )

Still though I like the animation better in this film than the series, although the plot for "Beginning..." was much more than an extended plot for the series, dykwim? Some self actualization and a minor villian, but not much else. I guess they were creating it for a kid friendly audience mainly, leaving out the minor inuendos and the great Ashman/Menken tunes & lines such as from the original film.

Ursula: Yeeeeeees, hurry home, princess. We wouldn't want to miss old daddy's
celebration, now, would we? Huh! Celebration indeed. Bah! In MY day, we
had fantastical feasts when I lived in the palace. And now, look at me -
wasted away to practically nothing - banished and exiled and practically
starving, while he and his flimsy fish-folk celebrate. Well, I'll give 'em
something to celebrate soon enough. Flotsam! Jetsam! I want you to keep an
extra close watch on this pretty little daughter of his. She may be the key
to Triton's undoing. . . .
***************
Ursula: Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I can't stand it - it's too easy. The
child is in love with a human. And not just any human - a prince! Her
daddy'll LOVE that. King Triton's headstrong, lovesick girl would make a
charming addition to my little garden.
****************
Ariel: (Sees statue of Eric.) Oh, Flounder- Flounder you're the best! it looks
just like him. It even has his eyes. "Why, Eric, run away with you? This
is all so - so sudden. . . . (Turns around and sees Triton.) Daddy! . . .
****************
Ursula: Nice work, boys. That was a close one. Too close. The little tramp!
Oh, she's better than I thought. At this rate, he'll be kissing her by
sunset for sure. Well, it's time Ursula took matters into her own tentacles!
Triton's daughter will be mine - and then I'll make him writhe. I'll see him
wriggle like a worm on a hook! (Laughing, she transforms into a human with
Ariel's voice.)
****************
Ursula: (Picks up crown.) At last, it's mine. Ho, Ho . . .
Ariel: You - You monster!
Ursula: Don't fool with me you little brat! Contract or no- AAAAHH! (She is hit
with a harpoon thrown by Eric.) Why you little troll!
Ariel: Eric! Eric look out!
Ursula: After him! (Flotsam and Jetsam attack.)
Sebastion: Come on! . . .
Ursula: Say goodbye to your sweetheart. (Ariel makes her miss Eric and blast
Flotsam and Jetsam.) Babies! My poor, little poopsies!
(On surface as Ursula grows beneath.)
Ariel: Eric, you've got to get away from here.
Eric: No, I won't leave you.
Ursula: (Now very large.) You pitiful, insignificant, fools!
Eric: Look out!
Ursula: Now I am the ruler of all the ocean! The waves obey my every whim! The sea and all its spoils bow to my power! (She wrecks havoc, creates a whirlpool and raises some shipwrecks.)
Ariel: ERIC! (He gets on board one of the ships as Ariel falls to the bottom
of the whirlpool. Ursula attempts to blast her.)
Ursula: (Laughing wickedly.) Muwah ha ha ha! So much for true love! (As Ursula is about to finish Ariel, Eric steers the ship into her. She is impaled and dies most horribly. Eric collapses on the shore. The trident falls back to Triton and everything reverts to normal.)

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] ahenz 16 years ago

What is the big deal about Ariel looking like her mother? I look almost exactly like my mother. It's called genetics. Plus, it would explain why Ariel is so obviously King Triton's favorite.

As far as the series, obviously it's its own thing. In the series, they showed how Ariel met Flounder and it was nothing like the movie. Though, the poster who said that the series is more of what would have happened if Ariel wasn't interested in human objects was mistaken. Ariel in the series was the same as in the movie. She was fascinated with human objects, and there were many episodes where that got her into trouble. There was even one episode where she met and saved Hans Christian Anderson's life (one of my favorite episodes).

I can't believe that no one has mentioned Flounder!! That was really the only thing I was disappointed with about the movie. Flounder's personality was COMPLETELY different from how he was in the movie, and in the show. I couldn't see Ariel calling this Flounder a guppy, and him not being a fast swimmer. Even though this Flounder was cute, it wasn't Flounder.

[–] witchangel 16 years ago

The show was much more closely related to the movie in my opinion than this prequal.

[–] Takedi21 16 years ago

"The show was much more closely related to the movie in my opinion than this prequal."

If I knew how to do the clapping smiley face icon I'd gladly give it to you in response for that excellent post witchangel.

Life can be good FOR you, if you allow it to be good TO you.

[–] marvelass 16 years ago

I always assumed the sisters were named from oldest to youngest in that "Daughters of Triton" song:

Ah, we are the daughters of Triton
Great father who loves us and named us well
Aquata
Andrina
Arista
Attina
Adella
Allana

And then there is the youngest in her musical debut...

Thus, I thought Aquata was the eldest, and it would make sense that Adella was the third youngest since she says in this new movie that she's two years older than Ariel.

Just my $.02.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] marvelass 15 years ago

No, I meant prior to watching ARIEL'S BEGINNING and only going by the "Daughters of Triton" song, I thought that the daughters were named from oldest to youngest (Aquata - Ariel). Thus, I was surprised when Attina turned out to be the eldest.

[–] jodeefan12 15 years ago

yeah but in that song i always thought attina was the oldest because she has a bigger crown compared to her sisters and when she talks in the first movie she sounds older..

[–] lilac_mermaid 12 years ago

I know this is a reply to an old post, but I just wanted to say that I also thought that Aquata was the oldest based on the song from the first movie. The Little Mermaid comic series even said that she was the oldest.

http://cbl.orcein.net/thelittlemermaid/comics.htm

[–] Cutieypie1494 16 years ago

there is only a year ariel is 15 in this movie and 16 and the orginal

Honey if you are going to be two-faced atleast make one of them pretty.

[–] mrscjjohnson 16 years ago

After reading through what everyone has said, I really wanted to say something. For one, I do think that Triton had more than one woman to have his children, but Athena was his only wife, and Ariel was probably one only offspring they had together.

Second, yes it does seem that the show was COMPLETELY ignored for the sake of the movie, though I think I know why. As many on here have said, we were all pretty young when the show had major airtime, most of the new generation don't know anything about the show, and I'm sure that's the the people who created this film were banking on. Though something else I've noticed is most of the 80s and 90s kids who were Disney fans then are still fans NOW, maybe more than ever because now we understand everything and can go back and look at all that stuff.

I noticed that in all 3 movies now "Ursula" is always there. We have the original, then we have her sister, and finally we have a super silly version...I think they just don't know how to create a better villain.

Honestly though, Triton banning music is the biggest thing that bugged me timeline-wise. I mean from what i could tell Ariel is supposed to be 14 in this, cause that's the only way the tv show would work because if I remember correctly in one episode she celebrates her 15th birthday, and of course comes into society at 16 in the original film. But then that would mean that the whole show would be around a year and a half timeline! Talk about a crunch!

What I had hoped when I'd heard about a 3rd movie being made what that maybe Athena had been captured by another merkingdom and made queen or something there and Ariel, as an adult with an older Melody, would find her and bring her home.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] AScott20 12 years ago

I also noticed this as well. My other observation was..where does the blonde hair come from???? I can imagine that maybe a grandparent has blonde hair and that is possible for them to have it if that's the case. But all the girls have hair like triton or Athena. Ariel looking like her definitely gives you the impression why she's the daddys girl of the bunch through the movies. But I just noticed the siblings being blonde/orange haired and it bothered me as the parents are brown and red haired.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] 10 years ago

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