History YMMV / TheLittleMermaid

* DracoInLeatherPants: Ursula gets this a lot. Usually because EvilIsSexy. Then there's some (mistakenly) see her as an [[https://reelclub.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/part-of-that-world-alpha-females-patriarchy-and-punishment-in-the-little-mermaid/ unfairly villified feminist icon]] because she's confident, intelligent, happily single, and powerful. Some even go so far as claim that she's just a victim of Triton's tyranny. Naturally these interpretations completely ignore that Ursula is a cruel, power-hungry, manipulative sadist like most villains.

** There's a third one, the one in which Ariel rises from the ocean after being turned human by Ursula.

** Also, the Evil Manta in his fourth/final appearance in the TV show

** "Red hair, obsessed with Muggles... must be a [[Franchise/HarryPotter Weasly]].

** "Red hair, obsessed with Muggles... must be a [[Franchise/Harry Potter Weasly]].

* {{Moe}}: Ariel is a very adorable mermaid.

** Though not for lack of trying, Ursula was never quite as menacing in the show as she was in the movie. The only time she was about to cross the [[MoralEventHorizon Moral Event Horizon]] was when she tried to kill the harmless "[[NotEvilJustMisunderstood bad-luck creature]]" from the episode ''Against the tide''.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The film doesn't delve into Ariel's character at the third arc of the movie and how the experience has changed her ([[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation if it changes her at all]]). One of the most criticized aspects of the movie about her shallowness could have easily been fixed by showing how sorry she was at her action that almost cost Triton his kingdom. A scene where Ariel apologises to Triton after Ursula's defeat was storyboarded, but deleted from the finished film. There is a moment where she tells Triton that she's sorry and didn't know what she was getting herself into... but she's cut off before she can say too much more, making it less satisfying than a full scene would be.

* ValuesResonance: There may be a bit of a backlash forming against the people who say Ariel is a bad role model. Not only do critics like the Unshaved Mouse and [[https://swanpride.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/honoring-the-heroine-ariel/ Swanpride]] view her positively due to her spunky, three-dimensional personality (especially compared to the more staid earlier Disney princesses and even Belle), but [[Creator/LilyOrchard Lily Orchard]] pointed out that Ariel's desire to leave her father is totally justified due to her [[https://lily-orchard.tumblr.com/post/185373404880/it-just-occurred-to-me-that-people-fault-ariel-for father's abusive and shortsighted nature.]] It's not unlikely that young people in real life may have related to Ariel's desire to escape her borderline abusive control freak of a father.

** Ariel somehow forgetting the concert was that day is a little believable. What raises eyebrows is that none of the other concert personnel seem to have reminded her at all. Or that her sisters - who are visibly shocked that Ariel isn't there - didn't at least check to make sure she was in her position on the stage. Sebastian really deserved the embarrassment he got for allowing such a mistake to happen.
*** While Ariel was unintentionally inconsiderate, the other performers, Ariel’s sisters, Sebastian, and King Triton can also count. When you plan big events, it’s foolhardy to not role call important performers before performing.

** Mythology fans will recognize Ursula and Morgana as cecaelias, a race of half-octopus,half-human creatures.

* WhatAnIdiot: For many viewers Ariel accepting Ursula's deal is this. ''Yes'', Ariel was devastated by [[KickTheDog her father destroying her treasures]], and thus wasn't thinking clearly. ''Yes'', Ursula is a {{manipulative bastard}} who deliberately waited until Ariel was at her most vulnerable to strike. ''And '''yes''''', Ariel is an impulsive teenager. And no, it's not portrayed by the film as "a good thing." However, for many viewers Ursula's status as an ObviouslyEvil DevilInPlainSight offering an almost literal DealWithTheDevil, coupled with the [[ImpossibleTask nearly impossible terms of her contract]] and [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty harsh penalty for failing]], makes ''any'' deal with her come off as this. (It's even lampshaded in a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXaeH0R0Rzg&t=279s deleted scene]].)

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: The Evil Manta. He was at first set up as the main villain of the animated series instead of Ursula, since the series takes place before the movie, and it would make a lot less sense for Ariel to make that deal with Ursula if she had already faced and fought against her before their first meeting in the movie. Only, after a while, Ursula ''did'' appear in the series, after which Manta only appeared in one more episode. Plus the possibility of him being the villain of the sequel instead of "[[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Ursula's crazy sister]]".

* WhatAnIdiot:
** Ariel somehow forgetting the concert was that day is a little believable. What raises eyebrows is that none of the other concert personnel seem to have reminded her at all. Or that her sisters - who are visibly shocked that Ariel isn't there - didn't at least check to make sure she was in her position on the stage. Sebastian really deserved the embarrassment he got for allowing such a mistake to happen.
** There is also the whole deal with Ursula. Triton '''knew''' she was a powerful witch with a serious grudge against the merfolk... and he banished her as opposed to having her executed. [[SarcasmMode This surely won't have any repercussions in any way.]]
** Speaking of "the whole deal with Ursula," for many viewers Ariel accepting Ursula's deal is this. ''Yes'', Ariel was devastated by [[KickTheDog her father destroying her treasures]], and thus wasn't thinking clearly. ''Yes'', Ursula is a {{manipulative bastard}} who deliberately waited until Ariel was at her most vulnerable to strike. ''And '''yes''''', Ariel is an impulsive teenager. And no, it's not portrayed by the film as "a good thing." However, for many viewers Ursula's status as an ObviouslyEvil DevilInPlainSight offering an almost literal DealWithTheDevil, coupled with the [[ImpossibleTask nearly impossible terms of her contract]] and [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty harsh penalty for failing]], makes ''any'' deal with her come off as this. (It's even lampshaded in a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXaeH0R0Rzg&t=279s deleted scene]].)

* ValuesResonance: There may be a bit of a backlash forming against the people who say Ariel is a bad role model. Not only do critics like the Unshaved Mouse and [[ttps://swanpride.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/honoring-the-heroine-ariel/ Swanpride]] view her positively due to her spunky, three-dimensional personality (especially compared to the more staid earlier Disney princesses and even Belle), but [[Creator/LilyOrchard Lily Orchard]] pointed out that Ariel's desire to leave her father is totally justified due to her [[https://lily-orchard.tumblr.com/post/185373404880/it-just-occurred-to-me-that-people-fault-ariel-for father's abusive and shortsighted nature.]] It's not unlikely that young people in real life may have related to Ariel's desire to escape her borderline abusive control freak of a father.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: It's possible to view Triton's change of heart as being a little more nuanced than just wanting his daughter to be happy. He was turned into a polyp and nearly doomed the entire ocean to Ursula's rule (and who knows what kind of queen she'd be ''after'' she was done destroying everything). But it was a human - ''the'' human Ariel loves - who killed her and effectively fixed the mess Triton himself made. So him giving the couple his blessing could partly be an IfItsYouItsOkay situation

* SacredCow: Let's just say Ariel is this for many people, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgmentand leave it at that]].

* InternetBackdraft: The 2013 theatrical re-release came with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpRQ5Mw2lM an app that gave children an interactive experience]] to go along with the movie. Adults worried that the app would distract people from actually watching the movie were not pleased with this.

* EvilIsCool: Ursula is one of the favourite Renaissance villains precisely because of how effective she is. A MagnificentBastard who waits until a victim is emotionally vulnerable - and then offers them a deal they take in the heat of the moment. And she pretty much ''succeeds'' by [[NearVillainVictory the end of the film]].

* MagnificentBastard: Ursula for how she seems to be ahead of the game virtually before the game (the plot) has even begun!

* MagnificentBastard: The Evil Manta from the series, who manages to turn the different species of the entire kingdom against each other in his debut episode. Not only that, he also tricked Ariel into setting him free to begin with. Oh, and he's voiced by Creator/TimCurry, no less. Though his fourth and final appearance puts him through {{Badass|Decay}} and VillainDecay; suddenly he's a father, Tim Curry voices him a lot less creepily, and he ends up with some redeeming qualities.

* FandomRivalry: Between fans of this version and fans of the Disney version over which is a better adaptation. Some fans prefer this version for being a closer adaptation of the original story and preserving it's DownerEnding and take issue with the Disney film for [[{{Disneyfication}} altering it]], while fans of the Disney film prefer it for giving the titular mermaid a [[AdaptationalAlternateEnding happy ending]]. There are also fans who enjoy both versions.

* FandomRivalry: Between fans of this version and fans of the Disney version over which is a better adaptation. Some fans prefer this version for being a closer adaptation of the original story and preserving it' DownerEnding and take issue with the Disney film for [[{{Disneyfication}} altering it]], while fans of the Disney film prefer it for giving the titular mermaid a [[AdaptationalAlternateEnding happy ending]]. There are also fans who enjoy both versions.

* FandomRivalry: Between fans of this version and fans of the Disney version over which is a better adaptation. As mentioned above, some fans prefer this version for being a closer adaptation of the original story and preserving it' DownerEnding and take issue with the Disney film for [[{{Disneyfication}} altering it]], while fans of the Disney film prefer it for giving the titular mermaid a [[AdaptationalAlternateEnding happy ending]]. There are also fans who enjoy both versions.

* SacredCow: Let's just say Ariel is this for many people, [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment and leave it at that]].

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Marina's song as well as it's DarkReprise at the end of the film.
* BaseBreakingCharacter: Fritz the Dolphin. A loyal friend to Marina, or whiny and annoying?
* CultClassic: Barely anyone has heard of it, but the few who have seen it will admit to preferring this version over the Disney film for being closer to the original story and keeping the DownerEnding.
* FandomRivalry: Between fans of this version and fans of the Disney version over which is a better adaptation. As mentioned above, some fans prefer this version for being a closer adaptation of the original story and preserving it's DownerEnding and take issue with the Disney film for [[{{Disneyfication}} altering it]], while fans of the Disney film prefer it for giving the titular mermaid a [[AdaptationalAlternateEnding happy ending]]. There are fans who enjoy both, but that doesn't stop some people from debating which version is better.

* TrueArtIsAngsty: Fans who prefer the Disney version tend to dismiss praise for this version as this trope.
* TheWoobie: Marina, big time. By the end of the film, you'll more than likely feel very sorry for her.

* AlternateAesopInterpretation: The film doesn't necessarily have AnAesop - but it's been argued that the story is really a cautionary tale for parents. Triton is pretty applicable to the standard overprotective parent that goes too far and unwittingly sends his child into the arms of someone who wants to hurt and exploit her.

* UnbuiltTrope: As the first proper Disney-Broadway film, that so many {{Animated Musical}}s have been inspired by, it's surprising to see that the musical elements are at least justified in-universe. A supporting character is a concert composer and he's responsible for some of the film's more splashy numbers. The heroine having a beautiful singing voice is also a plot point - and it's exploited by the villain.