Heartwarming / The Little Mermaid (1989)

"I love you, Daddy."

• The fact that Eric's Establishing Character Moment is helping the sailors with the knots and tackle, and they, in turn, educate him about sea lore. We later find out he's on the boat for his birthday, so Grimbsy despite his seasickness went along to make sure his prince was happy.
• Ariel goes for Flounder when the escape from the shark knocks him out. She grabs him as he's falling to the ocean floor and moves to avoid the big teeth.
• Despite the fact that Scuttle is a Know-Nothing Know-It-All, it's very sweet of him to take time out of his day to explain "human stuff" to Ariel.
  • The fact that Flounder, despite the fact that he's utterly terrified, sticks with Ariel to the end.
• It goes wrong because Flounder says too much, but he defends Ariel forgetting the concert by telling the truth: a shark was chasing them and they nearly died, so it wasn't her fault. That's friendship right there.
• After chewing out Ariel for missing the concert, Triton, right after she leaves, softens and genuinely asks Sebastian if he was too hard on her. This shows two things: one, that Triton trusts Sebastian implicitly, and two, that while he can have a temper, he does genuinely care for his daughter and doesn't want to be the bad guy in their relationship if he doesn't have to.
• Ariel and Flounder's interactions during "Part of Your World."
• Max's Establishing Character Moment; he is frolicking with the dancing sailors. Then he catches Ariel's scent and locates her perching on the ship. What is his response? To give her a big kiss, showing he likes her.
• Eric dancing with Max and playing the flute for him.
• Grimsby gives Eric a tacky birthday present: a statue of him. While Eric looks dubious and Max growls at this, he thanks Grimsby for the gesture and says "it's something".
• Eric's reaction to saving Grimm during the shipwreck scene, which indicates that he's very fond of him. His terrified reaction when he realizes that Max is still trapped on board, showing how much he loves him. And the crew's horrified reaction when the boat blows up with Eric still on board, showing that they like and respect him very much.
• Ariel saving Eric. Love at First Sight aside, she clearly can't bear to let an innocent person drown when she's able to help.
  • Speaking of love at first sight, the look on Ariel's face when she sees Eric for the first time. You know the exact moment when her heart just melts.
  • Later, she remains perched as he gives a speech about how he doesn't want a pretty-faced princess. Eric says he wants a connection with someone, true love with a girl who gives him life and spirit. Ariel can't help but grin at the sentiment. Grimsby's response isn't to dissuade Eric but go for the soft route: there is no such thing as a perfect girl so he should search for what is real and look around him. Plus, it turns out the whole kingdom wants to see Eric "happily settled down with the right girl," according to Grimsby.
• Scuttle comes to join Ariel in spying on the party. He's enthusiastic if a bit too loud about viewing the proceedings. When the storm blows him off, he's shouting Ariel's name, while obviously worried for her.
• Ariel baring her soul to her friends in "Part Of Your World" is easily one of the most heartwarming scenes in the movie. Ever since her first appearance, it's been pretty clear that Ariel has taken an interest in the human world, but "Part Of Your World" marks the point where the audience begins to realize just how much her passion project means to her. Ariel is the type of person who tries to understand and appreciate the beauty in everything, and after years of studying them from afar, she's in awe of the things humans can invent, their culture and their history. More than that, Ariel equates a human life with freedom, independence and endless potential - the ability to go anywhere, see everything the surface world has to offer and gain knowledge, instead of being tied down to a life she's not happy with where she's constantly under pressure to change who she is and what she believes in. Anyone who's ever felt a desire to leave their own little corner of the world and see wider pastures so they can grow as a person can relate to Ariel's sentiments in this song.
  Ariel: What would I give if I could live outta these waters? What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand? Betcha on land they understand that they don’t reprimand their daughters. Bright young women, sick of swimming, ready to stand!
  • The reprise arguably tops it. While "Part Of Your World" was mostly a sweet and earnest song, it had a bittersweet edge to it. Ariel was fully aware she was singing about an impossible dream, and after years of being scolded by her human-hating father, she's started to doubt herself and her instincts. The night she meets Eric for the first time and saves his life, he proves her right about humans being more than savage, violent monsters - that they can be good, kind people - and unknowingly convinces her not to give up on her dream of being a human woman someday. When Ariel holds that last note of “Part Of Your World (Reprise)”, you can hear all the newfound hope Eric has given her brimming in her voice and it's beautiful.
    Ariel: 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!
• Sebastian tries to figure out how to keep this secret from Triton. While part of it is protecting his own crab shell, he knows that it won't go well for Ariel or Flounder either. Flounder even shakes his head frantically when Sebastian says they're not telling anyone.
• Before Sebastian interrupts with "Under the Sea," Ariel is making plans to go to Eric's castle. She says Scuttle knows where he is and Flounder will obviously help in attracting Eric's attention to the water. Safe to say that her plan would have been much safer and sensible than what actually happened.
• "Under the Sea" is actually a sweet song, and you can see Sebastian's point. He notes that the Grass is Greener, or "the seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake" and that you can't spend your whole life reaching something unattainable when your world is wonderful right beneath your flippers. Awesome Art ensues when the ocean comes to life to prove his point, anemones and all. Ariel even enjoys herself during the song when various fish and seahorses come out to play with her, and practically the whole ocean turns out to dance.
• While soured a bit by being based on a misunderstanding that soon turns tragic, Triton is absolutely delighted to hear that Ariel is in love and wondering who the lucky boy could be.
• Flounder presenting Ariel with the statue of Eric in her grotto. Her reaction seals it.
• After incinerating Eric's statue, Triton looks visibly remorseful about what he had just done the moment he sees Ariel cry. This hits him even harder when his searching parties fail to come up with even a trace of Ariel or Sebastian. Note that Triton injured Sebastian by literally squeezing him for information, the crab he considers his best friend. Both his favorite daughter and friend are gone, and he knows damn well that it's all his fault.
  Triton: (feeling remorseful for driving Ariel and Sebastian away) Oh, what have I done? What have I done!?
• Even after Triton destroys her grotto, Ariel is still reluctant to accept Ursula's offer to make her human at first, because she will never see her father or her sisters again if she becomes a human. Despite all the disruption between them up to this point, Ariel cannot bring herself to fully disown her father.
• There is one thing about Ursula: while she is a lying Manipulative Bitch who hides behind Exact Words and was willing to use a naive teenager— her niece in the Broadway version— for her ulterior motives, she was completely honest in the deal that she's offering to Ariel, and when Ariel points out she won't see her father or sisters again if she accepts the deal, Ursula agrees on this, but points out that Ariel will have to make a tough choice on it as life itself is all about making tough choices. She could have easily lied that Ariel would find a way around it, but decided not to. Ironically, in the end following Ursula's death, Ariel does find a way around it.
• In a tragic way, one of the creatures in Ursula’s lair grabbing Ariel’s arm. All of them know why Ariel is there and they’re trying to stop her from making the same mistake they made.
• Ariel seeing her feet for the first time. Coming directly after the heartbreaking destruction of her grotto, her creepy meeting with Ursula, losing her voice, a horrifying near-drowning experience after being transformed, and what must have been an exhausting swim all the way to Eric's castle, the look on Ariel's face when she wiggles her toes is enough to make your heart melt. Ariel always wanted to be a human instead of a mermaid, and after several of the most unpleasant moments of her life, her dream finally came true.
• There's a small moment, on the shores of Eric's kingdom, that marks a turning point in Sebastian's character arc. He insists that Ariel get her father's help to restore her to her old self, so everything can go back to normal and they can all pretend like this day never happened, before it slowly dawns on him that that would only lead to Ariel being miserable. Throughout the first half of the film, Triton and Sebastian have frequently talked down to Ariel, dismissed everything she has to say about what she believes in, and basically tried to force her to be something that she's not for their own benefit - which eventually culminated in Triton blowing years of her work to smithereens right in front of her. After seeing her heart get broken before, Sebastian realizes he can't be selfish, so he resigns himself to helping Ariel start a new life for herself on land, even if it will almost certainly get him in trouble with his boss.
• A small one but Max recognizing Ariel's scent and the excitement he shows certainly counts, as does the big grin on Ariel's face when he licks her. After this, Ariel stops being scared of Max, agreeing with Eric when he says he's harmless if a "knucklehead". When Ariel climbs aboard the wedding ship, Max goes to her and barks happily, looking at Eric.
• Carlotta and Grimsby give quite a few during the dinner to both Ariel and Eric. Grimsby is a true gentleman helping Ariel and even indulging her curiosity about his pipe. When she blows smoke all over his face, Carlotta tells Eric it's the first time she's seen him smile in weeks. Afterwards, Grimsby proposes a tour of the kingdom, and tells Eric he can't coop himself up in the castle. Carlotta herself is quite motherly to Ariel.
• Sebastian's line during Ariel's first night at Prince Eric's place:
  Sebastian: You are hopeless, child. You know that? Completely hopeless.
• Flounder participating in creating the water fountain-like jets near the end of "Kiss the Girl" is rather touching to watch.
• Grimsby advising Eric on his feelings for Ariel. He may be a Stiff Upper Lip, but he turns to the prince and gives him wonderfully heartwarming advice on love. And it would have worked too, if not for Ursula's magic.
  Grimsby: If I may say so Eric, far better than any dream girl, is one of flesh and blood. One warm, and caring... and right before your eyes.
  • Yes, Grimsby is the reason they're together.
• During her time on land, Eric is never once interested in trying to change who Ariel is: largely because he's a bit of a misfit himself, a prince who likes to spend his days traveling the seas with sailors. When he invites her into his home, he quickly finds that she has some rather odd tendencies, but he's still charmed by her and grows to admire the spunk she has. During the "Kiss The Girl" scene, he's clearly hesitant to make a move with her because he doesn't want to intrude upon her boundaries, until he knows for sure she's interested in him too. And even after he discovers she's a mermaid, he makes it clear that he still loves her and he still wants to pursue a relationship with her. The film repeatedly emphasizes the fact that Eric not only likes Ariel, he also respects her. Considering that a recurring problem Ariel faces in this movie is people trying to force her to be something that she's not (to the point where her own father briefly becomes emotionally abusive towards her), the genuinely healthy and accepting bond that she goes on to form with Eric is something that's very heartwarming to see.
• Ariel's friends immediately rallying to help her when they learn that Vanessa is really Ursula in disguise—Flounder does his best to help her swim to the ship, Sebastian goes to get Triton, and despite the discovery that Eric's new lover is the sea witch, Ursula, The Dreaded to all sea creatures, Scuttle still manages to willingly induct practically every living ocean creature to stop her wedding going through and save Ariel. Extra points for Scuttle making a beeline for the conch with Ariel's voice, while Ursula is strangling him no less.
• Ariel's voice being restored to her, and Eric being freed from the mind control. He can't believe that the girl he has fallen in love with for real actually is the very one he was dreaming about.
• It doubles as a Tear Jerker, but Triton's Heroic Sacrifice to free Ariel from Ursula's contract. Not for a moment does he consider sacrificing his daughter to save his kingdom: as soon as he sees Ariel start to transform into a polyp, he sadly yet resolutely accepts Ursula's "bargain" and lets himself be transformed in her place.
• When Eric takes off in a rowboat with a harpoon to rescue Ariel from Ursula, starting off his Moment of Awesome:
  Eric: I lost her once, I'm NOT going to lose her again!
  • Later on in the scene:
    Ariel: Eric, you've gotta get away from here!
    Eric: No, I won't leave you!
• A weird example, but Ursula's soft (if somewhat redeemable) trait is her general treatment of her eel henchmen—she genuinely seems to love them as if they were her own sons, and they in turn treat her with loyalty and respect, carrying out her evil deeds with gusto. Indeed, what kickstarts Ursula's final showdown against the heroes is when Ariel's quick thinking leads to Ursula accidentally killing the two slimy little buggers. Ursula herself lampshades this as she shows extreme remorse for what just happened; even briefly yet deliberately dropping the trident as she cradles what's left of the eels' remains with this quote:
  Ursula: BABIES! (mournfully cradles Flotsam and Jetsam's remains in her hands) My poor little poopsies!
  • In most Disney films, the minions usually serve their masters out of fear. Not Flotsam and Jetsam. They are never shown to be afraid of Ursula and indeed seem to love her as much as she loves them.
• With Ursula dead, her contracts are no longer valid as her former polyp garden is freed from her dark bindings. Even some of the polyps smile knowing they are finally free to be merfolk again and the same went with Triton.
• Triton's realization about Ariel's feelings.
  Triton: She really does love him, doesn't she, Sebastian?
  Sebastian: Mm-hm. Well, It's like I always say, Your Majesty: "Children got to be free to lead their own lives".
  Triton: You always say that?
  [Sebastian laughs nervously and shrugs]
  Triton: (sighs) Then I guess there's just one problem left.
  Sebastian: And what's that, Your Majesty?
  Triton: (sadly) How much I'm going to miss her.
  [Sebastian looks on in confusion by that statement]
  • Triton then uses the power of the trident to turn Ariel back into a human — gently, joyously, and without any of the pain and horror of what Ursula did to her. He even makes sure she has something pretty to wear.
  • After two failed attempts, Ariel finally gets her long awaited first kiss with Eric.
• The wedding scene at the end, where everyone's happy and Ariel is saying goodbye to her dad.
  Ariel: I love you, Daddy.
  • Max interrupts the Big Damn Kiss to give his own kisses to Ariel and Eric. They both give him adoring smiles.
  • Carlotta cries and hugs Grimsby from Tears of Joy.
  • Flounder as a fish would not be able to leave the water to give Ariel his well wishes, so Scuttle carries him up to allow Ariel to kiss him goodbye.
  • There's a brief shot of Ariel's sisters, who are waving and cheering. It shows that they have no Fantastic Racism towards Eric and are happy for their youngest sister to have found love.
  • The moment where Eric bows to Triton and he nods back to him in approval.
  • There's a little tiny detail in the scene where the crowd is cheering the wedding. You can see a middle-aged couple in the front row smile tenderly at each other. It's inconspicuous, but once you've seen it you'll always notice it.

Stage Musical

• Triton is much nicer to Ariel on learning she ditched the concert by accident, telling Sebastian he'll take over the lecture. He says that Ariel has a gift with her voice and that she shouldn't take it for granted. They share a hug. Of course, Flounder ruins it by accidentally saying Ariel went to the surface.
• Sebastian also has a more diplomatic moment when seeing Ariel's grotto. He offers to give her a singing lesson then and there.
• Ursula doesn't leave Ariel to drown. As soon as Ariel gives up her voice, Ursula shouts at her to swim as fast as she can. It's not until Ariel nears the surface that she starts to transform. However, this is only just a move just to ensure that her plan to overthrow Triton remains flawless.
• Scuttle helps Ariel learn how to walk, and even gets the other seagulls to sing her a pep talk. Also counts as a Funny Moment since he's making up words, something Sebastian notes, while Ariel is gaining her confidence.
• Carlotta is very sweet to Ariel, serving as a Parental Substitute. She tells the other household staff that Ariel is just shy and gives her a hug when the other princesses laugh at her during the voice contest for dancing.
• The musical's "If Only (Quartet)" is this for Sebastian, as it illustrates a level of love and concern for Ariel that wasn't touched upon much in the film. In particular, we have lines like this:
  "I'd give my life up to make it happen..."
  • It also shows how much Triton regrets how he's treated Ariel and never truly been able to understand her, despite his best efforts.
• Eric teaching Ariel to dance to express her feelings in the stage version's number "One Step Closer". Highlighted even further when Ariel tentatively dances for him at the ceremony where he's meant to choose a bride. He has a Love Epiphany, claiming to have understood every word she said in her dance, then declares that he loves Ariel, even though he didn't see it before, and proposes to her on the spot.
• Eric has a ton of these in the musical; his main song, "Her Voice" is a beautiful love ballad wherein he states his determination to find the girl with the beautiful voice who saved his life. And all he knows is that she has a beautiful voice.
  Eric: And her voice
  Is sweet as angels sighing
  And her voice
  As warm as summer skies
  And that sound
  It haunts my dreams and spins me 'round
  Until it seems I'm flying...
  Her voice...

CD-Rom Game Ariel's Story Studio:

• Sebastian watches as the player helps Ariel store her plates in a chest, using a maze to navigate the plate safely. He applauds if you actually do it.
• Scuttle lends Ariel his spyglass to look at the boat proceedings. When she rescues a drowning Eric, Scuttle talks directly to the player that they need to find land for the pair, and ASAP!
• After Triton storms the grotto, you can repair both Ariel's shattered things and Eric's statue. It's a shame she won't look.
• The wedding at the end is very sweet:
  • Ariel's sisters verbally wish her goodbye and promise to see her soon.
  • The wedding presents as well: a case of forks (or "dinglehoppers" as Ariel calls them), a shell from Flounder, and a music box featuring the couple.

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