Spiritual Takeaways: Disney’s Live Action The Little Mermaid

Like the “gadgets and gizmos” adorning Ariel’s underwater grotto, the moral and spiritual implications of Disney’s The Little Mermaid are equally plentiful.

Whenever Disney remakes a classic, we wonder if the entertainment giant will be able to do it justice. Will 2023’s The Little Mermaid have us falling in love with the story all over again like we did in our childhood? It’s hard to imagine a live-action set mostly underwater with a mixture of humans and sea creatures as main characters.

Despite the challenges, Disney made beautiful choices in bringing the story of The Little Mermaid up to date. Indeed, the plotline stays faithful to the original but with strategic and welcomed updates to character and story development. And as a true test of its effectiveness, it had me in tears.

As Disney has moved toward more multi-dimensional characters in recent years, it lends itself to seeing the good news of the gospel threaded into these highly relatable storylines. The characters’ emotions mirror our human condition, earthly relationships, and the divine redemption we long for. The live-action version of The Little Mermaid was no different.

As Disney has moved toward more multi-dimensional characters in recent years, it lends itself to seeing the good news of the gospel threaded into these highly relatable storylines.

First, you’ve got the whole battle of good versus evil. It’s easy to see the striking resemblance of Ursula and her slithering, smooth-talking electric eels to the devil and his demons. The evil similarities—right down to Ursula admitting she was formerly part of King Triton’s kingdom but was kicked out—are uncanny.

Secondly, you have the deeply protective father. Though often overlooked in the first movie because of his unwelcomed patriarchal harshness in a world ready for gender equality and autonomy, King Triton’s warning about the dangers of “going to the surface” ultimately proves right.

And we’re more apt to listen. There is a better dynamic between the father and his daughters in the remake than in the original. In this version, the father relies on his daughters as messengers to bring news from the seven seas they represent. The movie’s producers ditch the sisters’ role as mere ego-boosting entertainers in their father’s palace. Rather, King Triton treats them as co-heirs.

Yet every time Ariel goes to the surface, she learns something about a world that’s becoming increasingly enticing to her. She sings all about the wonder of living with “what do you call ‘em? Feet.” But she hasn’t actually spent a single day in the life of a human just yet. (And might I add, it’s not so much about a boy this time as it is about the wonder and curiosity of this other world.)

Even so, her desire to have what has not been offered to her becomes so strong, she gives in to the temptation and sets herself up for danger. Ursula and her sea serpent minions capitalize on Ariel’s discontent and make a deal with her soul. (I can almost hear the Charlie Daniel’s Band fiddle screech.)

But Ariel doesn’t know that it will cost her far more than she bargained for. She will lose the most important thing inside her—her voice.

Eve’s downfall chronicled in Genesis 3—where the devil offers to satisfy her unquenchable curiosity with a taste of the wisdom reserved for God himself—is a true cautionary tale. The devil never makes a fair deal.

The original song, “For the First Time,” is Ariel’s lament of her choices, where she realizes that more has been lost than gained.

That is, until someone with even more power and authority than the one who came to “steal, kill, and destroy”[1] can upset the scales, undo the curse, and turn the tide. In the Kingdom of Atlantica, that is King Triton.

Out of love for his daughter, he willingly gives up his crown and trident, becoming a powerless coral polyp (or, in the remake, dust) in Ursula’s lair. This was supposed to be Ariel’s punishment.

Despite her betrayal and disobedience of her father, King Triton gives up his life for Ariel. And in so doing, Ursula temporarily becomes “prince of this world,”[2] or rather queen supreme of the ocean.

But as we all know, that’s not the end of the story.

The Little Mermaid highlights the themes of contentment, desire, temptation, good and evil, sacrifice, redemption, and restoration. These are themes we also see in the Bible, where God’s ultimate sacrifice of his Son Jesus on the cross leads to our redemption and restoration into his forever kingdom.

Questions to ask your kids:

Have you ever been to a friend’s house and thought they had it way better than you? (i.e., better junk food in their pantry, cooler toys, a bigger house, more lax rules?)

What may be going on behind the scenes of this discontent?

Do you think your comparisons are always accurate?

How can we replace the lie(s) that leads to ingratitude with God’s truth?

Even though we’ve given in to temptation, how did God make things right for us to live in perfect harmony with him, now and eternally?

How is King Triton’s character similar and/or different from your view of God?

Need more suggestions on how to find the gospel in your everyday life and in the lives of the littles you lead? Read more posts like this in the Disney and the Gospel tab. Then, sign up for my monthly NEWSLETTER for all things Digital Parenting.

[1] John 10:10

[2] John 14:30

POSTED BY

Jenna

Jenna Kruse is a teacher but not in a classroom. She loves to think outside the box and inside the Word and is daily in need of an attitude adjustment. She is a wife to Justin, a mother to three children ages 10, 8 and 5 and a mentor to teenagers and young adults. You can learn more about the heart behind her blog HERE.

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