Disney has managed to redeem a ‘The Little Mermaid’ character by doing the bare minimum

It’s been almost a week since The Little Mermaid arrived in theaters, so enough time has passed for us to start making comparisons. Any of the changes made to the live-action version are fair game at this stage, especially as Twitter (and the rest of the internet) has nothing but good things to say about the alterations. If it isn’t gushing praise for Halle Bailey’s Ariel, Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula, or love for the feminism the remake represents, it’s the subtle mannerisms in Prince Eric’s character that make him much more of a gentleman than his animated counterpart.

In the final face-off against Ursula, as we all remember it from 1989, Prince Eric’s bride Vanessa is revealed to be Ursula in disguise, a fact that we — the audience — already knew. The same can be said for the remake, but if anyone recalls the iconic scene where Ursula crawls across the ship to snatch Ariel and return to the ocean, the OG Eric doesn’t even stand in the way of his soulmate. In fact, he stands by idly as she’s swept away into the sea by a nefarious villainess who’d only ever cause her harm.

Thankfully, the same isn’t true of Jonah Hauer-King’s Eric, who — as we see in the clip below — actually stands between Ariel and Ursula as the latter charges toward them. He’s knocked aside by one of her tentacles and rendered helpless, but it’s the thought that counts. A for effort, Eric.

Apparently, that small change was enough for the internet to announce live-action Eric as superior to animated Eric. It might go unnoticed by many viewers, but it’s a moment that stands as a testament to Eric’s charisma and how deeply he cares for Ariel. Several comments online are praising how the remake portrays Ariel and Eric as soulmates from the beginning, particularly how they yearn for more from their provincial lives and find one another by chance. There’s nothing more satisfying than sticking it to the anti-feminist preachers.

Also, in 1989’s The Little Mermaid, when Ariel transforms back into a mermaid following the breaking of Ursula’s curse, Eric stands there stunned, almost disgusted by the reveal. We’re led to assume that he’s in such severe shock that he doesn’t respond in time to react when Ursula comes parading through the crowd of onlookers. But still, it isn’t the most gentlemanly of acts, now, is it? Meanwhile, 2023’s Prince Eric only hugs Ariel even tighter upon realizing that she isn’t quite who he thought she was.

There’s a life lesson to be taught here. We never thought we’d say it, but Disney might have finally broken its losing streak with live-action remakes as The Little Mermaid fires on all cylinders.