Few guessed that one of Disney’s most iconic villains wasn’t just a scorned outcast, but actually King Triton’s own sister. Which means Ursula is Ariel’s aunt. This plot twist was planned as far back as the original 1989 film but only made it to the screen in musical adaptations — and finally in the 2023 live-action version of The Little Mermaid.
The Original Tale
Hans Christian Andersen, the author of The Little Mermaid, didn’t have Ursula at all. There was an unnamed Sea Witch who didn’t threaten the heroine but warned her about the consequences of transforming. The witch cut out the mermaid’s tongue so she could become human — and that was it. No plans to take the throne, no thirst for revenge. The story was sadder but more honest: no one was truly to blame except the heroes and their choices.
Disney Turns the Witch into a Villain — And Almost Made Her Triton’s Sister
When Ron Clements and John Musker adapted the tale, they needed a clear antagonist. Thus, Ursula was born — a manipulative outcast banished from the kingdom with a plan to overthrow Triton. In early drafts of the 1989 script, Ursula and Triton were siblings. A line in the song "Under the Sea" hinted at this, but it was cut — supposedly for time. A subtle nod remains in Ursula’s line: "I once lived in the palace..."
In the Musical and Novels, Ursula Is the Banished Sister of the King
On Broadway, this backstory became canon. In the song I Want the Good Times Back, Ursula sings about once ruling the sea with her brother before being exiled for abusing magic. Serena Valentino’s novel Poor Unfortunate Soul also leans into this version, portraying Ursula as a disgraced royal.
The 2023 Live-Action Film Officially Confirms Ursula as Ariel’s Aunt
In the new live-action remake, this fact is spoken aloud. Ursula calls herself Triton’s younger sister, saying she was exiled from Atlantica 15 years ago. Her return is not just a battle for power but personal revenge on her brother and a display of dominance before her niece. The rivalry becomes a family feud, with deeper and more painful motivations.
Why It Matters
This twist makes the conflict in The Little Mermaid more tragic. Ursula is no longer just a monster from the depths but part of the family’s fractured history. It changes how we see Ariel, too: she’s not just an innocent victim of magic but a girl caught in a tangled, destructive family feud that began long before she was born.
Disney rarely makes villains this personal. With this new twist, The Little Mermaid becomes not just a tale of love and freedom, but a story about family betrayal, revenge, and maybe—redemption.
