When you think about The Little Mermaid, the first image is probably Ariel’s red hair floating against the blue. But honestly, the movie would be a total slog without the two guys hovering at her shoulders. I’m talking about Flounder and Sebastian.
They aren’t just sidekicks. They are the actual pulse of the story.
You’ve got a nervous, bright yellow tropical fish and a stressed-out Jamaican crab. One is a terrified best friend who would walk through fire (or sharks) for her. The other is a high-strung court composer who basically becomes a reluctant father figure. It’s a weird trio. But it works.
The Anxious Brilliance of Sebastian
Sebastian isn't just "the music guy." His full name is actually Horatio Thelonious Ignacious Crustaceous Sebastian. That’s a lot of name for a small crab.
In the 1989 original, Samuel E. Wright brought this incredible energy to the role. He wasn't supposed to be Jamaican initially. The creators originally thought of him as a refined, stuffy English butler type. Then Howard Ashman, the lyrical genius behind the music, suggested a Caribbean flair. This shifted everything. It gave us "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl," sure, but it also gave Sebastian a specific kind of warmth mixed with frantic anxiety.
He is constantly stuck between a rock and a hard place. Specifically, between King Triton’s temper and Ariel’s reckless curiosity.
If you watch the 2023 live-action version, Daveed Diggs takes over the pincers. The vibe changes slightly. He’s less of a "court composer" and more of a "royal advisor" who is clearly exhausted by his job. In this version, he feels less like a cartoon and more like a real person trying to keep a teenager from ruining her life.
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Flounder: More Than a Guppy
People call Flounder a guppy to tease him, but he’s actually a tropical fish. Specifically, he’s designed to look like a royal angelfish in the animation.
He is the ultimate "ride or die" friend. Think about it. He is absolutely terrified of everything. Sharks? Terrified. The surface? Terrified. But the second Ariel says "let's go," he's right there. He is the personification of "do it scared."
A lot of fans were pretty upset when the 2023 film came out. Jacob Tremblay voiced a version of Flounder that looked like... well, a real fish. People on the internet went wild. They called it "nightmare fuel" because the expressive, chubby-cheeked fish from our childhood was replaced by a realistic, flat-looking creature.
But if you look past the CGI, the heart is the same. Flounder is the only one who doesn't judge Ariel's obsession with the human world. He doesn't tell her it's "barbaric." He just helps her carry her dinglehoppers.
Why the Trio Works (Psychologically Speaking)
There is a specific reason this group feels so balanced. They represent the three parts of Ariel’s internal struggle:
- Ariel is the Ego. She is the drive, the desire, the one moving forward.
- Sebastian is the Superego. He is the rules, the caution, the voice of "should."
- Flounder is the Heart. He is the pure, non-judgmental loyalty.
When Sebastian sings "Under the Sea," he isn't just performing a hit song. He is desperately trying to convince Ariel (and himself) that staying safe is better than being free. It’s a plea.
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And Flounder? He just watches. He knows she’s going to leave. He’s the one who helps her swim to the boat when she finally gets legs. He’s literally the bridge between her old life and her new one.
The Evolution of Their Design
It’s wild to see how these characters have changed over forty years.
In the Broadway musical, Sebastian was played by Tituss Burgess (of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt fame). On stage, he isn't a tiny crab; he's a man in a red suit with huge energy. The physicality had to change because you can't have a tiny CGI crab on a live stage.
Then you have the 2026 perspective. We’ve moved past the "uncanny valley" debates of the early 2020s. We now see these characters as flexible icons. Whether they are hand-drawn ink or hyper-realistic pixels, the core remains.
What Most People Get Wrong
One big misconception is that Sebastian is a lobster. He’s not. He’s a crab. Lobsters have long tails; Sebastian is round.
Another thing? Flounder isn't a flounder. Real flounders are flat, camouflaged fish that lie on the bottom of the ocean with both eyes on one side of their head. If Ariel’s best friend looked like a real flounder, the movie would be a horror film.
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How to Apply the "Ariel Trio" to Your Life
If you’re looking for a takeaway, look at your own circle.
Everyone needs a Sebastian—someone who tells you the truth even when it’s annoying, and who worries about you when you won't worry about yourself.
Everyone needs a Flounder—the friend who is scared of your big ideas but shows up to support them anyway.
And honestly? You need to be the Ariel. The one who listens to the advice, appreciates the loyalty, but still follows the "burning desire" to see what's beyond the surface.
To really appreciate the depth of these characters, go back and watch the "Kiss the Girl" sequence. Notice how Sebastian isn't just singing; he's orchestrating a whole ecosystem to help his friend. That's the peak of their relationship. It's not about being a "sidekick." It's about being a partner in someone else's dream.
Check out the original 1989 sketches if you can find them. Seeing how Duncan Marjoribanks (the animator) gave Sebastian such human expressions with just a shell and some claws is a masterclass in character design.
Next Steps for the Deep Dive:
- Compare the Vocals: Listen to Samuel E. Wright and Daveed Diggs back-to-back on "Under the Sea." Notice the rhythmic differences in their delivery.
- Study the Animation: Watch the shark chase scene again. Look at Flounder’s "squash and stretch" movements—it’s why he feels so much more "alive" than the realistic 2023 version.
- Explore the Lore: Look into the Ariel prequel series from Disney Junior (2024-2025) to see how a younger Sebastian and Flounder first met the princess.